allen bible church

Wisdom & Prayerful Community - James 5

2011-08-05T07:00:00.005-05:00

¹³ Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. ¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; ¹⁵ and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.

¹⁶ Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. ¹⁷ Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. ¹⁸ Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.

God's Grace & Our Repentance - James 4

2011-08-04T07:00:00.006-05:00

¹ What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? ² You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. ³ You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. ⁴ You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

⁵ Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”? ⁶ But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.”

⁷ Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. ⁸ Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹ Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

Taming The Tongue...Again - James 3

2011-08-03T13:58:00.000-05:00

¹ Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment. ²For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. ³ Now if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well. ⁴ Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. ⁵ So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things.

See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! ⁶ And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. ⁷ For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. ⁸ But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; ¹⁰ from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. ¹¹Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? ¹² Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh.

Being Impartially Merciful - James 2

2011-08-02T10:30:00.000-05:00

⁸ If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF,” you are doing well. ⁹ But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

¹⁰ For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. ¹¹For He who said, “DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY,” also said, “DO NOT COMMIT MURDER.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

¹² So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. ¹³ For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.

James 2:8-12

Asking for Wisdom (in Faith) - James 1

2011-08-02T10:14:00.000-05:00

⁵But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

James 1:5

Sermon Text: Proverbs 31:8-9

2011-07-31T07:00:00.000-05:00

⁸ Open your mouth for the mute,
For the rights of all the unfortunate.
⁹ Open your mouth, judge righteously,
And defend the rights of the afflicted and needy.

Live With Your Wives in and Understanding Way - Proverbs 30

2011-07-30T07:00:00.000-05:00

¹⁸ There are three things which are too wonderful for me,
Four which I do not understand:
¹⁹ The way of an eagle in the sky,
The way of a serpent on a rock,
The way of a ship in the middle of the sea,
And the way of a man with a maid.

A Child Who Gets His Own Way - Proverbs 29

2011-07-29T07:00:00.000-05:00

¹⁵ The rod and reproof give wisdom,
But a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother.

¹⁷ Correct your son, and he will give you comfort;
He will also delight your soul.

What Sticks Out To You? - Proverbs 28

2011-07-28T07:00:00.001-05:00

¹ The wicked flee when no one is pursuing,
But the righteous are bold as a lion.

² By the transgression of a land many are its princes,
But by a man of understanding and knowledge, so it endures.

³ A poor man who oppresses the lowly
Is like a driving rain which leaves no food.

⁴ Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
But those who keep the law strive with them.

⁵ Evil men do not understand justice,
But those who seek the LORD understand all things.

⁶ Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than he who is crooked though he be rich.

⁷ He who keeps the law is a discerning son,
But he who is a companion of gluttons humiliates his father.

⁸ He who increases his wealth by interest and usury
Gathers it for him who is gracious to the poor.

⁹ He who turns away his ear from listening to the law,
Even his prayer is an abomination.

¹⁰ He who leads the upright astray in an evil way
Will himself fall into his own pit,
But the blameless will inherit good.

¹¹ The rich man is wise in his own eyes,
But the poor who has understanding sees through him.

¹² When the righteous triumph, there is great glory,
But when the wicked rise, men hide themselves.

¹³ He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.

¹⁴ How blessed is the man who fears always,
But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

¹⁵ Like a roaring lion and a rushing bear
Is a wicked ruler over a poor people.

¹⁶ A leader who is a great oppressor lacks understanding,
But he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.

¹⁷ A man who is laden with the guilt of human blood
Will be a fugitive until death; let no one support him.

¹⁸ He who walks blamelessly will be delivered,
But he who is crooked will fall all at once.

¹⁹ He who tills his land will have plenty of food,
But he who follows empty pursuits will have poverty in plenty.

²⁰ A faithful man will abound with blessings,
But he who makes haste to be rich will not go unpunished.

²¹ To show partiality is not good,
Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.

²² A man with an evil eye hastens after wealth
And does not know that want will come upon him.

²³ He who rebukes a man will afterward find more favor
Than he who flatters with the tongue.

²⁴ He who robs his father or his mother
And says, “It is not a transgression,”
Is the companion of a man who destroys.

²⁵ An arrogant man stirs up strife,
But he who trusts in the LORD will prosper.

²⁶ He who trusts in his own heart is a fool,
But he who walks wisely will be delivered.

²⁷ He who gives to the poor will never want,
But he who shuts his eyes will have many curses.

²⁸ When the wicked rise, men hide themselves;
But when they perish, the righteous increase.

Let Another Praise You - Proverbs 27

2011-07-27T07:00:00.000-05:00

² Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;
A stranger, and not your own lips.

Don't Play the Fool - Proverbs 26

2011-07-26T07:00:00.000-05:00

¹ Like snow in summer and like rain in harvest,
So honor is not fitting for a fool.
² Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
So a curse without cause does not alight.
³ A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
And a rod for the back of fools.
⁴ Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
Or you will also be like him.
⁵ Answer a fool as his folly deserves,
That he not be wise in his own eyes.
⁶ He cuts off his own feet and drinks violence
Who sends a message by the hand of a fool.
⁷ Like the legs which are useless to the lame,
So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
⁸ Like one who binds a stone in a sling,
So is he who gives honor to a fool.
⁹ Like a thorn which falls into the hand of a drunkard,
So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
¹⁰ Like an archer who wounds everyone,
So is he who hires a fool or who hires those who pass by.
¹¹ Like a dog that returns to its vomit
Is a fool who repeats his folly.
¹² Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.

Polluted Wells - Proverbs 25

2011-07-25T07:00:00.000-05:00

²⁶ Like a trampled spring and a polluted well
Is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.
²⁷ It is not good to eat much honey,
Nor is it glory to search out one’s own glory.
²⁸ Like a city that is broken into and without walls
Is a man who has no control over his spirit.

Sermon Text: Proverbs 24:3-4

2011-07-24T07:00:00.000-05:00

³ By wisdom a house is built,
And by understanding it is established;
⁴ And by knowledge the rooms are filled
With all precious and pleasant riches.

Loving & Leading Your Children - Proverbs 23

2011-07-23T07:00:00.001-05:00

¹³ Do not hold back discipline from the child,
Although you strike him with the rod, he will not die.
¹⁴ You shall strike him with the rod
And rescue his soul from Sheol.

¹⁵ My son, if your heart is wise,
My own heart also will be glad;
¹⁶ And my inmost being will rejoice
When your lips speak what is right.

¹⁷ Do not let your heart envy sinners,
But live in the fear of the LORD always.
¹⁸ Surely there is a future,
And your hope will not be cut off.
¹⁹ Listen, my son, and be wise,
And direct your heart in the way.
²⁰ Do not be with heavy drinkers of wine,
Or with gluttonous eaters of meat;
²¹ For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty,
And drowsiness will clothe one with rags.

