Scripture.

"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people."

-Proverbs 14:34 NKJV

"Every word of God proves true. He defends all who come to him for protection."

-Proverbs 30:5

"It is impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible."

-George Washington

"The whole inspiration of our civilization springs from the teachings of Christ and the lessons of the prophets. To read the Bible for these fundamentals is a necessity of American life."

-Herbert Hoover

"In regard to this great book. I have but to say, it is the best gift God has given to man. All the good Savior gave to the world was communicated through this book. But for it we could not know right from wrong. All things most desirable for man's welfare, here and hereafter, are to be found portrayed in it."

-Abraham Lincoln

"Hold fast to the Bible as the sheet-anchor of your liberties; write its precepts in your hearts and practice them in your lives. To the influence of this book we are indebted for all the true progress made in true civilization, and to this we must look as our guide to the future. Righteousness exalteth a nation; but sin is a reproach to any people."

-Ulysses S. Grant

"If we abide by the principles taught in the Bible, our country will go on prospering and to prosper; but if we and our posterity neglect its instructions and authority, no man can tell how sudden a catastrophe may overwhelm us and bury our glory in profound obscurity."

-Daniel Webster

"The Bible is worth all other books that have ever been printed."

-Patrick Henry

"The Bible is a book in comparison with which all others in my eyes are of minor importance; and which in all my perplexities and distresses has never failed to give me light and strength."

-Robert E. Lee

"It was the Lord who put into my mind (I could feel his hand upon me) that fact that it would be possible to sail from here to the Indies. All who heard of my project rejected it with laughter, ridiculing me. There is no question that the inspiration was from the Holy Spirit, because He comforted me with rays of marvelous inspiration from the Holy Scriptures."

-Christopher Columbus

"The meaning of the Bible must be known and understood if it is to make a difference in our lives, and I urge all Americans to read and study the Scriptures. The rewards of such efforts will help preserve the heritage of freedom and signal the message of liberty to people in all lands."

-Ronald Reagan

"I have made it a practice every year for several years to read through the Bible."

-John Adams

"The Bible is God's chart for you to steer by, to keep you from the bottom of the sea, and show you where the harbor is, and how to reach it without running on rocks or bars."

-Henry Ward Beecher

"Our faith is not dependent upon human knowledge and scientific advance, but upon the unmistakable message of the Word of God."

-Billy Graham

"In this age of space flight, when we use the modern tools of science to advance into new regions of human activity, the Bible . . . this grandiose, stirring history of the gradual revelation and unfolding of the moral law . . remains in every way an up-to-date book. Our knowledge and use of the laws of nature that enable us to fly to the Moon also enables us to destroy our home planet with the atom bomb. Science itself does not address the question whether we should use the power at our disposal for good or for evil. The guidelines of what we ought to do are furnished in the moral law of God. It is no longer enough that we pray that God may be with us on our side. We must learn again to pray that we may be on God's side."

-Wernher von Braun

"Every word of God proves true." What a treasure we have in the Bible. The men who founded America and the great men who shaped America knew the value of the Scriptures. The Proverbs often compare wisdom to gold and silver: "Happy is the person who finds wisdom and gains understanding. For the profit of wisdom is better than silver, and her wages are better than gold. Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her" (Proverbs 3:13-15). Oh, the value of wisdom and, oh, the worth of our search for it.

Here at our house we have no rubies for which to search. We may have a silver serving tray (wedding gift from 1967) and our gold is very limited: my wedding band and Margaret's wedding ring, both purchased at Wright Patterson Air Force Base for $9 and $92 respectively. We do have a rooster however.

This is not just a rooster. This is the rooster: Solomon. Solomon is the defender of the chicks. He has his nine wives and is the equivalent of a Navy Seal when it came to protecting them. He is so good at this homeland security stuff that he has our grandkids sneaking through the woods and running through the yard to get to the house before he spots them. Margaret's time to get from the car to the house has been cut to an Olympic record. He's bad . . . but he's good at being bad. That's what God designed him to do.

Solomon disappeared last Tuesday. When I closed the door on the chicken coop Tuesday evening and took roll call, only nine of the ten inhabitants were present and accounted for. Nine hens, "present." One rooster, "absent." Well when a rooster or hen doesn't show up at the end of the day we all know what happened: it has joined the ranks of KFC or Chick-fil-A for some sneaky critter who by now was lounging in the woods burping chicken feathers. I knew Solomon was gone. Another rooster could easily be purchased but Solomon could not be replaced.

Wednesday morning I walked through the woods looking for a pair of white chicken legs and a pile of feathers. I walked by the creek and through the woods trying to figure out where I would eat chicken if I were a fox or raccoon. I didn't do a very good job because I came up featherless. My excuse was . . . fifteen acres is a lot of ground to cover.

Wednesday afternoon while outside with Ryan and Drew, two of our grandsons, I thought I heard a rooster crow. I said, "Ryan, Drew, did you hear that? That sounded like Solomon!" Sure enough, we heard it again. I have heard Solomon's crowing enough that I could tell it was him. He was out there, across the creek, in the woods somewhere. We crossed the creek and just as we started looking, Solomon quit crowing. Every time we heard the crowing, we went searching. I even went out at night with a flashlight, looking up into the trees hoping to find this prodigal rooster. No luck. I was encouraged because I knew Solomon was still alive . . . for now. The longer he was in the woods at night the fewer his chances of survival.

