Aug 2 - Today from Proverbs 2 we look at verses 21 and 22
"For the upright will live in the land, and the blameless will remain in it; but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be torn from it."
I think to get the full impact of this passage, one must be very familiar with the Biblical narrative of the Jewish people.
God made a Covenant of Divine Commitment with Abraham that held three major promises:
1. Land
2. Offspring
3. Blessing to the nations.
There were no stipulations or obligations placed on Abraham, God put him to sleep and walked the covenant ceremony alone (Genesis 15). This meant that God would see it to fulfillment no matter what. Divine Commitment.
Some 400-500 years later God made a second covenant with Abraham's descendants at Sinai. This time it was a different form of covenant; a Covenant of Human Obligation. This covenant held forth promises, but there now were stipulations and obligations that the people of Israel must meet in order to benefit. This covenant contained blessings and curses (Deut. 28). One of the most prominent curses was expulsion from the Promised Land (the first promise of the Abrahamic Covenant). The first two promises of the Abrahamic Covenant meant everything to the Israelites. Their land was their living. Their land was their identity. Without their land, their life meant very little. Their offspring would carry on the family name, and would keep their portion of the land securely in the family. The third promise appeared to be a bit vague at best, and in centuries to come would be either ignored or would be perverted to mean to place the nations in servitude to Israel rather than obliterated altogether. The second covenant did not set aside the first (Galatians 3:17). The second covenant was to be Israel's response to the first. Because God, in His sovereignty, chose Israel to be His peculiar people, their response was to live in a manner that would bear witness to the nations the character of the true God. Righteousness. If the people would not honor God through righteous living, they would forfeit the privileges of His divine provision; "the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be torn from it."
What lesson does this proverb hold for the church? We find a key in the New Testament book of Hebrews. In Bible days the Promised Land was often identified with God's rest. We see this analogy clearly used in Hebrews chapters 3 and 4. The wilderness experience was an analogy of a time of testing. The entrance into the Promised Land was entering into God's rest. The author of the book of Hebrews is not speaking about 'earning' or 'losing' of one's salvation. Our salvation came by way of a Covenant of Divine Commitment. God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). God would see it to fulfillment, no matter what. What could we possibly have to do with our salvation if we were chosen before the foundation of the world? The author is speaking about our response to God's choosing us. God chose Israel and delivered them from bondage to Egypt by His sovereign hand. He then made a Covenant of Human Obligation with them that they might live in such a manner that the nations would believe on Him. If they chose not to live righteously, they would not experience His rest through living under His care and protection in the Promised Land. He never placed them back into bondage in Egypt for their disobedience - but rather, they died in the wilderness, never experiencing that which He desired to give them. They were delivered, but never reached fulfillment of their purpose. In later times their disobedience caused them to be torn from the land. They never ceased to be His chosen people, but because of their disobedience and rebellion, they ceased to acquire all of the benefits of being His chosen.
So what of the church? Can we be saved and still not live in all of the benefits God desires for us? Yes. If we understand the wonder of His love, the cost of our redemption at His expense, the promise of His care for us (even in our wilderness experiences), and we fail to respond in obedience to His desire for us to live in a serving community under His guidance - we can find ourselves dying in a spiritual wilderness. Even worse, the world will never see the reality of a loving and caring God through our behavior. We were saved and empowered to be His witnesses. Instead of bringing glory to God (fulfilling our purpose), we dishonor our Father and Savior through living a self-serving life.
"There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their (Israel's) example of disobedience." (Hebrews 4:9-11).
Saturday, July 26, 2008
August 1
Aug 1 - Today from Proverbs 1 we look at verses 28-31
"Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me. Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord, since they would not accept my advice but spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes."
You really need to read the entire chapter in order to get a proper perspective on this passage. This is not God speaking in the first person; it is a literary form known as 'personification', giving animation to an inanimate object. The object speaking in this case is wisdom. The basic lesson contained therein is this; "Wisdom is best learned through instruction and applied through action." Sounds simple enough doesn't it? Let's look at a practical situation:
When I went into basic training before serving as an infantryman in Viet Nam, I didn't know much about taking instruction. Basic Training is just that. It is a time and place where trained and experienced people take a bunch of cocky, self-serving 18 and 19 year old 'boys' off the street and break them down to a place where they learn to respect and yield to authority. I hated it! But, it was very effective for the next step in training; AIT - Advanced Infantry Training. Here I learned about every weapon I would likely be using. I learned about the unique ways of the enemy I would be facing, and how to counter their warfare. I learned how incredibly dependent we fellow soldiers were to be on each other in unfamiliar field conditions. I learned how to read topographical maps. I learned that my M-16 rifle was to be a part of my anatomy, and how to take it apart and put it together at night in a rainstorm. I learned all of this through lots of instruction. I grew up a lot in those six months of my life. When I was finally shipped to the front and was placed in a real war there was little time for instruction. You had better know what you are doing when the bullets are real and the terrain is unfamiliar. There I learned that the foxhole is no place to make a determination that you're going to learn warfare. I learned that fear can freeze your mind and that your reflexes can save your life. Reflexes which were instilled through hours of repetitious instruction and training. If one had chosen to remain cocky, to goof off and to just get by rather than to pay attention and learn in Basic Training and AIT, one was in serious trouble when sent to the front lines.
Wisdom is learned through instruction and applied through action.
That is a rather intense example, but the analogy is perfect. We learn about the reality of life through God's Word. God has sent and preserved His Word that we might receive proper instruction. He encourages us to read, study, meditate upon and memorize His Word so that when we get into a crunch situation which might cause the mind to freeze, the Word which we have hid in our heart will be a life-saving reflex. Whether it is through temptation, discipline or spiritual warfare, His Word is our sure weapon. If we choose to ignore serious study, to get by and to 'goof off' with lesser important things, then when we need the wisdom to get through a serious situation - it won't be there. There is nothing of God's Word stored inside that will reflexively respond. "They will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes." By ignoring God's instruction, the only thing we can depend upon in those crunch situations is that which we have chosen to depend on in the calmer times - our own ways. They work fine when there are no real bullets and everything seems to be going our way. But our ways are so myopic when we are thrown onto the battlefield. It's a comfort to know that God sees the big picture - ALWAYS - and we can fully depend upon His ways.
"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." -God, Isaiah 54:9
"Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me. Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord, since they would not accept my advice but spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes."
You really need to read the entire chapter in order to get a proper perspective on this passage. This is not God speaking in the first person; it is a literary form known as 'personification', giving animation to an inanimate object. The object speaking in this case is wisdom. The basic lesson contained therein is this; "Wisdom is best learned through instruction and applied through action." Sounds simple enough doesn't it? Let's look at a practical situation:
When I went into basic training before serving as an infantryman in Viet Nam, I didn't know much about taking instruction. Basic Training is just that. It is a time and place where trained and experienced people take a bunch of cocky, self-serving 18 and 19 year old 'boys' off the street and break them down to a place where they learn to respect and yield to authority. I hated it! But, it was very effective for the next step in training; AIT - Advanced Infantry Training. Here I learned about every weapon I would likely be using. I learned about the unique ways of the enemy I would be facing, and how to counter their warfare. I learned how incredibly dependent we fellow soldiers were to be on each other in unfamiliar field conditions. I learned how to read topographical maps. I learned that my M-16 rifle was to be a part of my anatomy, and how to take it apart and put it together at night in a rainstorm. I learned all of this through lots of instruction. I grew up a lot in those six months of my life. When I was finally shipped to the front and was placed in a real war there was little time for instruction. You had better know what you are doing when the bullets are real and the terrain is unfamiliar. There I learned that the foxhole is no place to make a determination that you're going to learn warfare. I learned that fear can freeze your mind and that your reflexes can save your life. Reflexes which were instilled through hours of repetitious instruction and training. If one had chosen to remain cocky, to goof off and to just get by rather than to pay attention and learn in Basic Training and AIT, one was in serious trouble when sent to the front lines.
Wisdom is learned through instruction and applied through action.
That is a rather intense example, but the analogy is perfect. We learn about the reality of life through God's Word. God has sent and preserved His Word that we might receive proper instruction. He encourages us to read, study, meditate upon and memorize His Word so that when we get into a crunch situation which might cause the mind to freeze, the Word which we have hid in our heart will be a life-saving reflex. Whether it is through temptation, discipline or spiritual warfare, His Word is our sure weapon. If we choose to ignore serious study, to get by and to 'goof off' with lesser important things, then when we need the wisdom to get through a serious situation - it won't be there. There is nothing of God's Word stored inside that will reflexively respond. "They will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes." By ignoring God's instruction, the only thing we can depend upon in those crunch situations is that which we have chosen to depend on in the calmer times - our own ways. They work fine when there are no real bullets and everything seems to be going our way. But our ways are so myopic when we are thrown onto the battlefield. It's a comfort to know that God sees the big picture - ALWAYS - and we can fully depend upon His ways.
"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." -God, Isaiah 54:9
July 31
Jul 31 - Today from Proverbs 31 we look at verse 25
"She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come."
"This is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the church." -Eph. 5:32
From Paul's metaphor in Ephesians 5, we look at Proverbs 31:10-31 as a study of the church. Although the metaphor is different, in John 15:16, Jesus reveals in one brief statement that as the church, we have been selected by Christ, called of Him, and equipped by Him to serve with Him. "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit." In Ephesians 5:31, Paul writes that when a man is united to his wife, "the two become one flesh." In John 15:4 Jesus tells His church, "Remain in me and I will remain in you. . . (you cannot) bear fruit unless you remain in me." These are not burdensome things dear saints. These are glorious truths of comfort and joy. What wife who has ever married a man of perfect love and impeccable character has found her marriage to be a burden? She is inspired by such a husband. She fully trusts in him. She finds strength and confidence in him. Her eyes are only for him. Where else does she need look for provision, security, and absolute confidence that she will be loved and cared for all the days of her life? Such is our Groom, the Lord Jesus Christ. As His bride, we are to be the wife of noble character.
We are clothed with strength and dignity. Clothing is not something on the inside - it is not an element of self. It is something that transcends self. Jesus says to His disciples (betrothed), in Luke 24:49, "I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high." Curious that Jesus would choose such a term as clothed with power. But then again, it was His Spirit that inspired the writing of Proverbs 31:25. Why wouldn't He use the term again? When a groom is betrothed to his bride, the father of the groom provides a dowry so that the young couple will have ample provision to start their new life together. The more prosperous the father, the greater the dowry. How rich do you think Jesus' Father is? Don't you believe the dowry He provided will be sufficient provision for all of life and eternity? As the church, we have been adequately empowered to be the wife of noble character, all we have to do is appropriate the power. It is not the power to dominate and subjugate. Read the section of Proverbs 31 that describes the wife of noble character again. We have been empowered to serve. Our strength is the same as that of our Groom. The Holy Spirit was not given to put on an amusing display of miracles (although He does gift for miracles as He desires). He was given to empower us to serve - to serve our Husband, to serve our family, and to serve the public. If miracles are determined to be needed by the Holy Spirit, He provides the power for that as well. We appropriate His power by remaining faithful to our Husband. When our hearts wander to self-serving ways, we grieve the Spirit. When we dishonor the Husband by implementing self-serving ways, we quench the Spirit. The remedy for either is brokenness, confession and repentance. The Spirit gives us power even for this, and we are once again restored to our beloved Husband.
She can laugh at days to come. Can the bride fear days to come when she knows and trusts in the love and ability of her Husband? Oh, there are fearful days - but the Husband has promised His bride, "I will never leave or forsake you." (Heb. 13:5). He will be with His bride, even through the most difficult and fearful of days. She can laugh because her beloved is at her side, and she knows where the journey takes them. He has given her the gift of faith as well.
How blessed we are to have such a Husband. Let us be inspired today to honor Him in our attitude, in our service, and in our faithfulness to Him.
"She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come."
"This is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the church." -Eph. 5:32
From Paul's metaphor in Ephesians 5, we look at Proverbs 31:10-31 as a study of the church. Although the metaphor is different, in John 15:16, Jesus reveals in one brief statement that as the church, we have been selected by Christ, called of Him, and equipped by Him to serve with Him. "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit." In Ephesians 5:31, Paul writes that when a man is united to his wife, "the two become one flesh." In John 15:4 Jesus tells His church, "Remain in me and I will remain in you. . . (you cannot) bear fruit unless you remain in me." These are not burdensome things dear saints. These are glorious truths of comfort and joy. What wife who has ever married a man of perfect love and impeccable character has found her marriage to be a burden? She is inspired by such a husband. She fully trusts in him. She finds strength and confidence in him. Her eyes are only for him. Where else does she need look for provision, security, and absolute confidence that she will be loved and cared for all the days of her life? Such is our Groom, the Lord Jesus Christ. As His bride, we are to be the wife of noble character.
We are clothed with strength and dignity. Clothing is not something on the inside - it is not an element of self. It is something that transcends self. Jesus says to His disciples (betrothed), in Luke 24:49, "I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high." Curious that Jesus would choose such a term as clothed with power. But then again, it was His Spirit that inspired the writing of Proverbs 31:25. Why wouldn't He use the term again? When a groom is betrothed to his bride, the father of the groom provides a dowry so that the young couple will have ample provision to start their new life together. The more prosperous the father, the greater the dowry. How rich do you think Jesus' Father is? Don't you believe the dowry He provided will be sufficient provision for all of life and eternity? As the church, we have been adequately empowered to be the wife of noble character, all we have to do is appropriate the power. It is not the power to dominate and subjugate. Read the section of Proverbs 31 that describes the wife of noble character again. We have been empowered to serve. Our strength is the same as that of our Groom. The Holy Spirit was not given to put on an amusing display of miracles (although He does gift for miracles as He desires). He was given to empower us to serve - to serve our Husband, to serve our family, and to serve the public. If miracles are determined to be needed by the Holy Spirit, He provides the power for that as well. We appropriate His power by remaining faithful to our Husband. When our hearts wander to self-serving ways, we grieve the Spirit. When we dishonor the Husband by implementing self-serving ways, we quench the Spirit. The remedy for either is brokenness, confession and repentance. The Spirit gives us power even for this, and we are once again restored to our beloved Husband.
She can laugh at days to come. Can the bride fear days to come when she knows and trusts in the love and ability of her Husband? Oh, there are fearful days - but the Husband has promised His bride, "I will never leave or forsake you." (Heb. 13:5). He will be with His bride, even through the most difficult and fearful of days. She can laugh because her beloved is at her side, and she knows where the journey takes them. He has given her the gift of faith as well.
How blessed we are to have such a Husband. Let us be inspired today to honor Him in our attitude, in our service, and in our faithfulness to Him.
July 30
Jul 30 - Today from Proverbs 30 we look at verse 12
"(There are) those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth."
Religious folks get to a place where they are confident that by merit of their own goodness they are pleasing in God's sight. "Lord preserve each of us from self-righteousness." The only way we are ever pleasing to God is in Christ Jesus. The only way we can abide in Christ is to die to self. It is one of the paradoxes of Christianity - the very element of our being which strives to be righteous in order to please God is the same element which He calls us to crucify daily - self.
It seems that the most difficult people to reach with the gospel of the kingdom in Jesus' day were those who were pure in their own eyes - the self-righteous. It is not much different today. In Matthew 18 the disciples wanted to know who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. You can bet that their inquiry was rooted in the idea of self-righteousness. Their entire culture was permeated with the theology. I can well imagine that Jesus' response was the last thing they expected. He called a little child and had him stand among them. "Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (vs. 3, 4). Metaphoric theology. Jesus was a master of it. The child was a little child. Little children are not concerned about social position. Little children have not yet been cultured into self-importance. They live trustingly from day to day that they will be fed, sheltered and clothed - and that is enough. In a whole crowd of little children, it would never have entered the mind of even one of them to ask who would be the greatest in the kingdom of God. A child's curiosity is preoccupied with the wonders of creation and the greatness of the God who must have created it all. His mind does not focus on how great he might be in the sight of that God. Being a father and now a grandfather, there is something pure about seeing vicariously through the eyes of a little child.
It seems that in Jesus' day the self-righteous were often the most oppressive people in the community of believers. It is not much different today. I have been involved in church leadership for over twenty years now, and invariably when there are troublesome and divisive issues and activities underfoot you will see a handful of self-righteous people at the root of the problem. They are stubbornly unteachable because they are already right in their own eyes. They seldom, if ever, think of the witness they are conveying to the innocent of the flock or to the already skeptical public. They are only focused on having things their way because it is the right way. How the body has suffered at the hands of the self-righteous!
It seems that in Jesus' day the self-righteous were the most useless in carrying out God's purposes. It is not much different today. These type of people are most interested in being with people like themselves, or in seeing people become like themselves. They have little regard for 'soiling their hands' in dealing with the socially immoral. The self-righteous condemned Jesus for this very thing. Jesus intermingled with, ministered to, and ate with the 'sinners and tax-collectors'. That which the self-righteous considered shameful acts, Jesus considered honorable.
In Luke 18 Jesus tells a parable of a Pharisee and a tax collector in the temple praying. The Pharisee confidently presented himself to God because he tediously kept the whole of the law. The tax collector came under conviction and cried out for mercy. Only one of them went home justified that day. It was the one who became as a small child and wondered about the awesomeness of the God of creation. The other was focused on the awesomeness of self, which is infinitely small in the scope of the things of God.
