A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads, and the Lord will reward you.” (Proverbs 25:21-22 NLT) 

These two verses are repeated in the New Testament in Romans 12:20. Solomon says that the right way to handle your “enemies” is exactly the opposite of the way you want to handle them. The natural response we feel when our enemies hurt is to let them suffer. I know the feeling well! Through the years I’ve often thought of what I’d really like to say or do to someone that mistreated me or hurt me deeply. I haven’t mastered this truth yet, but I’ve learned that you get better results when you don’t do what they are expecting you to do and God is more glorified through it, as well. What I’m talking about is sort of a “surprise attack,” though it’s not really an attack at all. When he says we will “heap burning coals of shame on their heads” by doing good to our enemies, he’s not talking about doing good so they really get “burned up.”  It’s an illustration of something that was done in the Middle East when a person felt sorry for their actions. To show their contrition, they would carry on their head hot coals in a pan as a sign of their sorrow and repentance. So, when Solomon says to do good to our enemies (“give them food,” “give them water”) he’s telling us that by our good deeds toward the offending parties we have a greater chance of bringing them to the recognition of their wrong and leading them to true change. Does it always happen? No, but it is always right to do right because it is right. It also protects your testimony and puts them in a place that they will be without excuse when they stand before God. This was Peter’s advice, “Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.” (1 Peter 2:12 NLT) The fact is...God is going to judge the world one day and He will settle the score with our “enemies” in a just and righteous way! It will be our “honorable behavior” that will be part of the witness against them. Let's ask God to help us leave vengeance and justice to Him and do the opposite of the way we feel when our enemy is suffering in some way! 

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.” (Proverbs 24:16 NLT) 

This Proverb goes with the verse right before it (take a moment and read it) and indicates that even if the wicked set out to “take down” the godly, they can’t succeed because the godly just keep getting back up. The old adage I’ve heard many times says, “You can’t keep a good man down.” What it really should say is, “You can’t keep a GODLY man (or woman) down!” He’s talking here about some kind of devastating circumstance brought on the godly by the wicked. However, the principle is true even if you falter or stumble on your own. It’s the “godly” that possess an inner fortitude, enabled by the grace of God, that prompts them to “get up again” and keep going. It’s sort of like watching a prize fight when a boxer is hit with one great, well placed blow and he goes down. The referee begins the countdown and before he reaches “ten,” the fighter jumps back up and is ready to continue. The resilience of the “godly” is such that evil (whether brought on by others or himself) cannot win! He knows he belongs to the Lord! He knows the Lord is compassionate and forgiving! He will not quit! Something to remember...by the term “godly” we mean the one that is sincerely seeking God. There are people that are Christians that are contented to just escape hell and nothing more. But, the one who has a heart to follow God has a resilience that will not let them quit when they get knocked down. You have three great enemies fighting against you. The first is the “world,” which has to do with the ideals, philosophies, ambitions, deceptions of this evil age in which we live. The second is your own “flesh,” which includes all the broken, inner desires and propensities that are opposed to godly living. The third is the “Devil,” which is the tempter, accuser, liar, and destroyer that is always looking to take you down. If we fail to realize that we are on a battlefield rather than a playground, we open ourselves up to a “disaster” reeking havoc in our lives. The number one target of our "enemies" (world, flesh, Devil) is the “godly” who are seeking to honor God with their lives! If we weren't trying to do right, there would be no reason for Satan to pick on us or look for the weaknesses in our “flesh” or “worldly understanding” to use against you. His ultimate goal isn’t just to make you look bad. His ultimate goal is to make your God look bad! Having said all that, when you fall from the enemies blows or by self-inflicted wounds, it is the godly that will not remain there to waller in their squalor! They will not allow their lives to continue to bring shame on their Lord! His glory is their priority and it drives them to get up again and keep moving in the right direction! Let’s stay on our “spiritual” feet and keep moving forward. If we get knocked down, let’s get up again and not give up! We all need more resiliency in our spiritual journey!

