Proverbs 27: 21 1/13/2026

Proverbs 27: 21 

“The crucible is for silver and the furnace for gold, And each is tested by the praise accorded him.”

Read that verse again… There is a curve ball in this passage that, if you’re not careful,  you will miss. It speaks of being tested in a furnace, which most assume is describing difficult times … but that assumption is incorrect… The test referred to in this verse is the PRAISE we receive from others. 

Most of us don’t view receiving compliments as risky… which is what makes them hazardous. We don’t recognize adulation from others as dangerous, yet this verse tells us we are evaluated by how we react to it.  We acknowledge that excessive praise can mislead others yet readily accept things we want to believe about ourselves.

This verse applies to individuals and to the Church as a whole… When under persecution the church is lean, focused, and ready for action. But when not being challenged, the church can become dull and lazy.  Individually, we react in the same way…. When we are under fire, we cling to our Savior and spend time with Him and His word.  But when we are commended by others, we tend to become self-impressed and pursue man’s approval instead of God’s.   

What about you? How do you respond to praise? Consider that question and answer it honestly, knowing that God is not fooled by false humility, and sees your heart clearly.  

Do you pass all praise on to your creator? Is your default reaction gratitude to God for whatever success comes your way… or do you sometimes think God should be appreciative of your effort and abilities?

If you are wise, you will receive compliments cautiously. It is wonderful to be appreciated and loved by others, but it is dangerous for you to enthusiastically embrace their flattery.  Self-aggrandizement and self-abasement are two sides of the same coin, and they both have the same problem… “self”.  

You must decrease and He must increase. The beauty of a painting is created solely by the talent of the Artist. You were created, from nothing, by the greatest Artist of all time. Keep that in mind the next time you’re complimented, and you won’t get tripped up wondering where the beauty in your life comes from. 

"Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less." 
-  C.S. Lewis

1 Timothy 4:12 1/6/2026

“Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.” 

I have always loved this verse as it gave me courage when I was young to stand on my convictions. But I’m older now so I must look at this verse from the other side. I must be careful not to discount someone because they are young, and haven’t yet, had the opportunity to receive some of the “life scars” I carry.

I am prone to condescendingly nod my head at youngsters - while thinking “they’ll learn soon enough”. But Paul tells Timothy not to allow that… He indicates that God is not reliant on age or the “wisdom of this world” when it comes to using people to build His Kingdom.  

I was “all in” when I was younger, intolerant of condescension when it was directed towards me. Now I need to be responsive to looking at it when I am the one who is being told not to condescend. I need to see God’s gifts in others as readily as I acknowledge His gifts to me and realize that God is not limited by age when providing wisdom.

This verse calls for humility, even when I am pretty sure about my position. God uses young and old, male and female, Greek and Jew… I should remember that a thousand years is like one day to the Lord, so I doubt my few years of experience impresses Him much. 

God is no respecter of persons… that is a hard pill to swallow when I realize that includes me. God is not impressed with my talents, abilities, or wisdom … Why would He be? He is the one who gave them to me. This verse indicates He is more interested in my speech and conduct being filled with love, faith, and purity, regardless of my age.

Like most vices I have, my refusal to respect and listen to others is based on a puffed-up opinion of myself. The God that loves me dearly, also loves my brothers and sisters of all ages and backgrounds… I would be wise to follow suit and love them as well... and that means valuing their input.

“The excitement of learning separates youth from old age. As long as you're learning you're not old.” - Rosalyn Yalow

Proverbs 3:5 121/30/2025

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding…”

Think back over the last few years and see what percentage of outcomes you predicted well.  Now compare that to the 100% that God in His omniscience was aware of… and decide whose vision it makes the most sense to follow  .

The first word in this verse is “TRUST”…don’t skip over that… it asserts that we should rely on something… While the word “trust” implies there is some risk of negative outcomes, we still need something to have faith in.

Unfortunately, it seems that now days we choose to believe in nothing… We focus on things that produce anxiety, our algorithm feeds us postings online regarding topics that trigger us… which have been slanted to our predisposed opinions. And since in most cases, we have little ability to impact the situation, it only produces frustration and anger. 

So, the first thing this verse tells us to do is change our target and instead of looking for anxiety, look for something or someone to trust...

