520. Bill & Judy's Monthly Ministry Update (#13) - March 29, 2024

[00:00:00] Welcome to Wisdom Today. My name is Bill Kelley and I'll be your host. In this podcast

[00:00:12] we will be exploring the book of Proverbs.

[00:00:16] Thank you Father for this day that you have made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. We

[00:00:26] thank you for your Son for sending him to die on a cross to save us from our sins. And

[00:00:32] we just thank you and we love you. We thank you for your great love for us and we

[00:00:37] give you this day and this time together in Jesus' name, Amen. This is Proverbs 29 verse

[00:00:46] 1. He who is often rebuked and hardens his neck will suddenly be destroyed and that without

[00:00:53] remedy. When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice. The wicked man rules, the

[00:00:59] people ground. Whoever loves wisdom makes his Father rejoice but a companion of Harlitz

[00:01:07] wastes his wealth. The king establishes the land by justice but he who receives bribes over

[00:01:14] throws it. A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet. By transgression and evil

[00:01:22] man is snared but the righteous sings and rejoices. The righteous considers the cause of the poor

[00:01:30] but the wicked does not understand such knowledge. Scoffers set a city aflame but wise men turn away

[00:01:39] If a wise man contends with a foolish man whether the fool rages or laughs there is no peace.

[00:01:47] The bloodthirsty hate, the blameless but the upright seek his well-being. A fool vents all his

[00:01:55] feelings but a wise man holds them back. If a ruler pays attention to lies all his servants become

[00:02:05] wicked. The poor man and the oppressor have this in common. The Lord gives light to the eyes of

[00:02:12] both. The king who judges the poor with truth his throne will be established forever. The rod

[00:02:21] and rebuke give wisdom but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother. When the wicked are

[00:02:28] multiplied transgression increases but the righteous will see their fall. Correct your son and he

[00:02:35] will give you rest. Yes, he will give delight to your soul where there is no revelation that people

[00:02:42] cast off restraint but happy as he who keeps the law. A servant will not be corrected by mere words

[00:02:50] for though he understands he will not respond. Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope

[00:02:59] for a fool than for him. He who pampers his servant from childhood will have him as a son in the end.

[00:03:08] An angry man stirs up strife and a furious man abounds in transgression. A man's pride will

[00:03:15] bring him low but the humble in spirit will retain honor. Whoever is a partner with a thief

[00:03:21] hates his own life. He swears to tell the truth but reveals nothing. The fear of man brings a snare

[00:03:30] but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe. Many seek the ruler's favor but justice for man comes

[00:03:38] from the Lord. An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous and he who is upright in the way

[00:03:46] is an abomination to the wicked. Bill, what verse speaks to you today? You know I want to kind of

[00:03:54] key in a little bit on verse 11 and Proverbs 29 verse 11 says a fool vents all his feelings but a wise man

[00:04:05] holds them back. Friends I think this is something that many of us have issues with it's so easy

[00:04:12] when we get emotional and something in our life happens that we're not expecting we tend to just

[00:04:20] go off the deep end and a lot of times we just lash out at people and we need to be careful

[00:04:27] not to do that. We need to restrain ourselves a lot of times being wise is simply holding your

[00:04:37] ground just being patient and letting the Lord lead you and guide you. Your thoughts on that,

[00:04:44] hun? Well I agree with you that it's not a wise thing to vent your feelings you need to

[00:04:50] think about it and you know there's some practical tips about counting to 10 just creating some space

[00:05:01] so that you don't react that you can think about what you're going to say and do even even writing

[00:05:08] things like I know when I've been upset about things I would write a letter or something and not

[00:05:14] send it but think about it and in the end I didn't send it because it really wouldn't have done

[00:05:20] any good anyway. You know that's really a good point and it's been five weeks since you've been on

[00:05:25] and a lot of stuff has happened in the last five weeks and I know you know if you're just listening

[00:05:32] for the first time this is the 13th update that we do every month and Judy and I graduated from

[00:05:40] Keras last year, Bible College in May of last year in Colorado and because of that you know the

[00:05:48] Lord gave me a ministry this particular podcast is my ministry and God has called you to basically

[00:05:58] your ministry is basically helping your daughter working with the grandkids seeing them as much as

[00:06:04] we can and helping them out and you know it's so important that you have a plan. You know God calls

[00:06:12] each and every one of us to do something and so what you need to do is listen to what God is

[00:06:19] telling you to do and begin moving in that direction and as you do he will reveal more and more

[00:06:26] what he has in store for you today but what I'd like to talk about Han I know you've had something

[00:06:32] recently about the women's shelter and if you would talk a little bit about that and what your

[00:06:38] plans are moving forward. Yes I feel that my ministry is really to help my daughter and the grandchildren

[00:06:46] and to be a part of their lives and to be an influencing factor and just I don't know just a

[00:06:53] softened life for others. I think that's really important and and God loves that God loves that

[00:07:01] for us to love our family and take care of our family and but outside of that I've been feeling

