Do you want to understand more about The Bible, as a whole?  I believe a key to understanding it is the New Testament. The entire Bible must be read with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus in mind; otherwise, it makes no sense at all.  Going further, you could say that a key to understanding the New Testament is the Gospel of Matthew. It is the most Jewish of the Gospels: it starts off with the most Jewish of all things—a genealogy. Exciting? Really, it can be!  But about halfway through the Gospel, those Jewish people whom Jesus came to seek and save, reject Him in the foulest way.  A key as to why, is found in the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 13.  Previously, in chapter 12, Jesus’ enemies—the Pharisees—claim that Jesus only drives out demons and heals people by the power of Devil; the ultimate rejection of the very Messiah who came to save them. Thus, Chapter 13 starts with, “That day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea.” The sea?  What significance does “the sea” have? Not only did Jesus literally do this–sit by the sea--but the sea is metaphoric language telling us Jesus went out from the house of Israel and is now including the Gentiles in His message and ministry, the Gentiles being referred to as “waters” and “the sea” in other places in Scripture (Jonah, Psalm 144:7, & Rev. 17:15 for example).
Finally, I believe a key to understanding Chapter 13 is verse 33, the Parable concerning leaven hidden in meal.  In Matthew 13, from the Northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus gives the second of three great sermons that are preserved in Mattew. The first, the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), the third, the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24-25), and this one, which we could call the Sermon on the Sea (Matthew 13). In this sermon, Jesus gives us seven parables, the first six of which are grouped in pairs. The parable of the soils and the parable of the wheat and the tares; the parable of the mustard seed and the parable of the leaven; the parable of the treasure hidden in the field and the parable of the pearl of great value. Finally, Jesus ends with the parable of the dragnet. In and amongst these parables Jesus explains to the 12 what two of them mean, and also tells the 12 why He is suddenly preaching in parables. “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”  Let’s be like those who have, and more is given, and they have an abundance, while we look in-depth at Matthew 13 together over the next several months.

Anonymous

November - December, 2023
The Messenger

For the last two years you have been reading this newsletter with teaching from Proverbs. I've written about the fear of the LORD which is the beginning of knowledge (Proverbs 1: 7,) that His Name is a strong tower where we find safety (chapter 18, verse 10) and when we are in right standing with YHWH, we shine so that those seeking for answers, will ask us what is different about us (see chapter 20, verse 27.) But that isn't all that Proverbs teaches us, one is how to recognize abominations to the LORD. In Proverbs 3: 32, "For the froward is abomination to YHWH:..." but what is froward?  This word is not recognized by a computer spell-checker, that means you have to use a dictionary. Oh, my! High school again.
So I went to my Random House college dictionary (1973) and this is what I found. Froward is an adjective.  It is a word that means: perverse or willfully contrary; refractory; not easily managed. If some of these words are strange to you, remember what your teacher would tell you, "look it up in the dictionary." But I found another word used in other translations: devious. It brought to my mind what happened after the creation of man, and how Lucifer (devil, satan) became jealous. Satan thought highly of himself (Isaiah 14: 12 - 15) and tempted man into thinking that he could be like GOD. What I realized that Satan is still tempting today – still devious today -  through those who are forward, those who are rich and powerful, those who are willfully contrary,  even in the church.
There are those in the church who use their spiritual gifts correctly (read Romans 12.) But The Bible tells us that there will be others who think much too highly of themselves, like the Pharisees (Matthew 23: 1 - 12) or Diotrephes (3 John 9-11.)The Bible tells us that those with that kind of a puffed up spirit will also be in the church.  This kind of spirit causes disunity among the brethren. I have learned that we won't always agree as brothers and sisters in Christ; but if the majority is in agreement, then to stay Biblical, even if you might disagree you must still work together in love with your brothers and sisters (read Ephesians).
Jesus is the light of world (John 8: 12) and told us that those who believe Him are also the light of world (Matthew 5: 8-14).   Yet contention between the saints, and a lack of love between the saints, is satan placing a basket over that light. But in the name of our LORD Jesus Christ, we are given the authority to disarm Satan. Declare it to be so in your own life (Eph 6). So let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven (Matthew 5:16.)

