From the Pulpit to the Streets: Golden Nuggets of Wisdom for Daily Living

From the Pulpit

to the Streets

Golden Nuggets of Wisdom for Daily Living

Dr. Clarence Talley, Sr.

AuthorHouse™

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

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Phone: 1-800-839-8640

© 2012 by Dr. Clarence Talley, Sr. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse   05/12/2012

ISBN: 978-1-4685-6342-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4685-6341-2 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4685-6340-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012904690

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible. Quotations identified as NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version © 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society; NKJV are from the New King James Version © 1991 by Thomas Nelson Publishers; TEV are from the Today’s English Version of the Good News Bible by the American Bible Society © 1966, 1971, 1976; AV are from the Amplified Version © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987; RSV are from the Revised Standard Version © 1946,1952, 1971,1973; NRSV are from the New Revised Standard Version © 1989; and LB are from the Living Bible © 1971, 1997.

Contents

Preface

Introduction

Nugget 1    Wisdom: Access It, Download It, Put It to Use

Nugget 2    Ask for Wisdom

Nugget 3    A Can-Do Spirit

Nugget 4    A Will-Do Spirit

Nugget 5    A Must-Do Spirit

Nugget 6    God’s Hands Are Giving Hands

Nugget 7    God’s Plan Must Be Our Plan

Nugget 8    God’s Victory Is Our Victory

Nugget 9    Blessed Is the Best

Nugget 10    Child, I’m Blessed

Nugget 11    Child, I’m Blessed—Part 2

Nugget 12    In the Midst of Our How-Longs

Nugget 13    But I Have Prayed for You

Nugget 14    Encouragement

Nugget 15    So You Think You Can Dance?

Nugget 16    Pleasing God

Nugget 17    Humble Pie: Eat Some

Nugget 18    Don’t Waste Your Time

Nugget 19    Excuse Me—You’re in the Wrong Seat

Nugget 20    Leftovers

Nugget 21    Bad Things. Good People

Nugget 22    No, We Can’t All Just Get Along!

Nugget 23    Just the Facts

Nugget 24    Layaway, Lay Up

Nugget 25    Just Come Clean

Nugget 26    Hear, Speak, and Respond in Love

Nugget 27    Remaining Cool and Calm in the Face of Trouble

Nugget 28    How to Live While You’re Still Alive

Nugget 29    Unsinkable

Nugget 30    What More Could I Have Done?

Nugget 31    God Has a Problem with That

Nugget 32    Hot as Hell

Nugget 33    A Sure Defense

Nugget 34    The Litmus Test for Ministry

Nugget 35    True Happiness

Nugget 36    Saying So

Nugget 37    The Sweet Stuff

Nugget 38    Today Is All We Have

Nugget 39    God Deserves Our Praises

Nugget 40    A Psalm of Jubilation

Nugget 41    Getting God’s Attention: Psalm 55

Nugget 42    Glad about Worship—Psalm 122

Nugget 43    Psalm 23

Nugget 44    God Protects Those Who Love Him

Nugget 45    A Good Neighbor

Nugget 46    A Shared Secret

Nugget 47    Act on Faith

Nugget 48    Baby-Face

Nugget 49    Faith Is the Key

Nugget 50    Go and Sin No More

Nugget 51    God of the Possible

Nugget 52    Good News to a Black Man on His Way Home

Nugget 53    Get Rich without Having to Die Trying

Nugget 54    His Grace, Jesus Christ

Nugget 55    If It Had Not Been for the Lord on Our Side

Nugget 56    Jesus and the Church

Nugget 57    Lo, I Am

Nugget 58    Nothing In, Nothing Out

Nugget 59    Out of the Heart

Nugget 60    Real Love

Nugget 61    Sing Unto the Lord

Nugget 62    Stay on Course

Nugget 63    The Word

Nugget 64    The Holy Spirit at Work

Nugget 65    The Importance of Prayer

Nugget 66    The Peace of God

Nugget 67    The True Vine

Nugget 68    To Be a Slave, or Not to Be a Slave?

