Jan 14 - -Today from Proverbs 14 we look at verse 12
"There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death."
In John 14:6 Jesus boldly says, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." The principle of this verse and of Proverbs 14:12 are quite obvious from the point of evangelism - that of proclaiming the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. There's no wiggle room. There it is; it's Jesus or death. The Living Word totally disarms the postmodern feel good mantra of 'Many paths to one God'.
But is there a sound principle contained in these two passages for the believer? For one who has already accepted the gospel and professes Jesus as Lord and Savior? Oh, most definitely. We ask ourselves, "Can a believer be deceived?" If the answer is yes, then one must seek to guard against deception. There lies the principle of these passages for the believer. Let's use the analogy of a narrow road for truth. Not so narrow that we would quickly lose our balance while navigating it, but narrow enough that we must pay close attention in our journey upon it. On either side of this road is a ditch. If one fears the ditch on the right, the ditch on the left becomes the greater threat, and vice versa. That is the ploy of deception.
The character of the ditches is not static. They can vary greatly. For example, the most popular character for these ditches in the Christian realm would be that of 'legalism' and 'tolerance'. One ditch says that unless you keep some list of legal rules, you can't be a very good Christian, and an angry God will punish you. The only shadow of grace in this ditch is the cross, but even that is obscured by the tall weeds of austere judgment against any form of sin (found on any particular 'list' of the legalist). The other ditch is tolerance, or that which I refer to as the ditch of 'sloppy agape'. It is a love that is so loose and void of God's justice that almost anything goes. The tenants of this ditch don't want to hurt feelings or offend. "Let's all just love each other and get along." In this ditch God's order and justice are obscured. Those who end up in either ditch are unaware that they are even stuck in a ditch. They are deceived into thinking they are on the road of truth.
Jesus says, "I am the way and the truth and the life." When we study His life and His teaching we find that He was neither legalistic nor was he tolerant to a fault. In fact, you will discover that He couldn't tolerate legalists! When we end up in a ditch, we become separated from the fullness of relationship that God desires with us. And we separate ourselves from those who remain on the road of truth. That's what death is - separation.
A few years back there was the rage of 'What Would Jesus Do' (WWJD) bracelets. It was popular and faddish to wear them, but it seems that few who wore them really disciplined themselves to study and learn what Jesus really would do. Most just continued in the way that seemed right to them. Some believed that Jesus would condemn the ‘wicked’ (the homosexuals, the abortionists, those who drink and smoke. . .whatever). So, they did too. Some believed that Jesus just loved everybody so much that He would accept them anyway and He died for my sins so what's the big deal. So, they did nothing.
What did Jesus do? He didn't condemn sinners; He showed them the way to the Father. He didn't tolerate sin, He forgave and said, "Now go and sin no more." He didn't subjugate but became a servant and blessed those who misunderstood and persecuted Him. He didn't leave the world like He found it. He changed it with the truth. He calls us to be agents of change as well. We are empowered to be His witnesses, and to usher in the presence of His kingdom through Godly example, through servanthood, and through worship in spirit and in truth.
Beware saints. There's death in the ditches. Keep your relationship with Jesus a priority, and you will find that your journey on the road of truth is not all that difficult.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Monday, January 12, 2009
January 13
Jan 13 - Today from Proverbs 13 we look at verse 7
"One man pretends to be rich, yet he has nothing: another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth." -NIV
"There is he that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing; there is he that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches." -KJV
"Some rich people are poor, and some poor people have great wealth." -TLB
I have shared three translations because I am not convinced that the NIV gives the best sense of the principle intended. I will share what I believe to be the principle involved; you may draw your own conclusions.
I have in my possession a very small book entitled The Orphans & the Raven. It never made the best seller’s list. I doubt whether it even went into a second printing. It is a story about an obscure family of which the father and husband was a Reformed Pastor in Communist Romania. To make matters worse, the family was ethnically Hungarian, whom the Romanian nationals despised. The father was arrested and imprisoned for his faith in Jesus Christ. The mother and eight children were exiled to a village in a dominant Romanian ethnic village. They were assigned to a one-room mud house, which had no roof. You can't get much poorer than this family was when they arrived at their 'new home'. The mother however was rich in faith and in grace. In spite of all her hardships and enduring the scorn of their neighbors, she ministered love and grace to the villagers at every opportunity. Gradually the villager's attitudes changed toward this 'widow' of persecution. Many began to minister to the needs of her and the eight children. Eventually she became esteemed in the village, and actually brought many to a saving knowledge of Christ. For six and one half years her husband endured extreme hardship and even torture in the Romanian prisons and was finally released. Reunited with his family, they moved back to the Hungarian area of Romania and he once again began to follow his pastoral calling. That is where the book, which the mother wrote, ended. The children grew up to be very strong believers and continued to strengthen the persecuted church of Communist Romania. Then, in December 1989 the Communist regime of Romania fell. There were riots in the city where the family now lived and served. The people were about to overtake the building of the offices of the Securatate and other Romanian officials and drag their former oppressors out and beat them - probably to death. The father of the family made his way through the mob and walked up the steps of the building and raised his hands. Many recognized this respected Pastor who had himself spent time in the filthy prison below the building. A silence fell. He admonished the crowd to show grace to the officials. If they carried out their plan, they would be no better than their former persecutors. He pleaded with them to return to their homes and thank God for this day and not to make it a bloody bitter memory. The crowd listened and slowly dispersed.
