Coffee With The Lord

Just a comment: Today’s “Sip” from my time of “Coffee with the Lord” is coming from a 78 year old guy who runs 5-7 miles nearly every day and on the week of his birthday does a “Prayer Run” in which he runs his age in miles. (Note: Every one of my runs is a “Prayer Run!”) My fitness theme? “FITNESS WITH A PURPOSE!”

“TRAIN YOURSELF FOR GODLINESS! While bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come! THIS SAYING IS TRUSTWORTHY AND DESERVING OF FULL ACCEPTANCE!” (From 1 Timothy 4:7–9)

WARNING: Today’s “Coffee with the Lord” is a repost (but believe me, I believe a worthy one!)

Proverbs 3:1-12, for me, expresses several core values and key life-principles that have guided my life over the years! I read them again this morning with relish. I would have to say these are core concepts that I have personally embraced – they have made all the difference in the quality of my daily life. Each comes with a wonderful promise or assurance. I highly recommend them! Here is a fresh personal statement and paraphrase of those principles…

1. Don’t forget the reliable life-lessons you been taught by the key influencers in your life! What they have invested in you will adorn and distinguish your life.

2. Embrace and live out your key covenant relationships! God will honor you… and so with others.

3. Trust in the Lord completely – don’t try to run your own life! The Lord will smooth out your path and work out all of the details.

4. Reverence the Lord and live out that reverence humbly! It is the healthy way to live and you discover fresh vitality in your life.

5. Honor the Lord with your possessions! He promises to prosper you!

6. Accept and submit to your Heavenly Father’s discipline! It is a sign that He cares about you – that He deeply loves you and you’re His child.

Check ‘em out in your Bible! Take it from me… this passage is worth committing to memory!

I’m one of those students of Scripture who takes the language of Scripture very seriously (especially the “original language” in which it was inspired and written) – the “verbal inspiration” of Scripture! But I gotta tell you, sometimes it helps to paraphrase the message of Scripture (and I mean by that, with devotional integrity seek to put it in your “own words!”

I did that today with one of the “Hymns of Praise” (Psalms 146-150) – they all begin and end with “Praise the Lord!” So here goes – my paraphrase of Psalm 150, the last of the “Hymns of Praise” and the last of the entire “Psalter!”

“Com’on Praise the Lord! – Ya’all praise Him! It doesn’t matter where – do it in church or anywhere else in His glorious creation! Think about all the awesome things He has done and praise Him! How great He is will blow your mind! Grab an instrument and praise Him! Pound a drum! blow a whistle! Make some noise! He gave you the breath you’re breathing – use it to praise Him! That’s right – just do it! He deserves it! I’m gonna praise the Lord! Will you join me?” Bartel’s feeble attempt at a “personal paraphrase”