Nugget 69    Warning: Beware

Nugget 70    Revelation Is Not a Difficult Word

Nugget 71    Jesus Christ, the Troublemaker

Nugget 72    Isaiah 40:28-31

Nugget 73    Choose the Better Part

Nugget 74    The Two Thieves and Jesus

Nugget 75    I Thirst

Nugget 76    Judas

Nugget 77    Jesus Accomplished His Mission

Nugget 78    Mother’s Teachings

Nugget 79    To MaDea: Thanks for the Memories

Nugget 80    The Prodigal Graciously Restored

Nugget 81    Retrace Your Steps and Say Thank You

Nugget 82    Start Counting

Nugget 83    Thanks for God and Family

Nugget 84    Living Christmas Trees

Nugget 85    Stuff

Nugget 86    Perfect Timing

Nugget 87    The Wise Men

Nugget 88    What C.H.R.I.S.T.M.A.S. Means

Nugget 89    Never Know What a Year Will Bring

Nugget 90    Born to Die and Live Again

Nugget 91    The New Year

Nugget 92    Delighting in the New Year

Nugget 93    Three Resolutions That Will Bless

ENDNOTES

Dedicated to

those who seek the Wisdom of God

and to those who have encouraged me

along my journalistic

journey to share

the Wisdom of God

Preface

One cannot be a friend of the world, delight in the world, and at the same time find pleasure in God. No man can serve two masters.

The title of this book, From the Pulpit to the Streets: Golden Nuggets of Wisdom for Daily Living, is derived from my weekly article published in the Waller County News Citizen, a paper I have enjoyed writing for since 1992. As of this writing, however, I have been informed that the paper will no longer be published after 121 years of serving the county. Hopefully, this unlikely demise will be averted.

With God at the center of life, it is never I can, but. Or I can, if. It is always, I can.

As a contributor to the News Citizen, I have had the journalistic ride of my life. I have been able to share with so many on a wide range of subjects. Having had the opportunity to share with my readers the godly wisdom and insight that the Master wants us to have has been a tremendous blessing.

Being committed to speak to an audience, in writing, week after week has been a challenge: a wonderful challenge. Sometimes before I could take a deep breath or take in a moment of relaxation, it was time to submit another article. Being a husband, father, professor, minister, columnist, and more has kept me on the go. Enjoyable as the task was, wrestling with deadlines was at times difficult. When forced reruns were in order, I always tried to rework pieces to present something new, or from a different angle—some thought-provoking idea that would further benefit my readers.

Every Christian should be a living Christmas tree decorated by God, lit up to serve His purpose, and topped to give Him all the glory.

Now, not having the opportunity to communicate on a weekly basis isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as my readers and I have learned through the years that even this can work together for our good. God has a way of moving mysteriously and surprisingly.

With that said, it is my hope that this book will keep us connected. In it, you will find many favorites that have inspired and enlightened.

Included are over ninety golden nuggets of wisdom. There is something here for everyone. The general focus, as you will discover, is simply wisdom—that is, knowing what God has said and applying it to daily life. Opinions, perspectives, and traditions are all irrelevant when viewed against the wisdom and knowledge of God.

Having enough money to be on Forbes list of the richest men and women in the world cannot begin to compare to the value of wisdom.

Hopefully, sifting through this volume will help you see, even more clearly, things from God’s perspective—the only perspective that really counts. Along the way, you will encounter sage advice, instructions, and insightful thoughts rooted in the biblical text. For example, in A Can-Do Spirit, we are told that with God at the center of life, it is never "I can, but. Or I can, if. It is always, I can. This attitude was put on display by the apostle Paul when he declared, I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me."¹

In Leftovers, we are reminded that in households where plenty is the norm and more than enough is the standard, it is easy to underestimate the value of leftovers. Thus, Jesus commanded His disciples, after feeding over five thousand individuals, to gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.²

In God Has a Problem with That, we are confronted with the fact that the Christian life is not meant to be lived in a vacuum, in secret, in seclusion, or undercover. This chapter emphasizes that our relationship with God is one that the world must know about.

The Christian life is not meant to be lived in a vacuum, in secret, in seclusion, or undercover.

In True Happiness, we come to understand that Solomon would have us to know the value of wisdom. He would likely argue that having enough money to be on Forbes list of the richest men and women in the world cannot begin to compare to the value of wisdom.

In households where plenty is the norm and more than enough is the standard, it is easy to underestimate the value of leftovers.

In Living Christmas Trees, we learn that every Christian should be a living Christmas tree decorated by God, lit up to serve His purpose, and topped to give Him all the glory.

Finally, in Delighting in the New Year, we receive a warning about allegiance: one cannot be a friend of the world, delight in the world, and at the same time find pleasure in God. No man can serve two masters.³

These are just a few of the nuggets of wisdom that await you and are designed so that you may grow in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man.

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.⁴

Introduction

Wisdom is the principle thing: therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.⁵ Understanding to live right, think right, and do right is what this edition is all about. The golden nuggets of wisdom that make up this edition are a collection of writings I have shared from the pulpit, with the local community, and with my students.