Early Thursday mornings I meet with a friend, Olan Miller, and we pray together. On the way home from Olan's house I get a phone call from Carey, my daughter, and she said, "Dad, I'm in the woods looking for Solomon. I hear him crowing." I told her I'd be home in about five minutes and would join the search . . . again. When I got home, Carey was about forty feet away from the chicken house but across the creek. Solomon crowed again and Carey said, "He sounds like he's under the chicken house." I checked and he wasn't.

I said, "No, it sounds like he's out in the woods behind you." After a long search I found no Solomon so I headed back to the creek to cross over to the chicken house side. Then I heard Solomon crow again. I thought, "He's over there by the chicken house somewhere! Where? I bet he's somewhere in that tree by the chicken house." He wasn't.

Standing on the bank, about twelve feet above the creek, Carey and I both heard Solomon crow again and we immediately looked at one another and said, "He's down there!" I climbed down into the creek and heard Solomon crowing up in the ground! It seemed like the more we talked, the more he crowed. We located the hole where the crowing was coming from. We think he accidentally fell into the creek and being a non-swimmer, luckily got out of the water and climbed up into a washed out hole, probably for refuge while the creek waters were high, and stayed there, most likely for all three days! Carey went for a camera, a flashlight so we could see up into the hole, and some pruning shears so we could cut roots away from the hole to allow me to see where he was. Carey came back, climbed down into the creek, and by the time she had the camera ready, two white chicken legs appeared in the hole. He was dirty, a little thinner than before but still his loud, pushy, rooster self. (Jessica Webber said Solomon would not have been lost as long but, like most males, he wouldn't ask for directions!) I picked up Solomon, carried him to the chicken coop, released him, he crowed and immediately began chasing the hens! The rooster was back!

You're most likely asking yourself, "Okay, what does that have to do with wisdom?" Simply this, each time I was walking through the trees and thorns and ferns in the woods looking for a chicken, I kept asking myself, "What if I searched the Scriptures for wisdom like I'm searching the woods for one rooster?" Wisdom is worth more than gold and silver and for sure, it's worth more than one loud rooster.

I also realized that what I was searching for was less than forty or fifty feet from where I was standing. I walked through those acres of trees at least eight times looking for something that was literally right there under my feet. Wisdom is not far away. Take a seat on the couch, grab the Bible, ask God for it (James 1:5), and read. It's easier than finding a rooster!

Quieter too!

Trapped!

"All right, stone her. But let those who have never sinned throw the first stones."

-Jesus (John 8:7)

". . . you may be sure that your sin will find you out."

-Numbers 32:23

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

-Romans 6:23

"Two things never live up to their advertising claims: the circus and sin."

-Anonymous

"Sin takes you further than you want to go, costs you more than you want to pay, and keeps you longer than you want to stay."

-Anonymous

"Evil people are trapped by sin, but the righteous escape, shouting for joy."

-Proverbs 29:6 NLT

Whenever I think of a Biblical person trapped by sin, I think of a man named Achan. "But Israel was unfaithful concerning the things set apart for the Lord. A man named Achan had stolen some of these things, so the Lord was very angry with the Israelites" (Joshua 7:1).

After Joshua's victory over Jericho, the small town of Ai seemed like a military piece of cake. Joshua chose a team of about three thousand warriors for this mission and, surprisingly, they were soundly defeated and thirty-six of his troops were killed. Joshua knew there was sin in the camp so he called the tribes of Israel together and singled out this man, Achan.

"Then Joshua said to Achan, 'My son, give glory to the God of Israel, by telling the truth. Make your confession and tell me what you have done. Don't hide it from me.'

"Achan replied, 'I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. For I saw a beautiful robe imported from Babylon, two hundred silver coins, and a bar of gold weighing more than a pound. I wanted them so much I took them. They are hidden in the ground beneath my tent, with the silver buried deeper than the rest'" (Joshua 7:20-21).

You probably know the rest of the story, the stolen items were recovered, laid out before Joshua and the Lord, and Achan and his family were executed, because of Achan's sin against the Lord. Achan was trapped in his sin and the price was death: "The wages of sin is death . . ."

Looking at this passage of Scripture, I see several principles about sin and the trap it sets for those who are lured by its bait:

1. Sin will single you out! " . . . Achan was singled out" (v. 18). We can be sure our sin will find us out. Sin can be hidden but, sooner or later, it surfaces. It did in Achan's life. It did in David's life! Remember David's confrontation with Nathan the prophet after David stole Bathsheba from Uriah the Hittite? David, "You are that man" (2 Samuel 12:7)! ". . . you may be sure that your sin will find you out."

2. Every sin is against the Lord! "Achan replied, 'I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel'" (v. 20). We may think we sin against others but our sin is against God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

3. Sin progressively gets worse! "For I saw . . ." progressed to "I wanted . . ." and finally to ". . . I took . . ." (v. 21). That's exactly what happened to David when he saw, wanted, and took Bathsheba. Sin progressively gets worse.

4. Sin will be revealed! "They are hidden . . ." (v. 21). "They laid them on the ground in the presence of the Lord" (v. 23). They were hidden! Now they are revealed . . . and Achan is guilty. Jesus said, "There is a time coming when everything will be revealed; all that is secret will be made public" (Luke 12:2).

