Mark Beeson

Day 40 of our 40 Day Experience of GOD

 

 

Forty seems adequate.

• Forty days of temptation was enough for Jesus to reject Satan's alternatives to GOD's Plan.
       Luke 4:1-2b  -  Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days.
  
  
• Forty days and nights of rain was enough rain. 
       Genesis 7:4  -  Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made.
  
  
• When Goliath mocked GOD for forty days, David thought, "Well now. That's enough of that!" 
       1 Samuel 17:16  -  For forty days, every morning and evening, the Philistine champion strutted in front of the Israelite army.
  
  
• Saul's forty year reign was enough.
       Acts 13:21  -  They asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.
  
  
• Davidl's forty year reign was enough.
       1 Kings 2:11  -  The length of time David reigned over Israel was 40 years.
  
  
• Solomon's forty year reign was enough.
       1 Kings 11:42  -  Solomon ruled in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years.
  
  
• When you've had forty sons, even if you served as a Judge in ancient Israel, you should take a break. Dude. Really. That's enough.
       Judges 12:14a  -  (Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon) He had forty sons and thirty grandsons ... 
  
  
• My friend, Ron Vandergriend, led me up Mt. Sinai a few years ago. For the record, if you don't experience GOD after forty days on that mountain, you're not paying attention. A forty day stay on Sinai is quite sufficient.
       Exodus 24:18  -  Moses disappeared into the cloud as he climbed higher up the mountain. He remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights.
  
  
• Forty years of wandering around the Sinai wilderness gave GOD's people plenty of time to recognize the consequences of unfaithfulness and the value of a close walk with GOD. 
       Numbers 14:33-34  -  Your sons shall be shepherds for forty years in the wilderness, and they will suffer for your unfaithfulness, until your corpses lie in the wilderness.
  
  
• Forty days and forty nights of taking steps toward GOD is enough to make progress.
       1 Kings 19:8  -   Elijah got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God.
  
  
• When the people of Nineveh heard Jonah's clear warning of GOD's punishment for unrepentant sin, they realized their opportunity to repent would be exhausted in forty days. Forty days proved adequate and the Bible says "When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it."
       Jonah 3:4  -  On the day Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds: “Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!”
  
  
• Moses sent one tribal leader from each of the twelve ancestral tribes of Israel to spy out the land of Canaan. Forty days was all those spies needed to accomplished their mission. 
       Numbers 13:25-26  -  After exploring the land for forty days, the men returned to Moses, Aaron, and the whole community of Israel at Kadesh in the wilderness of Paran. They reported to the whole community what they had seen and showed them the fruit they had taken from the land.
  
  

Apparently, forty days are enough to get something done. With that in mind, thousands of us have daily "rigged our sails" to Experience GOD: praying, reading one chapter of Proverbs and FASTING between 4:00-5:00.

GOD is filling our sails with Love, Power and Wisdom. We're not where we were forty days ago. GOD moved us, a'la Jason Miller's brilliant "June 14th Transformers" sermon. (Go here. Click "Now Playing," then click "Series.")

Thank you for making the journey with me. Knowing thousands of us were united, taking daily steps toward Christ and opening our lives to the empowering Spirit of GOD, motivated me to stay the course. We've sailed together for forty days and sharing the voyage has been my great privilege. 

That's enough.

Now it's time to do whatever you need to do to "rig your sails" for the another passage. Our next expedition is about to begin. Get ready. 

 

Proverbs 30:7-9  -  And then he prayed, “God, I’m asking for two things before I die; don’t refuse me— Banish lies from my lips and liars from my presence. Give me enough food to live on, neither too much nor too little. If I’m too full, I might get independent, saying, ‘God? Who needs him?’ If I’m poor, I might steal and dishonor the name of my God.”

 

Day 39 of our 40 Day Experience of GOD

 

 

I'm seeking Wisdom today.

I want to walk in the way of righteousness. I'm listening for Wisdom's voice. I want to receive the instruction of Wisdom, GOD's ancient Wisdom that was inaugurated and ordained from everlasting, from the beginning, before ever the earth existed. GOD's Wisdom was brought forth before the mountains were settled.

So I'll join thousands of GCC'ers: FASTING from 4:00-5:00, praying and reading a chapter of Proverbs today.

Will you?

 

Proverbs 8:17-25a  -  Wisdom declares:  I love those who love me, and those who seek me early and diligently shall find me. Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness (uprightness in every area and relation, and right standing with God). My fruit is better than gold, yes, than refined gold, and my increase than choice silver. I [Wisdom] walk in the way of righteousness (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation), in the midst of the paths of justice, That I may cause those who love me to inherit [true] riches and that I may fill their treasuries. The Lord formed and brought me [Wisdom] forth at the beginning of His way, before His acts of old. I [Wisdom] was inaugurated and ordained from everlasting, from the beginning, before ever the earth existed. When there were no deeps, I was brought forth, when there were no fountains laden with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth.

 

Day 38 of our 40 Day Experience of GOD

 

 

Here's the conversation that took place in our little rental car a few days ago.

Sheila and I were on our way to the headquarters of the World Methodist Council at Lake Junaluska. I interpreted the humbling invitation to preach there as an assignment from GOD so I accepted the responsibility.

We were about an hour away from Junaluska when I glanced to the side of the road and asked Sheila if she had seen what I thought I saw...

ME:  Did you see that?

SHEILA:  What?

ME:  Back there in the woods. It looked like an elk.

SHEILA:  Really? 

ME:  It's at 9:00 o'clock. ... 8:00 o'clock. ... I'm pulling over ... I've got to see this ... I'm going back there.

SHEILA:  Take your camera with you and if it's still there you can get it!

 

I walked a short distance and there he was: a little bull elk, still in velvet, munching leaves in the forest. 

This "pause for a picture of an elk moment" was more than an interruption to my mission; it was a beautiful moment enriching our lives. A late start would have made it impossible for us to stop and enjoy this scene. We would have driven right past if we hadn't built a little margin into our schedule, but because we planned an early arrival, there was enough margin for us to embrace this little serendipity along the way.

I encourage you to create some margin in your schedule as you move through the 38th Day of our 40 Day Experience of GOD. Who knows what may be gained by creating margin for a one-hour-FAST, some prayer and a simple reading of one chapter of Proverbs?

