We need to prayerful that the summer provides a good, safe time for our youth as well as everyone else. In Proverbs 21:1 Solomon lets us know that God controls all things from water to the mightiest of authorities, or powerful men and women. While summer is a more relaxed time for our children and can offer opportunities to experience things they couldn’t do during the school term. Summer can also be a ruthless time and as caretakers we worry about what will happen to them during the summer months, but we can take comfort and courage that God controls all things and allow him to have his way in every aspect of our living.
Pastor Brown offered four points for us to consider for the summer. The first from verse 3 – Thoughts on Behavior. As we think on behavior for this summer let our behavior be just, honorable, and respectful to people’s property, lives, and thoughts of fellow human beings and do for others what we would hope they do for us. We should behave as we believe. Believe verse 1 that God is in control of everything, including each one of us and reflect that God is controlling our lives, thoughts, conversations, hands, feet, heart, and direction. Everything we do is a reflection on God.
The second point from verse 19 – Thoughts on Peace. The verse suggests that people can be contentious, and women can be angry and that it would be better to spend time by yourself than with people who will say or do things that we shouldn’t. If we are to live this summer peacefully with neighbors, siblings, friends, or strangers take in consideration that it may be better to get away from people who have a tendency to make you do and say bad things. We are to guard our life and peace even if it means putting distance between ourselves and that which take our peace.
The third point from verse 23 – Thoughts on Self-Control. The text does not say God will keep our tongue, but ‘whoso keepeth his tongue’. God will give us wisdom to keep our own mouth and tongue. God expects us to exercise self-control that says I don’t have to say everything I feel or say what I think. Consider that if what we say will not help, hope, or heal, is it worth saying? What we say can help us or cause us harm. The text was written before Facebook and Twitter, so self-control needs to include what we communicate. God is looking for us to control and tame our tongue and control and censor our communications. We should be considerate this summer about our thoughts on behavior, peace, and self-control.
The last point from verses 30-31 – Thoughts on God’s Power. Verse 30 says there is nothing a person can consider, be wise enough, be understudying enough and have counsel enough to figure out how to oppose God. The horse can do all that it can to maintain the safety of the rider in battle but no matter how prepared, how strong, or awesome the horse is the only preserver of life is God. God has the power to overrule everything meant for our evil to work out for our good. God is the only one who has the power to overcome all things. Instead of worrying about what’s going to happen we need to talk to Jehovah God who says there’s no counsel, wisdom or understanding that’s against him. We can be prepared to give right instructions to do all that needs to be done but only the Lord can guarantee safety. For the children, we must do our part to prepare them but only the Lord can guarantee the outcome. We do what we can, then trust God to do what we can’t know to do. As we head into the summer, please include God, the source of all power.
On the first Sunday in June, parking lot Communion Service will begin at 9:00 a.m. We will celebrate the Pastor’s Anniversary on the second Sunday in June with a parking lot service beginning at 8:00 a.m. Rev. Wayne Thompson will bring the message. On the third Sunday Father’s Day will be celebrated with a parking lot service beginning at 9:00 a.m. Please join our live stream service on YouTube @ St Mark MBC each Sunday @ 10:20 and bible study on Wednesdays @ 7:00 p.m. May God continue to bless and keep you.
