JESUS GIVES FREEDOM! Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. —Ecclesiastes 4:1 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against…

WE LIVE IN VAIN OR IN HOPE— YOUR CHOICE! Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun? A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. —Ecclesiastes 1:2-4 Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun. —Ecclesiastes 2:11 There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also,…

HIS SON’S NAME I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.  Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name? Surely you know! —Proverbs 30:3-4 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. —II Corinthians 8:9 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say…

Final Authority! The Word of God is flawless… —Proverbs 30:5 Whose word can you trust 100% of the time?  Only God’s!  All other speech is flawed and so we need to filter all communication by what He says.  I need to do that and you need to do so as well!  Beware of thinking that your communication is flawless.  And also be careful of communication isolation— not listening to others.  Otherwise you will fall into this trap— “He who isolates himself pursues selfish desires; he rebels against all sound judgment” (Proverbs 18:1) and that is conceit and prideful! So, Dear Father, may I trust your Word fully and encourage others…

REFLECTIVE, QUENCHING WATER Like a snow-cooled drink at harvest time is a trustworthy messenger to the one who sends him; he refreshes the spirit of his master. —Proverbs 25:13 Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land. —Proverbs 25:25 As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart. —Proverbs 27:19             Try to imagine this— it is very hot and you have been working hard.  Yes, you are perspiring or, plan and simply, you are sweating profusely!  Your mouth is dry.  Oh, how thirsty you are!  Then someone hands you a nice, cool drink of water.  Aaaah… how refreshing… how satisfying…  It…

JESUS IS OUR HOPE! Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle. —Proverbs 23:5 Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.  There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. —Proverbs 23:17-18 Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked, for the evildoer has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out. —Proverbs 24:19-20 Brothers and sisters, fellow followers of Jesus, “Keep your lives free from the love…

FOCUS ON THE ETERNAL, NOT THE TEMPORARY In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him. —Proverbs 21:1 There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.  —Proverbs 21:30 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. —II Corinthians 4:18             Where is our focus— on that which is seen or that which is unseen— on that which is temporary or that which is eternal.  Let us focus on those things that are eternal.  Yes, we live…

LIARS = SPEAKING ONE THING WITHOUT THE INTENT OF DOING IT— INTENTIONAL DECEPTION Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool. —Proverbs 19:1 A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape. —Proverbs 19:5 A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish. —Proverbs 19:9 Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand. —Proverbs 19:21 A worthless witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity. —Proverbs 19:28…

DO JUSTICE  Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent— the Lord detests them both. —Proverbs 17:15 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. —Proverbs 18:18             Does your tongue encourage the fruit of life or death?  It is very clear that our Lord detests acquitting the guilty.  Oh, how often our legal system does that!  He also detests condemning the innocent.  This type of judicial system is one that our Lord, obviously, is not pleased with.  Oh, that we would have people in positions of justices that would do right.  Yes, Dear Father, may this be so by the power of…

QUESTIONS… COMPLAINTS… TRUST HIM! The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. —Proverbs 15:3 The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but he loves him who pursues righteousness. —Proverbs 15:9 The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. —Proverbs 15:29 The LORD has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble. —Proverbs 16:4             God has purpose in everything and so much we do not understand, “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that…