In their book, "The Insider", Peterson & Shamy write, "Nothing else is like the Scriptures. Our finest arguments, our most brilliant apologetics pale in comparison to the power of the Scriptures themselves in bringing people to faith in Jesus Christ. It matters not if the reader accepts or rejects their inspiration and authority. If he or she is willing to give them honest consideration, they will burn their way into the heart."

Golf is a game that should be “played by the book.” It is important to know the rules, not only the rules in the golf rule book, but also the local course rules. Sent to players in a “Notice to Players,” the local rules give interpretations specific to a local course.

In a recent Amateur tournament a player was moving his ball away from a tree that had a white ribbon attached to one of its branches. There was nothing in the rules that allowed him to do that, he only assumed that was the meaning of the white ribbon. He was allowed to replace the ball and play it, with a one stroke penalty.

--Fairways, Summer 2009; p. 16. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

God gave us His people a written notice to guide their decisions and lives. So many difficulties that we face could be handled if we had a good understanding of the word of God. Sometimes there may not be a penalty as quickly as the golfers, but we can be sure it is always better to follow the word.

2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV) “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,”

“Read your Bible. Read it every day. Read it through in a year.” We have all heard and probably made these exhortations to scripture reading. To me it is always heartening to discover another person who keeps good on the reading of scripture.

In Stephen Ambrose’s book on building the Transcontinental railroad he tells stories of how hard the men worked, how tireless they were, how determined they were to get the coasts connected. Arthur Ferguson was one of the lead surveyors, working out far in front of the track laying, determining the route the railroad would take. The surveyors were determined not to let down the graders coming behind them. They worked hard so they would always be out in front. But even in his busyness he found time to read his Bible. In his journal are written these words, “We are now located in a wild and beautiful region. I finished reading the New Testament through this morning.”

--Stephen Ambrose, Nothing Like It In The World, p. 213. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

When I am too busy to read the Bible, I need to remember the example from 150 years ago.

Psalm 1:1-3 (HCSB) “How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path of sinners or join a group of mockers! (2) Instead, his delight is in the LORD’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. (3) He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.”

I push myself to read. When I get to the end of the year, I check to see if I made my goal of one book per week over the 52 weeks. A few years I made it, more years I did not. I used the excuse, being a busy pastor left little time for reading. Well, I used that excuse until I read about George W. Bush. According to his closest advisor, Karl Rove, Bush loved books and was an avid reader. Even while he was president of the United States, leader of the free world, GW read 100 books per year. Rove reported in the Wall Street Journal that President Bush also read the Bible from cover to cover each year.

OK. I am encouraged to set my alarm a little earlier in the morning and read a little more of God’s word than I am used to reading. If the leader of the free world finds that time, I guess the leader of a small church can too.

--http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123025595706634689.html Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

2 Timothy 2:15 (HCSB) Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth.

A lot of research is going into understanding who is using Apple’s new iPad computer. One of the surprising finding indicates the demographics for the computer platform are expanding beyond an urban, liberal, and fairly non-religious base. For the first time, a Bible has broken into the top 10 highest grossing book applications for the iPad. Drew Haninger, CEO of the scripture apps publisher, Olive Tree says their company is getting 3,000 downloads a day, and sales are growing.

The Bible has been the most popular book in the world for years, and is a popular in Apple’s other product, the iPhone. Computerized books, such as the Kindle, rank the Bible in the top 50 best sellers. Other books ranked in the top ten for iPad include children’s stories, which indicate more than young professionals with money to burn are using the computer. New research indicates parents are now more likely than non-parents to own the system. As sales of the iPad continue to grow, it is likely God’s word will touch the lives of more families using the latest technology.

Growing Bible App Sales Hint at Shifting iPad Demographics, http://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2010/07/growing-bible-app-sales-hint-at-shifting-ipad-demographics/60485; The Atlantic, July 2010. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Isaiah 55:10-11 (CEV) (10) "Rain and snow fall from the sky. But they don't return without watering the earth that produces seeds to plant and grain to eat. (11) That's how it is with my words. They don't return to me without doing everything I send them to do."

Computer software developed by a team in Israel is giving new insight into what researchers believe about the authorship and composition of the Bible. The software analyzes style and word choices to tell if different authors wrote portions of text. The program is part of a sub-filed of artificial intelligence studies known as authorship attribution and has plenty of potential applications ranging from law enforcement, and computer programs for writers. The algorithm’s creator thought the Bible would make an interesting test case.

