🤝Advice 👋

 Having the applauses of men is not the same as having the peace of God.

Psalms 28:1 (KJV) Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.

David calls out to the Lord properly addressing Him by name. “O LORD my rock” David refers to the Lord as his salvation, his firm foundation. David desire is hear the Lord speak to him. David doesn’t just ask the Lord to speak but then tells the Lord of his fear “if thou be silent to me”  “I become like them that go down into the pit” Like those in  prison.  David’s desire is to please the Lord so he ask the Lord, lead me, direct my steps, for if you don’t I’m afraid I’ll follow wrong advice. David may not mean the bad advice of others but himself. I don’t know about others but it is not the advice of others so much as my own advice I give myself. If I allow wrong thinking to continue it won’t be long before wrong actions follow. You see David cried out in desperation because of his fellowship with the Lord. My relationship with the Lord is daily not just when I go to the Church house. David had respect to the Lord with out doubt as well as a relationship with the Lord as a friend.

Proverbs 18:24 (KJV) A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

David showed himself friendly. You see if all David did was honor the Lord at a certain place and time he would never get to know the Lord as a friend. Friends talk to one another, care fore one another. A friend is one you build a relationship with. A friend is one you shares life’s ups and downs with and also it’s joys. A friend is one whom you are glad to introduce to others as your friend. A friend is one whom you have great respect for; “there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” Who do you think is that friend that sticks closer than a brother? David knows  “Unto thee will I cry, O LORD” when you need advice who do you cry out to? When I head off in the wrong direction or sinful thinking and do not call out to the Lord for help I always end up in the wrong place. Why is that? I follow my own advice!

⚖️Lady Justice👨‍⚖️

 The scales of justice are not balanced by judging the wrong and praising the right, but from letting go of all illusions. 

Lady Justice is a statue displaying a set of scales in one hand. On one side, the argument and the other the evidence. Therefore the scales can tip in favor of either side. Lady Justice is also wearing a blindfold, blind and impartial to wealth, power or any other status one might hold. She also holds a sword, Justice can be swift and final. In John chapter 8 we read of a woman who has broken the law there are eyewitnesses who are more than willing to come forth. The law which does not look or try to understand, has no sympathy, no mercy and no grace. Guilty as charged! This woman needs a good lawyer for the law she has broken requires the death penalty. If I were caught on radar going 88 mph in a 55 mph zone there is no question I’m guilty. What I need would be a Judge that could and would show me mercy. Get the picture of what is taking place here in John chapter 8. The prosecutors bring in the one being charged. 

John 8:3 (KJV) And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,

The accusation is made John 8:4 (KJV) They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.

This is what the law says John 8:5 (KJV) Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?

The law says no mercy, no grace; the penalty for such an act is death by stoning. But what do you have to say, Jesus? Looks pretty cut and dried to me. You broke the law now it’s time to pay the piper. We have our own rules and guide lines in our own life. Oh they might not stand up in a court of law and they may or may not be written down but we have them none the less. Jesus did not ask this woman the question you and I may have asked, “Miss is this true what they are saying?” Jesus didn’t ask that question but he did ask the accusers a question.

John 8:7 (KJV) So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

A simple question we should not forget when we or someone else is requesting punishment for another. It’s easy to condemn others for their wrongful actions and even pass judgement. What we need to do is realize we are all guilty of some wrongful act even if we didn’t get caught. Jesus asked a question, if any of you have never done any wrongful act please be the first to put your request into action. Jesus wants these accusers to think, use your head, put yourself in the place of the one that is being accused. The question was not is she guilty, she was for Jesus told her go and sin no more. What this woman needed is the same thing you and I need and that is mercy and grace for we all have sinned. Romans 3:23 (KJV) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Hebrews 4:16 (KJV) Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Those that accused had no respect for the place where they were or their rude interruption they made. They came into the Temple and interrupted Jesus the teacher and turned the Temple into a court house. The woman was accused but no witness ever said “yes I saw it all she is guilty.” No, it is hearsay only. Are you seeing the holes in this kangaroo court?  We ourselves are guilty without doubt. We have lied, stolen, cheated, spoken evil, and the list could go on and on but notice what Jesus told the woman; “go and sin no more.” The greatest sin is the sin of rejecting Jesus Christ as our Savior. Reject that which Jesus has done for you and there is no hope. Oh then I can do like I want as long as I don’t reject Jesus Christ. No you won’t want to do wrong if you know Jesus Christ personally. Like this woman who committed adultery she could not be involved with another and be committed to her husband.  

😱Who is The Lord⁉️

Assumptions are the termites of relationships.