They are meant to strengthen, encourage, and inspire you, the reader, into developing a closer and more nurturing relationship with the Creator. I have tried to be plain, simple, and direct in presenting the truths of the Bible: truths that easily apply to our daily living, confront us where we are, and challenge us to be better than we are.

Each chapter is a standalone nugget of wisdom and truth. Chapters do not have to be read in the order in which they are presented. You may choose to start with those that stir your interest, arrest your attention, or potentially feed your soul. Chapter topics that appeal to you should be, without hesitation, pounced upon with Berean fervor. Each chapter points the reader to the power of God that leads to salvation.

Life, I believe, must be faced with power that is beyond anything you or I possess. That power is found only in God’s Word. It is His wisdom personified in Jesus Christ and made available to us so we are able to stand against the wiles of the Devil.

Without wisdom, we cannot handle life. Life will handle us. It will beat us up. It will push us over. It will subdue our efforts.

As a result, we need godly wisdom: wisdom to understand ourselves, wisdom to build better families, wisdom to get along with others, wisdom to handle our personal finances, wisdom to handle emotional ups and downs, and wisdom to live holy lives.

Within the following pages lie golden nuggets of wisdom that will benefit the soul, spirit, and body.

It is my desire that you access it, download it, and put it to use.

Wisdom.

Clarence Talley, Sr.

Prairie View, TX

Nugget 1

Wisdom: Access It,

Download It, Put It to Use

Jesus Christ is the only way to the desires of the heart on this side and to eternal bliss with the heavenly Father on the other side.

No one, young or old, has the know-how or the moral tenacity to live at the level that is pleasing to God. Subsequently, we all need wisdom—wisdom that comes from having a personal relationship with God.

Though we all need wisdom, it is our youth who are in dire need. Why? Because youth today are grappling with issues and are confronted with conditions unimaginable to previous generations. Like never before, they are prime targets for the wiles of the Devil. It is wisdom and understanding that will equip and protect our youth and enable them and us to successfully stand against Satan and his imps.

In Proverbs, Solomon directs us to the paramount thing in life: wisdom. He says, Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting, get understanding.⁶

To get wisdom, true wisdom, we all have to be connected to Jesus Christ. He is the personification of wisdom. Without Him, young people are ill equipped to meet the moral and social demands that life inevitably brings. Young people do not need to spend a major portion of their lives seeking answers to earthly problems when every answer to every problem is found in Jesus Christ, the Wisdom of God.⁷ He is the way, the truth, and the life.⁸ He is light in darkness and everyone’s hope for tomorrow.

On the contrary, the world promotes a way, a lifestyle, and a belief system that are opposed to Jesus Christ. The world’s mesmerizing manner impresses and inspires young people down roads that eventually lead to destruction. The ways of the world are designed to draw young people away from the sheltering arms of the heavenly Father.

In contrast, the way of Jesus Christ leads them to favor and fellowship with the Father. Jesus Christ is the only way to the desires of the heart on this side and to eternal bliss with the heavenly Father on the other side. No man comes to the Father but by Him.⁹ Without Jesus, we can do nothing.¹⁰ Without Jesus, we only have worldly wisdom.

The truth young people need in a world of lies, corruption, and greed is also found in Jesus Christ. In a world governed by the Devil, the father of lies, the truth and nothing but the truth is much needed. The father of lies is in no way interested in anyone, young or old, being spiritually enlightened by Jesus Christ, who is truth. Without Jesus, we are left with a lie from the father of lies.

Lastly, Jesus is life. By that I mean through natural birth, we have physical life, but Christ is not speaking of physical life; He speaks of the highest level of life—spiritual life, life eternal. Without Christ, all we have is a physical existence. With Christ, life takes on a whole new meaning. With Christ, we have newness of life and life more abundantly. He is the Resurrection and the Life. In Him is life, and that life is the light all men need.¹¹

Many young people have been duped into believing that life consists only in the abundance of things, and as a result, they set out to acquire things, not knowing that things do not make life worth living.¹² In real life—the good life—true abundant living is found only in Jesus.

With a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, young people then have access to godly wisdom: wisdom to successfully live from day to day, wisdom to rise above the mundane, and wisdom to faithfully meet the moral and social challenges of a promiscuous society. Godly wisdom, therefore, must be accessed, downloaded, and used accordingly.

What then is godly wisdom, and where is it to be found? Wisdom is that which enables men to judge what are the best ends, and what the best means to attain them.¹³ As I have so often said, wisdom is the application of the mind of God to every situation. It is godly wisdom that each youth and adult must download from the Bible and apply to his or her individual circumstances.