~ Guest Columnist

September - October, 2023
The Messenger

"The LORD's light penetrates the human spirit, exposing every hidden motive." - Proverbs 20: 27 NLT.
We are coming to the end of another year studying YHWH's Word (2 Tim. 2: 15). Studying is more than just reading. You write down some thoughts of what you just read, and sometimes even word for word. What has that to do with Proverbs, you ask? I see Proverbs as a teaching manual for parents and their children, for all generations. That's what GOD told Moses to do; write a teaching manual for a king, before Israel entered the promised land. Read Deuteronomy 17: verses 14 to 20.
Yes, that's right! LORD God knew that Israel would eventually want a king, like their neighbors. Well, the great I AM is all-knowing. Sure enough, over three hundred years later, Israel demanded a king (1 Samuel, chapters 8 to 10.) Father God told Samuel to find Saul and anoint him king because GOD knew that Saul was tall in stature. Make the neighbors think twice before attacking. GOD also knew that Saul's self-will would take over in two years; from intruding into the priest's office and incomplete obedience in regard to the Amalekites. Read 1 Samuel 15 to understand what happened. The LORD of hosts through Samuel gave Saul; a direct and distinctive command which Saul failed to do. He even blamed the Israelites, for why he did not follow through with the LORD's command. It seems that Saul's spirit was darken.
On the other hand, Solomon learned many things from his father David and others. When David was nearing death and he wanted to build the House of GOD, but because he was a man of blood, GOD choose Solomon to do it instead. So David had Solomon anointed king and instructed him in governing Israel and how to build the temple; for David had already assembled all the materials needed (1 Chronicles 22 and 28.) After his father's death, Solomon had a dream where the LORD appears and asks Solomon what GOD can give him. Young Solomon asks for an understanding heart to judge GOD's people (1 Kings 3: 5 - 15.)
Father GOD gave Solomon what he asked and more. So do an A-S-K today (Matthew 7: 7); but remember, be humble (Proverbs 16: 19, 20.)

~ Guest Columnist

June - July - August 2023
The Messenger

"And GOD said, Let there be light: and there was light." - Genesis 1:3

In the last Messenger, I wrote about the trip to the Creation Museum and ARK Encounter. How what we saw and experienced there, made us desire to search the Bible deeper. It made me continue my study of Proverbs 20:27. Let's read it again, "The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly." This time, we will learn about the candle. In Hebrew, the word also means lamp and light. I searched in the Strong's Exhaustive Concordance; the other words, looking for the verses that use the Old Testament number 5216. Lamp(s) use that Hebrew word most of the time, and light(s) less than ten times; which explains why different versions will use the other words.
Do you know what I discovered? Solomon isn't the only one that mention using the Hebrew word. Job, in chapter 29 and verse 3 and David (Psalm 18:28, 27:1) for an example of GOD's blessing and in Jeremiah 25:10 for Israel's seventy years captivity. David also acknowledged that the LORD was his lamp, that lights his path (2 Samuel 22:29, Psalm 119:105). Then I came upon these verses in Isaiah, and I realized that they are talking about the light to the Gentiles (42:6 and 49:6) Who could that be? According to Apostle John; Jesus the True Light (John 1:9), He is the light of the world (8:12;  9:5; 12:46).
Messiah Jesus taught that we believers are to be lights to the world by our behavior, our love for each, other as well as our enemies. And to be like the Good Samaritan, giving of our time and resources, not expecting repayment. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16).
Till we meet again, Shalom

~ Guest Columnist

April - May 2023
The Messenger

After Palm Sunday, a group (of which I was one) from Concord Baptist Church took a trip to Kentucky to visit the Creation Museum and the ARK Encounter. These two venues were fantastic, turning on our thinking caps and making us hunger for GOD. I believe that GOD placed the ideas for the Creation Museum and ARK Encounter into Ken Ham's heart and mind for such a time as this. During this trip, I was reminded how GOD created mankind (Genesis 2:7) from the dust of the ground and breathed into him the breath of life. Everything that was created before man, was spoken into existence. The animals were too, but they were also given the breath of life, thanks to the presence of the Spirit (Gen. 1:2). Yet they are different from man, in that they only react and make sounds, while man can reason and speak like our LORD God.

