July 10, 2025

If ever there was a song to describe the happenings of today, it is Psalm 12. It is clear that David was dealing with Saul when he wrote this song, but because it is God-breathed and the living word, it gives us a snapshot of our lives in this world now. We have seen with our own eyes the corruption of the church, where wicked men have sullied the reputation of the church by their greed and hardness of hearts. It makes an honest person wonder where to turn because we know we cannot count on anything when everything is corrupt. We don’t know the truth about history or the truth about current events. Much of what we see or hear has been shrouded in lies and theatrics, making it even harder to discern the difference between good and evil. When I was a bank teller, they didn’t give us counterfeit money to learn the difference between it and the real thing. No, we handled real money so that when the counterfeit was presented, we could feel when something was off. You must study the truth to know when lies are prevailing. The only truth we can count on is God’s Word. 

The end of this Psalm is a pure expression of love; God reminds us that He will preserve us in safety. We are in His hands, and He will protect us and redeem us from this world.

Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. Psalms 12:1

For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him. Psalms 12:5

July 9, 2025

If you didn’t know this already, our fight against wickedness is an ongoing battle. It may seem that God has left us to fight for ourselves, but know that He sees what’s going on. There are moments of peace amidst the fight given to us by God. Did you know that when you are facing adversity, and you begin to pray about it, God has already prepared your heart in advance of the battle? He sees the plight of His people against an evil world, knows when the adversary plans to strike, and gets us ready to seek Him. He helps us keep in mind that our enemy’s time is short, is already headed to the grave, and is merely a man who has fallen under temptation. When God says the word, Satan must stop and restrain himself from continuing his fight against us. Be encouraged, God is with us even when He seems distant. He is mightier than any plan the enemy has, and he will stop them in due time. 

I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; Isaiah 51:12

LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress. Psalms 10:17-18

July 8, 2025

Don't you love it when you learn something new? I haven't made any changes to my morning worship and study routine in many years — until now. I will now read a psalm as part of my time with God. I have never felt such a rush of emotion over the scriptures as I had until I started the deep dive into the Psalms. They are sweet and savory to the tastebuds, filling like meat, and satisfying like dessert. They are comforting like the breath of God in a gentle breeze. I'm giddy about this study! Worshipping through the Psalms is worship like I've never experienced. You will not regret adding a psalm to your day. I don't know how many times I've read through my Bible, but it wasn't until I decided to slow down and study the chapters thoroughly that I learned the most. If you don't do anything else today, open your Bible to a Psalm and worship God through the words explicitly created to worship Him. We can sing the first verse of Psalm 8 because it's an old hymn; I say 'old' because I remember singing this song in church when I was a kid. Maybe you remember it, too. 

Oh Lord, Our Lord

How Majestic Is Your Name In All The Earth

Oh Lord, Our Lord

How Majestic Is Your Name In All The Earth

Oh Lord, We Praise Your Name Oh Lord, We Magnify Your Name Prince Of Peace, Mighty God Oh Lord, God Almighty

Oh Lord, Our Lord

How Majestic Is Your Name In All The Earth

Oh Lord, Our Lord

How Majestic Is Your Name In All The Earth

Oh Lord, We Praise Your Name Oh Lord, We Magnify Your Name Prince Of Peace, Mighty God Oh Lord, God Almighty 2]

To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. Psalms 8:1

July 7, 2025

David cried out to God in a psalm and asked Him to deliver him from the hands of Absalom, his son, who wanted him dead so he could take over his throne. This situation was a consequence David faced because of what he had done to Uriah when he found out Bathsheba was pregnant and sent him to the front line of battle, knowing Uriah would be killed and not know about his wife’s pregnancy. David had sent the Ark of the Covenant back into the city, so David knew that being away from the Ark didn’t take away his connection with God. 

