February 8, 2014 – Proverbs 4 – Light in the Darkness

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

As we venture through the Psalms and Proverbs portion of our reading it will take on more of a devotional thought and less of the passage teaching of the New Testament study.

I love contrast. Sometimes we can only see the full beauty and complexity of something when it is contrasted against something else. The writer of Proverbs does that today with righteousness and wickedness.

He describes wickedness as darkness. Have you have ever been in complete darkness? That is a hard thing to come by. When I was in high school my youth group went to Summer in the Son at Kentucky Christian University. One day during our free time we went caving in nearby caverns. We found a spot where we could turn off the flash lights and spend some time worshiping in the dark. It was an awesome experience, but a little unsettling as well. It was completely dark and the darkest environment I have ever encountered. It was a fun experience, but not one I would want to live in for any amount of time. This darkens though is what the writer says wickedness is consumed with.

On the other side he compares righteousness to light … “The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.” Proverbs 4:18 NIV. Have you ever watched the sun rise? My favorite place to do it is at the beach. I love to go out before the sun even thinks of rising. It is fun to watch the day get progressively brighter. What an awesome picture of righteousness the author paints for us. And as a side note, what is light supposed to do? Illuminate the darkness. That means, as people striving for righteousness, it should be our desire to remove as much wickedness from our world as we can. 

February 1, 2014 – Proverbs 3 – Life giving words

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

As we venture through the Psalms and Proverbs portion of our reading it will take on more of a devotional thought and less of the passage teaching of the New Testament study.

How do you view the Word of God? Do you see it as some historic book telling the story of God? This is a proper view of God’s Word, but not a complete view. Do you see it as a book for of rules and regulations that will help you get to heaven? This too is a correct but incomplete view. I think a full understanding of God’s Word is present in the first few chapters … “My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.” (Proverbs 3:1-2 NIV)

God’s Word does give us insight into His story, and it does teach us the life He calls us to live. But His Word is so much more. His word teaches us a healthy lifestyle. It teaches us that we are the caretakers of the earth. It teaches us much more than rules and regulation. And Solomon’s Words instruct us to internalize and live by the Word of God, words that give life and prosperity in Him. 

January 4, 2014 – Proverbs 1 – Steering Clear of Sinful Men

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

What Does this Passage Say?

• On Saturday’s and Sunday’s we will pause from our reading of the New Testament and read through the books of Psalms and Proverbs. Some Saturday’s we will read through Proverbs and all other weekend days we will read through Psalms.
• The book of Proverbs was written by Solomon the third true King of Israel, the son of David, born to Bathsheba. Solomon ruled over Israel during an amazing amount of peace and was able to lead the nation into great wealth and prosperity. Solomon was also privileged to construct the Temple of God.
• Proverbs are often short statements sometimes standing alone giving wisdom and guidance. Proverbs begins by sharing its purpose. It then moves on into advice concerning wisdom.
• Our thirty-one day (that’s how many chapters are in Proverbs) may not follow the new structure of the Bible reading plan. That will be due to the random nature of Proverbs. However, there will be one thought that I will typically pull from that days reading.

 What is this passage teaching?

• The first couple chapters of Proverbs will concern wisdom. Wisdom is an import part of life. Seeking sound wisdom is important. In our reading today Solomon warns us to be wise against the invitation of Sinful Men. This invitation is often the destruction of many. What a brilliant place for Solomon to begin.

 How can I apply this passage to my life?

• How often do you fall into sin simply on your own? It may happen on occasion, but often the sins we struggle with, the sins we stumble upon have been introduced to us by others. Solomon warns it is wise to not let sinful men entice you, to not give in to them. What wise advice. Steer clear of situations where you may be tempted. Steer clear of friends that may drag you away from serving and following God with all you are. There is profound wisdom in the words of Solomon.  

June 18 – Proverbs 27-29

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Proverbs 27-29. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

 

Photo Credit: Microsoft Clip Art

Every morning it is typically one of the first things I do. If you are like me you probably do it some time as well. You stumble out of bed, head off to the bathroom and look at your face in the mirror. The mirror shows a reflection of how well you slept the night before. Depending on the length of my hair it also shows me how crazy and disheveled I must look.

Mirrors are very useful. They allow us to see what others are seeing in us. They allow us to groom and prepare ourselves for the day. The allow us to see parts of ourselves that we cannot see with our own eyes. We can see our own face, our necks, and our backs all with the use of a mirror. They help us know how we look or even to investigate something we have felt, but could not see, but certainly know it is not supposed to be there.

Solomon compares the heart to a reflection … “As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person.” (Proverbs 29:19 NLT) Sadly when things go bad, and a negative reflection is given it never happens in a controlled environment. In a controlled environment many are able to cover their true desires and motives. But in an uncontrolled environment, when things seem to get out of hand, when surprises arise, it is then that the true person is reflected.