Godly wisdom is found in no other source but the Word of God; there is no other. Thus, the Bible has much to say about wisdom, so much so, that three books—Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes—and selected Psalms are specifically identified as wisdom literature. The writers of these books wrestled with some the most perplexing problems confronting mankind, and since Solomon said, There is nothing new under the sun,¹⁴ then we can be assured that all we need to know is found on the pages of God’s Word.

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for wise, hakam, is used to describe people’s skills in various handicrafts, such as the artisans who helped build the tabernacle. By its use, we may conclude that the Hebrew word for wisdom points to a practical use rather than a theoretical or philosophical one. However, in Proverbs 1:2, the word wisdom differs from the Hebrew hakam; it denotes discreet counsel—the kind meant for those who seek to do and act wisely.

In the New Testament, in the book of James, a distinction is made between the wisdom that comes from God and the wisdom of this world. James argues that wisdom from above is seen in a good life, a life filled with humble deeds, and the wisdom of the world is characterized by bitter envy and selfish ambition. James asserts:

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the Devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.¹⁵

Wisdom that will benefit our youth, and us, comes from above. It is pure and undefiled. It is peaceable and gentle toward others. Heavenly wisdom is quick to forgive and quick to show mercy. It is impartial and authentic. Properly applied, godly wisdom will deliver anyone from a spirit of unrighteousness and produce in him acts of righteousness.

Let us not be deceived by the wisdom of the world. Remember, wisdom is the application of the mind of God to every situation—the best ends and the best means to attaining God’s will. Christians, both young and old, are admonished to walk with wisdom: Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise.¹⁶

Therefore, let’s continue to encourage our young people to seek wisdom that only God can give. Let’s encourage them, and with them, let us access wisdom, download it, and put it to use.

Nugget 2

Ask for Wisdom

Without wisdom we cannot handle life. Life will handle us. It will beat us up. It will push us over. It will subdue our efforts.

Life can be difficult, especially when we are not equipped to handle its particulars. Work, marriage, parenting, and school are all hard enough, but when we lack wisdom, life can be devastating, overwhelming, and even destructive.

No one is born with enough worldly wisdom to successfully handle life. What we need must come from another source: the Lord.

It is only when we have been born again that we have access to an unlimited supply of wisdom—godly wisdom. With God’s wisdom, we can handle the good and the bad that automatically flow into our lives.

God is the only source of true wisdom. He is all-knowing, and His knowledge is perfect. The extent of God’s knowledge is revealed in a conversation He had with Job, the righteous man of God.

In that conversation, God asked Job some hard, penetrating questions that only the Lord Himself could answer. He asked:

Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, If you know so much. Do you know how its dimensions were determined, and who did the surveying? What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstone, as the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted with joy?¹⁷

Indeed, the thirty-eighth chapter of Job illustrates the incomprehensible depths of God’s wisdom and clearly shows that there is none like Him.

Other writers have also spoken of the wisdom of God. The psalmist explained, He has decided the number of the stars and calls each one by name. Great and mighty is our Lord; his wisdom cannot be measured.¹⁸

Isaiah argued, There is no searching of His understanding.¹⁹ God’s wisdom is so deep, we cannot even fathom its depths.

Daniel understood that all wisdom comes from God: He reveals profound mysteries beyond man’s understanding. He knows all hidden things, for he is light and darkness is no obstacle to him.²⁰

Reflecting on the greatness of God’s wisdom, Paul stated, Oh, what a wonderful God we have! How great are his wisdom and knowledge and riches! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and methods!²¹

No matter how hard we try, we are still baffled by the wisdom of God and the extensiveness of His knowledge, especially about man.

Regarding the Lord’s intimate facts about man, David said, O Lord, you have examined me and know everything about me. Before I can think a thought it is first revealed to You.²²

Jeremiah learned that God knew him before he was formed in his mother’s womb. Subsequently, Jeremiah conceded that God had skillfully and wonderfully made him and ordered his life prior to birth.²³

God knows our hearts, the number of hairs on our head, our purposes, and our intentions. He knows our needs, our words before we speak them, and the way we will go in life. In other words, God knows all decisions and choices we will make before we make them.

Because God is wise in every way and in all things, we who lack wisdom and knowledge should seek out His assistance.

James encourages us to simply ask: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.²⁴

He uses the word if because there are many people who are deceived into believing that they are already wise. But for those who recognize the need for true wisdom, James commands us to ask for it, and God will supply.

Without wisdom we cannot handle life. Life will handle us. It will beat us up. It will push us over. It