 

Proverbs 21:5  -  Careful planning puts you ahead in the long run; hurry and scurry puts you further behind.

 

Under the Atlanta Airport / Day 37

 

- My view of the "PlaneTrain" track under the Atlanta Airport - 

 

Proverbs 3:21-26

Dear friend,
    guard Clear Thinking and Common Sense with your life;
    don’t for a minute lose sight of them.
They’ll keep your soul alive and well,
    they’ll keep you fit and attractive.
You’ll travel safely,
    you’ll neither tire nor trip.
You’ll take afternoon naps without a worry,
    you’ll enjoy a good night’s sleep.
No need to panic over alarms or surprises,
    or predictions that doomsday’s just around the corner,
Because God will be right there with you;
    he’ll keep you safe and sound.

 

 

'aljf

Sunset / Day 36 of 40

 

 

Sheila and I closed out our day with a remarkable view of The Marshes of Glynn. We were sitting on a bench and watching the sunset when these Great Egrets flew overhead, their long S-curved necks tucked in and their black legs extending far behind the tips of their tails.

It was a fantastic ending to our Sunday at Epworth by the Sea. 

 

Proverbs 23:4-5

Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich;
    restrain yourself!
Riches disappear in the blink of an eye;
    wealth sprouts wings
    and flies off into the wild blue yonder.

 

 

Sunrise / Day 36 of 40

 

 

Today is Sunday.
It's Day 36 of our 40-Day-Experience of GOD.

• This Sunday we can set our sails to catch the wind of GOD in worship, community and prayer.
  Dr. Bob brings a fantastic sermon this weekend and if you didn't catch it Saturday night, you can participate in worship at any of our campuses and you'll experience Jesus' presence in GOD's Word, GOD's People and GOD's Worship.
  
  
• This Sunday we can focus, FAST and pray from 4:00 to 5:00 PM.
  It's only a one-hour-FAST, but it's an hour for thousands of us to be united in our experience of GOD and His calling on our lives: one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
  
  
• This Sunday we can make time, at any time during the day, to read one Chapter of Proverbs and glean Wisdom's blessing.
  During our first 31 days we read all 31 chapters of Proverbs so today we can read any of its chapters. I chose to read Proverbs 15 today.

This is your time. 

Rig your sails and move through this day with the power and love of Almighty GOD. 

 

Proverbs 15:33  -  Fear-of-God is a school in skilled living — first you learn humility, then you experience glory. 

 

Day 35 of our 40 Day Experience of GOD

 

- Christ Church Sanctuary - 

 

Charles Wesley conducted the first worship service for the congregation of Christ Church in 1736. Incredibly, Christ Church continues its ministry, serving as an outpost of GOD's Kingdom to this very day, so Sheila and I went inside their building to check it out.  

A wonderful member of the church was in the sanctuary. She was nearly as kind as our 1st Impressions volunteers at GCC! She not only turned on some lights so I could take this picture, she also told us stories about the history of her congregation. 

One of the stories of Christ Church stirred me.

I'll tell you the tale, as I can recall it, from the notes I made during our brief visit. This is the historical account as it was given to me ... 

During the Civil War, Christ Church's building was destroyed by occupying Union troops. The congregation struggled but a devoted young man dedicated his life to rebuild the church as a memorial to his beloved wife. 

Anson Green Phelps Dodge, Jr. was 20 years old and filthy rich when he married Ellen and took her on a honeymoon trip around the world. Sadly, she ate contaminated food in India. But before she died, Anson promised her that he would never leave her side. So he put her body in a sealed ebony casket and brought her back to St. Simons Island. He stayed near her casket and crossed the ocean in the hold of the ship so he could keep his promise to his wife.

Dedicated to Christ and serving GOD as an Episcopal priest, he rebuilt Christ Church. The building was finished in 1884 and Anson put Ellen's casket in a vault under the altar where he preached. (Apparently, this guy was one of the original "Promise Keepers.")

Years later, Dodge married Anna Gould. They had a son. When the boy was three years old, he went outside after a worship service at Christ Church and climbed up into a horse-drawn cart. That startled the horse and it bolted, tragically overturning the cart and killing Dodge's son, Anson III. 

Dodge focused his grief and started an orphanage for boys that operated on St. Simons Island until 1956.

Heart problems were difficult to diagnose in the late 1800's so nobody realized Dodge had a bad heart until he suddenly died. He was only 38 years old when his weak heart failed him. His wife Anna honored his wishes and immediately excavated Ellen's casket. She placed the bodies of Anson and Ellen in a crypt and buried them, side-by-side, in the Christ Church cemetery. 

 

Proverbs 12:22  -  The Lord hates those who tell lies but is pleased with those who keep their promises. 

 

Wesley Memorial / Day 34 of 40

 

 

The Episcopal Church and the United Methodist Church worked together to honor John and Charles Wesley with this memorial; it's an eighteen-foot tall, fifteen-ton Celtic Cross of solid granite.

The Wesley brothers were Anglican priests and founders of Methodism. Who can know, on this side of heaven, the impact of their lives? It is grand. It is glorious. It is far beyond my grasp. 

  

Proverbs 12:14  -  People will be rewarded for what they say, and they will also be rewarded for what they do.

 

 

Righteousness / Day 33 of 40

 

 

“That is what worship is all about. It is the glad shout of praise that arises to God the creator and God the rescuer from the creation that recognizes its maker, the creation that acknowledges the triumph of Jesus the Lamb. That is the worship that is going on in heaven, in God's dimension, all the time. The question we ought to be asking is how best we might join in.” -  N.T. Wright, Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense

 

Today I spent some time talking with really bright people about some of the issues of the day. I wasn't preaching until 10:45 so it seemed a good way to invest the morning.

One of our discussion topics could be summarized this way: "If righteousness is defined as what I decide it should be, I am a righteous man. However, if righteousness is GOD's purview, I'm wise to adjust my life to GOD's already existent standard of righteousness."

It was a good discussion.

 

Proverbs 21:21  -  Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor. 

 

Lovely Lane Chapel / Day 32 of 40

 

 

Only nine days remain in our 40 Day Experience of GOD.

