Things Learned

I was studying today in my Bible in the book of Psalm and I happened upon a verse in chapter 119 that puzzled me.                       "It is good for me that I have been afflicted;                                   that I might learn thy statutes."                                                  Psalm 119:71 I couldn't get past the question in my head of "What does being afflicted have to do with learning God's commandments/laws?"  David, who might have written this psalm, definitely saw affliction, emotionally and physically. Imagine the physical affliction of being hunted like an animal as David was, because Saul wanted to kill him.  Imagine the emotional affliction that David felt because of the m...

Turning 30 years old has led to some of life's hardest times, but some of life's most freeing times. God has given me a new attitude in different areas, one of those areas being "sin". Everybody sins. I do, the pastor does, the prostitute does, even you do. A lot of people don't wa nt to admit it to be the truth, though. Not so many moons ago, I thought that some sins were "worse" than others. The lies that I told myself weren't as bad as the lies that others told publicly. The sin that I committed wasn't nearly as awful as the lady's standing behind me in the grocery store.                             It is always easier to think of ourselves                                        better than we really are! Makes me think of the woman found in adultery.  John 8:1-11 "Jesus went unto the mount of Ol...

Virtue, in this world, is hard to find. It is defined as: "conformity to a standard of right; a particular moral excellence".  The Bible has a particularly interesting say on virtue, specifically, virtuous women. Proverbs 31: 10-31 " Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil  [lack of gain] . She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat  [provides food]  to her household, and a portion to her maidens. She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins  [prepares herself for action]  with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. She perceiveth that her mercha...

I look at life and I get so sad for people that go through it without the help of Almighty God. So many lost and wandering around, not knowing that God is within reach and can make life have MEANING. He can give such joy, but most people just want $3 worth of God, as my Pastor says, and not sell out to Him. $3 worth of God- just enough to get you "by", just enough to make everything seem okay, but it really won't be until you give it all to Him. I like to watch people. Sometimes you can tell by the look in their eyes whether they have God in their life or not. There's an emptiness in a lot of people's eyes, a look that says "I don't really know what I'm doing, but I'm trying my hardest to get through life happy." If only they could realize that God = happiness and without Him, we cannot experience true happiness. There's a bird that lives outside my bedroom window. Of all the times the bird can sing, he chooses to sing at night. I lay i...

Tomorrow is not promised. Life as you know it can end suddenly. The Bible says in James 4:14 "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." Life is short, that's for certain.  Unfortunately, life ended much too quickly for one of my former schoolmates. Last night, she met her Maker after a fatal car crash on the interstate. I don't know the condition of her heart, but I pray that Jesus lived there, otherwise she is burning in the everlasting flames of hell.  You may not believe in God, Heaven, or hell, but I'm here to tell you that these 3 things ARE real. The Bible says in Philippians 2:10-11 "That at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the Father." The Bible does not lie, and neither does...

Growing up, I took a lot of things for granted and had a "I don't care" and naive attitude towards life. Praise the Lord He can change the hardest of hearts! I was just going "through the motions", not taking the time to enjoy the scenery of life and learn the little (and big) lessons of how to live. I have 2 amazing, godly parents that led the way, but I wasn't listening to their words and actions... I wasn't honoring them. To honor....or not? Do your parents deserve to be honored, and what does the Bible say about it? Ephesians 6:2-3 says "Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;), That is may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth." You've heard the story of the kid at Christmas time that wanted the BB gun for a present and kept on hearing "You'll shoot your eye out!". Maybe Ephesians 6:3 applies to that kid. Honoring, or obeying, your parents isn't a to...

Wisdom is hard to find, especially in the world that we are living in today. Doing what's right is a conscious decision you have to make thousands of times each day. I fail every day, but I'm trying to find true wisdom so that I can make the right decisions for myself and for my son. The best place to start in searching out wisdom is the Bible. Proverbs, specifically. Proverbs 2:1-9 "My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide [store up] my commandments with thee; So that thou incline [turn] thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her [wisdom] as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear [awe/reverence] of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler [shield] ...