²² Listen to your father who begot you,
And do not despise your mother when she is old.
²³ Buy truth, and do not sell it,
Get wisdom and instruction and understanding.

²⁴ The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice,
And he who sires a wise son will be glad in him.
²⁵ Let your father and your mother be glad,
And let her rejoice who gave birth to you.

Hot Tempered Friends - Proverbs 22

2011-07-22T07:00:00.001-05:00

²⁴ Do not associate with a man given to anger;
Or go with a hot-tempered man,
²⁵ Or you will learn his ways
And find a snare for yourself.

The Contentious Woman - Proverbs 21

2011-07-21T07:00:00.001-05:00

Some scriptures are better read than said.

Here are two verses that every woman should study and no man should ever quote.

⁹ It is better to live in a corner of a roof
Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.

¹⁹ It is better to live in a desert land
Than with a contentious and vexing woman.

Our Mouths, Our Motives, Our Friends - Proverbs 20

2011-07-20T07:00:00.006-05:00

¹⁴ “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
But when he goes his way, then he boasts.
¹⁵ There is gold, and an abundance of jewels;
But the lips of knowledge are a more precious thing.
¹⁶ Take his garment when he becomes surety for a stranger;
And for foreigners, hold him in pledge.
¹⁷ Bread obtained by falsehood is sweet to a man,
But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.
¹⁸ Prepare plans by consultation,
And make war by wise guidance.
¹⁹ He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets,
Therefore do not associate with a gossip.
²⁰ He who curses his father or his mother,
His lamp will go out in time of darkness.

While There is Still Hope - Proverbs 19:18

2011-07-19T10:34:00.002-05:00

¹⁸ Discipline your son while there is hope,
And do not desire his death.

How Many Friends Do You Have? - Proverbs 18

2011-07-18T07:00:00.000-05:00

¹ He who separates himself seeks his own desire,
He quarrels against all sound wisdom.

²⁴ A man of too many friends comes to ruin,
But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother

Sermon Text: Proverbs 17:9,17

2011-07-17T07:00:00.002-05:00

⁹ He who conceals a transgression seeks love,
But he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends.

¹⁷ A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.

Better Than - Part 2: Proverbs 16

2011-07-16T07:00:00.002-05:00

¹⁸ Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before stumbling.
¹⁹ It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly
Than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Check Your Heart: Proverbs 15

2011-07-15T09:50:00.001-05:00

All the days of the afflicted are bad,
But a cheerful heart has a continual feast.
Better is a little with the fear of the LORD
Than great treasure and turmoil with it.
Better is a dish of vegetables where love is
Than a fattened ox served with hatred.
A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
But the slow to anger calms a dispute.

Proverbs 15: 15-18

Discipline - Proverbs 13

2011-07-13T09:43:00.000-05:00

¹ A wise son accepts his father’s discipline,
But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.

²⁴ He who withholds his rod hates his son,
But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.

Don't Be Stupid - Proverbs 12

2011-07-12T07:00:00.002-05:00

¹ Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
But he who hates reproof is stupid

What has been God been trying to teach me lately?

Have I been receptive to instruction from God's Word?

What have my friends and fellow believers been trying to challenge me with?

Have I been receptive or have I shut my ears?

Today's Sermon Text - Proverbs 10:8 & 17

2011-07-10T07:00:00.017-05:00

⁸ The wise of heart will receive commands,
But a babbling fool will be ruined.

¹⁷ He is on the path of life who heeds instruction,
But he who ignores reproof goes astray.

Loving Reproof - Proverbs 9

2011-07-09T07:00:00.030-05:00

⁷ He who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself,
And he who reproves a wicked man gets insults for himself.
⁸ Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you,
Reprove a wise man and he will love you.
⁹ Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser,
Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning.
¹⁰ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

We often identify first with the person giving correction to another and being either hurt or blessed by that person. But instead, try reversing the role. Right now, put yourself in the shoes of the one receiving the instruction.

ASK YOURSELF:
Based on how my heart (and sometimes mouth) tends to respond, how would I be identified?

Would my reaction to outside input and correction be marked as the response of a wise man/woman...or would it be more in line with a scoffer?

What is the foundation to wisdom according to these verses?

How does my relationship with God affect my desire and appreciation of God and godly people speaking truth into my life?

Wisdom Speaks - Proverbs 8

2011-07-08T07:00:00.001-05:00

²² “The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way,
Before His works of old.
²³ “From everlasting I was established,
From the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth.
²⁴ “When there were no depths I was brought forth,
When there were no springs abounding with water.
²⁵ “Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills I was brought forth;
²⁶ While He had not yet made the earth and the fields,
Nor the first dust of the world.
²⁷ “When He established the heavens, I was there,
When He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,
²⁸ When He made firm the skies above,
When the springs of the deep became fixed,
²⁹ When He set for the sea its boundary
So that the water would not transgress His command,
When He marked out the foundations of the earth;
³⁰ Then I was beside Him, as a master workman;
And I was daily His delight,
Rejoicing always before Him,
³¹Rejoicing in the world, His earth,
And having my delight in the sons of men.

Praise God for His infinite wisdom.
Use this chapter as a way to exalt God in prayer and to confess that His ways are indeed higher than ours.

The Cost of Living Like an Ox - Proverbs 7

2011-07-07T07:00:00.006-05:00

(Speaking of the Adulteress)

²¹ With her many persuasions she entices him;
With her flattering lips she seduces him.
²² Suddenly he follows her
As an ox goes to the slaughter,
Or as one in fetters to the discipline of a fool,
²³ Until an arrow pierces through his liver;
As a bird hastens to the snare,
So he does not know that it will cost him his life.

Teachability - Proverbs 6

2011-07-06T07:00:00.010-05:00

²⁰ My son, observe the commandment of your father
And do not forsake the teaching of your mother;
²¹ Bind them continually on your heart;
Tie them around your neck.
²² When you walk about, they will guide you;
When you sleep, they will watch over you;
And when you awake, they will talk to you.
²³ For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light;
And reproofs for discipline are the way of life

Ask Yourself:
Am I receptive to instructions from others or do I bristle when others give me suggestions?

Am I receptive to the teaching from God's word? Do I crave it or view it simply as advice?

In what ways or in what relationships can I humble myself today and ask for input?

In what way can I humble myself to God's instruction and live under the freedom of obeying His word?

Giving it All Away...For What? - Proverbs 5

2011-07-05T07:00:00.009-05:00

¹ My son, give attention to my wisdom,
Incline your ear to my understanding;
² That you may observe discretion
And your lips may reserve knowledge.
³ For the lips of an adulteress drip honey
And smoother than oil is her speech;
⁴ But in the end she is bitter as wormwood,
Sharp as a two-edged sword.
⁵ Her feet go down to death,
Her steps take hold of Sheol.
⁶ She does not ponder the path of life;
Her ways are unstable, she does not know it.