Our righteousness comes only through the shed blood of Jesus. "Lord preserve each of us from self-righteousness."
"(There are) those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth."
Religious folks get to a place where they are confident that by merit of their own goodness they are pleasing in God's sight. "Lord preserve each of us from self-righteousness." The only way we are ever pleasing to God is in Christ Jesus. The only way we can abide in Christ is to die to self. It is one of the paradoxes of Christianity - the very element of our being which strives to be righteous in order to please God is the same element which He calls us to crucify daily - self.
It seems that the most difficult people to reach with the gospel of the kingdom in Jesus' day were those who were pure in their own eyes - the self-righteous. It is not much different today. In Matthew 18 the disciples wanted to know who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. You can bet that their inquiry was rooted in the idea of self-righteousness. Their entire culture was permeated with the theology. I can well imagine that Jesus' response was the last thing they expected. He called a little child and had him stand among them. "Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (vs. 3, 4). Metaphoric theology. Jesus was a master of it. The child was a little child. Little children are not concerned about social position. Little children have not yet been cultured into self-importance. They live trustingly from day to day that they will be fed, sheltered and clothed - and that is enough. In a whole crowd of little children, it would never have entered the mind of even one of them to ask who would be the greatest in the kingdom of God. A child's curiosity is preoccupied with the wonders of creation and the greatness of the God who must have created it all. His mind does not focus on how great he might be in the sight of that God. Being a father and now a grandfather, there is something pure about seeing vicariously through the eyes of a little child.
It seems that in Jesus' day the self-righteous were often the most oppressive people in the community of believers. It is not much different today. I have been involved in church leadership for over twenty years now, and invariably when there are troublesome and divisive issues and activities underfoot you will see a handful of self-righteous people at the root of the problem. They are stubbornly unteachable because they are already right in their own eyes. They seldom, if ever, think of the witness they are conveying to the innocent of the flock or to the already skeptical public. They are only focused on having things their way because it is the right way. How the body has suffered at the hands of the self-righteous!
It seems that in Jesus' day the self-righteous were the most useless in carrying out God's purposes. It is not much different today. These type of people are most interested in being with people like themselves, or in seeing people become like themselves. They have little regard for 'soiling their hands' in dealing with the socially immoral. The self-righteous condemned Jesus for this very thing. Jesus intermingled with, ministered to, and ate with the 'sinners and tax-collectors'. That which the self-righteous considered shameful acts, Jesus considered honorable.
In Luke 18 Jesus tells a parable of a Pharisee and a tax collector in the temple praying. The Pharisee confidently presented himself to God because he tediously kept the whole of the law. The tax collector came under conviction and cried out for mercy. Only one of them went home justified that day. It was the one who became as a small child and wondered about the awesomeness of the God of creation. The other was focused on the awesomeness of self, which is infinitely small in the scope of the things of God.
Our righteousness comes only through the shed blood of Jesus. "Lord preserve each of us from self-righteousness."
July 29
Jul 29 - Today from Proverbs 29 we look at verse 12
"If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials become wicked."
We are in the section of Proverbs specifically collected by Hezekiah's aids intended to be particularly helpful for those who are leaders (chapters 25-31). Leadership is largely influence. Pretty much everyone has spheres of influence; parents to children, teachers to students, bosses and managers to employees, political figures to the populace, public figures to their fans, pastors and church leaders to their parishes, and pretty much everyone in their various personal relationships. Some areas of influence we are keenly aware of. Some areas of influence we seldom, if ever, think about. Influence stimulates change. We live in a time of cultural change that is almost unprecedented in the world. We are to be careful what influences change our lives and what changes we are influencing in the lives of others. As responsible believers we must contemplate and evaluate the agents of influence around us.
Our culture is becoming ever-increasingly wicked. In the last generation we have relegated pornography to a protected right under freedom of expression and speech. We have relegated the slaughter of the unborn to a protected freedom of choice. We have relegated the sin of openly practicing homosexuality to a protected freedom of choice. The more subtle effects of these decisions have seeped into pores of every area of our culture until our entire society has become sickly tainted through the process of osmosis by influence. It is not those standing on soapboxes pontificating their views on the street corners who have initiated these incredible changes. It began with rulers who listened to lies. The lies were carefully cultured in our institutions of higher learning where the graduates would eventually hold prominent places of influence in education, journalism, media and politics. By cornering those four areas of influence, they would turn our values upside down.
Rulers make and enforce law. Law contains. License is legal permission to deviate from the containment of law. (e.g. The fictitious character James Bond had a 'license to kill'. Murder is against the law. The governing authorities gave him 'permission' to deviate from that law.) Somewhere in the last generation our 'rulers' have been listening to lies about values and have been giving people in our culture 'license' to deviate from the containment of moral law. At first the majority of the culture was shocked, and resisted such change. But the 'officials' serving under the 'rulers' were required to uphold their rulings and subsequently they either became 'wicked' in their enforcement of this licentiousness, or they were reduced in their offices of influence. As a result, we now live in a culture that values license more than it does moral law.
What have the righteous done about moral license in this generation? At first they dragged their metaphorical soapboxes out to the street corners and began to pontificate. This produced nothing except the image of raving extremists. Some decided to compromise in order to survive. They placed their feet on a very slippery slope, sliding into a feel-good social community of inclusiveness and universalism. Others decided that the best method of survival would be to pull back and isolate themselves. They have become curious museums to the modern culture. The church has suffered terribly in the last generation and has paid a great price for their improper reactions. They have lost their saltiness. They have ceased to be leaven. They have either fought to weariness and complacency or have compromised to the place where they look just like the world they were called to change through their influence. Complacency and compromise are not in God's program.
Influence. The hallmark of the church is to be God's unconditional love. The power of the church is to be God's grace. The message of the church is to be God's mercy. The influence of the church is to be servant-hood. Jesus went out and preached and taught and ministered. He went out into the deprived and depraved areas of society. He went out and served. He called out a church to continue His ministry in the manner that He exemplified. The successful influence of the church has always been grass roots. The church of our culture needs to re-learn this if we are to be a vital influence for the kingdom of God.
"If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials become wicked."
We are in the section of Proverbs specifically collected by Hezekiah's aids intended to be particularly helpful for those who are leaders (chapters 25-31). Leadership is largely influence. Pretty much everyone has spheres of influence; parents to children, teachers to students, bosses and managers to employees, political figures to the populace, public figures to their fans, pastors and church leaders to their parishes, and pretty much everyone in their various personal relationships. Some areas of influence we are keenly aware of. Some areas of influence we seldom, if ever, think about. Influence stimulates change. We live in a time of cultural change that is almost unprecedented in the world. We are to be careful what influences change our lives and what changes we are influencing in the lives of others. As responsible believers we must contemplate and evaluate the agents of influence around us.
Our culture is becoming ever-increasingly wicked. In the last generation we have relegated pornography to a protected right under freedom of expression and speech. We have relegated the slaughter of the unborn to a protected freedom of choice. We have relegated the sin of openly practicing homosexuality to a protected freedom of choice. The more subtle effects of these decisions have seeped into pores of every area of our culture until our entire society has become sickly tainted through the process of osmosis by influence. It is not those standing on soapboxes pontificating their views on the street corners who have initiated these incredible changes. It began with rulers who listened to lies. The lies were carefully cultured in our institutions of higher learning where the graduates would eventually hold prominent places of influence in education, journalism, media and politics. By cornering those four areas of influence, they would turn our values upside down.
Rulers make and enforce law. Law contains. License is legal permission to deviate from the containment of law. (e.g. The fictitious character James Bond had a 'license to kill'. Murder is against the law. The governing authorities gave him 'permission' to deviate from that law.) Somewhere in the last generation our 'rulers' have been listening to lies about values and have been giving people in our culture 'license' to deviate from the containment of moral law. At first the majority of the culture was shocked, and resisted such change. But the 'officials' serving under the 'rulers' were required to uphold their rulings and subsequently they either became 'wicked' in their enforcement of this licentiousness, or they were reduced in their offices of influence. As a result, we now live in a culture that values license more than it does moral law.
What have the righteous done about moral license in this generation? At first they dragged their metaphorical soapboxes out to the street corners and began to pontificate. This produced nothing except the image of raving extremists. Some decided to compromise in order to survive. They placed their feet on a very slippery slope, sliding into a feel-good social community of inclusiveness and universalism. Others decided that the best method of survival would be to pull back and isolate themselves. They have become curious museums to the modern culture. The church has suffered terribly in the last generation and has paid a great price for their improper reactions. They have lost their saltiness. They have ceased to be leaven. They have either fought to weariness and complacency or have compromised to the place where they look just like the world they were called to change through their influence. Complacency and compromise are not in God's program.
Influence. The hallmark of the church is to be God's unconditional love. The power of the church is to be God's grace. The message of the church is to be God's mercy. The influence of the church is to be servant-hood. Jesus went out and preached and taught and ministered. He went out into the deprived and depraved areas of society. He went out and served. He called out a church to continue His ministry in the manner that He exemplified. The successful influence of the church has always been grass roots. The church of our culture needs to re-learn this if we are to be a vital influence for the kingdom of God.
July 28
Jul 28 – Today from Proverbs 28 we look at verses 9 & 13
"If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law, even his prayers are detestable. He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy."
Communication is a complex activity. Effective communication depends on two things, the ability of the one who is putting the information out and the ability of the one who is receiving information. There is much between the two that can alter the message. It takes practice to become a student of communication by being an effective listener ("Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry." James 1:19). One of the richest forms of communication is dialogue - the act of exchanging information. Because He is relational, God desires to dialogue with us. So much so, that He sent His only Son to die in our place so that we might be free from the condemnation of the sin that separated us from Him. That's commitment. Dialogue is what verse 9 is all about. If we are unwilling to listen to God, then we have chosen to terminate dialogue with Him. The prayers are not detestable because God is spiteful. God's not that way at all. The prayers are detestable because one has decided to stop listening to God and is interested only in getting what one can from Him on one’s own terms. That's not a relationship, that is self-rule and is based in sin - which is detestable to God.
"Well it doesn't sound like much of a relationship if God won't listen to me unless I allow Him to dominate me." That's an attitude - and attitudes are a huge destroyer of communications. Romans 13:10 says, "Love is the fulfillment of the law". 1 John 4:8 says "God is love." He doesn't seek to dominate, He wants to relate. He has already proven His commitment at Calvary. Think about it. Don’t you think He earned the right to be heard? When we choose to hold onto sin (disobedience to His law of which love is the fulfillment), we have stopped progress in our relationship with God. In verse 13 the word 'prosper' literally means to 'push forward'. We need to learn to listen to God. We need to get rid of our attitude toward God and agree with Him about those areas in our lives that have hindered our relationship with Him (that's called confession). Then we need to renounce those areas and turn away from them (that's called repentance). When we do that, we discover that God wasn't waiting for our confession in order to shame us. He already knew. He was waiting so that He could extend mercy, remove sin’s power to hinder, and have us 'push on' in our relationship with Him.
Unquestionably, we have the best deal in this relationship. It's definitely worth the effort.
"If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law, even his prayers are detestable. He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy."
Communication is a complex activity. Effective communication depends on two things, the ability of the one who is putting the information out and the ability of the one who is receiving information. There is much between the two that can alter the message. It takes practice to become a student of communication by being an effective listener ("Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry." James 1:19). One of the richest forms of communication is dialogue - the act of exchanging information. Because He is relational, God desires to dialogue with us. So much so, that He sent His only Son to die in our place so that we might be free from the condemnation of the sin that separated us from Him. That's commitment. Dialogue is what verse 9 is all about. If we are unwilling to listen to God, then we have chosen to terminate dialogue with Him. The prayers are not detestable because God is spiteful. God's not that way at all. The prayers are detestable because one has decided to stop listening to God and is interested only in getting what one can from Him on one’s own terms. That's not a relationship, that is self-rule and is based in sin - which is detestable to God.
"Well it doesn't sound like much of a relationship if God won't listen to me unless I allow Him to dominate me." That's an attitude - and attitudes are a huge destroyer of communications. Romans 13:10 says, "Love is the fulfillment of the law". 1 John 4:8 says "God is love." He doesn't seek to dominate, He wants to relate. He has already proven His commitment at Calvary. Think about it. Don’t you think He earned the right to be heard? When we choose to hold onto sin (disobedience to His law of which love is the fulfillment), we have stopped progress in our relationship with God. In verse 13 the word 'prosper' literally means to 'push forward'. We need to learn to listen to God. We need to get rid of our attitude toward God and agree with Him about those areas in our lives that have hindered our relationship with Him (that's called confession). Then we need to renounce those areas and turn away from them (that's called repentance). When we do that, we discover that God wasn't waiting for our confession in order to shame us. He already knew. He was waiting so that He could extend mercy, remove sin’s power to hinder, and have us 'push on' in our relationship with Him.
Unquestionably, we have the best deal in this relationship. It's definitely worth the effort.
July 27
Jul 27 – Today from Proverbs 27 we look at verse 2
"Let another praise you and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips."
Sometimes people talk about their experiences with the focus on themselves in order to try to gain the praise of others. No matter how good one's deed is, their self-praise diminishes their testimony. Jesus teaches in Matthew 6 (verses 2, 5 & 16) that when people seek the praise of others for their good works, any praise they might receive is its own reward. There is no more - not from man, and not from God. People who engage in self-praise are people who are needy, but they are 'fishing in an empty pond'. Whatever it is that they need, they won't find fulfillment in self-praise or solicited praise. One only finds true fulfillment when they discover that they were created to glorify God (magnify His character), and they serve out of compassion for others. Jesus says that God sees their work in secret, and He will reward them. Those rewards are not all somewhere off in the sweet-by-and-by. A job well done is its own reward. Fulfilling your calling is its own reward. Seeing someone helped through a difficult situation is its own reward. Seeing God glorified through your service is its own reward.
Do Good. Serve God in every opportunity He affords you. But don't rob God of His glory by taking credit for gifts He has given you. If others don't notice, don't worry - your Father sees in secret, and He will reward you. If others DO praise you, accept it with humility and gratitude, and pass it on to the One who alone is worthy of ALL praise. He made you, He redeemed you, and He gifted you - just as He purposed. "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight." –Jeremiah 9:24
"Let another praise you and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips."
Sometimes people talk about their experiences with the focus on themselves in order to try to gain the praise of others. No matter how good one's deed is, their self-praise diminishes their testimony. Jesus teaches in Matthew 6 (verses 2, 5 & 16) that when people seek the praise of others for their good works, any praise they might receive is its own reward. There is no more - not from man, and not from God. People who engage in self-praise are people who are needy, but they are 'fishing in an empty pond'. Whatever it is that they need, they won't find fulfillment in self-praise or solicited praise. One only finds true fulfillment when they discover that they were created to glorify God (magnify His character), and they serve out of compassion for others. Jesus says that God sees their work in secret, and He will reward them. Those rewards are not all somewhere off in the sweet-by-and-by. A job well done is its own reward. Fulfilling your calling is its own reward. Seeing someone helped through a difficult situation is its own reward. Seeing God glorified through your service is its own reward.
Do Good. Serve God in every opportunity He affords you. But don't rob God of His glory by taking credit for gifts He has given you. If others don't notice, don't worry - your Father sees in secret, and He will reward you. If others DO praise you, accept it with humility and gratitude, and pass it on to the One who alone is worthy of ALL praise. He made you, He redeemed you, and He gifted you - just as He purposed. "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight." –Jeremiah 9:24
Friday, July 25, 2008
July 26
Jul 26 - Today from Proverbs 26 we look at verse 10
"Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or any passer-by."
Once again we are in that section of Proverbs collected specifically for direction for leaders (the king and his staff). They have special application to those who hold, or are aspiring to hold positions of authority, responsibility and influence.
It is interesting to note that the subject of this proverb is not the fool, but the person who might hire a fool into a position of responsibility -- the archer. It is the task of the archer to recognize targets and choose the proper instruments for successfully hitting the targets. If he shoots an arrow quite at random and the arrow finds its way into the flesh of a comrade, the commander does not blame the arrow! The archer will be held responsible – and ultimately the commander who enlisted and trained him.
Now you can begin to understand the extreme importance for leaders to properly select team members and staff personnel. The person chosen must understand the target (purpose of the position), must be able to reach the target (properly qualified), must be able to make needed adjustments in the battle (teachable), must stay on the target which the commander chose (submissive), and must continue the campaign as if the lives of comrades were at stake (faithful). When choosing a candidate for a very specific position; A person can be a very good friend -- but that is not reason enough to choose him. A person can be a very sincere person -- but that is not reason enough to hire him. A person can be very in need of employment and income -- but that is not enough reason to put him on the payroll. A person can be very persuasive in talking the talk -- but that is not enough reason to entrust him with your reputation. A person can be a decorated 'marksman' -- but that is not enough reason to risk the lives of others in your command.
Leaders need to have the capability to see the big picture and to know how each 'archer' must function in order to win the day. He needs to properly choose archers who understand their purpose, who are properly qualified, who are teachable, who are submissive (do not undermine authority), and who are faithful. The archers needn't necessarily know the big picture, but they certainly need to understand their particular area of responsibility and to trust the directives of their leader.
