Church Blog (Page 87)
Proverbs 19:28 Like a city that is broken into and without walls Is a man who has no control over his spirit
Like a city that is broken into and without walls Is a man who has no control over his spirit (Proverbs 19:28).Being called a loose cannon is never a compliment.Action movies are usually very good at employing characters who specialize in shock and confusion to heighten the sense of drama. The unpredictability of the antagonist forms the framework for the challenges that the hero must overcome.Such a person is fine in a movie. But in real life he is best…
Proverbs 19:11 “A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger,And it is his glory to overlook a transgression”
Abraham Lincoln was not always the wise, calm, and long-suffering man we know him to have been as President.In 1842 (18 years before becoming President) he decided to criticise James Shields for his part in the bankrupting of an Illinois bank. Many depositors were disadvantaged.Not only did Lincoln publicly chastise Shields in an open debate, he also wrote a letter to the Editor of a newspaper, under the pen name, ‘Rebecca’, mocking him. Shields found out it was Lincoln and…
Proverbs 27:12 “The prudent see danger and take refuge,but the simple keep going and pay the penalty”
My favourite story about the ‘triumph-of-the-common-man’ comes out of India. In recent years the Indian government, wanting to move its citizens closer to a cashless society, arbitrarily replaced the larger banknotes with new ones. But worse was that they put an automatic use-by date on to old ones. Old banknotes had to be spent or deposited into a bank account and new ones issued. If held on to, they became glorified monopoly money. Since many Indians preferred to store their…
Proverbs 31:30 “Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised”
Zsa Zsa Gabor lived quite the life. She packed into her 99 years a lot more living than the average person might only imagine they could. To skim the surface, suffice it to say, here are but a few highlights: The Hungarian beauty queen (Miss Hungary 1936) moved to the USA to become a well-known Hollywood actress and socialite. Her two equally glamorous sisters were also famous amongst the social elite. Her profile being lifted to even greater heights by…
Proverbs 11:11“A city is built up by the blessing of the upright,but it is torn down by the mouth of the wicked.”
If you were put in charge of the moral development of your city, what would you do? What kind of people could you rely on to lift the moral standards of your town?Surely, the best people to look to are those who are already doing it. And doing it without even being asked. Those whose concern for their fellow man makes them an automatic blessing to your community. These are the people I know who are already doing it:*Christians gathered…
Proverbs 10:28 “The prospect of the righteous is joy,but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.”
Isaac was a man who feared God. Sadly, his sons didn’t start with his convictions. Jacob lived up to his name by supplanting his brother, and Esau lived up to God’s description of him as being ‘ungodly’ (Heb.12:16). Allowing Jacob to trick him out of his birth right, and later its blessings, did not help his cause. When Esau came in from hunting, every fibre of his being was full of hopes for the future. He knew that his father’s…
Proverbs 10:14 Wise men store up knowledge,But with the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand.
You have to wonder, if Jesus himself walked into our worship services and asked, “Are you ready?” would he get the desired response? Don’t be too hard on me for saying so. For it was Jesus himself who asked the haunting question: “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Lk.18:8).The fact that Jesus even asked this question should send shivers down our spines. After all, if you haven’t noticed the ‘Be Ready’ motif running…
Proverbs 10:2—“Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.”
Ronald Biggs was involved in what became known as: ‘The Great Train Robbery of 1963.’ He and the gang were quickly apprehended, but he managed to escape from prison after serving only two of his thirty year sentence. After using up much of his stolen money getting to, and trying to set up, in Australia, he fled to Brazil to escape capture. He left behind his wife and three sons.He became a fugitive in Brazil for 34 years. It was…
Proverbs 10:18 “One who conceals hatred has lying lips,And one who spreads slander is a fool.
The last time I wrote on the subject of ‘one person having an intense dislike for another person’ my article ended up lonelier than a vegan snack bar at a Christian Men’s Challenge. So, I thought I’d be able to trick one or two of you into getting to at least paragraph three by not mentioning the verse until now… Proverbs 10:18 “One who conceals hatred has lying lips,And one who spreads slander is a fool. ”What is it about…
Proverbs 9:12“If you are wise, you are wise for yourself,And if you scoff, you alone will bear it.”
I know that you are one of those good Christian friends who doesn’t mind listening to some heartfelt complaints about everything from too much noise coming from the church baby cry-room, to the two extra minutes the preacher took to finish his sermon. But having escaped that, you are reminded of the real world. The one where people struggle with the real frustrations, temptations, and fears of life. Where encouragement and sound wisdom are needed. Problems that cause you to…