Believers assert the Bible is inspired by God, but that He used the distinct ideologies and linguistic styles of the writers to create a unique book. Scholars generally split the first five books of the Bible into sections they think were written in a more priestly style and separate those sections from other sections that sound non-priestly. The software matched current thinking 90 percent of the time, largely recreating years of work in a matter of hours. Though the software is amazing, it could not answer whether or not the Bible is of human or divine origin. Moshe Koppel, who headed the research team said, “No amount of research is going to resolve that issue.” He says there is no reason why God could not write a book in different voices and thinks the results will generate fruitful discussion.

--An Israeli algorithm sheds light on the Bible, http://news.yahoo.com/israeli-algorithm-sheds-light-bible-163128454.html; June 29, 2011, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (CEV) (16) Everything in the Scriptures is God's Word. All of it is useful for teaching and helping people and for correcting them and showing them how to live. (17) The Scriptures train God's servants to do all kinds of good deeds.

A new app for the iPhone is now available to help Bible readers pronounce some the most difficult names, places and terms found in the pages of scripture. The Bible Audio Pronunciations app offer assistance on over 1,000 of the Bible’s toughest words. It allows users to search or browse through a database of words. When the user finds the word they want, they can tap to hear a clearly spoken pronunciation. The application also includes links to Google and Wikipedia for those who want more information.

The new app offers users a chance to test it before they buy but selecting a free “Lite” version. Developer Michael Vance says his goal in creating the software was to give people an easy tool to raise their level of understanding and enjoyment from reading the Bible. He hopes the app will give people more confidence when talking about their faith. He said, “The Bible is meant to be shared with others, and this app helps people do that with confidence. It’s perfect for reading to your children, speaking at church, or reciting at a Bible study group.”

--iPhone app Helps readers Pronounce Tough Bible Names, http://www.christianpost.com/news/iphone-app-helps-readers-pronounce-tough-bible-names-52174; July 12, 2011. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Romans 10:16-18 (CEV) (16) Yet not everyone has believed the message. For example, the prophet Isaiah asked, "Lord, has anyone believed what we said?" (17) No one can have faith without hearing the message about Christ. (18) But am I saying that the people of Israel did not hear? No, I am not! The Scriptures say, "The message was told everywhere on earth. It was announced all over the world."

A Scottish angler set a new world record when he pulled a 98-year-old message in a bottle from the waters off the northern coast of Scotland. Authorities say the bottle that Andrew Leaper caught in his net is the oldest such message ever recovered, beating the previous record by five years. The bottle was one of 1,890 released in 1914 as an experiment to map the ocean currents around Scotland. Each bottle contained a postcard asking the finder to record the details of their discovery. It promised that if the person returned the card, they would receive a small monetary reward. Leaper says he will not be able to claim the cash because the letter promised a coin that in no longer produced. Even without the reward, Leaper is happy to be part of establishing a new world record for messages.

Old message sets new world record – --Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell
98-year-old message in bottle sets world record, http://Bostonglobe.com/news/world/2012/08/30/Year-old-message-bottle-sets-world -record/fhgabndoxwxcnl0q663n60/story.html; Accessed August 31, 2012.

Isaiah 40:8 (ESV) The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

A small stone seal found by archaeologists in Israel may be linked to the Old Testament Judge Samson. Co-directors of the Center for Archaeological Research at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Daniel Warner and Dennis Cole say the find suggests the seal depicts the story of a young man killing a lion with his bare hands just like the Biblical account found in Judges 14:6. The seal was likely used by a prominent family as proof of their authority. The seal dates to the time of the Judges and was found with other items near the ancient border between Israelite and Philistine territories. Warner said, "My initial assessment based upon what has been published to date would be that once again we have an artifact that does not contradict the biblical text, but in fact affirms it."

Ancient Stone Seal may depict Biblical account of Samson –--Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Unearthed stone seal may depict Old Testament judge Samson, http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?id=38576&ref=BPNews-RSSFeed0824, Accessed August 24, 2012.

2 Timothy 3:16 (HCSB) All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness,

An ad in a local paper asked, “How You Can Be Part of a Christian Community With Integrity and Not Believe All Those Things You Thought You Had to Believe.” The church sponsoring the lectures is a Mainline Denomination church, but would like to assure you that “you don’t have to check your mind at a church door.” The final words in the ad are, “Questions are required. No answers are promised.”

I have not attended one of the lectures yet. However, the ads have me thinking, “Just what are the things necessary to believe to be considered a Christian? What are the essentials and where do you find them?”