There are two lessons contained in this proverb. For leaders the lesson is to be very careful in selecting personnel who will be entrusted with your reputation. Do they understand what is required of them? Are they qualified to accomplish their task? Will they readily take instruction? Do they understand and submit to authority? Will they stand by you and do their job no matter what? Remember, you will be held responsible for their performance.
For personnel, the questions are the same. Do you understand what is required of you? Are you qualified to accomplish your task? Do you readily receive instruction? Do you respect and submit to proper authority? Will you stand by your leader and do your very best, no matter what? His reputation depends on you. You are have committed yourself to his area of responsibility.
One final thought. Do you know that Jesus is willing to entrust you with His reputation? He is the Lord and King, and he is constantly looking for faithful disciples who hold the attributes of what it takes to be a productive archer. Look the questions over once more, only now with the thought of serving the Lord Jesus. How about it -- should He entrust you with a position of being His disciple? Might you be in danger of wounding some comrades because you failed to follow His directives? What changes might be necessary for you to be entrusted with His responsibilities?
"Love one another, just as I have loved you." (John 13:34). Sobering, isn't it?
"Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or any passer-by."
Once again we are in that section of Proverbs collected specifically for direction for leaders (the king and his staff). They have special application to those who hold, or are aspiring to hold positions of authority, responsibility and influence.
It is interesting to note that the subject of this proverb is not the fool, but the person who might hire a fool into a position of responsibility -- the archer. It is the task of the archer to recognize targets and choose the proper instruments for successfully hitting the targets. If he shoots an arrow quite at random and the arrow finds its way into the flesh of a comrade, the commander does not blame the arrow! The archer will be held responsible – and ultimately the commander who enlisted and trained him.
Now you can begin to understand the extreme importance for leaders to properly select team members and staff personnel. The person chosen must understand the target (purpose of the position), must be able to reach the target (properly qualified), must be able to make needed adjustments in the battle (teachable), must stay on the target which the commander chose (submissive), and must continue the campaign as if the lives of comrades were at stake (faithful). When choosing a candidate for a very specific position; A person can be a very good friend -- but that is not reason enough to choose him. A person can be a very sincere person -- but that is not reason enough to hire him. A person can be very in need of employment and income -- but that is not enough reason to put him on the payroll. A person can be very persuasive in talking the talk -- but that is not enough reason to entrust him with your reputation. A person can be a decorated 'marksman' -- but that is not enough reason to risk the lives of others in your command.
Leaders need to have the capability to see the big picture and to know how each 'archer' must function in order to win the day. He needs to properly choose archers who understand their purpose, who are properly qualified, who are teachable, who are submissive (do not undermine authority), and who are faithful. The archers needn't necessarily know the big picture, but they certainly need to understand their particular area of responsibility and to trust the directives of their leader.
There are two lessons contained in this proverb. For leaders the lesson is to be very careful in selecting personnel who will be entrusted with your reputation. Do they understand what is required of them? Are they qualified to accomplish their task? Will they readily take instruction? Do they understand and submit to authority? Will they stand by you and do their job no matter what? Remember, you will be held responsible for their performance.
For personnel, the questions are the same. Do you understand what is required of you? Are you qualified to accomplish your task? Do you readily receive instruction? Do you respect and submit to proper authority? Will you stand by your leader and do your very best, no matter what? His reputation depends on you. You are have committed yourself to his area of responsibility.
One final thought. Do you know that Jesus is willing to entrust you with His reputation? He is the Lord and King, and he is constantly looking for faithful disciples who hold the attributes of what it takes to be a productive archer. Look the questions over once more, only now with the thought of serving the Lord Jesus. How about it -- should He entrust you with a position of being His disciple? Might you be in danger of wounding some comrades because you failed to follow His directives? What changes might be necessary for you to be entrusted with His responsibilities?
"Love one another, just as I have loved you." (John 13:34). Sobering, isn't it?
Thursday, July 24, 2008
July 25
Jul 25 - Today from Proverbs 25 we look at verse 13
"Like the coolness of snow at harvest time is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the spirit of his masters."
My grandpa on my mom's side was a very moral man. I never knew him to drink. I never saw any kind of alcoholic beverages in or near his home - with one exception: The haying season. Back in those days the only 'modern advantage' available was a bailer. Everything else was done by hand. Lifting and throwing bales on the wagon. Stacking the bales - over one's head. Unloading the bales into the barn. Trip after trip, it was hot and the labor intensive. It was the only time I ever saw beer on my grandpa's farm. Ice cold beer. For the men who desired, it was a very special thirst-quenching reward for a hard day's labor.
The harvest season in the mid-east is very dry. It falls between the former and the latter rains. It is often hot, and the air is very dry. The labor was all manual. One can well imagine how thirsty the laborers got after a day in the fields. For those who lived near the mountains, there was the possibility of a very special treat. If the mountains were high and the conditions right, there were snow caps. The landowner might dispatch one or two of his most able servants to climb to the snowline and gather as many containers of snow as they could handle, and then get back as quickly as possible. The result; an incredibly refreshing treat for the hot and thirsty field laborers, ice cold water! A real treat in an age where there was no refrigeration. Something we take quite for granted today.
Our teacher says that is an idea of how refreshing it is to have the confidence in someone who represents you to clearly communicate your message. In those days Kings and noblemen used couriers for long distance communications. If the material were sensitive, the courier would have to commit the message to memory. If the message were written, and he were captured, the message would fall into enemy hands. The Kings and noblemen also used ambassadors. They were to clearly represent their master's intentions and decisions. They were never allowed to contaminate the masters expressed positions with their own opinions. In order to prosper in their position, the ambassadors had to know the heart and mind of their masters quite intimately. The ambassador was indeed a messenger. His attitudes, words and actions were constantly conveying a message that directly affected how the host perceived the master. You can well imagine how pleased and delighted a master was when he discovered and employed a servant who knew his intentions and positions well, and consistently represented them in the most clear fashion. It was like a cup of that ice-cold water during the heat of the harvest.
"We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us." (2 Cor. 5:20)
How does that thought strike you? What a tremendous privilege we have. And, what a tremendous responsibility! On the day you understood that Jesus had redeemed you from the power of sin, from the wrath of God, and from eternal death, and you repented of your sin and accepted Him as your Lord and Master - you became His ambassador. You are no longer of this world. You no longer belong to yourself. You are in this world representing His kingdom. Have you come to grips with that profound truth? How can we represent Him? By spending time with Him. By knowing His intentions and positions on the matters of life. By sharing the Good News, which He has entrusted to us. By letting Him lead through the work of His Holy Spirit. It's a tall order, but His grace is sufficient.
The church of Laodicea in Revelation 3:14-18 is in danger of being spit out of God's mouth for being lukewarm. Laodicea means "rights of the people". It appears that this church contaminated God's expressed will and position by introducing their rights into His position. They still had some areas that they felt they belonged to themselves. Ambassadors are not allowed to do that. God is ready to spit them out because they are neither hot nor cold. Either of those beverages can be refreshing. A lukewarm beverage is kind of disgusting. It seems to go against our theology to think that we can refresh God - doesn't it? We too often think that He exists to refresh us (and He does). But relationships are a two-way street. Being a Christian is being in relationship with the living God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
"Like the coolness of snow at harvest time is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the spirit of his masters."
My grandpa on my mom's side was a very moral man. I never knew him to drink. I never saw any kind of alcoholic beverages in or near his home - with one exception: The haying season. Back in those days the only 'modern advantage' available was a bailer. Everything else was done by hand. Lifting and throwing bales on the wagon. Stacking the bales - over one's head. Unloading the bales into the barn. Trip after trip, it was hot and the labor intensive. It was the only time I ever saw beer on my grandpa's farm. Ice cold beer. For the men who desired, it was a very special thirst-quenching reward for a hard day's labor.
The harvest season in the mid-east is very dry. It falls between the former and the latter rains. It is often hot, and the air is very dry. The labor was all manual. One can well imagine how thirsty the laborers got after a day in the fields. For those who lived near the mountains, there was the possibility of a very special treat. If the mountains were high and the conditions right, there were snow caps. The landowner might dispatch one or two of his most able servants to climb to the snowline and gather as many containers of snow as they could handle, and then get back as quickly as possible. The result; an incredibly refreshing treat for the hot and thirsty field laborers, ice cold water! A real treat in an age where there was no refrigeration. Something we take quite for granted today.
Our teacher says that is an idea of how refreshing it is to have the confidence in someone who represents you to clearly communicate your message. In those days Kings and noblemen used couriers for long distance communications. If the material were sensitive, the courier would have to commit the message to memory. If the message were written, and he were captured, the message would fall into enemy hands. The Kings and noblemen also used ambassadors. They were to clearly represent their master's intentions and decisions. They were never allowed to contaminate the masters expressed positions with their own opinions. In order to prosper in their position, the ambassadors had to know the heart and mind of their masters quite intimately. The ambassador was indeed a messenger. His attitudes, words and actions were constantly conveying a message that directly affected how the host perceived the master. You can well imagine how pleased and delighted a master was when he discovered and employed a servant who knew his intentions and positions well, and consistently represented them in the most clear fashion. It was like a cup of that ice-cold water during the heat of the harvest.
"We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us." (2 Cor. 5:20)
How does that thought strike you? What a tremendous privilege we have. And, what a tremendous responsibility! On the day you understood that Jesus had redeemed you from the power of sin, from the wrath of God, and from eternal death, and you repented of your sin and accepted Him as your Lord and Master - you became His ambassador. You are no longer of this world. You no longer belong to yourself. You are in this world representing His kingdom. Have you come to grips with that profound truth? How can we represent Him? By spending time with Him. By knowing His intentions and positions on the matters of life. By sharing the Good News, which He has entrusted to us. By letting Him lead through the work of His Holy Spirit. It's a tall order, but His grace is sufficient.
The church of Laodicea in Revelation 3:14-18 is in danger of being spit out of God's mouth for being lukewarm. Laodicea means "rights of the people". It appears that this church contaminated God's expressed will and position by introducing their rights into His position. They still had some areas that they felt they belonged to themselves. Ambassadors are not allowed to do that. God is ready to spit them out because they are neither hot nor cold. Either of those beverages can be refreshing. A lukewarm beverage is kind of disgusting. It seems to go against our theology to think that we can refresh God - doesn't it? We too often think that He exists to refresh us (and He does). But relationships are a two-way street. Being a Christian is being in relationship with the living God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
July 24
Jul 24 - Today from Proverbs 24 we look at verses 30 & 31
"I went past the field of the sluggard, past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgment; thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins."
Just what is a sluggard? Well, the word is only found in the book of Proverbs. The literal word picture of the translation means to lean idly. If we were speaking of an inanimate object, we might well imagine a hoe leaning against the tool shed while weeds were overtaking and choking out the garden. The sluggard would be the person who should be working the hoe. Where is that person? Anywhere but on the business end of the hoe. Why isn't that person working the garden with the hoe? Because that person lacks judgment.
What does it mean to lack judgment? The KJV translates it as a person void of understanding. It is a person who doesn't understand the true situation of the world in which one lives. It is a person who doesn't understand that success and prosperity do not come by chance, but by diligence, hard work, taking advantage of opportunity and using the skills and abilities one has. It is a person who doesn't understand that the world owes them nothing, rather they owe it to themselves to carve out a piece of the world and make it prosper. They do not understand that when one becomes idle in attending to the piece they have, the world will quickly overtake it.
It really doesn't matter what your field or vineyard might be; your career, your marriage, your church, or even your relationship with the Lord - each is an opportunity. Each has potential for fruitfulness. Each requires diligence, hard work, and application of skills and abilities. Each requires an investment of yourself if you ever want to benefit from their potential.
One of the most common attributes of the sluggard is this: When the opportunity before them is failing for want of their commitment to see it prosper and bear fruit, they abandon the opportunity in search of another fresh one. The sluggard goes to the garden shed of the overgrown and failing field, grabs the hoe which has been leaning against the wall all these months, and is off to find another shed upon which he can lean his hoe. A shed next to a healthier looking field. Hopefully this field will not become overgrown, and the sluggard will see some fruit from it.
Do you see the picture? Can you hear the voice of the sluggard?
"There is no future in this job. I'm not getting anywhere. I quit! There's got to be something better out there."
"Our marriage is washed up. My husband will never learn. I can't believe I married such a jerk. I can't stand to be in the same house with him any more. I am suing for divorce on the grounds of incompatibility."
"I'm no longer getting fed at our church. The people aren't all that friendly. We don't seem to be growing. Our youth program isn't holding the interest of our kids. I think it's time we look for another church."
"I tried Christianity. It never did me any good. If Jesus loves us so much, why has all of this misery come upon us? There must be other belief systems that actually work."
The sluggard is a constant victim. The problem is, they are a victim of their own shortcomings and they don't seem to know it. There is a 'cure' for sluggardness. It is called a change in attitude and in behavior. It begins by opening one's eyes to the opportunities before them, and then rolling up their sleeves. . .
The most productive opportunity by far is one's relationship with the Lord. The fruit of this effort will supply everything needed to succeed in the other opportunities of life. From it you will grow in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Apply those, and your other efforts will transform into productive fields as well.
"I went past the field of the sluggard, past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgment; thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins."
Just what is a sluggard? Well, the word is only found in the book of Proverbs. The literal word picture of the translation means to lean idly. If we were speaking of an inanimate object, we might well imagine a hoe leaning against the tool shed while weeds were overtaking and choking out the garden. The sluggard would be the person who should be working the hoe. Where is that person? Anywhere but on the business end of the hoe. Why isn't that person working the garden with the hoe? Because that person lacks judgment.
What does it mean to lack judgment? The KJV translates it as a person void of understanding. It is a person who doesn't understand the true situation of the world in which one lives. It is a person who doesn't understand that success and prosperity do not come by chance, but by diligence, hard work, taking advantage of opportunity and using the skills and abilities one has. It is a person who doesn't understand that the world owes them nothing, rather they owe it to themselves to carve out a piece of the world and make it prosper. They do not understand that when one becomes idle in attending to the piece they have, the world will quickly overtake it.
It really doesn't matter what your field or vineyard might be; your career, your marriage, your church, or even your relationship with the Lord - each is an opportunity. Each has potential for fruitfulness. Each requires diligence, hard work, and application of skills and abilities. Each requires an investment of yourself if you ever want to benefit from their potential.
One of the most common attributes of the sluggard is this: When the opportunity before them is failing for want of their commitment to see it prosper and bear fruit, they abandon the opportunity in search of another fresh one. The sluggard goes to the garden shed of the overgrown and failing field, grabs the hoe which has been leaning against the wall all these months, and is off to find another shed upon which he can lean his hoe. A shed next to a healthier looking field. Hopefully this field will not become overgrown, and the sluggard will see some fruit from it.
Do you see the picture? Can you hear the voice of the sluggard?
"There is no future in this job. I'm not getting anywhere. I quit! There's got to be something better out there."
"Our marriage is washed up. My husband will never learn. I can't believe I married such a jerk. I can't stand to be in the same house with him any more. I am suing for divorce on the grounds of incompatibility."
"I'm no longer getting fed at our church. The people aren't all that friendly. We don't seem to be growing. Our youth program isn't holding the interest of our kids. I think it's time we look for another church."
"I tried Christianity. It never did me any good. If Jesus loves us so much, why has all of this misery come upon us? There must be other belief systems that actually work."
The sluggard is a constant victim. The problem is, they are a victim of their own shortcomings and they don't seem to know it. There is a 'cure' for sluggardness. It is called a change in attitude and in behavior. It begins by opening one's eyes to the opportunities before them, and then rolling up their sleeves. . .
The most productive opportunity by far is one's relationship with the Lord. The fruit of this effort will supply everything needed to succeed in the other opportunities of life. From it you will grow in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Apply those, and your other efforts will transform into productive fields as well.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
July 23
Jul 23 – Today from Proverbs 23 we look at verses 4, 5 & 15, 16
"Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.
My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad; my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right."
Investing is risky. It is an act of entrusting something of value to someone else and looking for an increased return. Investment is the common thought in these two very different passages. Some people's focus in life is to invest their money, time and talents in order to get rich. Investment is risky, and the overwhelming odds are that money will eventually fail. It's just that most people are convinced that it's not going to fail on their watch. When it does, there is political upheaval, broken dreams, great disappointment, and yes, even suicide.
The other focus of investment is in people. It is just as risky. Parents who care about their children invest much in them. Proper investment is to teach them wisdom. That is; Truth about the Creator. How to live properly in accordance with the ways of God. How to think through processes to the end. How to use the hard things in life as opportunities to grow in character. How to be a person of integrity. How to know and respect the value of life. How to show respect for others, etc. It is a lifetime of investment, and there is no greater joy then to see the returns on their investment as their children begin to show wisdom in their own decisions.
Although this proverb refers to a father/son relationship, the principle holds true to any mentoring relationship. Several times we see the humanity of Jesus when He would get exasperated with His disciples, "How long am I going to be with you?" Jesus was fully investing Himself in these twelve men and they didn't seem to be getting it. How it must have brought joy to His heart when they finally got it. Yes, they had the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit needs a submitted heart. Jesus invested Himself in you and I as well. When we submit ourselves to His Spirit and begin to show fruits of wisdom, I believe that the same joy comes to His heart.
