All the Sermons

One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys. ~Proverbs 18:9  I went past the field of the sluggard, past the vineyard of the one who lacks judgment. Thorns had come up everywhere. The ground was covered with weeds and the stone wall was in ruins. I applied my heart to what I had learned and learned a lesson from what I saw: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man. ~Proverbs 24:30-34  He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. ~Ephesians 4:28  One of our kids’ favorite book characters from when they were young was from the Weekly Reader Sweet Pickle series. Her name was Goof Off Goose. She was an expert at avoiding responsibility. She always had a reason for why she deserved a day off, from everything: housework, exercise, anything. If i...

Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy? ~Proverbs 27:4  “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sins of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me, showing love to a thousand (generations) of those who love Me and keep My commandments.” ~Exodus 20:2-6  Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell my people this: “You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven. Do not make any gods to be alongside Me. Do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gold.” ~Exodus 20:22-23  Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare a...

The words of the mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook. ~Proverbs 18:4 The tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in god’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. ~James 3:5-6a; 9-10 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, and rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Be i...

When wickedness comes, so does contempt, and with shame comes disgrace. ~Proverbs 18:3 You rebuke and discipline men for their sin. You consume their wealth like a moth—each man is but a breath. SELAH! Hear my prayer, O Lord, listen to my cry for help. Be not deaf to my weeping. For I dwell with You as an alien, a stranger, as all my fathers were. Look away from me, that I may rejoice again before I depart and am no more. ~Psalm 39:11-13  Godly sorrow leads to repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, But worldly sorrow brings death. 2 Corinthians 7:7  I remember, when our children were young, teaching them to apply the word, “Sorry.” I think most parents know that children need to be taught to apologize. At first, it’s just a word, like a band aid. We pray they also learn the correct attitude that makes apologies more sincere. The child would misbehave, get caught, and, as part of the correction, we would instruct them to say they were sorry. What a blessing wh...

Son, it is not good to punish an innocent person, or to flog officials for their integrity. ~Proverbs 17:26  The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” ~Luke 23:47  Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear. Do not be frightened. But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. ~1 Peter 3:13-18A  Okay, this Proverb is obviously advice from a king to his son, soon to b...

This too is a grievous evil: As a man comes, so he departs, and what does he gain, since he toils for the wind? All his days he eats in darkness, with great frustration, affliction and anger. Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him—for this is his lot. Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work, this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart. ~Ecclesiastes 5:16-20  I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret to being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everythi...

A person with a perverse heart does not prosper. He whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble. ~Proverbs 17:20  Come my children, listen to me. I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. ~Psalm 34:11-14  Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek piece and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” ~1 Peter 3:8-12  Thi...

The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, But the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep. ~Ecclesiastes 5:12 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. (The third soil) ~Matthew 13:22 Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. ~1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 You, O Lord, have filled my heart with greater joy than when the grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. ~Psalm 4:7-8 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven. ~Matthew 6:19-20A Watch out! Be...

A man lacking in judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for a neighbor. ~Proverbs 17:18  Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So, if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? ~Luke 16:10-12  So, probably most of you by now have heard Kathy and I talking about all the work going on at our house. We’re actually just having fun. We do what we can afford and then plan out our next goal, both financially and physically and then move toward it. We kind of like to joke that it’s our governor’s fault. She left Home Depot open instead of Hobby Lobby during the shut-down so, what else was there to do?  Seriously though, Kathy often says that she has a sense that we’re fixing up this house for someone e...

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. ~Proverbs 17:17  Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. ~Proverbs 27:5-6  Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one’s friend springs from his earnest counsel. ~Proverbs 27:9  He who rebukes a man will in the end gain more favor than he who has a flattering tongue. ~Proverbs 28:23  Do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father, and do not go to your brother’s house when disaster strikes you—better a neighbor nearby than a brother far off. ~Proverbs 27:10 Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness. Let him rebuke me—it is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it. ~Psalm 141:5  You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father...

Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent, the Lord detests them both. ~Proverbs 17:15  A false witness will not go unpunished, and the one who pours out lies will not go free. ~Proverbs 19:5  To show partiality in judging is not good: Whoever says to the guilty, “you are innocent”—peoples will curse him, and nations denounce him. But it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them. ~Proverbs 24:24-25  You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. ~Exodus 20:16  Do not spread false reports. Do not help a wicked man by being a malicious witness. Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd, and do not show favoritism to a por man in his lawsuit. ~Exodus 23:1-3  Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuit. Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, and I will not...