Preservatives

Psalm 40:11 (KJV) Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.

(Proverbs 28 also read)

My first reaction to this verse focused on the word “loving kindness” because this is one of my favorite words in the Bible.  But I noticed there was a second element here that was offered as a preservative.  That second element was “truth”.

I often lament about the fact that we can’t find any truth in the different offerings to us in media, social platforms, books, and magazines, and often even in the pulpit.  What David is telling us here is that God offers us the truth that we need but it’s not found in the public square.  The truth we need to preserve us is found in God himself and is expressed to us in His word.

We often come to the questions in our life and try to interpret what the Bible says through our experiences.  What would be more helpful is if we would come to our experiences in life and try and interpret them through what the Bible says.  What are the real preservatives in life?  Think of the food you eat.  You have the preservatives that in theory keep the food itself fresh.  I’m going rotten but in another sense, the food that we eat is what preserves us and keeps us going.

So?  Partake of the truth.  Get a steady diet of it.  Let it preserve you.  

More Angels

Psalm 34:7 (KJV) The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

(Proverbs 27 also read)

I’ve been aware of angels and how they are sometimes sent to guard over us.

Psalm 91:11 (KJV) For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

This is also quoted in Luke. This verse seems even stronger than that.

I like the idea. This verse has them setting up a camp around us.  How good is that?

So?  Rejoice in God’s Providence.  

And God Said

Psalm 29:9 (KJV) The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory.

(Proverbs 26 also read)

I got almost all the way through this chapter before I got the connection.  I think it was the idea of the “hinds”, or deer”, calving that brought it to me.  Remember in Genesis how God spoke things into existence.  He would say things like “let there be light”.  That’s all it took, then we take the passage I believe in Colossians that talks about how Jesus holds everything together and you get this picture of God declaring what things are going to happen and they happen.

So you see this is not just a figure of speech, there is a literal element to it.  If you think about some of the creation accounts of pagan religions, and how to gods would be fighting and one would cut off the others head and man and woman would jump out.  In the Bible is simply a matter of God declaring.  What a difference.

So?  What is God declaring for you today?  Listen carefully or you might miss it.

A Point Missed

Proverbs 25:8-9 (KJV) 8 Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame. 9 Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another:

The KJV and the NASB are a bit different at this point.  If I had read this in the KJV I would have missed a vital point.  Notice that the KJV has “strive” in verse 8 and “debate” in verse 9.  My impression has been that these were two different Proverbs.  Usually in this book verses stand alone, not always but usually.  This seemed like another place where that happens.

Not so fast.

I noticed in the NASB that in both verses the word was “argue”.  I checked my software and the Hebrew is the same in both verses.  With that under my belt I noticed that both verses refer to “neighbor”.  This is an admonition to think before we disagree and to keep our disagreements to ourselves.

So?  It seems to practical but it does not hurt to be reminded of basics.

The Mystery of the Sanctuary

Psalm 27:4 (KJV) One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

(Proverbs 24 also read)

There is no temple today.  If you think about it, there was no temple in the day of David.  Mentions of the temple in this chapter refer to the tent or tabernacle of God.  That is what David meant, so there is a bit of figurative vocabulary involved here.

Take that figurative truth, and transfer it to us today.  I do this on a regular basis.  Anywhere I am, I can call upon the Lord and in a very real sense I will be in His temple, I can be dwelling in His house.  One of the glories of worship is the God allows us to meet Him everywhere.

So?  I am taking advantage of that today.  I hope you are also.  Rejoice in His presence.  

Unexpected Hope

Psalm 22:15 (KJV) My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.

(Proverbs 23 also read)

When you read this verse, make sure you see that it is consistent with its context.  This Psalm tells us that David wrote it.  This is David’s testimony.  Most of this chapter has the same sense that this verse does.  David is not a happy camper.

What is startling to me is that this is the person talked about,

Acts 13:22 (KJV) And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.

