Proverbs 6:6-11 (HCSB)
⁶ Go to the ant, you slacker! Observe its ways and become wise. ⁷ Without leader, administrator, or ruler, ⁸ it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food during harvest. ⁹ How long will you stay in bed, you slacker? When will you get up from your sleep? ¹⁰ A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest, ¹¹ and your poverty will come like a robber, your need, like a bandit.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 3:5 (HCSB)
I lie down and sleep; I wake again because the Lord sustains me.

My observation:

The portion from the Proverb today provides a good message for Labor Day. The ant was self-motivated, and the initiative paid off. The ant was wise.

Proverbs 30:24 (HCSB)
Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise:

We should not despise small things. Little is much when God is in it. A little faith placed in a big God will result in huge results.

Matthew 17:20 (HCSB)
“Because of your little faith,” He told them. “For I assure you: If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.

Matthew 19:26 (HCSB)
But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I thank you that the object of my faith is more important than the size of my faith.

Father God, I thank you that my little faith is enough when I place it in the God of my salvation. Lord, I am so thankful that with my heavenly Father all things are possible.

My song:

All Things Are Possible to Him (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/535

Proverbs 3:1-4 (HCSB)
¹ My son, don’t forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commands; ² for they will bring you many days, a full life, and well-being. ³ Never let loyalty and faithfulness leave you. Tie them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. ⁴ Then you will find favor and high regard in the sight of God and man.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 2:1-4 (HCSB)
¹ Why do the nations rebel and the peoples plot in vain? ² The kings of the earth take their stand, and the rulers conspire together against the Lord and His Anointed One: ³ “Let us tear off their chains and free ourselves from their restraints.” ⁴ The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord ridicules them.

My observation:

Many people are looking for success, happiness, and the good life, but they are looking for it in all the wrong places.

The right place to look is to the Lord, and the Word of God for wisdom. In the bible you will find that God shows us the source of wisdom that is superior to anything that the world offers.

1 Corinthians 1:30 (HCSB)
But [it is] from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became God-given wisdom for us—[our] righteousness, sanctification, and redemption,

The lesson that the father teaches the son in Proverbs is the lesson that every person needs to learn, and the earlier in life we learn this lesson the better our life will be.

The Psalmist makes an important observation about the enemies of God’s people. He says they, “rebel and the people plot in vain”. In seeking freedom from God, they find that through their rebellion they bring on themselves bondage and destruction. True freedom comes from surrender to God. Why not surrender to the one who has all power in his hands? God loves you, and Jesus loves you. If you doubt he loves you those doubts will vanish when you look to the cross. There you see his love in action.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (HCSB)
He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I praise and thank you for the love and concern that you have for all who have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

Father God, I thank you for the day that the Spirit of God opened my eyes and my heart to the truth that I was a sinner who needed a savior.

Romans 3:21-23 (HCSB)
²¹ But now, apart from the law, God’s righteousness has been revealed—attested by the Law and the Prophets ²² —that is, God’s righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ, to all who believe, since there is no distinction. ²³ For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

My song:

All to Jesus I Surrender (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/441

Proverbs 2:6-8 (HCSB)
⁶ For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. ⁷ He stores up success for the upright; [He is] a shield for those who live with integrity ⁸ so that He may guard the paths of justice and protect the way of His loyal followers.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 1:5-6 (HCSB)
⁵ Therefore the wicked will not survive the judgment, and sinners will not be in the community of the righteous. ⁶ For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.

My observation:

The person you follow and the path you walk are both significant choices you have to make in life. It determines the quality of your present life, and where you will spend eternity.

The focal passages today speak to this important topic. The Proverb tells us that God will do his part. It is assuring to know that the sovereign Lord guards the paths that we walk, and protects the way of His loyal followers.

The passage from the Psalm reminds us of the contrast between the two destinations that result from the path we walk in this life.

I don’t know about you, but I have started with Jesus and by His grace, I will stay with Him all the way to His Father’s home.

“Blessed Savior, Thou wilt guide us,
Till we reach that blissful shore,
Where the angels wait to join us
In Thy praise forevermore.”

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I am so thankful that I don’t have to navigate through this life by myself. Lord, the featured song I selected for today brings back vivid memories of sitting on the bed with my cousins and singing with our invalid grandmother as she taught us this song about life and walking with Jesus.

Father, I can testify that you will lead and guide your children through the valleys and through the mountains. When we go over the waters, you are there to protect us. It was over 60 years ago that I was taught this song, and I can say that it pays to walk with Jesus.

I thank the Lord for the lessons I learned sitting on the bed of Grandma Susie Harris Thomas.

My song:

Life’s Railway to Heaven (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Lifes_Railway_to_Heaven/midi/

Proverbs 1:5 (HCSB)
a wise man will listen and increase his learning, and a discerning man will obtain guidance—

Proverbs 1:15 (HCSB)
my son, don’t travel that road with them or set foot on their path,

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 1:1-3 (HCSB)
¹ How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path of sinners or join a group of mockers! ² Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. ³ He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

My observation:

In these two passages you will find the key to unlocking the secrets to a happy life. The key to determining the quality of your life is who you listen to.