Priorities and values are basic to wisdom. The person who has a fat bankroll and all of the toys is not necessarily the winner in life. Eventually his money will fail. No, the best investments we can make are in the lives of others. Sure, they're long range. Sure it's risky. But when a heart is changed, when your children, students, trainees, or disciples 'get it', there is a great return of joy. And chances are, they will begin to increase your investment as they begin to invest themselves in the lives of others. That's the great kingdom principal that Jesus both modeled and taught.
Where is your focus today?
"Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.
My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad; my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right."
Investing is risky. It is an act of entrusting something of value to someone else and looking for an increased return. Investment is the common thought in these two very different passages. Some people's focus in life is to invest their money, time and talents in order to get rich. Investment is risky, and the overwhelming odds are that money will eventually fail. It's just that most people are convinced that it's not going to fail on their watch. When it does, there is political upheaval, broken dreams, great disappointment, and yes, even suicide.
The other focus of investment is in people. It is just as risky. Parents who care about their children invest much in them. Proper investment is to teach them wisdom. That is; Truth about the Creator. How to live properly in accordance with the ways of God. How to think through processes to the end. How to use the hard things in life as opportunities to grow in character. How to be a person of integrity. How to know and respect the value of life. How to show respect for others, etc. It is a lifetime of investment, and there is no greater joy then to see the returns on their investment as their children begin to show wisdom in their own decisions.
Although this proverb refers to a father/son relationship, the principle holds true to any mentoring relationship. Several times we see the humanity of Jesus when He would get exasperated with His disciples, "How long am I going to be with you?" Jesus was fully investing Himself in these twelve men and they didn't seem to be getting it. How it must have brought joy to His heart when they finally got it. Yes, they had the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit needs a submitted heart. Jesus invested Himself in you and I as well. When we submit ourselves to His Spirit and begin to show fruits of wisdom, I believe that the same joy comes to His heart.
Priorities and values are basic to wisdom. The person who has a fat bankroll and all of the toys is not necessarily the winner in life. Eventually his money will fail. No, the best investments we can make are in the lives of others. Sure, they're long range. Sure it's risky. But when a heart is changed, when your children, students, trainees, or disciples 'get it', there is a great return of joy. And chances are, they will begin to increase your investment as they begin to invest themselves in the lives of others. That's the great kingdom principal that Jesus both modeled and taught.
Where is your focus today?
Monday, July 21, 2008
July 22
Jul 22 – Today from Proverbs 22 we look at verse 1
"A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold."
Your name is much more than the few words of which people use to address you. I looked up the word 'name' in the concordance and they list these adjectives; "honor, authority, character, position". When the people who know you hear or speak your name, these characteristics come into play in their thought processes. Are you an honorable person? That means are you deserving of respect. Are you a person who is worthy of having authority? Some people with authority demand respect, but they don't deserve respect. A person with a good name is humble in carrying authority and deserves the respect of those who serve with them. Good character is critical to having a good name. Good character is defined by the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. All of these characteristics are attributed to having a good name. Your name is more than what others call you by; it is the essence of who you are.
Philippians 2:9, 10 says that God exalted Jesus to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, and at the name of Jesus every knee should bow. This has little to do with the five-letter English translation of the word J-E-S-U-S. His name is translated into scores of different languages from the original name of Jehoshua, which itself is a translation from the Greek alphabet, which most of us would not even recognize. The spelling and pronunciation are not what every creature will be bowing to. It will be the honor, authority, character and position of Jesus to which we will be bowing - it is above ALL other positions of honor, authority and character. There is no other name, nor will there ever be, equal to that of Jesus Christ. And one day this will become perfectly clear and evident to all of creation, even the devil and his demons and all who follow them. Every knee will bow before His Majesty, the eternal Lord and King, Jesus Christ. Some knees will bow in great joy. Others in great fear and trepidation. The knees that will bow in joy will be the knees that bow now. Those who refuse to bow now, will one day bow in fear, realizing the horrible fate that awaits them.
I often wonder; what if Jesus took His eyes off his mission and thought to establish Himself in this life? With His wisdom, influence and abilities, He could have amassed wealth far beyond that which even Solomon had. But Jesus stayed focused. He developed and maintained a 'good name' even up to His trial and crucifixion. Even His greatest enemies could find no wrong in Him. They hounded Him, kept him under surveillance, tried to trip Him up, and even attempted to bring false witnesses against Him. They dared not arrest Him in public because Jesus had such a good name with the crowds of people. Jesus never used His position to gain great riches, but He left this earth with a good name. And, amazingly, He gave us authority to use His name. Now we are challenged to value a good name more than wealth and riches and silver and gold. We have two names to think about. Our name, and His name. They are bonded. When we received His name 'Christian', we received salvation, new and eternal life, citizenship in heaven, and the Fatherhood of God Himself. We also took on the responsibility to keep His Name pure. To represent His character to the world - both as individuals and as the church. We don't always do so good - thank God for His mercy. But, as His disciples, we are to grow in character. We should be better at representing His character today than we were last year, or last month. When we commit to keep His Name lifted up, we see our own name lifted up. Many around us do not know the Name of Jesus, but when they see us living in His character, they know His name at least in part, because they know our name. When Jesus walked the earth the crowds did not follow Him because He was handing out money to them. They followed Him because they recognized that He had authority and compassion. He cared for them, and He taught them a message about love, forgiveness and truth.
The old saying about wealth goes, "You can't take it with you." That is very true. What you will take with you is your name - in the most literal sense. Your name is who you are.
"A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold."
Your name is much more than the few words of which people use to address you. I looked up the word 'name' in the concordance and they list these adjectives; "honor, authority, character, position". When the people who know you hear or speak your name, these characteristics come into play in their thought processes. Are you an honorable person? That means are you deserving of respect. Are you a person who is worthy of having authority? Some people with authority demand respect, but they don't deserve respect. A person with a good name is humble in carrying authority and deserves the respect of those who serve with them. Good character is critical to having a good name. Good character is defined by the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. All of these characteristics are attributed to having a good name. Your name is more than what others call you by; it is the essence of who you are.
Philippians 2:9, 10 says that God exalted Jesus to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, and at the name of Jesus every knee should bow. This has little to do with the five-letter English translation of the word J-E-S-U-S. His name is translated into scores of different languages from the original name of Jehoshua, which itself is a translation from the Greek alphabet, which most of us would not even recognize. The spelling and pronunciation are not what every creature will be bowing to. It will be the honor, authority, character and position of Jesus to which we will be bowing - it is above ALL other positions of honor, authority and character. There is no other name, nor will there ever be, equal to that of Jesus Christ. And one day this will become perfectly clear and evident to all of creation, even the devil and his demons and all who follow them. Every knee will bow before His Majesty, the eternal Lord and King, Jesus Christ. Some knees will bow in great joy. Others in great fear and trepidation. The knees that will bow in joy will be the knees that bow now. Those who refuse to bow now, will one day bow in fear, realizing the horrible fate that awaits them.
I often wonder; what if Jesus took His eyes off his mission and thought to establish Himself in this life? With His wisdom, influence and abilities, He could have amassed wealth far beyond that which even Solomon had. But Jesus stayed focused. He developed and maintained a 'good name' even up to His trial and crucifixion. Even His greatest enemies could find no wrong in Him. They hounded Him, kept him under surveillance, tried to trip Him up, and even attempted to bring false witnesses against Him. They dared not arrest Him in public because Jesus had such a good name with the crowds of people. Jesus never used His position to gain great riches, but He left this earth with a good name. And, amazingly, He gave us authority to use His name. Now we are challenged to value a good name more than wealth and riches and silver and gold. We have two names to think about. Our name, and His name. They are bonded. When we received His name 'Christian', we received salvation, new and eternal life, citizenship in heaven, and the Fatherhood of God Himself. We also took on the responsibility to keep His Name pure. To represent His character to the world - both as individuals and as the church. We don't always do so good - thank God for His mercy. But, as His disciples, we are to grow in character. We should be better at representing His character today than we were last year, or last month. When we commit to keep His Name lifted up, we see our own name lifted up. Many around us do not know the Name of Jesus, but when they see us living in His character, they know His name at least in part, because they know our name. When Jesus walked the earth the crowds did not follow Him because He was handing out money to them. They followed Him because they recognized that He had authority and compassion. He cared for them, and He taught them a message about love, forgiveness and truth.
The old saying about wealth goes, "You can't take it with you." That is very true. What you will take with you is your name - in the most literal sense. Your name is who you are.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
July 21
Jul 21 - Today from Proverbs 21 we look at verse 22
"A wise man attacks the city of the mighty and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust."
In Biblical times warfare was very close quarter. There were no artillery guns, tanks, mortars, or air strikes. The kings in those days built walled cities for the purpose of protection and defense. The higher and thicker the wall, the more secure the king and his men were. Some cities were geographically located to provide additional protection; such as on the highest point of elevation, or with sheer cliffs on one or more sides. Combined with the strongest of walls, these cities became strongholds for the king and his court to ward of threats of their enemies. King David chose Jerusalem as his stronghold (2 Sam. 5). King Belshazzar's stronghold was Babylon. So great were the walls of this city that the king and his court were having a drunken feast in his palace while being threatened by Darius, king of the Medes (Daniel 5). Eventually enemies penetrated the strongholds and conquered their enemies. And when they did, they would destroy the strongholds by tearing down the walls. This would keep any renegades from regrouping and using the city against the conqueror in the future. It was a lot of extra time and effort for the conquering armies, but it insured against future battles on the same location.
With that little bit of background, we can now more clearly see the principle being taught in today's proverb. It is not enough to conquer an enemy, an issue, or even a personal habit. One must destroy, or pull down the stronghold where the conquered is likely to regroup and become a problem again. The apostle Paul writes in 2 Cor. 10:4, 5 "The weapons we fight with are not weapons of this world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." Here is the principle of breaking down the strongholds of issues. They are demolished by seeking out, bringing forth, and exposing them to TRUTH - the knowledge of God. If there is an issue in the family, the workplace, or the church, which is proving to be irritable and divisive, then those in authority must do more than just squelch the issue. They must destroy the stronghold from which the issue continually regroups. Sure, it takes extra time and effort, but at least it isn't causing casualties. Paul and the apostles had to constantly spend extra time and energy breaking down strongholds in the early church - especially the church at Corinth. Read the context from which these two verses were taken! The strongholds from which irritable and divisive issues regroup and attack are destroyed by the proper authorities being bold to bring the issues forward and then firmly dealing with them in the light of the clear truths and sound principles found in God's Word. If the authorities are not willing to take the extra time and effort to do this, they will continue to find themselves dealing with conflict and tending the wounded.
How about the strongholds of personal habits. Jesus teaches this principle in Matthew 12:43-45. "When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation." Here's a new take on this passage for us. We always thought that it was good that the 'house' was swept clean and put in order. I think that was the mistake. I think the house represents the stronghold, and it should have been destroyed! It's like the conquered city whose walls were not broken down because the conquering army did not want to take the extra time and effort. When the renegades returned, there it was! They got some help from other renegades, reoccupied the city, and became an odious burden to the conqueror. Jesus makes it clear that He is comparing this analogy to the generation to which He is speaking. They had renounced sin, but they themselves had not repented of their own sin. They forgot to break down the house. The principle holds true for us today. Knowledge and public renunciation may clean the house for a period of time, but if the sin is not truly repented of, it will come back with greater force than before. One must truly turn away from the sin and break all contact. One must appropriate the grace of God through confession and prayer. One must then consciously make an effort to stay out of areas and situations that may stimulate old habits. Finally, one must make a commitment to renew their minds with the Word of God. It takes extra time and effort to break down strongholds. But by God's grace - it can be done.
Wisdom seeks to identify the strongholds used by the enemy, and makes the extra time and effort to destroy them.
"A wise man attacks the city of the mighty and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust."
In Biblical times warfare was very close quarter. There were no artillery guns, tanks, mortars, or air strikes. The kings in those days built walled cities for the purpose of protection and defense. The higher and thicker the wall, the more secure the king and his men were. Some cities were geographically located to provide additional protection; such as on the highest point of elevation, or with sheer cliffs on one or more sides. Combined with the strongest of walls, these cities became strongholds for the king and his court to ward of threats of their enemies. King David chose Jerusalem as his stronghold (2 Sam. 5). King Belshazzar's stronghold was Babylon. So great were the walls of this city that the king and his court were having a drunken feast in his palace while being threatened by Darius, king of the Medes (Daniel 5). Eventually enemies penetrated the strongholds and conquered their enemies. And when they did, they would destroy the strongholds by tearing down the walls. This would keep any renegades from regrouping and using the city against the conqueror in the future. It was a lot of extra time and effort for the conquering armies, but it insured against future battles on the same location.
With that little bit of background, we can now more clearly see the principle being taught in today's proverb. It is not enough to conquer an enemy, an issue, or even a personal habit. One must destroy, or pull down the stronghold where the conquered is likely to regroup and become a problem again. The apostle Paul writes in 2 Cor. 10:4, 5 "The weapons we fight with are not weapons of this world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." Here is the principle of breaking down the strongholds of issues. They are demolished by seeking out, bringing forth, and exposing them to TRUTH - the knowledge of God. If there is an issue in the family, the workplace, or the church, which is proving to be irritable and divisive, then those in authority must do more than just squelch the issue. They must destroy the stronghold from which the issue continually regroups. Sure, it takes extra time and effort, but at least it isn't causing casualties. Paul and the apostles had to constantly spend extra time and energy breaking down strongholds in the early church - especially the church at Corinth. Read the context from which these two verses were taken! The strongholds from which irritable and divisive issues regroup and attack are destroyed by the proper authorities being bold to bring the issues forward and then firmly dealing with them in the light of the clear truths and sound principles found in God's Word. If the authorities are not willing to take the extra time and effort to do this, they will continue to find themselves dealing with conflict and tending the wounded.
How about the strongholds of personal habits. Jesus teaches this principle in Matthew 12:43-45. "When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation." Here's a new take on this passage for us. We always thought that it was good that the 'house' was swept clean and put in order. I think that was the mistake. I think the house represents the stronghold, and it should have been destroyed! It's like the conquered city whose walls were not broken down because the conquering army did not want to take the extra time and effort. When the renegades returned, there it was! They got some help from other renegades, reoccupied the city, and became an odious burden to the conqueror. Jesus makes it clear that He is comparing this analogy to the generation to which He is speaking. They had renounced sin, but they themselves had not repented of their own sin. They forgot to break down the house. The principle holds true for us today. Knowledge and public renunciation may clean the house for a period of time, but if the sin is not truly repented of, it will come back with greater force than before. One must truly turn away from the sin and break all contact. One must appropriate the grace of God through confession and prayer. One must then consciously make an effort to stay out of areas and situations that may stimulate old habits. Finally, one must make a commitment to renew their minds with the Word of God. It takes extra time and effort to break down strongholds. But by God's grace - it can be done.
Wisdom seeks to identify the strongholds used by the enemy, and makes the extra time and effort to destroy them.
July 20
Jul 20 - Today from Proverbs 20 we look at verse 26
"A wise king winnows out the wicked; he drives the threshing wheel over them."
In 1987 our family volunteered to take a van-load of aid (food and clothing, and some commodities such as coffee, which were actually used as 'money' in place of the useless national currency), behind the Iron Curtain to persecuted Christian families. I was considering becoming involved with the ministry organization committed to supporting the suffering church primarily in Romania. We drove from the Netherlands, across Europe, and up to Communist Romania, posing as camping tourists. The Romanian border patrols were armed with automatic rifles, and represented a regime that hated Christianity. We had already committed to memory and destroyed the written names and addresses of our contacts, for they were the ones placed in most jeopardy by our visit. We were totally inexperienced, and extremely apprehensive. The director said that a trip to meet the people we served would help to confirm our commitment - so we found ourselves sitting at the Communist Romanian border, wondering if it was such a good idea after all. But we crossed, and we made our contacts. We didn't know the language, we knew little of the culture, we couldn't read road signs, and we were a danger to the people we came to serve. It was a daily exercise in faith. When we arrived back at the Netherlands, we were 'debriefed' by the director. As we recounted the visits, shared the information we gathered, and told of our experiences, the director said that he now felt confident that we could become involved with the organization. "This was a big test for you," he explained. "If you got to the border and were too nervous or scared to cross, then you probably wouldn't be the right person to handle the responsibility of representing the suffering church. You needed to know a little of what they experience each day." For this wise leader, a trip into Communist Romania to meet the persecuted church was the threshing wheel. It separated the chaff from the grain.
This is the principle found in today's proverb. You can line four candidates up for a position of authority and responsibility, and they can all say that they are capable to handle it. But how will you ever know? That's why employers require resumes with reference contacts - to see how the candidates performed in previous positions. It may be the only threshing wheel available to them. I remember when my oldest son applied for his first real job at the age of fifteen. There were lots of applicants, but he got it. The personnel manager that hired him traded at the company where I was employed. My manager asked him, "With so many young and inexperienced applicants, how do you begin to make a selection for hiring?"
