Today Our Daily Bread Proverbs 14

(I'm home from Louisiana-LA, see note at end of post- Missed and love U all!)

For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. Romans 16:19-20

Proverbs 14: 1 - 35
1 A wise woman builds her house; a foolish woman tears hers down with her own hands. How can one tear down a house w/ their own hands, especially when they really would not want their home torn down in a literal way? By sin, sin tears houses down, piece by piece, by satan, satan tears down houses piece by piece. (remember the story of the three pigs? Who do we think the wolf represents? Jn 10:10) A wise woman (=church) knows strategies of her enemy as to thwart them and stop them and guard against them. One enemy of our homes is strife. It will tear down a home piece by piece.
2 Those who follow the right path fear the LORD; those who take the wrong path despise him.
3 The talk of fools is a rod for their backs, F21 but the words of the wise keep them out of trouble.
4 An empty stable stays clean, but no income comes from an empty stable. Empty is anything that sits and may keep some sort of value, but remember the value of God’s kingdom is people. Things sitting around do not harest or bring more investment in people, unless sold and given into the kingdom investment of people.
5 A truthful witness does not lie; a false witness breathes lies.
6 A mocker seeks wisdom and never finds it, but knowledge comes easily to those with understanding. What is a mocker? Am I ever a mocker? Mockers do not swallow things easily. God sends someone to feed them and they stand back before chewing, and evaluate the word. Remember the word is not for evaluation, it is for implantation, it is the implanted word that will save the soul(s). If one is always in a spirit of evaluation or inspection or on guard, they will not allow the word to take root easily and will in turn be a mocker of God’s word. Receive the word with meekness, be humble and take what was dished out, Let God sieve through it inside of your spi8rit. Allow the Holy spirit to remove the residue of personality that presented it. Trust God by receiving His word, rather than debating it.
7 Stay away from fools, for you won't find knowledge there.
8 The wise look ahead to see what is coming, but fools deceive themselves. Enemies strategize about how to steal the words of God in us, why would we not plan ahead and strategize on how to give the word to others or how to keep it in ourselves?
9 Fools make fun of guilt, but the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation. Confession and repentance, if being clean were a prerequisite for being as close to God as I could, why would I not seek to be cleansed daily, or hourly or minute by minute? Guilt is evidence of my need for cleansing, it should take me there, lead me there to staying clean before God. I’m not really referring to the kind of guilt that leads us away from God towards shame and condemnation. No I’m speaking of conviction by God’s spirit in us that leads us back again and again towards our Father.
10 Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can fully share its joy.
11 The house of the wicked will perish, but the tent of the godly will flourish.
12 There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.
13 Laughter can conceal a heavy heart; when the laughter ends, the grief remains.
14 Backsliders get what they deserve; good people receive their reward.
15 Only simpletons believe everything they are told! The prudent carefully consider their steps. This is NOT the same as vs. 6. This is worldly wisdom or knowledge given, rather than the knowledge of God’s word given. There is a difference and we must make the distinction and change the hats. We’re so used to guarding ourselves against the world, that when God’s word comes we guard its entry into our hearts and souls also. Believe the word, even if you don’t yet understand it! Now isn’t THAT backwards? Yes, the Word IS life, whether we "get it" or not. In receiving it, we will "get it" too. Do we receive and believe the author of the Word? Than receive Him in the form He gives us. In that form there will be opportunities to change and be molded and conform to another form, and exercise character, etc.
16 The wise are cautious F22 and avoid danger; fools plunge ahead with great confidence.
17 Those who are short-tempered do foolish things, and schemers are hated.
18 The simpleton is clothed with folly, but the wise person is crowned with knowledge.
19 Evil people will bow before good people; the wicked will bow at the gates of the godly.
20 The poor are despised even by their neighbors, while the rich have many "friends."
21 It is sin to despise one's neighbors; blessed are those who help the poor.
22 If you plot evil, you will be lost; but if you plan good, you will be granted unfailing love and faithfulness.
23 Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty! Don’t be tempted by the evil one to just talk it, be willing to work and walk it out!
24 Wealth is a crown for the wise; the effort of fools yields only folly. Wealth is a fruit of hard work, even kingdom work pays wealth beyond this earth.
25 A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is a traitor. The witness has to do with the life. The witness has to do with the demonstration of life or death.
26 Those who fear the LORD are secure; he will be a place of refuge for their children. 27 Fear of the LORD is a life-giving fountain; it offers escape from the snares of death.
28 A growing population is a king's glory; a dwindling nation is his doom.
29 Those who control their anger have great understanding; those with a hasty temper will make mistakes.
30 A relaxed attitude lengthens life; jealousy rots it away.
31 Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker, but those who help the poor honor him.
32 The wicked are crushed by their sins, but the godly have a refuge when they die.
33 Wisdom is enshrined in an understanding heart; wisdom is not F23 found among fools.
34 Godliness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.
35 A king rejoices in servants who know what they are doing; he is angry with those who cause trouble.
FOOTNOTES:F21: Hebrew a rod of pride. F22: Hebrew The wise fear. F23: As in Greek version; Hebrew lacks not.


