Wednesday... We love to be praised, don't we?

But did you know that praise is a test?

Proverbs 27:21 (AMP) says, "The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold [to separate the impurities of the metal], and each is tested by the praise given to him [and his response to it, whether humble or proud]."

Yes, praise is a test. And we don't like tests but we need to see that they are necessary for our growth. They tell us what we need to work on. And for sure, pride is something we need to work on, isn't it?

Now the wisdom of God in sending his son to this earth as an example was great. The human part of Jesus was tested. The CEV says 27:21 this way, "Gold and silver are tested in a red-hot furnace," and Jesus was definitely tested in the fire. He was always being tested. There was always someone in the crowd that was ready to tear what he said apart.

Do you find that true in your life? Well it was true in Jesus' life. He was always being tested and he handled it, didn't he? He showed us that it is necessary in our growth. We too need to be refined by things not always going the way we want them to go.

Now the last part of the verse in the CEV says, "but we are tested by praise." and that was also true of Jesus.

Jesus said in John 7:18 (NLT), "Those who speak for themselves want glory for themselves, but a person who seeks to honor the one who sent him speaks truth, not lies." Praise shows who we are doing what we are doing for. Pride shows it's for us and humility shows it's for God. Yes, praise is a test. It really is.

Proverbs 27:21 in the NLT says, "Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but a person is tested by being praised." Just a reminder, we are doing what we are doing for God and his glory. And praise is a test. Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning

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Friday... Yes, we need them. We really do

Psalm 8:3-4 (NLT), "When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers - the moon and the stars you set in place - what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?" Friday... Yes, we need them. We really do. No, not the fact that I can go out my front door and look out at night at the marvels of the sky. I can do that and it is amazing and it takes my breath away each time I see it. Yes, that is a fact but the reality of who did that and the wisdom and the faith that I have to believe that and to marvel that the one who did that cares about me makes such a difference in how I live my life. Yes, God really does. That is so wonderful for us to believe. And that is why faith and wisdom are so important. Now whatever belief you have at how that marvel happened must also be believed through faith. And the sad thing to me is that more and more people have been taught that there is no God and therefore he did not have a h...

Monday... Three ifs and two thens. They go together!

Monday... Three ifs and two thens. They go together! They really do. And this is what caught my attention this morning as I was reading Proverbs 2. Verse 1 (NRSVUE) says, "My child, if you accept my words and treasure my commands within you." Verse 3 (NIV), "Indeed i f you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, Verse 4, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, Verse 5, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God." And verses 9-11, " Then you will understand what is right and just and fair - every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you." There will always be some effort we must do, some ifs for the thens to be realized in our lives. So many of us want to understand without the ifs. But the thens are so worth, so very worth the effort. Verses 5-6 in the Ampli...

Wednesday... Our unless can turn into useless.

Wednesday... Our unless can turn into useless. It really can. I have found that unless I give the correct email of my wife then I can't get what I wanted. I put an extra i in her email and I have been working for 5 days to get it changed. Unless has been useless. The writer of Psalm 94 uses this word and shows how important it is. Verses 17-19 (NLT) says, "Unless the Lord had helped me, I would have soon settled in the silence of the grave. I cried out, 'I'm slipping!' but your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me. When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer." "Unless the Lord had helped me." So many people go on and on and on striving to live their life on their own but they keep slipping and doubting and living without hope and cheer. Yes the Lord has such unfailing love for us, he really does but unless we have a relationship with him and we turn to him and ask him for help then the unless turns in to useless because h...

Todays Beginning

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