Then it gives us a choice… trust in yourself, or trust in an omniscient, omnipotent God who loves you.   Oddly enough even after multiple failures we often stubbornly insist on “doing it our way”. Though our win/loss record screams for new leadership, we persistently lean into another self-created, ineffective plan to solve the problems we face.

This verse says that’s a mistake. It recommends we follow the Lord as He is infinitely wiser than we are… so much so that we cant even comprehend His ways. His promise though, is to make us more than victorious and that’s seems like a good plan for the new year.

Stop leaning on your own limited understanding. No one expects you, as the created, to fully understand the Creator. But God has provided scripture to follow and has given you the ability to rest in His immense love.  He is both your Heavenly Father, and the all-powerful King of Kings. You have trusted Him with your eternal life, now trust Him with your earthly one. Abandon anxiety and put all your energy into following God’s plan whether it makes sense to you at the moment or not. He loves you… Trust Him.

“If you cannot trust God for the temporal, how dare you trust him for the eternal?” - Charles Spurgeon

2 Corinthians 9:15 12/23/2025

“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”

Once you cut away the fat of American Christmases – this may be the best Christmas verse in the Bible. If you eliminate the trees, lights, wasted money on disposable presents, overeating, etc....  this simple verse summarizes Christmas. 

The NIV version uses the word “indescribable” to reference the gift God gave when His only begotten Son was born in a manger in Bethlehem. Other translations use phrases like; “too wonderful for words”, “inexpressible”, and “unspeakable. 

If you examine the meaning of Christmas … It is all about God giving that indescribable gift to us. The holiday season should be about our gratefulness for that gift, the value of which we cannot understand, much less describe. The price God paid to rescue us is incalculable… That, coupled with our unworthiness of His love, is mind-boggling. 

These are the concepts we should wrestle with every December. Man’s understanding of God’s gift is what brings us the Joy the angels described. The question is, has our culture lost this message in the fog of commercialism and revelry.  We sing “Joy to the world”. We eat big meals and share gifts with our families … but have we thoughtfully considered the reason the angels gave for Christ’s coming? 

When speaking to the shepherds the angel said, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”  Here in the south, we would say that statement opens a large can of worms. It should prompt us to ask questions like; what do I need to be saved from?  Why can’t I rescue myself? Why would God save me? And once you contemplate the word “Savior”, you must then deal with “Messiah” and “Lord”. What does Messiah mean?  Have I surrendered to Jesus as Lord? 

These should all be “Christmas Questions”. We should focus our minds on the grandeur of these issues instead of just wondering what is under the tree.  

The biggest holiday of the year is all about the answers to these incredibly important and life changing questions… If you don’t know the answers, then you are missing the “too wonderful for words, indescribable, unspeakable, inexpressible” gift the angels triumphantly announced. And if that is the case, you are missing Christmas. 

"Maybe Christmas, the Grinch thought, doesn't come from a store.”
- Dr. Seuss

Proverbs 4:25–27 12/16/2025

“Let your eyes look directly ahead And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.”

One of the greatest lessons young men learn playing football is the answer to the question, “what is the most important play?”… The answer is, “the next one”.  You can’t change the past so you should focus on what to do next.  That is not the default position for most people and learning this simple lesson can be life changing.

This proverb teaches that same lesson, and it is a principle that we struggle with. Too often we waste time second guessing decisions. We focus on mistakes and imagine what life would be like if we had not made them.  It is an ironically comfortable place to be, because we are in the center of it, and it allows for self-focus and self-pity. 

The problem with that is that it leaves you where you are.  It facilitates misery and  self-absorption, but it does nothing to change what you are depressed about.

Our passage this morning tells us to do the opposite. It tells us to forget what is behind and focus on the opportunities in front of us.  Good or bad, what has happened has happened and you can’t change it.  The key is to not let it poison what happens next. 

Set your gaze directly ahead. Look forward and consider your future options so you can respond properly. That may seem hard to do until you remember who controls the outcome.  

Your Father in Heaven has demonstrated His relentless love for you …Love Him back… Trust Him. Be called according to His purpose… and know that He is working for your good. Trust his omnipotence and reject the temptation to worry about the past. Most of us who have played a sport have heard the admonition to “keep your eye on the ball”. In life the key is to “Keep your eyes on the King.”

Nothing can separate you from His radical love … It dwarfs any love known on earth and is beyond our comprehension.  That combined with knowing His omnipotent power is your only path to peace. Your best option is to remember His innumerable blessings in your life and watch in amazement as He adds to that list.