I have a recommendation: pray for GOD to fill you, FAST daily from 4:00 to 5:00 and schedule time each day to read any of the thirty-one chapters of Proverbs. That's what Sheila and I will be doing as we maximize the remaining days of our experience. Today I'm pondering Wisdom's voice in Proverbs 29.

 

"Men make history and not the other way around. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better." — Harry S. Truman

 

As Day 32 began, I found myself on the sidewalk leading to the Lovely Lane Chapel at Georgia's United Methodist Conference Center. Nobody was strolling through the scene so I stopped and grabbed a quick picture before heading into my next session. 

This building is not the first of its kind. The original Lovely Lane Chapel was built in Baltimore in 1774. Ten years later it became a place of historic significance.

Here's why ... 

John Wesley had been sending English pastors to work with American colonists since the 1760's but the Revolution sent most of them packing. Almost all those preachers returned to England when the war broke out, but not Francis Asbury. He stayed with the colonists and earned the respect of the preachers under Wesley's authority. 

The Revolution created an understandable rift between the Methodist converts in America and England's Anglican priests. Wesley begrudgingly considered sending Thomas Coke to America to superintend Asbury in his work there. After the Bishop of London rejected Wesley's request for him to send a bishop to oversee the American church's work, Wesley sent Coke across the Atlantic with orders to ordain Asbury to superintend the colonial Methodists.

Asbury didn't go for it. 

He recognized his ordination would mean much more to the colonists if his authority was granted by their election, so he sent messengers to invite his preachers to conference in the Lovely Lane Chapel. As a consequence, Asbury's rise to ecclesiastical power was meteoric. He was ordained as a deacon on Christmas Day, ordained an elder the next day and (with the unanimous support of the pastors inside the Lovely Lane Chapel) Thomas Coke laid hands on Asbury to ordain him as bishop the day after that.

The leadership strategy for American Methodism was established then and there, at the Christmas Conference of 1784.

Their declared purpose was: “to reform the continent and to spread scriptural holiness through these lands.” Those three days at Lovely Lane Chapel changed our country and the ordination of Francis Asbury positioned Methodism to change the world. Coke later said of Asbury, "In the presence of Mr. Asbury I feel myself a child. He is, in my estimation, the most apostolic man I ever saw, except Mr. Wesley." 

 

 

Proverbs 29:2  -  When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice;
But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.

 

Prayer Tower at Epworth by the Sea / Day 31

 

- George Wright Prayer Tower at Epworth by the Sea, St Simons Island, GA - 

 

After reading the thirty preceding chapters of Proverbs, we come to Day 31 of our 40 Day Experience of GOD: reading scripture, praying for GOD's Spirit to fill us and FASTING together from 4:00 to 5:00.

I'm experiencing GOD today at Epworth by the Sea on St. Simons Island.

I'm here to preach throughout the course of the 2014 Georgia Pastors' School. It's an incredible opportunity for hundreds of United Methodist Clergy to experience connection, community and training. Sheila is beside me on this assignment, and her faithful example of devotion to Christ is especially encouraging to many of the clergy spouses participating in this week's school. We are working together, side-by-side in the life GOD gives us. 

Not every pastor knows the joy of shared ministry with a loving spouse. In fact, John Wesley, the Anglican Clergyman who founded the movement of "the people called 'methodist'" was only a few miles from where I'm sitting when he "courted" an intelligent, beautiful woman ( Sophia Hopkey Williamson) ... but their relationship didn't turn out well; ending in controversy, embroiling him in serious court proceedings and, eventually, forcing him from the Georgia colony.

John Wesley knew a lot, but he didn't know a lot about women.

In his own words, from his meticulous personal Journal, he describes the end his pursuit of Sophia, and her rebound response to the breakup.

On March 4, 1737, Wesley wrote of his need for wise counsel. He simply didn't trust himself to resolve his relationship with Sophia. He chronicles his dilemma with these words:

"'From directions I received' from God this day touching an affair of the greatest importance, I could not but observe, as I have done many times, the entire mistake of those who assert, "God will not answer your prayer, unless your heart be wholly resigned to His will." My heart was not wholly resigned to His will. Therefore, not daring to depend on my own judgment, I cried the more earnestly to Him to supply what was lacking in me. And I know and am assured He heard my voice, and did send forth His light and His truth.'"

Three days later, after ending their relationship, he added to his private Journal:

"March 7.—When I walked with Mr. Causton, to his country lot, I plainly felt that had God given me such a retirement' with the companion I desired, I should have forgot the work for which I Was born, and have set up my rest in this world."

The very next day Wesley notes:  

"March 8.—Miss Sophy engaged herself to Mr. Williamson."

A few days later, Sophia was married:

"On Saturday, 12th, they were married at Purrysburgh; this being the day which completed the year from my first speaking to her. What Thou doest, O God, I know not now; but I shall know hereafter.'"

John Wesley shared his disappointment with his brother Samuel, who responded with words only a brother could get away with; in summary he said, "You are pitiful. You blew it." Samuel wrote:

"I am sorry you are disappointed in one match, because you are very unlikely to find another." 

 

 

So what's my point? 

Simply this:  Oh! How I thank Almighty GOD for my wife Sheila!

When John Wesley came here as a young Anglican Clergyman, he failed to accomplish everything he intended, but he accomplished more than he knew. Those who followed him recognized his impact. George Whitefleld, who landed in Georgia on May 7th, 1738 (shortly after John Wesley fled Georgia and went back to England) spoke eloquently of the results of his friend’s work in Georgia.

“The good Mr. John Wesley has done in America is inexpressible. His name is very precious among the people, and he has laid a foundation that I hope neither men nor devils will ever be able to shake. Oh that I may follow him as he has followed Christ.” 

As I considered Whitefield's words of praise for Methodism's founder (in the light of Proverbs 31) I came to this thought: "Apparently, a capable, trustworthy, encouraging, virtuous wife (who comforts her husband and does him only good) is not a prerequisite requirement for serving GOD ... but if you are a married man, it's nice to have an encouraging wife."

So, when I took this picture I prayed for all the men and women who'll become husbands and wives in the little chapel beneath this Prayer Tower at Epworth by the Sea.

