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Brain Power!

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Brain power!

The book of Proverbs contains wisdom for one and all.

There are 31 chapters making it ideal for a month long meditation.

From Proverbs, Chapter 1…

“The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:

To know wisdom and instruction,
To discern the sayings of understanding,
To receive instruction in wise behavior,
Righteousness, justice, and integrity;
To give prudence to the naive,
To the youth knowledge and discretion,
A wise person will hear and increase in learning,
And a person of understanding will acquire wise counsel,
To understand a proverb and a saying,
The words of the wise and their riddles
.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
Fools despise wisdom and instruction (Proverbs 1:1-7 NASB).”

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Mass Confusion

“Now the whole earth had one language and one speech.  And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. Then they said to one another, ‘Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.’ They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar.  And they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.’

But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.  And the Lord said, ‘Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.’ So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city.Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth (Genesis 11:1-9 NKJV).”

Mass confusion…

Babel: 1. Confused noise/ a confused noise, especially the noise of loud unintelligible voices all talking at once [Encarta Dictionary: English (North America)  

There is Babel. 

There is a clear word.

… “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14 NKJV).”

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Mary’s Little Lamb

Mary birthed a little Lamb.

Behold the Lamb of God.


“And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?

John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;

He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.


These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.


The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world (John 1:25-29 KJV).”

Behold the man.

“Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.

And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,

And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands.

Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.


Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man (John 19:1-5 KJV)!”

Behold your King.

“… he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.

And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King (John 19:13b-14 KJV)!”


Behold; believe.

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved (Romans 10:9 KJV).”

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Christmas Candy Craving!

Candy adds to Christmas festivities; unfortunately, it also adds inches to our waistlines. There are so many wonderful varieties and we want to try every one.

Mom made delicious chocolate and peanut butter fudge and the delectable seven layer bars. She always placed hard sugar candies in special dishes and used an heirloom Depression glass dish for ribbon candy.

“M & M’s” in colors of the season and “Hershey’s Kisses” are popular choices.

Don’t forget divinity and peanut brittle; they make great gifts.

We can satisfy our sugar cravings in a number of ways. Yet, we have a deeper desire that God alone can satisfy.

“How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth (Psalm 119:103 NKJV).”

How sweet it is!

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Thanksgiving Trees

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Once upon a time, a Thanksgiving time…

I was at the home of ‘our gourd lady;’ my mother-in-law.

Looking across the road, a Thanksgiving tree beckoned me.

Its colorful wind rustled leaves were a sight to behold.

Carried by a Louisiana breeze, fallen leaves danced in the road.

If only the tree could talk…

What message would it share?

The tree, so beautiful in the autumn season, brought to mind the elderly.

In the autumn of their years, the elderly radiate warmth and charm.

If wise, those in the springtime and summer seasons of life will honor and emulate the aged.

Yes, the Thanksgiving tree could convey that message.

God allowed me to witness the tree at the pinnacle of its glory.

As Master artist, He had decorated it for Thanksgiving.

He’d spread a blanket of multi colored leaves around the trunk of the tree. The symmetrical tree held only a few uneven branches. They directed my sight above to the sky and to Him, my Creator.

The Creator’s chosen colors held the most important message.

His pallet held vibrant hues of green, red and orange.

Green leaves remaining represent everlasting life, His gift to all who believe in His Son. (John 3:16)

Red symbolize the shed blood of Jesus. He gave His life to pay for our sins. (Ephesians 1:7)

Orange signifies lives aglow with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 7:55)

Thanksgiving Day 2020 is drawing near; the Father is in our midst.

He decorated Thanksgiving trees; let’s celebrate!

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals, Worship

Great is the LORD!

Praise the LORD.

Be glad.

Rejoice.

We are His people.

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Give thanks.

Bless His name.

“Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth.
Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before Him with joyful singing.
Know that the Lord Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving
And His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him, bless His name.

For the Lord is good;
His lovingkindness is everlasting
And His faithfulness to all generations (Psalm 100:1-5 NASB).
”  

Oh, how great is the LORD!

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Devotionals, The Church, Worship

Call to Worship

I sang in many church choirs during the last 50 plus years.

Churches had gifted choir directors, choir members and soloists.

people standing inside church

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Most directors were dedicated, cordial and appreciative. I remember only once being required to audition for a church choir.

Back in the early 1970’s, J. Lamar Alexander was serving as choir director at the First Baptist Church of Lake Providence, Louisiana. He had me sing notes of the scale. I’m surprised that I got up the courage. I’d say he was a master at his craft…

He mastered the traditional form of worship service.

Lamar Alexander believed in call to worship opening selections. To this very day I recall the holy hush following our offerings of ‘The Lord is in His Holy Temple.’

“But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him (Habakkuk 2:20 KJV).” 

The lyrics, based on Scripture, called us to worship, submission and praise.

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals, Redemption, Salvation

In HIM

 

blue and white metal fence

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“Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord, O my soul!
While I live I will praise the Lord;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. (Psalm 146:1-2 NKJV).”

My help…

My hope…

My help, my hope is in the LORD; in HIM.

“How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
Whose hope is in the Lord his God,
Who made heaven and earth,
The sea and all that is in them;
Who keeps faith forever;

Who executes justice for the oppressed;
Who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free (Psalm 146:5-7 NKJV).”

 

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Christian Growth, Devotionals

Crooked!

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There was a crooked man… (Nursery Rhyme)

Oh, dear me; we do hate to see an object in need of straightening.

It matters not where.

At home, a crooked framed picture might catch my eye.

Aghast, I could notice a masterpiece off kilter in a museum.

I’m compelled to straighten the crooked frame.

Tabloid headlines label an influential politician crooked.

Peers point fingers and constituents contemplate on candidates for his replacement.

God has the solution for crooked, wicked men.

He sets them straight.

“Let the wicked forsake his way
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
And let him return to the Lord,
And He will have compassion on him,
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon (Isaiah 55:7 NASB).”

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals

A Heart Reality

three red heart balloons

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How do I define eternity?

Is it fact or fiction?

Eternity is a heart reality.

“He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end (Ecclesiastes 3:11 NASB).”

God’s work spans from beginning to end.

Ponder eternity; can we comprehend it?

Micah did.

“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Too little to be among the clans of Judah,
From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.

His goings forth are from long ago,
From the days of eternity (Micah 5:2 NASB).”  

Days of mankind…

“So teach us to number our days,
That we may present to You a heart of wisdom (Psalm 90:12 NASB).”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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