"Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord." -- Jeremiah 23:16

Who can you believe these days?  News outlets are unashamedly biased.  Religious leaders come in all flavors and interpret Scripture differently.  Corporations spin their messaging through conglomerated media.  New scientific findings come out regularly, debunking old science that had long been established as "sound".  We are losing our grip on our ability to trust and wonder now who the authorities are.  And so no longer is it okay to go along with the crowd and assume that what you're told is truth.  You have to do your own work and discover it for yourself.  And just when you think you have it, it will elude you once again.  Now that's the truth.

Readings:  Jeremiah 22:1-23:20; 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12; Psalm 83:1-18; Proverbs 25:11-14

"Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you..." -- 1 Thessalonians 5:12

Conduct is born of the mind first.  Actions are often preceded by thoughts.  Great ideas lead to great changes, but there are two things that can botch the realization of a great idea: acting on the idea too soon, and not acting on it at all.

Say you want to start a business.  It can be any business.  You have no plan, no clients, no sure idea of what your business would be, and no savings built up to cover your living expenses while you launch it.  To quit your job to work on it would be a bad idea.  It's too soon.  It's not time.  You need to plan before you execute.  The other side of the coin is not to act at all.  Say you have tons of ideas... and they're great ideas... but that's all they ever remain because you never act on them.   Our deeds determine our outcomes.

I believe God inspires us to not just think certain ways, but to act in certain ways.  The trick is knowing the right time to act and then having the courage to step out and act at that right time.  One of the best ways to go about that is to set realistic goals and plan out the action steps to those goals that will get you there.  Then you go about taking small achievable steps EVERY DAY toward turning your ideas and God's inspirations to realities in your life.  Plan your deeds and be diligent in their execution.

Readings:  Jeremiah 19:1-21:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:4-19; Psalm 82:1-8; Proverbs 25:7b-10

"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody." -- 1 Thessalonians 4:13

Prior to the industrial revolution, we were an agrarian society.  We worked our fields, grew our crops, and raised our families to work together for our sustenance.  Progress "improved" our situation.  Men were led to the cities to provide labor for the factories and were paid a wage on which they could survive... provided they could work another day for another dollar.  Progress continued and we moved from a production economy to a service economy where cognitive work was deemed of higher value.  We are in transition once again and while we still labor on assembly lines, and provide services, we are entering a new dimension where cognition and creativity together will define work more than ever.  So how does work today reflect the work of the agrarian age in which the Bible was written?  What would Paul say to us today using this same verse?

Readings:  Jeremiah 16:16-18:23; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-5:3; Psalm 81:1-16; Proverbs 25:6-7a 

"Restore us, O God; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved." -- Psalm 80:3, et al.

This refrain contained in this psalm is one that can echo within us at all times. When life gets crazy and things are out of alignment, and our souls long for healing and better days, it's right to turn to God and seek restoration.  For when the face of God shines upon us, to see it we must turn to him.  When we turn to him, we have righted ourselves and are ready to move in the right direction.  If you want restoration, you must readjust and realign.  Then move ahead in his direction.

Readings:  Jeremiah 14:11-16:15; 1 Thessalonians 2:10-3:13; Psalm 80:1-19; Proverbs 25:1-5

"A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest-- and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man." -- Proverbs 24:33-34

I just read the other day how taking naps is supposed to be good for your brain and your health and your memory... I wonder if there are any companies out there who allow employees to nap?  For a healthier society, it may be a good idea.  But we fight a strong tradition that manifested itself in modern times through what has been termed the "Protestant work ethic".  It draws on the notion of this proverb and encourages us to live lives of thrift and productivity through hard work.  Problem is, I don't know if as individuals, we're all that more productive.  But I don't think we're sleeping too much.  We more likely suffer from sleep deprivation.

I'm not sure that we have become a lazy society, but we have certainly become a distracted one.  Maybe we should paraphrase this proverb and substitute a word like "veg"... as we "veg out" in front of the tv, computer, and have our heads in our phones throughout the day.  I can't remember the last time I took a nap.  But whenever it was, I'm sure it wasn't productive.

Readings:  Jeremiah 12:1-14:10; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-2:9; Psalm 79:1-13; Proverbs 24:30-34

"Do not say, I'll do to him as he has done to me; I'll pay that man back for what he did." -- Proverbs 24:29

There is a common ethic among the world religions: the "Golden Rule".  The Golden Rule is to do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  It's striking to me that in Old Testament Law we have a limit of retaliation:  just an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.  It was a law designed to prevent escalation in conflicts.  But then in the New Testament, we have Jesus saying you have heard "an eye for an eye" but I tell you to forgive... to turn the other cheek... to love your enemies, etc...  I've thought it a radical departure from OT philosophy, but maybe it's not.  Given that this proverb has in it the same spirit that Jesus was getting at tells me that perhaps it wasn't such a radical idea after all.  Just because you're wronged by somebody doesn't give you license to wrong them back.  It's a hard road to follow, but it is the Way.

Readings:  Jeremiah 10:1-11:23; Colossians 3:18-4:18; Psalm 78:56-72; Proverbs 24:28-29

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." -- Colossians 3:12-14

If you open the Bible to look for guidance on how to live, you will find some here. It's not so much on what to do, but more the traits we are to bear.  Be kind and compassionate... humble, gentle, and patient.  Hold each other up and forgive each other.  And wrap it all in love.  Christ modeled this way of being for us.  Now model it for others.

Readings:  Jeremiah 8:8-9:26; Colossians 3:1-17; Psalm 78:32-55; Proverbs 24:27