In a previous life I used to work for a lawn service. One day we were doing some landscaping and I was running a flower bed edging machine. I got into some roots that killed the edger and when I went to restart it I accidentally put my hand on the muffler missing the piece where I normal found my grip. Immediately I had burnt my hand pretty badly. My reaction was not filled with cursing, but was not without the complaints. One of my co-workers came to me later amazed that I had not dropped a few f-bombs in reaction to the pain as he shared he would have. He asked my why. I was able to share my faith because of my reaction to the uncontrolled environment. I simply shared that because cursing was not a part my normal conversation, when the uncontrolled environment presented itself, my true person was reflected in my actions.

Examine your person, examine your life, what reflection are people seeing when you enter an uncontrolled environment? What would your heart reflect about you? Would you be proud or would you want to run and hide?

At West Side we believe highly in prayer. We are asking people to join with us in praying daily for West Side. If you would like to join us please click here and subscribe to receive daily emails containing a short prayer request for West Side. We appreciate your partnership.

June 17 – Proverbs 25-26

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Proverbs 25-26. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

Photo Credit: Microsoft Clip Art

Balance … Do you have it in your life? Look at a few of today’s proverbs again … “Do you like honey? Do not eat too much, or it will make you sick! Don’t visit your neighbors too often, or you will wear out your welcome.” (Proverbs 25:16-17 NLT) Honey is amazing. Spending time with friends and neighbors can be a wonderful blessing to life. God gave us honey to sweeten our food to provide pleasure. God gave friends and neighbors to do life with. God did not create us to not enjoy life. Pleasure is certainly a part of his creation.

However all of that must be measured with balance. Too much of a good thing might just turn to a bad thing. Ever spent a day eating too many sweets? The feeling at the end of the day is not a pleasant one. Ever have that pesky neighbor who always wants to talk? Ever spent a ton of time with friends and family around the Christmas holiday season and realize at the end of it you need some time alone? Balance is crucial to enjoying the pleasures of this life.

Balance is not just for the pleasures. Balance is for so many other areas of life as well. Find balance and you may just find the true pleasure God created for your life.

At West Side we believe highly in prayer. We are asking people to join with us in praying daily for West Side. If you would like to join us please click here and subscribe to receive daily emails containing a short prayer request for West Side. We appreciate your partnership.

June 9 – Proverbs 19-21

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Proverbs 19-21. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

There are so many wonderful proverbs in our reading today. I am struggling to pick just one. However you could pick up many different themes if you were to string a few together. There are thoughts on hard work verses laziness. There are thoughts on honesty verses dishonesty. There are thoughts on financial fitness verses poor money management. Instead of me teaching a devotional thought, chime in with your devotional thought in the comment section below.

At West Side we believe highly in prayer. We are asking people to join with us in praying daily for West Side. If you would like to join us please click here and subscribe to receive daily emails containing a short prayer request for West Side. We appreciate your partnership.

June 7 – Proverbs 13 -15

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Proverbs 13 - 15. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

This is a hard lesson to learn … “If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise. If you reject discipline, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding.” (Proverbs 15:31-31 NLT). This is a hard lesson to learn because when we hear the term criticism we immediately think negative thoughts. Merriam Webster dictionary defines criticism as “the act of criticizing usually unfavorably” or “a critical observation or remark.” We hear criticism and we think negative because criticism isn’t something easy to hear and may even be the cause of some personal pain.

But when you pair it with the word constructive criticism it changes the entire meaning … well sort of. The criticism is still possibly hurtful and painful, but it is given not to harm but to build up. Building up is what we think of when we hear the term constructive. A construction worker builds homes, business, and buildings. So while criticism may be hard to hear and process, analyze if it is constructive or not. If it is, learn from it because hopefully it was coming from someone who wanted to build you up and make you a better person. Read the proverb again and take those words to heart.

At West Side we believe highly in prayer. We are asking people to join with us in praying daily for West Side. If you would like to join us please click here and subscribe to receive daily emails containing a short prayer request for West Side. We appreciate your partnership.

June 6 – Proverbs 10 - 12

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Proverbs 10 - 12. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

God loves for his children to be honest. Read these proverbs again … “The LORD detests the use of dishonest scales, but he delights in accurate weights.” (Proverbs 11:1 NLT) or “The godly are directed by honesty; the wicked fall beneath their load of sin.” (Proverbs 11:5 NLT) or “The LORD detests people with crooked hearts, but he delights in those with integrity.” (Proverbs 11:20 NLT). Detest is used twice to describe God’s view of dishonesty. Detests is a strong word.

Let me ask you do your actions in life please God or do you give him opportunities to detest your actions? That is a question you must ask yourself whenever weighing between right and wrong.