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit.” (Proverbs 23:4 NLT) 

The idea of the Proverb is that some people will work as long and as hard as necessary in order to gain wealth! Unfortunately, riches can "fly away like an eagle" (cf. 23:5). As quickly as you get it you can lose it. There is nothing wrong with ambition or even attaining wealth unless it drives you to materialism and keeps you from your most important priorities. Materialism is the general idea that your worth is measured by your wealth (things, money, properties, possessions, etc.), and it’s pervasive in our society. There's a lot that needs to be understood about the dangers of materialism, but what connects with me here is the issue of not "[knowing] when to quit." It's easy in our culture to become a workaholic...and you will almost always be praised for doing so by those around you! There's seemingly a never ending supply of things to do that can keep you from getting healthy periods of rest! Rest doesn't necessarily mean inactivity! Sometimes it's just a diversion from your normal routine to do something you find enjoyable. (It may also includes periods of inactivity other than when you are sleeping.) It's mostly a matter of disengaging from your “schedule” to find time away to do something different. The struggle that a lot of us have in a world that is alive with activity 24/7 is in making ourselves STOP for awhile to rest. I have stood by many people that were dying with only days or hours to live and I have never heard one of them say they wish they had worked more or longer hours. Nobody has ever said, "I wish I would have taken one more business trip or made one more sale." However, I've heard some say, "I wish I had more time to be with my family and friends.” Or, "I wish I had more time to enjoy life!” Death has a way of prioritizing things really quick. Total inactivity may not a person's idea of "rest" and if they have young children it may be almost impossible. "Rest" is more than just inactivity! It's about unplugging from work to spend time with your greater priorities! It's about a change of pace so that the ones that mean the most to you can have your presence with them! It's not easy, but it's important! To your family and true friends, love is spelled: TIME...not money or things!

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.” (Proverbs 22:6 NLT) 

The highest responsibility of all parents is “directing [their] children onto the right path.” I can't think of any other task that is more important, takes more wisdom, involves more effort, or has more eternal rewards. Nothing crushes the heart or breaks the spirit of a parent more than knowing his/her child isn’t on the “right path” and is headed toward some kind of destruction (temporal or eternal). Children don’t have the wisdom or capacity to always make good choices without the loving, godly guidance of their parents. Sometimes that means saying “yes” to what they want to do. Sometimes that means saying “no” to their desires, even though it makes a parent unpopular with them for a time. Our job as parents is not to be our child’s best friend. It’s to be our child’s best overseer, advisor, guide and spiritual example. It's to love them unconditionally and make decisions that are in their best interest! Children are pulled in every conceivable direction to conform to society's norms. Without diligent and careful “thought out parenting” it is impossible to stay ahead of all the pressures placed on kids these days. The expectations and influence of schools, coaches, parents, peers, leagues, media, etc., etc., has turned some of our youth into “neurotics” (or worse) and stolen their childhoods. The formative years of a child’s life should primarily be about the basic skills that will go with them the rest of their lives. It should be about having fun, learning to get along with others, loving family, character development, spiritual development, solid education, etc. Too many parents push their children to be adults before they’ve ever been a child and the KIDS in adulthood are reaping the consequences. We’ve got to ask God to give us wisdom and search His Word for direction to nurture our children according to His will and His ways! Seeing your child grow up to follow God is THE (!!) single most rewarding outcome you will ever know in life. The Apostle John wrote, “I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth.” (3 John 1:4 NLT) This verse in Proverbs doesn’t promise that a child will never make a wrong decision that won’t disappoint his/her parents. What it says is that you stack the odds in your favor (God’s favor) when you “direct your children,” rather than letting them chose for themselves. The Psalmist likens children to “arrows” that have to be aimed at the right target. And, the right target is God living in them and through them first, foremost and forever! (cf. Ps. 127:4)

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.” (Proverbs 15:1 NLT) 