Proverbs 31 inspired my prayer. "Father, make all those who become husbands here, honorable men who are worthy of respect. I pray you will empower every woman who stands in this chapel and pledges herself in marriage, to encourage and comfort her husband, as long there is life within her. In the strong Name of Jesus. Amen."

 

Proverbs 31:10-12 (Amplified)

A capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman — who is he who can find her? She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls. The heart of her husband trusts in her confidently and relies on and believes in her securely, so that he has no lack of [honest] gain or need of [dishonest] spoil. She comforts, encourages, and does him only good as long as there is life within her.

 

40 Days Rigging Our Sails / Day 30 / Proverbs 30

 

 

GCC is engaging 40 days in unity: fasting from all food from 4:00-5:00 each day, seeking Wisdom by reading a chapter of Proverbs each day and praying we'll experience GOD's presence each day. 

This is Day 30 and I'm praying the Spirit of GOD will fill your sails with the power, love and truth you need to move your life towards the Kingdom of Heaven.

Reading today's text increased my resolve to notice some of the details of life I might normally overlook. 

 

Proverbs 30: 28  -  The lizard you can seize with your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.

 

Piano Lessons / Day 29 of 40

 

 

I remember sitting on the piano bench for hours. It must have been hours because I can still sing, "Porcupines have prickly quills. Don't go near their favorite hills. If you do you'll have bad luck. And you surely will get stuck." How could I possibly recall such a tune if it hadn't been relentless drilled into me as a child?

My mom made me practice piano 30 minutes a day. That was a horrible experience. As everyone who ever practiced piano knows, all children are universally bound by "The Inverse Law of Piano Happiness," which states, “The more a child hates practicing piano, the more each ‘minute’ spent sitting on the piano bench feels like ‘hours.’” By the time I was ten, I had played piano my entire life.

My mother must have been oblivious to the otherwise well-known "Inverse Law of Piano Happiness" because she made me sit alone on the piano bench and practice piano, day-after-day, for six years. I can't imagine how she must must have suffered during those 30 minutes of separation each day. I was alone but that meant she had to be alone too. Every day she made me practice, it meant she didn't have me at her side. What must it have been like for her to have a few minutes alone, with nothing but piano music filling our house? It must have been difficult for her.

Eventually, Mom faced the truth. Forcing me to sit alone on our piano bench (even if I was vigorously pounding the piano keys) simply wasn‘t turning me into a pianist.

The day came when Mom surrendered her role as my piano teacher and asked her friend Claire to take me as her student. (Of course, I never called her Claire. I always referred to her as “Mrs. DeVoe,” or “Ma’am,” because my parents promised me painful consequences if I spoke to an adult with an insolent tone or with disrespectful terms. My dad, who was big on discipline, meant it when he said: “Give honor where honor is due.” So I did.

We had no money so I assume my mother bartered with Claire for my lessons.

Mom threw out one of those, “I’ll teach all your kids to play piano if you'll just try to teach Mark.” 

I didn’t learn to play Rachmaninoff. I didn't soar to the pinnacle of success as a concert pianist. But with Mrs. DeVoe’s help I learned a lot and still to this day I can go to a piano’s keyboard and find “Middle C” with almost no trouble at all.

 

Proverbs 29:15b  -  A child left undisciplined brings his mother to shame.

 

A Wicked Leader is like a Charging Bear / Proverbs 28

 

 

Day after day we're hoisting our sails to experience GOD. 

Today we're reading Proverbs 28, FASTING between 4:00-5:00 and praying for GOD's Presence, Power and Love to completely fill us. 

There is Wisdom in GOD's Word. 

Get it.

 

Proverbs 28 Amplified Bible 

1 The wicked flee when no man pursues them, but the [uncompromisingly] righteous are bold as a lion.

2 When a land transgresses, it has many rulers, but when the ruler is a man of discernment, understanding, and knowledge, its stability will long continue.

3 A poor man who oppresses the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaves no food [plundering them of their last morsels].

4 Those who forsake the law [of God and man] praise the wicked, but those who keep the law [of God and man] contend with them.

5 Evil men do not understand justice, but they who crave and seek the Lord understand it fully.

6 Better is the poor man who walks in his integrity than he who willfully goes in double and wrong ways, though he is rich.

7 Whoever keeps the law [of God and man] is a wise son, but he who is a companion of gluttons andthe carousing, self-indulgent, and extravagant shames his father.

8 He who by charging excessive interest and who by unjust efforts to get gain increases his material possession gathers it for him [to spend] who is kind and generous to the poor.

9 He who turns away his ear from hearing the law [of God and man], even his prayer is an abomination, hateful and revolting [to God].

10 Whoever leads the upright astray into an evil way, he will himself fall into his own pit, but the blameless will have a goodly inheritance.

11 The rich man is wise in his own eyes and conceit, but the poor man who has understanding will find him out.

12 When the [uncompromisingly] righteous triumph, there is great glory and celebration; but when the wicked rise [to power], men hide themselves.

13 He who covers his transgressions will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes his sins will obtain mercy.

14 Blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) is the man who reverently and worshipfully fears [the Lord] at all times [regardless of circumstances], but he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

15 Like a roaring lion or a ravenous and charging bear is a wicked ruler over a poor people.

16 A ruler who lacks understanding is [like a wicked one] a great oppressor, but he who hates covetousness and unjust gain shall prolong his days.

17 If a man willfully sheds the blood of a person [and keeps the guilt of murder upon his conscience], he is fleeing to the pit (the grave) and hastening to his own destruction; let no man stop him!

18 He who walks uprightly shall be safe, but he who willfully goes in double and wrong ways shall fall in one of them.

19 He who cultivates his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless people andpursuits will have poverty enough.

20 A faithful man shall abound with blessings, but he who makes haste to be rich [at any cost] shall not go unpunished.

21 To have respect of persons and to show partiality is not good, neither is it good that man should transgress for a piece of bread.

22 He who has an evil and covetous eye hastens to be rich and knows not that want will come upon him.

23 He who rebukes a man shall afterward find more favor than he who flatters with the tongue.

24 Whoever robs his father or his mother and says, This is no sin—he is in the same class as [an open, lawless robber and] a destroyer.

25 He who is of a greedy spirit stirs up strife, but he who puts his trust in the Lord shall be enrichedand blessed.

26 He who leans on, trusts in, and is confident of his own mind and heart is a [self-confident] fool, but he who walks in skillful and godly Wisdom shall be delivered.

