Ecclesiastes 12:10

   How are you supposed to deal with the awkward situation of a friend that asks to borrow money?  Can you say no?  Does it matter what it is for?  What if they can’t pay you back? What if they won’t pay you back?  What if you are the one in need, is it wrong to ask for help from a friend?   Many a relationship has come to an awkward end when money becomes involved.  So what wisdom does the Bible have for us when it comes to these types of situations? Let break them down into two categories: When you are asked to be a lender:     If at all possible, don’t be a personal lender ( Proverbs 22:26-27 ).  As one person wisely told me never lend a friend money that you are not willing to give them.  If you can’t afford to give them money, you can’t afford to lend them money as well.   If you can help someone out do so (Proverbs 3:27-28), but make sure things stay between you and them.  Don’t cosign a lo...

  If you ask most people about Napoleon Bonaparte and they will tells you two things. He was a French general and he was short.   Any movie, show, or cartoon that has Napoleon in it is real big on pointing out he was rather diminutive.  We even have the so called “Napoleon Complex” named after him, describing men who have an inferiority complex because of their height.  It seems his height was a defining characteristic of the “little corporal”.    Expect he wasn’t all that short.   The myth that he was short stems primarily from the fact that he is listed as 5 feet 2 inches tall at the time of his death.  However, this is 5 feet 2 inches in French units.  In modern international units, he was just shy of 5 feet 7 inches.  At the time in France, the average height for an adult male was about 5 feet 5 inches in modern international units.  So in fact, he was quite tall for his day.   His nickname Little Corpor...

   I’ll let you finish but first let me say one thing…   One of the most annoying and frustrating things to do to someone is to interrupt them. [1]   Nothing makes you feel less important than to have someone take what you said in another direction before you can even get it said.     I’ve learned to deal with it by not taking it as an insult but enjoying it for its comic effect.  P eople that interrupt often sound very senseless and will have conversion that resemble a roller coaster more than an intelligent exchange of ideas. They jump to conclusions so fast it will spin your head and make points so absurd that it is a shame it isn’t a joke.     It is hard to make sense, when you don’t know what is going on. He who gives an answer before he hears, It is folly and shame to him. Proverbs 18:13    However, the interrupter is becoming a pretty standard player in our world today.  ...

   Who is the person that is least likely to fall away from the Lord?  A preacher?  An elder?  A Bible class teacher?      Well, we all know far too many examples of just those sorts of people that have been pulled into sin and away from their God.  It can happen to anyone.  Even those that would seem least likely need to watch out, because someone that teaches others can themselves be found wanting. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.  Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air;   but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified . 1st Corinthians 9:25-27    The Apostle Paul understood even he could be disqualified.  He had warned his fellow Apostle Peter when ...

  A few years back the wife and I took at mini vacation to go skiing.  We no sooner arrived at the slopes when a large storm moved in.  We hurried back into town, knowing we better stock up since the blizzard might keep us trapped inside for a few days.  After grapping some basics, we thought we would grab what would be our only hot meal for the next few days.  The only problem was that all the restaurants were shutting down in anticipation of the weather.  Only one place was open, so we went inside to get something.   That was a mistake.   I don’t know if it was always this way or they just knew we had a captive audience but the only thing on the menu was lasagna, for forty five dollars !  No sides, no salad, no bread, just lasagna.  Now it wasn’t bad lasagna but for forty five dollars I was expecting it to be the best thing I ever ate.  It wasn’t.  l I look back and think that was probably the most expensive food ...