This verse comes back to a common theme in Proverbs having to do with communication. When someone comes at you angry and slinging hurtful words, you'd be amazed at how often you can shut them down by lowering the tone of your voice and quietly speaking to them in a calm reply. Instead of answering in kind, you soften your response refusing to use inflammatory words like they've used with you. There can't be an argument if there aren't at least two people to argue. (Well, there might be some people that can argue with themselves, I suppose.)  When you refuse to engage the argument in the same manner as the aggressor, you take charge of how the discussion proceeds. The problem is that when most of us feel backed into a corner we come out swinging. (I guess that's what you have to do if you are in a physical fight and being attacked.) But, when it's a verbal conflict you almost always come out better answering calmly instead of with "harsh words!" It seems to me that the whole world is angry anymore. Everybody seems to be carrying a "chip on their shoulder," but we have to remember that the wrath of man doesn't produce the righteousness God desires. (cf. James 1:19-20) The next time you feel attacked by someone verbally, do the opposite thing you normally feel like doing. More often than not you'll be amazed at how quickly you resolve problems rather than making them worse!

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“The guilty walk a crooked path; the innocent travel a straight road.” (Proverbs 21:8 NLT) 

The meaning seems pretty clear...if you do right you have nothing to hide ("a straight path"). If you do wrong or things that can be considered questionable, you are walking a "crooked path." It's similar to saying you have to cover your tracks so you don't get caught. Guilt causes people to lie, to hide, to masquerade, to fear, and to act deceitfully (all indicating a "crooked path"). When we apply this truth to marriage it's clear that a relationship can't thrive when the road we're on is a "crooked path." We must never forget that trust is a basic building block of all good relationships...especially marriage! For instance, when you hide things from your spouse or have to cover your "path" so you don't get caught...you are headed toward the tragedy of broken trust. Trust can be rebuilt, but it always takes longer and is harder than the first time around. We want to live so that anyone can check any "path" we are walking and find it's the "straight road." There's no need to cover up anything because we've done exactly what we should have done. One of the best ways to protect trust in our marriages and prevent being approached by unsavory people trying to lure us into illicit conversations/actions ("a crooked path") is to talk openly about how much we love our spouses and children. It is so important that we guard our lives by avoiding even the "APPEARANCE of evil!" Any violation of trust in marriage is a sin against the covenant we made before God with one another! “Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.” (Hebrews 13:4 NLT) 

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them.” (Proverbs 20:7 NLT)  

“Integrity” is a matter of character where who we are privately AND publicly are absolutely consistent with biblical values. That means that all of us are a “work in progress” because none of us are “absolutely consistent” all the time and we won’t be until we reach Heaven. The more consistency we have, the higher the degree of “integrity” we possess. Of course, when there is significant inconsistency between our public and private lives...we call that hypocrisy. “Integrity” is what makes you do the right thing even when you know that no one else is watching or would ever know what you’ve done. “Integrity” is first about the inner man being sincere and genuine while seeking God. Reputation, on the other hand, is about the outer man and what others think of you. If you lack “integrity,” you might cover it up for awhile, but it will eventually affect your reputation negatively. Just remember: a good reputation is like owning some gold, but a person with “integrity” owns the gold mine. If we take care of our character and become a person of integrity, our reputation will take care of itself. “Integrity” deals with many facets like honesty, dependability, work ethic, commitment, responsibility, etc., but my focus in considering this verse relates to our biblical values and learning to live consistently in them. We have to be ruthless with ourselves in removing inconsistency from our lives. David prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” (Psalm 139:23-24) That’s the way we ought to live every...single...day! And, usually we'll need close friends to help us be accountable in becoming people of integrity. What is really important to remember from this verse is the promise that is included for walking in integrity: our children will be blessed by our lives and can follow us to become people of integrity themselves. This should matter to us more than about anything else in life...that our family sees our integrity!

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the Lord.” (Proverbs 19:3 NLT) 

