Andy Talks

We end Proverbs with where we started it. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom.  Proverbs 31 is the famous passage of a wise and Godly woman.  What do we see as the foundation of her wisdom?  Why is she to be praised?  Verse 30 says that charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.  Proverbs ends where it begins. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom. Wisdom begins here - understanding that we are not God and learning to live for Him, not for ourselves. That is where all wisdom starts.  Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here  - https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=573625137You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

Today, as read from Proverbs 30, we see the sayings of Agur. These are interesting and follow some interesting patterns. One of the things we see frequently in this passage is Agur looking to the created order and seeing wisdom there. He sees so much that he learns about God just by looking all around him. This is a good word for us today. There is so much wisdom, so much goodness, so much of God’s glory all around us every day. It’s there for us. We just have to look around.  Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here  - https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=573563254You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

Even though I was out on Sunday, we discussed Tradition in our series about theological reflection called "Balance," I wanted to share this message with you. I look at 2 Thessalonians 2: 13-15, where Paul speaks to us about the Tradition handed down. What does it mean to say to us as United Methodists that we use Tradition to better understand Scripture?If you'd like to see my notes, you can click here - https://docs.google.com/document/d/13liS0vNpBgflAjRiiM7sbh_lNj7zJSIK5NbLKjcvqG0/edit?usp=sharing

Today’s Rooted was for me. I needed to hear these words - the fear of others lays a snare. How often have we known what God was calling us to do but were afraid of what others would think?  Today, we are told to be careful of that trap. Don’t worry about them; trust in the Lord. We will be secure.  Courage is being afraid and still doing the right thing.  Today, do not be afraid of anything or anything. Be secure in your call from God, and live that out faithfully.  Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=573282747You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

Today, we discuss gossip, humor, and jealousy. These things that lurk in the shadows can be destructive. Where do we find humor? We live in a cruel age, and where we find humor says a lot about our character. What about jealousy? It may not look as explosive, but it can rot our souls. We are daily presented with opportunities to engage in arguments, fights, and conflicts. But what does it gain us to do that? Sometimes, the best answer is no answer. We face nearly constant pressure to give in to darkness and shadows. But that is not the way of Jesus. That is not the way of life.Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=573114788You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

Today, we see practical wisdom for hospitality and for dealing with our enemies. First, in Chapter 25, we learn a little bit about how Proverbs, as well as other parts of the Old Testament, were compiled and given to us. What a gift we receive through Holy Scripture! Second, we see some words on how not only to give hospitality but also to receive it. These are words that many of our southern mamas and grandmamas shared with us. And lastly, to do good to our enemies is a means of grace to them and to us.Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=573114758You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

We are told today, "Do not envy the wicked." But we have to ask ourselves the question, why would we do that in the first place? Why would we be tempted by that? Well, we look at the world today, and it can seem like the wicked prosper, like they are the ones who get ahead. But we know when we consider the work of God that, in the end, that will not be the case; God sees and God judges. Let’s leave that up to Him. However, that means we must not rejoice in the suffering of our enemies, but we must love even them.Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=573048555You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

We see three things that mingle together in our reading of Proverbs 23. First, we hear, do not chase wealth. Yes, work hard and be faithful. But do not just your chief resource, your time, your energy on that which doesn’t last. Second, respect the wisdom of your elders. There is much that they can teach us. Primary among that is this: there is always a future. There is always hope. Today is not the end.  Today, let’s cling tight to this wisdom, wisdom that can help us to truly live a wise and healthy life. Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=572963902You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

Today as we read Proverbs 22, it made me think about one of John Wesley’s sermons, “On the Use of Money.”  If you’d like to, you can read this sermon here - https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/article/wesleys-sermon-use-of-money.  Wesley has much to say that is based on the teachings of Proverbs.  Money can be used for great good, but we must be careful with it, or else it may grab hold of us.  We are to earn all we can, save all we can, and give all we can. We earn and save so that we can give. That is why we have the resources and the gifts that we do so that we can give and be a blessing to others.  Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=572704914You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

In our Traditional message from January 21, 2024, Andy preaches from 2 Timothy 3: 16-17.  This is part of our series "Balance" on how we United Methodists do theological reflection; we talk about our primary means of knowledge and truth - Scripture. Scripture is the foundation of everything we do, know, and believe.  It is our source of all truth.  In this message, we talk about the essential role that Scripture has in our faith!If you'd like to read Andy's notes, click here - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Fd2c2Qn2FRftieMujzNsXxqsdRFfsuNXXsgZ03Wzbag/edit?usp=sharing