5. Sin affects others! "And all the Israelites stoned Achan and his family . . ." (v. 25). The wages of sin are passed on to family and friends. Let's not be fooled into thinking sin only affects the sinner.

6. Only after we deal with sin will we know victory (Joshua 8). Joshua and the Israelites did take Ai as God intended, but only after dealing with sin. "But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong" (1 John 1:9). For that we can shout for joy!

"Evil people are trapped by sin, but the righteous escape, shouting for joy."

We need to be shouters!

PLEASE NOTE: Tomorrow will be the final post for Bi11boards. Thank you for your encouragement. God bless!

Greed.

"It is difficult to save money when your neighbors keep buying things you can't afford."

-Anonymous

"You can't sell the cow and have the milk too."

-Anonymous

"He that serves God for money will serve the devil for more of the same."

-Anonymous

"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul."

-Jesus, Mark 8:36 NKJV

"A greedy person tries to get rich quick, but it only leads to poverty."

-Proverbs 28:22

Have you ever made a list of what you would do if you won a million dollars? I have. I have friends who need cars, houses, and could use an anonymous gift of several thousand dollars. It would be lots of fun secretly giving money to meet needs in the lives of these friends. I would hope that an all-of-a-sudden-financial-landslide would not change me. I would hope that it would make me more generous and not greedy. Unfortunately, lottery winners who come into the big, big bucks often become some of the biggest losers in the financial arena.

Not very many people win the lottery, but of those who win, many lose all their winnings and end up with less money than before they won. Some winners were simply foolish, some were greedy, some had greedy relatives and friends, and some fell prey to thieves and crooks. Here are some of the stories of people who won the lottery then lost it all:

William Post - In 1988, William won $16.2 million in the Pennsylvania lottery but now lives on his Social Security. Post's former girlfriend sued him for a share of his winnings and one of his brothers was arrested for hiring a hit man to kill him, hoping to inherit a share of the winnings. His relationship with his other siblings was also strained and he spent some time in jail. Within a year, he was $1 million in debt and eventually declared bankruptcy. He now lives on only $450 a month and food stamps.
Willie Hurt - In 1989, Willie Hurt of Lansing, Mich., won $3.1 million. Only two years later he was broke and charged with murder after spending his fortune on a divorce and crack cocaine.
A Southeastern Family - In the early 1990s, a Southeastern family won $4.2 million. In almost no time nearly all of their winnings were spent on a huge house, cars, and various requests from family members. They bought a huge house and succumbed to repeated family requests for help in paying off debts. Eleven years after winning, the couple got divorced, the house was sold and what was left of their lottery winnings had to be split.
Kenneth and Connie Parker - Kenneth and Connie won a $25 million jackpot and quickly watched their 16-year marriage disintegrate just months after they became rich beyond their wildest dreams.
Jeffrey Dampier - Jeffrey won a $20 million jackpot and was then kidnapped and murdered by his own sister-in-law who hoped to inherit the winnings.
Jack Whittaker - On Christmas morning 2002, Jack found out he had won the Powerball lottery jackpot - $315 million - the largest individual payout in US lottery history. Though he began with intentions to do good with his winnings, his world quickly fell apart with the death of his granddaughter Brandi from a drug overdose which was funded by her allowance from Whittaker and the breakup of his marriage. Whittaker did give money to churches and to people who were in need but was soon bombarded with lawsuits, thievery and greed. He turned to drinking as he watched what he called the "powerball curse" destroy his life.

Winners? Probably not. I'm sure there are some who win the lottery who experience life as normal afterwards but these folks experienced greed and tragedy afterwards. Their greed and the greed of others only led to poverty. "A greedy person tries to get rich quick, but it only leads to poverty."

Jesus said, "Don't store up treasures here on earth, where they can be eaten by moths and get rusty, and where thieves break in and steal. Store up treasures in heaven, where they will never become moth-eaten or rusty and where they can be safe from thieves. Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be" (Matthew 6:19-21).

Jesus also said, "If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving--large or small--it will be used to measure what is given back to you" (Luke 6:38).

Greed doesn't make us wealthy. Greed makes us poor.

Keeping doesn't make us wealthy.

Giving does!

Friends.

"I misplaced our Christmas list. Now I haven't the slightest idea who our friends are."

-Anonymous

"To a friend's house the road is never long."

-Dutch Proverb

"Prosperity makes friends and adversity tries them. A true friend is one soul in two bodies."

-Aristotle

"I am wealthy in my friends."

-William Shakespeare

"He is a good friend who speaks well of me behind my back."

-Anonymous

"Friendship is like a bank account. You can't continue to draw on it without making deposits."

-Anonymous

"A true friend walks in when the rest of the world walks out."

-Anonymous

"Never abandon a friend--either yours or your father's. Then in your time of need, you won't have to ask your relatives for assistance. It is better to go to a neighbor than to a relative who lives far away."

-Proverbs 27:10

"A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need" (Proverbs 17:17).

"There are 'friends' who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24).

"As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend" (Proverbs 27:17).

Here's one of my favorites:

"Wounds from a friend are better than many kisses from an enemy" (Proverbs 27:6).

What is a friend anyway? The dictionary says a friend is, "a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically exclusive of sexual or family relations." We know, for sure, that a friend is some we know, like, encourage, and who feels the same about us.