Some days I think I’ve heard it all, but then there is the unexpected occurrence that reminds me that people sometimes do “stuff” that just can’t be explained. It's our own “foolishness” that most often gets us in trouble. It’s a word, an action, a thought, a reaction, a choice, a friendship, a place, a decision, a device, etc., when we’re not thinking about God’s will or the consequences of our actions that can cost us big time. The thing about this verse that stands out to me is that the “foolish” person blames someone or something else for the “ruin” they’ve experienced. They fail to take ownership for their sinful deeds and confront them in a scriptural fashion. Blaming God (or anyone else) for our “mess” is fruitless and fails to bring the healing we need from those experiences. Owning our failures and faults is the first step to overcoming them, as well as the way to forgiveness (cf. Prov. 28:13; 1 John 1:9). Confessing our sins means we agree with God that what we have done is wrong! We don’t make any excuses or look to assign blame to anyone else but ourselves. It includes turning from the sin with the intentions of avoiding the same trap again. Unfortunately, all of us have “besetting sins” (cf. Hebrews 12:1) that “trip us up” more easily than others. These areas reveal an especially difficult “sin pattern” in our lives for which we need to take special precautions to live in victory. The great thing about God’s forgiveness, though, is that it isn’t limited to only one failure in one area of our lives per day, per week, per month or per year. His forgiveness is limitless! Of course, we don’t want to presume upon His graciousness either.

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.” (Proverbs 17:9 NLT) 

I love this thought because it reminds me that relationships and "love" grow when people forgive others faults. We all sometimes struggle holding onto the pain from the past that comes from what people say or do that wounds us. It's so easy to let bitterness “set up shop” in our hearts and poison every relationship in our lives. You think you are only mad at one person, but it ultimately spills over to others, as well. Forgiveness is not primarily an emotion. It is first a decision that you make to not "dwell" on the offense caused or bring it up to the offending person again. (This presumes the offense isn't something that specifically needs to be confronted according to Matt. 18:15.) Instead, you release the offense to God and discipline yourself to think on other things instead. As you do, the wounds fade into your memory banks and it stops being what is always on your mind. It's "dwelling" on the "fault" that stirs up the emotions inside us that produces the bitterness that ultimately poisons everything. This is not easy with some things that happen in life and the closer a person is to you the greater the difficulty in not dwelling on the offense. That’s why we need God’s grace and help to forgive! It's also important to mention that forgiveness doesn't mean you put yourself back into a situation to be hurt again in the same fashion by the same person. Of course, that assumes we're not talking about a family member or a very close friend! Those closest to us are going to hurt us, just as we will hurt them, at times. It's just the reality of living in relationships with people you care about and love. That's why we need to learn to forgive...so that "love" can "prosper." Lots of angry people in this world are wounded people carrying around the bitterness of past hurts. Let's not be part of that group!

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city.” (Proverbs 16:32 NLT) 

Patience is the ability to not blow up or give up when "the pressure is on." It enables you to endure the twists and turns that life throws at you! Patience is learned over time and through difficult experiences. However, as believers in Christ, the Holy Spirit will enable you to be patient as you live surrendered to God (cf. Gal. 5:22-23)! I think my mother said to me at least a thousand times when I was growing up, "Patience is a virtue!" And it truly is a virtue! Not many people have it or want it, but it's more valuable than being "powerful." Patience enables you to endure hardships that can make you better after experiencing them. "Power" does little to improve you and it is has the potential to corrupt you. It's great if you have both, but always choose to learn patience over chasing after power. Patience is necessary in every relationship that's meaningful to you and that you want to improve! It makes you faithful to others, even if others are unfaithful to you. Power will exploit your lack of inner patience causing you to lash out when you ought to be silent. Jesus demonstrated patience before Pilate when He was wrongly accused, but He refused to answer. He knew that enduring His suffering was the only way for mankind to have a right relationship with the Father! He had all power at His disposal to destroy the world and set Himself free, but He patiently endured the cross for you and me. Sometimes, for the sake of building better relationships, we just have to patiently "endure the cross" to find the way to peace!

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“Those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can ruin everything.” (Proverbs 13:3 NLT) 

The "tongue" gets us into more trouble than about anything else about us. In the New Testament James said, "Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way." (James 3:2 NLT) The easiest place to let our "tongues" get us in trouble is with the people that are closest to us...in our families and with our friends. We let down the guard and say things to the ones we love the most that we might not say to anyone else. To be honest, I'm less concerned with the verbal gaffes I make with people in general than I am with those I make with my wife, children, grandchildren and friends. They matter more to me than anyone else in the whole world! I don't intentionally want to wound anyone with my words...but we've all done it at times. When we know we've messed up with something we've said, the best thing we can do is quickly apologize and make it right. Don't let the wounds our words cause fester and become a full-blown "relational infection!" And, sometimes we apologize even when our words are true, simply because we didn't say things properly or with genuine concern for the one who heard them. The thing is...we have to be committed to saving our best words for the ones nearest to us. Sometimes the best course of action is to keep our mouths shut and say nothing at all. That's self-restraint and it isn't easy...trust me! Let's learn to praise people, thank them, love them and build them up with our words. And, when we say the wrong thing at the wrong time and/or in the wrong way, let's be quick to make it right. Leave as few verbal "wounds" on others psyche as possible. 