⁷ Now then, my sons, listen to me
And do not depart from the words of my mouth.
⁸ Keep your way far from her
And do not go near the door of her house,
⁹ Or you will give your vigor to others
And your years to the cruel one;
¹⁰ And strangers will be filled with your strength
And your hard-earned goods will go to the house of an alien;
¹¹ And you groan at your final end,
When your flesh and your body are consumed;
¹² And you say, “How I have hated instruction!
And my heart spurned reproof!

Watch Over Your Heart - Proverbs 4

2011-07-04T07:00:00.040-05:00

²³ Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For from it flow the springs of life.

When I was a teenager I used to have random daydreams that my dad had bought me a new car, and that when I got home from school there it would be in the driveway, just waiting for me! There was never a promise or even a hint of it being true, but for some reason I had talked myself into believing that it was going to happen.

But...when I got home and saw that there was no new car I was so disappointed. And I wasn't just disappointed. I was actually mad.

I don't know why. My parents had never promised me a new car. I just wanted one so bad that I fooled myself into believing that they had gone out and purchased one for me out of the goodness of their hearts, when in fact, it was the badness of my heart that had placed unfair and unrealistic expectations on them.

Have you ever been expecting a significant sum of money, and before you even get it you start looking to see how you can spend it? Only to find out that the amount is less than you had expected or it never actually comes? And when that happens, how does that make you feel?

There are a million ways that we can be careless with our heart and where it goes. So today...Check your heart.

ASK YOURSELF:
Am I watching over my heart?

Am I protecting it from unrealistic expectations?

Am I submitting my heart to the Lord as His property and His to fulfill?

Today's Sermon Text - Proverbs 3:5-6

2011-07-03T07:00:00.006-05:00

⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.

Storehouse of Wisdom - Proverbs 2

2011-07-02T07:00:00.008-05:00

⁷ He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
⁸ Guarding the paths of justice,
And He preserves the way of His godly ones.
⁹ Then you will discern righteousness and justice
And equity and every good course.
¹⁰ For wisdom will enter your heart
And knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;

Competing Voices - Proverbs 1 (and 31 for extra credit!)

2011-07-01T07:00:00.020-05:00

Take 10 minutes and note the warning that Wisdom gives to the scoffers and the fools.

How can wisdom's warnings instruct you today?

²⁰ Wisdom shouts in the street,
She lifts her voice in the square;
²¹ At the head of the noisy streets she cries out;
At the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings:
²² “How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded?
And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing
And fools hate knowledge?
²³ “Turn to my reproof,
Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.
²⁴ “Because I called and you refused,
I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention;
²⁵ And you neglected all my counsel
And did not want my reproof;
²⁶ I will also laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when your dread comes,
²⁷ When your dread comes like a storm
And your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
When distress and anguish come upon you.
²⁸ “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;
They will seek me diligently but they will not find me,
²⁹ Because they hated knowledge
And did not choose the fear of the LORD.
³⁰ “They would not accept my counsel,
They spurned all my reproof.
³¹ “So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way
And be satiated with their own devices.
³² “For the waywardness of the naive will kill them,
And the complacency of fools will destroy them.
³³ “But he who listens to me shall live securely
And will be at ease from the dread of evil.”

A Prayer to Pray - Proverbs 30

2011-06-30T07:00:00.005-05:00

⁷ Two things I asked of You (the LORD),
Do not refuse me before I die:
⁸ Keep deception and lies far from me,
Give me neither poverty nor riches;
Feed me with the food that is my portion,
⁹ That I not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the LORD?”
Or that I not be in want and steal,
And profane the name of my God.

Use these verses as your prayer today.
Meditate on them for a minute or two...then personalize them in prayer.

The Foolishness of Fearing Man - Proverbs 29

2011-06-29T07:00:00.007-05:00

²⁵ The fear of man brings a snare,
But he who trusts in the LORD will be exalted.

Ask Yourself:
What is the "fear of man?"

What does it look like to fear man?

How is that different from trusting the LORD?

Why is it foolish to fear man?

Don't Close Your Eyes - Proverbs 28

2011-06-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

²⁷ He who gives to the poor will never want,
But he who shuts his eyes will have many curses.

Ask Yourself:
Are my eyes open or shut to the poor?

Do I know anyone who is poor?

Do I use personal safety as an excuse for avoiding "that part of town"?

What steps can I take toward opening my eyes and giving to the poor?

Iron Sharpens Iron - Proverbs 27:17

2011-06-27T07:00:00.008-05:00

¹⁷ As iron sharpens iron,
So one man sharpens another.

Community is a tremendous blessing, but it can also be a tremendous pain. But the pain of community does not mean it's bad. Just like any healthy couple is a couple who fights, so it is with our God-given community. Our sharpening will be largely determined by how close we get to those around us. Being challenged, encouraged, exhorted, rebuked, lifted up, and praised are all part of the sharpening process. We need to be sharpened which means we need others (whom God uses) to sharpen us.

Ask Yourself:
When things get rough, do I run toward or away from community?

Do I have the sort of relationships where I am not threatened by being called out on sin or foolishness in my life?

Do I have the sort of relationships where I feel free to speak (and spark) truth into their lives?

With what friends can I begin to go deeper with so that we can become God's sharpening stone for one another?

Today's Sermon Text - Proverbs 26:17-28

2011-06-26T07:00:00.002-05:00

¹⁷ Like one who takes a dog by the ears
Is he who passes by and meddles with strife not belonging to him.
¹⁸ Like a madman who throws
Firebrands, arrows and death,
¹⁹ So is the man who deceives his neighbor,
And says, “Was I not joking?”
²⁰ For lack of wood the fire goes out,
And where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down.
²¹ Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
So is a contentious man to kindle strife.
²² The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the innermost parts of the body.
²³ Like an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross
Are burning lips and a wicked heart.
²⁴ He who hates disguises it with his lips,
But he lays up deceit in his heart.
²⁵ When he speaks graciously, do not believe him,
For there are seven abominations in his heart.
²⁶ Though his hatred covers itself with guile,
His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly.
²⁷ He who digs a pit will fall into it,
And he who rolls a stone, it will come back on him.
²⁸ A lying tongue hates those it crushes,
And a flattering mouth works ruin.

Take the Last Chair - Proverbs 25

2011-06-25T07:00:00.003-05:00

⁶ Do not claim honor in the presence of the king,
And do not stand in the place of great men;
⁷ For it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,”
Than for you to be placed lower in the presence of the prince,
Whom your eyes have seen.

Being invited up is always better than the embarrassment of being asked to step down.

In what relationships, circles of influence, or work situations would it be better for you to wait until you are invited into a significant role instead of demanding that you should be?