My copy of the book is autographed by the Pastor. His name is Ferenc Visky. One of his sons is the Regional Director for Dorcas Aid Eastern Europe - and a very good friend of mine. His name is Paul Visky. I have also met several of the other children during my time with Dorcas. When they speak of those years of exile, they all say the same thing; "Those were some of the richest years of our lives." Incredible! Though their parents 'made themselves poor' by being faithful to their Lord, they were some of the richest people in the world. The wealth of those years lives on today in the lives of their children and grandchildren. I too am richer for knowing this family.
I am very grateful for the abundance of material goods I enjoy each day. But I have met enough of the truly rich in this world, like the Viskys, to know that the material wealth I enjoy somehow makes me a little poorer in my relationship and dependence upon God. Don't get me wrong, I am not in despair about my blessings. It's just that I know that I have never quite experienced God's grace on the level that these folks have. It's a comfort to know that if a time ever comes when it will be needed, that my Father in heaven has abundant grace. Overcoming grace. Ferenc Visky and his wife Julia practiced faithful discipleship before the extreme grace was needed. The patterns practiced in safety became a vital lifestyle when persecution came. All of the money in the world couldn't have helped them. But they were rich in something beyond the feeble riches of this world. They knew their Savior intimately. He never left nor forsook them. What a friend we have in Jesus!
"One man pretends to be rich, yet he has nothing: another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth." -NIV
"There is he that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing; there is he that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches." -KJV
"Some rich people are poor, and some poor people have great wealth." -TLB
I have shared three translations because I am not convinced that the NIV gives the best sense of the principle intended. I will share what I believe to be the principle involved; you may draw your own conclusions.
I have in my possession a very small book entitled The Orphans & the Raven. It never made the best seller’s list. I doubt whether it even went into a second printing. It is a story about an obscure family of which the father and husband was a Reformed Pastor in Communist Romania. To make matters worse, the family was ethnically Hungarian, whom the Romanian nationals despised. The father was arrested and imprisoned for his faith in Jesus Christ. The mother and eight children were exiled to a village in a dominant Romanian ethnic village. They were assigned to a one-room mud house, which had no roof. You can't get much poorer than this family was when they arrived at their 'new home'. The mother however was rich in faith and in grace. In spite of all her hardships and enduring the scorn of their neighbors, she ministered love and grace to the villagers at every opportunity. Gradually the villager's attitudes changed toward this 'widow' of persecution. Many began to minister to the needs of her and the eight children. Eventually she became esteemed in the village, and actually brought many to a saving knowledge of Christ. For six and one half years her husband endured extreme hardship and even torture in the Romanian prisons and was finally released. Reunited with his family, they moved back to the Hungarian area of Romania and he once again began to follow his pastoral calling. That is where the book, which the mother wrote, ended. The children grew up to be very strong believers and continued to strengthen the persecuted church of Communist Romania. Then, in December 1989 the Communist regime of Romania fell. There were riots in the city where the family now lived and served. The people were about to overtake the building of the offices of the Securatate and other Romanian officials and drag their former oppressors out and beat them - probably to death. The father of the family made his way through the mob and walked up the steps of the building and raised his hands. Many recognized this respected Pastor who had himself spent time in the filthy prison below the building. A silence fell. He admonished the crowd to show grace to the officials. If they carried out their plan, they would be no better than their former persecutors. He pleaded with them to return to their homes and thank God for this day and not to make it a bloody bitter memory. The crowd listened and slowly dispersed.
My copy of the book is autographed by the Pastor. His name is Ferenc Visky. One of his sons is the Regional Director for Dorcas Aid Eastern Europe - and a very good friend of mine. His name is Paul Visky. I have also met several of the other children during my time with Dorcas. When they speak of those years of exile, they all say the same thing; "Those were some of the richest years of our lives." Incredible! Though their parents 'made themselves poor' by being faithful to their Lord, they were some of the richest people in the world. The wealth of those years lives on today in the lives of their children and grandchildren. I too am richer for knowing this family.
I am very grateful for the abundance of material goods I enjoy each day. But I have met enough of the truly rich in this world, like the Viskys, to know that the material wealth I enjoy somehow makes me a little poorer in my relationship and dependence upon God. Don't get me wrong, I am not in despair about my blessings. It's just that I know that I have never quite experienced God's grace on the level that these folks have. It's a comfort to know that if a time ever comes when it will be needed, that my Father in heaven has abundant grace. Overcoming grace. Ferenc Visky and his wife Julia practiced faithful discipleship before the extreme grace was needed. The patterns practiced in safety became a vital lifestyle when persecution came. All of the money in the world couldn't have helped them. But they were rich in something beyond the feeble riches of this world. They knew their Savior intimately. He never left nor forsook them. What a friend we have in Jesus!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
January 12
Jan 12 - Today from Proverbs 12 we look at verse 24
"Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor."