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“So don’t bother correcting mockers; they will only hate you. But correct the wise, and they will love you.” (Proverbs 9:8 NLT) 

One of the hardest things to hear is "criticism!" Even when it's constructive criticism it still has a sting to it. And yet, Solomon says the wise person does not reject the "correction" of those that love him and has his best interest at heart. A willingness to listen and honestly evaluate the “hard things” someone is telling us demonstrates that we are wise rather than being a "mocker." Mockers (Usually defined as people that will not live by wise, moral teachings and mock those that do. Though, I'm using it in the broader sense of a harsh, hypocritical critic.) only want to hear themselves or the flattery others heap on them. Point out the mockers "blind spot" and they will turn on you quickly! Live out your faith boldly and mockers will heap cynicism on you, too. I don't think we should let every critic "get in our heads" and fill us with self-doubt. But, the wise person opens himself up to hear the people that love him and those they know are sincere in their concerns. We can always sift through the "correction" someone offers and chose whether it is of value or not. If we are transparent enough to learn from others we are definitely going to grow stronger in wisdom! The problem for most of us is that we become so defensive that we miss the opportunities for growth that comes through loving "correction." Don't believe every criticism you hear! Don't reject every criticism you hear! Be open to evaluate criticism as to whether it has any value and can make you a better person. Some criticism has the power to improve our lives after the sting of it has subsided!

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“Fools make fun of guilt, but the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation.” (Proverbs 14:9 NLT) 

There's a lot in Proverbs about the "fool" and several verses in this chapter reference him. The "fool" is someone that lives as if there is no God and thinks they won't ever have to answer to Him. That's why they "make fun of guilt." Their consciences have become so calloused to any sense of right or wrong that they don't recognize God's conviction deep within them. Of course, God can change their condition, if they begin to acknowledge Him and His authority over their lives. Godly people (those seeking God) know when they've wronged someone or offended God! There is a sense of "guilt" or conviction and they don't make excuses for their actions or attitudes. The more we "acknowledge" our guilt the more sensitive we become to it. Ultimately that leads to a growing desire to avoid the things that cause "guilt" and a deepening relationship with God and others! The good thing about "guilt" or conviction (as the Bible calls it) is that it can lead to genuine forgiveness and reconciliation with those that have been wronged...including God! When you feel the inner ache of "guilt," don't ignore it or drown it out. Evaluate whether you are actually wrong and if so, respond to the "guilt" with repentance, confession and reconciliation! It's the only way to live a life of honor before God and to feel good about yourself! By the way, no matter how you "feel" about something, if God says it's right...it's right! If God says it's wrong...it's wrong! Even if you "feel" no conviction (“guilt”) about something the scripture says is right or wrong, you're still not off the hook with Him. If you "know" what you should do and don't do it...you're still fully responsible before God for your actions. (cf. James 4:17) Everybody answers to God ultimately! The "fool" just refuses to acknowledge that fact until it's too late.

Pentecost Sunday, May 31, 2020 (when we start gathering on-campus again)

May 11, 2020

Dear Church Family and Friends,

I’m thankful that over the last several weeks we have been able to continue gathering together online and with our Zoom Bible studies. Finally, the time has come for us to re-launch our Sunday morning worship services, which is why I am writing to you today.

The Day of Pentecost, 50 days following the resurrection of Jesus Christ, was the day the New Testament church was born into existence. The believers were all together in the upper room praying when the Holy Spirit descended upon them to indwell them. When they left that room following their baptism with the Spirit, Peter preached a powerful sermon found in Acts 2, at Jerusalem. Three thousand people received Christ that day and were baptized.