Let's face it, we need each other. If life is going to work for us, we've got to support, relate, respond, forgive, forget, confront, love, accept, tolerate, hug, help, encourage, and understand. Those are all things we need from others but those are all things we need to also give to others.

Here's a good word about relationships, friendships, from Romans:

"Don't just pretend that you love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically.

"Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful. When God's children are in need, be the one to help them out. And get into the habit of inviting guests home for dinner or, if they need lodging, for the night" (Romans 12:9-13).

What does all that have to do with Proverbs 27:10? I'll show you. I want to focus only on the first four words of that verse: "Never abandon a friend . . ." The rest of the verse simply tells us that it's better to have helpful friends close by than helpful relatives far away. But look again at those first four words, "Never abandon a friend . . ." Those four words are pointed at us not at our friends. They clearly put the responsibility of friendship on us, not others. With that in mind, go back to the Romans passage and check out our responsibilities in never abandoning friends:

1. Let's really love our friends. Let's not be pretenders, fakers, and hypocrites but let's be real. Let's be really real! That means we need to love our friends no matter what. We know God shows unconditional love to us and we know we should love others the same way. We also know how tough it is to do that but we know we must try. Let's really love our friends.

2. Let's confront our friends when they're wrong and honor them when they're right. Remember those wounds from friends and, in love, confront our friends when necessary. Also, let's not forget the pats on the back, hugs, notes, and reminders that say, "You've done good! I love you."

Just a thought: When we are in a friendship for what we can get out of it, we usually will not confront the wrong in a friend's life. Why? Because we do not want to lose that friend. A real friend will confront no matter what the cost.

3. Be patient and prayerful with friends. We don't have perfect friends. As a matter of fact, there are no perfect people so there are no perfect friends and that includes us! Keep your friends high on your prayer lists and be patient as God works.

4. Help! A friend in need is a friend indeed.

5. Be hospitable. Not only should we invite friends into our homes but we should also use our homes as instruments for building new friendships. Love folks enough to spend time with them . . . in our homes.

And why should we do those things? Because people, all people, are important to God and worth the love and loyalty of really good friendships. Even when they don't deserve it or appreciate it. Life is tough enough to do it alone; let's be friends that stick closer than brothers. And let's not forget that those who do not know Christ need friends too. Jesus, our example, was labeled as " . . . a friend of the worst sort of sinners" (Matthew 11:19).

What's important is not what kind of friends we have but what kind of friends we are.

Loyal?

Anger.

"A hot-tempered man gets starts fights and gets into all kind of sin."

-Proverbs 29:22 NLT

"Don't be quick-tempered, for anger is the friend of fools."

-Ecclesiastes 7:9 NLT

"Anger punishes itself."

-Anonymous

"Anger is a bad counsellor."

-French Proverb

"An angry man is again angry at himself when he returns to reason."

-Publius Syrus

"Anger is as a stone cast into a wasp's nest."

-Malabar Proverb

"When a man is wrong and won't admit it, he always gets angry."

-Thomas Haliburton

"A quarrelsome person starts fights as easily as hot embers light charcoal or fire lights wood."

-Proverbs 26:21 NLT

Our world today is simply falling apart. Impatient people with short-fuses driving to jobs they hate so they can make money to pay for things they don't need are constantly on-edge and ready to explode at any moment. Road rage is everywhere. Child abuse is at an all-time high. And anger is everywhere! It's in our schools. At our jobs. In our communities and homes. It's everywhere!

Sparked by anger, violence is not only a global thing, it's right next door. It's at work and at school and on the athletic fields. It's at home! It's everywhere! Teachers are in danger as are students. Gangs threaten our cities. Terrorists are living among us. Wars are everyday news and things are not getting any better.

I read in Charles Swindoll's book, "The Finishing Touch," about this unbelievable act of anger:

". . . the final straw of shock came when I read of the murder of John White in a quiet neighborhood in southwest Cleveland. The killer? A 19-year-old hired by White's two kids. That's right. His 17-year-old son and 14-year-old daughter paid $60 to have their own father killed. The daughter, by the way, waited in another room until the fatal shot was fired.

"Then what? Well, the teenagers paid off the murderer, then hid the body in a back room of the house. After that they used their dad's credit cards to go on a 10-day spending spree. They spent some $2,000 on televisions, video games, bicycles, and other amusements and entertainments. While their father's body was decaying in the utility room, they were cooking meals in the kitchen a few feet away and enjoying themselves in the living room.

"After being caught, they openly confessed the entire, bizarre event. When asked why, they answered: 'He wouldn't let us do anything we wanted.' The dad had angered the kids by trying to enforce an evening curfew and by not allowing them to quit school or 'smoke pot.' So they had him killed."

The apostle Paul, writing to Timothy, penned these words of warning, "You should also know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control; they will be cruel and have no interest in what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God" (2 Timothy 3:1-4).

The words "difficult times" mean, in the Greek, "fierce, harsh, savage, hard to deal with." Today we live in difficult times and anger is much of what fuels the fires. At home and around the world, people are angry and things are ready to explode.

The Bible offers much wise counsel as we deal with anger. " . . . don't sin by letting anger gain control over you. Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a mighty foothold to the Devil" (Ephesians 4:26-27).

"Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:31-32).

It's not always easy but it is always worth the effort.

Even in the midst of all the anger, bitterness, and violence in the world, there is hope. Paul says all this will happen " . . . in the last days . . . ." Jesus is coming again and every day . . . we're one day closer. These days are simply reminders of how close.