YHWH tells us many times in the Bible that we should think things through and test them against His Word. Paul tells us in his letter to the Philippians, what we should measure our thinking against (4:8); in other words, are we thinking and acting according to GOD? In the Old Testament, men failed to obey GOD's first directive, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air and over the every living thing that moves on the earth." - Genesis 1:28. YHWH did give Adam a command, "Every tree you're free to eat: but not the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." (Gen. 2:17) You know the rest that Eve listened to the snake and disobeyed; and we all die because of their disobedience.
Remember when GOD placed Adam in the garden; one of Adam's first jobs was to dress it and to keep it (chapter 2, verse 15). Let's go forward to chapter 3, when the serpent implied doubt of GOD's benevolence to Eve. What did she say in response? GOD said, "You can't eat the fruit of tree in the middle, You can't even touch it."  What? That's not what GOD told Adam in chapter 2. Where did she get that from? It doesn't make sense, you can't dress and keep it without touching it. Anyone who takes care of anything. knows you cannot avoid touching. In Revelation 22:18 and 19, the LORD God told John to write the warning of what will happen to anyone who adds or takes away from GOD's Holy Word, unless they admit their wrongdoing.

~ Guest Columnist

March - April 2023
The Messenger

We’ve been looking at the Book of Proverbs this past year, the wise worlds of old King Solomon. Were you reading a chapter of Proverbs a day during the months of 2022, and especially during the months that contained thirty-one days? The 31-day months were: January, March, May, July, August, October and December. Wow, seven months, that is a perfect number. We should always read the Bible daily. It contains so much treasure for each one of us, young and old alike, that it makes us want to share it with others, especially with those who do not read it often.

Let's go back to one particular verse right now. It is Proverbs 20:27, and this time, we will use the King James Version. It says: "The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly." (The “belly” was considered the inner-most and most remote part of man, and often was a stand-in for the word, soul. You could call it a synonym, or a euphemism, even).

The spirit of man is a light set up in him; this is what is commonly called the light of nature; it was a bright and burning light at first, but through sin is become a very feeble one; by which men have only a glimmering view of divine things, of God and his worship, and of what he would have done, or not done. By this light we grope after God, with the aim to find Him and know His will. But it is a candlelight at best, when compared to Christ, the true light (John 1:9 and John 3: 19) who shines like the sun as compared to the glimmering and faltering candle. Nevertheless, there is a candle in each one of us, and it is a light set up by the Lord, a candle of His. It comes from the Father of lights, and He is the author and maintainer of it; it is a spirit and understanding which is by the inspiration of the Almighty – see Gen. 2:7.

Yes it needs to be restored and saved by Christ, but it is there, searching all the inward and remote and hard-to-reach parts of us; the thoughts, intents, and purposes of it; which are the things of a man that only the spirit of man knows. By this candle, or light, aided by The Holy Spirit, a person can look into their own heart, the inmost recesses of it, and reflect upon his or her thoughts and schemes, and judge in some measure whether right or wrong. There is a conscience in man, which, unless it has been seared, passes sentence on what is in man, or done by him, and either excuses or accuses. We can thank God for this candle, this light, and then, when we find Christ, we can thank God for His true light in us, helping us to finish the course of this life.
One more note about this light - let's go back to Genesis, chapter one, to the description of creation.

Look at the fifth day when God called into existence the birds of the air and the fish of the sea and the animals that walk across the earth . Then on the sixth day, The Bible says God said something different, when God said; "let Us make man in Our own image, after Our likeness..." Read Genesis 2, it explains deeper what God did, making Adam and Eve. We human beings are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) – made in God’s own image. That is the candle. The animals were not created this way. Neither were the fish or birds – just mankind. Only man got the candle of The Lord. Isn't God wonderful? That is why the spirit of man is the candle of the LORD.

Until next time, peace, Shalom.
~Guest Columnist

 January - February 2023
The Messenger

We are starting a new year – Happy New Year - now let us quickly review some of the past year before we move forward. Early last year, we were reading and studying Proverbs. We noted that it is useful as a training book for parents as they teach their children. Solomon was the wisest man in history, supernaturally endowed with God’s wisdom. That means Proverbs is a treasure trove of God’s wisdom, as given to us by his servant, Solomon.

The purpose of the Book of Proverbs is teaching God’s mind to God’s people. Thus, the words of Proverbs need be passed from one generation to another. A thousand years later in history, I believe that is why our Father God chose Joseph and Mary to be Jesus' earthly parents. Their parents taught them from the scripture, and God knew Mary and Joseph would be faithful to teach the scripture to their family, while Jesus was young. We know that by the time he was 12 years old, His understanding and His ability to articulate His understanding amazed the experts of the Law in the temple. We need to teach our children in a similar way, supplementing what they get at their schools with The Truth from Scripture. Allow me to say more on this.

First; the little ones need to be taught that the LORD God is not somebody to be afraid of. Knowing that we can go to Him when we do wrong and ask for forgiveness; and when we are scared or hurting, His loving embrace gives us confidence. The Bible says over and over that “God is love” and that “God so loved” us. The Bible is one great love letter to humanity. However, there are some people who think that the Old Testament God is an angry God. That is not true. God is the same yesterday and today and forever. Moses, in his last speech to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 32: 6, said, " Do you thus deal with the LORD, O foolish and unwise people? Is He not your Father, who bought you? Has He not made you and established you?" They knew God was love by the loving things God did for them: liberating them from slavery, feeding them in the wilderness, giving them The Promised Land for a home, defending them from enemies, giving them the Law, raising up prophets and warriors to lead them, and more. Many of us had earthly fathers who were somewhat like this: our fathers provided for and protected us, and that was showing love to us. This is why the Old Testament writers that called the LORD God, “Father”, such as David, Isaiah, and Jeremiah.

Second; we teach our young ones to read and then teach them how to read the Bible to learn its teachings. We do this in the beginning by telling them the scriptures in story form, and then later on, by letting them do the reading of the actual words in our presence (they will have questions that we will need to answer), and then...

Lastly;  they will read the scriptures for themselves by themselves, relying solely on the Holy Spirit to interpret the meaning for them. This is how we develop a love for the Scriptures in the next generation. There is so much to be discover about God and how we can live according to God's will. But it is not gotten by videos on a video screen – faith comes by The Word of God. Speaking of Proverbs, read Proverbs 2, all of it, and until we meet again, remember this verse from Proverbs 20: 27 (NKJV): "The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all the inner depths of the heart." Shalom!

~Guest Columnist

November - December 2022
The Messenger

"The Name of ADONAI is a strong tower. The righteous one runs into it and is set safely up
high." - Proverbs 18:10 in the Tree of Life Version. In the beginning of the year I wrote about how we are influenced by our parents and grandparents, even other relatives, teachers and older friends. A good parent trains their children in the right way for their future life
(Proverbs 22:6.) That includes punishing them for being foolish and willful
(Proverbs 22:15; 23:13) but when they get hurt or scared, we pick them up and take care of them. We are their refuge, a place of safety; we are also their example of righteous living. That is why we should pray for God's guidance without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17).

Now I watch as Concord Baptist Church has been changing and growing these last two years.
Father God is working in us, making us into a place of refuge for those searching for Him. We
are becoming a family, a lighthouse in Concord and beyond. I pray that we will continue to
grow and learn. Remember, you should never stop learning. Here's a little tidbit for you. Did
you know that Shem in Hebrew means "name?" That's the name of Noah's oldest son. Isn't
GOD wonderful?

~Guest Columnist

September - October 2022
The Messenger

I love discovering new things, especially in the Bible. That's why I got the Strong's Exhaustive
Concordance of the Bible. I have to tell you – it is a big heavy book. But it is chock full of
biblical scholarship: Greek and Hebrew dictionaries, topical index for The Bible, and the most
comprehensive Concordance of Bible words for easy lookup! I wanted it, in order that I could
discover some of the Hebrew/Chaldee or Greek words, their spelling and definition. Knowing
a little bit about the ancient languages of the Bible gives one a better understanding what the
verses are really saying.

When the new Church Library is finished, I hope you will go in there and look at the wonderful selection of Bible reference books and devotionals helps that we have for you. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance will be one of them. One of the things I was looking up was the Hebrew account in the Old Testament of God’s Ark, the Ark that Noah built. Then July 8th happened! A group of us were blessed to go to the ARK Encounter in northern Kentucky. WOW!

So beautiful - splendid in every respect. To see a life-sized model of The Ark before your eyes, off in the distance was majestic enough. Then when you walk towards it and you enter it – breathtaking! One day is not enough to fully appreciate God's design and Noah's family as they built the ark, as they were mocked by the rest of the world. That is why Pastor Jeff is recommending a longer trip to both the ARK Encounter and the Creation Museum next spring (both museums are quite close).

I'm planning to go. I can hardly wait. I will study some more to prepare myself. Remember when I was writing about having strong confidence in the LORD, our refuge, (Proverbs 14: 26). It wasn't just what I experienced, but what I learned from the scriptures. The witness of Moses when he blessed the tribes before his death, (Duet. 33:27, Ps. 90 and 91). David in Psalms 18, 61 and 144, as well as others. Well, here's a another, "The name of
the LORD is a strong tower, the righteous run into it and are safe," (Proverbs 18: 10). This is
what The Ark was for me. It was a visible tangible real embodiment of God’s holy lovely
strong name!

Noah and his family, and the remnant of animals from the earth, were “in”
God’s huge hand as exemplified by The Ark – the Ark HE caused to be built for that special
mission. Aren’t you glad to be in HIS hands right now, and serving HIM, in HIS church, for the
special mission that we have been given for our own time and place?

~Guest Columnist

July - August 2022
The Messenger

"In the reverent and worshipful fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, and His children shall always have a place of refuge." - Proverbs 14:26 (AMP)

In the last Messenger, I wrote about the LORD GOD being our Father, and the confidence we should have in Him to direct our life - Proverbs 3:5-6, 26. I am grateful for the opportunity to share some of what HE has been teaching me, with you all. HE teaches us by reminding us what we have learned in the past to keep us from sinning. He teaches us by bringing rebuke from other Christians or by God’s Word into our minds, when we sin. He teaches us even in suffering and trials, to train us to be stronger than we would be otherwise. All of this I have experienced in my life – perhaps you can identify with me.

For me, HE mostly brings to mind the scripture verses I have memorized or sung during my lifetime, verses that He gave me during various stages of my life to help me through them:
the good, the bad and the ugly stages, and all points in between. These words of the LORD
encouraged, taught and even brought rest to me; and that is what Proverbs 14:26 teaches us. HE is our refuge. This world is fallen and can never be a true place of refuge. Remember when you were little, your parents trained you in the basic things that you automatically do
now. They disciplined you when you were disobedient. You cried and were afraid, that was when your father would drop to his knee and hold out his arms to you, what did you do? You ran into those loving arms, and he would lovingly held you. That is what God does for His children.

There are so many examples of that in the Bible. So what is our place of refuge? As Psalm 46 starts, "God is our refuge and strength (confidence), a present help in trouble." I would suggest that you read the whole Psalm for yourself. Going further this Psalm says “Be still and know that I Am God.” The story is told of the little child in Sunday School who asked this of God in prayer one Sunday: “God, the Sunday School Teacher told us all the things You do. But Who does them when You go on vacation?” Oh how wonderful to know HE never sleeps or goes on vacation, and HE ever intercedes for us. From my heart to yours: The LORD bless and keep you.

~Guest Columnist

May - June 2022
The Messenger

"Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you," - Exodus 20:12 (NKJV). During the months of May and June, we celebrate and honor our parents as well as those who served our country. Yet we have become lackadaisical and forgetful the rest of the year. We should always show our appreciation and encouragement to all those who are parents; in truth or in love, just like we show to those who serve.

That is why reading Proverbs has been so encouraging, even the ones that contrasts of good and bad, warnings and instructions. Proverbs 14:26 says: In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, and His children will have a place of refuge. In the last Messenger, I wrote about the first half of Proverbs 14:26. As I started re-reading it, I stopped at the words, "and his children..." I had always thought that those words referred to the father figure, like my father. But this time, I felt that they meant someone else, and that someone was God.

So I checked my other translations and by the late twentieth century, the New King James had capitalized the pronouns referring to the Triune God. Guess what I found in the New King James Version; Proverbs 14 :26, "The fear of the Lord is strong confidence, and His children will have a place of refuge." The first mention that we are God's children, those who believe and accept that Jesus lived, died and rose again for us. If you don't believe in what I just said, "search the Scriptures," as Jesus said in John 5:39. Our confidence is in Him, and our life is bound up in Him, if we are truly His.