Abundance of Counselors - Proverbs 24

2011-06-24T07:00:00.026-05:00

⁵ A wise man is strong,
And a man of knowledge increases power.
⁶ For by wise guidance you will wage war,
And in abundance of counselors there is victory.

One of the continuous characteristics describing the wise in the book of Proverbs is their desire for godly counsel and input. It is the fool who fails to run his or her plans past the wise people in their life. I can personally testify to the how godly counsel has saved me from major mistakes. And I also have the scars to show for the decisions I've made while intentionally shutting off from godly input.

Ask Yourself:
When faced with a big (or medium) decision, do I seek input from others who are godly and that I would consider wise?

What keeps me from asking for input?

What decisions have I blown?

Is there anyone to whom I need to admit I was wrong?

Who do I need to seek, this week, for wise counsel?

Wearisome Wealth Chasing - Proverbs 23

2011-06-23T07:00:00.002-05:00

⁴ Do not weary yourself to gain wealth,
Cease from your consideration of it.
⁵ When you set your eyes on it, it is gone.
For wealth certainly makes itself wings
Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.

"If I only had a little bit more...then I could _____________ " (fill in the blank)

Do you every find yourself scheming for hours on how you can buy that new car?
Pay for that new gadget?
Afford that new house?
Find the cash for those new shoes?

Ask Yourself:
Why do I assume that the next "thing" will make everything better?

How have I been fooled by that in the past?

How is the Lord challenging me to be content with what I have?

How can I practice an act of generosity today to help combat my urge for "more"?

Praying the Proverbs - Proverbs 22

2011-06-22T07:00:00.011-05:00

¹ A good name is to be more desired than great wealth,
Favor is better than silver and gold.
² The rich and the poor have a common bond,
The LORD is the maker of them all.
³ The prudent sees the evil and hides himself,
But the naive go on, and are punished for it.
⁴ The reward of humility and the fear of the LORD
Are riches, honor and life.
⁵ Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
He who guards himself will be far from them.
⁶ Train up a child in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

The Proverbs are filled with keys for wisdom and godly wisdom which points back to their original purpose...a father passing wisdom on to his son. Chapter 21 reminds us that godly wisdom grows deep roots into the lives of those who pursue it.

Praying the Proverbs
If you have children use this chapter (today) to pray the Proverbs for your children.

No kids? Then pray that the Proverbs in this chapter would be true of you so that those who God is using you to influence will benefit from the fruit of godly wisdom.

My Plans & The Lord's Hands - Proverbs 21

2011-06-21T07:00:00.011-05:00

¹ The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD;
He turns it wherever He wishes.
² Every man’s way is right in his own eyes,
But the LORD weighs the hearts.

⁵ The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage,
But everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.

Again we are reminded that it is God who stirs the plans of men and who weighs the motives of our hearts. Yet faithful, God-directed, and God-seeking planning is counted as wise in the book of Proverbs.

We typically get most involved with the things we really care about. Look at your life and see where your priorities fall compared to what you plan.

Ask Yourself:

Do I like to plan or do I run from it?

What things do I find myself planning out in extreme detail?

Where do I find myself just "winging it?"

Do I ever use God's sovereignty as an excuse to avoid planning?

In what ways does my family benefit from my planning?

In what ways does my family suffer from my lack of planning?

Our Deep Hearted Plans - Proverbs 20

2011-06-20T07:00:00.007-05:00

⁵ A plan in the heart of a man is like deep water,
But a man of understanding draws it out.

Today's Sermon Text - Proverbs 19:20-21

2011-06-19T07:00:00.001-05:00

²⁰ Listen to counsel and accept discipline,
That you may be wise the rest of your days.
²¹ Many plans are in a man’s heart,
But the counsel of the LORD will stand.

Death & Life: The Power of the Tongue - Proverbs 18

2011-06-18T07:00:00.006-05:00

²⁰ With the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach will be satisfied;
He will be satisfied with the product of his lips.
²¹Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit.

Last Sunday we were reminded of the God given power of our words. Again, today, we are reminded that both death and life can come through the power of the tongue.

Ask Yourself:
What can I do today to promote life instead of death by the surrendering my mouth to the Lord?

The Lord Tests Hearts - Proverbs 17

2011-06-17T09:56:00.000-05:00

¹ Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it
Than a house full of feasting with strife.
² A servant who acts wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully,
And will share in the inheritance among brothers.
³ The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
But the LORD tests hearts.
⁴ An evildoer listens to wicked lips;
A liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
⁵ He who mocks the poor taunts his Maker;
He who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished.

Let your heart be tested today.

Slowly walk through each of the verses above.

Which description (from each verse) characterizes your heart?

What motivation do you find for godly (wise) living from these verses?

Plans are Useless but Planning is Indispensable - Proverbs 16

2011-06-16T08:06:00.000-05:00

¹ The plans of the heart belong to man,
But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.
² All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight,
But the LORD weighs the motives.
³ Commit your works to the LORD
And your plans will be established.

God is in control, yet our planning is essential to wise living. How can this be? While this proverbs is not a formula for success (commit to the Lord = success), there is a fundamental connection between God's sovereignty and our submission to it on a regular basis.

Ask yourself:
If ultimately God is in control, what is the point of planning anything at all?

How is God honored with our faithful, diligent planning?

Where is the wisdom in making plans and submitting them to the Lord?

What's the connection between committing our plans to the Lord and the ultimate success of them (compare verse 3 with verse 1)?

What "plans" am I making today or this summer that I need to submit before the Lord?

How will I respond if my "plans" turn out to not be God's plan?

Better Than(s) - Proverbs 15

2011-06-15T08:09:00.000-05:00

¹³ A joyful heart makes a cheerful face,
But when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken.
¹⁴ The mind of the intelligent seeks knowledge,
But the mouth of fools feeds on folly.
¹⁵ All the days of the afflicted are bad,
But a cheerful heart has a continual feast.
¹⁶ Better is a little with the fear of the LORD
Than great treasure and turmoil with it.
¹⁷ Better is a dish of vegetables where love is
Than a fattened ox served with hatred.
¹⁸ A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
But the slow to anger calms a dispute.

Search and Find
See how many "better thans" can you find in these verses?

How many did you find?
2 - good eyes!
3 - looking pretty good!
4+ - your basically a genius!

The Costs of Naivety: Proverbs 14

2011-06-14T08:25:00.000-05:00

¹⁵ The naive believes everything,
But the sensible man considers his steps.
¹⁶ A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil,
But a fool is arrogant and careless.
¹⁷ A quick-tempered man acts foolishly,
And a man of evil devices is hated.
¹⁸ The naive inherit foolishness,
But the sensible are crowned with knowledge.

Ask Yourself:
What am I swayed by?

What are my impulses and how have they caused problems for me?

What relationships have been damaged by those impulses?

When do I fall prey to "it just feels right" even at the expense of disobeying God?

