Sermon Leftovers

Last Sunday was my last sermon on Proverbs. I'll miss those sermons as they were always so relevant and practical. Digging up the right application was easy, it just jumped off the page at you. I'll close this sermon series by posting some thoughts from today's proverb. Chapter 21 has much to say about wealth. These are five simple truths which will enable anyone to have more tomorrow than they do today. Wealth doesn't just happen, it is the result of planning ahead. Winning the lottery is a poor strategy for growing wealthy. Proverbs 21:5 says, "Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity." Set income goals and work hard to achieve them. Create spending guidelines and are disciplined enough to stay within them. Today may not be easy, but tomorrow will be secure. Shortcuts rarely get you where you want to go. The only people who get rich from "get rich quick schemes" are the original schemers. There are no shortcuts to wealth. About

Pause before you speak to be certain you are using the right words at the right time with the right tone. The right words are always true. False words may provide temporarily feel good but they have no long-term benefit. Some words are true but are not appropriate for every situation. The truth and power of your words can be lost if your tone isn't helpful. Every word you speak carries incredible potential. Your words can be weapons of mass destruction. Your words can be tools of monumental construction. Kind words can encourage those who are unsure of their own ability. Attractive words can empower those who are under-performing. Pleasant words can heal wounds from the past. In marriage, kind and gracious words are a deposit which builds a healthy marriage. Angry and destructive words are withdrawals which bankrupt relationships. Your children need to know that you are their biggest cheerleader. Corrective words can be attractive if they are th

Yesterday I talked about temptation. The primary point was that  Contentment is the antidote for temptation.  One idea I didn't get to talk about (time constraints) was the role discipline plays in our battle against temptation. Discipline is not just punishment for wrong-doing. Discipline is the creation of positive habits which help to form us into the person we want to be (or that God created us to be!). The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy: "discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness." Those who follow Christ should discipline themselves for the pursuit of godliness. These habits are God-centered disciplines. They are not me-centered. Our aim should not be self-centered but God-centered and Christ-exalting. When discipline becomes a measure of "how I am doing," it is no longer a spiritual discipline. The more we focus on honoring God and becoming Christ-like, the more victory we will have over temptation. Below are three "spiritual disci