Wisdom For All

Proverbs 1:1-11, 20-22, 32-33

Why do foolish men hate knowledge, and the simple-minded shun wisdom? Most people who lack basic knowledge of God, are easily attracted by sin, because it presents to them ways to make easy money, and feel like they are a part of the crowd. The average person wants to be accepted by their family, but more so by those in society. Yearning to be accepted by the world is the first step to falling into pride, and God despises those who seek after the things of the world, rather than His spiritual gifts. Wisdom, knowledge, and understanding work in unison, to guide the child of God in the ways of holiness, but when those life-saving virtues are rejected, the path one walks will soon become darker, and more broad.

God is more than willing to pour out His wisdom on all who ask for it, but many fail to understand that without the wisdom of God, life will literally deceive them. Men seem to prosper by obtaining things in life such as cars, homes, college degrees, business, and the like, but all things gained in this life, that doesn’t bring glory to God, is a waste of time, effort, and possibly money. The wisdom of God keeps us from falling into temptation, investing time in futile things, and focusing too much attention on worldly matters. Don’t be like the foolish, who despise wisdom and instruction, but in all things, seek the wisdom of God, so that your actions and decisions will always render positive results.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

The Wise Ones

Proverbs 4:1-9

Those who place the wisdom of God at the forefront of their character traits, will consistently show forth the behavior of Christ in their daily living. Wisdom is the ability to carefully assess and understand a thing, then judge accordingly. King Solomon had taken on the mantle of his father David, and realized his shoes were too great to walk in by his own intellect, so he asked of God to give him wisdom, so that he would be properly equipped to judge millions of men and women, under his watch. Without the wisdom of God directing his hand, Solomon’s reign would have no doubt ended in great ruin, like others who refused to abide by the oracles of God, but because he put God first, his legacy has become one that will be remembered forever. Godly wisdom offers tremendous benefits, that can literally advance one’s life to levels far beyond the wisdom gained of men. Aside from one being molded into the image of Christ, by becoming loyal, kind, trustworthy, righteous, humble, and teachable, wisdom ensures that the life of the believer has a great chance of being lengthy, favorable, successful, prosperous, peaceful (most of the time), approved by God, and reputable in the sight of God and men. As you journey through this life, be sure to allow the wisdom of God to lead and guide your every move. This way, you can rest assured, your thoughts and actions will be pleasing to the Father, and He will bless you abundantly in the earth.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

A Stroll Down Memory Lane

1 Kings 4:29-34

When you finally transition from this life to the next, what do you think people will remember most about you? All the men and women in the Bible, who lived by God’s example, are long dead, but they are still referenced today by their noteworthy lifestyles. Abraham will always be remembered as the father of faith, while Jacob proved that God could use someone, who once took pride in deceiving others, and change the heart of that same person, causing them to take delight in steering men from being deceived. Joseph was a man who endured unparalleled levels of injustice (by the hands of his brothers, and others) and was elevated to heights he would have never reached on his own. Moses grew up in the house of the Pharoah, and was possibly on his was to soon rule, or hold a position of great authority, but he sacrificed fame, riches, and glory, in order to promote the will of God instead. Balaam was widely know for his effective blessings and curses, but when he disobeyed God’s command, not to go with the princes of Moab, God allowed a donkey to speak, and warn him of the angel of the Lord, who was prepared to slay him for his disobedience. This miraculous event quickly changed the heart of Balaam, and set him right to walk in obedience to God, to bless Israel, and not curse them. Joshua was Moses’ assistant, and eventual successor, and He was one of two faithful men, unafraid to take over the land of Canaan. His effective leadership was the product of good preparation, and continuous encouragement. Rahab was a young lady, known to give up her goods, for the right price, but her act of protecting God’s people during their spy mission, caused her to be listed in the Bible’s Hall of Faith (Hebrews 11). This is proof that God can still use us to do great things, regardless of how dirty our past is.

Other great men and women including Deborah, Esther, Samuel, king David, all the prophets, and king Solomon, will forever be known for their unyielding dedication to the service of God, and caring for the needs of His people. I present the question again: When your time on this earth runs out, will you be remembered as someone who was full of evil, lies, deceit, and other vices, or will your name run through the hearts and minds of others, and cause them to smile, and take great delight in knowing you touched their lives in a good way?

