looking like a fool

As I continue speaking to The Community family from the book of Ecclesiastes (see chapters 10 & 11 for more insight), I found some interesting stuff to say the least. Looking like a fool is something we are all good at. Not just the song from "American Idol" fame of looking like a fool with your pants on the ground, all of us find our selves on the wrong road by our own choices.

Proverbs 12:15 (NLT) --- Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.

Proverbs 16:25 (NLT) --- There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.

It is important that we follow the direction God gives us. Trusting God is not something we can miss or push aside. God has awesome plans for us that keep us from looking like a fool and keep us from falling into places we don't need to go.

Proverbs 14:27 (NLT) --- Fear of the Lord is a life-giving fountain; it offers escape from the snares of death.

One way we become foolish is by entertaining the wrong thoughts. Satan is a liar for sure. Call him that. Believe it. Take some time to deal with your thoughts. Here is what God says will keep us from looking like a fool:

2 Corinthians 10:5 (NLT) --- We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

Loving in not normal ways (see Ecclesiastes 11:1-8) will allow us to help others and stay away from what foolish people do. Think about it. When we help others, when we support, think through and love on people the way Jesus did, we are being unselfish and most like Jesus. Fools help themselves and don't listen to God.

Psalm 41:1-2 (NKJV) --- Blessed is he who considers the poor; The LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. The LORD will preserve him and keep him alive, And he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies.

Luke 6:38 (MSG) --- Give away your life; you'll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity."

Foolishness is like a bad sickness. It comes in pretty easy, but it takes much to make it leave. The one sure healer is faith. Trusting God pushes away foolishess.

For me the one thing that points to my foolishness is worry. Worry shows a lack of faith. So, I admit it and often I need to back up, confess where I missed out on faith and then trust God. He is able. He wants to work. He can and will remove foolishness from my life and even bring blessings like peace, contentment and passion for His call in my life.

I close with the following verse. It has brought me light when I was pretty much living in darkness. This verse took me from being foolish to being wise. God's peace will be in us if we trust Him. Try this today:

Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT) --- Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Have you heard of EDITH BURNS?

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas . She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns. One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns. When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her. Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved. Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying,"My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Beverly said, "Why yes I do." Edith said, "Well, what do you

why is it Good Friday?

Holy Week is the time we focus on God and His gift of salvation. We come to Friday. The day we remember the cross, Jesus’ death and all God has done for you and me Why do they call this day “Good Friday” because it doesn’t seems good? Jesus was treated as a criminal. He was beaten so much that He could not recognize Him. His pain would have been too much for you or me to endure. That is especially from Scripture I’ve read or as in the movie the Passion of the Christ . Yet it is a good day. It is Good Friday because God had our good in His heart. What Jesus did that day changed our forever direction. Here are some thoughts that come to me: He is Redemption and Redeemer He too our Pain and Punishment He is our Righteousness and Reality He is the Savior and Life All of those happened from the cross. It was meant for the worst lawbreakers. It was not meant for a Savior who never broke a law. It was lifted high so that onlookers could see the price Jesus. Look

Day 8 in Cuba

We have just come off and incredible weekend, and it is day 8 of the mission trip in Cuba. Thank you to all who have been praying for this trip, the mission team and the impact it will have on those we serve. Please don’t stop praying. Last week Alex and I served with a mission team in the mountains of southern Cuba. There were several challenges, but God gave us safety, provision and opportunity to serve some of the sweetest people I have ever met. No running water… sporadic electricity generated by a small, logo dammed up river, no transportation other than animals, limited food sources and more. These people love the Lord and sharing their faith with others. Over the weekend we made our way back to Havana. On Friday our vehicle broke down leaving us on the side of the road for several hours. We then boarded a bus and rode 14 hours. We arrived safely and even got some rest. Sunday was so, so good. We visited two partner churches. In the morning we were with one church that

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