What things characterize the wise & sensible man in these verses?

What practical things can I do to be cautious, consider my steps, and as a result turn away from evil?

The Company We Keep: Proverbs 13

2011-06-13T07:49:00.000-05:00

²⁰ He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will suffer harm.

The company we keep affects us more than we like to admit.

Ask yourself:
What godly wise people do I know that I should spend more time with?

What relationships should I distance myself from?

What issue or decision am I trying to make that I need to seek godly counsel on? What two other people, who are mature in their faith, can I ask for counsel?

The Power of the Tongue - Proverbs 12

2011-06-12T07:00:00.001-05:00

¹⁷ He who speaks truth tells what is right,
But a false witness, deceit.
¹⁸ There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword,
But the tongue of the wise brings healing.
¹⁹ Truthful lips will be established forever,
But a lying tongue is only for a moment.

By the Blessing of the Upright - Proverbs 11

2011-06-11T07:00:00.004-05:00

¹⁰ When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices,
And when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting.
¹¹ By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
But by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.

But wait, I haven't received any plaques from the Mayor...

In what ways do my neighbors, co-workers, bosses, or kid's teachers, benefit from God's grace and blessing in my life?

Checking My Word Count - Proverbs 10

2011-06-10T07:00:00.000-05:00

¹⁹ When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable,
But he who restrains his lips is wise.
²⁰ The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver,
The heart of the wicked is worth little.
²¹ The lips of the righteous feed many,
But fools die for lack of understanding.

Try this:
How many times can you withhold your opinions or ideas while you go about your day? Try waiting until you are asked...you may grow wise in the eyes of those around you.

Turn in Here - Proverbs 9

2011-06-09T07:00:00.001-05:00

^{There is no neutrality between wisdom and folly. Both call us. Both are before us to choose. Fools don't happen into folly by accident. Neither do the wise.}

^{Proverbs 9 personifies Wisdom and Folly in contrast to one another.}
^{Observe the differences and ask yourself "who's directions am I likely to follow?"}

^WISDOM
¹ Wisdom has built her house,
She has hewn out her seven pillars;
² She has prepared her food, she has mixed her wine;
She has also set her table;
³ She has sent out her maidens, she calls
From the tops of the heights of the city:
⁴ “Whoever is naive, let him turn in here!”
To him who lacks understanding she says,
⁵ “Come, eat of my food
And drink of the wine I have mixed.
⁶ “Forsake your folly and live,
And proceed in the way of understanding.”

Folly
¹³ The woman of folly is boisterous,
She is naive and knows nothing.
¹⁴ She sits at the doorway of her house,
On a seat by the high places of the city,
¹⁵ Calling to those who pass by,
Who are making their paths straight:
¹⁶ “Whoever is naive, let him turn in here,”
And to him who lacks understanding she says,
¹⁷ “Stolen water is sweet;
And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
¹⁸ But he does not know that the dead are there,
That her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

Treasure Hunt - Proverbs 8

2011-06-08T09:35:00.000-05:00

¹⁰ “Take my instruction and not silver,
And knowledge rather than choicest gold.
¹¹ “For wisdom is better than jewels;
And all desirable things cannot compare with her.

Take 10 minutes.
Grab a pen, pencil, or highlighter and see how many benefits of seeking/finding wisdom you can find!

Hint - There's more than one :).

The Deadly Consequences of Lacking Sense

2011-06-07T07:06:00.000-05:00

² Keep my commandments and live,
And my teaching as the apple of your eye.
³ Bind them on your fingers;
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
⁴ Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
And call understanding your intimate friend;

⁵ That they may keep you from an adulteress,
From the foreigner who flatters with her words.

⁶ For at the window of my house
I looked out through my lattice,
⁷ And I saw among the naive,
And discerned among the youths
A young man lacking sense,
⁸ Passing through the street near her corner;
And he takes the way to her house,

And then we hear the theme music (dun, dun, dun) as we all see that the young man is on the path toward destruction, though he doesn't know it. We all have snares that easily entangle us. Yours may be adultery or lust...or it may be something different. Either way, there is something that our flesh has a tendency to fall into, and when we pass through the streets we "take the way to her house."

What can I learn from the mistake of the young man lacking sense?

What's the direct/practical benefit of clinging to wisdom?

What snares tempt me like the young man in this passage?

How can wisdom keep me from being lured by them?

Lessons From the Family Picnic - Proverbs 6:6-11

2011-06-06T07:54:00.000-05:00

⁶ Go to the ant, O sluggard,
Observe her ways and be wise,
⁷ Which, having no chief,
Officer or ruler,
⁸ Prepares her food in the summer
And gathers her provision in the harvest.
⁹ How long will you lie down, O sluggard?
When will you arise from your sleep?
¹⁰ “A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest”—
¹¹ Your poverty will come in like a vagabond
And your need like an armed man.

That seems a bit silly...what can I really learn from observing the life of an ant? Laziness can be sneaky because it isn't always the same as inactivity. We all feel busy, but are we busy with the right things? Good things? Godly things?

When am I tempted to check out when I really should engage?

When does taking a break become irresponsible?

When is "me time" really a selfish disguise for wanting to escape from what's important?

How can I check my heart to know when I need true rest or if I am just trying to avoid responsibility?

Pitfalls of Immorality - Proverbs 5

2011-06-05T13:03:00.000-05:00

¹⁵ Drink water from your own cistern
And fresh water from your own well.
¹⁶ Should your springs be dispersed abroad,
Streams of water in the streets?
¹⁷ Let them be yours alone
And not for strangers with you.
¹⁸ Let your fountain be blessed,
And rejoice in the wife of your youth.
¹⁹ As a loving hind and a graceful doe,
Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;
Be exhilarated always with her love.
²⁰ For why should you, my son, be exhilarated with an adulteress
And embrace the bosom of a foreigner?
²¹ For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the LORD,
And He watches all his paths.
²² His own iniquities will capture the wicked,
And he will be held with the cords of his sin.
²³ He will die for lack of instruction,
And in the greatness of his folly he will go astray.

Intentional Fathering - Proverbs 4

2011-06-04T06:41:00.001-05:00

Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father,
And give attention that you may gain understanding,
For I give you sound teaching;
Do not abandon my instruction.
hen I was a son to my father,
Tender and the only son in the sight of my mother,
Then he taught me and said to me,
“Let your heart hold fast my words;
Keep my commandments and live;
Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding!
Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.

Proverbs 4:1-5

Remember Life’s Little Instruction Book? It was a small, paperback with a Plaid cover that was everywhere in the 90s and was a New York Times #1 bestseller for 50 weeks. If you even simply skimmed it at the bookstand, you saw what we’re studying this summer—Proverbs. Short. Memorable. Nitty-gritty nuggets of wisdom.