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”    - Albert Einstein

John 15:11 12/9/2025

“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” 

The opening words of this verse, “These things”, refers to the preceding verses where Jesus’ indicates we are branches and He is the vine. Then He makes it clear that we are incredibly strong when attached to the vine through obedience, and only fuel for fire when we are not. 

Then Jesus addresses the purpose of being attached to the vine. It is to provide us with joy… joy that is full. Does that describe your life? 

It is hard to blame people for not being interested in our church if we act no differently than everyone else.  Our culture doesn’t seek joy; we seek affirmation for our anger. We want people to approve our hatred for those we disagree with… from social media to the pulpit the message is the same – the only argument is who’s to blame.  

If you don’t believe me, look at your chosen news feed and see how much good news you find being promoted today. Compare it to the avalanche of stories intended to bolster your negativity and anxiety and I think you will see my point.

If that feels wrong to you, it is because you were not created to live that way. We were made to joyfully follow the will of our Father.  We were created to light the world – not just accusingly point out the darkness. 

Let me challenge you today. Apply this verse and choose to be joyful. Refuse to be sucked into the vortex of negativity and anxiety and instead have confidence in your King.  Smile and encourage people instead of looking for a debate you can win.

This is not our home, and it is natural not to approve of all that happens here. But we have a destination and it is glorious. You’re on your way to Heaven so focus on that and bring as many people with you as you can. 

We all have a choice today – fixate on things that are wrong – or focus on the Savior who will make them right. He came that His joy might be in you, make sure others see it. Watching you enjoy life because you trust God, will change more people than any sermon.

"Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet." – Bob Dylan

Hebrews 10:30-31 12/2/2025

“For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.  It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

I’ve heard these verses before, but didn’t realize they were connected… I always thought “Vengeance is mine” was a verse I could quote when someone wronged me, and God would “sic em” for me… Apparently, it’s directed toward those who trample His grace… Which, at times, is me. 

It’s followed by another verse I’m familiar with because of Jonathan Edward’s famous sermon “Sinners in the hands of an Angry God” … Again, a verse that lands closer to home when I examine its origin. 

As we begin the season of candy canes and reindeer, we must remember why Christmas exists…  God sent His Son because His justice demanded payment for our sin… His holiness is terrifying, and the demand was one we could not meet.  

Christmas is “step one” of a rescue mission, the importance of which cannot be overstated. The massiveness of the debt we owed is only outweighed by the enormousness of the price God paid when He allowed the sacrifice of His Son. It is the Cross that keeps us from falling into “the hands of an angry God” and the road to Calvary begins with Christmas.  

This holiday reminds us of our inability to save ourselves… it obliterates the arrogance that tries to convince us that we can earn our own salvation. Jesus’ birth has made a way for us to avoid our self-earned destruction.

What brought “Joy to the World” was the catastrophic collision of God’s love and His holiness, which resulted in Christmas… I must grasp the terror of Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God to rightly appreciate the importance of the birth of the sacrificial Lamb. Christ’s birth opened the door to the amazing Grace of the Cross. Only Jesus’ death and resurrection pays my debt and credits me with the perfection required to live eternally with my Heavenly Father. 

As you anticipate Christmas morning, remember there will be nothing under the tree this year that holds a candle to the gift God gave us on that first Christmas. Joy to the World… we have been redeemed!

“My righteousness is just as good as Jesus' righteousness, because it IS Jesus' righteousness!” ― E.W. Kenyon

2 John 1:10-11 11/25/2025

“If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.”

This is a tough passage. Apparently, there is to be a difference in the way we treat non-Christians who ignore God’s truth, and non-Christians who pollute it. We must love our enemies… However very little latitude is to be offered when someone distorts the “non-negotiables” of Christianity.  

Jesus said the second most important commandment is to love your brother, but the most important commandment is to love God. Sometimes we get those out of order… If it’s up to me, I should be at peace with all men, but sometimes it’s not up to me… I must follow the truth of scripture and not allow deviation. I must be holy, I cannot “go along, to get along”. Nor can I do anything that lends validity to a false doctrine.