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

Seeds Of Love

Matthew 26:47-52

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:7-9). These verses aren’t the basis of this lesson, but they tie in well with the Matthew Gospel account of Jesus’ final moments on the earth.

Not much is recorded in Scripture of the life Jesus lived prior to His 30’s, but it’s evident from how He conducted Himself during the three years of His ministry, His actions were only good, and acceptable in the sight of His Father. Jesus sowed good seed consistently, and desired only that the will of His Father be fulfilled through Himself. Every fruit associated with the attributes of the Holy Spirit, were on display in nearly ever occasion in Jesus’ life. When men despised Him, He showed love. When others lied, and attempted to slander His name, He continued to speak the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Even when His most trusted disciples were unable to help Him carry His burdens, Jesus dealt with them in the Spirit of meekness, and showered them with love, unconditional.

Our text picks up where Jesus took a few of His disciples with Him to pray, before Judas and the group of those who sought to kill him, prepared their assault. Being all God in a flesh body, Christ knew every detail of Judas’ evil plan, and was fully aware of where He needed to position Himself, so that the plan of God could be carried out. Rather than fight against His betrayer, Jesus called Judas friend. If that’s not a “WOW” moment, then I don’t know what to tell you. The first thing most people do when they are betrayed by a supposed friend is, entertain anger, that oftentimes turn into rage and thoughts of revenge. Unlike carnal men, Jesus saw the whole picture, and knew that although His enemies seemed to successfully subdue and make the Son of God look like the villain, He would rise with all power in just a few days.

All the good Jesus had sown throughout His life on the earth, would soon pay off big time before the eyes of all men. Even when Peter stepped in to defend the non-resistent Jesus, he was refrained from continuing his attacks, and learned in that moment,  “for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.” (vs. 52). When we choose violence as our method to solve unreasonable and unfair treatment, our end will yield the same judgment, but when we sow seeds of peace, love, and kindness, even to those who betray us, God will ensure that our end will render only good things.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

Peaceful Protest

Psalm 34:11-18

Whether being done peacefully, or with aggressive intent, protests have become the way by which free men exercise their 1st amendment right, expressing the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and petition the government for a redress of grievances. When unexplainable occurrences take place within our cities and states, the only power citizens have is their voice. While not much has been gained in favor of those who have assembled in protests throughout history, those who rule in seats of authority, are fully aware of the people’s feelings toward injustice.

The Bible teaches that believers are allowed to be angry, but are to refrain from turning that anger into sinful practices. While I’m unaware of whether or not those who are presently protesting for the cause of the late George Floyd are Christians, I do know that those who are acting out in violent behavior, are either babes in Christ, or not converted at all. My reasons for expressing such concern is based on the lesson’s text. King David gave a descriptive account of the behaviors of a mature disciple of Christ. This man, after God’s own heart, mentioned that Saints keep their tongues from evil communication, and their lips from speaking guile, or words of deceit. The ancient king went on to express that children of God remove themselves from ungodly situations, and focus their attention on doing good things, seeking peace in all situations, and making it their business to continue this pattern regularly.

The body of Christ must always remain conscious of their behavior, knowing that the face of the Lord is against them that do evil, and He yearns to remove them from the earth. The text also mentions how the eyes of the Lord are upon those who walk in righteousness, and He’s attentive to their prayers and requests. God is in full support of those who express themselves, but with His motives in mind, but to men who willingly allow their anger to cause them to commit insensitive acts of violence, God has judgment awaiting them, in due time.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

Pass It On

2 Timothy 1:3-9

The most valuable treasure adults can leave behind for the youth is not money, property, or any type of investment. Instead, passing on the knowledge of God’s Word will benefit the next generation far more than anything else. By default, children are born into a world tainted with all manner of evil and wickedness, so establishing a solid foundation in the Word of God, will help children develop a better sense of what’s right and wrong, according to the Scriptures. Not only is establishing a foundation of holiness in the hearts and minds of our youth vital, but continuous encouragement is also a great way for seasoned Saints to nurture young people, as they develop.