The author, H. Jackson Brown was a dad who originally wrote the book as a gift for his son as he left home for college. Brown says, "I read years ago that it was not the responsibility of parents to pave the road for their children but to provide a road map, and I wanted to provide him with what I had learned about living a happy and rewarding life."

You’ll notice as we go through them, that the Proverbs are often from a Father to his sons, giving the best counsel he can so his sons have God’s road map as they grow up. Dad, desiring God’s best for his sons and knowing the harsh realities they’ll face, intentionally writes down wisdom that is Spirit-inspired and street-tested.

As fathers, we are given the responsibility to lead our children spiritually. No matter how adequate you and I feel, we must embrace that and devote ourselves to bringing up our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

As a dad…

How are you intentionally spending time with your children so you’re there when teachable moments arrive?
How are you giving your children God’s road map for life?
Would you consider taking a chapter of Proverbs like ch. 3 or ch. 4, and go through a nugget each week or perhaps memorize a verse or the entire chapter together if your child is older?

You and I are having an impact on our children, whether we realize it or not. We’re tempted to think we don’t have what it takes as a dad. Maybe it would help you as it helped me to see how your child sees you through this story:

The story goes that John Adams went fishing with his son John Quincy Adams when he was a young boy. Both of them kept a journal. Years later that day of fishing was found in both journals.

The dad had written: “Went fishing with my son, a waste of a day.”

The little boy had written: “Fishing with dad, happiest day of my life.”

Who's Eyes are Wise? - Proverbs 3

2011-06-03T06:49:00.004-05:00

"Do not be wise in your own eyes;

Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.

It will be healing to your body

And refreshment to your bones."

Proverbs 3:7-8

What do I do, or how am I living when I am being "wise in my own eyes?"
Why is being wise in my own eyes equated with evil?
What's the connection between fearing the Lord, turning from evil, and not being wise in my own eyes (how are they all related)?
How does fearing the Lord bring healing and refreshment? Think of some examples from your own history in walking with the Lord
What does fearing the Lord and turning away from evil look like, for me, for the rest of today?

Craving Wisdom - Proverbs 2

2011-06-02T06:38:00.004-05:00

"For if you cry for discernment,

Lift your voice for understanding;

If you seek her as silver

And search for her as for hidden treasures;

Then you will discern the fear of the Lord

And discover the knowledge of God."

Proverbs 2:2-5

What do I cry out for?
What do I beg and plead God to give to me?
What am I searching for with the same passion as I would hidden treasure?
What impact does asking God for wisdom and discernment have according to the rest of Proverbs chapter 2?

Profit from the Proverbs this Summer!

2011-05-31T10:04:00.002-05:00

We’ve got an outstanding team of teachers lined up to instruct us in navigating our times with God’s timeless wisdom found in the original App Store, the Proverbs.

We want our summer series to be preached on Sundays AND practiced by each of us each day. So, we’re inviting you and the church that meets at your house to read with us the Proverbs’ chapter that corresponds with that day’s date in June/July. It will be your way to daily download one of God’s Apps in that chapter and look for ways to APPly it.

Become a follower to receive regular reminders and meditations as we all journey through Proverbs this summer. You can do so by clicking "follow" menu tab to your right. We'll also be posting these via Twitter and Facebook for those of you who would prefer to follow there.

Timely Trust

2010-07-27T08:30:00.001-05:00

Summers always come and go too fast and the summer of 2010 is no different. August is almost here, many vacations are a memory, and school begins in a month. In June, Allen Bible Church began a journey through the Psalms.

Why? God created us to walk with Him everyday, in every situation, and the Psalms provide a picture of such a friendship. Our prayer is that you are fully engaging God no matter what circumstances you or your family are enjoying or enduring.

Our daily Psalms conclude this week around the subject of trust. It is timely. Trust is the consequence of consistent intimacy with God, and it is the gateway to an uncertain future. Our lives are built on hopes & dreams, plans & expectations, living long & accomplishing much. However, promises in the Bible are secured in nothing other than the character of God. We are not promised our version of success, but His version. We are not promised our plans for a blessed life, but His plans. We are not promised our definition of greatness, but His definition. Once again, if I know Him as good, I will rest in His trustworthiness and in His design for my life.

When I look in a mirror, I am inclined to doubt...everything. When I gaze at Him, as He is revealed throughout the Bible generally, and the Psalms specifically, I am instructed to trust...always.

Trying to trust,
Gordon McDaniel
Student Pastor

Aligning & Asking

2010-07-18T07:32:00.004-05:00

Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4

Do not worry then, saying 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.
Mt. 6:33

Is it okay to ask God for things?
As we grow in Christ, we will begin to engage Him in prayer that goes beyond asking. But, because we will always be dependent on God to meet our needs, asking is par for our human course. These 2 Scriptures above and our psalms this week will help us engage God in times of need (which is always, but some days you feel it more than others!). You and I can ask Him for what we need, because He's a God who knows and cares for you. But the Lord delights in us aligning and asking.

Align with What He Wants
God is more than just my "need-meeter," because His agenda is bigger than me and my immediate needs. He delights in providing for His children, but His larger interests are building His kingdom and building His relationship with you and me. "Delighting yourself in the Lord" and "seeking first His kingdom" are not coins for God-the-divine-vending-machine. They are not the formula to "get God to do what you want Him to," as if He is a reluctant provider. These passages simply say engage God as the "first thing" in your life, and "second things" will be added to you. Enjoy Him. Know Him. Align yourself with what He wants done through you to build His kingdom.

Ask for What You Need
"He will give you the desires of your heart" and "All these things will be added to you" tell us the Lord's character. He doesn't begrudge our asking. He's not holding things from me behind His back. He is good. He knows what we need before we ask, and He is faithful to provide. All good things come to us from His hands, so ask!

As you engage Him this week, my hope is your prayer grows beyond asking to aligning and asking.

Buddy Liles
Lead Pastor

Psalms of Lament--they're singing my song

2010-07-11T07:10:00.003-05:00

Go into any Christian bookstore and survey the shelves and you will find most of the books and bumper stickers and gift items reflect a tidy, comfortable, easy-answer faith. Yet, as you leave, the world you go back into is none of those things no matter how many books, bumper stickers and crocheted verses you bought.

The Real World is in the Psalms. There are high moments of praise and thanksgiving in the psalms, but those are much rarer moments. The psalms are filled with what life is filled with: mundaneity, moans and messyness...perhaps a little more like your daily life. About 70% of the Psalms are Laments. The Laments are sometimes personal laments and sometimes corporate or national laments. They are written by those who feel life's currents washing between distress and well-being. Laments are not so much whining and complaining as Philip Yancey writes, "We whine about things we have little control over; we lament what we believe ought to be changed...clinging to a belief in God's ultimate goodness, no matter how things appear at the present and cry out for justice." The psalmists lamented that God's will was not being done on earth as it was in Heaven. They cried out to God to help realign their faith right in the midst of their daily experience.