As we began to read our Bible we open up to Genesis chapter 1 and we read 

Genesis 1:1 (KJV) In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

The very first person mentioned is “God” the creator of all. Now that’s interesting that we know who the creator is but what has that got to do with you and I? Nothing if we don’t know or want to know God personally. On a dark night in the front yard of my friend's house in December I saw a young lady. I knew who she was, I knew where she lived, I knew her name but I didn’t know her and that was what I wanted; to know her. Knowing her, being around her, knowing others who knew her even knowing her name didn’t make me know her. A person would have to have a wild imagination to believe that everything we see would not have to have had a creator. In Genesis chapter 1 we read of the Creator, God. In Genesis chapter 2 we are introduced to God the creator as Lord. 

Genesis 2:4 (KJV) These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,

In Genesis chapter 3 we are introduced to the destructor. Now what is interesting is how sneaky the destructor is. In Genesis chapter 1 God steps boldly out upon the page. In Genesis chapter 2 the Lord steps on boldly upon the page. No hiding, no disguising but in chapter 3 the destructor steps out disguised as a serpent. He spreads his destructive message by lies and deceitfulness and questions which seems to make life more worthwhile. This method is still being used and works largely on greed. 

Genesis 3:1 (KJV) Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

Another interesting fact is the name “Lord” is mentioned 7970 times in our Bible more than any other. “Jesus” is mentioned 983 times which comes in second most mentioned. While the devil only 61 times. Let me put it another way. If the president was going to share important news tonight and right after that I was going to share important news. Who do you think would get the most views? Then what the Lord and Jesus have to say are way more important than anything the devil has to say.

Therefore we should say with the Psalmist 

Psalms 28:7 (KJV) The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: 

therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

Oh that young girl I saw that December night in my friends front yard. I did get to know her really well, I also asked her to marry me and you know what she said? Well she plainly said “yes.” 

🫪Being Fearful and Afraid🥶

  Fear is the passion of our nature which excites us to provide for our security, on the approach of evil.

Psalms 27:1 (KJV) The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Two words jumped out at me when I read that verse. One was “fear” and the other was “afraid” so I looked into it. Fear can be that which might happen. When I was in my teenage years My Dad, my hero, the one I placed trust in was also a man whom I feared. Let me explain. My Dad was a man of his word if he asked you to do something he expected you to do what he asked.  Now I didn’t always do what he wanted me too and I never was too worried about it until I saw him. Then I became fearful of what he might do. Then there’s being afraid. If my dad ever said go to your room it wasn’t like getting to stick your nose in the corner for 10 minutes. That’s when fear left and being afraid came on. Now he might not come right in and punish me, why he might not come in for 15 minutes or so. Sometimes it seemed like an hour or more when it was only a short time. Questions began to rise up in my mind of how bad it’s going to be. What type of punishment? That is when fear and being afraid blended in together. I didn’t understand it all back then but my Dad knew some things I didn’t know at the time. One thing was if he didn’t teach his boys respect that no one else would. We learned very early to say “yes and no sir.” How well was his teaching? Well today I’m still showing respect to others. Like the young man I was speaking with on the phone. I was old enough to be his granddad and I was saying yes sir. Why? Because my dad required it as a way to show respect. Respect, discipline, honor, great teaching for a young boy and my dad had 3 of them and he made it his responsibility to teach us. The difference between fear and being afraid. Well fear can be over that which may or may not happen. Being afraid is that which will more than likely happen. The fear of flying is much different than hearing the pilot  say prepare to crash.  David says “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? David goes on to say

 “the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” The Apostle Paul said it this way.

Romans 8:36 (KJV) As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Sheep headed for the slaughter? Wow! Why was Paul writing about a slaughter? Could it be that the sheep don’t understand what’s about to happen? If that’s the case then there is no fear of being afraid. Paul goes on to say. Romans 8:38 (KJV) For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Romans 8:39 (KJV) Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

What can separate us from the God that promised eternal life? Paul says nothing.  Oh but you don’t know what I have done. That’s right I don’t and I’m sure it’s awful or you wouldn’t remember it. What I do know is that God knows all about it. If God is willing not to remember it so why don’t you just trust God? Psalms 103:12 (KJV) As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.  God did what “removed” get busy trusting in God and stop being fearful and afraid.

⏳Spend Time ⌛️

 Time is what we want most, but what we use worst. William Penn

Have you ever said I would like to get to know that person, and spend more time with them? It may have been a young man or young woman that you really would like to know better. It might have been a business person that you could network with. It could have been a host of things or you might be like the Apostle Paul when he said this. 