I guess what stands out to me is that David, one of God‘s special chosen people, anointed king, writer of scripture, ancestor of the Lord, could know this kind of desperation.

So?  If you’re having a bad day, just keep believing.  Remember David himself had these kinds of days and if you want to look for it, you can probably find Jesus struggling at times also. 

Still a Standard

Proverbs 22:2 (KJV) The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.

One of the unique qualities of Christian nations in the west is that they understand that the common man stands on level ground in front of the cross with those who consider themselves his ruler.  You’ll notice as you read through the Bible there is a total acceptance of the fact that some people will be peasants, and some people will be kings.  Some are rich, some are poor.  Slavery is not condemned because it seems that there are some people, often because of bad choices, who are destined for slavery.  No one wants to be a slave.  Everyone wants to be a king.  Somewhere in between those two polar points is the balance of society.

The point here is that there is a certain dignity in being a human being that supercedes our social structures and class systems.  In the midst of our differences, we are to acknowledge that there is a commonality that comes from being made by God.  This is the basic idea behind the Declaration of Independence which states that all men are created equal.

So?  Remember that that equality begins to decrease the moment you were born.  Some things you can control, some not.  What you can control is the attitude you have between those who are above you on the scale and those who are below you.  

Basics

Proverbs 21:3 (KJV) To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

This is a short verse and has no big theological words yet it is a bit of basic truth that we need to internalize.  To put it another way, attitude is more important than actions.

It isn’t that the actions are not still required.  The sacrificial system was not thrown out by God when He made statements like this.  He was simply pointing out to Israel under the law, and us under grace, that it is our genuine faith that gives feet to our obedience.

So?  Obey.  Live righteously.  Understand that such actions are only of value when rooted in a belief in the God of the Bible and His sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.  

Quality Control

Psalm 20:3 (KJV) Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah.

There are two important understandings here.

The first is to remember our offerings.  And here I don’t think that we’re talking specifically about the temple sacrifices, although that was the focus for the Jews in their day, but even there it goes beyond just the literal legalistic offerings.  Here is to remember.  It is so easy to forget that we serve a living God and we are to serve in a living way.

The second thing that I think is important is to remember that we need God to accept our offerings.  This is a point that is the same for the Jew of ancient Israel or for the Christian today.  God does not look at the ritual.  He’s not impressed that you tithe.  He doesn’t care if you have those old-fashioned medals for attending Sunday school perfectly for 40 years.  He doesn’t care that you have never robbed a bank.  Well yes, of course He cares, but those are not the things that He’s looking at primarily.  He is focusing on your heart and where your heart is.  He wants to know your reason for obedience in going through the rituals.

So?  Be obedient.  That is necessary.  I don’t think it’s just enough to have the right actions.  If you don’t have the right attitude, the right heart, the actions are hollow echoes.  

Hidden Truth

Psalm 16:2 (KJV) [O my soul], thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee;

Psalm 16:2 (NASB95) I said to the LORD, “You are my Lord; I have no good besides You.”

(Proverbs 19 also read)

If you just read this in the King James, you would find it a bit confusing.  It gives you some idea that all the goodness you’ve been building up is given to God and that He’s supposed to treasure it.  He doesn’t.  That is basically true, but it misses the point.

The point is a basic doctrine of Christianity.  If you are Calvinist, you would find it in the concept of total depravity.  For the rest of us were content with such phrases as original sin.  The general idea, though is that we are incapable of reaching righteousness through our own efforts.  Yes, we can rescue kittens from trees.  We can help the old ladies across the street.  We can be honest in our income tax.  All of that is nice but not enough to get us into heaven.  It’s not enough to make it possible for us to stand before the judgment seat of God and expect to be not guilty.

So?  The great truths of Christianity are rooted in the Bible, in the Old Testament.  They’re not new ideas.  We may not understand them because the words of some of our translations are confusing, but they’re still there.  

