Dying Fire, Proverbs 26:20

Dying Fire

Proverbs 26:20 Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.

There are ample situations which one can find for getting caught up in heated discussions. I see it everyday at work. Usually complaints about how the administration or bosses just do not understand the worker's plight. They are certainly inept, never do anything, and we could obviously do a better job than what they are!

How do we respond to those times when others around us complain and moan about others. Do we add wood to the fire and help in the bashing of a person who is not even there to defend themselves? Or, do we try removing sources of fuel by lifting the other person up.

Daughters, it is obviously dangerous to actually removing pieces of wood from a fire. Those logs are quite hot and you can end up getting burnt! So what is one to do? The least you can do is keep your own mouth shut. Where there are many words, sin is not absent (Prov10:19). But you can also help build others up, and in doing so you will snag the end of a burning comment, pull it out, and create a dying fire. Never help in kindling strife (vs 21). It will only add to the destruction of others and will cause the fire to get hotter to come back and burn you. God wants you to shine, but not because you were set on fire by hell itself (James 3:6). Use your tongue to build other up so the fires of other will die down.

~Dad

Be Humble, Proverbs 25:6

Be Humble

Proverbs 25:6 Do not exalt yourself in the king's presence, and do not claim a place among great men.

It is easy to be proud. Pride is like sin, I am at its center. Man wanted to be like God and Satan deceived them (technically in 1 Timothy it say it was Eve who was deceived not Adam, 2:14) They decided to step up and sit next to God and rule their own lives. They knew how it was to be done, things would be much better if they would control their own destiny. Oh, how wrong they were!

Proverbs is full of admonitions telling us to flee pride and to live humbly. In this scenario a man seeks to be one of the important people. He wanted to cozy up to the boss, get in with the top dogs, he was going to prove how great he was. The next verse tells of the downfall of this mindset... if you try to exalt yourself you are in danger of being humiliated before everyone. It would be better and a more lasting recognition if you allow the leader to lift you up and present you before everyone as special.

K and A, it is totally fine to strive for leadership. Godly leaders in our world are rare and sorely needed. I believe each of you have qualities that will make you good leaders. I do not know to whom God is calling you, but if you remain faithful to him and his Word, he will guide you and you will lead others. Paul says that setting your heart on being a leader is a noble venture, (1 Timothy 3:1) worthy of the effort. So, be humble, learn and meditate on God's Word, and live in faith, love, and holiness with propriety (2:15), then others will recognize your abilities and place you among the great!

~Dad

Bless Your Enemy, Proverbs 24:17 & 18

Bless Your Enemy

Proverbs 24:17 & 18 Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice, or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him.

How can you love an enemy? Isn't the very essence of an enemy someone who is against you, someone who desires your demise? This person hates you and wishes you ill. It is natural to despise them. When they attack, fighting back is normal. If we do not stand up for ourselves who will?!

But this is contrary to the way of Christ. Christ says that we must love our enemy, to do good to those that hate us (Luke 6:27). That may be true, but how far must we take this loving? Sure, we shouldn't lash out, but wouldn't it be okay to take pleasure in what God is doing. He's the one who said it for him to avenge (Deut 32:35), so he is the one who is punishing them. I'm just agreeing with him.

K and A, when God is punishing others, he is doing it to draw them back to himself. He does not do it out of spite or with any evil motives. He desires all to come to him and be made right and pure (1 Tim 2:4). Therefore daughters, When your enemy trips and falls, do not rejoice and say... you got what you deserve. Instead, lift them up. God may be trying to use you to reach their souls and bring them home. After all, you would be in the same condition, if God had not sent someone to you. Desire the best for others, especially your enemy.

~Dad

New Beginnings Genesis 8:15 & 16

New Beginnings

Genesis 8:15 & 16 Then God said to Noah, "Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives."

The last time I wrote to you daughters was at the end of the school year. You, Anna, had not taken your cross-cultural trip to Guatemala and you, Kellie, had not taken the big step down the isle into marriage. Life was soooo different...

For Noah and his family life started anew. For over a year, Noah and his family lived on the ark taking care of God's creation that he had brought to them. It must have been an arduous task, an unbelievable adventure that will never be repeated. they had complete reliance on God and their faith in his provision and protect was proven true. A new life was beginning and continued faith would carry them through.

Young ladies, although you two walk vastly different paths in life, one in her junior year of college and the other as a married young lady, I pray that you have the same goal in mind; faithfully trusting God for his provision and protection. He will see you through the new adventures you encounter as you maintain faith in him. He is more than able to supply you needs. In fact he gives out of his glorious riches (Phil 4:19). He has much more than we can fathom and will bless you abundantly as  you remain steadfast to him. He also will protect you. You know the verse... God will not give you more than you can bear... although this is not a quote and most often it is used for pressures of life and I think that is a fair extension of God grace, this verse, found in 1 Corinthians 10:1, deals with temptations. Anna just because you go to a Christian college and Kellie just because you are married, do not be foolish. Satan and temptation is real. In fact, unless you constantly and continuously put yourselves under the control of the Holy Spirit, you carnal, or fleshly, or even natural desires can and will rule in your life and you will fall to temptation. But, look for the way our for God has promised to not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear and will provide the way out and you will find it if you look for it!

