Good morning all.  I pray that whatever has come to you in the past week, you have been able to see the goodness of our God.  During these trying times we all need each other.  Don’t miss out on what God has for you.  It often comes by means of another of His children when we spend time together.

Whenever I share something that feels a little heavy, I like to follow it up with something encouraging.  So when God gave me the topic for today, I didn’t want to do it.  Then He showed me how it is in fact an uplifting message.  Actually, all of them should be.  After all. Jesus said that the truth will make us free.  It only becomes heavy when we resist it.

Many years ago when I was going through a tough time, someone shared this verse with me and it stuck.  Proverbs 18:1 reads, “He who separates himself seeks his own desire, He quarrels against all sound wisdom.” (NASB)  I don’t remember the context of the discussion anymore.  I do remember that I handled a situation badly and had skipped Sunday morning services that week.  Now that I’ve studied the verse, I’m not even sure if it could be applied that way, but now I think about it every time I read it, and there are some important truths that we can learn from it.

Based on the significant differences in translation, I think the Proverbs are one of the most difficult things to translate from the original language.  They often rely heavily on the cultural background and thought processes of the people to which they are addressed.  This is a challenge in all translation, but it becomes most evident in the proverbs.  Just look at the wide variation among the many versions provided by Bible Gateway.  This can be intimidating to a budding Bible student.  For me, it was a challenge to my faith when I was younger.  How can we trust in the infallibility of scripture if we can’t even decide what it says?  Since then, I have learned that we actually can have more confidence by far in the Bible text than we have in any other ancient writing , so again, the truth sets us free.

In this case, three points can be made from just about all the attempts at rendering this verse in a way we understand today.  The isolation being warned against is that which we choose.  This choice is a selfish one.  This choice is a rejection of wisdom and good judgment.  God meant for us to be in community with each other and with Him.  Just as we learned last week, nothing good comes from working against His design.

Come and join us.  We look forward to sharing with you and learning from you as we grow together.  You belong in God’s family.  Whether you are coming for the first time or coming back, He waits for you with open arms, and so do we.

I saved this for last because it didn’t seem right to have it screaming from the top of the Facebook page.  Tim remained in the hospital last week and they say that cancer is throughout his body.  Cindy says he may get to come home tomorrow and will be in hospice care.  It is never too late for God to do a miracle, so keep praying.

Love to you all,

Larry