He replied, "When I read their applications I look for one of two things; if they worked for a farmer or if they've had a paper route for any period of time, I hire them almost on the spot. I haven't been sorry yet." My son handled a paper route for over five years. The personnel manager has his own threshing wheel. He figured that the applicant who worked for a farmer or had a paper route, had already learned volumes about responsibility and would carry that over into working for his organization. Apparently he was right.
God also uses threshing wheels. In 1 Peter 1:6, 7 we read, "Though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kind of trials. . . These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - my be proved genuine. . ." Ah-h-h-h. There's the word - genuine! The threshing wheel does not crush the grain, it only separates it from the chaff and straw. Once the whole selected bundle goes through the process, only the genuine grain remains. The rest is discarded. God tests our faith - to separate bravado from genuine faith. If it hasn't been tested, how can we know it's genuine?
People can attempt to deceive and fool others - sometimes even themselves. But when the threshing wheel passes over, only the genuine remains. Wise leaders learn what threshing wheels are most efficient to find the 'genuine' needed for their purposes. It may at first seem like extra effort, but in the long run it pays off many times over.
"A wise king winnows out the wicked; he drives the threshing wheel over them."
In 1987 our family volunteered to take a van-load of aid (food and clothing, and some commodities such as coffee, which were actually used as 'money' in place of the useless national currency), behind the Iron Curtain to persecuted Christian families. I was considering becoming involved with the ministry organization committed to supporting the suffering church primarily in Romania. We drove from the Netherlands, across Europe, and up to Communist Romania, posing as camping tourists. The Romanian border patrols were armed with automatic rifles, and represented a regime that hated Christianity. We had already committed to memory and destroyed the written names and addresses of our contacts, for they were the ones placed in most jeopardy by our visit. We were totally inexperienced, and extremely apprehensive. The director said that a trip to meet the people we served would help to confirm our commitment - so we found ourselves sitting at the Communist Romanian border, wondering if it was such a good idea after all. But we crossed, and we made our contacts. We didn't know the language, we knew little of the culture, we couldn't read road signs, and we were a danger to the people we came to serve. It was a daily exercise in faith. When we arrived back at the Netherlands, we were 'debriefed' by the director. As we recounted the visits, shared the information we gathered, and told of our experiences, the director said that he now felt confident that we could become involved with the organization. "This was a big test for you," he explained. "If you got to the border and were too nervous or scared to cross, then you probably wouldn't be the right person to handle the responsibility of representing the suffering church. You needed to know a little of what they experience each day." For this wise leader, a trip into Communist Romania to meet the persecuted church was the threshing wheel. It separated the chaff from the grain.
This is the principle found in today's proverb. You can line four candidates up for a position of authority and responsibility, and they can all say that they are capable to handle it. But how will you ever know? That's why employers require resumes with reference contacts - to see how the candidates performed in previous positions. It may be the only threshing wheel available to them. I remember when my oldest son applied for his first real job at the age of fifteen. There were lots of applicants, but he got it. The personnel manager that hired him traded at the company where I was employed. My manager asked him, "With so many young and inexperienced applicants, how do you begin to make a selection for hiring?"
He replied, "When I read their applications I look for one of two things; if they worked for a farmer or if they've had a paper route for any period of time, I hire them almost on the spot. I haven't been sorry yet." My son handled a paper route for over five years. The personnel manager has his own threshing wheel. He figured that the applicant who worked for a farmer or had a paper route, had already learned volumes about responsibility and would carry that over into working for his organization. Apparently he was right.
God also uses threshing wheels. In 1 Peter 1:6, 7 we read, "Though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kind of trials. . . These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - my be proved genuine. . ." Ah-h-h-h. There's the word - genuine! The threshing wheel does not crush the grain, it only separates it from the chaff and straw. Once the whole selected bundle goes through the process, only the genuine grain remains. The rest is discarded. God tests our faith - to separate bravado from genuine faith. If it hasn't been tested, how can we know it's genuine?
People can attempt to deceive and fool others - sometimes even themselves. But when the threshing wheel passes over, only the genuine remains. Wise leaders learn what threshing wheels are most efficient to find the 'genuine' needed for their purposes. It may at first seem like extra effort, but in the long run it pays off many times over.
Friday, July 18, 2008
July 19
Jul 19 - Today from Proverbs 19 we look at verse 12
"A king's rage is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass."
'Question authority!' It was the banner cry of a generation that was determined to break itself from the bondage of the establishment in the sixties and seventies. It succeeded to a great degree, and now our children and grandchildren are suffering the consequences. The greatest consequence is the residue it left in our culture. A culture that has all but abandoned the understanding of the purposes for authority and continues to question and mistrust authority. There are consequences to challenging authority.
The USA has been the bastion of freedom and liberty. Our fathers and uncles and grandfathers – and now our sons - have shed their blood all over this planet because they valued liberty and freedom for their children and for other nations more than they valued their own lives. There may always have been subtle ulterior motives and undercurrents of political manipulations, but in the end they died for freedom's sake. The USA has never moved in and occupied or colonized any nation that surrendered to her. On the contrary, she poured billions of dollars in aid and did all she could to see a people restored under their own self-rule. It hasn't always worked perfectly, but the premise was always clear. With great authority comes great responsibility, and that's what this proverb is about - authority.
I recently heard a great message on authority. The Pastor said legitimate authority comes by three means; it can be inherited, it can be bequeathed or transferred, and it can be earned. Legitimate authority ultimately comes from the Supreme Authority - God. Romans 13:1 states, "Everyone must submit himself to governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God." This was written to the church in the day of oppressive Roman rule! To challenge governing authorities outside of prescribed means is to challenge God. Jesus Himself lived under Roman rule, and He never hinted at forming a challenging uprising against their governing authority. His mission was of a far greater scope - and so is ours. As individuals and as the institutional church, we would do well to submit to governing authorities and seek their favor rather than challenging them at every turn. The mission organization I served with for ten years worked with and through some of the most corrupt governing authorities in this world because rather than condemning them, they served with integrity to help alleviate the suffering of their people. And, in these instances, they served within the prescribed means of that authority. This made the government look good, and actually expanded the privilege and ability of the organization. It's called grace - an attribute that should be dominate in the church. The organization never intended to support an oppressive government. Rather, they ministered to the people who suffered because of the oppressive government. But because they respected the authority, they received favor with the authorities and were able to move much more effectively than if they stood on the border and pointed their finger, denouncing oppressive authority.
I think that is the spirit of this proverb. Solomon is teaching (under the inspiration of the Spirit), that we can get more accomplished by being gracious with authorities than we can by judging authorities. Judging is not the task of the church in this age. There will come a time, but that time is not yet here. The church of Corinth was a church much like the church of the USA. They were prosperous, they lived in an affluent culture and they were in an area of great power and influence. They began to take on an arrogant attitude, and Paul chastises them with sarcasm when he writes in 1 Corinthians 4:8, "Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have become kings - and that without us! How I wish that you really had become kings so that we might be kings with you!" You can read the following verses if you want to know how the church's posture is really to be in this age. We are not yet 'kings' - Paul is referring to dominant authority. Authority to judge and rule the nations. The church is here to serve, and to be an example unto the world of the meaning of God's love and grace. The time of judging has not yet come. We must recognize and honor the authorities in place with the only exception being if the authority demands that we compromise God's values. Then we are to humbly state our testimony and convictions, and possibly suffer any consequence with rejoicing (Matthew 5:10, 11 - Acts 5:40, 41 - 1 Cor. 4:12, 13 - 1 Peter 1:6, 7).
Wisdom seeks to honor and appease authority in order to carry out God's greater eternal purposes, and understands that we live in an age of grace and not judgment.
"A king's rage is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass."
'Question authority!' It was the banner cry of a generation that was determined to break itself from the bondage of the establishment in the sixties and seventies. It succeeded to a great degree, and now our children and grandchildren are suffering the consequences. The greatest consequence is the residue it left in our culture. A culture that has all but abandoned the understanding of the purposes for authority and continues to question and mistrust authority. There are consequences to challenging authority.
The USA has been the bastion of freedom and liberty. Our fathers and uncles and grandfathers – and now our sons - have shed their blood all over this planet because they valued liberty and freedom for their children and for other nations more than they valued their own lives. There may always have been subtle ulterior motives and undercurrents of political manipulations, but in the end they died for freedom's sake. The USA has never moved in and occupied or colonized any nation that surrendered to her. On the contrary, she poured billions of dollars in aid and did all she could to see a people restored under their own self-rule. It hasn't always worked perfectly, but the premise was always clear. With great authority comes great responsibility, and that's what this proverb is about - authority.
I recently heard a great message on authority. The Pastor said legitimate authority comes by three means; it can be inherited, it can be bequeathed or transferred, and it can be earned. Legitimate authority ultimately comes from the Supreme Authority - God. Romans 13:1 states, "Everyone must submit himself to governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God." This was written to the church in the day of oppressive Roman rule! To challenge governing authorities outside of prescribed means is to challenge God. Jesus Himself lived under Roman rule, and He never hinted at forming a challenging uprising against their governing authority. His mission was of a far greater scope - and so is ours. As individuals and as the institutional church, we would do well to submit to governing authorities and seek their favor rather than challenging them at every turn. The mission organization I served with for ten years worked with and through some of the most corrupt governing authorities in this world because rather than condemning them, they served with integrity to help alleviate the suffering of their people. And, in these instances, they served within the prescribed means of that authority. This made the government look good, and actually expanded the privilege and ability of the organization. It's called grace - an attribute that should be dominate in the church. The organization never intended to support an oppressive government. Rather, they ministered to the people who suffered because of the oppressive government. But because they respected the authority, they received favor with the authorities and were able to move much more effectively than if they stood on the border and pointed their finger, denouncing oppressive authority.
I think that is the spirit of this proverb. Solomon is teaching (under the inspiration of the Spirit), that we can get more accomplished by being gracious with authorities than we can by judging authorities. Judging is not the task of the church in this age. There will come a time, but that time is not yet here. The church of Corinth was a church much like the church of the USA. They were prosperous, they lived in an affluent culture and they were in an area of great power and influence. They began to take on an arrogant attitude, and Paul chastises them with sarcasm when he writes in 1 Corinthians 4:8, "Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have become kings - and that without us! How I wish that you really had become kings so that we might be kings with you!" You can read the following verses if you want to know how the church's posture is really to be in this age. We are not yet 'kings' - Paul is referring to dominant authority. Authority to judge and rule the nations. The church is here to serve, and to be an example unto the world of the meaning of God's love and grace. The time of judging has not yet come. We must recognize and honor the authorities in place with the only exception being if the authority demands that we compromise God's values. Then we are to humbly state our testimony and convictions, and possibly suffer any consequence with rejoicing (Matthew 5:10, 11 - Acts 5:40, 41 - 1 Cor. 4:12, 13 - 1 Peter 1:6, 7).
Wisdom seeks to honor and appease authority in order to carry out God's greater eternal purposes, and understands that we live in an age of grace and not judgment.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
July 18
Jul 18 - Today from Proverbs 18 we look at verse 7
"A fool's mouth is his undoing, and his lips are a snare to his soul."
Think of what your life would be like if you actually said everything that came into your mind. I would be in so much trouble! So, we can see why this proverb doesn't say a fool's mind is his undoing. Because we live in a body of corrupted flesh, which exists in a corrupted world, it is all but impossible to avoid corrupted thoughts. It is true that once we become believers, that we are to repent of purposely exposing our minds to corruption and we are to renew our minds with the truth and goodness of God's Word (Romans 12:1, 2). To offer our bodies as a living sacrifice means we are to consider our bodies dead - sacrificed - on the altar. We are to be in the process of renewing our minds with the patterns of God's Kingdom. It is an ongoing, daily process. Jesus instructs us to "take up your cross daily," the cross is the altar of the sacrifice. It is to be a daily process until we are free of this corrupted flesh and living in glory.
We can minimize corrupt thoughts by disciplining ourselves not to conform to the patterns of this world (system), but we will never be completely free of them in this life. Thoughts can enter against our will. I am not sure that a corrupt thought is necessarily a sin. Entertaining the thought surely is. The thought of not going to the cross certainly crossed Jesus' mind. He articulated the fact in Gethsemane. But He did not entertain the thought - He surrendered it to the Father. He was tempted - but He never allowed the temptation to be conceived. Jesus' brother James writes, ". . . after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death." (1:15). Once a corrupt thought is entertained, sin is conceived.
There is a mechanism in our body over which we can exert our will - that amazing little muscle known as our tongue. We may not be able to fully control our thoughts, but we can control our tongue. The fool has never learned this. Often the fool doesn't even bother to entertain a corrupt thought - as soon as it comes into his mind, it comes out of his mouth. Instant conception! Evil is effortlessly set into motion. People are hurt; rumors are started; anger flares; people are misled; feelings are crushed - all fodder for the powers of darkness to expand their evil in the lives of mankind. Eventually, this all works against the foolish soul, who by allowing his tongue to be used as a channel of evil is himself undone and ensnared. Undone because he has lost respect and integrity. People who exceed do not seek to employ such fools in their plans. Ensnared because such people become tools of evil without even knowing it. Such fools are to be pitied, but not trusted. Such fools are to be engaged, but not enfolded. To intimately hook-up with such a fool is to invite your own undoing and ensnarement. "What about our freedom of speech?" the fool might ask. Every freedom comes with a boundary - to "Love God with your all and your neighbor as yourself."
There is a remedy for such foolishness:
First, one can learn to practice the presence of Christ. Would you say such a thing if He were standing by your side? Would he applaud your statement - or would He be ashamed?
Secondly, and this is directly connected to the first, one can discipline themselves to process their thoughts. How will this statement affect the person or people hearing it? Does it represent the character of Christ? What is my motivation for saying it?
Thirdly, and this is directly connected to the first two, one can discipline themselves to pray in the time of temptation. A corrupt thought is a temptation. Before further entertaining the thought - or speaking the thought - pray! Something like; "Lord, you have authority over all things - including this thought. In Your Name I renounce it, and I ask that my every thought be taken captive, obedient to You." If you can't remember all of that, you can at least pray; "Lord, help me here!"
Don't ever let the enemy convince you that because the thought came into your mind that you are already guilty. Wisdom learns to take authority over corrupt thoughts and to control the tongue. Your will cannot completely control your thoughts, but with practice, it can control your mouth.
"A fool's mouth is his undoing, and his lips are a snare to his soul."
Think of what your life would be like if you actually said everything that came into your mind. I would be in so much trouble! So, we can see why this proverb doesn't say a fool's mind is his undoing. Because we live in a body of corrupted flesh, which exists in a corrupted world, it is all but impossible to avoid corrupted thoughts. It is true that once we become believers, that we are to repent of purposely exposing our minds to corruption and we are to renew our minds with the truth and goodness of God's Word (Romans 12:1, 2). To offer our bodies as a living sacrifice means we are to consider our bodies dead - sacrificed - on the altar. We are to be in the process of renewing our minds with the patterns of God's Kingdom. It is an ongoing, daily process. Jesus instructs us to "take up your cross daily," the cross is the altar of the sacrifice. It is to be a daily process until we are free of this corrupted flesh and living in glory.
We can minimize corrupt thoughts by disciplining ourselves not to conform to the patterns of this world (system), but we will never be completely free of them in this life. Thoughts can enter against our will. I am not sure that a corrupt thought is necessarily a sin. Entertaining the thought surely is. The thought of not going to the cross certainly crossed Jesus' mind. He articulated the fact in Gethsemane. But He did not entertain the thought - He surrendered it to the Father. He was tempted - but He never allowed the temptation to be conceived. Jesus' brother James writes, ". . . after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death." (1:15). Once a corrupt thought is entertained, sin is conceived.
There is a mechanism in our body over which we can exert our will - that amazing little muscle known as our tongue. We may not be able to fully control our thoughts, but we can control our tongue. The fool has never learned this. Often the fool doesn't even bother to entertain a corrupt thought - as soon as it comes into his mind, it comes out of his mouth. Instant conception! Evil is effortlessly set into motion. People are hurt; rumors are started; anger flares; people are misled; feelings are crushed - all fodder for the powers of darkness to expand their evil in the lives of mankind. Eventually, this all works against the foolish soul, who by allowing his tongue to be used as a channel of evil is himself undone and ensnared. Undone because he has lost respect and integrity. People who exceed do not seek to employ such fools in their plans. Ensnared because such people become tools of evil without even knowing it. Such fools are to be pitied, but not trusted. Such fools are to be engaged, but not enfolded. To intimately hook-up with such a fool is to invite your own undoing and ensnarement. "What about our freedom of speech?" the fool might ask. Every freedom comes with a boundary - to "Love God with your all and your neighbor as yourself."
There is a remedy for such foolishness:
First, one can learn to practice the presence of Christ. Would you say such a thing if He were standing by your side? Would he applaud your statement - or would He be ashamed?
Secondly, and this is directly connected to the first, one can discipline themselves to process their thoughts. How will this statement affect the person or people hearing it? Does it represent the character of Christ? What is my motivation for saying it?