Look up!

Lies.

"Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no fibs."

-Oliver Goldsmith

"Half the truth is a lie."

-Anonymous

"One striking difference between a cat and a lie is that a cat has only nine lives."

-Mark Twain

"Sin has many tools, but a lie is a handle which fits them all."

-Oliver Wendell Holmes

"Telling lies about others is as harmful as hitting them with an ax, wounding them with a sword, or shooting them with a sharp arrow.

-Proverbs 25:18 NLT

Seems like the Proverbs are alive with billboards about liars:

"The wicked are trapped by their own words, but the godly escape such trouble" (Proverbs 12:13).

"An honest witness tells the truth; a false witness tells lies" (Proverbs 12:17).

"Truth stands the test of time; lies are soon exposed" (Proverbs 12:19).

"A false witness will not go unpunished, and a liar will be destroyed" (Proverbs 19:9).

"Do not testify spitefully against innocent neighbors; don't lie about them" (Proverbs 24:28).

Lies are deadly weapons that can be found in the same arsenal as axes, arrows, and swords. I believe if the Bible had been written today the list would even include tactical weapons such as we know today. All are deadly. All can hurt, wound, maim, bruise, and kill.

Where do lies come from?

Listen to what Jesus said as he confronted a group of arguing non-believers: "If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. Why can't you understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to do so! For you are the children of your father the Devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning and has always hated the truth. There is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies" (John 8:42-44). Lies are the products of the father of lies, Old Smutty Mouth, the Devil.

Where do lies go?

According to the Proverbs we've read, deadly lies are aimed at the innocent, godly, and honest. Lies are aimed at the truth. Lies are the products of the father of lies and he is the hater of all truth: "He was a murderer from the beginning and has always hated the truth." When we stand for and live the truth we will run headlong into the weapons of the deceitful one.

"Be strong with the Lord's mighty power. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil" (Ephesians 6:10).

"Stand your ground, putting on the sturdy belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness" (Ephesians 6:13).

"In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan" (Ephesians 6:16).

Why do you suppose God instructs us to put on the whole armor? Because we are going to war, not a church picnic! That's why! And the enemy's weaponry includes a full arsenal of lies, often mixed with truth, but still as deadly as axes, arrows, and swords. Where do lies go? Our direction . . . be ready!

How do lies get to their intended targets?

Add the Devil's character to human hearts that are most deceitful and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9) and what do you have? Liars: terrorists ready with axes, arrows, and swords.

James says, "People can tame all kinds of animals and birds and reptiles and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is an uncontrollable evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it breaks out into curses against those made in the image of God" (James 3:7-9).

We, if we're not extremely careful, can pick up the axes, arrows, and swords and wield them against those of our own army: " . . . sometimes it (the tongue) breaks out into curses against those made in the image of God." I've heard it said, "The Christian Army is the only army in the world that shoots its own wounded." Be on guard: Don't become our own worst enemy!

Who are the real fatalities?

In the Proverbs we read I hope you did not miss these phrases:

"The wicked are trapped by their own words . . ."

""A false witness will not go unpunished . . ."

" . . . lies are soon exposed."

Again, in James, "So also, the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness that can ruin your whole life. It can turn the entire course of your life into a blazing flame of destruction, for it is set on fire by hell itself" (James 3:5-6).

The intended targets are often not the real fatalities! It sounds to me like James is telling us, "Your tongue will ruin your life and turn your life into a blazing flame of destruction!" We are assassinating ourselves when we hurl those axes, arrows, and swords at others. Sure, telling lies about others can be harmful to them, but to those who lie it can be suicide.

"For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:12).

We're in a war. Weapons are loaded. Can you see your targets? If the answer is "yes" you are aimed at a wrong target.

Our enemies are unseen.

Hold your fire.

Lazy.

"Laziness is often mistaken for patience."

-French Proverb

"A lazy boy and a warm bed are difficult to part."

-Danish Proverb

"The less I have to do, the less time I find to do it in."

-Anonymous

"Laziness grows on people; it begins in cobwebs and ends in iron chains."

-M. Hale

"The lazier a man is the more he plans to do tomorrow."

-Anonymous

"I walked by the field of a lazy person, the vineyard of one lacking sense. I saw that it was overgrown with thorns. It was covered with weeds, and its walls were broken down. Then, as I looked and thought about it, I learned this lesson: A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest--and poverty will pounce upon you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber."

-Proverbs 24:30-34 NLT

The average American would drive his car to the bathroom if the doors were wide enough! Proverbs bombards laziness. Look at these "lazy" proverbs:

"Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and be wise! Even though they have no prince, governor, or ruler to make them work, they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter. But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep? When will you wake up? I want you to learn this lesson: A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hand to rest--and poverty will pounce upon you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber" (Proverbs 6:6-11). Sound familiar?

"Lazy people are a pain to their employer. They are like smoke in the eyes or vinegar that sets the teeth on edge" (Proverbs 10:26).

"Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave" (Proverbs 12:24).

"Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper and be satisfied" (Proverbs 13:4).

"Some people are so lazy that they won't even lift a finger to feed themselves" (Proverbs 19:24).

"The lazy person is full of excuses, saying, 'If I go outside, I might meet a lion in the street and be killed" (Proverbs 22:13)!