Introvert or Arrogant?

Proverbs 18:1 (KJV) Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.

I am an introvert.  I do not have a high need for company.  I am quite content in my room with a good book and a bit of music in the background.  That’s my basic personality.  My basic personality was also that of a sinner.  I was rebellious against God.  I was totally self-centered.  I was on my way to hell.

The point is that we are expected to change, grow, respond.  Just as the grace of God saved us from a life of sin and the Holy Spirit enables us to walk in righteousness, it might be a good idea to get out more.  At least that’s what this is saying to me today.  I need to get out more.  I need to interact with other human beings.

On one sense it’s my need.  In another sense, I have a responsibility to share, to give.  I often said that I never looked for a church based on what it would give me but a church in which I could give.  I always wanted to be in a place where my gifts could be used.  Part of the reason why I enjoy preaching so much is that listening to preaching tends to put me to sleep.

So?  Don’t be separated.  Join in.  Share the blessings of who you are.  Share the blessings of what God has made you.  It may be that you have a unique perspective on life with someone else needs to fill in the gaps with in theirs.  

Be a Shelter

Proverbs 17:13 (KJV) Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.

Again a thought crossed my mind as I read this this morning about homes where one person is righteous and the other is rebellious.  How does that apply to such a home?

My mind goes to that passage, I believe in Paul,

(1Co 7:14 KJV)  For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

Stretch it out a little bit and look at things on a national level.  Our country seems to be discarding any kind of moral fiber and heading down the drain.  We are getting fewer and fewer people who seek to be righteous.  At what point is the salt leached out and we are open to God’s retribution?

So?  Keep in mind that the Bible constantly talks about the faithful remnant and it’s very clear that the righteous will always be a minority.  Make sure you’re part of that minority and leave the big issues up to God himself.  

Singular and Plural

Proverbs 16:2 (KJV) All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.

In my first reading of this today, I noticed that “spirits” is plural.  When I read spirits in plural, my mind automatically goes to things like evil spirits and such, but that’s not what this is talking about and the plural is not used for just one word.  I noticed that “man” is singular, but it proceeds by talking about the “ways” of a man which is plural.

During our life, during our day even, we have many different paths that we might go down.  It could be something as literal as the route you take to work.  It could be a plan that you have to negotiate a business deal that day.  It could be considering whether you’re going to run for the Sunday school board.  There are many different paths that we follow each day.

And it’s possible that we can do them with different spirits, different attitudes.  What this is saying is that God looks at the attitude with which we approach the choice.  He’s not concerned primarily with how successful we are or how enthused, but whether we are following the right spirit.

So?  Always ask yourself why you were doing something.  Are you doing it for selfish motives?  Are you truly motivated by a benevolent attitude?  God knows, and I think He assumes that you know also.  

Pimento Pink

Proverbs 15:15 (KJV) All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.

The point of this verse seems obvious so I naturally looked for a contrary view.  I began to ask myself what it means to be afflicted.  I am not the oldest person at my church.  There are a number of people who are constantly brought up for prayer that have been unable to attend for years because of their afflictions.  That is one view but what jumps out at me is the realization that many people who I see weekly are walking with “affliction” on a daily basis yet still face the day with joy.

That made me think that the type of affliction being referred to here is an affliction of attitude.  What you see if often a result of what you think or expect.  Picture going to a paint store to buy some white paint for your living room.  It is almost impossible to just buy white.  I remember something called “Navajo White” that we ended up getting.  Just as there are many versions of white there are many attitudes for today.

So?  Decide not to be afflicted.  Maybe it is possible to be “challenged” instead, or motivated to seek new options.  God would love to work the unexpected with you but often we block His input.

Keep Track

Proverbs 14:5 (KJV) A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.

We see two obvious categories here.  One is the honest and the other is the dishonest.  And the statements seem to be obvious.  My question would be how can you tell the difference if they’re good at lying?

