PROVERBS

Today is Sunday!  I love Sundays!  I slept so soundly last night because I was so tired.  Thank the Lord for a good night of sleep.  Makes me ready for a great day in the LORD!  I'm reading in Proverbs and they are a joy to spend time in.  Some people read a Proverb each day and I can certainly see why that would be helpful.  Here are some of the thoughts that I wrote and underlined in my Bible this morning: 1) GET WISDOM- Prov. 4:7 says:  "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom:  and with all thy getting get understanding."  Solomon asked for wisdom from God and got it.  He also got fame and wealth that he did not ask for.  When we ask for wisdom, we usually get much more than just wisdom.  James 1:5 says: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."  We can ask for wisdom, just like Solomon did, and God is no respecter of persons.  He will give us wisdom too! 2) IN CHURCH BUT BACKSLIDDEN- Prov. 5:14 reminds us that going through the motions does not give us a heart for God.  "I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly."  Here he says he was with God's people, and yet he was almost in all types of evil.  Don't think just going to church will change us, we must have a heart for God and seek His face each day.  We must apply the truths we hear at Church to our personal lives and go forward for God. Later in this same chapter, we see that SIN BINDS- vs. 22  "His won iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins."  He binds himself with his sins!  Sin binds, but the Son of God sets free!!  3) WHAT WOULD BE WISE?  Prov. 11:30 says:  The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise."  Wisdom is sharing the Gospel with others and winning precious souls to Jesus Christ.  Let us all be wise Christians! 4) THE HEARTS OF THE CHILDREN- Prov. 15:11 tells us:  "Hell and destruction are before the LORD:  how much more then the hearts of the children of men?"  God sees Hell and destruction, and because of that His focus in on the hearts of the children!  He wants the children to be saved.  This week we had VBS and saw over 100 children trust Christ as their Savior.  I know that God was very pleased with this and that their was joy in Heaven over the souls that were saved.  Jesus rejoiced!  His heart is on the hearts of the children of men.  He said:  "Suffer the little children to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven."  Wow!!  Nothing is as satisfying as working with children and telling them about Jesus!  Well, I've got to go for now.  May God richly bless you and yours on this fine Sunday morning.  Pastor Mike Mutchler