SOME OF THE THINGS WE ARE TAUGHT IN PROVERBS. What is the beginning of wisdom? The fear of the Lord. Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge. Stubborn fools despise wisdom and discipline. What reward is promised those who seek diligently after Wisdom? That they shall find. From what will Wisdom preserve them? True wisdom preserves from the ways and society of the wicked, from all folly and sin, and from all real evil. Have those anything to fear who put their trust in the Lord? Why not? No, because the Lord has promised it. Proverbs 3:6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths smooth. Proverbs 3:21-26 My son, do not lose sight of these things. Use priceless wisdom and foresight. Then they will mean life for you, and they will grace your neck. Then you will go safely on your way, and you will not hurt your foot. When you lie down, you will not be afraid. As you lie there, your sleep will be sweet. Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the destruction of wicked people when it comes. The LORD will be your confidence. He will keep your foot from getting caught. What chapter teaches the qualities of the virtuous woman? Chapter 31. JUST A QUICK REFRESHER, I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
THE BIBLE SPEAKS ABOUT RACISM The first thing to understand in this discussion is that there is only one race—the human race. Caucasians, Africans, Asians, Indians, Arabs, and Jews are not different races. Rather, they are different ethnicities of the human race. All human beings have the same physical characteristics (with minor variations, of course). More importantly, all human beings are equally created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27). God loved the world so much that He sent Jesus to lay down His life for us (John 3:16). The “world” obviously includes all ethnic groups. God does not show partiality or favoritism (Deuteronomy 10:17; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9), and neither should we. James 2:4 describes those who discriminate as “judges with evil thoughts.” Instead, we are to love our neighbors as ourselves (James 2:8). All forms of racism, prejudice, and discrimination are affronts to the work of Christ on the cross. Jesus commands us to love one another as He loves us (John 13:34). If God is impartial and loves us with impartiality, then we need to love others with that same high standard. Jesus teaches in Matthew 25 that whatever we do to the least of His brothers, we do to Him. If we treat a person with contempt, we are mistreating a person created in God’s image; we are hurting somebody whom God loves and for whom Jesus died. Racism, in varying forms and to various degrees, has been a plague on humanity for thousands of years. Brothers and sisters of all ethnicities, this should not be. Victims of racism, prejudice, and discrimination need to forgive. Ephesians 4:32 declares, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Racists may not deserve your forgiveness, but we deserved God’s forgiveness far less. Those who practice racism, prejudice, and discrimination need to repent. “Present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God” (Romans 6:13). May Galatians 3:28 be completely realized, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” MAKE YOUR MIND UP, YOU CAN BE A CHRISTIAN OR A RACIST, BUT YOU CANNOT BE BOTH. LET US REMEMBER THERE IS ONLY ONE RACE, ALL CREATED BY GOD FROM THE SAME BLOOD. LET US LOVE ONE ANOTHER NO MATTER WHAT THE COLOR OUR SKIN MAY BE. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
GOD IS THE GIVER OF ALL THINGS When it comes to having lots of money, the Bible says that God is the one who makes someone wealthy. Proverbs 22:2 states, “Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all.” Note that the writer doesn’t say, “Maker of both.” Rather, he says, “Maker of them all.” The declaration here is that God is the giver of all things to all people. When it comes to the skills and abilities that lead to success in various fields, we see the same emphasis in the Bible—God is the giver. Consider 1 Corinthians 4:7, “For who makes you to differ from anyone else? What do you have that you have not received?” The implication in these questions is that our abilities and skills come from God. These are just a few verses declaring that every thing, every ability, and every position is God’s gift. John the Baptist summarizes in John 3:27, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.” If any person can do anything defined as “successful,” it is only because God has given him or her that ability. LET US NOT FORGET THAT ALL GOOD IN OUR LIFE COMES FROM GOD. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
OUR GOD Revelation 1:8 KJV I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. OUR GOD ALWAY HAS BEEN, OUR GOD IS NOW, AND OUR GOD ALWAYS WILL BE ALMIGHTY. IF YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD YOU HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. OUR GOD HAVE OUR BACK FOREVER!!!! GLORY!!! HALLELUJAH!!! OUR GOD IS ALMIGHTY!!! Matthew 6:33, NLT Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. WE MUST LIVE OUR LIFE SEEKING GOD FIRST. WE MUST LIVE A RIGHTEOUS LIFE. IF WE WILL DO THOSE TWO THINGS GOD WILL BLESS US WITH ALL THAT WE NEED. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
TRUST GOD Zephaniah 3:17 The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing. Isaiah 41:13 For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Psalm 18:1-2 I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. OUR GOD IS WITH US, OUR GOD WILL HELP US, TRUST GOD AND SUBMIT TO GOD. MOST OF ALL LOVE GOD, HE LOVES US. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
