Author: Reidland Admin

Proverbs 2:1-12 is an “If-Then” conditional promise; we have a part to play before God delivers the promise. I’ve added “all caps” emphases. Pay special attention to the benefits of SEEKING wisdom in the THEN section!

My child, IF you accept my words
    and treasure up my commandments…
making your ear attentive to wisdom…
IF you indeed cry out for insight,
    and raise your voice for understanding;
IF you seek it like silver,
    and search for it as for hidden treasures—
THEN you will understand the fear of the Lord
    and find the knowledge of God.

THEN you will understand righteousness and justice
    and equity, every good path;
for wisdom will come into your heart…
prudence will watch over you;
    and understanding will guard you.
It will save you from the way of evil…

Don’t just hope for the wisdom you need. SEEK it.

If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you. – James 1:5

Pastor Joe

So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. – James 2:12-13

Mercy is where the rubber meets the road. Do we take God seriously and “love mercy,” which Micah 6:8 declares as God’s requirement? Mercy is practical demonstration of God’s grace. When we are rich in mercy sometimes the gift is criticized as extravagant or foolish. Would we be generous with God’s mercy as God has been toward us? Would we be willing to be criticized for being too much like Jesus?

It’s one of my favorite phrases in all of scripture: mercy triumphs over judgment. May each of us allow mercy to have the victory today, no matter how foolish it may seem to others.

Pastor Joe

Whoever loves a brother or sister lives in the light, and in such a person there is no cause for stumbling. – 1 John 2:10

This simple verse makes a profound connection between 1.) the light we live in when we love our brothers and sisters as Christ loved us, and 2.) our ability to rise above temptation, testing and all kinds of sin (stumbling).

1 Peter 4:8 says: Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins.

So this is the Bible’s Valentine’s Day admonition: Love well! 

Pastor Joe

The Lord said to Moses, ‘Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. I have seen the mistreatment of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their groaning; I have come down to rescue them.” – Stephen before the Council, Acts 7:33-34

In the midst of Stephen’s speech, which concludes by indicting the religious leaders as “stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears,” who are “forever opposing the Holy Spirit,” he recounts God’s faithfulness and the way God acted on the people’s behalf. The God who rescues is often resisted. The God who redeems is often not received (see John 1:11).

And Jesus, who most perfectly reveals God to us, is sometimes rejected, even despised (see Isaiah 53:3). May our oft-reluctant nature yield to God’s goodness and faithfulness today as we say “yes” to the Holy Spirit.

Pastor Joe