I think one of the ways that we can tell the difference now is by having paid attention in the past.  Has the person been known to tell lies before?  Have they had shady business dealings?  Have they refused to pay legitimate debts that are not written out as official contracts?  Have they repeatedly deceived?

A little bit of thinking in the past can give you great insight into a person’s character.  Of course, if you’re in a situation where you don’t know their past, you are faced with difficult decisions.  Work with what you have.

So?  You’ve heard about a leopard changing his spots.  The same thing is true of a liar.

Which Is It, David?

Psalm 13:1 (NASB95) For the choir director. A Psalm of David. How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?

Psalm 13:5 (NASB95) But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.

(Proverbs 13 also read)

All right, which is it?  These verses are just lines apart and yet they express totally opposite thoughts.  At the beginning, you have David complaining because God has forgotten him whereas later he is rejoicing.  Again I ask, which is it?

I’m sure it’s both.  We can go through quick cycles in our emotions.  Maybe this chapter is here to remind us of that.  I think of a missionary who wrote about how it seemed like the heavens were as brass.  She felt like God was not there and not listening.  I can’t remember how she worked through it, but I think it probably was based on the fact that she switched her mode from feelings to faith.

I know what it is to be down and out.  I have struggled with depression.  In my case, since it was probably what you would call a light depression, I finally realize that it was just an emotional issue of feeling sorry for myself.  In my case, it was a matter of getting my eyes on God and trusting in who He was.  I think maybe David was going through that.

So?  If you are in clinical depression, seek professional help.  Having said that, most of us go through times of mild depression, which can be dealt with simply by getting back on the path of faith and trust.  God will meet us and love us.  

Throne Location

Psalm 11:4 (KJV) The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.

(Proverbs 12 also read)

There are some people who are fixated on the temple being rebuilt in Jerusalem as part of the end times.  They tend to also think of God’s throne being located in that temple.  They base their thinking on the mercy seat and the tabernacle which is described in the Old Testament.  I don’t think it’s realistic to think that the presence of the Creator of the universe could confine Himself to one spot in a tent or a building.  I think the idea was that that was the touch point where He met with His people.

This though seems to indicate that the location of God’s actual throne is in heaven.  I think it also indicates that in the end times if there is a temple, it will be in heaven.  Of course we have to deal with the fact that the apostle Paul talks about us being God’s temple as the Holy Spirit resides in us, but that’s a discussion for another day.

So?  When you think of the ultimate location of the throne of God and the temple of God, think of it in heaven, not in Jerusalem.  

Wishful Thinking

Psalm 10:13 (KJV) Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.

(Proverbs 11 also read)

This chapter in Psalms almost seems like it’s written by someone who is skeptical about the existence of God and very off target when it comes to the character of God.  It starts by accusing God of being far away.  It doesn’t work that way.  The one who has moved far away is not God, but the hesitant believer or the blatant denier.

Then we get down to this verse, which puts a target on the problem.  There are many people in the world who don’t think that God is paying attention.  The KJV here says that God will not require it.  The meaning of the word has the connotation that God is not going to look deep enough to know that there’s a problem.  It seems to assume that God is ignorant or negligent.  I would not count on that.

So?  Accept the fact that God is paying attention.  Accept that God is not going to turn his back on sin or evil.  Ultimately there would be a price to pay.  He is willing for you to trust in Jesus and let the blood of Jesus pay that price, but if not, His wrath will descend upon us.  Don’t live in denial.  

Start with a Name

Psalm 9:10 (KJV) And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

(Proverbs 10 also read)

I have been slowly working through the book of Revelation and trying to understand what it’s saying.  It is an uphill grind.  The book of Revelation specializes in hiding its meaning.  Here I find a refreshing reminder of who God is and how He works with us.  Notice that there is a promise here.  It promises that God will not forsake us if we are seeking him.

But notice the condition of this promise:  We must be people who know His name.  Names were important in the period of the Old Testament.  They told you something about the person.  They laid a foundation for a relationship.  You might give different people different names and only tell your real name to an inner circle.