The wise person will listen to the one who knows best, and that person is God. He is our maker, and he is our keeper. The God who made you also wants to bless your life.

However, there are some conditions to be able to receive what God has for you. Here is where wisdom enters the picture.

You cannot receive all the blessings that God wants to give you unless you know him, and the way you get to know him is by knowing and doing what he wants you to do.

Proverbs 1:7 (HCSB)
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.

There is a reason why God says, do not. It is the voice of a loving father who cares for his children, and wants to bless them. Listening and heeding God’s do not’s opens the door to the blessed life.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I praise and thank you for being a good God who wants what is best for your beloved children.

Father God, I pray that you will give us teachable hearts that guide our ears to hear, our tongue to speak, and feet to walk in the pathway of the Lord all of the days of our life.

My song:

Trust and Obey (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/582

Proverbs 31:25-26 (HCSB)
²⁵ Strength and honor are her clothing, and she can laugh at the time to come. ²⁶ She opens her mouth with wisdom and loving instruction is on her tongue.

Proverbs 1:8 (HCSB)
Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and don’t reject your mother’s teaching,

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 150:1-6 (HCSB)
¹ Hallelujah! Praise God in His sanctuary. Praise Him in His mighty heavens. ² Praise Him for His powerful acts; praise Him for His abundant greatness. ³ Praise Him with trumpet blast; praise Him with harp and lyre. ⁴ Praise Him with tambourine and dance; praise Him with flute and strings. ⁵ Praise Him with resounding cymbals; praise Him with clashing cymbals. ⁶ Let everything that breathes praise the Lord. Hallelujah!

My observation:

What a way to start the day, and end a month! God is so good to me. Today we conclude the month with two of my favorite chapters.

The focal verses that commanded my attention in the Proverb speaks of the character of the virtuous woman. There is a stark contrast between the woman described in Proverbs 1 and the woman described in Proverbs 31.

The woman of Proverbs 1 is dressed with the clothes of folly. The woman of Proverbs  31 is dressed with the clothes of wisdom.

If God has blessed you with such a woman in your life as a mother, wife, or friend, you need to give the Lord a hand clap of praise.

Finally, we come to Psalm 150. It speaks for itself. Let’s just pray and sing praises to the Lord.

My prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I exalt and extol your name above every other name on earth and in heaven.

Lord, everything that I have is a gift from you. Therefore, it is my joy to be able to use even the weakest thing I have to offer to you the highest service.

Psalm 150:6 (HCSB)
Let everything that breathes praise the Lord. Hallelujah!

My song:

Let’s Just Praise the Lord (Click on link below to listen to this song):

Let’s Just Praise The Lord!

Proverbs 30:11-14 (HCSB)
¹¹ There is a generation that curses its father and does not bless its mother. ¹² There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not washed from its filth. ¹³ There is a generation—how haughty its eyes and pretentious its looks. ¹⁴ There is a generation whose teeth are swords, whose fangs are knives, devouring the oppressed from the land and the needy from among mankind.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 149:6-9 (HCSB)
⁶ Let the exaltation of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands, ⁷ inflicting vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, ⁸ binding their kings with chains and their dignitaries with iron shackles, ⁹ carrying out the judgment decreed against them. This honor is for all His godly people. Hallelujah!

My observation:

The writer of our Proverb was a man of humility and wisdom. You can see his wisdom in his concern for a generation that had turned away from God.

Today we conclude Psalm 149 with a call to praise the Lord on the battlefield.  God’s word is a sword, and you should use it daily as you confront the fiery darts of Satan.

We should hide the word in our hearts, hold it in our hands, and speak it with our lips.

Psalm 119:11 (HCSB)
I have treasured Your word in my heart so that I may not sin against You.

Ephesians 6:17 (HCSB)
Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word.

Hebrews 4:12 (HCSB)
For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the ideas and thoughts of the heart.

Praise should be the weapon of choice for every child of God. It is suited for the defeat of the enemy of our soul. It will give you the victory when you couple it with prayer.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I praise and thank You that I serve a true and living God who walks beside his people every step that we take in this world.

Father, I am so glad that I don’t have to face the enemy of my soul in my strength alone. Father God, your presence and your power sustains me and gives me strength to keep on keeping on.

My song:

Yes God Is Real (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWP3tvm9J7U

Proverbs 27:2 (HCSB)
Let another praise you, and not your own mouth— a stranger, and not your own lips.

Proverbs 27:9 (HCSB)
Oil and incense bring joy to the heart, and the sweetness of a friend is better than self-counsel.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 149:5 (HCSB)
Let the godly celebrate in [triumphal] glory; let them shout for joy on their beds.

