I Ain't Tearing It Down!

Proverbs 14:1
Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.

For as long as I can remember, we have always had this small concrete block building behind the home of my parents. My dad built it years ago with money that his grandmother gave him. It doesn't hold much at all inside the building. Just some mowing equipment and a few tools. So I have told my dad on occasions that we needed to tear it down. His answer is an immediate, "NO! My granny gave me the money to build that building and I ain't tearing it down." He's nothing like the man in the Bible who tore down his smaller barns and built bigger. No, he's more like the guy who filled up the smaller one and then built another one, and another one, and another one.

As I think about this scripture today I think of those words from my dad... "I ain't tearing it down...someone gave me the money to build that!" To often people today are quick to destroy their home that has taken so long to build. A problem comes along or a bump in the home, people just walk away and abandon it altogether.

Stop and think for a moment. If you are a born-again child of God, isn't it God who gave you this family? Isn't it God who gave the means to build a home? Not the brick and lumber, but the actual home? Our scripture says, "Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands." This would almost be like an artist who painted a masterpiece. One of their greatest works from their hands and destroying it with a knife or burning it in the fire. Maybe like a child working all day to build a beautiful sand castle with a bridge and flags on top, to only stand on top of it when they leave and destroy it. I know that the waves may attack and destroy it, or another child (the enemy) stomp on top of it because of jealousy, but to destroy it with your own hands doesn't make much sense.

What are you doing with the house that God has blessed you to build? Is the hammer in your hand building up or tearing down?

One Cup of Cold Water

Matthew 10:42
And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

If there ever was a scripture that spoke straight to my broken heart, it would be this one. Years ago when I first began to Pastor at a church, I was struggling with the calling He had put on me. I prayed so hard and God continued to call me to Pastor this church. I told the Lord that He would have to do it. He would have to show me how. He would have to give me a Pastor's heart for the people.  I had been in evangelism for about seven years and was comfortable with that calling.

I was at the church for about a year and a half and prayer was being made daily about what the Lord wanted me to do when an older member of that church asked me and my wife to attend a Pastor's Conference with them. I asked when it was and she told me that it was from Thursday until Monday. I turned it down because I knew there was no way that I could miss a Sunday of preaching. I was the Pastor of the church. I can't miss on Sunday! She wouldn't take no for an answer and neither would the church so they sent me and my wife to this conference.

Little did I know that I would drive from Warrior, Alabama to Jacksonville, Florida for a cup of cold water. Around me were fifteen thousand pastors and wives. So many of them who looked as if they had it all together and there sat me and my wife. I was twenty-five years old and she was twenty-three. I was looking for this huge answer. I was praying for the sky to roll back and for the Lord Jesus to say, "Steve, do this..." but what He gave me was in a one cup of cold water. Dr. Junior Hill stood on the platform that day. I had never heard him preach before, but when he spoke the Word of God it went straight to my heart. He used this scripture that we have read today. I don't have the time to explain all the words he spoke that helped me but as he spoke it was refreshing, just like a cup of cold water. When my questions and discouragement come in ministry, I think of this cup of cold water.

Maybe this morning you are thirsty and need a refreshing cup of cold water, may I tell you that Jesus is the one who can give you living water? I'm praying that someone comes your way today and gives you a cup of cold water. Maybe you could be the one who needs to give a cup of cold water to a thirsty brother or sister, do it. You never know how much of a blessing you can be with a simple cup of cold water.

What a Hothead

Proverbs 14:17
He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly:...

Most of our ugliest moments in sin come from anger. Anger that is immediate or anger that is not dealt with. It's almost like a lion waiting to pounce at times. It lies there dormant and still until the right moment or the right conditions. It strikes with such force and passion that we say things like, "I didn't see that coming..." or "I can't believe I acted like that..." My absolute hated line I've used is, "I'm so sorry I said that.  I don't know where that came from."

Did you notice the scripture and how it tells us "soon angry"? Anger in itself is not sin or sinful. It can actually be a great driving force against evil and sin. Imagine the engine in your car. There you sit holding a steering wheel in your hand while a fireball is just feet in front of you. But the combustion fireball is controlled and contained. It's fiery force sends the power to the transmission and transfers that to the wheels. If it were not for the fireball you would be walking. The Bible even tells us to be angry and sin not.

But this scripture speaks of someone who is angered easily. A fireball that is quick and out of control. Everything said or done brings anger to them and they will deal with others foolishly. How can this change? Take the anger that is suppressed or hidden and deal with it. Don't be quick to react, but rather respond. Ask God to let the mind of Christ be in you.

Pray it with me this morning... Lord you know me better than anyone. You know my faults and my quickness to anger. Please forgive me and help me to learn better. Let my anger, if any, be controlled by your righteousness. In Jesus name... Amen

Sorry About Your Wait

Psalms 40:1
I waited patiently for the Lord;and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

"Sorry about your wait." Don't you just love that statement? It is usually heard at the doctor's office, the bank, the DMV and among many other places. Now I know what you are thinking. They really aren't sorry right? Well some of them could actually be sorry that you had to wait for them... yea, you're probably right, not most of them.