We see that in this verse, God has given us His real name.  In our translations it comes across as “LORD”.  Turn back to Exodus and remind yourself of how God said that this was His name and how that comes across as meaning, “I am”.  God exists.  The essence of His name is that He exists.  We are required to know that.

So?  Do you know that God exist?  Have you reached out and trusted in him?  He has promised not to forsake you.  He is.  He was.  He will be.  

First Step

Proverbs 9:4 (KJV) Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,

It occurred to me this morning that possibly the first step in gaining wisdom is to realize you need input from outside yourself.  I noticed that this is wisdom calling out here and accusing us of being simple.  Actually, as I have read this in the past I have breezed over it because I have not considered myself one of the simple.  Maybe that’s a first step that I need to grasp, or take, if that’s more appropriate.

As a skeptic, I asked a lot of questions.  You can ask stupid questions because you’re not listening.  I’m sure that I have my times when I do that, but most of the time I ask questions because I am listening.  Not only am I listening, but I am remembering things that I’ve heard and read before.  I like to think that most of my questions are based on either a lack of knowledge about something or a perceived inconsistency that I want to resolve.

So?  I plan on continuing to ask questions but I need to begin to assume, as a starting point, that I am not the wise one.  I need to be careful not to try to play “gotcha”.  

Priority

Proverbs 8:17 (KJV) I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

I first read this in the NASB which says to “seek diligently”.  I found myself again wondering how that relates to “early” in the KJV.  The general idea is that when you get up and get started, that is when you seek God, not when the day is over or when you’re in the middle of trouble.  It brings to mind a New Testament scripture,

(Mat 6:33 KJV)  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

I think this is about priorities.  It tells us what our priorities should be in planning our day.  It’s not saying that you can’t find God if you wait until the crisis, or until you’re tired, or in the midst of chaos, but it is pointing out that the best way to know who God is, and what that means for your life, is to seek Him first.

So?  Start your day with a good spiritual breakfast.  Think in terms of tangents and vectors.  A small variation at the beginning of a line can make a massive difference when it arrives on target.

Gotcha

Proverbs 7:12 (KJV) Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)

One of the games that we are constantly playing at my house is “gotcha”.  What this consists of is my grandchildren sneaking up on me as I am working at my desk or reading in my chair and making me jump.  That’s the normal.  At other times by coincidence I am situated where I can get them.  And as they say, “A good time was had by all.”

I noticed that after they have jumped me, I get cautious about walking through the house.  There are a number of corners, as I mentioned in this verse.  They might lay in wait around any of them.  There’s a way you can approach a corner without getting startled.  First of all, you have to be aware that you’re coming to a corner and that you need to be alert.  In life that’s where most of us err.  We don’t stop to think.  We get preoccupied.  If we think about it, we can situate ourselves so that we can at least have a glimpse of what’s around the corner before we get there.

So?  Evil is out to get you.  Accept that.  Be aware.  God is out to keep you from getting gotten.  Except that.  Be aware.  Rejoice.

A Surety Thing

Proverbs 6:1 (KJV) My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,

I know I don’t need to remind you of what this is saying.  Then again, maybe I do.  This goes beyond irresponsible spending on ourselves and gets to the point where we step forward and help someone else spend irresponsibly.

If we are looking at a neighbor or a friend who is in genuine need then we have a responsibility to help.  That doesn’t mean guaranteeing loans.  It might mean a gift of cash.  It might mean a box of groceries.  It might mean some babysitting . It might be many things, but it does not mean putting your name on the line so they can buy a new car or a new home.

So?  The word of God sticks His nose in all of our areas of concern.  That is because God is concerned about all of our areas.  That includes our finances and the promises we make to others. Be careful out there.  

Satan’s Cleats

Proverbs 5:5 (KJV) Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.