"The lazy person is full of excuses, saying, 'I can't go outside because there might be a lion on the road! Yes, I'm sure there's a lion out there!'

"As a door turns back and forth on its hinges, so the lazy person turns over in his bed.

"Some people are so lazy that they won't lift a finger to feed themselves.

"Lazy people consider themselves smarter than seven wise counselors" (Proverbs 26:13-16).

Even the apostle Paul in Romans 12:11 says about laziness, "Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically." And in his letter to the church in Thessalonica, Paul reminder is strong, "Stay away from any Christian who lives in idleness and doesn't follow the tradition of hard work we gave you. For you know that you ought to follow our example. We were never lazy when we were with you. We never accepted food from anyone without paying for it. We worked hard all day and night so that we would not be a burden to any of you. It wasn't that we didn't have the right to ask you to feed us, but we wanted to give you an example to follow. Even while we were with you, we gave you this rule: 'Whoever does not work should not eat'" (2 Thessalonians 3:6-10).

I'm not sure much commentary can be added to that. It's all quite clear that laziness and serving Christ can not go hand-in-hand. Sure, we need rest and we need it on a regular basis but let's not allow our rest to become laziness.

Too often we do only what needs to be done . . . just enough to get by. According to Matthew 5:38-42, Jesus tells us, among other things, to be "Second-milers."

Let's go for it . . .

again!

Booze.

"Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink."

-Isaiah 5:11

"Much drinking, little thinking."

-Anonymous

"O God! That men should put any enemy to their mouths to steal away their brains."

-William Shakespeare

"Who has anguish? Who has sorrow? Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining? Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? It is the one who spends long hours in the taverns, trying out new drinks. Don't let the sparkle and smooth taste of wine deceive you. For in the end it bites like a poisonous serpent; it stings like a viper. You will see hallucinations, and you will say crazy things. You will stagger like a sailor tossed at sea, clinging to a swaying mast. And you will say, 'They hit me, but I didn't feel it. I didn't even know it when they beat me up. When will I wake up so I can have another drink?"

-Proverbs 23:29-35 NLT

Alcoholism is responsible for 50 percent of all auto fatalities, 80 percent of all home violence, 30 percent of all suicides, 60 percent of all child abuse, and 65 percent of all drownings. Add to those percentages anguish, sorrow, fighting, complaining, unnecessary bruises, bloodshot eyes, the bite of a serpent, the sting of a viper, hallucinations, crazy conversations, staggering, forgetting, and somebody has all the reasons in the world to say, "I'll never touch liquor again." Instead, the Bible says, the drunkard asks, "When can I have another drink?"

"'Come,' they say. 'We will get some wine and have a party. Let's all get drunk. Let this go on and on, and tomorrow will be even better'" (Isaiah 56:12). No, tomorrow and the days after will be even worse and worse.

"Destruction is certain for those who are heroes when it comes to drinking, who boast about all the liquor they can hold" (Isaiah 5:22).

Charlevoix, Michigan has a December festival that is the perfect mix of snow, alcohol, and fast snowmobiles. In the winter of 1996-1997 two brothers attended the festival on the north side of Charlevoix, consumed large amounts of alcohol, and decided to hit another party on the south side of town. Instead of choosing a longer, safer route to the south side of Charlevoix, they decided to take a shortcut across Round Lake which separates North and South Charlevoix.

Round Lake is known for its fast-flowing currents as the water flows through a narrow channel into Lake Charlevoix. This narrow passage is known for having thin or no ice, even in the dead of winter, because of the swift current.

A short time later a woman along the shoreline heard cries for help and through a break in the blowing snow she saw someone struggling in a hole in the ice. She contacted the Coast Guard and the Ice Rescue Team was deployed to the scene.

The struggling drunken young man was rescued and hospitalized where he was warmed and revived. As he was regaining his senses, he asked, "How's my brother?"

"Brother?"

The Ice Rescue Team rushed back to Round Lake where they found a hole in the ice and at the bottom of the lake discovered two snowmobiles, but no brother. Ten days later and still no brother. It was almost two years later when the brother was found, still in his snowmobile outfit.

If you're looking for an example of alcohol and destruction, they don't get much better (or worse) than this!

Let me suggest a way to get drunk that honors and glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ:

"Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you" (Ephesians 5:18). This intoxication will do incredible things in our homes plus place examples of Christ and his church right in the middle of our neighborhoods . . . in our homes.

Hangovers, anyone?

Caution!

"I don't like these cold, precise, perfect people, who, in order not to speak wrong, never speak at all, and in order not to do wrong, never do anything."

-Henry Ward Beecher

"Hasten slowly."

-Augustus Caesar

"A prudent person foresees the danger ahead and takes precautions; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences."

-Proverbs 22:3 NLT

All through history and in all civilizations there are quotes and sayings to remind us of being cautious:

A Malay proverbs advises, "Just because the river is quiet, don't think the crocodiles have left."

The Persians warn, "He who wants the rose must respect the thorn."

"No one tests the depth of a river with both feet," warns an African proverb.

And let's not forget warnings such as, "Lock the stable before the steed is stolen," and "Try the ice before you venture on it."