One of the biggest problems plaguing the modern-day church is, lack of Bible knowledge being transferred from the elderly to the young. One reason for this stems from the fact that the world has put a firm grip on the minds of the youth today, by distracting them with all types of technology, and social media. I’d be surprised to find a handful of children in any area of the county, who’s eyes aren’t glued to their cell phone, tablet, laptop, or smart TV. Children spend more time on social media, than doing things that could potentially help them become better adults. Although it’s become more of a challenge to reach the young in these last days, the message of the Gospel is still as potent as it was in the past, and is very much capable of reaching as far as possible, to grab the attention of our wavering generation.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

Just An Average Joe

Acts 6:1-7

“But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:” (Philippians 2:7 KJV). Contrary to popular belief, there was nothing fascinating about Jesus physically, that stood out amongst those He encountered. All the pictures and images of the long hair, blue eyed angelic Jesus, are highly exaggerated, and inaccurate. Not only was Jesus visually an “average Joe”, He made certain to keep a low profile, while focusing all His attention on redistributing the Words that came from His Father, to preach and teach to the world.

“For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.” (Isaiah 53:2 KJV). When God prepared Himself a body, He was wise enough to refrain from molding an image like James Dean, Marlon Brando, Cary Grant, Rock Hudson, Denzel Washington, Idris Elba, and Shemar Moore, because people would more than likely gravitate toward them due to their outer appearance, rather than the message they presented. While it’s good to dress modest, and present ourselves decent while doing the Lord’s work, we should be focused more on increasing the reputation of God, rather than promoting our own.

In our text, the twelve disciples were persistent in their efforts to spread the message of the Gospel, and the more they preached, the more the church grew. Unfortunately, they were unable to balance preaching, and maintaining the well-being of the church, so they decided that it was wise to appoint others to handle the domestic duties of the church, while they preached the Gospel, unhindered. This idea was received well by the church, and they identified seven men, whom they deemed fit to carry out the daily ministration. Rather than make known the physical attributes of the chosen men, the Bible was sure to acknowledge that Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas were men with strong spiritual attributes. What an honor it is, to be acknowledged by others, not for vain and irrelevant characteristics, but for traits that are relevant to the God of all creation.

Is the reputation you seek to gain, the same as God’s, or do you flaunt looks, money, and other things to gain the attention of men? Do you receive the message of the Gospel the same from all God’s people, or do you tend to give more attention to those who have mega churches, and may be more fit to star in Hollywood films? “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”(Colossians 3:17 KJV). “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;” (Colossians 3:23 KJV).

Seek not to gain vain glory, but desire that the body of Christ grow together. Whatever God called you to do, give it your best effort, and be proud of rendering your reasonable services to the Lord.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

Fatherly Love

Hosea 11:1-2, 7-10, 12:1-2, 6-14

Children born into this world are sweet and innocent bundles of joy, that at the very sight of them, brings indescribable happiness to the strong mothers who endure intense labor pains to birth them. Parents are tasked with the responsibility of caring for literally 100 percent of a baby’s needs, but as the child grows, and learns to do certain things on their own, this is helpful in relieving certain duties from the parent.

In their early stages of development, children are unaware of the strenuous labor it takes to raise them, but the joy of a good parent comes from seeing their hard work pay off in the life of a respectful, and disciplined child. Unfortunately, every family doesn’t get the opportunity to share a “Huxtable” experience. Oftentimes, children reach a point when they feel that they can do better traversing through life on their own wisdom, while disregarding the teachings, sacrifices, and foundation they were blessed to have in their home. Those who walk the path of their own wisdom and understanding, usually end up in places and situations that aren’t favorable, but no matter how far away some may stray, they can always rely on their parents bailing them out of their messes.

Why do some parents willingly go above and beyond, for children who deserve the worst punishment? Well, there comes a time in the life of a parent, when the love they render to their children, cannot be described. This same love stems from God above, and was put on display throughout the Scriptures. God showered fatherly love over His people without hesitation, and made certain they were properly cared for, even when they were unable to provide for themselves. Time and time again, God’s people would continue the cycle of rebellion and disobedience, only to return to a loving God, ready and willing to forgive all their sins.

Why didn’t God execute the fierceness of His anger, and destroy the people He chose as His own? Verse nine of our text gives the answer to that question where it reads, “for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee:” God is AWESOME! He can do as it He pleases Him. He blesses whom He chooses to bless, and brings judgment on whom He sees fit. Although I don’t understand all the ways of the Lord (and I doubt I will ever be able to fit all of God’s awesomeness into my tiny 3 pound brain lol) I’m grateful He has power and authority over all things.