Paul says the source of doctrine is scripture. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

2 Timothy 3:16–17 (HCSB) “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

A report released by the Barna organization says a majority of Americans think morals and values are declining in the country, and they believe a lack of Bible reading is the cause. The findings were published in the American Bible Society’s annual State of the Bible survey. It not only explains that the Bible remains an influential force in America, but that views of the Bible are becoming more polarized, depending on the age of the person responding. The research also found a disconnect between belief and behavior. Two thirds of those surveyed agreed that the Bible contains everything a person needs to know to live, but 58% of those surveyed say they did not personally want wisdom and advice from the Bible. About the same amount said they read it fewer than five times a year.

Among Americans aged 18 to 28, more than half said they read from the Bible less than three times a year, but most said they were interested in received input and wisdom from it. Doug Birdsalll, president of the Bible Society said “The good news is the Bible is the ultimate instruction guide on how to live a moral live. Unfortunately, more than half of Americans rarely, if ever, read it.”— Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

77% of Americans Think Morality Is on the Decline – and One in Three Think the Bible Is the Answer, http://pressreleases.religionnews.com/2013/03/26/77-
of-americans-think-morality-is-on-the-decline-and-one-in-three-think-the-bible-is-the-answer, Accessed March 26, 2013.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV) (16) All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, (17) that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

A carved pillar discovered near the Biblical city of Bethlehem could be linked to the time of King David and King Solomon, but the current politic situation has made the item untouchable. Israeli tour guide Binyamin Tropper says at first he thought he was the first person to discover the five-ton artifact, but then learned authorities had known about the pillar for a long time. Tropper said he and his employer have been told to be quiet about the discovery even though it would confirm Old Testament passages dealing with King David and his son Solomon and verify the extent of their kingdoms. The find is problematic because it is not within the official borders of Israel and it would be difficult to excavate there. Tropper says he wants the truth to get out and believes everyone would benefit. The pillar marks the entrance to a water tunnel containing a spring which would help the local farmers by providing needed water and tourism dollars. Tropper believes the discovery is worth the political headache it would cause to do a proper excavation. He said, “We understand that it is problematic and a little complicated. This is an important place and it is our story so we need to dig.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Find from era of King David may confirm Old Testament text -- if politics don't interfere, by Sasha Bogursky, Jeremy Kaplan, http://www.foxnews.com/science/2013/06/20/find-from-era-king-david-confirm-old-testament, Accessed June 20, 2013.

2 Timothy 3:16 (CEV) Everything in the Scriptures is God's Word. All of it is useful for teaching and helping people and for correcting them and showing them how to live.

Two surveys give both hope and warning concerning the Bible in American Life. One poll from the Barna Group indicates that the Bible is losing ground among the Millennial generation. In 2011, 10% of Americans believed that the Bile is “just another book of teachings written by men.” In 2014 the percentage that believes the same thing is 19%. An equal number of Americans, 19%, believe the Bible is the Word of God. 39% of Millennials never read the Bible.

In a different study, the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture suggests the Bible retains a position of unique influence among Americans. Even among Americans who hardly ever read the Bible, two-thirds still affirm that the Scriptures are either the “inspired” or ‘inerrant” Word of God.

Among all religious texts, the Bible still is the most often read. 95% of people who read any religious text at least one a year read the Bible.

The message from these two studies is open to interpretation. As people of the book, we can only keep reading and expounding on the truthfulness of the Word. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

The Week, April 25, 2014 (Barna Study)
World, April 5, 2014 p.68 (Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture study)

2 Timothy 3:16 (HCSB) (16) All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness,

A group of physics students from the University of Leicester in England did a research project on the ability of Noah’s ark to carry the number of animals necessary. Based on the Bible’s description of the ark they calculated it could have carried about 56,000 tons. That is equivalent to 2.15 million sheep. Sheep represent the average size of the world’s animals. They published their results in the peer-reviewed Journal of Physics Special Topics. “Since other researchers have calculated only 35,000 or fewer animals needed to be aboard the ark, ‘we believe the ark to be of sufficient buoyancy.’”

Those of us who believe in the accuracy of God’s word didn’t need the proof, but it is nice to have our beliefs verified. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

2 Timothy 3:15-16 (HCSB) (15) and you know that from childhood you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. (16) All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness,

When the newest ambassador to Switzerland was sworn into office, she did not place her hand on a Bible. Instead, Suzi Levine placed her hand on an open Bible app on her Kindle when accepting the oath of office. Levine is part of new trend of officials being sworn in using apps on electronic devices rather than an actual paper Bible. While some support the use of the new technology, others say they are concerned because of print version of the Bible was not used. The main issue is that the Bible may be one of many programs on the portable device. Levine said, she used the Kindle because it was what she had at the time, and she thought it was a symbol of the very best of our nation. Walter Kim, an associate minister at Park Street Church in Boston said, “In fact, during our own worship service it’s a regular experience that people are pulling out their iPads and iPhones, looking up the passages that are being read or preached from the pulpit. We recognize that the most important thing is that people are engaged with the Bible. In whatever form it comes, whether it’s electronic or print.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

--Is A Digital Bible Less Holy? U.S. Officials Increasingly Sworn In On Tablets, By Hillary Vaughn, http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/lifestyle/2014/07/14/is-digital-bible-less-holy-us-officials-increasingly-sworn-in-on-tablet, Accessed July 14, 2014.