Thirdly, and this is directly connected to the first two, one can discipline themselves to pray in the time of temptation. A corrupt thought is a temptation. Before further entertaining the thought - or speaking the thought - pray! Something like; "Lord, you have authority over all things - including this thought. In Your Name I renounce it, and I ask that my every thought be taken captive, obedient to You." If you can't remember all of that, you can at least pray; "Lord, help me here!"
Don't ever let the enemy convince you that because the thought came into your mind that you are already guilty. Wisdom learns to take authority over corrupt thoughts and to control the tongue. Your will cannot completely control your thoughts, but with practice, it can control your mouth.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
July 17
Jul 17 - Today from Proverbs 17 we look at verse 17
"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."
If ever there were a proverb that points to the character of the Lord Jesus, this would be one. He sets the supreme example as to what it means to be a true friend. "A friend loves at all times." A friend can be angry with you, but He will never betray you. A friend can be disappointed in you, but He will never forsake you. A friend can be wounded by you, but He will never strike back in revenge. A friend loves at all times.
Jesus never spoke frivolously. That which came from His mouth originated in the heart of the Father. "I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me." (John 8:28). Given that truth, we can stand in joyous awe at His statement from John 15:12-17, "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other."
I would like to share some thoughts pertaining to today's proverb.
My first thought: "I thought Jesus loves us unconditionally. Here He says we are His friends if we do what He commands? It sounds like there is a condition here." Jesus does love unconditionally. But He does not offer His friendship unconditionally. He offers His friendship to those who will receive it, and those who would receive it are those who are willing to love as He loves.
My second thought: "I thought I was to be a servant of God. What is the difference between a servant and a friend?" Every created being serves God - either voluntarily or involuntarily. It is a divine attribute of God that He is able to make all things work toward His purposes - even evil and wickedness. The friend is still to serve, but is brought to a different level because God's purposes have been revealed and made known. Once the servant who has been given revelation chooses to receive God's friendship in Christ, a relationship has been established.
My third thought: "When I fail to love my brother/sister as Christ loved me, does His friendship with me terminate?" No. His mercies are new every day. When we fail, we are to run to Him in confession and repentance, and he is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9). Our relationship is eternally dependent on His shed blood. (1 John 1:7). He is not waiting for us to sin so that He might be released from His commitment. He is waiting for us to come to Him and receive mercy so that He may deepen His commitment. He is a true friend. Those He loves He loves to the end.
My final thought: "Why did Jesus choose me?" For this I have no answer - only eternal gratitude. He chose me while I was yet a sinner. There was nothing lovely in me, yet He loved me. I was hostile and rebellious toward Him, yet He drew me. I deserved nothing, yet gained everything. Had He not first loved me, I could never love Him. Had he not revealed the Father's purposes to me, I could have never received His friendship. Had He not given the Spirit of Grace, I could never love my brother/sister as He loves me. Had He not made His mercies new every day, I could never remain His friend.
What a friend we have in Jesus! Amen.
"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."
If ever there were a proverb that points to the character of the Lord Jesus, this would be one. He sets the supreme example as to what it means to be a true friend. "A friend loves at all times." A friend can be angry with you, but He will never betray you. A friend can be disappointed in you, but He will never forsake you. A friend can be wounded by you, but He will never strike back in revenge. A friend loves at all times.
Jesus never spoke frivolously. That which came from His mouth originated in the heart of the Father. "I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me." (John 8:28). Given that truth, we can stand in joyous awe at His statement from John 15:12-17, "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other."
I would like to share some thoughts pertaining to today's proverb.
My first thought: "I thought Jesus loves us unconditionally. Here He says we are His friends if we do what He commands? It sounds like there is a condition here." Jesus does love unconditionally. But He does not offer His friendship unconditionally. He offers His friendship to those who will receive it, and those who would receive it are those who are willing to love as He loves.
My second thought: "I thought I was to be a servant of God. What is the difference between a servant and a friend?" Every created being serves God - either voluntarily or involuntarily. It is a divine attribute of God that He is able to make all things work toward His purposes - even evil and wickedness. The friend is still to serve, but is brought to a different level because God's purposes have been revealed and made known. Once the servant who has been given revelation chooses to receive God's friendship in Christ, a relationship has been established.
My third thought: "When I fail to love my brother/sister as Christ loved me, does His friendship with me terminate?" No. His mercies are new every day. When we fail, we are to run to Him in confession and repentance, and he is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9). Our relationship is eternally dependent on His shed blood. (1 John 1:7). He is not waiting for us to sin so that He might be released from His commitment. He is waiting for us to come to Him and receive mercy so that He may deepen His commitment. He is a true friend. Those He loves He loves to the end.
My final thought: "Why did Jesus choose me?" For this I have no answer - only eternal gratitude. He chose me while I was yet a sinner. There was nothing lovely in me, yet He loved me. I was hostile and rebellious toward Him, yet He drew me. I deserved nothing, yet gained everything. Had He not first loved me, I could never love Him. Had he not revealed the Father's purposes to me, I could have never received His friendship. Had He not given the Spirit of Grace, I could never love my brother/sister as He loves me. Had He not made His mercies new every day, I could never remain His friend.
What a friend we have in Jesus! Amen.
July 16
Jul 16 - Today from Proverbs 16 we look at verse 8
"Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice."
The wisdom of this proverb seems all but lost on our modern Western culture. We measure and live by the bottom line. We have perfected 'bigger is better' pragmatism. The philosophy has seeped into and saturated the church in the West. This generation has developed and cultured the 'prosperity gospel'. Pastors of mega-churches get attention as the regional example of a 'successful' church. Many of these pastors and leaders write books and give seminars on how other churches can do the same thing -- and their success increases as they make thousands of dollars on residuals. Television evangelists and preachers operate with seven digit salaries and promise viewers prosperity of their own if they will but send in their very best 'faith offering'. Growth is success, setbacks are curses. 'Much gain' is the blessing of God, 'little' is the evidence of failure.
Don't misunderstand me here. I have nothing personal against mega-churches and (some) TV evangelists. Where God's Word is preached, there will always be testimonies and fruit. My point is, that our culture ultimately holds them up as the model of 'success' while ignoring the faithful pastors and flocks who quietly go about their service to God, being faithful but never seeming to grow in those areas which the culture around them revere as 'successful'. 'Much gain' has become such an icon of success that even believers can tend to submit their attitudes and emotions to this new god.
"Our church has doubled in size over the past three years." Elation! That could be good, but I am always interested in how that growth was achieved. Are souls being brought into the kingdom through the shed blood of Jesus? Or are people simply shifting their memberships to a feel-better social atmosphere where the music entertains and the speakers have more pizzazz?
"Our church has lost 30% of its membership over the past three years." Depression. I can sympathize. But the question is, are those who remain faithful to the Lord? Are they committed to their own spiritual growth and to the care of others around them? Are they making a difference in their families, their campuses, their neighborhoods and the workplaces by being an example of Godliness?
Or -- are they primarily focused on getting those numbers and offerings up? Are they looking for all possible methods to strengthen that 'bottom line'? Are they placing their hopes of increase in something rather than placing their trust in Someone? After all, "If we were doing everything right, if we had the right programs and the right Pastor, we would be BIG!" Tell me that thought hasn't crossed your mind. It crosses mine. I am as much of a victim as anyone in this 'Bigger is better' society. Then God gives us this little nugget of wisdom and encouragement; "Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice." He is telling us to focus on faithfulness and not numbers. Justice is moral rightness. Justice is practicing integrity. Justice is meeting your fulfillments to the One who redeemed you and to your neighbor. Justice is working on developing and committing to proper values. Injustice is any infraction of justice. Injustice is compromising God's Word; compromising your own word; ignoring or violating moral values; deserting or betraying your neighbor; and giving up because your values are misplaced.
Jesus promised that "Where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them." (Matthew 18:20). I guess His bottom line is different than that which our society has so carefully cultured. "In my Name" means "In my authority and my character." His authority comes from the Father, and His character is perfect integrity and perfect justice. His bottom line is certainly quality, not necessarily quantity.
Wisdom seeks to live a quality life, and leaves quantity to God.
"Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice."
The wisdom of this proverb seems all but lost on our modern Western culture. We measure and live by the bottom line. We have perfected 'bigger is better' pragmatism. The philosophy has seeped into and saturated the church in the West. This generation has developed and cultured the 'prosperity gospel'. Pastors of mega-churches get attention as the regional example of a 'successful' church. Many of these pastors and leaders write books and give seminars on how other churches can do the same thing -- and their success increases as they make thousands of dollars on residuals. Television evangelists and preachers operate with seven digit salaries and promise viewers prosperity of their own if they will but send in their very best 'faith offering'. Growth is success, setbacks are curses. 'Much gain' is the blessing of God, 'little' is the evidence of failure.
Don't misunderstand me here. I have nothing personal against mega-churches and (some) TV evangelists. Where God's Word is preached, there will always be testimonies and fruit. My point is, that our culture ultimately holds them up as the model of 'success' while ignoring the faithful pastors and flocks who quietly go about their service to God, being faithful but never seeming to grow in those areas which the culture around them revere as 'successful'. 'Much gain' has become such an icon of success that even believers can tend to submit their attitudes and emotions to this new god.
"Our church has doubled in size over the past three years." Elation! That could be good, but I am always interested in how that growth was achieved. Are souls being brought into the kingdom through the shed blood of Jesus? Or are people simply shifting their memberships to a feel-better social atmosphere where the music entertains and the speakers have more pizzazz?
"Our church has lost 30% of its membership over the past three years." Depression. I can sympathize. But the question is, are those who remain faithful to the Lord? Are they committed to their own spiritual growth and to the care of others around them? Are they making a difference in their families, their campuses, their neighborhoods and the workplaces by being an example of Godliness?
Or -- are they primarily focused on getting those numbers and offerings up? Are they looking for all possible methods to strengthen that 'bottom line'? Are they placing their hopes of increase in something rather than placing their trust in Someone? After all, "If we were doing everything right, if we had the right programs and the right Pastor, we would be BIG!" Tell me that thought hasn't crossed your mind. It crosses mine. I am as much of a victim as anyone in this 'Bigger is better' society. Then God gives us this little nugget of wisdom and encouragement; "Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice." He is telling us to focus on faithfulness and not numbers. Justice is moral rightness. Justice is practicing integrity. Justice is meeting your fulfillments to the One who redeemed you and to your neighbor. Justice is working on developing and committing to proper values. Injustice is any infraction of justice. Injustice is compromising God's Word; compromising your own word; ignoring or violating moral values; deserting or betraying your neighbor; and giving up because your values are misplaced.
Jesus promised that "Where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them." (Matthew 18:20). I guess His bottom line is different than that which our society has so carefully cultured. "In my Name" means "In my authority and my character." His authority comes from the Father, and His character is perfect integrity and perfect justice. His bottom line is certainly quality, not necessarily quantity.
Wisdom seeks to live a quality life, and leaves quantity to God.
Monday, July 14, 2008
July 15
Jul 15 - Today from Proverbs 15 we look at verse 8
"The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases Him."
Many of the proverbs teach by using the method of contrast. This is one such example. The subjects involved in the contrast are the wicked and the upright. The objects of the contrast are sacrifice and prayer. The results of the contrast are either detestable or pleasing to the Lord. The interesting observation here is that the proverbs always compare 'apples to apples', to coin an old phrase. This means there is a clear correlation between the two actions of sacrifice and prayer. There is a message here for us.
The dictionary defines a sacrifice as the forfeiture of something highly valued for the sake of something considered to have a greater value. Already my heart is overwhelmed as I think about the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. What did He value more than His own life? Think about it dear saint. He valued your life and my life. It is almost incomprehensible. He had to make a choice in the Garden of Gethsemane, it was a choice all about values. History reveals that choice. The Holy Spirit confirms it. A greater sacrifice was never given! Hallelujah!
This verse challenges us to think about our own values. Any time the upright pray, I am fully convinced it is pleasing to God. But often, the upright pray only when it is convenient. When is the last time you gave up something highly valued to yourself in order to make time to spend in prayer? I know people whose regular prayer time is when they are driving to work. I applaud that, and I believe God is pleased with that, but there is no real sacrifice involved. I know people whose regular prayer time is around the dinner table, included in family devotions. I applaud that, and I believe God is pleased with that, but there is no real sacrifice involved. We have a corporate prayer meeting at our church every Tuesday evening. Besides myself, there are two regular attendees. God invites us to come together and meet with Him on that night, and He is faithful to always be there. These saints who come must give up family time, or TV time, or whatever they would normally be doing at that time, go out and get in their car, and drive all the way to church (again!). Whew! There is sacrifice involved. They valued God's invitation to gather and pray with other saints more than the time that they obviously gave up for other things. There is a popular saying that I grew up with, but sadly, I never hear it any more. "Families that pray together, stay together." I believe that to be true if prayer is properly practiced. Prayer is coming into the presence of our Father and God, and opening ourselves to Him and His will. If a church family would make the sacrifice to pray together, I am fully convinced that they would stay together. Sacrifice is a matter of values. We have great problems with values in our society and in our church today.
By studying this verse, God brings us even closer to the reality of sacrifice in prayer. From the original Hebrew, the literal translation of sacrifice in this verse means the slaughter of the flesh of an animal. The New Testament believer cannot get away from this great principle of sanctification - we are to offer up our bodies as a living sacrifice in service to the One who sacrificed Himself for us (Romans 12:1). Remembering the values choice He made in the Garden on the night of His betrayal, how can we give Him any less? Can we sacrifice some TV time to pray? Can we sacrifice some leisure activity to pray? We can espouse our values in glorious accolades - but it is our actions that determine our true values. Does the flesh get priority? Or, does the Lord get priority?
Wisdom acts on the values of the spirit. God gives grace to act, if we will but appropriate it.
"The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases Him."
Many of the proverbs teach by using the method of contrast. This is one such example. The subjects involved in the contrast are the wicked and the upright. The objects of the contrast are sacrifice and prayer. The results of the contrast are either detestable or pleasing to the Lord. The interesting observation here is that the proverbs always compare 'apples to apples', to coin an old phrase. This means there is a clear correlation between the two actions of sacrifice and prayer. There is a message here for us.
The dictionary defines a sacrifice as the forfeiture of something highly valued for the sake of something considered to have a greater value. Already my heart is overwhelmed as I think about the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. What did He value more than His own life? Think about it dear saint. He valued your life and my life. It is almost incomprehensible. He had to make a choice in the Garden of Gethsemane, it was a choice all about values. History reveals that choice. The Holy Spirit confirms it. A greater sacrifice was never given! Hallelujah!
This verse challenges us to think about our own values. Any time the upright pray, I am fully convinced it is pleasing to God. But often, the upright pray only when it is convenient. When is the last time you gave up something highly valued to yourself in order to make time to spend in prayer? I know people whose regular prayer time is when they are driving to work. I applaud that, and I believe God is pleased with that, but there is no real sacrifice involved. I know people whose regular prayer time is around the dinner table, included in family devotions. I applaud that, and I believe God is pleased with that, but there is no real sacrifice involved. We have a corporate prayer meeting at our church every Tuesday evening. Besides myself, there are two regular attendees. God invites us to come together and meet with Him on that night, and He is faithful to always be there. These saints who come must give up family time, or TV time, or whatever they would normally be doing at that time, go out and get in their car, and drive all the way to church (again!). Whew! There is sacrifice involved. They valued God's invitation to gather and pray with other saints more than the time that they obviously gave up for other things. There is a popular saying that I grew up with, but sadly, I never hear it any more. "Families that pray together, stay together." I believe that to be true if prayer is properly practiced. Prayer is coming into the presence of our Father and God, and opening ourselves to Him and His will. If a church family would make the sacrifice to pray together, I am fully convinced that they would stay together. Sacrifice is a matter of values. We have great problems with values in our society and in our church today.
By studying this verse, God brings us even closer to the reality of sacrifice in prayer. From the original Hebrew, the literal translation of sacrifice in this verse means the slaughter of the flesh of an animal. The New Testament believer cannot get away from this great principle of sanctification - we are to offer up our bodies as a living sacrifice in service to the One who sacrificed Himself for us (Romans 12:1). Remembering the values choice He made in the Garden on the night of His betrayal, how can we give Him any less? Can we sacrifice some TV time to pray? Can we sacrifice some leisure activity to pray? We can espouse our values in glorious accolades - but it is our actions that determine our true values. Does the flesh get priority? Or, does the Lord get priority?
Wisdom acts on the values of the spirit. God gives grace to act, if we will but appropriate it.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
July 14
Jul 14 - Today from Proverbs 14 we look at verse 4
"Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox comes an abundant harvest." (NIV)
"Where no oxen are, the crib is clean; but much increase is by the strength of the ox." (KJV)
I once read a tongue-in-cheek quote from a pastor in which he stated, "I would love my job if I just didn't have to deal with people." I have been friends with a number of pastors, and I truly sympathize with them. Dealing with people on a spiritual level is much more challenging than dealing with them, say, on a business level. You can't fire members of your flock, you can't give them a piece of your mind, you can't dock their wages, and most of all, you can't please them all and you certainly can't please them all of the time. It's like being the head of a household with a couple of hundred family members. Think about it!