If we return to the story of Noah for a moment we see that this pristine land didn't even last one generation. Ham looked upon his fathers nakedness as his father lay drunk and his descendants were cursed forever! Sin is real but it is overcome when we confess our sin and then yield our lives to the control of the Holy Spirit. Memorize and meditate on Romans 6:1-14. Then read Romans 7. After this read and meditate on Romans 8:1-14.

Daughters, Victory over the self and worldly pleasures are possible when you yield not to temptation but to the Spirit! God will carry you through as you each begin your new walk in life.

Yield Not to Temptation Hymn

Full of Hope, Romans 15:13

Full of Hope

Romans 15:13, May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Daughter Anna and Daughter Kellie, this is the last "daily" post for awhile. School is out, schedules change and life is about to change. Where it all leads, I do not know. But this I know, we serve a God who knows all and is already preparing our futures. He loves each of us and will guide us as we desire to love and serve him.

Anna, I pray that, as you take this trip to Guatemala, God moves on your heart and gives you a burden for the lost no matter what part of the world he places you. May he prepare you, may your heart be open, and may his grace be upon you and give you hope for what lies ahead.

Kellie, what can I say. I am losing track of you. In many ways grown up, yet still much to learn. Soon to be married. You will become the responsibility of your husband to lead and guide you in spiritual things. My responsibilities will cease, yet I will remain here for you, ~. May the power of the Holy Spirit live in your marriage and give you hope for the days that lie ahead.

Young ladies, honor the Lord with your lives. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace!

~Dad

Woe Wrap-up, Luke 11:37 - 54

Woe Wrap-up

Luke 11:40 You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also?

Woe to you, calamity is coming... that was Jesus' message to the Pharisees. He had been accosted for not washing before the meal the Pharisees had invited him to. They did their ceremonial washing and looked clean, but he saw their hearts. They were a bunch of pretenders... they worked to appear righteous, but they had never been cleansed by God (Ps 51:7).

He is the synopsis of what Jesus saw and warned them about.

• Do more than just obey rules to look good. Show acts of kindness through fulfilling the needs of others
• Don't be showy, always trying for attention. Be humble.
• You think you are something special... nobody cares about you. (That's a tough one)
• Lead with kindness, you may be the boss, but be workable.
• When you fail to listen and obey God, you are like all those before you who killed the prophets. You will be judged by the same standard. Do what is right.
• You know the way to God, you must not keep others from it. Help others to God.

Ladies, God made that person you see in the mirror. It is proper to keep it cleaned, well groomed and in shape. So exercise, eat right, brush your teeth, and put on that deodorant. But, remember what Paul and Peter said

• 1 Timothy 4:8 ⁸For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
• 1 Peter 3:3 &4 3Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. 4Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.

As Jesus told the Pharisees, the inside is much more important than the outside. Take care of your soul, work to purify yourself. Eat the Word, then exercise your faith. Live out what you know is right. And leave the bad stuff behind - leave worldly pleasures alone. They will contaminate your inner being as well as your outer self. Yet, what you look like in the mirror is of little consequence. The mirror of your heart is God's word (James 1:23). Check yourself to see if you are in the faith (2 Cor 13:5). Pass the test and you will hear Christ differently than experts of the law. He will say to you... Well done, no calamity in site!

~Dad

Woe 6: Keys to Knowledge, Luke 11:53

Keys to Knowledge

Luke 11:53 Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were.

As Jesus ends his tirade on the Pharisees and experts in the law, he lets them know that they are a hindrance to the kingdom. Their pompous attitudes and false demeanor became an obstacle to the people to reaching out to God. Proverbs says that knowledge is from the Lord (Pr 2:6). When the Pharisees stole the keys to knowledge, what they really stole was the way to God. The ones who were to lead people to God were keeping the people from him.

The church, the people of God, hold the keys to the kingdom today. We have the responsibility to open doors that lead others to Christ. When we give this knowledge to others they will not see us but will see the one we hold up for all to gaze upon.

A and K, the Pharisees held the keys to heaven as you do now. They not only kept others out, they themselves would not enter the His rest (Hebrews 4:3). It makes me happy that both of you have enter his rest, but that is not enough. It is my prayer that each of you help others find his rest also. You hold the keys to the knowledge of Christ and his forgiveness and the new life that is possible in him. Open that door and let others in.

~Dad