My observation:

Today we look at the second section of the Psalm. In this section the call to God’s people is to praise him in their homes.

Notice that this call to praise in the home has no limit. This Psalm is an instruction and an exhortation to the godly to praise. It answers the question of where to praise. We are to praise God at church, home, school, work, and even in bed. Every place we go in this world can be a place of worship when we recognize the Lord’s presence.

That leads us to the question of when we should praise God. We should praise him every day and every hour. Every moment is an opportunity to sing praise to the God of our salvation. We should praise him morning, noon, and night. Praise him when we are happy or sad.

“As long as I have breath
I will praise You
As long as my heart beats
I will sing
As long as life flows in my veins
I will bless Your name.”

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I am so glad that you hear our singing no matter where we are our praise is something beautiful to your ears. It glorifies God and it blesses our life.

Father God, I pray that you will tune my heart to sing your praises regardless of the circumstances of my life at any particular moment. Help me to realize that my troubles are for a season, but that my God is a forever God. Hallelujah!

My song:

I’m Gonna Praise God Unceasingly (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/ns/131

Proverbs 26:23 (HCSB)
Smooth lips with an evil heart are like glaze on an earthen vessel.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 149:1-4 (HCSB)
¹ Hallelujah! Sing to the Lord a new song, His praise in the assembly of the godly. ² Let Israel celebrate its Maker; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King. ³ Let them praise His name with dancing and make music to Him with tambourine and lyre. ⁴ For Yahweh takes pleasure in His people; He adorns the humble with salvation.

My observation:

This Psalm calls upon God’s people to praise him. I like the way the Psalmist describes the people as they gather in the Lord’s house to worship. He refers to them as the “assembly of the godly”.

Oh what a time of rejoicing and celebration there is when the assembly of the godly gathers in the Lord’s house on the Lord’s Day to sing praises to the Lord. Notice in verse three the exhibition of their triumphant spirit, exuberance, and gladness of heart.

They had reasons to praise the Lord, and so do we. God is the maker of every living being. And, for the assembly of the godly, he is their Savior and King. Hallelujah!

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I delight to unite my voice with the “assembly of the godly” of the ages in exuberant and enthusiastic praise of the Lord God Almighty.

Lord, you are worthy of praise, and I am so thankful that you take pleasure in your people. Lord, I pray that I will stay humble in your eyes so that I can be in position to receive all that you desire to give to your people.

Psalm 147:11 (HCSB)
The Lord values those who fear Him, those who put their hope in His faithful love.

Psalm 149:4 (HCSB)
For Yahweh takes pleasure in His people; He adorns the humble with salvation.

My song:

Praise the Lord (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNYw_lWwwA8&feature=related

Proverbs 25:28 (HCSB)
A man who does not control his temper is like a city whose wall is broken down.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 147:12-14 (HCSB)
¹² Exalt the Lord, Jerusalem; praise your God, Zion! ¹³ For He strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your children within you. ¹⁴ He endows your territory with prosperity; He satisfies you with the finest wheat.

Psalm 147:1 (HCSB)
Hallelujah! How good it is to sing to our God, for praise is pleasant and lovely.

My observation:

As we have seen in our walk through the Psalms that there are ample ground for God’s people to praise him.

Here Jerusalem stands for all of God’s people. The Lord blesses all of his people with strength and with prosperity.

When I think about what the Lord has done for me, I cannot help but go back to Calvary. If that is not love, then you tell me what is?

2 Corinthians 5:21 (HCSB)
He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I exalt you name, the name that is above every name in heaven and on earth.

Lord, I give you the highest praise that my soul can muster, and the loudest praise my mouth can utter, and the sincerest praise my heart can offer to the God of my salvation.

My song:

The Old Rugged Cross (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSzuFvj8Wg4

Proverbs 25:28 (HCSB)
A man who does not control his temper is like a city whose wall is broken down.

The Word for inspiration:

Psalm 147:12-14 (HCSB)
¹² Exalt the Lord, Jerusalem; praise your God, Zion! ¹³ For He strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your children within you. ¹⁴ He endows your territory with prosperity; He satisfies you with the finest wheat.

Psalm 147:1 (HCSB)
Hallelujah! How good it is to sing to our God, for praise is pleasant and lovely.

My observation:

As we have seen in our walk through the Psalms that there are ample ground for God’s people to praise him.

Here Jerusalem stands for all of God’s people. The Lord blesses all of his people with strength and with prosperity.

When I think about what the Lord has done for me, I cannot help but go back to Calvary. If that is not love, then you tell me what is?

2 Corinthians 5:21 (HCSB)
He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I exalt your name, the name that is above every name in heaven and on earth.

Lord, I give you the highest praise that my soul can muster, and the loudest praise my mouth can utter, and the sincerest praise my heart can offer to the God of my salvation.

My song:

The Old Rugged Cross (Click on link below to listen to this song):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSzuFvj8Wg4