I see this proverb as an analogy of the inconveniences of life. "Farming wouldn't be a bad job if I just didn't have to clean out the stall of that big ox!" Yeah. It's dirty and stinky and by the day's end, the stink gets all over you. Get rid of the ox, and farming would be much more pleasant. The working farm would be a lot smaller because you couldn't plow too many acres trying to push a plow through the soil on your own. Then there wouldn't be much of a crop because the soil you were able to till turned out to be such a small plot. There probably wouldn't be enough crop to feed yourself, much less any to bring to market to sell. But, there's always the comfort of knowing you're not going to have to go into a filthy stall and work up a sweat getting all dirty and smelly pitching ox droppings. Actually, a good farmer in those days loved and valued his ox. It was an important asset to his livelihood.
And actually, good pastors love and value their flocks. There are times when the task becomes unpleasant, but that comes with the territory. When the flock is working together and producing fruit, stall-cleaning is worth it's weight in gold.
But this proverb isn't about farmers and pastors (unless you are one). It's about you. What things in your life are you quite certain of that life would be better without? Have you ever considered the benefits and weighed them against the inconveniences?
"Being a teen-ager would be a great time in life if it weren't for my parents."
"School would be a lot of fun if it weren't for all that learning."
"Working for a paycheck would be great if I didn't have to pay so many taxes."
"Our relationship would be wonderful if he/she would do things my way."
"I hate my good-for-nothing outdated old car."
That's just a sample. I'm sure if you monitor your day today, you will come across something that in your frustration you are sure your life would be better off without -- until you stop and think of all the benefits that it brings into your life. We can actually learn to love and value some of the things (people), in our lives that cause us frustration at times. It's a matter of perspective. Wisdom chooses to weigh the value of things - even the seemingly unpleasant things - and develop an attitude of gratitude for those that add value in some manner or another.
And when we get very mature in our wisdom, we will even begin to value the trials and sufferings in life. They add value because they develop perseverance and character, and strengthen our faith as we learn to appropriate grace through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:3-5). But, let's not push ourselves too fast. Let's just look for the ox in our stall today and try not to focus too much on the mess he made there. That can be challenge enough.
"Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox comes an abundant harvest." (NIV)
"Where no oxen are, the crib is clean; but much increase is by the strength of the ox." (KJV)
I once read a tongue-in-cheek quote from a pastor in which he stated, "I would love my job if I just didn't have to deal with people." I have been friends with a number of pastors, and I truly sympathize with them. Dealing with people on a spiritual level is much more challenging than dealing with them, say, on a business level. You can't fire members of your flock, you can't give them a piece of your mind, you can't dock their wages, and most of all, you can't please them all and you certainly can't please them all of the time. It's like being the head of a household with a couple of hundred family members. Think about it!
I see this proverb as an analogy of the inconveniences of life. "Farming wouldn't be a bad job if I just didn't have to clean out the stall of that big ox!" Yeah. It's dirty and stinky and by the day's end, the stink gets all over you. Get rid of the ox, and farming would be much more pleasant. The working farm would be a lot smaller because you couldn't plow too many acres trying to push a plow through the soil on your own. Then there wouldn't be much of a crop because the soil you were able to till turned out to be such a small plot. There probably wouldn't be enough crop to feed yourself, much less any to bring to market to sell. But, there's always the comfort of knowing you're not going to have to go into a filthy stall and work up a sweat getting all dirty and smelly pitching ox droppings. Actually, a good farmer in those days loved and valued his ox. It was an important asset to his livelihood.
And actually, good pastors love and value their flocks. There are times when the task becomes unpleasant, but that comes with the territory. When the flock is working together and producing fruit, stall-cleaning is worth it's weight in gold.
But this proverb isn't about farmers and pastors (unless you are one). It's about you. What things in your life are you quite certain of that life would be better without? Have you ever considered the benefits and weighed them against the inconveniences?
"Being a teen-ager would be a great time in life if it weren't for my parents."
"School would be a lot of fun if it weren't for all that learning."
"Working for a paycheck would be great if I didn't have to pay so many taxes."
"Our relationship would be wonderful if he/she would do things my way."
"I hate my good-for-nothing outdated old car."
That's just a sample. I'm sure if you monitor your day today, you will come across something that in your frustration you are sure your life would be better off without -- until you stop and think of all the benefits that it brings into your life. We can actually learn to love and value some of the things (people), in our lives that cause us frustration at times. It's a matter of perspective. Wisdom chooses to weigh the value of things - even the seemingly unpleasant things - and develop an attitude of gratitude for those that add value in some manner or another.
And when we get very mature in our wisdom, we will even begin to value the trials and sufferings in life. They add value because they develop perseverance and character, and strengthen our faith as we learn to appropriate grace through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:3-5). But, let's not push ourselves too fast. Let's just look for the ox in our stall today and try not to focus too much on the mess he made there. That can be challenge enough.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
July 13
Jul 13 - Today from Proverbs 13 we look at verse 13
"He who scorns instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command is rewarded."
I like to look at different translations of a thought. And I often use the KJV and Strong's to try to understand what the literal interpretation of the original language might reveal. There are two phrases in the NIV version (which is my personal devotional Bible) which caught my attention; "Pay for it" and "is rewarded". As I thought about it, there is a huge difference. To pay is to bear a penalty. It's costly. A reward is something received for worthy behavior. It is gainful. The RSV is closer to the original language when it speaks of destruction - which is ultimate penalty and almost beyond costly.
Then I looked up the Hebrew terms and found it to shed a little more light, particularly the term 'rewarded', because it contains the idea of reciprocation. God's commands are meant to protect us and to provide for us. Not just for ourselves, but even more for others. The last five commandments of the Ten Commandments are restrictions put upon us which when obeyed are meant to protect our neighbor's rights and properties. Remember what Jesus taught as the greatest commandment? "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this; Love your neighbor as yourself." (Mark 12:30,31). Do you see it? When we obey God's commands, we become a blessing to others. We do not 'earn' God's favor when we do so; rather He has set a law of reciprocity into His kingdom by which those who obey are rewarded (reciprocated in kind). Wisdom knows that this does not always happen in 'real time'. When our motive is to get a reward rather than to obey the One we can absolutely trust, we can get discouraged. Sometimes the reward will not even be in this lifetime. Then why bother? Because there is a wonderful promise in Revelation 22:12, "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done."
He is coming again. As sure as He came as the Suffering Servant 2000 years ago, He will be coming again as the Righteous Judge and Reigning King. And He is coming soon! If we will continually love His appearing, then we can find the strength and motivation to be obedient to His word, even when there is no reward in sight. He assures us that He will bring the reward with Him. I would humbly accept any morsel, which might be offered through His grace, but my greatest reward will be to be with Him. That is the ultimate gain! Hallelujah!
"He who scorns instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command is rewarded."
-NIV
"He who despises the word brings destruction upon himself, but he who respects the commandment will be rewarded."
-RSV
I like to look at different translations of a thought. And I often use the KJV and Strong's to try to understand what the literal interpretation of the original language might reveal. There are two phrases in the NIV version (which is my personal devotional Bible) which caught my attention; "Pay for it" and "is rewarded". As I thought about it, there is a huge difference. To pay is to bear a penalty. It's costly. A reward is something received for worthy behavior. It is gainful. The RSV is closer to the original language when it speaks of destruction - which is ultimate penalty and almost beyond costly.
Then I looked up the Hebrew terms and found it to shed a little more light, particularly the term 'rewarded', because it contains the idea of reciprocation. God's commands are meant to protect us and to provide for us. Not just for ourselves, but even more for others. The last five commandments of the Ten Commandments are restrictions put upon us which when obeyed are meant to protect our neighbor's rights and properties. Remember what Jesus taught as the greatest commandment? "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this; Love your neighbor as yourself." (Mark 12:30,31). Do you see it? When we obey God's commands, we become a blessing to others. We do not 'earn' God's favor when we do so; rather He has set a law of reciprocity into His kingdom by which those who obey are rewarded (reciprocated in kind). Wisdom knows that this does not always happen in 'real time'. When our motive is to get a reward rather than to obey the One we can absolutely trust, we can get discouraged. Sometimes the reward will not even be in this lifetime. Then why bother? Because there is a wonderful promise in Revelation 22:12, "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done."
He is coming again. As sure as He came as the Suffering Servant 2000 years ago, He will be coming again as the Righteous Judge and Reigning King. And He is coming soon! If we will continually love His appearing, then we can find the strength and motivation to be obedient to His word, even when there is no reward in sight. He assures us that He will bring the reward with Him. I would humbly accept any morsel, which might be offered through His grace, but my greatest reward will be to be with Him. That is the ultimate gain! Hallelujah!
Friday, July 11, 2008
July 12
Jul 12 - Today from Proverbs 12 we look at verse 28
"In the way of righteousness there is life; along that path is immortality."
Ever since history began, man has been seeking immortality. The ancients tried to build a tower to heaven. Men got involved in black magic, divination, necromancy, sorcery and the like; seeking the secrets of the dead in order to discover the source of life. Explorers traveled the earth looking for the 'fountain of life'. Because of sin and its roots in pride, man has convinced himself that there is life apart from the Creator. Man has come to identify life as something he possesses, and he desperately tries to hold on to it. The truth is, apart from God, there is no life - only existence. We cannot fully explain it because it is beyond our comprehension. We believe it because God revealed it.
Immortality is not discovering a way to live forever. Many paths to one God? Never! Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth and the life." (John 14:6). Immortality is accepting being found, purchased, and restored by Jesus back into God's original intentions for man. It is the glorious account of His substitutionary death on a tree, and His victory over death for all who call upon His Name. For mortal man, death happens when his eternal spirit separates from his mortal body. This is the first death. The second death is when his eternal spirit is ultimately separated from even the common grace of God. For those who are in Christ, this will never happen. For those who die the first death apart from Christ, they are doomed to eternal separation from God. "Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment." (Heb. 9:27). They will still exist, but they will be void of life because life is found only in the Life-giver. It is the deceitfulness of pride that entices man to believe in and seek a way of immortality apart from the atoning work of Jesus Christ. It is impossible!
This sounds like foolishness to man. Were it not for the gift and work of the Holy Spirit, man could not believe such a thing. "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." (2 Cor. 4:4). The church is to be constantly engaged in spiritual warfare, praying against the deceiving forces of darkness and asking for the power and presence of the Holy Spirit to draw hearts to Christ. Jesus is the way. He is our righteousness. In Him, and in Him alone is the path to immortality.
"In the way of righteousness there is life; along that path is immortality."
Ever since history began, man has been seeking immortality. The ancients tried to build a tower to heaven. Men got involved in black magic, divination, necromancy, sorcery and the like; seeking the secrets of the dead in order to discover the source of life. Explorers traveled the earth looking for the 'fountain of life'. Because of sin and its roots in pride, man has convinced himself that there is life apart from the Creator. Man has come to identify life as something he possesses, and he desperately tries to hold on to it. The truth is, apart from God, there is no life - only existence. We cannot fully explain it because it is beyond our comprehension. We believe it because God revealed it.
Immortality is not discovering a way to live forever. Many paths to one God? Never! Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth and the life." (John 14:6). Immortality is accepting being found, purchased, and restored by Jesus back into God's original intentions for man. It is the glorious account of His substitutionary death on a tree, and His victory over death for all who call upon His Name. For mortal man, death happens when his eternal spirit separates from his mortal body. This is the first death. The second death is when his eternal spirit is ultimately separated from even the common grace of God. For those who are in Christ, this will never happen. For those who die the first death apart from Christ, they are doomed to eternal separation from God. "Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment." (Heb. 9:27). They will still exist, but they will be void of life because life is found only in the Life-giver. It is the deceitfulness of pride that entices man to believe in and seek a way of immortality apart from the atoning work of Jesus Christ. It is impossible!
This sounds like foolishness to man. Were it not for the gift and work of the Holy Spirit, man could not believe such a thing. "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." (2 Cor. 4:4). The church is to be constantly engaged in spiritual warfare, praying against the deceiving forces of darkness and asking for the power and presence of the Holy Spirit to draw hearts to Christ. Jesus is the way. He is our righteousness. In Him, and in Him alone is the path to immortality.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
July 11
Jul 11 - Today from Proverbs 11 we look at verse 22
"Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion."
There was a farmer who really loved pigs. He loved them so much in fact, that he married one. His closest friend could not believe what the farmer had done. "How could you possibly marry a pig?" asked his friend.
"Did you ever kiss a nice pig?" asked the farmer.
"Heavens no!" said his friend.
"Try it, and you will quickly discover why I married little Porkchop here," he said.
Because he was such a good friend, and he wanted to understand this bizarre situation, the friend went out to the barn and into the pig pen. The farmer quietly followed. The friend screwed up his courage, got on his hands and knees before one of the sows, closed his eyes and kissed the pig full on the lips. He stood up, wiping his mouth when the farmer asked, "Well, what did you think?"
"Actually, it was kind of disgusting," his friend replied.
"Well, little wonder," said the farmer. "You picked the ugliest one of the whole bunch."
I'm in the same camp as the friend. A pig is a pig, and there is little one can do to make it attractive. That's the point Solomon is making here to his children. But, it is obvious that the analogy is not a lesson on physical beauty. It is on true beauty, beauty of the soul. In the case of the proverb, the gold ring represents physical beauty, while the attribute of showing no discretion is represented by the pig. This analogy contains even more impact upon the Jewish culture, where the pig is a detestable unclean animal. A good Jew wouldn't be caught dead with a pig.
God is telling His children the same thing Solomon was telling his: Don't become so focused on physical beauty that you become blind to reality. A well designed ring made of pure gold is a wonderful thing to admire, but be very aware of the reality of what the ring is attached to. It's a packaged deal. That goes for both sexes, by the way. Trying to build a relationship on physical attraction is a very foolish effort. When a person uses their physical attraction to cover weak character issues, sooner or later the smallness of their beauty will become evident, and the largeness of their character faults will begin to do its damage. Usually, it's too late to avoid the pain of the damage.
The principle goes beyond just physical beauty. We all have our weaknesses, and we are all liable to focus on the smallness of something attractive to us rather than the character of what that something might be attached to. Perhaps it's wealth - we are willing to cement a relationship because a person has lots of money. Perhaps it's influence - we are willing to develop a relationship with someone who can get us what we want. Maybe it's popularity - we want to be able to say that we are friends with some popular public figure. I'm not saying that all the people who have these 'gold rings' are 'pigs'. What I am saying, and what I believe God is telling us here, is to look at the character of the person first. Be objective in choosing the people who you are willing to enter into personal relationships with. Make sure that what they have to offer in the relationship will add value to your character instead of demeaning your character.
How foolish to think that you have developed a relationship with a gold ring when in fact you are really dealing with a pig. Do you see the point? I am afraid that not many do in today's culture. Ad campaigns and clever marketing have us chasing and hooking up with gold rings all over the place, and without us even knowing it our character is being eroded by the pigs attached to them.
Wisdom is very careful in evaluating the character of those with whom they develop relationships, and makes good character the first qualification of personal relationships.
"Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion."
There was a farmer who really loved pigs. He loved them so much in fact, that he married one. His closest friend could not believe what the farmer had done. "How could you possibly marry a pig?" asked his friend.
"Did you ever kiss a nice pig?" asked the farmer.
"Heavens no!" said his friend.
"Try it, and you will quickly discover why I married little Porkchop here," he said.
Because he was such a good friend, and he wanted to understand this bizarre situation, the friend went out to the barn and into the pig pen. The farmer quietly followed. The friend screwed up his courage, got on his hands and knees before one of the sows, closed his eyes and kissed the pig full on the lips. He stood up, wiping his mouth when the farmer asked, "Well, what did you think?"
"Actually, it was kind of disgusting," his friend replied.
"Well, little wonder," said the farmer. "You picked the ugliest one of the whole bunch."
I'm in the same camp as the friend. A pig is a pig, and there is little one can do to make it attractive. That's the point Solomon is making here to his children. But, it is obvious that the analogy is not a lesson on physical beauty. It is on true beauty, beauty of the soul. In the case of the proverb, the gold ring represents physical beauty, while the attribute of showing no discretion is represented by the pig. This analogy contains even more impact upon the Jewish culture, where the pig is a detestable unclean animal. A good Jew wouldn't be caught dead with a pig.
God is telling His children the same thing Solomon was telling his: Don't become so focused on physical beauty that you become blind to reality. A well designed ring made of pure gold is a wonderful thing to admire, but be very aware of the reality of what the ring is attached to. It's a packaged deal. That goes for both sexes, by the way. Trying to build a relationship on physical attraction is a very foolish effort. When a person uses their physical attraction to cover weak character issues, sooner or later the smallness of their beauty will become evident, and the largeness of their character faults will begin to do its damage. Usually, it's too late to avoid the pain of the damage.
The principle goes beyond just physical beauty. We all have our weaknesses, and we are all liable to focus on the smallness of something attractive to us rather than the character of what that something might be attached to. Perhaps it's wealth - we are willing to cement a relationship because a person has lots of money. Perhaps it's influence - we are willing to develop a relationship with someone who can get us what we want. Maybe it's popularity - we want to be able to say that we are friends with some popular public figure. I'm not saying that all the people who have these 'gold rings' are 'pigs'. What I am saying, and what I believe God is telling us here, is to look at the character of the person first. Be objective in choosing the people who you are willing to enter into personal relationships with. Make sure that what they have to offer in the relationship will add value to your character instead of demeaning your character.