What comes with waiting patiently? I remember as a child waiting for my birthday or Christmas to come. I really don't recall ever being let down because of my waiting. I also remember being told that I had to wait until I could drive a car or motorcycle. What about back in the old days of waiting till your parents got off the phone so you could call someone? I wonder how much time could we tally up that we spent waiting in our lives? Waiting is hard sometimes.

I am so glad that the scripture doesn't stop at the waiting patiently for the Lord. Don't get me wrong, I understand waiting upon the Lord and being patient with His answer. For He knows best and what is best for us. I love the latter part of this scripture. It actually helps me with my waiting patiently.

"He inclined unto me..." Can't you just see the Lord leaning over to listen at this point? Almost as if He cups His ear toward me with acknowledgment. Then look at the last portion... "and heard my cry."

God I will patiently wait upon you. I know that you are working it for good in my life and especially for your glory. I will wait because I know that you will hear my cry. You teach me to wait, but then you teach me how to wait. You're my Awesome God!

Just Another Morning?

Psalms 3:5
I laid me down and slept;
I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.

Awake for another day right? "It's just another day and another dollar" some would say, but it's really not. God, who is rich in mercy me grace, has given you this day. Yes just like David we laid down last night and just like David we have awakened this morning, but believe me it's not just another day. This is the day that the Lord has made right? Sure it is! But it is also a day that the Lord has given.

During the Psalm, David was fleeing from his son Absolom. It is during one of David's darkest times. His son is pursuing him for his life and David says that everyone is against him. In the middle of his darkness he makes this statement in song. He says that he laid down and slept. In the weakness of running from his son, David needs some rest. He closes his eyes with the possible idea that he may never open them again. But God was gracious unto David and gave him another day.

Maybe you have woke up this morning with the same trials and perils as David did in his day. If so, try and not see it as just another day. Try and see it as a day that God has made, but also has given you to accomplish or change the situation that you are in.

What if today is the breakthrough day? Either way, it's a day. Not ordinary, but extraordinary. Not just another day, but rather one more day.

Walking, Standing to Sitting

Psalms 1:1
Blessed is the man
that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,
nor standeth in the way of sinners,
nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

Read this scripture over and over again and try and see it. No there is no secret code hidden in it. The thing that we need to see is very obvious.

First, we see the person who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, or stands with sinners in the way, or sits in the seat of the scornful is blessed. Blessed meaning favored and full of joy in God. We can see right off the bat that we are blessed people of God when we walk in His ways and honor Him with our lives.

Think of this, the older we get the slower our steps are. We struggle with the next steps sometimes to the point of having to stand or sit. Our age gets the best of us. Our strength is at a loss at times because of our age and it slows us.

Second, and the thing I want you to see today, is the slow effects of sin. Notice what God says happens to the person who lives ungodly. They start out walking in the counsel of the ungodly. Then find themselves standing now in the way of sinners. Eventually they find themselves sitting in the seat of the scornful. From walking, to standing and then to sitting.

Don't be tempted by the sin of walking in the counsel of the ungodly. If you listen to their counsel you will stop your walk and stand with them in their sin. If you stand and linger with sin and sinners you then will find a seat among the scorners.

Way Too Common...

Acts 2:44
And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

Common means shared by, coming from, or done by more than one. Our scripture this morning says that the first century church had all things common or together. They pooled their resources together and sold their goods because they thought the kingdom of God was coming immediately. These people shared their food as well as their struggles with one another. All things were common to them.

A few years ago I heard a testimony of a friend about he and his wife losing their baby to a miscarriage. Although I'm sure the doctor didn't mean any implications of unconcern, the doctor made a statement of it being a common thing. Something that happens often to young couples and mothers. My friend said, "It is maybe a common thing, until it happens to you." How true a statement! The sad truth is that we don't become concerned about something until it happens to us.

Years of war could go by overseas and no one becomes concerned but when our homeland is struck then it's not so common. Death happens around us all the time but it's blow of grief doesn't burden us until it strikes our family. Sin has become one of those things that happens more and more common today. It is openly paraded in our world, nation and God forbid even through our Christian churches. It is not something new, it is common, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't drive us to our knees in weeping prayer.

Sin has become so common today that maybe you are no longer effected by it. Maybe murder, abortion, rape, adultery, lies, theft, hate, and other common sins no longer tug at your heart. I remember, and also read in the Word of God, where people used to come before God weeping about the sinful condition of their world, nation, family and church. I'm afraid that sin has become so common that it's hard to even find the ones who will weep for the sin that they themselves have committed, much less the sins of others. Is it really that common to you today?