[00:07:07] that I wanted to do some more something a little bit more and part of that is to be involved with

[00:07:14] the with the pregnancy center here and I did go for a walkthrough to see what their facility

[00:07:21] is about and it's really a great facility so I'm going to be a volunteer there

[00:07:27] and let the audience know God has asked you to do this so this is how God works when you do something

[00:07:37] you just get a gut feeling inside this is something that I'm supposed to be doing and I know

[00:07:45] there are people that just don't believe that God really speaks to you but I think God speaks to

[00:07:52] you through circumstances that happen in our life through people you know it obviously with a word

[00:07:58] of God but that is not the only way God will speak with you. Yes well I just feel that I hear

[00:08:06] that still small voice I don't hear a voice audibly but but you're right it is it it is just a

[00:08:13] knowing inside and you just take a step forward do the next right thing and then you figure out

[00:08:20] that that's what you're supposed to be doing. You know when and you bring a good point I want to add

[00:08:25] a little bit to that because I think some people in their eyes you know you become a Christian

[00:08:30] you want to do something really big really meaningful and I really think the most important things

[00:08:37] in life are really the small things. You take things one step at a time you begin small

[00:08:44] and just see where God will take it. That's right the Bible it says love the Lord your God with all

[00:08:50] your heart soul and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself and that's really the most

[00:08:56] important thing is just to love and do whatever you can do maybe it's maybe it's just a smile to

[00:09:03] somebody maybe it's just a sweet word I know in Walmart the other day somebody just taught me and

[00:09:09] said you're so beautiful how old are you and then when I told her she said and look at me I'm

[00:09:15] this age and I look like this and I was said no you look great you know it's but anyway it was just

[00:09:21] a sweet that somebody would just stop me and say something to me that day and that meant a lot

[00:09:27] to me and it makes me think that I need to think of that more often because people don't really

[00:09:33] compliment each other that much not really and I don't get that many compliments anymore except for

[00:09:39] my husband who tells me all the time how beautiful I am yeah he's very sweet with that all the time

[00:09:46] I'm saying he says that to me numerous times during the day and it's very sweet and it's not when

[00:09:52] I look my best so it has really nothing to do with that but yeah so I think just even taking the

[00:10:00] time and the effort to compliment yeah it's just as meaningful to other people and it kind of makes

[00:10:09] their day and and it's just a sweet thing to do and like I said softens life I'm that's what I was

[00:10:16] really thinking about when I went we moved to Tulsa to take care of my parents and sometimes there's

[00:10:22] not a lot you can do you know but my main goal was like what can I do to make life just nicer for

[00:10:30] them softer for them help them you know life is kind of hard right now they're having to do a lot

[00:10:36] of transitioning and it was it was not easy on them and they were having health challenges so it's

[00:10:43] like you know what can I do to make life softer and that's that's what I think a lot of times about

[00:10:50] you know and I that kind of reminds me is actions speak louder than words and I know many people

[00:10:58] go and want to preach the gospel and they want to get that message out there and that's

[00:11:04] vitally important I'm not going to discount that at all but really love is shown by how you treat

[00:11:13] people the kindness you show the love you show the little things in life that seem so simple

[00:11:23] and they are simple but they mean so much to people and you know you hit the nail on the head

[00:11:29] just a little smile I mean it's so easy if you just open your eyes up and see where people are

[00:11:37] try to pretend that you were Jesus in the flesh that is who we're supposed to be and if we're

[00:11:43] really like Jesus we are concerned about our fellow people on earth we're looking for ways that we

[00:11:51] can ease and guide them and just love on them so anything we do in that area I believe is going

[00:11:59] to be beneficial well if you just take a look around I know Walmart is the place I come most frequently

[00:12:05] so I was just noticing the other day just about how many people seem unhappy I don't see people

[00:12:14] smiling I don't see people looking like they're really enjoying life it just and that's sad to me

[00:12:24] so it's really nice and especially like if I'm with the grandkids sometimes if they're acting up

[00:12:30] or whatever people just kind of give you looks or they're not really appreciative of small children

[00:12:38] and I think that's kind of sad too because I did notice one man when I was at public he came over

[00:12:44] and he complimented the children and complimented me and he was older and that was so sweet to see

[00:12:50] when you're older to be attentive to people who have younger children with them I think that's

[00:12:57] a sweet thing too you know you that's that's so important and you know I think if you're just

[00:13:04] obedient to what the Lord is and I'm just going to throw this out there because this is a special

[00:13:09] podcast this is not only episode number 520 but this actually is the last podcast for the month of

[00:13:17] March and so I have now completed two years of doing this podcast and you know but I want to point

[00:13:25] out this because I believe that if you're obedient to what the Lord tells you you are going to be

[00:13:32] blessed and one thing over the last two years since I've begun this podcast is we are blessed

[00:13:41] we are in good health our kids are doing well things are good in life I believe our marriage

[00:13:48] is the best it's ever been it's stronger you know if you understand and appreciate how much

[00:13:55] God truly loves you it enables you to begin loving people that way as well and I just think

