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Poor Man’s Proverb #39: To Co-sign Or Not To Co-sign, That Is The Question

If a friend or a relative asks you to co-sign on a loan for them, should you do it?  If you are not sure what to do, God has some advice for you. Proverbs 22:26- 27 reveals the following: “Don’t agree to guarantee another person’s debt or put up security for someone else. If you can’t pay it, even your bed will be snatched from under you.”

 

 

Note 2 self: Probably not a good idea to co-sign in general but if you do, better make sure you got the“loot” (cash) to cover the debt. Proceed with caution if you must, my friend. Many a relationship has been ruined because the borrower did not pay back the loan or was late on the payments thus impacting the credit of the co-signer.  If you co-sign, consider it your loan because in the end, it might just be. To the question, should I co-sign? It’s your call, but remember Proverbs 22:26-27.  Word to the wise: Getting your bed snatched from under you is NOT COOL.  

Blessings to you all, my friends.

Daniel

The Note 2 Self Guy

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Poor Man’s Proverb #38: God Is Bigger Than The Box We Sometimes Put Him In

God can do anything.  Some of us pray about a situation or circumstance and when God does not answer or respond immediately many of us begin to doubt.

Doubt is a weapon of the devil and is cancerous to our faith. It slowly eats away at our faith. Doubt is like a parasite that eats away at its host. The devil cleverly uses doubt to encourage our subconscious to put God inside of the box. It makes us believe that our problem is located outside the box just inches short of God’s reach.

In James 1:6, God gives us a warning about the danger of doubt. “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.” Where is the stability in that? Doubt has no stability. It will have your mind all over the place, just like that wave tossed by the wind.

In 2 Corinthians 5:7, God tells us that “…we walk by faith, not by sight.” We don’t even need to use our eyes, we just have to trust in God and believe that He will help us.

He takes it a step further in Hebrews 11:6. “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Did you catch that? There is a reward for those who earnestly seek him. It is clear that God considers doubt a Debbie Downer!

Note 2 self: Could it be that we are derailing our rescue from life’s problems because of our doubt? I believe one’s faith is the shortest distance between our problems and their solutions.  Whenever I occasionally take the Doubt Train, I remind myself that God created the universe and everything in it.  I think He can handle my little problems.

Blessings to you all, my friends.

Daniel

The Note 2 Self Guy

 

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Poor Man’s Proverb #37: Can Words Be Verbal Dynamite?

I am reminded of an old childhood saying, “Sticks and stones can break your bones but names will never hurt you.” Is there any truth in that? Inquiring minds want to know.

What does God have to say about the power of words? He certainly is not silent on this issue.  In James 3:9, we find the following: “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.  Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing.”  Yes, words can be destructive.

Consider the possible outcome of a child who has always been told by his/her parents that they will never amount to anything. Over time the self-image and self-esteem of that child become greatly diminished as he/she begins to believe what they have been told by their parents. These repeated harmful words potentially put that child down a pathway of depression, poor decision-making, anger, bitterness, underachievement, a life of crime or perhaps even suicide. 

Note 2 self: Just imagine being on the receiving end of the following words from God reflected in Matthew 25:41: “Then he will say to those on his left. ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” That is the most hurtful statement that can ever be said to a human being.  So, to the question, can words be verbal dynamite? Without a doubt, they certainly can!

Blessings to you all, my friends.

Daniel

The Note 2 Self Guy

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Poor Man’s Proverb #36: Never Add To An Already Perfect Plan

One day I prayed and asked God to provide me with an opportunity that would allow me to make ends meet in my finances. God answered and gave me specific instructions on an opportunity designed to help improve my finances. And sadly, I did what I sometimes do; I followed 3/4th of His instructions and added a little to His plan.

Note 2 self: Not a good move! Well, the part I added, blow up in my face and actually cost me money and time. As soon as it happened, the Spirit said, “Next time follow my instructions completely.” It is important that we all remember what God told us in Jeremiah 29:11. ”For I know the plans I have for you, ‘declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Really, does it look like God needs our help in planning our future? In a word, NO!

Blessings to you all, my friends.

Daniel

The Note 2 Self Guy

 

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Poor Man’s Proverb #35: Are You Taking A Knife To A Gunfight With The Devil?

Make no mistake about it, the devil is out to get us. God gives us a warning in 1 Peter 5:8. “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaming lion looking for someone to devour.” In other words, the devil has a gun pointed directly at us with his finger on the trigger.

So what are we to do? How can we fight back? Have you ever heard the term, “Fight fire with fire”?  Well, if you have – that won’t work! We need something stronger.  We need something that will extinguish the fire.  God gives us some help in 2 Timothy 2:15.  “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Note 2 self: God is telling us to study the Bible so that we will be empowered to correctly handle the word of truth.  This will give us the power to fight back. When the devil presents us with a thought, an action or a situation/circumstance we will be equipped to put out the devil’s fire with water (God’s Word).  It is nearly impossible to remember something if we never learned or knew it in the first place. This is why studying scripture is so important. For every trick of the devil, God has an answer.

So to the question, are we taking a knife to a gunfight with the devil. Nah bruh, we’re packing a bazooka! Study the Word!