27 He who gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes [from their want] will have many a curse.

28 When the wicked rise [to power], men hide themselves; but when they perish, the [consistently] righteous increase and become many.

 

 

40 Days Rigging Our Sails / Day 27 / Prov. 27

 

 -  Jerusalem, Kidron Valley - 

 

Proverbs 27:20  -  Death and the grave are never satisfied, and neither are we.

 

 

40 Days Rigging Our Sails / Day 26 / Prov. 26

 

 

Proverbs 26:1  -  It shouldn’t snow in summer or rain at harvest. Neither should a foolish person ever be honored.

 

Everybody's Responsibility / Proverbs 25

 

 

In the chronicles of Israel's history, there is a listing of the sons of Israel by family heads, commanders and captains, and other officers who served King David. They were the ones responsible for taking care of King David’s property.

An old-fashioned notion suggests that people entrusted with responsibility are either faithful or they're not. If they are faithful they can be trusted; if they're not they can only be trusted to abandon their posts and betray their comrades, their king and quite possibly their country.

The issue is character, not challenge. It's faithfulness, not degree-of-difficulty.

Can anyone read the history of the Church and think people were faithful because they had it easy? Who imagines it was not difficult for Christ's disciples to spread The Gospel around the world, making disciples of all nations and teaching people to obey everything Jesus commanded?

We have responsibility.

With that in mind, I've been reading Proverbs and seeking Wisdom. I've been FASTING every day between 4:00 and 5:00. I've been asking GOD to fill every corner of my life. And on this 25th day of our 40 day experience of GOD, I'm asking King Jesus, "What have you charged me to do? What is my responsibility?"

 

To keep me focused today I'm singing an old hymn written by Charles Wesley.

A charge to keep I have,
A God to glorify,
A never dying soul to save,
And fit it for the sky.

To serve the present age,
My calling to fulfill:
O may it all my powers engage
To do my Master's will!

Arm me with jealous care,
As in Thy sight to live;
And O Thy servant, Lord, prepare
A strict account to give!

Help me to watch and pray,
And on Thyself rely,
Assured if I my Lord betray,
I shall forever die.

I have a charge to keep.
So do you. 

Stay faithful. 

 

1 Chronicles 27:30  -  Obil the Ismaelite was in charge of the camels.

 

40 Days Rigging Our Sails / Day 24 / Prov. 24

 

 

Proverbs 24:30-34

One day I walked by the field of an old lazybones,
    and then passed the vineyard of a lout;
They were overgrown with weeds,
    thick with thistles, all the fences broken down.
I took a long look and pondered what I saw;
    the fields preached me a sermon and I listened:
“A nap here, a nap there, a day off here, a day off there,
    sit back, take it easy—do you know what comes next?
Just this: You can look forward to a dirt-poor life,
    with poverty as your permanent houseguest!”

 

 

The Student Leadership Conference Begins

 

 

Hundreds of student leaders have gathered at GCC to develop their leadership skills. They are young trailblazers from all over the Midwest and our exemplary GSM volunteers are serving them with care and kindness. 

There is a great value in serving, and when Doug Fields took the stage this evening, he said you can't be a leader without being a servant, and you can't be a servant if you don't walk with Jesus. 

Good stuff; well worth the effort churches made to get a few of their students here.

I'm glad I get to serve Jesus beside these kids.

 

1 Corinthians 4:1  -  Think of us as servants who are owned by Christ. It is our job to share the secrets of God.

 

 

40 Days Rigging Our Sails / Day 23 / Prov. 23

 

 

 

Proverbs 23:15-16

My child, if your heart is wise,
then my heart also will be glad;
my soul will rejoice
when your lips speak what is right.

 

40 Days Rigging Our Sails / Day 22 / Prov. 22

 

 

Proverbs 22:6 assumes we all have an individual gifting, a core competency that under-girds the life GOD leads us through. In the Amplified Translation it reads:

"Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it."

Training children in the right way is what parenting is all about; parenting involves understanding; understanding comes with caring involvement and consideration; caring involvement and consideration takes time; time (measured, sacred and precious) is GOD's gift to us; how we spend our time is our gift to GOD.

Spend some time opening space to experience GOD today.

• FAST from 4:00 to 5:00.
• Pray.
• Read the scriptures and if a passage in Proverbs 22 grips you, grip it. 

Proverbs 22:6 gripped me. 

  

New International Version
Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

New Living Translation
Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.

English Standard Version
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

New American Standard Bible 
Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

King James Bible
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Teach a youth about the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. 

International Standard Version
Train a child in the way appropriate for him, and when he becomes older, he will not turn from it.

NET Bible
Train a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. 

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
He that reproves a boy concerning the beginning of his way, even if he becomes old he will not turn away from it.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Train a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old he will not turn away from it.

Jubilee Bible 2000
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it.

King James 2000 Bible
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

American King James Version
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

American Standard Version
Train up a child in the way he should go, And even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Douay-Rheims Bible
It is a proverb: A young man according to his way, even when he is old he will not depart from it. 

Darby Bible Translation
Train up the child according to the tenor of his way, and when he is old he will not depart from it.

English Revised Version
Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Webster's Bible Translation
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

World English Bible
Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.

Young's Literal Translation
Give instruction to a youth about his way, Even when he is old he turneth not from it. 

 

40 Days Rigging Our Sails / Day 21 / Prov. 21

 

 

Sheila and I went to the theater last night (with other GCC'ers), and watched Dinesh D'Souza's AMERICA. Basically, it asks the same question asked in the old classic movie, "It's a Wonderful Life." Just as that movie shows us what Jimmy Stewart's hometown of Bedford Falls would be like if he hadn't lived, AMERICA asks what we think the world would be like if America never existed.  

Hmmmm. Good question, but America does exist, so I sat through the movie and after 20 minutes of previews (which I thoroughly enjoyed), I thanked GOD for the men and women who made America. Rather than submitting to a new king, and writing a Declaration of Dependence on Our King Instead of England's King, they gave us a nation with no king at all. Then they signed their Declaration of Independence. Amazing. 

"Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed." — Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration of Independence

"The Governed" created three co-equal branches of government: Legislative, Judicial and Executive and there's not one king is the whole lot of them.

