Wisdom with our Words

Proverbs 25:11

 “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." NKJV

"The right word at the right time is like a custom-made piece of jewelry." The Message

Sunday school was outstanding this past week.  (It’s actually outstanding most of the time!!)  This particular Sunday the lesson was from Proverbs.  If you have not read Proverbs at some point in your life…stop whatever you are doing…pick up your bible and turn to PROVERBS right now! ( After you read this, of course!)

Solomon, king of Israel, asked God to grant him an understanding heart that he may discern good and evil to rule the people. (1 Kings 3:9) God did indeed grant Solomon's request, as it came from a place of humility and a self-less desire to rule well. As a result of Solomon’s answered prayer, approx. 3000 Proverbs were written by one of the wisest men who ever lived! 

Not only was Solomon wise but he spoke and wrote with such poetic imagery.

Who would compare speaking a right word at the right time to apples of gold in pictures of silver?  Solomon would.   

Speaking with discernment and wisdom must have really been beautiful to Solomon.  Not just good advice, it also has to be given at the right time. They go hand and hand.  Although no one can really know the mind of a king, we can agree with Solomon that a right word at the right time is both rare and valuable still today.

I am privy to many conversations and when I hear an appropriate word appropriately spoken, I am encouraged and then quickly reminded that my words have power and just one word fitly spoken is still a beautiful thing.

10 Ways to Tell You're Slipping

This was posted August 18th in Christianity.com.  I thought it merited a re post!  Not only is it accurate but also timely.  ENJOY!

10 Ways to Tell You're Slipping

Joe McKeever

 

It's surprising how God's people awaken one day and suddenly realize they have fallen away from the closeness they used to enjoy with the Lord. The signs have been there all along, but they were not paying attention.
Here are some tests I have discovered for spotting signs of slippage in my own walk with the Lord, evidence that I'm losing the intimacy with Him that always meant so much in my personal life.

10. You know you're slipping when the big thing you look forward to on a Sunday is a football game.

9. You know you're slipping when reading the Bible no longer excites you, angers you, or challenges you.

8. You know you're slipping when you finally get up off the couch and get involved in some ministry the Lord has been laying on your heart and the first thing you do is start criticizing all the other couch potatoes who are only doing the same thing you have been doing all this time.

7. You know you're slipping when, after slacking off in your tithing over the past year, instead of feeling guilty, you find yourself criticizing the regular tithers for their self-righteous and legalistic attitudes.

6. You know you're slipping when you can read the Ten Commandments and give yourself a passing grade on all of them.

5. You know you're slipping when you can go a whole day without praying and it not bother you one bit.

4. You know you're slipping when you can have a dirty thought and justify it as "what normal humans do."

3. You know you're slipping when you feel a nudging from the Holy Spirit to speak to that person or give to this one or make a phone call to another and you squelch it.

2. You know you're slipping when you decide to reward yourself for doing well by skipping your Bible reading and prayer for that day.

1. You know you're really, really slipping when the problem of slipping doesn't cause you great concern.
(Feel free to take a moment to respond below and share ways you've noticed when you are slipping from your faithfulness).

Dr. Joe McKeever is a Preacher, Cartoonist, and the Director of Missions for the Baptist Association of Greater New Orleans. Visit him at joemckeever.com/mt. Used with permission.