Now you've got to take a good look at this whole proverb to understand that it is not teaching us to go through life without taking risks. It's not saying that at all. Look at the people God used in the Scriptures who took overwhelming risks: Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt, Noah building a boat, David facing Goliath, Gideon hiding from the Midianites, Elijah praying down fire, Rahab hiding the Jews from the enemy, Ruth lying down by Boaz's feet, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Daniel, Jonah when he got his bearings right, Joseph and Mary, the twelve disciples, Paul, and a long list of others you can find in Hebrews 11.

These were not simpletons who went blindly through life, these were men and women who counted the cost and trusted God, even to the death: "But others trusted God and were tortured, preferring to die rather than turn from God and be free. They placed their hope in the resurrection to a better life. Some were mocked, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in dungeons. Some died by stoning, and some were sawed in half; others were killed with the sword. Some went about in skins of sheep and goats, hungry and oppressed and mistreated. They were too good for this world . . ." Hebrews 11:35-38).

These heroes of the faith foresaw the danger ahead and took precautions. That's why they're heroes! Their trust was in God and even though death was a possibility they decided they would rather die with him than live without him.

On the other hand there are those who chose otherwise: the rich young ruler walked away from Jesus and back to his riches; most of the Pharisees lived legalistically within an arm's length of the Truth that would set them free; Pilate found Jesus not guilty but turned him over to be crucified anyway; and appropriately found in John 6:66, "At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him." These are the simpletons who go blindly on their way and suffer the consequences.

They remind me of the Indiana man who, in 1996, was using his cigarette lighter to check the barrel of his rifle when it discharged and he suffered the consequences. The police said he was cleaning his muzzle-loader because it had been misfiring. He was using the lighter to look into the barrel when the gunpowder ignited, killing him. Once again, these are the simpletons who go blindly on their way and suffer the consequences.

With eternity in mind, there are those who know about Jesus and even serve him but do not know him. John said, "I write this to you who believe in the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life" (1 John 5:13). Why do some people chose to go blindly through life and suffer the consequences?

On May 9, 1980, Margaret, Sarah, Carey, and I still lived in Clearwater, Florida. I clearly remember waking up that morning to hear on the news that The Sunshine Skyway Bridge connecting Pinellas and Manatee Counties had been hit by a ship and one span had collapsed. I remember hearing about the yellow Buick that slid to a stop fourteen inches from the remaining end of the bridge surface. I was told that the men in that car immediately got out of their car, climbed to safety, and began waving their arms to stop other vehicles with passengers headed to certain death. These men saw the danger ahead, took precautions, and now were warning others. Hopefully, there were no simpletons on the bridge that day who avoided the warnings and went blindly over the edge.

The world is full of simpletons today who are headed headlong into eternity without any hope. We who know Jesus have taken the necessary precautions and are safe and secure. What about them? Some will heed the warnings and some will not. We cannot make their choices and stop their cars but we can show them the Way.

Jesus said, "I am the Way . . ."

We know the Way!

Let's show it!

Common Sense!

"Common sense is the knack of seeing things as they are, and doing things as they ought to be done."

-Calvin E. Stowe

"The person who strays from common sense will end up in the company of the dead."

-Proverbs 21:16

Helloooo! Have you ever read package warnings and wondered, "What were they thinking? Were they thinking?" Here are a few somewhat goofy warnings for some products you may recognize:

An automobile windshield cover warns, "Caution: Never drive with cover on your windshield." Hmmmm!

This one is great from a label on children's cough medicine, "Do not drive or operate heavy machinery."

Tesco's Teramiso has this warning printed on the bottom of a dessert package, "Do not turn upside down."

A Pop Tarts warning says, "Warning: Filling May Be Hot When Heated."

Sign at Railroad Station, "Beware! To touch these wires is instant death. Anyone found doing so will be persecuted."

Here's a real winner found in a safety handbook for Cayman Airlines, "If you are seated in an exit aisle and are unable to read this, please ask a stewardess to reseat you."

A windshield washer fluid warning, "Cannot be made non-poisonous."

The warning on a hammer, "Caution: Do not use this hammer to strike any solid object."

A coffee cup warning says, "Caution: Hot beverages are hot!"

A warning on a microwave oven, "Do not use for drying pets."

"Do not use orally." This warning is found on, of all places . . . a toilet bowl cleaning brush.

A hotel shower cap, "Fits one head only."

Christmas lights from China explain, "For indoor or outdoor use only." ????

This is one of my favorites found on Korean Kitchen Knives, "Keep out of children." Ouch!

We certainly do live in a world where common sense is not very common any more. Like the two neighbors who were attempting to trim the top of a hedge between their properties: they decided to use a rotary mower! Yep, that's right! One guy on each side of the hedge holding the mower at the desired height would be simple enough to quickly take care of the job. But it didn't. The mower slipped resulting in several fingers quickly removed from one man's hand, sending him to the local emergency room, and surgery. Common sense? I don't think so.

But as Paul Harvey would say, "And now the rest of the story." The man who owned the mower and lost the fingers, sued the mower manufacturer and won the lawsuit! Why? The judge ruled that the manufacturer should have had written instructions in the operating manual stating: "Warning: This mower may not be used to trim hedges." How did that judge become a judge? Common sense, where are you?

It's also common sense to know that somewhere out there is a creator, designer, and maker of all we see around us. "The heavens declare the glory of God. The skies display his marvelous craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or a word; their voice is silent in the skies; yet their message has gone out to all the earth, and their words to all the world" (Psalm 19:1-4).

"May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth" (Psalm 115:15).