Romans 10:17 (NASB) So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

On the outskirts of Paris, an underground vault holds a platinum cylinder known as Le Grand K. This carefully guarded object sits under three glass domes and three different people have three different keys that are all needed to open the vault. Since 1889 this object has been the standard for the Kilogram. It is the measure against which all other weights are measured in the metric system.

Not pleased with Le Grand K, since it has lost 50 micrograms—roughly equal to a grain of sand—in the last 130 years, scientists would like to find a more accurate standard. Even the best falls short. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

http://www.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052748704062604576106094010476886?
mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052748704062604576106094010476886.html

Isaiah 40:8 (CEV) Flowers and grass fade away, but what our God has said will never change.

http://www.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052748704062604576106094010476886?
mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052748704062604576106094010476886.html

Isaiah 40:8 (CEV) Flowers and grass fade away, but what our God has said will never change.

In ancient Egypt common people, not able to afford the gold used by pharaohs, used papyrus, paint, and glue to make the masks for their mummies. Papyrus too, was expensive, causing them to reuse sheets that had once been used for writing. Recently scientists developed a method to remove the glue of mummy masks without harming the ink on the paper. Hundreds of ancient texts are being uncovered, including classical Greek writings, copies of stories by the Greek poet Homer, business and personal letters.

One of the masks yielded what may be an early fragment of the Gospel of Mark. Most Bible scholars agree the Gospel of Mark was written in Rome in the late 60’s. The date of the fragment is the 80’s A.D. This makes it the earliest known manuscript of the New Testament, the first discovered from the first century.

While our faith is based in Christ not in archaeological discoveries, it is nonetheless exciting to see Biblical text from so close to its original writing. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Isaiah 40:8 (NKJV) The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever."

The American Bible Society has released their fifth annual State of the Bible report, which contains several assumptions that Americans have about the Bible. 60% of the people surveyed said they wanted to read their Bibles more each week. The report also found that Americans have a lot of access to the Bible because 88% of households own at least one copy. Most Americans also believe that everyone in the world should have the freedom to own and read a Bible of their own. — Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

State of the Bible, http://www.americanbible.org/features/state-of-the-bible-2015, Accessed May 27, 2015.

Joshua 1:8 (HCSB) (8) This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to recite it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.

Scripture

Gary Alexander has lived in the small town of Wingo, Kentucky all of his life. He remembers hearing the stories about how several downtown buildings were built in the late 1890s. More than one hundred years later, Alexander was hired to demolish the buildings and reuse some of the materials. When the dust settled after the demolition, the wall of one building was still standing, and Alexander made an interesting discovery. Written on that wall was a verse from the Bible, John 6:47. Alexander said as a believer that means a lot to him. The wall was still standing, though the rest of the building was in pieces. He says there are more than 100 years of memories in the old building and he is allowing residents to take bricks as souvenirs. Alexander says he does not plan to tear the wall down, and he hopes whoever buys the lot will preserve it too. He added, “People are coming from all over taking pictures of it.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Isaiah 40:8 (HCSB) The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the word of our God remains forever.”

Scripture

The Sonic restaurant in Raymore, Missouri hopes to give their customers a little something extra by including verses from the Bible with their food. The store used to print the verses on customer’s receipts, but a recent software upgrade eliminated that possibility. In order to continue the tradition, the franchise began putting stickers with Bible verses on orders. It didn’t take long before resident began talking about the Bible verses, especially on social media. When a customer complained that he got a Bible verse, but was missing part of his order, local patrons on both sides of the issues began speaking out. Officially, Sonic is a publically owned company, but since many of the drive-ins are locally owned, the owners have the option of making their own decisions. The owner of the Raymore Sonic said they will continue to include the stickers on some orders, and they give employees the option to use alternative stickers if they want. One resident said, “I really don’t have any problems with it. It’s their store, restaurant; they can do whatever they want.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Bible verses put on orders at Missouri Sonic, By Joel Helmuth, http://www.abc15.com/news/local-news/water-cooler/bible-verses-put-on-orders-at-raymore-sonic-have-locals-talking_, Accessed February 17, 2016.

