Verse of the Week - Proverbs 25:23 - June 22

This comparison is meant to show that the consequence of attacking others verbally is as natural as the north wind bringing rain. There will not be a different result. 

The Benson Commentary has this to say about verse twenty-three,

Undoubtedly the north wind brings clouds and rain in some climates, and if, as some assert, it generally does so in Judea, as according to Aristotle it does in those parts of Africa which border on the Mediterranean sea, this interpretation ought certainly to be preferred. Either of them, however, shows the odious disposition and character of backbiters; and that they ought to be discountenanced and frowned upon by all that love their fellow-creatures, and wish peace to be promoted among men.

Backbiting does not promote love, or peace. It brings anger in the same way that the north wind brings rain (or storms).  

Psalm of the Week - 101:5 - 22 June, 2015

I still remember what being cut off from God feels like - a hole resided deep inside me. This hole could not be filled with sex, drugs, liquor, food, work, adrenaline-filled activities, or anything else that I put there to try and live a happy life. 

I had a proud heart and a high look. Pride in doing things myself. Pride in being strong and accomplishing goals. God did not get ANY praise from me. The only time God heard from me, was when I was in the depths of drunkenness, or was in trouble. 

Does this sound familiar? I hope not because I ended up being miserably unhappy. God let me continue to make my own decisions until I finally called upon him at 1:00 A.M. in the morning. Sober, unhappy, and in despair, I made a heart-felt plea. I told God I would do anything if he would just make the pain go away. 

Two days later, my partner aimed a gun at me during an argument over whether he should shoot the family dog because it wasn't friendly to him.  I survived, grabbed my little girls, and the dog, got in the car, and drove out of that dysfunctional, separated from God, life. 

My new life began with God being over everything. He is the great I AM. He is the center of who I am. My god-centered life began that day and continued to improve into a life that is better than any dream. 

Do not separate yourself from God by slandering others. Do not separate yourself by taking the credit for every accomplishment in your life. Being cut off from God is not a happy path. I know, I have been there. 

Psalm of the Week - 141:3 - June 15

Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. 

Psalm 141:3 AKJV

King David's prayer asks the Lord of all to watch his mouth and keep the door of his lips. He knew he couldn't keep his mouth shut without the Lord being in charge of it. 

This psalm reminds me of my dear friend Pam, who went home to be with Jesus. 

Pam and I were both in twelve step recovery. For sixteen years, Pam and I sat in many, many recovery meetings together. Pam liked to share at meetings how she asked God to help her keep from saying things she would regret. Instead of saying, " Lord, put your arm around my shoulder, and your hand over my mouth." Pam's version was "Lord, sit on my tongue!" People would laugh when Pam shared this at meetings, but no one EVER forgot it. That was the point of Pam's condensed prayer.

Pam and King David both knew that they could not control their mouths unless the Lord is in charge of it. 

The next time you need help keeping your mouth closed and your tongue silent, remember King David's sincere plea to the Lord.

Verse of the Week - 1 Peter 3:10 - June 15

I remember the day that I took this picture very clearly. My bike was in the shop for a tire change, so I rode with my husband on his bike. Our destination was Grand Gulf State Park outside of Thayer, Missouri. Click Here for more information about Grand Gulf State Park 

Not one cross word escaped my mouth that day. I enjoyed the Ozark scenery and the feeling of being at one with my husband and the motorcycle we were riding down the highway. More than once, I thanked God for blessing me with such an amazingly perfect day.  

Just remembering the day causes happiness to bubble up inside of me. Have you had a day like this? 

Peter gave us an excellent prescription for living a happy life in the midst of this ill-natured world. We need to stay in control of our tongue. If we strive to be sincere, peaceful, and discreet with what we say, we can pass peaceably and comfortably through the world. This is the best way to keep life calm and manageable.*

*paraphrased from Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary 

Psalm of the Week - 52:2, 4 - June 8, 2015

At the grocery store, I was unloading groceries onto the conveyor belt. There was a couple behind me, but I wasn't paying much attention; until I heard the woman say the following words,

"Stop IT! You KNOW I don't like that! You are such a GIRL!" 

I turned slightly and saw the man lowering his arm and open palm from behind the base of her neck. I didn't really see what caused her to say those razor-edged words, but the tone of her voice was sharp and hurtful. The man continued lowering his arm and hand to his side and his chin dropped toward his chest. I continued putting groceries onto the conveyor belt. After a brief pause, the woman said to the man,

"I bet I couldn't even give you away!" 

Wow, oh wow! I was shocked and stunned by those harmful words, used like a sharpened razor.

I silently began to pray for the man and woman. I continue to pray for them. What would make a person say such words to another human being? I do not know. I do not know the circumstances that led to the anger-filled words, but I do know that the words will cause the destruction of their relationship. 

Self-esteem is fragile and can be broken with razor-edged words. 
Seeking to feel powerful by hurting others is how God's enemy wants you to be. Do not let your words lead you away from God, instead of toward God. 