[00:14:03] that's vitally important your thoughts on that I agree knowing knowing God's love for you and

[00:14:12] that's something that you just need to pray about that the Holy Spirit reveal Christ reveal God's

[00:14:18] love to you every day show me your love because I think so often we just it's hard for us to comprehend

[00:14:28] how he loves us so unconditionally that he loves us no matter what no matter what he loves us

[00:14:36] and and it is so deep and he will never leave us or forsake us he is always there for us

[00:14:45] and it's just our realization of that and and the best thing that we can do with the highest

[00:14:50] thing we can do or our calling is to love God to love God and to love people and just sit there and

[00:14:58] think of Jesus on that cross and you know the last thing he said he's sitting there looking at his

[00:15:06] tormentors he's looking at the people who were responsible for him being on the cross and his last

[00:15:13] words were Father forgive them for they know not what they do and it's so hard for us to grasp

[00:15:23] the meaning of that but that is the grace that Jesus has and because of what he did on the cross

[00:15:31] we now have that ability inside of us your thoughts on that yes I think about how so often

[00:15:41] we look at all the things that are going to rye in our society and it's easy it's easy for us to

[00:15:48] get discouraged or or have bad thoughts sometimes about what's going on but I think oftentimes

[00:15:57] what I really think of is Father just forgive them because they don't know what they're doing people

[00:16:03] just they're they're so blinded by things that they don't really know what they're doing

[00:16:08] but I think that the truth is going to win out well you know and not only do they not know what

[00:16:16] they're doing but most of the time people are so so absorbed they're not thinking about the well-being

[00:16:24] of others and as Christians the Bible tells us it's actually not a suggestion it's a commandment

[00:16:31] is that we are to be the salt of the earth we are to be the light of the world we are to be a

[00:16:39] peculiar people a royal priesthood we know who we serve and we are supposed to basically be

[00:16:49] bond servants that's one thing I like about the New Testament in Paul's letters he often

[00:16:55] begins his letters with Paul a bond servant of Christ he knew who he was and he knew who he

[00:17:05] was supposed to be serving he was very humble and I think when you realize where you've come from

[00:17:14] you that does create humility because you know that it's only by the grace of God

[00:17:22] that you are where you are it's only his grace and you just pray that other people will get a

[00:17:28] revelation of that grace too yeah you know hun we're getting ready to close here you know but I

[00:17:36] mean two days from now we're getting ready to go on a short trip to Myrtle Beach and

[00:17:40] we're going to be taken two of the grandkids with us and you know I just like for your thoughts

[00:17:45] about that you know what are your expectations for that and what are your plans as we take these

[00:17:52] this short trip well by the time this broadcast we will have already done this but looking forward

[00:17:59] to going with them and spending some time now that they're actually in school two of them

[00:18:06] yeah we don't get to see them as often as we would like sometimes so it's just very anytime spent

[00:18:12] with them is very special so I'm looking forward to that and just kind of having a little bit of a

[00:18:17] relaxing time you know and you really hit the nail on the head and you know friends this is our

[00:18:24] legacy our legacy is to just serve our family our kids our grandkids do whatever we can to have an

[00:18:35] indelible effect an impact on their life they are looking at us okay they are to look at their

[00:18:44] parents first but they look at us and they're going to look at everything we do and they're

[00:18:49] going to hear every word that we say so everything that we say should be filtered with that in mind

[00:18:58] we need to be careful and always remember that the joy of the Lord is our strength. Amen

[00:19:05] so yes the joy of the Lord is our strength and that's what we need to rely on and to think about

[00:19:14] and turn our thoughts toward Christ I love these songs that turn your eyes upon Jesus and

[00:19:20] I've been thinking a lot about these particular songs you know what a friend we have in Jesus

[00:19:26] there are so many songs that are so special and sweet because when we have thoughts or days or

[00:19:33] things that go awry just stop and turn our eyes on Jesus he is the author and finish her of our

[00:19:41] faith that tells us and he Bruce and that's where we're supposed to put our trust you know

[00:19:46] proverb three and five and six I know this was your mom's straight or two verses and I think they've

[00:19:51] carried over but trust in the Lord with all your heart lean not on your own understanding in all

[00:19:59] your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths so if you would hunt close us out

[00:20:06] just invite people into the kingdom and give them prayer for them all right if anyone has not given

[00:20:12] your heart to to Jesus I would highly recommend it turn your life over to him today and just say

[00:20:20] a simple prayer father thank you for sending Jesus to die on a cross for me I know that he died

[00:20:29] he was resurrected from the dead and that he lives eternally and that I will someday live with him

[00:20:35] forgive me all of my sins and help me to follow him all the days of my life in Jesus name amen

[00:20:42] well thank you and we will be back with you on the 26th four weeks from today look forward to

[00:20:49] having you there but may the Lord bless you and keep you the Lord make his face shine upon you

[00:20:57] and be gracious to you the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace friends please

[00:21:04] join me again on Monday as we further explore wisdom today