I strive daily to live according to righteousness, and God takes note of my good deeds, but there are times when I drift away from God’s presence, and when I come to my senses to return, He’s always waiting for me with His arms wide open. It’s time that the church learn to appreciate God more, not only for what He does for us, but mostly for what He doesn’t do to us. We deserve to be punished severely for our sin, but Christ made it possible for us to be able to come to our Father, and receive a love like no other (I’m literally reaching up toward Heaven, trying to give God a hug lol). Be blessed Saints.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

Forgive And Forget?

Philemon 8-21

Do you believe in forgiveness? Better yet, do you possess a knowledgeable understanding of what forgiveness truly is? Forgiveness is a term that’s understood in parts. For example, when a man commits a sin, he must first be aware that his action was indeed wrong, and demands justification, so that he won’t be bound by his error the rest of his life. After realizing that you’ve fallen short of God’s glory, and are wise enough to know that only the blood of Jesus has the power to cover a multitude of faults, you must then ask to be forgiven, believe that you are forgiven, then live as if you are free from the sin that once held you captive.

Every man has sinned at some point in their lifetime, and needed to be forgiven, so it’s important that we treat all men fairly, even though their past, or present faults may linger in our minds for a season or two. God never stopped loving us, despite all the ungodly things we did willingly in His sight. Instead, He continued to shower us with life, health, love, and protection, even while we wallowed in our iniquities. When we get to the point where we start judging men for their faults, after they’ve been forgiven, we are in danger of receiving a lesson in humility from God the Father.

Throughout the New Testament, the apostle Paul had been a great role model for many young men seeking to walk after the Spirit. One man, in particular, was Philemon. Paul had found Philemon to be a man of kindness, love, and compassion, who was sincere in his walk with God, and had committed himself to the call of the Lord. Paul trusted that Philemon was mature enough to teach the Word of God to those under His watch, so he sent a young man to serve under him, and offer assistance wherever it was needed. Some time after serving under Philemon’s watch, something happened which caused young Onesimus to run away. This act undoubtedly left a bad vibe with Paul’s disciple, and caused him to wonder what could have caused this to happen. A while after his act of neglect and rebellion, Onesimus found his way back to Paul, who took the time to rebuild the faith and hope of the once reliable lad. Paul refused to hold a grudge against Onesimus, because of his act, but chose to edify him instead, so that he could be better prepared in his service to Philemon. Yes, Paul sent the runaway back to the place he fled from.

The average person would turn their faces from one who had abandoned them, but Paul knew that Onesimus was now ready to minister with Philemon, not as a servant, but as a beloved brother. Do you hold grudges against those who’ve made mistakes, or caused you grief at some point in your life? Are you able to forgive, and eventually forget about the errors of those who have wronged you? Use this lesson as an example to motivate you to be strength to those who may have fallen in sin, because at any moment (when you least expect), you could fall too.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

Wayward Children

Hosea 11:3-6

How far would you go (or have already gone) to provide for children who are willingly ignorant, disrespectful, and disobedient to your parenting? Do you faithfully care for your sons and daughters, knowing that they are ungrateful for all the love you give to them? When your kids boldly do the opposite of what you command them to do, are they promised to have food and shelter the next day? Loving wayward people is extremely challenging, especially when those persons live under your roof, but take a moment to understand how God felt when the children of Israel consistently went against His commands in the Bible, and performed unpleasant acts in His sight.

God loved the children of Israel, even before they were chosen as His people, but despite continued efforts to guide them in the right direction, Israel respected the call of evil, more than the call of their heavenly Father. When they burned incense to graven images, God still provided healing, stress relief, and nourishment for them. Place yourself in God’s shoes, and allow His feelings to marinate in your soul for a moment. God is love, and gracious to all men, but although His love is forever, His patience eventually runs out.

Despite all of God’s efforts to gain the attention of Israel, their continued disobedience caused Him to eventually cut of His blessings for a season, until certain who were unwilling to repent, were no longer in the earth (and their branches, or offspring).

The next time you perform a self-evaluation, consider all those things that receive most of your attention. If those things bring glory and honor to the name of the Lord, then AWESOME, WOOPTIDOO! But, if you gain no spiritual enlightenment, or grow in the knowledge of God from those habits that consume majority of your time (me and video games… don’t judge me), then reconsider your activities, and commit your ways unto the Lord; trust also in Him, then He’ll bring to pass great things in your life.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell