Today in the Word for September 2-6

Today in The Word

Monday Sept 2, 2019

Do you like things quick and fast? Welcome to the Word with Pastor David. King Solomon has a word of advice for his son in Proverbs 19:2:

 “Desire without knowledge is not good—how much more will hasty feet miss the way!”

 Solomon is saying that we can have excellent intentions and passion but we have got to wed that with knowledge or wisdom. And one thing that does not show much wisdom is to have ‘hasty feet.’ The original language at this point is a combination of three words: haste, insistence, or urging, plus the preposition ‘with or in’ and the noun ‘the foot.’ In other words, ‘insistence with the foot’. If we get in too much of a hurry, we will miss the path.  

Our passion at times can be employed without wisdom. We get in ‘ready—fire—aim’ mode when we get in too big a hurry. We can take off running, but have no clear idea of where we are headed. Frantic motion is not enough. We need to follow God’s guidance if we hope to get anywhere worthwhile. And that may require some thought and patience.

  And that’s the Word from Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.

  Today in The Word

Tuesday Sept 3, 2019 

Do we like things quick and easy? Welcome to the Word with Pastor David. King Solomon has a word of advice for his son in Proverbs 21:5-6: 

“The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor…” 

In these verses Solomon compares the diligent planner with the guy looking for the quick buck. He sees a way to make a bundle if he just compromises his integrity a bit. But the king states that such fortune is unlikely to last. The quick buck is easy come—easy go.

 Many Americans have bought into the myth of the quick buck. They think wealth can be created by the right action at the right moment, rather than by a steady plan. When we think this way, we become more vulnerable to the scam artist offering a ‘get rich quick’ scheme. Many lose their life savings in this way because they have bought into the ‘quick buck’ mentality.  Solomon’s advice in modern language could be: if it sounds too good to be true, that is because it is too good to be true. Better to form a wise plan and stick to it diligently.

 And that’s the Word from David Baker of Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana. 

 Today in the Word

Wednesday Sept 4, 2019

Is there a difference between a squirrel and a grasshopper? Welcome to the Word with Pastor David. King Solomon has a word of advice for his son in Proverbs 21:20: 

“The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down.”

 My folks have a raspberry patch, and I have gulped many of those wonderful berries down, but a week ago, my mom was making raspberry jam in the kitchen. Why? Because she can then enjoy the taste of raspberries in January! We live in a ‘fast food’ mentality in our culture at present. If it cannot be handed to us instantly, we aren’t very interested. And that applies to more than food. Proverbs 20:21 states:

 “An inheritance claimed too soon will not be blessed at the end.”

 Remember the prodigal son in Luke 15 asking his dad for his inheritance before his dad was dead? That is what this verse is warning against. If we develop the thinking that we have got to have it right now, we have adopted a ‘fast food’ mentality. Are we ‘gulpers’ or are we able to lay up stores for a rainy day? Squirrels store up for the long winter. Grasshoppers keep eating green leaves until there are no more and they all turn brown---and then they die.  

Be a wise squirrel and not a foolish grasshopper.

 And that’s the Word from Pastor David of Deer Lodge Assembly.  Join our Wednesday adult Bible Study at 6:30 for more of the Word.  

 Today in the Word

Thursday Sept 5, 2019

Are you often impatient waiting for your turn to speak? Welcome to the Word with Pastor David. King Solomon has a word of advice for his son in Proverbs 18:13:

 “To answer before listening—that is folly and shame.”

 When the conversation is going along nicely, do you find you interrupt a lot? If so, perhaps you have a quick tongue. Most of us can think much faster than someone else can talk, and so we often give in to the urge to interrupt with our excellent advice or solution. But listening is vital. James 1:19 states:

 “…Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry”

 Yet we want to be quick to speak and are often slow to listen. Take a piece of marital advice from me, guys; often our ladies just want us to listen to them rather than to jump in and offer how to fix their problem. They want to be heard more than they need a solution.

 And I would extend that point to all relationships. We jump the gun when we interrupt each other to get in our two cents worth. Listen well first. Your advice might get better, and your relationships may gain ground in trustworthiness.

 And that is the Word from Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana. 

 Today in the Word

Friday Sept 6, 2019

 Are you quick to pick a fight? Welcome to the Word with Pastor David. King Solomon has a word of advice for his son in Proverbs 20:3:

 “It is to one’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.”

 Solomon says fools are always ready to pick a fight. In fact, he tells his son in Proverbs 1913:

 “…a quarrelsome wife is like the constant dripping of a leaky roof.”

 He is saying that a marriage partner who is always picking is really irritating. Are we relentlessly critical of others? Do we steadily offer a better way for everyone else to do stuff? Are we quick to complain about nearly everything? Do we find ourselves doing things alone because others do not measure up to our high standards? If we answer yes to very many of these questions, it is quite likely we have a quick tongue that is regularly looking to pick a fight.

 How about less strife and drama? Stop picking a fight with your loved ones, and start enjoying better relationships right away. If the wisest guy in the world thought it was good advice, maybe we ought to take it! 

And that’s the Word.  You can enjoy more of the Word this Sunday at 10:45 at Deer Lodge Assembly on the corner of 5th and Montana.