There are days when you face such a harsh reality and a troubled heart that you can’t find the words for prayer. Yes, the Lord knows your heart, but there are times when you need to open your mouth and let the words fall out so He can hear your sincerity. It’s in those cases that you should open your Bible and find a psalm that closely relates to your problem and sing it or read it out loud in faith that He will hear you and come to your rescue. Who else can we always count on when trouble abounds? Remember, David knew God still loved him even though he had sinned. Make that truth a reality in your mind, so you never doubt God’s love for you, even if you sin. Sing or speak aloud your prayer so God knows it comes from deep within your heart.

But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. Psalms 3:3-4

July 6, 2025

The thread of the love of Jesus runs throughout the Bible before he ever made his appearance in the flesh on earth. It’s when we see nearly the same words repeated from the Old Testament to the New Testament that we begin to comprehend the truth. Look at this example:

I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Psalms 2:7

And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Matthew 3:17

There is no denying that God is talking about the same being. In this text, it is clear that we must make Jesus our own and give Him all our worship. It even mentions that we should kiss the Son. People who serve idols will kiss their fake objects, and this psalm instructs us to kiss our Savior, worship him, and no other. Oh, but you don’t want to be on the wrong side of Jesus; what’s waiting for those who deny him is that they will face God’s wrath. Look to the Son, don’t glance away; what we have waiting for us is majestic and the ultimate prize that no one can match, and we get to keep him for eternity. What a delightful truth!

Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish fromthe way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. Psalms 2:11-12

July 5, 2025

It is thought that Ezra put together the Psalms when he went back to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple at his released from captivity in Babylon. Psalms 1 is like a preface for the songs, and it is a good one for their introduction because it cover good and evil. This psalm gives us a glimpse into what the righteous, who love God and obey Him, have to look forward to for making Him a substantial part of our lives. It also tells us that the ungodly will perish and not stand with the righteous in judgment. However, the righteous, those who have accepted Jesus as their Savior, will flourish so whatever they do will prosper. 

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Psalms 1:3-4

July 4, 2025

Since most Christians know of the characteristics of the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31, I will cover the portion that explains how to be a good king. The scripture tells us that it was written by Lemuel, which most believe is a term of endearment used for Solomon by his mother, Bathsheba. The leaders of today would do well to listen to the good recommendations of this portion of scripture.

1. Don’t spend all your strength chasing after women.
2. Don’t drink too much alcohol, it will pervert your judgment.
3. Advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves.
4. When you are asked to judge, be fair, especially with those in need.

We know that Solomon didn’t listen to everything his mother said because he was drawn to women and surrounded himself with them. They so overtook him that their tendency to follow idols ultimately destroyed Solomon because he turned his heart away from God to follow after the gods his wives served. I’m sure by the end of his life, he regretted not listening to her sound advice. If you have a virtuous mother, you would do well to listen to her as long as her heart is on God and she does her best to follow the scriptures. 

Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings. It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted. Proverbs 31:3-5

July 3, 2025

Proverbs 30 is a compilation of proverbs written down by Agur and made pure by the Holy Spirit; it is assumed that he was a teacher. After hearing a sermon delivered by my pastor, I now have a clear understanding of judging others. We always get this wrong. Jesus said in Matthew 7:1, "Judge not, that ye be not judged." We've been told this over and over again by Jesus, Paul, and now Agur in Proverbs. You can tell a good prophet from an evil prophet by their fruit, so we don't listen to those who produce bad fruit. Is that judging? No, it is discerning. I've often heard it said that it's okay to judge other Christians, but that's wrong according to Scripture. Here is what struck me and clarified this teaching: Christians are the servants of Jesus!! It is not a good idea to judge one of Jesus's servants! Each of us is at a various stage of sanctification and is where God intends us to be. Whether we are slow learners under His yoke or more submissive to His training, it is all determined by God. The final answer is that we do not judge anyone, whether saved or unsaved. If you still feel it is okay to judge someone, you may need to have a discussion with God about it. Do not judge a servant of the Most High God!

Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. Romans 14:4

Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty. Proverbs 30:10

July 2, 2025

I was taught that the proverbs were merely suggestions for a good life, but now that I've thoroughly examined them, I realize that this teaching is not the whole truth. I've found that when you reference other books of the Bible, many of them are part of God's promises. Throughout the scriptures, God promises to recompense the wicked, ensuring they suffer the consequences of their actions. We are living in an age where wickedness abounds, and the ill-reputed are getting away with their dastardly deeds that cause significant harm to regular people. We are all crying out to God and wondering how much longer we will have to wait to see them punished. Rest assured and have faith that God keeps His promises. Even if we don't get to see His entire retribution, know in your heart that God will make all of them pay. If you pay close attention, the wicked are now being paraded in front of us, and no longer hide their evil intentions, and we will see many of them fall. Wait for it; God abhors evildoers and will bring relief to His people. 

When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall. Proverbs 29:16

Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. Psalms 37:34

And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh. Isaiah 66:24

July 1, 2025

We are all guilty of minding someone else's business and getting involved in something we should have no part of. Our primary source of income is from rentals, and although we care about our tenants, their family situations and personal issues are not our business. Even though I love people, I don't need to know the details of why you can't pay your rent; just tell me when you expect to have it. The less I know, the better. 

Even in my own family, if you tell me too many details of your situation, especially if it involves another individual causing you pain, I will hold them accountable for the rest of my life. Not that I wouldn't forgive them, but I'm not as forgetful of sin as God is, and I will blame them if they cause you any more harm. If you want me to pray for you, I will, but spare me the details; I don't need to know everything about everything. The point: Mind your own business so that someone else's drama doesn't spill onto you. 

He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears. Proverbs 26:17

June 30, 2025

Did you know that God will hold you accountable if you don’t help someone innocent and being unfairly accused? You may not be particularly obligated to help them, but God knows you are aware that they are innocent of the charges they are facing, and He can see you neglecting to share the information that could help prove it. There are sins of commission, and there are sins of omission; a situation like this falls into the omission category. It’s easy to deny that we know the truth about a situation to our fellow humans and fail to help them because it’s an aggravation and might take time out of our day, but we cannot fool God, who sees our hearts and knows the truth we hide inside. Think about it this way: if someone is bleeding or near death on the side of the road, you wouldn’t leave them there to die; you would do whatever you could to help them. It is no different in a legal situation; not sharing what you know could devastate their lives, send them to prison, or cause undue financial distress. When you are called on to help, do the right thing and speak up. 

If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works? Proverbs 24:11-12

June 29, 2025

It was one of those mornings where I had to manage my time. Our church had plans to honor our pastor and the first lady with a dinner on the grounds to celebrate their anniversary. It was essential that, despite the time crunch, I prioritize meeting with the Lord first, as it is the most important part of my day. However, I must accurately calculate the time I need to bake a cake, frost it, and prepare a side dish that also needs to be baked and give myself enough time to get dressed and arrive at church on time. Getting up at 5 a.m. is not appealing, but it was the best option to complete everything on time. If I was slothful, I might have slept in and relied on a grocery store cake and an easier side item, but I love my church, and we all know that homemade food tastes better. As you can probably tell from the content, today’s lesson is about doing everything as if it were done unto the Lord and setting laziness aside to accomplish your tasks and commit to a purpose that is pleasing to God.

He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster. Proverbs 18:9

June 28, 2025

We hear it said that we should be kind to others because we don’t know what they are going through, but many times we don’t take it to heart. It’s probably because we fail to think it through. It is true that some people are consistently unpleasant and find negativity in everything, but for the most part, if someone is unkind to you, it may be because they are having a bad day. No one knows what kinds of problems our fellow humans are dealing with, which is no excuse for them to be unkind. However, considering this can help us react out of concern rather than bite back at them with our own unhealed emotions. Your kindness can change their day and how they respond to you.

