Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9:37-38 ESV) When the multitudes gathered and Jesus began to teach, He spoke of things that related to their everyday lives. They understood when He taught parables about planting seed, types of soil, or gathering the harvest. They lived in an agrarian society, and several of the Jewish feast days were related to times of harvest. When Jesus told His disciples that there was a bountiful harvest to…
There is a generation that curses its father, and does not bless its mother. There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not washed from its filthiness. There is a generation—oh, how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up. There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, and whose fangs are like knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men. (Proverbs 30:11-14, NKJV) Do you have a favorite book of the Bible? I have several favorites, but Proverbs is definitely high on my list. I have a friend who for some strange reason does not enjoy reading Proverbs, and I question why. Doesn’t she realize that within its chapters we find the wisdom to address almost any situation we might face? You may ask, “How can something written 3,000 years ago provide answers for 21st century living?” A lot—if we are willing to search out and apply its wisdom to the things we face today. The Book of Proverbs is more than just a collection of nice sayings or wise quotes to hang on the wall or use as a screensaver on our computers.…
“The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray.” (Proverbs 12:26, NKJV) Friends are a funny thing. No two are alike. I have my book-loving friends. We share titles of books and names of authors we enjoy. My food-loving friends and I swap recipes or recommend favorite restaurants. My adventure-loving friends are eager to enjoy a new challenge. Then there’s my good advice friends who share wise words. Some are also my “I’m here whenever you need me” friends. I can call them anytime day or night. Friends make this journey called life more enjoyable. Depending upon the person, they can encourage us to reach higher or they can drag us to places we should never go. An old saying goes, “Tell me who your friends are, and I will tell you who you are.” The type of friends we choose is important. Proverbs 13:20 says it this way: “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.” (NKJV) If you are a parent, you want your child to develop the right kind of friends because of the influence those friends will have in their…
“Before he had finished praying, he saw a young woman named Rebekah coming out with her water jug on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Abraham’s brother Nahor and his wife, Milcah.” Genesis 24:15 In this story, Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for his son Isaac. Abraham didn’t want Isaac to marry a Canaanite woman, so he sent his servant to his homeland to find a wife there. The servant seems a little unsure of this task, so to be sure he makes the right decision, he prays a very…
“Don’t curse the deaf; don’t put a stumbling block in front of the blind; fear your God. I am God.” Leviticus 19:14 MSG According to Dictionary.com, to be conscientious is to be governed by conscience, controlled by or done according to one’s inner sense of what is right; principled. When I read the above scripture, I noticed how it says not to curse someone who is deaf, and to not put a stumbling block in front of the blind. Both of these obstacles could go unnoticed by either party but ultimately could cause them harm, emotionally, and physically. Something that might trip up another person may not affect me the way it does them, and vice versa, but we should always be aware of our words, choices, and actions and their possible consequences. In moments of doubt, it’s important to pause, pray then proceed. We must make the required effort to avoid feelings being hurt, and relationships damaged. We must be conscientious of one another, always striving to put others first. If our foundation is based upon Christ and His Word, our character will reflect His. We must show empathy and compassion always. We don’t always see the load that people…
“But you, God, break out laughing; you treat the godless nations like jokes. Strong God, I’m watching you do it, I can always count on you. God in dependable love shows up on time, shows me my enemies in ruin.” Psalms 59:8-10 MSG In moments of suffering and struggle, it can be so challenging to declare that we see God working it out – but that is exactly what faith requires of us. Trusting in God won’t always feel like we are on the mountaintop, admiring the view of victory. Rather, it is more often than not us trudging through the trenches and looking up from the valley, desperately searching for a glimmer of hope. There is beauty to be found in our desperation though, and we can take heart in the requirement of gazing up from the floor of the valley. Psalms 121:1 gives us some great advice “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.” You go where you look. So look up today, set your gaze and mind on things above. You can proclaim, even if you don’t necessarily feel the emotion behind it, that God is strong and that He is…