Proverbs 12:10 says, “A righteous man cares for the needs of his animals…” Taking responsibility for the family pets is one job most children get. It’s an excellent way to show them how to be kind towards animals and dependable in their care. Years later, that well-meaning consideration towards animals will translate into generous, thoughtful adults.
Tag: theology
House Rules – If you sleep in it…make it.
Joshua 24:15 reads, “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…” Maybe you’ve heard the old saying, You’ve made your bed, now sleep in it. Unfortunately, we all live with the consequences of bad choices we’ve made in the past, for our days are filled with choices…some good, some not so good… but with the Lord’s guidance, He can help us make the best choices for us. Wise and good choices that will have eternal consequences.
House Rules – If it rings…Answer it.
The next House Rule deals with listening and then obeying. The Scripture comes from Revelation 3:20, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with Me.” If you examine the famous painting depicting this verse, you’ll see that there’s no doorknob on the outside. Jesus stands knocking, but can’t open the door Himself…we have to. All throughout our Spiritual journey with the Lord, He’ll knock at certain doors…doors of opportunity…doors of ministry…doors that are so foreign, scary, and frankly, so far-fetched, that we can’t put our heads around what He’s calling us to do. It’s at that point that we must make the decision to obey…to open that door and allow Him and His plan for us to come in.
Matthew 3:10 ” The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
Healthy trees produce lots of fruit, so when they don’t, the orchardist looks deeper. The trees may look perfect from the outside, but hide disease within. Their roots may be withered and gnarled from lack of water or fertilizer. We too can look good on the outside, but be stunted within. We can act very spiritual in Church, say all the right things at Bible Study, and still be very withered inside. The Lord wants us healthy and productive – inside and out, for just like strong, hardy trees that produce lots of fruit… so should we.
Proverbs 14:9 ” Fools mock at making amends for sin, but goodwill is found among the upright.”
When those of the world get caught doing wrong, they’re sorry…sorry that they got caught. And the rest of the world will scorn them for doing so. What’s happened to doing the right thing…to owning up to our mistakes, and with authenticity, making restitution for it?
Matthew 3:2 ” Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is near.”
Repentance is the beginning of your journey with God. True repentance means taking responsibility for what you’ve done… for owning your sins. Repentance could also be called an action word…it starts with a heart change, but commands a directional change too – a turning from darkness to light, evil to good, wicked to righteous. Repentance is the starting point of that new life you’re looking for.
Matthew 28:6 “He is not here; He has risen, just as He said.”
Don’t look for Him in the tomb.
Don’t look for Him in the ground.
Don’t look for Him among the dead.
Don’t look for Him bound.
Jesus has risen to new life…resurrected from the grave…no longer held by the grip of death. Jesus has risen, and with Him, the hope of eternal life for us.
Proverbs 26: 14 ” As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed.”
According to the dictionary, the word sluggard means a slow or lazy person. But the term lazy can mean much more than just not wanting to work. We may be a sluggard towards daily time in God’s Word…preferring rather to mindlessly scroll our phones. We may be a lax sluggard, who acknowledges God’s plan and purpose in our lives…but prefers the comfort of our recliner and Media Center more. A sluggard is doomed to poverty so the Proverb says…destitute in both material and spiritual things.
Revelation 20: 1-2 ” And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.”
God could have sent the archangel, Michael…who was a mighty warrior. He could have sent the angel, Gabriel…who had announced the birth of Jesus. But instead, He sent someone else. An angel that not only carried the keys to the Abyss, but wrangled the devil, hog-tying him up in a chain and tossing him headlong into the bottomless pit. God didn’t need to send Michael or Gabriel to subdue the devil…He just needed some unknown angel to do the job.
I Chronicles 26: 12 ” These divisions of the Gatekeepers, through their chief men, had duties for ministering in the Temple of the Lord, just as their relatives had.”
Have your parents always been active in Church, but you’ve held back…maybe thinking it’s not for you? Look around your Church and assess the age of those who serve the most. Are they in their 20’s or 30’s…or is it more like 60’s and 70’s, or older? The sad fact about many Churches today is that the vast majority of those ministering and volunteering are the elderly of the Church, not younger adults. In this verse, it speaks of the Gatekeepers being chief men…men who were strong and in the prime of their life…charged with guarding and protecting with self-discipline and integrity. The Church is only as young as the people who serve. And when those precious Saints of the Church are gone…what happens next? Who will fill their shoes? Will you?
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