Hey all,
I'm home from Louisiana,
Thought I'd share a response to a call for help from Francis Frangipane Ministries I responded to:

Dear FFM,
In the recent e-mail article there was a suggestion to let you know if we hae a church in the LA area that could use help in bringing support to the evacuees of New Orleans.
I arrived home yesterday from Baton Rouge, LA where our daughter is attending an internship program for the next year @ Bethany's World Prayer Center of Baker & Baton Roiuge, LA. The north campus in Baker is housing at least 800 evacuees.President Bush visited Bathany's north campus on Tuesday of this week. Bethany is not in this for a short term, they are housing them until, with efforts to place them, steer them towards employment, etc The city of Baton Rouge is exhibiting a beautiful spirit of Refuge. The businesses there are accepting of new employees from New Orleans, the air of the city is welcoming and has open arms for help.
Anyway, there is a website that can be accessed to give support to Bethany, which is Pastored by Larry Stockstill. It is www.bethany.com. Every gift would be seed sown in great ground, not only for the refugees, but for life. Bethany is blessed by God, because its efferts are based on answering the great commission, to win, contain, disciple and send others into the fields of harvest that are all around us right here in our USA and abroad. They are using this time of housing evaciuees as an opportunity to touch our world for Christ locally in a practical and a spiritual way. They are blessed and are a blessing because their people (everyday community people who love God with a great passion) are doers of the word and not hearers only.
I recommend any support you'd consider giving be steered towards Bethany World Prayer Center. Another note, at Bethany's south campus, where 3 huge crosses sit at the interchange of I-10 & I-12, there are acres and acres of police and emergency type vehicles parked under the crosses and at the prayer garden of the city. The security workers who have come to give of their lives from other cities have also found refuge there in the Center of Hope and I found it an awesome sight to see about 100 vehcles parked at the foot of the crosses about 11 p.m, as some were able to rest and recieve refreshment from their work shift.(Our cities are still recovering from 4 hurricanes of 1 year ago in the Daytona area. What we had was mild in comparison to what id going on in LA, but we do have aense of "how it feels" and are compassionate in our thoughts, prayers and efforts towards hundereds of people who need physical and especially spiritual rescue)
Thank you and God bless you,
Lena Barnes of Rock Church of Daytona Beach in Port Orange, FL
(elder sister of Dawn Sermon who started out in The River of Life Church in Marion, IA years ago)

P.S. if any would like to support Jazz as she works at Bethany or if you'd like to contact her there:
Jasmin Barnes 220i Intern
c/o Bathany World Prayer Center
13855 Plank Rd.
Baker, LA 70714
Ph 225-774-1700 x 244
website http://www.220i.net/plan.php
also check out : www.220power.com. go to "media" and listen to some of the messages of Joel Stockstill especially of the Deluge, from when they held worship erices during Mardi Gras
also:
Jazz's email is: (though this is probably the least likely place to get a quick response from her) Jazzie gyrl@hotmail.com she also has http://www.myspace.com/257377762
cell ph # : 386-852-7609