How foolish to think that you have developed a relationship with a gold ring when in fact you are really dealing with a pig. Do you see the point? I am afraid that not many do in today's culture. Ad campaigns and clever marketing have us chasing and hooking up with gold rings all over the place, and without us even knowing it our character is being eroded by the pigs attached to them.
Wisdom is very careful in evaluating the character of those with whom they develop relationships, and makes good character the first qualification of personal relationships.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
July 10
Jul 10 - Today from Proverbs 10 we look at verse 12
"Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs."
Hate is powerful. Left unchecked, it becomes a tainted lens that distorts everything in the character of the object of its hostility. The smallest of mistakes are magnified and exaggerated through the lens of hatred. Even well meaning statements are misunderstood through the lens of hatred. They become misrepresented by the hateful and even used as prejudiced evidence as they are redefined and passed on to others (consider Jesus' accusers). We hear a lot about hate in our modern culture, and it has come to be the most dastardly of attributes. 'Hate crimes' are those heinous crimes perpetrated upon a people simply because they belong to a controversial social group. Hate is graceless, it leaves no room for exception nor for the benefit of the doubt. The object of hatred becomes a blight on the soul of the hateful, a blight that must be punished and obliterated. The very character of hatred does nothing but stir up dissension. It divides social groups. It pits friends against one another. It demands its own way. It will not leave a perceived wrong go unpunished. Hatred is seated in pride, the chief characteristic of hatred. Hatred always seems so easy to spot in the actions of others. But, the Bible is primarily meant to serve as a means of self-examination.
I am convicted even as I write. There are some people in this life that by using the definitions above. . . I can easily hate. Lord have mercy on me, and give me grace to repent. I do not intend to hate. I can even give a convincing argument that I really do not hate. But if I am not loving - than what am I? I am convinced that my views and attitudes toward these people are distorted through a lens of prejudice. Certainly my pride comes into play - in the most subtle of tones. I have to ask the Lord to forgive me often for my attitudes. When I catch myself entertaining such thoughts, I try to be obedient to the Lord and proceed to pray a blessing on these individuals. They have no idea how often I pray a blessing upon them. I don't have to like them, but I am obligated to love them. And this unconditional love can only come by God's grace. Grace often comes through faith in His Word, and faith is an action, not a feeling.
"Love covers all wrongs." I take note that the text does not say that love removes all wrongs. It says love covers all wrongs. Only the shed blood of Jesus can remove sin. But, His unconditional love covers sin. Why does God call us to cover sin? Because if we, as agents of Christ do not, all that would be left would be hatred and dissension. When wrongs are left uncovered and exposed, it is a call to wounded pride, retribution, revenge and hostility. There would be no peace.
If you have never read and meditated on 1 Corinthians 13, I would encourage you to do it. Often. In it are the great attributes of unconditional love. The love that Christ has called us to, and the love that gives evidence to the world that we are His disciples. Many of you are familiar with this passage, but I offer it once again today for our consideration:
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." (1 Cor. 13:4-8)
Our conscience is between ourselves and our God. If we harbor hatred in our heart, let us not deny, minimize or defend it. Let us confess it. Let us pray a blessing on those who are potential objects of our hatred. Let us seek God's grace to overcome even the feelings of hatred. Let us practice love. Love does not remove the wrongs done to us. That will be an issue between God and those who have wronged us. But love can cover them over, so that we can see the kingdom of God manifest in a lost and broken world. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." (Matthew 5:9). Like Father, like son. Born again, it is a matter of spiritual genetics.
"Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs."
Hate is powerful. Left unchecked, it becomes a tainted lens that distorts everything in the character of the object of its hostility. The smallest of mistakes are magnified and exaggerated through the lens of hatred. Even well meaning statements are misunderstood through the lens of hatred. They become misrepresented by the hateful and even used as prejudiced evidence as they are redefined and passed on to others (consider Jesus' accusers). We hear a lot about hate in our modern culture, and it has come to be the most dastardly of attributes. 'Hate crimes' are those heinous crimes perpetrated upon a people simply because they belong to a controversial social group. Hate is graceless, it leaves no room for exception nor for the benefit of the doubt. The object of hatred becomes a blight on the soul of the hateful, a blight that must be punished and obliterated. The very character of hatred does nothing but stir up dissension. It divides social groups. It pits friends against one another. It demands its own way. It will not leave a perceived wrong go unpunished. Hatred is seated in pride, the chief characteristic of hatred. Hatred always seems so easy to spot in the actions of others. But, the Bible is primarily meant to serve as a means of self-examination.
I am convicted even as I write. There are some people in this life that by using the definitions above. . . I can easily hate. Lord have mercy on me, and give me grace to repent. I do not intend to hate. I can even give a convincing argument that I really do not hate. But if I am not loving - than what am I? I am convinced that my views and attitudes toward these people are distorted through a lens of prejudice. Certainly my pride comes into play - in the most subtle of tones. I have to ask the Lord to forgive me often for my attitudes. When I catch myself entertaining such thoughts, I try to be obedient to the Lord and proceed to pray a blessing on these individuals. They have no idea how often I pray a blessing upon them. I don't have to like them, but I am obligated to love them. And this unconditional love can only come by God's grace. Grace often comes through faith in His Word, and faith is an action, not a feeling.
"Love covers all wrongs." I take note that the text does not say that love removes all wrongs. It says love covers all wrongs. Only the shed blood of Jesus can remove sin. But, His unconditional love covers sin. Why does God call us to cover sin? Because if we, as agents of Christ do not, all that would be left would be hatred and dissension. When wrongs are left uncovered and exposed, it is a call to wounded pride, retribution, revenge and hostility. There would be no peace.
If you have never read and meditated on 1 Corinthians 13, I would encourage you to do it. Often. In it are the great attributes of unconditional love. The love that Christ has called us to, and the love that gives evidence to the world that we are His disciples. Many of you are familiar with this passage, but I offer it once again today for our consideration:
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." (1 Cor. 13:4-8)
Our conscience is between ourselves and our God. If we harbor hatred in our heart, let us not deny, minimize or defend it. Let us confess it. Let us pray a blessing on those who are potential objects of our hatred. Let us seek God's grace to overcome even the feelings of hatred. Let us practice love. Love does not remove the wrongs done to us. That will be an issue between God and those who have wronged us. But love can cover them over, so that we can see the kingdom of God manifest in a lost and broken world. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." (Matthew 5:9). Like Father, like son. Born again, it is a matter of spiritual genetics.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
July 9
Jul 9 - Today from Proverbs 9 we look at verses 1 & 2
"Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars. She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table."
Chapter nine is most effective when taken as a whole. It sets forth a contrast between wisdom and folly by personifying them as women. The chapter begins with Wisdom - of which we are contemplating a truth about her today in the first two verses.
Seven is the number of perfection, or completeness. The seven pillars of Wisdom's house represents the fact that Wisdom lacks nothing. With the exception of the fear of the Lord, one needn't acquire anything else in order to step up to gaining wisdom. The biggest fool in the world can begin today - this very minute - to acquire wisdom. One needn't take special training, one needn't have special skills, one needn't hire a tutor. Wisdom is self-contained.
We also note that one needs not to wait on Wisdom. In the analogy, she has everything prepared and ready to serve. Her bounty is ready to be offered to any who heed her invitation to come and partake. No one will have the excuse, "I wanted to gain from Wisdom, but she was not ready for me." Everything wisdom has to offer is prepared and waiting for those who will partake. Reading further into the chapter, we see in verse four that this is not an exclusive club. Wisdom's offer is for any and all - even the most simple. This reveals to us that intelligence (I.Q.) and wisdom are not universally bound. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." (v.10). I rather like to define wisdom as understanding of life the way God meant it to be. There are many intelligent people in this world who have very little wisdom. There are very wise people in this world who do not rate well on the I.Q. scale. If I had to make a choice, I would choose wisdom. The eternal benefits of wisdom far outweigh even the most superior intelligence.
The Apostle Paul took on the role of Wisdom as he proclaimed the gospel to the Gentile nations. He rarely appealed to the intellect, because intelligence is not the beginning of wisdom. Paul desired that the Gentiles first feared (awe, respect, revere and honor) God. In 1 Cor. 2 Paul writes, "When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. . . My message and my preaching were not with persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power." (vs. 1,2,4).
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, not vice-versa. Unless the subject acknowledges the God who created life, one can never understand life the way it was meant to be lived. Once one does acknowledge God, then one must accept Wisdom's invitation in order to benefit from her bounty. Again Paul writes in the same chapter, "We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age (world system) . . . No, we speak of God's secret wisdom . . . (which) God has revealed to us by His Spirit." (vs. 6,7,10). Once one has acknowledged the true God, the bounty of wisdom's table is prepared and readily available. It is understood through the teaching of the Holy Spirit. "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Sprit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned." (v.14).
Thus we conclude today's meditation with this lesson: We will never understand life the way it was meant to be lived unless and until we acknowledge God as the sovereign author of life. Once we have arrived at this place, we are to pursue our understanding of His ways (the invitation of Wisdom). As we embrace His ways, we mature, and the Spirit reveals more to us. We make the choice either to remain spiritual infants by grieving and quenching the Spirit, or to grow in wisdom by applying the things the Spirit reveals.
Pursue your understanding of God's ways. Seek to follow the leading of the Spirit. Be doers of the Word.
"Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars. She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table."
Chapter nine is most effective when taken as a whole. It sets forth a contrast between wisdom and folly by personifying them as women. The chapter begins with Wisdom - of which we are contemplating a truth about her today in the first two verses.
Seven is the number of perfection, or completeness. The seven pillars of Wisdom's house represents the fact that Wisdom lacks nothing. With the exception of the fear of the Lord, one needn't acquire anything else in order to step up to gaining wisdom. The biggest fool in the world can begin today - this very minute - to acquire wisdom. One needn't take special training, one needn't have special skills, one needn't hire a tutor. Wisdom is self-contained.
We also note that one needs not to wait on Wisdom. In the analogy, she has everything prepared and ready to serve. Her bounty is ready to be offered to any who heed her invitation to come and partake. No one will have the excuse, "I wanted to gain from Wisdom, but she was not ready for me." Everything wisdom has to offer is prepared and waiting for those who will partake. Reading further into the chapter, we see in verse four that this is not an exclusive club. Wisdom's offer is for any and all - even the most simple. This reveals to us that intelligence (I.Q.) and wisdom are not universally bound. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." (v.10). I rather like to define wisdom as understanding of life the way God meant it to be. There are many intelligent people in this world who have very little wisdom. There are very wise people in this world who do not rate well on the I.Q. scale. If I had to make a choice, I would choose wisdom. The eternal benefits of wisdom far outweigh even the most superior intelligence.
The Apostle Paul took on the role of Wisdom as he proclaimed the gospel to the Gentile nations. He rarely appealed to the intellect, because intelligence is not the beginning of wisdom. Paul desired that the Gentiles first feared (awe, respect, revere and honor) God. In 1 Cor. 2 Paul writes, "When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. . . My message and my preaching were not with persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power." (vs. 1,2,4).
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, not vice-versa. Unless the subject acknowledges the God who created life, one can never understand life the way it was meant to be lived. Once one does acknowledge God, then one must accept Wisdom's invitation in order to benefit from her bounty. Again Paul writes in the same chapter, "We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age (world system) . . . No, we speak of God's secret wisdom . . . (which) God has revealed to us by His Spirit." (vs. 6,7,10). Once one has acknowledged the true God, the bounty of wisdom's table is prepared and readily available. It is understood through the teaching of the Holy Spirit. "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Sprit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned." (v.14).
Thus we conclude today's meditation with this lesson: We will never understand life the way it was meant to be lived unless and until we acknowledge God as the sovereign author of life. Once we have arrived at this place, we are to pursue our understanding of His ways (the invitation of Wisdom). As we embrace His ways, we mature, and the Spirit reveals more to us. We make the choice either to remain spiritual infants by grieving and quenching the Spirit, or to grow in wisdom by applying the things the Spirit reveals.
Pursue your understanding of God's ways. Seek to follow the leading of the Spirit. Be doers of the Word.
Monday, July 7, 2008
July 8
Jul 8 - Today from Proverbs 8 we look at verse 36
"But whoever fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death."
It is essential to understand that this entire chapter is not referring directly to the Lord, nor are the quotes that of the Lord speaking in the first person. The chapter utilizes the literary technique of personification, whereby the Teacher animates an inanimate object for the purpose of better defining the traits of the subject. The subject of course is wisdom. Our verse for today is wisdom personified, speaking in the first person. By using our simplified definition - Wisdom is understanding life the way God meant it to be - we will make a brief examination of her statement in this verse.
The first thing we note is that she must be found. Wisdom was lost to man through sin. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that "He (God) has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." God has left a residue in the hearts of men, that if paid attention to, should set them on a course to seek wisdom and recover an understanding of life the way it was meant to be. But the book of Proverbs reveals four conditions of man's attitude that prevail against this quest:
1. The Simple. Easily (mis)led, easily distracted and very short-sighted.
2. The Sluggard. No ambition to expend energy outside of self-gratifying results.
3. The Fool. Life is but a playground, or perhaps a stage to play out one's own fanciful script.
4. The Mocker. Learned in the ways of the world and serious about applying them in order to get all of the 'breaks'.
It might be construed that those owning the first two conditions fail to find wisdom simply because they make no application. Their plans and efforts seldom involve employing others in their failures. They only harm themselves. Those owning the second two conditions however hate wisdom because it calls for them to radically change the focus and energies of their lives. These types do involve employing others in their personal quests of life. They use others.
Wisdom reveals that God's original purposes for creation and mankind was for man to worship God through a personal and vital relationship, and to serve his fellow man in community (on these hang all the law and the prophets). Sin perverted and corrupted this kingdom, and man broke fellowship and worship of God and became self-serving. Even in his pursuit of other gods, man's motives are still self-serving. The Fool and the Mocker would have nothing to do with a world restored to God's original purposes. They love themselves too much. What they fail to realize is, that in hating wisdom they are loving death. They embrace using others in life, bringing eventual death into those relationships. They refuse to worship God in a vital relationship, protecting the death that already exists there. This simple little proverb contains volumes of theology.
As believers, we are to continue to pursue wisdom for our entire lives. Although we may be redeemed and saved by the blood of Jesus, we can still live in bondage in this life, and even bring harm into the lives of others, because we are too short-sighted, too lazy, too frivolous, or too hard-hearted. Being a Christian does not exempt us. Growing in wisdom brings life and vitality into our relationship with God and into our relationships with others. After all, it's life the way God meant it to be. When He saw all that He created, He saw that it was good. . . until sin marred and fractured His creation.
"But whoever fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death."
It is essential to understand that this entire chapter is not referring directly to the Lord, nor are the quotes that of the Lord speaking in the first person. The chapter utilizes the literary technique of personification, whereby the Teacher animates an inanimate object for the purpose of better defining the traits of the subject. The subject of course is wisdom. Our verse for today is wisdom personified, speaking in the first person. By using our simplified definition - Wisdom is understanding life the way God meant it to be - we will make a brief examination of her statement in this verse.
The first thing we note is that she must be found. Wisdom was lost to man through sin. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that "He (God) has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." God has left a residue in the hearts of men, that if paid attention to, should set them on a course to seek wisdom and recover an understanding of life the way it was meant to be. But the book of Proverbs reveals four conditions of man's attitude that prevail against this quest:
1. The Simple. Easily (mis)led, easily distracted and very short-sighted.
2. The Sluggard. No ambition to expend energy outside of self-gratifying results.
3. The Fool. Life is but a playground, or perhaps a stage to play out one's own fanciful script.
4. The Mocker. Learned in the ways of the world and serious about applying them in order to get all of the 'breaks'.
It might be construed that those owning the first two conditions fail to find wisdom simply because they make no application. Their plans and efforts seldom involve employing others in their failures. They only harm themselves. Those owning the second two conditions however hate wisdom because it calls for them to radically change the focus and energies of their lives. These types do involve employing others in their personal quests of life. They use others.
Wisdom reveals that God's original purposes for creation and mankind was for man to worship God through a personal and vital relationship, and to serve his fellow man in community (on these hang all the law and the prophets). Sin perverted and corrupted this kingdom, and man broke fellowship and worship of God and became self-serving. Even in his pursuit of other gods, man's motives are still self-serving. The Fool and the Mocker would have nothing to do with a world restored to God's original purposes. They love themselves too much. What they fail to realize is, that in hating wisdom they are loving death. They embrace using others in life, bringing eventual death into those relationships. They refuse to worship God in a vital relationship, protecting the death that already exists there. This simple little proverb contains volumes of theology.
As believers, we are to continue to pursue wisdom for our entire lives. Although we may be redeemed and saved by the blood of Jesus, we can still live in bondage in this life, and even bring harm into the lives of others, because we are too short-sighted, too lazy, too frivolous, or too hard-hearted. Being a Christian does not exempt us. Growing in wisdom brings life and vitality into our relationship with God and into our relationships with others. After all, it's life the way God meant it to be. When He saw all that He created, He saw that it was good. . . until sin marred and fractured His creation.
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