But there are a few folks who wield great influence.

Students of history will note countries and cultures were often shaped by a very small group of highly motivated leaders. Cultural anthropologists can track the viral spread of redemptive faith as it was spread by influential leaders; they can point to sweeping religious movements that lifted entire populations from hopeless despair because of the faith of a few leaders. They can also chronicle the spread of evil and cruelty infecting civiliations with the pathologies of wicked leaders; they're able to track the contagion of paganism and godlessness as it spreads through societies and crushes the souls of men. 

Nations rise and fall the same way businesses, families, marriages and churches rise and fall. They increase for the same reasons they decrease ... because of their leaders.

Leadership matters. I don't care if you have a King, Queen, Potentate, Czar, Chief, Emperor or President. I don't care if you vested all authority in one ruler or power is shared by many. Whoever has influence has power and when people have good leaders they prosper. 

No wonder the scriptures tell GOD's people to pray for our leaders!

First of all, then, I admonish and urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be offered on behalf of all men, For kings and all who are in positions of authority or high responsibility, that [outwardly] we may pass a quiet and undisturbed life [and inwardly] a peaceable one in all godliness and reverence and seriousness in every way. For such [praying] is good and right, and [it is] pleasing and acceptable to God our Savior.  -  1 Timothy 2:1-3 

We're moving through Day 21 of our 40 Day Experience of GOD and our Bible reading begins with Proverbs 21:1: "The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as are the watercourses; He turns it whichever way He wills." 

GOD is at work. The most powerful person in the land is in the hand of the Lord. 

Maybe it's time to pray for our leaders. 

 

Proverbs 21 
New Living Translation

1 The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord;
    he guides it wherever he pleases.

2 People may be right in their own eyes,
    but the Lord examines their heart.

3 The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just
    than when we offer him sacrifices.

4 Haughty eyes, a proud heart,
    and evil actions are all sin.

5 Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity,
    but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.

6 Wealth created by a lying tongue
    is a vanishing mist and a deadly trap.

7 The violence of the wicked sweeps them away,
    because they refuse to do what is just.

8 The guilty walk a crooked path;
    the innocent travel a straight road.

9 It’s better to live alone in the corner of an attic
    than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely home.

10 Evil people desire evil;
    their neighbors get no mercy from them.

11 If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded become wise;
    if you instruct the wise, they will be all the wiser.

12 The Righteous One knows what is going on in the homes of the wicked;
    he will bring disaster on them.

13 Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor
    will be ignored in their own time of need.

14 A secret gift calms anger;
    a bribe under the table pacifies fury.

15 Justice is a joy to the godly,
    but it terrifies evildoers.

16 The person who strays from common sense
    will end up in the company of the dead.

17 Those who love pleasure become poor;
    those who love wine and luxury will never be rich.

18 The wicked are punished in place of the godly,
    and traitors in place of the honest.

19 It’s better to live alone in the desert
    than with a quarrelsome, complaining wife.

20 The wise have wealth and luxury,
    but fools spend whatever they get.

21 Whoever pursues righteousness and unfailing love
    will find life, righteousness, and honor.

22 The wise conquer the city of the strong
    and level the fortress in which they trust.

23 Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut,
    and you will stay out of trouble.

24 Mockers are proud and haughty;
    they act with boundless arrogance.

25 Despite their desires, the lazy will come to ruin,
    for their hands refuse to work.

26 Some people are always greedy for more,
    but the godly love to give!

27 The sacrifice of an evil person is detestable,
    especially when it is offered with wrong motives.

28 A false witness will be cut off,
    but a credible witness will be allowed to speak.

29 The wicked bluff their way through,
    but the virtuous think before they act.

30 No human wisdom or understanding or plan
    can stand against the Lord.

31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle,
    but the victory belongs to the Lord.

 

40 Days Rigging Our Sails / Day 20 / Prov. 20

 

Gratitude surged up inside me when I snapped this picture of a male Hooded Oriole. "If you have good eyesight and good hearing, thank God who gave them to you."(Proverbs 20:12)

 

 

Whatever your last 20 days were like, you're invited to join thousands of GCC'ers as they hoist their sails to be filled with the wind of GOD for the next 20 days. Simply make space for these three opportunities each day:

1. FAST from 4:00-5:00; instead of eating, ask GOD to fill you with His Love, Presence and Power.
2. Read and reflect on Proverbs 20 today. Anytime. Several times. Whenever you choose and as often as you choose, pour over Proverbs 20 on this 20th day of our 40 day experience of GOD.
3. Pray today. Pray to experience GOD's Presence, Power and Love. It's one thing to know GOD is present, powerful and loving; it's another to be experientally aware. Pray anytime. Pray several times. Pray.

We're already halfway through this shared 40 day experience.

I'm providing the Amplified Translation of Proverbs 20 for you to read. 

Sheila and I are praying for you ... and we are with you on this journey.

 

Proverbs 20 
Amplified Bible

1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a riotous brawler; and whoever errs or reels because of it is not wise.

2 The terror of a king is as the roaring of a lion; whoever provokes him to anger or angers himself against him sins against his own life.

3 It is an honor for a man to cease from strife and keep aloof from it, but every fool will quarrel.

4 The sluggard does not plow when winter sets in; therefore he begs in harvest and has nothing.

5 Counsel in the heart of man is like water in a deep well, but a man of understanding draws it out.

6 Many a man proclaims his own loving-kindness and goodness, but a faithful man who can find?

7 The righteous man walks in his integrity; blessed (happy, fortunate, enviable) are his children after him.

8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows out all evil [like chaff] with his eyes.

9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

10 Diverse weights [one for buying and another for selling] and diverse measures—both of them are exceedingly offensive and abhorrent to the Lord.

11 Even a child is known by his acts, whether [or not] what he does is pure and right.

12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye—the Lord has made both of them.

13 Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes and you will be satisfied with bread.

14 It is worthless, it is worthless! says the buyer; but when he goes his way, then he boasts [about his bargain].

15 There is gold, and a multitude of pearls, but the lips of knowledge are a vase of preciousness [the most precious of all].

16 [The judge tells the creditor] Take the garment of one who is security for a stranger; and hold him in pledge when he is security for foreigners.