Unlike the "suitable-for-framing" faith of your local believers' book nook, you deep-down know is hollow, the trust-relationship with the living God, whom we cannot see, is often not tidy, with doubts, uncertainties, frustrations and "this just isn't right" realities. If you listen only to the Christian bookstore muzak, you may feel you just need the right formula, but if you listen to the Psalms, you'll find it's not an exact formula but an engaged heart that God delights in and invites. And, if you listen to the Psalms, you may suddenly hear your real, untidy world in the ancient songs of Israel and say, "Hey, they're singing my song."

This is "40"

2010-07-09T09:59:00.003-05:00

Psalm 40:1-3
I waited patiently for the LORD;
And He inclined to me and heard my cry.
He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay,
And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.
He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;
Many will see and fear
And will trust in the LORD.

“Sing this with me, this is 40.”
For all the U2 fans out there, that’s the memorable intro to this song as U2 played at Red Rocks. If it will add to your enjoyment of today’s psalm, here’s a youtube clip of “40” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjtpplE39_g
It comes from these first three verses of Psalm 40.

I’m praising Him in my heart
Notice in Psalm 40 David doesn’t say, “I’m praising and thanking Him, but I’m just doing it in my heart.” No. Greatness demands a response. Gratitude must be expressed or it wilts. David says,
I will not restrain my lips.
I have not hidden Your righteousness in my heart.
I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation.
I have not concealed Your lovinkindness and Your truth from the great congregation.

Why won’t David just praise the Lord in his heart? Why won’t he remain silent?
Because the Lord bent down to listen to him. The Lord lifted him up out of the pit and set his feet on a rock, giving him solid footing again. And, as David sings, “He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.” It’s a new song, a fresh thankfulness for the Lord’s involvement in his life…and yes, out the heart, the mouth speaks, but the song is not “in my heart,” but unrestrained and out of his mouth.

“I will sing, sing a new song!”

Outfitted for Out-Loud Praise

2010-07-07T12:28:00.007-05:00

Psalm 30:11-12
You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness,
that my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

The Lord, Our Outfitter
Today's Thanksgiving Psalm, Psalm 30, describes the Lord as our "Outfitter." David praises the Lord for intervening in his life and turning his mourning into dancing. With that, the Lord has done away with David's need to wear sackcloth--the appropriate clothes for seasons of mourning loss or sorrow over sin--and He has "girded him with gladness." But girding David or you and me with gladness is not the Lord's ultimate purpose. The Lord outfits us with gladness for out-loud praise as David says in vv. 11-12: "He has girded me with gladness that (purpose) my soul may sing praise and not be silent."

And Not Be Silent
Gladness is not meant to be bottled up. Thanks is meant to be expressed. Indeed, the Lord outfits us for out-loud praise as Timothy Jones in The Art of Prayer describes:

Praise, then, is not just a subjective whim; it is God's due. It is expected. It is right. We fall short if we, curmudgeonlike,withhold it. And because appreciation, love, and delight all strivefor an outlet or object, to keep our enjoyment in God's presence unarticulated or unnoticed diminishes us. Bottled up, the impulse to praise will grow faint. Unexpressed, it may shrink our souls. It will languish, just as love for another person never expressed will always bea frustrated love. To praise that which is praiseworthy does something in us.And the more worthy the object, the more exalted our appreciation, the more intense our delight in expressing it.

How has He girded you with gladness? How will you praise Him out-loud today?

ThanksGIVING not ThanksFEELING

2010-07-07T12:08:00.003-05:00

Grateful people say "thank you," and people who choose to say "thank you," become grateful people. Gratitude can be learned by rehearsing and not forgetting all the good gifts we have from God's hands.

Notice in today's Psalm 138 and many other psalms that David doesn't say, "I feel thankful." He says, "I will give You thanks," and "I will sing praises to You." "I will" is an act of choosing regardless of how he feels.

This is why we named the last Thursday in November as ThanksGIVING and not ThanksFEELING. We set this day aside as a day to GIVE thanks ("forgetting none of His benefits"), not to feel thanks--though usually the feeling follows the giving.

How will you give Him thanks today?

WARNING: Beware of Hurried Forgetfulness

2010-07-05T11:42:00.006-05:00

Hurry, Worry and Ho-Humness. These 3 mark the lives and outlooks of Suburbanites and sadly, often mark us as Christians.

We love to tell each other how busy and frenzied and time-squeezed we are. Having something worrying us means our lives are significant. And if we’re honest about how we really feel about our lives, we’d describe ourselves like one man who says, “When I listen to myself, I’m coming to realize, I’m too much laced with discontent.”

Is that you? Are you “too much laced with discontent?” Are you worried and hurried? What would God say to you? God has spoken without stutter regarding His will for your life that is directly connected to those 3 markers.

Listen to His will from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18:

Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

The Lord gives us His Will? Be Thankful. But He also gives us His warning to people whose hurry and worry contribute to a low-grade joylessness, where life is more filled with "blahs" than "ahs." The Lord's warning is in David's journal, Psalm 103:2:

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and FORGET NONE OF HIS BENEFITS.

Grateful people say "thank you." Hurried people are forgetful people and become ungrateful people, irritated and demanding.

Our forget-filled lives: Hurried, Worried, Ho-Hum
His will: Be Thankful
His warning: BEWARE OF HURRIED FORGETFULNESS

Beware of hurried forgetfulness! It takes time to say "thank
you." Author Timothy Jones writes about the benefit of taking time to forget
none of His benefits: "As I take time to enjoy God, I find myself lifted
out of life's littleness."

Need a lift out of life's littleness, hurries and worries? How will you take time this week to be not forgetful, but thankful?

"Christ" isn't His last name!!

2010-07-01T10:45:00.005-05:00

Growing up, I always assumed Jesus' last name was "Christ," because we always said the two together in church. And whenever we called Him Christ Jesus, I'd be confused by the switcheroo but thought we must be doing that for alphabetizing purposes. What I came to understand a few years ago, was that "Christ" is actually is His title, so we should really call Him Jesus, the Christ. "Christ" is the name/title given to Jesus after He was crucified, rose from the grave and ascended to heaven to sit at God's right hand. Christ is simply Greek for the Hebrew title "Messiah" or "Anointed One." And it's because God sent His Son as His promised "anointed One" to die in my place and yours, you and I can know forgiveness for our sin and have life in the name of Jesus, the Christ.

Messianic Psalms Meet Us in Our Mess
Today through Saturday's daily psalms are Messianic Psalms. Messianic Psalms point to the coming "Anointed One" or Messiah of Israel, who is Jesus. As we're exploring this week how to engage God when we've blown it through our sin, these psalms give us hope and remind us that God the Father always intended to send His Messiah into our mess.