Sunday, May 31, 2020, is the celebration of Pentecost on the Christian calendar that many churches follow. Our leadership team believes it is appropriate for us to begin meeting again on that Sunday as a sort of “rebirth” of God’s church to commemorate the first church that began on the Day of Pentecost so long ago.

I want to familiarize you with some of the things necessary for this upcoming day due to the safe-distancing guidelines.

1. We will offer three morning worship services each Sunday morning starting on May 31, 2020. 
2. The first service will be at 8 a.m. and is for those adults without children (recommended for those 65 or older).
3. The second and third services will begin at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. and are for all ages. 
4. There will be no child care or nurseries for any of the three services during this period of time and families will sit together upstairs in the worship services.
5. Because the 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. services are family-style services we will shorten the time of our worship services to approximately 45 to 50 minutes in length. This will allow us time to get you to your cars safely and for us to sanitize the building before the next service begins.
6. If the number attending any service exceeds the allowable number according to the social distancing requirements, we will direct the overflow to an area that will be specially prepared according to the same protocols as the Worship Center. 
7. Seating in the auditorium will be arranged to provide the required social-distancing guidelines. We will be assisting those in attendance to find seating in the auditorium so that we maintain the distancing requirements. 
8. We ask everyone in attendance to wear a facemask during the service for your safety and that of others, except those that are distanced from the congregation on the platform. Please bring your own mask. We hope to have some masks available, but the supply will be limited so it will be best if you have your own to use each week during this time.
9. Until further notice, Life Groups will not be meeting on campus or in homes; however, some are meeting via online gatherings. For more information go to lmbc.org or contact your group leader or the church office. 
10. Everyone will enter through the front doors of the Worship Center on both levels and we will all exit through the Welcome Center doors after each service ends. Special arrangements can be made for someone that has physical challenges and can be prearranged through the church office.
11. Offerings can be placed in the touchless offering boxes around the walls of the Worship Center or you can use online giving or mail your gifts directly to the church office. 
12. We will continue to offer our online services at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. for those that do not feel safe enough to come out to the worship gatherings. 
13. We will also continue to offer online Sunday evening events at 6 p.m., as well as an online Wednesday night Bible study at 7 p.m. 
14. There will be hand sanitizing stations in the lobbies of the Worship Center for your use and we will sanitize the worship center after each service.

I know that I have given you a lot of details and it might seem overwhelming at first. We are more than happy to answer any questions you may have, so please feel free to contact the church office at 304-736-7676 between 9 a.m. and noon or 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.

All of these plans are subject to change, but we believe that we have a workable plan to see the “rebirth” of God’s church on May 31st. As we progress through the following months we will make adjustments and changes as the requirements and guidelines allow. My prayer is that by July things will look different with the Coronavirus and some of these restrictions might be adjusted. We will remain flexible and continue moving forward until we get back to a more normal worship pattern.

I want to close by saying thank you for being faithful with your tithes, offerings, and Faith Promise giving. As you can imagine, we have cut back everywhere we can to save on our expenses, but ministry continues on campus and in homes. Missionaries continue to serve around the world even during a pandemic. We provide vital assistance to people in need of food and other life necessities. We are producing more online biblical content than ever and our staff is working hard daily to stay connected with you. Many of you participated in our Easter offering totaling $22,335.00 which is being used to supplement the general giving to help us maintain our responsibilities throughout this time. What a blessing and encouragement this has been.

I look forward to seeing many of you for the first time since this all began about eight weeks ago. It will feel different for a while, but I believe God is going to do something great through all of this.

With Love For You,

David Lemming

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise!” (Proverbs 6:6 NLT) 

I don't think too many of the people I know would consider themselves lazy. Most of us are so busy we don't have time to be lazy. Either extreme (laziness or busyness) has negative consequences for our lives. The greatest struggle for many is taking time away from busyness to rest and refresh their bodies, souls and minds. Busyness comes easy for lots of us...while rest is much harder. Somewhere between the two extremes (laziness or busyness) is a balance that is healthy for every aspect of our lives. It is not laziness when we set aside periods to be alone with our families, take periodic vacations, turn off our cell phones for awhile, stay away from social media for a time, have a regular scheduled date with our spouses, do some fun things with our kids, and other similar types of things we need to do in moderation to just relax. It seems to me that the lazy person fails to say “yes" to the priorities he “ought to get done.” The (overly) busy person, however, fails to say “no” to the things that conflict with right (!!) priorities. I tend toward being too busy, so I’m still a work in progress. The thing is...it’s OK to rest! God built it into the whole universe when He created everything in six days and "rested" on the seventh! We have to develop a rhythm to life that lets us find appropriate periods for both work and rest. Actually, sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is...sleep!