One day, I was at the deli counter, and the person with the grumpiest disposition ended up waiting on me. And rather than match her emotion, I decided to show her compassion. Instead of barking back at me as I had seen her do with others, she melted into a puddle and told me her story. From that point on, she always reached out to me with kindness. 

We don’t know the bitterness within someone else’s heart, so don’t let them steal the joy God has given you. Let some of that joy spill out and change someone’s day for the better..

The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy. Proverbs 14:10

June 27, 2025

Early one morning, around 4:30 a.m., my dog, Rudy, woke me up, needing to go out. It was an emergency of sorts, and he couldn't hold it any longer. So I gathered myself and got him ready. We were at the beach, so it was a little more of a process than being at home where I could just let him out the door; I had to put on his leash and harness, make my way to the elevator, and then we were out the door. Nothing unusual except this time of morning is when the sprinklers come on. Rudy had to go so badly that he ignored them, and both of us got soaking wet! I'm sure we must have looked like a sight coming back into the building dripping wet. I could have just ignored Rudy and made him wait a little longer until it was a decent hour, but he's a little smarty pants and would have kept me up anyway. Rudy may not be a beast like the Bible mentions since a beast is a large animal like a donkey or ox, but he is my pet, and I care about his feelings because I love him, so I treat him well, just as I'm sure you treat your pets well because we are concerned for the creatures God gives us charge of. However, I'll bet you didn't know that there was a proverb that mentions such care. God calls such a person who cares for their beast righteous. Caring for God's creatures may not be the only thing that makes you righteous, but your love for his creation may be a sure sign that you love Him. Rudy had no trouble going back to sleep, but I couldn't because of a shower I hadn't planned.

A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. Proverbs 12:10

June 26, 2025

There is a manatee that I see travel down the coastline daily when I'm at the beach; it is quite a sight to see. As it makes its way, people on the beach get excited and take out their phones to photograph and video it, trying to capture a perfect shot of its magnificence. I've made note that it stays as close to the shore as the depth of the water allows, usually in a trench between the beach and a sandbar. That said, I love to float in the Gulf when the temperature is mild. It was high tide, so the water became deep rather quickly when I entered it. As I relaxed and began enjoying the water, I had a fleeting thought about that manatee. Moments later, I noticed a dark creature floating under me; I freaked out and screamed, but I quickly realized it was that manatee. It stopped to try and figure out what I was, then moved on. I know I scared it when I yelled out! If I had let my feet down, it would have touched me! God is good to me, and over the years, He has given me some rather intimate encounters with some of the creatures of His creation. This time was no different. 

Now, remember, I knew there was a possibility I could encounter that manatee and had put that in the back of my mind; that's wisdom, but isn't it funny that God reminded me about it a few minutes before He put it right under me? He gave me fair warning, and I still got a fright. If I had been quiet, it may have stayed a little longer, but screaming caused it to swim away; that's foolishness. The point is that our mouths can destroy what God intended for good. Use your brain and watch your mouth!

Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction. Proverbs 10:14

June 25, 2025

If only we could defeat the beast within, we could go on to build our wisdom! 

Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars: She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table. Proverbs 9:1-2

In Proverbs 9, Solomon compares wisdom to foolishness. It is in this chapter that we find the famous proverb that tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; those are wise words, and we would do well to follow that truth. However, what struck me was that the sinful beast within is what causes us trouble. We need to kill the beast that keeps rising within us, making us look foolish; that’s when we can celebrate. The enemy and his cronies can only tempt us; we are the cause of our own sinfulness. We are to blame when we foolishly sin; it’s not the devil’s fault that we fell for his temptation.

Another point is that we will not take any wealth gain with us when we die, but we will take our wisdom. Set your heart to learn as much as you can and use that knowledge to gain wisdom while in this realm. The old saying, “You can’t take it with you!” is true unless you are referring to wisdom! What is the beginning of wisdom? The fear of the Lord that leads to salvation in Jesus! That’s smart!