Verse of the Week - Proverbs15:4 - June 8, 2015

Different translations of the Bible will vary slightly. After checking the Hebrew text analysis at biblehub.com, I found the King James Bible translated the original Hebrew text the closest. 

NOTE: I am not an expert. I am depending upon the experts who wrote the resources that I use.

I like to look up words in the Merriam-Webster dictionary to make sure I understand them correctly. The word "perverseness" means:

1. to be corrupt, or to turn from what is good
2. to be obstinate, stubborn, or cranky. 
3. to be perverted. 

I don't know about you, but meaning two was a little shocking. Personally, I have never connected being obstinate, stubborn, or cranky  with being corrupt and perverted. Have you? 

To be honest, I am somewhat stubborn, obstinate, and occasionally cranky. I have always categorized these as "character traits", not as "turning from what is good, or corrupt. Seriously, I am a little stunned to learn that being stubborn, obstinate, and cranky can cause a "breach in the spirit". 

Wesley's Notes for the verse says,

... A breach - Disturbs and wounds the spirits, both of the speaker and hearers.

The words we speak have an effect upon ourselves and those who hear what we speak. Today, I include what we post online as speaking, too. Jesus  told us to watch what we speak when he said:
"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you,for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." 
Matthew 7:12 NIV

Battle Prayer

Though the world continues to grow dark,

Lighted lamps of faith will continue to shine.

Lifted high by saints, who will embark

On the joyous journey defined by Jesus Christ.

The faithful are fighting a spiritual battle.

Praying for persecuted, unknown saints,

Using the sword of the Spirit to rattle

The cage of our fallen foe.

Holding my shield of faith high,

Unwavering prayer continues to flow,

From the Spirit to my Savior beyond the sky

An armored prayer warrior continuing to grow.

©2014 Sallee Bonham

Psalm of the Week - 39:1 - June 1, 2015

 Psalm 39:1 NIV actually says: "I said, "I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth while in the presence of the wicked."

I am a woman who repairs things with duct tape.

 I have been known to duct tape a skirt or pant leg hem, until I had time to hem it, weeks later. Seriously, I gave my dad a piece of duct tape to cap off two wire ends while we were traveling to Sturgis, S.D. on our motorcycles. Doesn't everyone carry duct tape with them? 

Consequently, I know I would use duct tape to muzzle my mouth in the presence of the wicked - not literally, but figuratively.Visualizing myself with a piece of duct tape over my mouth has helped me keep my mouth shut more than once. Nevertheless, this is not the only method I use to keep quiet. 

Staying sin free is important to me and learning to keep my mouth muzzled has required Jesus' help. I cannot do this by myself. I know that he has heard my plea,"Lord, help me!" on more than one occasion,  because my mouth stayed closed and no one heard a word. 

Memorizing and studying scripture helps me to "stop up or block off" my mouth. 

The scriptures appear in my brain when I find myself wanting to tell another human being how unacceptable I find their actions, or behaviors. Just thinking about the scripture helps me to "watch my ways." 

Sallee's Bible Discovery

The King James Version Bible uses the word "bridle" in place of muzzle. Curiosity about which word should be used - bridle or muzzle, caused me to look up the original Hebrew verse. 

The Hebrew word is machsom. Machsom has its origin from the root Hebrew word chasam. Chasam means to stop up, or block off, or muzzle. 

Verse of the Week - James 3:5 - June 1, 2015

The point of this 1970's  commercial is all it takes to start a wild fire is one match. One burning match, held in a human hand, and dropped onto the ground can start a wildfire. An out-of-control wildfire that can burn thousands of acres. Now let's take this point and compare it to James 3:5 AKJV,

"Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindles!" James 3:5 AKJV

My analogy is:
one match held in a human hand is to a wild fire as one tongue controlling a human hand is to a viral discussion

A Viral Discussion
It all starts with one small body part, the tongue,  and the tongue controls what the finger tips write as written speech. The tongue can't go online by itself,  but the tongue is connected to fingers that put written speech, from the tongue, online.

How many times have you seen a friendly, online discussion blowup into a feud when one person - one tongue, or one burning match - makes the decision to enter the conversation - typing hand, or hands - and tell why they have a different point of view - adding typed words, or drop the burning match? 

IF no one responds to the typed words,or dropped burning match, the conversation will usually proceed onto something else i.e. it is ended, or burnt out.

HOWEVER, many times the conversation is not ended. Someone will add more words - burning match catches fire to grass - and someone else will add more words - fire reaches the forest - until the entire conversation is burning everyone up - a wildfire is out-of-control. 

In conclusion, one small part of the body, the tongue can start a viral discussion that explodes across social media in a few hours,if we participate in it. 

The Apostle James is warning us that we need to watch what we say. We do not need to start a huge issue over a little thing. Interestingly enough, the original Greek word that James used for great is "megala". 

"Megala" makes me think of something very large, exceedingly big, or HUGE. 

So, do not start a mega fire, the next time you are part of a social media discussion.