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“Deceit fills hearts that are plotting evil; joy fills hearts that are planning peace!” (Proverbs 12:20 NLT) 

God is the greatest Peacemaker ever!! He sacrificed His Son so we can have peace with Him. When we work for peace in our relationships we are acting like God! Stirring up trouble comes naturally! Working at peace comes supernaturally! It's something we need God's help to do! Peace takes "planning" so we can avoid things that cause trouble, as well as finding ways to bring peace where trouble already exists. But, joy fills the hearts of those that work for peace! Joy (this is more than an emotion) is an inner contentedness and confidence that you have done the right thing. Not everybody will let you live at peace with them (Romans 12:18), but we should try whenever possible. Living in a strife filled world is taking its toll on most of us. Being a peacemaker or peacekeeper can also be trying, but it's worth the effort. Work for peace with others seeking their good above your own. Try to understand the feelings of others. Say things to others that show you are "planning peace" with them and not conflict. Don't raise tensions by ignoring people or discounting the importance of their feelings. People need us to lead in making peace and we can do it!! We have to "plan" for peace in our relationships! Our efforts will go a long way at bringing "joy" into our lives!

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” (Proverbs 4:23 NLT) 

What is in our hearts eventually comes out through our words, actions and associations (Matt. 15:19) We have to "guard" our hearts against evil influences and not let them be instructed/influenced by unrighteousness. As our "hearts" go, so go our lives. For me, I have to watch what I see, what I hear, where I go, who has influence in my life, what counsel I'm given, what music plays in my head, what movies I go see, what TV shows I watch, etc. (As you watch your food intake to be healthy, you have to watch your "heart" intake to be holy.) I can't avoid all these things all the time, but I have to "guard" my heart as much as possible to keep evil from getting more ingrained in me. Where evil is already ingrained, I have to "guard" my heart by replacing "bad programming" with "good programming" through scripture, worship, prayer, church gatherings, Christian friendships, etc. This is not a one-time event, but a process for all of us. The technical, biblical term for this "process" is sanctification ("set apart from/to"). We are being "set apart" from some things and we are being "set apart" to others! This is an important aspect of the "process" for how Christlikeness is developed in our lives.

Think about it...

Think about it...when right doctrine no longer matters to us, then the true God no longer matters to us.

As frail humans we see things “imperfectly” (1 Cor. 13:12 NLT), so Christians differ sometimes on the finer points of biblical doctrine. However, showing disinterest in and dislike for doctrine says we don’t think God and His Word are that important! I’d rather a person lovingly disagree with me on a point of doctrine than to say our differences don’t matter. Truth matters and it matters that we seek the truth!

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” (Proverbs 11:2 NLT) 

This is a tough one and it certainly doesn't come naturally to any of us. Humility is possibly the greatest need of mankind, aside from the need to know Christ in salvation. But, you can't even know Christ until you humble yourself to acknowledge that you are a sinner in need of Christ's help. A number of the Proverbs deal with this subject and it comes up again and again before finishing these thirty-one chapters. Humility is not walking around with drooped shoulders always talking about your past failures or poor performance. That's pseudo-humilty because what it does is draw attention to yourself so people will notice you. Humility doesn't seek out attention! Basically, It means acknowledging that you need God's help and that you can't live without it! True humility also acknowledges that everything you have and everything you are comes from God as His gift to you. The humble person turns any praise or recognition received back to God because He's the One that made it possible anyway. Consider these thoughts: Humility causes us to place ourselves under others so that we can lift them up instead of lifting up ourselves. Humility means even if you get used at times by others, you refuse to use others in a similar manner. Humility won't engage in petty arguments in order to prove the other person wrong and itself right. Humility tries to recognize what other people need and seeks to quietly meet that need when possible. Humility understands a spouse's weaknesses/struggles in order not to aggravate or exploit them. Humility loves others as God loves them even when that love isn't reciprocated. Humility acts as a peacemaker when relationships are difficult and troubled, rather than stirring up more trouble. I could go on like this, but you get the point. The humble person puts the interests of others ahead of his own, especially in his family and among his friends. Solomon says that apart from humility you can't be wise! The reason is because the humble ask for help, which is something the proud will never do! I have to ask God for help every...single...day!