Psalm 110 is the most often quoted chapter from the Hebrew Scriptures (or "Old Testament") in the New Testament. If you are without much Jewish background, you might not appreciate what this psalm is about in your first reading. In Psalm 110, David records a conversation between God the Father ("the Lord" Yahweh) and God the Son ("my Lord" Adonai) that looks forward to Him as Messiah the King and Priest. Jesus, Himself, quotes this psalm in Mark 12:35-37 to stir people to investigate His person to see if He matched this Messianic prophecy, that a "son" of David, could also be the "Lord" of David.

As priest Jesus would represent the people to God and God to the people, especially as He makes His "once for all" sacrifice for sin on the cross (Heb. 10:11-14). He also continues to pray for us "always" as our eternal High Priest (Heb. 7:25). As King, Messiah now sits at His right hand in the place of honor and authority "until I make your enemies a footstool for Your feet" (Ps. 110:1).

Since so many New Testament writers look back to this psalm as they describe the power, plan and grace of God, search those Scriptures and enrich your own appreciation of this Psalm and the one to whom it points--Jesus, the Christ...the Messiah who entered our Mess and who is coming again to reign forever.

When You've Blown It...Fess Up

2010-06-29T13:09:00.005-05:00

"A man after God's own heart???"
That description of David used to really bother me! In self-righteous arrogance, I detested the tagline following the name of a man who committed adultery and murder, trying to cover up his sin. But, I had some growing up to do. I had some masks to take off. I needed to look more honestly at my own sinful attitudes and actions that I was trying to keep hidden beneath appearances of having it all together. I needed to honestly engage "the God of all grace," who gives grace to the humble, not those pretending to be humble! His grace comes to the broken and contrite of heart (Psalm 51), not to those keeping up religious appearances.

Yes, David blew it when he sinned with Bathsheba. Yes, his cover up and keeping silent about his sin was deplorable, but I now see my own frailty in David's failure. I now see I'm just as capable to sin as he did and worse. Perhaps you do as well.

Allow God to teach you through David's 2 psalms of confession (Psalms 32 & 51). Each of us can identify with David's description when he stopped engaging God honestly and tried to hide his sin:

When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away
Through my groaning all day long.
For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer.

Been there? Felt that? I have. Psalm 32 exposes sin's consequences. Unconfessed sin corrodes and erodes. Yet, God's grace, forgiveness and freedom are available to those who engage the God of all grace and "come clean" about our sin as David journals in Psalm 32:5:

I acknowledged my sin to You (see Psalm 51--David's confession),
And my iniquity I did not hide;
I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD";
And You forgave the guilt of my sin.

When you've blown it, 'fess up. The hard truth is all of us sin. The freeing truth is you and I can stop pretending, as David writes in Ps. 51:6: "You desire truth in the innermost being." As Christians, we can engage God, because His forgiveness is available through His Son Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

The ways David blew it are huge, but God's grace is huge-er! And David's honest response and confession, not his sin, became life-defining for him, as God made sure we'd all know him as "the man after God's own heart." The phrase that used to infuriate me, now gives me hope. I'm now thankful and find relief in the life of David being laid so bare before us in the Hebrew Sciptures.

I pray you have the courage to be truthful with God in your innermost being as you engage Him through the Psalms of confession this week. I pray He breaks you and rebuilds you as you come clean with Him, so you will become a man/woman after His own heart.

In His Grace,

Buddy Liles

Lead Pastor

An Instruction on Praise

2010-06-22T13:28:00.000-05:00

Every Psalm is a song of praise. Regardless of the season...regardless of the circumstances through which a Psalm was written, the end result was always praise. You will find no example where a Psalm writer does not gain perspective at some point in their reflection and turn their attention to the God who is.

Certain Psalms, however, start and finish with praise. What happens when there is no crisis that needs heavenly intervention? There is praise. What happens when no great sin has ocurred that demands forgiveness? There is praise. What happens when there is no deep hardship that must be assuaged? There is praise. Or what happens when there is not a specific, gracious, and personal gift that inspires thanks? There is still praise. The ancients, often for no other reason than the character and glorious works of God, recognized their own part in the magnificent chorus of His exaltation.

Sometimes the journey of life forces us to cry out in complete surrender, "God I cannot bear this! The burden is too great! My sin has found me out!" Our problem, however, is we fail to rightly perceive God outside those circumstances so that when they come, our cries feel empty. Do I even know this God to whom I cling? What makes me believe He can respond at all?' Hour, after hour, after hour of divinely instructed praise!

Gordon McDaniel
Student Pastor

There's a Psalm for That

2010-06-13T07:39:00.003-05:00

There’s a Psalm for that. No matter what life is like for you currently, there is a psalm for every season. We invite you to devote yourself alongside other ABCers for the next 50 days to a daily rhythm of personally engaging God thru the psalms.

Scattered, Smothered and Covered. That’s an order you’d hear yelled out at Waffle House, but it also describes the current stretch of weeks, my family and I are in. It’s our season complete with selling and buying a house and closings rescheduled, moving into our new house—which keeps getting moved—and trying to leave for family camp this Sunday. And yet, the Lord has helped us keep perspective (sanity) as we’ve continued to press toward Him in the midst of our circumstances pressing and pulling on us. And, it’s been the Psalms that have helped me personally keep engaging God right where I am.

What’s your season? Today we kick off not just a new series, but a “season” of engaging God through the Psalms. Many of you have shared this is exactly what you need—to drop the posing and re-engage God in real ways. With the summer’s change of schedule or pace, I pray this series will help each of us cultivate a rhythm of personally engaging God smack-dab in the middle of your “season.” The Psalms can help you do that.

As the book of Psalms demonstrates so well, prayer does not mean retreating away from life, but rather bringing the stuff of our world—the rhythms of nature, harassing problems, disturbed emotions, personality conflicts—before God, then asking for a new perspective and new energy to take back into that world.
I found that the Psalms broadened my notion of prayer by taking more risks, demanding more of the relationship,expressing more passion. In short, they exposed the shallowness of my own prayers and challenged me to engage with God at a deeper level. ~Philip Yancey in Prayer

Here’s what I’m inviting you to endeavor with us: Each Sunday’s message will take us through a psalm that will kick off a week of Psalms’ readings that give voice to that “season” of life. So, one week may help you engage God in the “Dry Times.” Another week may help you engage God when you’re “on the mountaintop” and the next week you find yourself “in the valley.” God desires a vibrant, rich relationship with us, which includes all the seasons of life. It’s not much of a relationship if I engage Him only during the “good” times or when “life slows down.” Join us in engaging the “living God” right in the midst of the season you’re in. And wherever you are, there is a psalm for that.

Clinging to Him in my season,

Buddy Liles
Lead Pastor