Do you struggle with not having confidence? You can go buy books about it, hear Youtube videos about it, sit and hear motivational speakers on the subject of confidence – all these are good – but the best thing is something that goes deeper and wider and stronger and broader than any of that aforementioned stuff. What we need is confidence in Him, and then let that confidence be our unshakable confidence in this life. The world tries to make us insecure and not confident, to doubt and be afraid.  Jesus Christ, in us, makes us secure and confident and fearless – if we let Him do so. That is what we really need.

~Guest Columnist

March - April 2022
The Messenger

Prayers – we live and move and breath by prayer. It was an answer to prayer to be able to read
through Proverbs twice – did you read some of Proverbs too? I hope so! And, what a way to end the old year and start the new year. God showed me many things, how about you? For example, I learned that the Proverbs are a syllabus, training manual for parents with their children. Solomon, the wisest man in history, wisely did not pray for riches or power or land but asked God for wisdom, in order to be the next King over Israel after David, and God answered him abundantly (I Kings 3: 5-15). I learned that God does the same for us when we pray for wisdom – see the Book of James, Chapter 1.

In The Messenger January 2022, I listed the verses in Proverbs that had “the fear of the LORD” or a variation in them, (Six of which start with the phrase, “The fear of the LORD…”). Check out Proverbs 14:26 which starts with' "In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge."

So, to get a better understanding of what was being said, I looked certain words up in my 1973 Random House College Dictionary: first Fear (definition 4), reverential awe, esp. toward God; then Confidence (def. 1), full trust; belief in the reliability of a person or thing; and finally Refuge (def. 2), a place of shelter, protection or safety. Wait a minute, remember Proverbs 3: 26 & 27 that I quoted last time. Isn't God good? Oh, wait! He just reminded me of something else. In 1971, my brother's godmother gave me a scripture verse to encourage me.

The LORD God knew I needed a lot of encouragement since I was very shy and graduating from high school, so Aunt Edna took me to the Epistle of Paul, the Apostle to the Philippians. "Being confident of this very thing, that He which begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6).  Thanks be to God!

He desires our praise and full trust because like a loving father, He leads us and strengthens us by taking our right hand with His righteous right hand - (Isaiah 41: 10-13.) So if you find yourself under stress and losing sleep, open your right hand towards heaven and cry, Abba, Father. Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

~Guest Columnist

January - February 2022
The Messenger

Have you ever been reminded of something you used to do, but stopped doing? Pastor Jeff reminded me in December about something I used to do but stopped, when he was preaching about Mary and Joseph. While I was thinking about what must have been special about these two young people, that God would have selected them to be His Son's earthly parents, I wondered about their spiritual upbringing. God used them for a great assignment, and I believe it went beyond Mary and Joseph just being descendants of King David. I believe it went beyond how they acted positively and reacted in faith to the various situations they were confronted with by the Angel Gabriel. What I saw in my mind’s eye was that the generations preceding Mary and Joseph must have taught these two young people to have faith in God, one generation teaching the next, and the next, probably starting with Moses (see Deuteronomy 6:4-9).

From Joseph’s and Mary’s actions and reactions, I saw wisdom and insight, and I realized that their parents probably must have taught them from Proverbs, such Proverbs 3:5-6 which says “Trust in The Lord with all your heart and lean not on thine own understanding; in all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct they paths.” They also must have learned what it means to have the fear of the Lord (see Proverbs 1:7, 29; 2:5; 3:7; 8:13; 9:10; 10:27; 14:2, 26-27; 15:16, 33; 16:6; 19:23; 22:4; 23:17; 24:21; 31:30).

There are so many other topics in Proverbs: wisdom, instruction, understanding, subtlety, knowledge, discretion, learning, and counsel. I have gone through Proverbs many times and found many other things. I would recommend that you do the same, and you will find treasure.
But what did Pastor Jeff remind me of, that I had stopped doing? It was of the time I decided to read a chapter of Proverbs daily, but stropped. Now, there are 31 chapters in the Book of Proverbs. That meant that I could read the entire Book of Proverbs by reading 1 chapter per day, during the months that had 31 days (January, March, May, July, August, October, and December). I was reminded of the time when I read a chapter a day for two years, but...oh, my! I stopped – why? This time, with God's help, I will succeed. I started again on the first day of December - pray for me.

~Guest Columnist