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“Don’t say, ‘I will get even for this wrong.’ Wait for the LORD to handle the matter.” (‭Proverbs‬ ‭20‬:‭22‬ NLT)

I think the most difficult word in this verse is, "wait." When you've been wounded you don't want to "wait." You want vengeance now! Justice delayed seems like justice denied. The problem we have as fallible human beings is in bringing justice to a situation...justly. Our emotions and motivations too often get skewed when we are hurting. That's why we have to leave justice to the only One that can execute it justly. Besides, if we all got what we "rightly deserved" (justice) we would all be condemned. Let’s remind ourselves that when we want someone to pay for the wrong they did to us, that the measure of justice we desire for them may well be the measure of justice given back to us. Make the choice to leave vengeance to God and "wait" for Him to "handle the matter."

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can compare with it.” (Proverbs 8:11 NLT)

Acquiring God's wisdom is a lifelong pursuit and more valuable than any other thing you can desire in life. I really like Proverbs 8 because wisdom is personified as a companion of the Lord in all His actions, words and deeds! It's ever present with Him because it's "His" wisdom! Pursuing wisdom in essence means pursuing God! (Another description of wisdom I like is in James 3:17. Don't read that verse unless you are ready to be punched in the gut!) In this chapter wisdom calls out to us, is with Kings that rule well, was with God at the beginning and during creation, gives life to those that find it, etc., etc. Everything God says and does is wise! I'm in need of God's wisdom all the time. Actually, I pray for wisdom all the time. So much of life is confusing apart from God's wisdom. There are still lots of things I don't have figured out yet and I'm waiting on God to give me greater wisdom so I can understand them. What I do know is that operating according to God's wisdom always pays off. That doesn't mean life necessarily gets easier! Sometimes it gets a lot harder because the world we live in rejects God's wisdom. The wisdom of the world is contrary to the wisdom of God...in most every area of life. What having God's wisdom does for us (when we apply it) is give us a sense of direction, confidence and fulfillment...even if everyone else opposes us for doing life God's way. God's wisdom comes through scripture, worship, preaching/teaching, godly counsel, the Holy Spirit's leading, the fear of the Lord, and other similar things! Make God’s wisdom your supreme goal and you’ll soon find yourself seeing the Lord at work everywhere in your life!

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation.” (Proverbs 10:25 NLT)

This section of proverbs covers lots of different subjects within a single chapter. I chose this verse today because I'm reminded that living for God gives us an anchor for our souls that prevents us from being destroyed by the storms of life that inevitably come. Thinking that we can live our whole lives without having troubles and trials is unrealistic and reveals an incomplete Christian worldview. I'd like to live where there aren't any reversals or hardships, but that doesn't come till I reach Heaven. As long as we live in this sin-cursed world there will be tragedies and troubles that come to us all. The "godly" are the ones that seek God and know how to depend on Him in a crisis. They are the ones that turn to His promises when His "plans'' don't make sense. They learn to "trust His heart" (that He loves them) even when they can't "see His hand" (understand what He's doing). The ungodly, however, have no such anchor for the soul. They can see no purpose or plan for anything in their lives. From their perspective, everything is mere happenstance or fate. When trouble comes they have no one to whom they can turn for help and they have no hope in the middle of the messes of their lives. The godly still hurt when life hurts, but they have a hope that transcends this life. We've all had our share of heartaches. God sees us, knows our pain and will love us through everything we have to face! The stronger we grow in faith, the more stable we become so we aren't "whirled away" by the storms blowing all around us!