At West Side we believe highly in prayer. We are asking people to join with us in praying daily for West Side. If you would like to join us please click here and subscribe to receive daily emails containing a short prayer request for West Side. We appreciate your partnership.

June 5 – Proverbs 7 - 9

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Proverbs 7 - 9. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

In our reading today we began with more warnings about the immoral woman … the woman we are to guard against leading us men into sexual sin. This is very noble advice and wise council from God. But I want to take it to another level and discuss sin in general.

Like the immoral woman described in this chapter sin is seductive. If sin was not seductive we would not struggle with it. We struggle with sin because it is pleasurable and it gives us some sort of satisfaction in the moment. The same would be true for the brief sexual interlude that the chapter talks about. If the woman was not seductive and offering him a good time, he would not have stumbled into her bed. Friends, sin is the same way. There is pleasure in sin. That is why we do it.

We must be on guard because the pleasure of sin is often fleeting. There is pain and turmoil in giving your heart sexually to anther for what amounts to a one night stand. Whether that is the emptiness that follows or simply a sexually transmitted disease, the consequences can be devastating. Sin feels good in the moment, but the after can literally suck. So learn to not gratify the sinful desires that will only provide momentary pleasure. Find comfort and strength in the arms of God that last a lifetime. I will take the later, it sounds so much more fulfilling.

At West Side we believe highly in prayer. We are asking people to join with us in praying daily for West Side. If you would like to join us please click here and subscribe to receive daily emails containing a short prayer request for West Side. We appreciate your partnership.

June 4 – Proverbs 4-6

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Proverbs 4 - 6. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

Photo Credit: Microsoft Clip Art

I am firmly established in my belief that one of the greatest sins of our modern age in America is debt. Unfortunately most American’s have some level of debt. Some of that debt is credit cards, other debt is for vehicles and homes, some for a college education, and then so many other forms of debt. What is the driving factor behind this debt problem? It is the want of too many things. Unfortunately in our current financial market it is hard to not acquire some level of debt. If you wait until you have the money to buy a home you may never purchase a home. That is because the cost of a home is multiple years’ salaries. While not ideal, taking a loan out for a home is almost a necessary evil.

However, we have so many other levels of debt that are caused by the root of wants over needs. In our third chapter of reading, Proverbs 6, we see wise advice against what we call today cosigning. Cosigning is the act of putting your name on a loan document saying you will be responsible for the loan if the person taking it out fails to pay. Our reading calls this foolish. Read again Probers 6:1-5. We call it cosigning, the passage calls it by another name, but no matter the name God’s Word says it is a foolish practice. It says to save yourself from it!

I think we can take that a little further. We will see in other places in these Proverbs that taking in any level of debt is a foolish thing. Whether it is cosigning a loan or incurring your own debt, debt is foolish. Live within your means. Purchase only what you have income for. Do your best to acquire as little debt as you can. I realize that taking out a mortgage, or acquire emergency debt may be necessary in our financially inflated world. When we get our debt under control and minimize it as much as we can, I believe we will be honoring God on an entirely new level.

By the way, I am writing this as someone with too much debt. I have two credit card levels of debt, a mortgage, some medical, a vehicle loan, and student loans. My goal is in seven years to be entirely debt free minus my mortgage payment.

At West Side we believe highly in prayer. We are asking people to join with us in praying daily for West Side. If you would like to join us please click here and subscribe to receive daily emails containing a short prayer request for West Side. We appreciate your partnership.

June 3 – Proverbs 1- 3

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Proverbs 1 - 3. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

The book of Proverbs was written by King Solomon, the third God appointed King of Israel, son of David born to Bathsheba. In the beginning of Solomon’s reign God grants Solomon anything his heart desired. Solomon wisely asked for Wisdom. As a wise king he wanted his people to be wise and so he wrote proverbs to help his people be wise. God choose to include some of those in His word for us to learn from. Proverbs is unlike any other book in the Bible. In many books you can pick up a general theme or story from a chapter or section of scripture. This is not always the case with Proverbs. Many of the proverbs we find are short independent statements. However, the first several chapters of proverbs deal strictly with seeking wisdom in our lives.

I love the way chapter two starts out … “Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God.” (Proverbs 2:2-5 NLT) Let me ask you … do you pursue wisdom in your life? Do you track it like you would a deer in the woods or a treasure in the earth? Do you want to gain the knowledge of God? Do you want him to teach you, speak to, and mold you to be like him more and more? To gain wisdom is to draw nearer to God; to become more like him. That is noble goal for your life.

At West Side we believe highly in prayer. We are asking people to join with us in praying daily for West Side. If you would like to join us please click here and subscribe to receive daily emails containing a short prayer request for West Side. We appreciate your partnership.