Blessings to you all, my friends.

Daniel

The Note 2 Self Guy

 

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Poor Man’s Proverb #34: Death Can Be A Bridge To The Greatest Family Reunion Ever Told

Within a 48 hour period, I learned of three deaths.  A former church member, a neighbor, and a former co-worker – all gone just like that.  Sadness and shock became my reality. Whenever someone dies I immediately think about the condition or state of their soul. Were they saved? Had they accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior (John 3:16)? It really matters. If they had, then my sadness graduates to a form of comfort because I know I will see them again.

Note 2 self: God offers many words of encouragement concerning death. Here are a couple.  For those who have accepted Him, death is merely a transition.  “To me, living means having Christ. To die means that I would have more of Him” Philippians 1:21. We when die, we get the 411 on Christ. In other words, we get the full scoop on Jesus – we will know Him in ways that the living can only dream of.  It is super comforting to know what 2 Corinthians 5:8 reveals. “Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord.” For those of us who love the Lord, death is a homecoming and the greatest family reunion of all times becomes a reality as we are reunited with our loved ones.  In the meantime, cherish the good times spent with our loved ones and they will continue to live in us.

Blessings to you all, my friends.

Daniel

The Note 2 Self Guy

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Poor Man’s Proverb #33: Are You A Good Man?

Are you a good man?  Fellas, we may want to think long and hard before we answer this question. Society has it’s definition of what a good man is but that definition pales in comparison to what God considers a good man.

Let’s review a few of God’s standards that defines such a man.  “A good man leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous” (Proverbs 13:22).  Providing financial support for your children and your grandchildren is only part of our responsibility. I believe this scripture lends itself to legacy building. We teach our children right from wrong and to be examples of godly men. What we teach our children will be passed on to future generations. These life lessons are needed to help our children and their offspring become faithful Christians. We are to be forward thinking in our efforts to lay down the foundation for future generations.

Ephesians 5:22-33 governs how a man should treat his wife. We are the spiritual leaders of our households. We are to love our wives like Christ loved the church. He loved the church so much that he gave His life for it. We are to leave our parents to be with our wives. In other words, the wife becomes your number #1 priority outside of God. Everyone else takes a back seat.

“Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8).  Gentlemen, if we don’t take care of our families especially our wife and children, then we are worse than an unbeliever. Wow! It appears God is not a fan of dead-beat dads.

Note 2 self: The key to being a good man is to be a God-fearing man. A man who fears God desires to keep the Lord’s commands and to do what is right. Doing so will greatly increase his chances of being a good man. So, to the question – are you a good man? We should all strive to be.

Blessings to you all, my friends.

Daniel

The Note 2 Self Guy

 

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Poor Man’s Proverb #32: Is Hell For Real?

Is hell for real or just an imaginary place? This is a question pondered by many. There are some who accept Jesus as Savior of the world but do not believe that hell is a real place. They view death as simply the extinction of life.

Note 2 self: The Bible gives several examples that hell is indeed real (Luke 16:19-31, Matthew 10:28 and Matthew 7:13). What is unique about these scriptures is that they are all the words of Jesus Himself.  Hell is a real place and sadly millions will call it their eternal home.  You can’t believe in Jesus and discount the existence of hell.  The fact that Jesus made mention of hell should tell us that hell is indeed for real.

Blessings to you all, my friends.

Daniel

The Note 2 Self Guy

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Poor Man’s Proverb #31: Favor From God Will Take You A Long Way

The story of Joseph (Genesis 37 to 45) is packed with valuable life lessons.  His story shows perseverance in the midst of terrible situations; faithfulness; communication with God; favor from both God & man; forgiveness of others; prosperity (where you start isn’t necessarily where you finish); God’s will for one’s life in spite of the evil that man unleashes on us; and LOVE. It is a story that will give us HOPE.

Note 2 self: Yeah, there’s something in the story of Joseph for everyone.  If you’re going through some stuff, check out the story of Joseph. You too can have favor from God.

Blessings to you all, my friends.

Daniel

The Note 2 Self Guy

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Poor Man’s Proverb #30: Is The Devil In Your Camp?

Is the devil in your camp? Many of you may be thinking, what is this guy talking about? Take a moment and think about all the people who are in your inner cycle. This includes close friends and family. Do all these people have your best interest at heart? Do they only want what is best for you or is there something in it for them?

I am reminded of the story of Judas Iscariot.  Judas was one of Jesus twelve disciples. He was in Jesus’ inner circle; and yet, he would betray him.

You can read more about Judas’ betrayal of Jesus in the following scriptures: Luke 22:3-6, Mark 14:42-46, and Matthew 26:14-16.  Here’s the short version; Judas agreed to set up Jesus for capture for 30 pieces of silver.  Judas identified Jesus with a kiss and was arrested. Jesus would later be crucified.

Note 2 self: Just because we have allowed people in our inner circle does not mean they have our best interest at heart. The story of Judas is an example of that. Here is a little food for thought. People who are truly in your corner will tell you when you’re wrong even when they stand to personally gain from the decision you are considering.

So, to the question, “Is the devil in your camp?” I certainly hope not.

Blessings to you all, my friends.

Daniel

The Note 2 Self Guy