Our Journey Through Proverbs chapter 5

"For your ways are in full view of the LORD, and He examines all your paths"
Proverbs 5:21

I live a couple miles from a small fishing lake.  The lake water is very cold, so the rainbow trout is firm and tasty.  I am not much of a fisherman, but once in a while I feel the need to drown a worm.  Last time I was at the lake fishing, the Elk were bugling and Bald Headed Eagles were competing with me for trout.  God did an amazing piece of work when He fashioned this beautiful mountain lake.  I have observed that once I have a trout on my line,  it will take off and run for the deep waters. Someday, someone will have to explain to me why we say that "fish run", but that is for another day. So my fish will continue to dive and run until it is exhausted.  Once it is exhausted from all its efforts, the fish is ready to be reeled in.  I often wonder if the fish believes it is outsmarting me with all its darting around.  I wonder if the fish thinks I will get distracted and forget to reel it in.  Or maybe the fish is an atheist of sorts and has decided that fishermen do not exist.

Our verse in Proverbs has a positive and a negative flavor.  If you are making decisions that God approves of, then you don't mind God looking over your shoulder and examining your life.  On the other hand, if you are selfish and shallow, then, self deception might be the way to go.  Like my fish, people that are rebellious to God's plan, try to outrun Him.  Or they try to stay in dark places, believing that God would never think to look for them in high weeds.  Perhaps the most sad scenario are people that fool themselves by simply denying that God exists (Psalm 14:1, Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.”).

Perhaps I should have titled this blog, "The Parable of the Fish".  I can picture Jesus standing by the Sea of Galilee, watching the waves lap up against the sand.  Noticing the fishing boats jockeying for position in an effort to find the lucky spot for today's catch.  And with a gentle sweep of His hand toward the water, hearing Him say, "A man went out to catch a fish...."  Or maybe He did use this parable but it went into the "unrecorded" bin (John 21:25, "Jesus did many other things as well.  If everyone of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written."

Our Journey Through Proverbs Chapter 4

"Look straight ahead and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet: stay on the safe path. Don't get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil" Proverbs 4:25-27

Remember playing "Tag" when you were a kid?

Remember running for "base" when someone was about to tag you!

Remember that they could not get you if you were protected by touching base?

Well, Proverbs 4 reminds me of that game of tag. As long as you stayed close to base, you were safe and no one could tag you out. However, if you got distracted and didn't pay attention, you found yourself sitting on he sidelines watching everyone else still playing.

Satan knows how to distract you. He has had thousands of years of practice. He knows what bait will turn your head. And to make it worse, James says we are drawn into temptation by our own desires. So we are walking through a mine field and our spiritual health depends on up keeping our eyes only on things that delight God.

So my question for today is, "When you look down at your toes, where are they taking you? Somewhere that makes God smile or somewhere that makes God cringe?"

Pastor Shane

Our Journey Through Proverbs 3

"My child, don't reject the Lords discipline, and don't be upset when He corrects you. For the Lord corrects those He loves, just as a Father corrects a child in whom He delights" Proverbs 3:10-11

Yesterday an old army buddy I served with in Panama contacted me on FaceBook. When he stumbled on my name, his thoughts traveled down paths of mistakes long forgotten. When I told him I was a pastor and happily married, he immediately apologized for bringing up memories of partying and foolishness that revealed our immaturity.
My initial reaction was to laugh it off and chalk it up to stupidity run amuck. However as we talked and I reflected on my life journey, I realized that no matter how far I wandered, I never escaped Gods love. Suddenly I was not proud of my immature behavior, but I was honored by the work God accomplished in my life. The Apostle Paul said, "In my weakness, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). God took the problematic areas in my life that brought me shame and heartache and transformed those areas into attributes that bring Him delight. How cool is that?
God loves me enough to use circumstances, events and people to transform me into the very best model of me that He designed me to be. And God will continue to transform me (Philippians 1:6) into a person that lives a life that gives Him delight.

Our Journey Through Proverbs

"if sinners entice you, turn your back on them!" Proverbs 1:10 NLT

Decisions. Every day each person breathing air is faced with decisions.
Often the unhealthy decision is very appealing and attractive.
God told Adam and Eve not to eat of 1 tree in His vast garden.
When they looked at the 1 forbidden tree, they found it enticing.
Genesis 3:6, the tree was (a) beautiful; (b) delicious; (c) would
give her wisdom.
Is it wrong to enjoy something beautiful that God created?
Is it wrong to taste something delicious that God created?
Is it wrong to desire wisdom?
So what was the big deal?
Simply put, God said "no".
And as His children, we must obey our Heavenly Father, even when it
Doesn't make sense. If we decide to go against God's command, we follow
In our parents, Adam and Eve's footsteps.
Adam and Eve decided that they wanted to be as smart as God and decide for
Themselves what was right and wrong for them.
In reality, they were placing themselves above God by assuming the role of
Judge to determine what they wanted to do and believe.
They chose to be rebellious and followed their pride into a terrible decision.
So please journey with me through Proverbs and learn God's thoughts on decisions.
I'm praying for you,
Pastor Shane