The phrase “this teaching” in this morning’s passage, refers to and earlier verse that says “those who deny the coming of Jesus in the flesh” … and that point is non-negotiable. I can’t allow the teaching of those who deny His coming because it is the substance of the Gospel. If I show tolerance toward those who deny Jesus’ coming in the flesh, I am guilty of helping spread that lie.  

There are many “non-negotiables” in scripture, and it is critical that I know what is, and what is not flexible in the Bible. 

So, my guidelines are as follows:

1. I must not bend on points where God is unbending, even when it is unpopular.

2. I must be rigid without hating those who teach differently. 

3. I cannot compromise to get along. 

4. I must study my Bible carefully and rely solely on scripture to determine what is, and what is not “negotiable”.

As I said, this is a tough passage, but it’s also an important one… because according to this verse if I support those who teach heresy, I am guilty of teaching it myself. I must disagree civilly. But at the same time, I must be willing to be labeled intolerant by clearly calling sin, sin.

"We are to be hard where the Bible is hard and soft where the Bible is soft" - Francis Schaeffer

Romans 6:22-23 11/18/2025

“But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

We’ve all heard the verse, but have we really considered the phrase “gracious gift of God”?  It is astonishing that God would offer us such compassion.  I get swept up in the joy of the offer and tend to miss the stark contrast depicted by it.  To fully comprehend the gracious gift of eternal life, we must fully understand the alternative. 

The wages of sin is death…which means separation from God… Eternally.   We don’t like to talk about hell… but Jesus clearly spoke of it, so it must be acknowledged.  And its existence magnifies the importance of God’s gift. The magnitude of a rescue is determined by the consequences, had it not occurred… and there has never been a more impactful rescue than this one. We cannot comprehend hell, nor eternity, much less the combination of the two, but that is what’s on the table.

Sin equals Death… God equals life. There is no gray area, no “choose your own truth”, no relativism… Just Death or life.  If I could, I would work incessantly to achieve life… but I can’t. It’s unattainable for me… BUT GOD made a way.  What I couldn’t do, God did. My acceptance of His plan sets me free, makes me new, and delivers the gift of eternal life.

His sacrifice also gives me the ability to resist sin here on earth. Purity in life is breathtaking because it is how we were designed to live.  It’s as if we are birds, but we’ve been walking our entire lives and suddenly, we start to fly.  Once you fly, you’ll never be satisfied walking again… So, the gift is twofold.

First, on this earth we get to trade in our shoes for wings, and secondly, we avoid our rightful punishment and instead spend eternity where we were created to be with our Heavenly Father. Considering the alternative makes this the most gracious gift ever given.

 “Think lightly of hell, and you will think lightly of the cross. Think little of the sufferings of lost souls, and you will soon think little of the Savior who delivers them.” - Charles Spurgeon

Romans 6:11-12 11/11/2025

“So, you too, consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.  Therefore, sin is not to reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts.”

The old me died when I gave my life to Christ. At that moment I began my eternal life with Jesus and was given the power to live as God designed me to live.  

Before this took place, I was a slave to sin… it ruled over me. And since Adam’s fall in the garden, that has been the human condition. We are all born into sin and are powerless to resist it with our own strength. 

That is why so many believe that their sin defines them… They think they were ”born that way” and must “live their truth”… On some level they are right. We were all “born that way”.  We were all born as slaves to various types of sin… But it is a spiritual problem, not a biological one. And believing you can’t change, is believing a lie. 

We call it addiction,  predisposition, alternate lifestyles, blaming DNA and environment because we don’t like the word slavery. Call it what you like, but the fact is we are all born in bondage to sin, and whether it be pride, sexual perversion, greed, idolatry, or selfishness, we all have the opportunity to be reborn into freedom in Christ. 

When I accept salvation, the battle becomes choosing not to allow sin to rule over my earthly body. The difference is, now that I have The Holy Spirit inside me, I can win the fight. I can see sin for what it is and resist temptation. A choice I didn’t have before. 

With this newfound power, I can dethrone sin and be set free from the ravages of depravity. Regardless of which sin rules me, I must recognize that it is not liberty. Living in opposition to God’s plan is not freedom. It is a thinly vailed trap that keeps me desperate, lost, and in bondage to a power that is killing me. 

The good news is that Jesus died to destroy the darkness. My cell door has been kicked open, the chains have fallen off, and all I have to do is keep my eyes on Christ, and walk out.

“If you don't know you're in prison, you're unlikely to escape.”
- Wayne Trotman