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