Conduct Rooted in Character 1 Peter 2:11–12 Dear friends, since you are foreigners and temporary residents ⸤in the world⸥, I’m encouraging you to keep away from the desires of your corrupt nature. These desires constantly attack you. Live decent lives among unbelievers. Then, although they ridicule you as if you were doing wrong while they are watching you do good things, they will praise God on the day he comes to help you. Colossians 3:12–15 As holy people whom God has chosen and loved, be sympathetic, kind, humble, gentle, and patient. Put up with each other, and forgive each other if anyone has a complaint. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Above all, be loving.This ties everything together perfectly. Also, let Christ’s peace control you. God has called you into this peace by bringing you into one body. Be thankful. Conduct is what we do; character is what we are. Conduct is the outward life. Character is the life unseen, hidden within, yet evidenced by that which is seen. Conduct is external, seen from without; character is internal—operating within. In the economy of grace, conduct is the offspring of character. Character is the state of the heart, conduct its outward expression. Character is the root of the tree, conduct, the fruit it bears. I HOPE YOU FOUND THIS QUICK REFRESHER TO BE HELPFUL. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
Proverbs 18:21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love to talk will have to eat their own words. The Power of the Tongue.—Words have tremendous power for good or ill. Death and life are in the power of the tongue. one can understand why sages and teachers are conscious of the power of speech, since much of their life is given to communication through words. The sages were especially aware of “speech difficulties.” Almost every chapter in the collection of proverbs has something to say about the kinds of speech that get people into trouble, and the kinds that are helpful. Words can hurt or heal those who hear them. Words can harm or help the person who speaks them. Proverbs makes many suggestions regarding the use of the tongue. Restraint in speech is commended. Persons who speak rashly, who pour forth words before they have given themselves a chance to think, will get into trouble. Words cannot be recalled after they have been spoken, any more than arrows can be called back after they have left the bow. “The mouths of fools pour out folly” (15:2). one can almost hear the cascade of words as they fall from the lips of the garrulous individual. When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is prudent (10:19). The rash and voluble talker has the law of averages against him, for sooner or later he will cause damage by some unguarded remark. Silence is better than glib talk. Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips he is deemed intelligent (17:28). I HOPE YOU FOUND THIS QUICK REFRESHER TO BE HELPFUL. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES I like what the Bible says in Proverbs 28:13 (TLB), “A person who refuses to admit his mistakes can never be successful. But if that person confesses and forsakes those mistakes, another chance is given.” In other words, he gets a fresh start. It is hard to get people to admit when they are wrong. People do not like to admit, I made a mistake, and I blew it. God says that if we admit the mistake, if we admit our failures, and if we admit our sin, then we get another chance in life. Many people blame others for all of their troubles. They make excuses for their problems. And they give up. But we can’t give up. A fresh start is available to us right now. Proverbs 24:10 (NCV) says, “If you give up when troubles come, it shows that you are weak.” It’s always too soon to quit. The Bible says we need to stop making excuses, admit when it’s our fault and get on with life. There is no success without making mistakes. If you’re not making any mistakes, you’re not growing. You had better just resolve in your heart that you’re going to miss it, mess up, fail, fall, get it wrong. You are going to make mistakes every week, probably every day. You need to learn that it’s okay to make mistakes; it’s okay to fail, as long as you take that failure and gain wisdom from it. What you want to do is learn from it, because God uses failure to educate us. That means we tend to get out of life what we expect: “According to your faith it will be done to you.” Psalm 37:24 – Though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand. Proverbs 28:13 – Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy. Philippians 3:13 – Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead … The righteous man’s experience need not be the dismal repetition of the same mistakes again and again. He may conquer one evil habit or correct one mistake, but always there are new areas in which he fails and fresh ways in which he misses the mark. But he keeps on trying. The biblical record is full of this kind of picture of man. Man falls—but he does not stay fallen. He who comes to God with a humble and contrite heart can have a right spirit renewed within him (Ps. 51). His past mistakes are steppingstones to a better self. For him the greatest failure is not falling, but failing to rise again. The man who never falls is either a god or a self-deluded creature. The good news of Christianity accepts the fact that men fall because they are human, but it also affirms that men do not need to stay down. A divine hand is always ready to help a man to his feet again if he hungers and thirsts for righteousness. WE ARE NOT PERFECT WE WILL MAKE MISTAKES. DON’T ALLOW YOUR MISTAKES TO CAUSE YOU TO STAY DOWN. REPENT, GET BACK UP AND CONTINUE ON UP THE KING’S HIGHWAY. Romans 8:1 – There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
WE CAN DEPEND ON GOD Psalm 46:1 NIV God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. OUR SAFETY IS IN GOD, GOD IS OUR PROTECTOR. OUR STRENGTH COMES FROM THE LORD. OUR HELP COMES FROM THE LORD. OUR GOD HAS OUR BACK FOREVER!!! GLORY!!! HALLELUJAH!!! 1 Peter 5:6-7 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
A PRAYERFUL SPIRIT Mark 4:24 He went on to say, “Pay attention to what you’re listening to! ⸤Knowledge⸥ will be measured out to you by the measure ⸤of attention⸥ you give. This is the way knowledge increases. Luke 11:9 “So I tell you to ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. Philippians 4:7 Then God’s peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus. A prayerful spirit is the spirit to which God will speak. A prayerful spirit will be a listening spirit waiting to hear what God says. In the intercourse with God His presence and the part He takes must be as real as my own. I HOPE YOU RECEIVED FROM THIS QUICK REFRESHER. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