Philippians 3:10 (KJV) That I may know him,(Jesus Christ) and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

Paul wanted very much to know who Jesus was. Paul wanted to know about Jesus, His resurrection and His suffering. Was the Apostle Paul wanting to know how to die to sin’s temptations for he wrote of dying daily. The Apostle Paul was no super hero over sin. Paul was just like you and I, a sinner that needed salvation. He fought with sin just as you and I do. He said in Romans chapter 7 and verse 19 “For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.” Paul said I have a great desire to know Jesus Christ. Who is it that you and I have a desire to know? What are we doing to get to know that person? Paul did more than go to the Synagogue 3 hours a week. One can’t become good at baseball, playing an instrument, or anything else without putting time and practice into it. Paul poured his life into knowing who Jesus Christ was. Peter says be ready to give an answer. 1 Peter 3:15 (KJV) But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Not a reason but an answer. The buck stops with you, you must own it, don't blame others. In times past there were many that had an influence in my life. I listened to many that gave me bad advice. I did wrong things when I knew better. Now there are very few that have real influence in life. My daddy was and still is one of my greatest hero’s. I am still listening to his voice, although he has been gone for almost 39 years. The impact he made, the influence he had and the wisdom he shared I haven’t forgotten. A while back my brother told me about a night when he asked himself “what would daddy do if he were in this situation.” Then he told me that he got up and did what more than likely our dad would have done. That my friend is influencing another. That is what the Apostle Paul was saying: I want to know Jesus so He can influence me. 

 Matthew 22:37 (KJV) Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Who has influence in our lives? Those we spend time with.

🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒Glory of Children🛗

 My Dad gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person.

 

Proverbs 17:6 (KJV) Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.

What caught my eye this morning was “the glory of children are their fathers.” I was very fortunate as a child. I was brought up in a good home, now I’m not saying that my mom and dad didn't have any disappointments, broken hearts, hard times for they did. No over all I had a great childhood. My mom and dad stayed together until death and my dad spent time with us 3-boys. We didn’t have much as kids but stuff doesn’t bring a good childhood. Why did I have a great childhood? Our dad loved us and when we did wrong we got punished for our actions. It was never the other person’s fault because those unkind words came out of our mouth or our actions. It was our fault, we said it, we did it and we were the ones at fault not someone else. I learned to have respect for others. Our dad used the rod of correction and believe it or not the rod of correction gets great results. I have to this day a great honor for my dad. I hope when I’m in Heaven my children will have as much respect for me then as I do for my dad. That is something one cannot buy. My dad was my hero, my friend, my correction officer, the jail warden, the executioner, the police, the judge, the instructor, the teacher, the college professor, he was the CEO of the family, the CFO of the family you name it and that was my dad. He was the one who taught us boys to have respect for others, say yes sir and no ma’am. It mattered not who they are, show respect. Now I still find myself showing respect to others by speaking to them in a respectful manner. Thanks Dad for the teaching, training and all learning over the short few years I was under your care. I was gone from your care at 18 and dad our Uncle Sam didn’t love me like you did. Now many years later your schooling is still guiding my life. Thanks for the learning of the buck; the buck stops here it’s not someone else’s fault it’s mine alone. A great lesson that isn’t being taught anymore. That’s the way our Heavenly Father thinks too; for all have sinned and come short. ​Once one understands that they have learned a great lesson. 

💪Lift Up👆

 Set your affection on things above

Psalms 25:1 (KJV) Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul.

In order to lift up my soul I need to know what my soul is. We are told to love the Lord with all our heart, soul and mind. When we tell someone that we love them with all our heart what do we mean? 

When I say to my wife “I love you with all my heart” what do I mean? Does that mean?  I don’t love our children? I don’t love my mother and Dad? 

Of course not! Love is something we freely give. I love my wife, no one can makes me do that. When I tell her that, I’m saying, all my affections are for you. That being said, she and I both have affection for our parents, our children, our grandchildren and great grandchildren. When the line is drawn in the sand it’s not that you are my only affection, you are my greatest affection. Everyone will leave our home but she and I have decided to stay together with each other until death. No one makes us do that, we do that because we love each other greatly. So what is the soul? Is this not where everything comes from? My soul has feelings, emotions, concerns. When David said “I lift up my soul” is David not saying I lift up my affections, I’m communicating to you Lord in prayer, I’m drawing close to You O Lord, I’m lifting up my eyes. It’s hard for me to understand what men and women did to Jesus Christ. How did He feel when men slapped Him? How did He feel when He was spit on? How did He feel when men beat Him? How did He feel when people said awful words to Him? What did Jesus look like when He got to the cross before the nails were driven into Him? He could have stopped it with one word, but He didn’t. Instead Jesus in all His pain and disappointment said “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Have we ever stopped and lifted up our soul like David? Think about what the Lord has done for us? I think it’s time to lift up our soul. Psalms 25:2 (KJV) O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.

Psalms 42:1 (KJV) As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

Matthew 22:37 (KJV) Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.