17 Food gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.

18 Purposes and plans are established by counsel; and [only] with good advice make or carry on war.

19 He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; therefore associate not with him who talks too freely.

20 Whoever curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in complete darkness.

21 An inheritance hastily gotten [by greedy, unjust means] at the beginning, in the end it will not be blessed.

22 Do not say, I will repay evil; wait [expectantly] for the Lord, and He will rescue you.

23 Diverse and deceitful weights are shamefully vile and abhorrent to the Lord, and false scales are not good.

24 Man’s steps are ordered by the Lord. How then can a man understand his way?

25 It is a snare to a man to utter a vow [of consecration] rashly and [not until] afterward inquire [whether he can fulfill it].

26 A wise king winnows out the wicked [from among the good] and brings the threshing wheel over them [to separate the chaff from the grain].

27 The spirit of man [that factor in human personality which proceeds immediately from God] is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts.

28 Loving-kindness and mercy, truth and faithfulness, preserve the king, and his throne is upheld by [the people’s] loyalty.

29 The glory of young men is their strength, and the beauty of old men is their gray head [suggesting wisdom and experience].

30 Blows that wound cleanse away evil, and strokes [for correction] reach to the innermost parts.

 

Tel Megiddo Tunnel / Proverbs 19

 

 

 

Two dozen layers of Megiddo tell archaeologists and historians the stories of two dozen sieges and two dozen shifts in political power. For 4,000 years, those in control of Megiddo were in control of commerce between Egypt, Mesopotamia, Rome and Babylon. 

The ancients engineered a remarkable tunnel allowing Megiddo's citizens to access a spring of fresh water (even while the city was under seige). I grabbed this "group shot" a few weeks ago, prior to entering that underground passageway, mostly to have a head-count of those who went inside the tunnel ... so I could verify they all made it out the other side. As it turns out, we all survived.

Our relationships are more significant than our route, so wherever Jesus leads, we follow ... together. 

 

Proverbs 19:2

Willingness and stupidity
    don’t go well together.
    If you are too eager,
    you will miss the way.

 

40 Days Rigging Our Sails / Day 18 / Prov. 18

 

 

According to a 4th Century tradition not found in the Gospels, Jesus was scourged and imprisoned in a horrible underground dungeon near Caiaphas' Palace. It's claimed Peter and John were held there for preaching in the Name of Jesus after the resurrection. 

Who knows if the dungeon (now called "The Sacred Pit") is the actual place of Jesus' torture? Somehow, that question was not an issue for me when I stood there a few weeks ago. Instead, I was overwhelmed by the brutal agony Jesus and HIS disciples endured, wherever that was. 

Pausing long enough to actually consider the Passion of Jesus was important to me. I stared at this statue and tried to to recall scriptures accounting the painful sufferings endured by Christ.

Isaiah 53 came to my mind:

He was pierced for our rebellion,
    crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
    He was whipped so we could be healed.
All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
    We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
    the sins of us all.

I stood before this statue and opened a space in my life to experience GOD. I'm glad I did. 

And I'm glad to know so many of us are opening space in our lives to experience GOD during July. I received this good report recently:

Dear Pastor Mark,

You may not realize the impact you are making in my life after you delivered that powerful message last weekend; when you gave us the charge of fasting for 40 days.

I go so excited because it was an answer to my prayer.

Just a few days prior to that weekend service, I had been talking to God and I wanted to fast and pray for some situations in my life and also for other people who are going through challenging times.  There was a strong urge in my heart to fast; the only problem was that I had never fasted successfully on my own or corporately. It is rather embarrassing to admit especially having been a follower of Jesus for more than thirty years.

I prayed for God to give me direction for fasting one evening while preparing dinner. And He answered my prayer. I am thankful and grateful that you asked us to fast for 40 days and to read Proverbs. I am excited and ready for a spiritual manifestation of God.

I truly believe that fasting and praying brings breakthroughs, deliverance, healing restoration and renewal.

Thanks Pastor for following Jesus and teaching us to do the same.

Sincerely,

Karen 

 

Proverbs 18:24b  -  There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

 

 

40 Days Rigging Our Sails / Day 18 / Prov. 18

 

 

"Men of age object too much,
consult too long,
adventure too little,
repent too soon,
and seldom drive business home to the full period,
but content themselves with a mediocrity of success."

Francis Bacon, "Of Youth and Age,"
from The Essays: Or Counsels, Civil and Moral

 

Solomon had Wisdom (though he apparently didn't always exercise it). He declared In Ecclesiastes, "Much dreaming and many words are meaningless" (Ecclesiastes 5:7a). 

We're not simply dreaming of an experience of GOD. We're not merely talking about "hoisting our sails" to experience the power and purposes of GOD. This is the 18th day of our 40 Day commitment to actually experience GOD. GOD is always and everywhere present and we are unwise when we live as if GOD is not, so we are conscientiously making space to be mindful of this truth: GOD is with us and GOD wants relationship with us.

GOD has not invited us to "a mediocrity of success." GOD has invited us to join HIM in HIS mission of redemption and restoration. "Much dreaming and many words are meaningless." So we are taking action.

1. We're reading Proverbs 18 today. 
   
   
2. We're praying for GOD's Presence, Love and Truth to "fill our sails" and empower our journey.
   
   
3. We're FASTING for one hour together. We're not eating between 4:00 and 5:00; whatever else we're doing, we're feasting only on The Bread of Heaven.

 

Proverbs 18:10  -  The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe.  

  

 

40 Days Rigging Our Sails / Day 17 / Prov. 17

 

 

In one remarkable moment of Christmas Past, as Sheila's parents watched "It's a Wonderful Life," our grandchildren lined up beside them and settled in for the duration.

I'm pretty sure cameras were invented times like this.

 

Proverbs 17:6  -  Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged; parents are the pride of their children.

 

40 Days Rigging Our Sails / Day 16 / Prov. 16

 

 

Fresh off our 4th of July Weekend Services, we're seeking Wisdom in Proverbs 16, FASTING from 4:00-5:00 and praying to experience GOD throughout the day.

What could be better?  

 

Proverbs 16:16  -  It is better to get wisdom than gold, and to choose understanding rather than silver!