Have you ever wondered why people reject the truth?  Have you ever wondered why they can’t see what seems so obvious?  Part of it is they have invested their life in evil and it really has a hold on them.  Here we see a description of what is basically a spiritualization of a prostitute.  She has decided the direction she’s going, and since she’s wearing her shoes with cleats on the bottom, her feet take hold.

Part of the idea on this is that when people decide on the direction their life is going to go, they start building in protection from getting off the path.  Hear the idea is that they’re wearing the kind of shoes that will give them good traction.  They are putting on what you might call Satan’s cleats.  It makes it very hard for them to get off the path.  Think of walking in Velcro shoes and going across a surface that has the other side in it.  It would be very hard to make a miss step.

So?  Make sure that your daily decisions keep you on the right path and keep you listening to truth.  Sometimes correcting your course is really difficult.  

Unvexed Bones

Psalm 6:2 (KJV) Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed.

(Proverbs 4 also read)

I sat this morning crying out to God.  What is the problem?  That’s a good question.  And the answer is that I seem to have vexed my bones or you might say I have bones that are vexed.  I’m not sure what that meant in the original, but I like the word image.

Many times the real problem is not that He has turned against us or that things are hopeless.  It’s simply a matter of our bones getting vexed. where is often an attitude problem which is seated somewhere in our mind or our soul and keeps us from the joy of the Lord.

That’s me this morning.  That’s happened so often God just kind of slapped me up side the head and said, “Get on with it boy.”

So?  I am going to get on with it.  I’m going to remind myself that God is still on the throne and that my minor inconvenience is exactly that.  A glorious stairway to me if I will just open my eyes, set my pity pot aside and move forward with confidence.  

Wisdom of the Aged

Proverbs 3:2 (KJV) For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

One of the answers I’ve always come up with on why supposedly wise men die young and why being obedient doesn’t guarantee old age is that you don’t know how long somebody would’ve lived without the wisdom or obedience.  If someone dies at 45 it’s possible that they would have died at 35.  We can’t know that.

Another reason is that we’re wrong about the presence of wisdom.  There are many great thinkers in our history who have died young.  The reasons are buried, but they don’t live very long.  It’s possible that we are confusing intelligence with wisdom.  The two are not the same but from a distance might be hard to discern.

So?  Just because we don’t understand how to apply God’s promises doesn’t mean that they don’t apply.  

The Unexpected

Proverbs 2:4 (KJV) If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;

On my other blog where I write longer essays, I find that almost all roads lead to hidden treasures.  It doesn’t matter where I start, I end up getting back to making spiritual points.  Biblical principles and applications show up in the strangest places, but usually only if you are searching for them.

Searching for God’s hidden treasure is a mindset.  You can actually be reading the Bible and getting nothing out of it.  The Bible is useful as a tool of history.  Over the years in spite of claims that it is just fiction, it is amazing how often when the archaeologist and historians start looking, they find that the Bible is incredibly accurate.  They have found cities and civilizations that were listed no other place.  They found historical political positions that no one ever knew about outside of the Bible, until they dug a little deeper in the ruins and found evidence.

So?  Is the old saying that you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.  There are some real truths in that but most horses are smart enough to know when they need to drink, and when there is water in front of them.  Be like a smart horse.  

Never Too Old

Proverbs 1:5 (KJV) A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:

The first couple verses in this chapter seemed to be geared towards young people.  When you get to this verse, I think it infers that the wise man is not young.  This is a declaration to all of us, no matter what our age or circumstances that we need to listen and increase in learning and understanding.

One of the joys of studying God’s word is it seems to have that living and vibrant character which makes it possible to speak to us in ways that we had not heard before.  My hope is that as I read through this book again this month that there are hidden gems lurking and waiting to spring out at me and surprise me.

So?  Sometimes it’s the attitude that makes it possible to learn and grow.  May my attitude be good as I want it to be.  Actually, may my attitude be as good as God wants it to be.