2 Corinthians 2:17 (HCSB) For we are not like the many who market God’s message for profit. On the contrary, we speak with sincerity in Christ, as from God and before God.

A group of friends hoping to cheer up a friend with cancer was disappointed when the Bible they had been sending around the country got lost in the mail. Friends of Jill Yeager purchased a pink Bible and sent it to friends around the country, asking them to pray for Jill and write an encouraging note in the Bible. In the process of sending the Bible across the country, it was lost in the mail, and the friends feared their project has over. Then Gail McNerney bought the Bible from a bookstore in Georgia through Amazon. She found the writings to Jill and assumed that the woman must have passed away and her family had given the Bible away. She contacted one of the people whose name she found, and discovered that Jill was still alive. NcNerney took the Bible to her church in Ohio and had the congregation leave messages. Afterward, she sent the special Bible on to Yeager. When Jill received it, the messages from people in Ohio, friends, and classmates touched her. Yeager said she finds a lot of strength from the special gift and added, “God knew I needed a pick me up and it all unfolded in His time, is what I believe.” She credits her friend’s faith for bringing it back home.--Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

http://www.khou.com/news/local/cancer-patients-special-bible-found-after-missing-for-months/214183322, Accessed May 26, 2016.

Isaiah 55:11 (HCSB)“so My word that comes from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do.”

In May 2016, @BibleEmoji released the emoji Bible app to mixed reviews. While some questioned the validity of such a translation, others said it was harder to read than traditional all-word Bibles. Carl Moehler of Biblica said the conversation about the new app was an opportunity to get back to the basics of what the Bible is. He said the bible is a love letter from God. God could have communicated with mankind any way he wanted, and though He could have used, clouds, the sky, mountains, or oceans, He chose words. Moeller said the emoji Bible app might look like a new way to engage people with God’s word, it is important to remember that God inspired His word through texts. He added, “Sometimes, in our desire to be relevant, we miss the fact that God has chosen to give us His salvation message and His life message, in the form of words.” –Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Emoji bible: legit or not legit, By Beth Stolicker, https://www.mnnonline.org/news/emoji-bible-legit-or-not-legit, Accessed June 29, 2016.

2 Timothy 3:16 (HCSB)“All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness,”

Actor Orlando Bloom posted a picture his new tattoo on Instagram. What he didn’t know was that the tattoo artist misspelled his son’s name. The tattoo was of his son’s name in Morse code, but was missing a single dot, so instead of Flynn, the tattoo said Frynn. Several of his Instagram followers alerted him to the error.

This was a fixable mistake, when Bloom found out, he returned to the tattoo parlor to get the missing dot.

https://www.npr.org/2020/02/21/808016551/actor-orlando-bloom-gets-his-tattoo-fixed-to-account-for-missing-dot

Every dot matters. Christ fulfills the entire law without a single missing dot. —Jim L. Wilson

For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all things are accomplished.

When police arrested 45-year-old Nicole Mintner in Florida for driving under the influence she had an interesting defense. She demanded that police release her on the grounds that “Jesus drank wine and so did I.” Nicole later confessed to having also taken Xanax, an anti-anxiety medication not mentioned in the Bible.

People have used the Bible and Jesus as an excuse for all kinds of transgressions. After all “What would Jesus do?” usually translates to Jesus would do what I would do. There is no reason why drunk driving should be any different. Paul calls us to use the scripture wisely. —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Be diligent to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth.

In England some schools are switching to digital clocks. It seems as if fewer and fewer students know how to tell time from analog clocks.

Instead of teaching children to tell time, educators choose to avoid the learning by dumbing down the requirements. It is important for Biblical educators to teach the fundamentals of the faith. Dumbing down doctrine can have serious eternal consequences. —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Be diligent to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth.

In Measure What Matters Most, John Doerr writes, “As Stephen Covey noted, ‘If the ladder is not leaning against the right wall, every step we take just gets us to the wrong place faster.’” Our actions must be leaning up against the right standard—God’s word.

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. You know those who taught you, and you know that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

A 39-year-old woman from Westminster Maryland forgot about a lottery ticket she had purchased a week before but found it when she was searching for something in her purse.

She was carrying around a quarter of a million dollars in her purse for a week and didn’t even know it. When she discovered the ticket in her purse, she scratched it and discovered she was a winner.

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2021/04/27/lotto-Maryland-Lottery-forgotten-scratch-off-purse-Westminster-Maryland/4311619554304/

Is it possible that you have something valuable around you and have not yet discovered what you have at your fingertips?