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. Proverbs 9:10

June 24, 2025

I'm sure you've heard this proverb:

Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart. Proverbs 7:2-3

However, I'll bet you didn't know it preceded a story that Solomon tells that cautions his son against falling for an adulterous woman. In this proverb, he warns young men to be careful not to entertain a woman who has too much time on her hands and leaves her home at night to trap them with her lustful desires. This proverb serves as a warning to all of us not to let our sensual desires overtake us, causing us to abandon our good sense in pursuit of a need we should take control of. Even though this is a practical warning for us to control our mortal bodies, there is also a spiritual aspect to this proverb: Jesus is our spouse, and for us to turn our desire towards anything worldly that causes us to turn away from Him is adultery. It's easy to fall prey to worldly desires; that's why we must stay connected to Jesus through prayer and scripture. Staying close to our Savior will keep us on the track of good behavior. 

Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death. Proverb 7:25-27

June 23, 2025

If Solomon were alive today, would you take his marriage advice? God must have thought he was an expert, or it wouldn't be in the Bible. He left us an entire chapter on adultery, but he, being a king, had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. It seems he didn't listen to his own advice, or this writing came after years of dealing with all these women and his constant thirst for someone different. It was likely adultery after his first wife, but then he kept adding more and more. Was this proverb actually about entertaining strange women, or was it about spiritual adultery? It is true either way. We should avoid entertaining anyone or any entity that would come between us and our Savior. His advice is practical, yet it was coming from someone who, in his youth, set for himself a harem of women. I'm being hard on him because he is the least likely person we would ever listen to when it comes to avoiding the dealings of a sensual woman who has evil intentions. Solomon was the wisest person to have ever lived, yet even someone as intelligent as he was had a weakness and could fall prey to temptation and sin. The main thrust of this proverb is that we should be careful not to involve ourselves with a strange lover; they will ruin our marriages. God will forgive, but you will have to live with the consequences and punishment of your infidelity.

For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:

But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword.

Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. Proverbs 5:3-5

June 22, 2025

The book of Ecclesiastes seems to be written to the rich to teach them to share. However, chapter 11 focuses on giving without the worry of how your gift is used. There are times that we should give to someone when the Holy Spirit prompts, but most of our giving should be to your church, who carefully distributes it where the most good will be done. I can guarantee you that if you give out of the goodness of your heart, whatever you give will be returned to you abundantly. Assess your life. Consider that your circumstances may be a reflection of how much or how little you sow into the kingdom of God. Remember, you reap what you sow. 

Being a proponent of tithing, I know the financial benefits of it. There was one time when our tithe was automatically deducted from our account. We began to notice that things were not going very well, and we were experiencing more than our share of repairs in our rental homes. It turned out that something had gone wrong with the automatic debit a few months back, which made us realize why we were facing additional expenses. Even if you believe that tithing is Old Testament and not for today, you will find life a bit easier if you joyfully sow into God’s kingdom without any hope for a harvest. 

He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. Ecclesiastes 11:4

But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 2 Corinthians 9:6

June 21, 2025

One must be careful of their words. Many have fallen over words spoken, either out of anger or hurt. We are all guilty of offending others, sometimes on purpose, but other times inadvertently, not meaning to hurt, but because we said it at a time when the hearer was vulnerable, and the words were taken out of context. We have to give Solomon credit because he wrote about what he knew. We can’t expect that he suddenly knew everything about everything; some of what he learned was out of observation or experience. However, I do believe that God gave him wisdom beyond common knowledge because he was smart enough to ask for it.

Nevertheless, some things can only be learned through experience. The main point of this lesson is to carefully choose your words and be gracious; otherwise, you may be considered foolish. Let anyone listening to you, whether rich or poor, know you are a Christ-follower because the words you use are full of life and not peppered with expletives. In other words, don’t choose the words you use depending on who you are speaking to; let everyone receive your best.

The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. Ecclesiastes 10:12-13