Today, we look at chapters 19-21. These chapters are full of so much good wisdom for the living of our lives. We see the importance of helping the poor in a foreshadowing of Matthew 25. We are told to deal fairly with each other. Tell the truth. Don’t gossip. And understand that we must do our part and be faithful; it is God who wins the battle, it is God who is the one who brings victory. Let’s do our part, sure. But the results are up to God!  Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=572613865You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

Two verses today work well to teach us a lot. First, we are told that a fool loves their own opinion but doesn’t care for wisdom. Then we are told that in life, there are those we thought were friends, but they were just playing a friend. It’s easy for us to hear the later verse and feel vindicated at the folks we thought were friends but were just playing a friend. The greater part of wisdom is not just to feel good about vindication for being wronged but to ask ourselves, when did we play the friend and were not the friend that we should have been?  May we learn and may we grow. And may we be the friends that we should be. Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=572528333You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.or

Forgiveness may be one of the hardest things for any of us to do. But it is also one of the most essential. Without it, relationships cannot endure. The folks we love the most, we’ve probably had to forgive the most.  Forgive if we can. If we can’t, work on it. And if we can’t work on it. Stay silent. If we can preserve peace, we can preserve relationships.  Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=572422300You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

Today, in chapter 16, we see these wise words: pride goes before destruction.  One of the greatest tools the devil has to attack us is pride. If we begin to think too much of ourselves, we begin to believe that we can’t fall or fail; it is then that the devil will have us, and it is then that we will get ourselves in real trouble. Stay humble. Understand who we are and whose we are. Stay rooted in Jesus, don’t get cocky or arrogant.  Pride will destroy us. Don’t let it into your heart or into your head. Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=571988716You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

A story is told about an old boy who tried to have all his gold put in his coffin when he died.  But here’s the thing: the gold we value so much here on earth is simply what they used to fill the potholes in heaven.  Proverbs 15 tells us that a dinner of vegetables with love is better than the house with the fatted ox with hatred. Today, what are spending our time, our energy, and our lives on? The stuff that doesn’t matter, or the relationships that do? Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=571988694You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

In our Traditional sermon from January 14, 2024, Andy shares with us from Matthew 22: 34-40.  We begin talking about the beauty that is the way we do theological reflection in the United Methodist Church.  Join us over the next few weeks as we talk about Scripture, Tradition, Experience, and Reason.  Today, we talk about our method of reflection and how it helps to create balance in our lives and our faith.

In our Friday and weekend readings, we see Solomon warn us about the dangers of reacting.  We so often, out of anger, out of hurt, out of a million different things, want to act and react out of what we are feeling. Today, we are told of the importance of a peaceful mind. Reacting out of anger never helps anything. When we stay rooted in Christ, we can feel even our anger. But we can act of our peace.  But, to do this, we need to stay deeply rooted in Jesus. Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=571988676You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

Today, in chapter 11, we see several verses that point to the importance of being generous.  When we give, when we are generous, we find ourselves blessed. It isn’t because it comes back to us, but when we give our wealth, our possessions, they lose their hold on us.  They begin to lose their power over us. We also understand that in our giving, our will and character are bent closer to God’s will and character.  Our generosity is a huge virtue and value for us as Christians.  Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=571919196You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

Today, in Proverbs 10, we see Solomon begin to give his wisdom.  Solomon was the wise king, David’s son, who built the great temple.  Solomon ruled with great wisdom.  Following this path does not mean that life will always work out perfectly, but following this wisdom just makes sense. Today’s reading can basically be summed up in this.  Tell the truth. Watch what you say. Our words have great power. They can stir up strife, or they can stir up love. It really is up to us.  Let us watch what it is that we say!  Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=571838637You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

In Proverbs 9, we see that two voices call out to us today: wisdom and folly. Both promise us something beautiful, life and learning and joy. But in the end, wisdom will grow us, keep us, and give us life.  Folly, temptation it promises us something good and sweet, but in the end, it will destroy us. Today, each of these voices will call to us. Which voice will we respond to? Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. You can read today’s passage here - https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=571742342You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/