Common sense declares that all we see around us is not the result of two masses of nothing colliding in outer space, billions of years ago, and producing everything! Ain't no way!

Common sense reminds us that there is a God. (Common sense has a little help here from God.) "God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart" (Ecclesiastes 3:11). We know there's a God, we do. It's programmed into our souls and whether we admit it or not, we know.

Common sense also tells us that Jesus is real. I know there are people who do not believe the Bible so forget about the Bible just for a second. Even without the Gospels, even without the Bible, Jesus was an historical figure.

Josephus, a very important Jewish historian of the first century wrote,

"About this time there lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man. For he was one who wrought surprising feats and was a teacher of such people as accept the truth gladly. He won over many Jews and many of the Greeks. He was the Christ. When Pilate, upon hearing him accused by men of the highest standing among us, had condemned him to be crucified, those who had in the first place come to love him did not give up their affection for him. On the third he he appeared to them restored to life, for the prophets of God had prophesied these and countless other marvelous things about him. And the tribe of Christians, so called after him, has still to this day not disappeared" (Flavius Josephus, Complete Works, Antiquities of The Jews, 379).

Remember, this was written by a man, a Pharisee, who was not a follower of Jesus. He was a historian! There are other historians as well who reinforce the life of Christ, his life, and his death: Thallus, Julius Africanus, Tertullian, Phlegon, and others. According to history, Jesus was a real man, had followers later called Christians, was executed surrounded by earthquakes and darkness in the middle of the day, and lived again. Common sense tells me this Jesus was real and he did what the Bible says he did. And he is God!

Common sense tells me that the world needs Jesus. We are in such a mess and things are getting worse ever day! "For all have sinned; and fall short of God's glorious standard" (Romans 3:23). Look around! Things are not getting better. We need a Savior! We need Jesus. "The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?" (Jeremiah 17:9).

"For the truth about God is known to them instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts. From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God" (Romans 1:19-20).

It's common sense!

Procrastination.

"When a man does a household job, he goes through three periods: contemplating how it will be done; contemplating when it will be done; and contemplating."

-Marcelene Cox

"We are all fugitives, and the things we didn't do yesterday are the bloodhounds."

-Prism

"Procrastination is not only the thief of time; it is also the grave of opportunity."

-Christian Clippings

"Procrastination is my sin.

It brings me naught bur sorrow.

I know that I should stop it.

In fact, I will--tomorrow!"

-Gloria Pitzer

"Procrastination is the bad habit of putting off until the day after tomorrow what should have been done the day before yesterday."

-Napoleon Hill

"If you are too lazy to plow in the right season, you will have no food at the harvest."

-Proverbs 20:4 NLT

Why do today what we can put off until tomorrow? That seems to be the motto of today. Do you suppose it's because everyone is so busy that it is absolutely impossible to do all we want to do or are we content to just get by? I grew up in a farming community and I know that there will be no harvest unless there's been plowing and planting . . . at the right time. This verse, however, says nothing about being too busy; it says something about being too lazy. No matter what, too lazy, too busy, or too unorganized, you won't get anything accomplished unless you start.

Procrastinate doesn't even sound like a healthy word, does it? It means, to "delay or postpone action; put off doing something." Why do today what we can put off until tomorrow? Think about this:

1. Forget about tomorrow. "How do you know what will happen tomorrow? For your life is like a morning fog--it's here a little while, then it's gone" (James 4:14). Do it today!

2. No excuses! When we procrastinate we always make excuses:

"I need to think this through."

"I need to get organized."

"I'm not in the mood."

"This is harder than I thought it would be."

"I have other things to do."

"I have plenty of time."

"I work better under pressure."

We've used some of those, haven't we?

3. Count the cost. Procrastination produces, stress, anxiety, guilt, lack of self-confidence, broken relationships, and bad consequences. Will Rogers said, "Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there!"

4. Set some goals. Start small and only do one goal at a time.

5. Beware of too much. Busy doesn't make us successful and it doesn't make us spiritual; it just makes us busy! Learn to say, "No" and do it often. Did you ever notice that God called men and women in the Scriptures to do one thing at a time?

6. Write 'em down. Write down your goals and plans, journal about your accomplishments and completions. Celebrate too! The same planning that seems to take your time will also make more time.

7. Find time, make time, and take time. Use your calendar, schedule your days, and review from time to time. Do a two week evaluation of how you use your time. You'll be surprised!

8. Clear clutter. Organize. I have three major goals right now. They could also be placed in the file, Three Major Miracles! My goals are to clean and organize the garage, clean and organize the study, and clean and organize the basement. These three places are the places I can be the most productive . . . when they are organized. I read in a time management book that the number one culprit for wasting time is . . . looking for lost items, tools, books, etc. I'm King of Clutter right now but that is changing!

9. Get accountability. We need someone reliable to check up on us and our progress. We've got to be honest too . . . and no excuses (See No. 2)!

10. Enjoy the excitement of getting things done on time and for God's glory: "Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than people" (Colossians 3:23).

If we don't plow, we won't harvest. Everybody knows that, even folks from the cities! Truett Cathy, in his book, "It's Easier To Succeed Than To Fail," has a chapter entitled, "You Can't Succeed If You Don't Start." He begins that chapter with these words, "The longest journey begins with the first step. Ahead of each person is a pilgrimage to success, a journey characterized by challenge and adventure."

But who will start? And when?