 

40 Days Rigging Our Sails / Day 15 / Prov. 15

 

 

As I hoist my sails and read Proverbs on this 4th of July weekend, I am stunned by the incredible blessing of GOD's gifts to us.

America is blessed.

"Natural beauty and wonder are priceless heirlooms which God has bestowed upon our nation. How shall we escape the contempt of the coming generations if we suffer this irreplaceable heritage to be wasted?" — Henry van Dyke

 

 

Proverbs 15:3  -  The Lord is watching everywhere, keeping his eye on both the evil and the good.

 

40 Days Rigging Our Sails / Day 14 / Prov. 14

 

 

Proverbs 14:26  -  Reverence for God gives a man deep strength; his children have a place of refuge and security.

  

Independence Day 2014

 

 

It's Independence Day and this weekend we're honoring our military veterans during every GCC Weekend Service. I love the way we give honor where honor is due, and honor is due those who serve in our military. I hope you'll invite your friends to one of GCC's remarkable 4th of July services.

Of course, our "At The Movies" series continues this weekend with Hollywood's recent release, Captain America: The Winter Soldier. It's the logical movie to use in our 4th of July Weekend Services because of its overarching themes of sacrifice and freedom. Captain America is a serum-powered-super-soldier from WWII, cryogenically frozen for decades and awakened just in time to step-up and save America .... again.

The movie's EPIC "Upper Story" begs the question: Should normal people sacrifice freedom for more security, or security for more freedom? The "Upper Story" juxtaposes old-school-ideals with corruption, dishonesty and government overreach veiled in secrecy. Cap's desire to do the right thing hasn't changed in 70 years, but America has. What's an old-school-guy supposed to do when faced with airborne surveillance-state drones?

The movie's "Lower Story" chronicles the journey of a scrawny kid from Brooklyn, initially unfit for military service, who willingly volunteers to step-up and serve his country. He is a good man, willing to sacrifice his life in the battle between "good" and "evil." His unerring moral compass has him asking he same questions many Americans ask: How do we do the right thing in the face of secrets, duplicity and moral compromise? What does heroism look like when you want to do what's right but you're not quite clear what that is any more? 

I loved this movie.

At one point in the movie Cap says, "The price of freedom is high, but it's the price I'm willing to pay." It's a great line, but hey, he's Captain America; he says stuff like that.

Captain America has an appetite for doing what's right ... no matter what.

This weekend at GCC we'll hoist our sails to experience GOD's Truth, Love and Power. We'll remember GOD's invitation to join HIM in HIS great mission of redemption and restoration. And we'll encourage each other to step-up and do what's right ... no matter what.

 

Proverbs 13:25a  -  "An appetite for good brings much satisfaction."

 

40 Days Rigging Our Sails / Day 13 / Prov. 13

 

- John Keim: Pastor of GCC Student Ministry Preaching at Camp -

 

The 4th of July is also the 13th Day of our 40 Day Experience of GOD. 

Thousands of us are committed to hoisting our sails each day, literally opening our lives to be filled with GOD.

During each of these 40 days we are: 

• Reading a chapter of Proverbs. (Day 13 / Read Proverbs 13)
• Praying to experience GOD's Presence, Power, Truth & Love.
• United in a 60 minute FAST between 4:00-5:00 PM. (That can be a great time to invite GOD to fill your conversations as you fire up the grill today.)

When I read Proverbs 13 this morning, I thought of our Student Ministry leaders and the biblical instruction our students experience because of them. Their teaching, coaching and mentoring is like a life-giving fountain for our kids.  

FYI for parents raising a young leader: An incredible offer for more life-giving instruction is coming to the Granger Campus July 14-16. It's The Student Leadership Conference with Doug Fields. It's "live" and it's "local" (no hotels, no travel expenses). You can get your student-leader prepared by registering them here and front-loading their experience by working through some suggestions here. 

 

Proverbs 13:14  -  The instruction of the wise is like a life-giving fountain; those who accept it avoid the snares of death.

 

Charlie is 1 Year Old

 

 

My grandson's 1st birthday was marked by his first taste of cake. 

He seemed pleased.

Life is good; made even better by loving family, lots of cake and the freedom to eat with either end of a plastic spoon.

 

Proverbs 13:22a  -  A good life gets passed on to the grandchildren.

 

40 Days Rigging Our Sails / Day 12 / Prov. 12

 

 

Proverbs 12:27  -  Lazy people don’t even cook the game they catch, but the diligent make use of everything they find.

 

 

Beware of Your Sources. ( Day 11 of 40 )

 

-  Jerusalem Wailing Wall photo by Jim Blechl  -

 

Three Questions:

1. Where do you turn for guidance?  
   CNN? MSNBC? FOX? DRUDGE? NY TIMES? THE BLAZE? PBS? NPR? GOOGLE NEWS? ABC? NBC? CBS? WIKILEAKS? THE WALL STREET JOURNAL? THE BBC? THE YEARBOOK?
   
   
2. When you listen as folks talk about what's going on in the world, who gets your attention? 
   Limbaugh? O' Reilly? Mahar? Cobert? Matthews? Beck? Zakaria? Cooper? Stewart? Kelly? Your Mother? Your mackadocious date?
   
   
3. What's your usual source for news? 
   Internet? Television? Radio? Print Media? That Kid in History Class?
   
   

I ask these questions because we form our opinions, weigh our options and make life-changing decisions based on what we believe to be true. Our consistent actions are almost always the consequence of our core beliefs, so, curiously, the truth sometimes effects our decisions less than what we believe to be true.

Folks convinced fallacious information is reliable information are perfectly capable of blowing up their lives. Those who believe "up" is "down" make horrible decisions. People convinced "wrong" is "right," or "bad" is "good," will likely destroy the future they imagine they're building.

Truth matters.

Where do you seek wisdom?

Where do you get your advice?

 

Proverbs 11:14  -  Where there is no guidance, a nation falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.

 

40 Days Rigging Our Sails / Day 10 / Prov. 10

 

 

Look closely at Proverbs 10 today.

Join thousands of GCC'ers in a 60 minute fast from 4:00 to 5:00 PM.

Be intentional and carve out time today to pray for GOD's Wisdom.

 

Proverbs 10:10  -  Winking at sin leads to sorrow; bold reproof leads to peace.