We must begin with a thought of clarification. There are two points of focus in this proverb. There is ETHIC (system of moral principles and values), and there is MOTIVATION (an incentive to action). For those seeking wisdom, I believe the focus is always to be the ethic. When one's focus is ethics, the motivation is to live a life worthy of Jesus Christ and pleasing to Him (Col. 1:10).
For those who are following the way of folly, I believe the focus would be motivation. This kind of person is obviously not interested in a relationship with Christ as by definition they are more interested in living a life pleasing to themselves. I can't imagine that anyone in this world would find it pleasing to end up in slave labor.
Let’s review a very important principle in Bible study: A person seeking to grow in wisdom, to live a life pleasing to the Lord, will always seek the ethic in any instruction of the Lord. The ethic in this proverb is 'diligent hands'. It's a work ethic. To 'rule' is to be viewed as a general result, but not the motivation. Any time a disciple of the Lord begins to focus on results as a motivator, he is in a dangerous position of trying to manipulate God. In Matthew chapter 4, Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness. Satan himself tried to get Jesus to shift His focus to results when using a scripture with a promise (verse 6). But Jesus refused to alter His focus when He answered with a scripture that taught ethic, "Do not put your Lord God to the test". In today’s proverb, the principle for a disciple of God’s Word is to develop a good work ethic. This is pleasing to the Lord. "Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Cor. 1:31). If you approve bank loans, do it for the glory of God. If you enter computer data, do it for the glory of God. If you are a CEO of a large corporation, do it for the glory of God. If you mow lawns, do it for the glory of God. If you are at home raising your children, do it for the glory of God. Whatever you do, do it for the glory of God. Let that be your motivation.
If God rewards you to 'rule' in some area, give Him glory. But let that be a result, not a motivation.
On the other hand, negative results can also be a good motivator. People who end up in slave labor tend to either become motivated to get free, or they become hopeless and bitter. Do we still have slavery in our culture today? Yes, we do. Not in the same sense as we did before the emancipation 150 years ago, but people are still enslaved non-the-less. They are usually lazy, undisciplined people who tend to chase fantasies (verse 11) rather than to develop a good work ethic. Some become enslaved to loan companies (government loans, credit card companies, etc.). These people now work to pay off huge sums of interest rather than securing the future for themselves and their children. They are enslaved. Or there are the socially enslaved who live off government support programs. These are the people who can become hopeless and bitter if they are not motivated to get out and develop a work ethic. They cover their hopelessness with an attitude. They are enslaved to a hideous system that robs them of dignity and reduces them to a statistic. Either of these 'slave-types' can be overcome if they are motivated to develop a strong work ethic.
As disciples of Christ we can see at least two practical lessons here: 1. Commit to develop a good work ethic. No matter what we are doing, we can do it for the glory of God. 2. We can seek to encourage those who are financially or socially 'enslaved' to seek hope in the development of a sound work ethic and help restore their hope and dignity.
“Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” –1 Thes. 4:11,12.
"Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor."
We must begin with a thought of clarification. There are two points of focus in this proverb. There is ETHIC (system of moral principles and values), and there is MOTIVATION (an incentive to action). For those seeking wisdom, I believe the focus is always to be the ethic. When one's focus is ethics, the motivation is to live a life worthy of Jesus Christ and pleasing to Him (Col. 1:10).
For those who are following the way of folly, I believe the focus would be motivation. This kind of person is obviously not interested in a relationship with Christ as by definition they are more interested in living a life pleasing to themselves. I can't imagine that anyone in this world would find it pleasing to end up in slave labor.
Let’s review a very important principle in Bible study: A person seeking to grow in wisdom, to live a life pleasing to the Lord, will always seek the ethic in any instruction of the Lord. The ethic in this proverb is 'diligent hands'. It's a work ethic. To 'rule' is to be viewed as a general result, but not the motivation. Any time a disciple of the Lord begins to focus on results as a motivator, he is in a dangerous position of trying to manipulate God. In Matthew chapter 4, Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness. Satan himself tried to get Jesus to shift His focus to results when using a scripture with a promise (verse 6). But Jesus refused to alter His focus when He answered with a scripture that taught ethic, "Do not put your Lord God to the test". In today’s proverb, the principle for a disciple of God’s Word is to develop a good work ethic. This is pleasing to the Lord. "Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Cor. 1:31). If you approve bank loans, do it for the glory of God. If you enter computer data, do it for the glory of God. If you are a CEO of a large corporation, do it for the glory of God. If you mow lawns, do it for the glory of God. If you are at home raising your children, do it for the glory of God. Whatever you do, do it for the glory of God. Let that be your motivation.
If God rewards you to 'rule' in some area, give Him glory. But let that be a result, not a motivation.
On the other hand, negative results can also be a good motivator. People who end up in slave labor tend to either become motivated to get free, or they become hopeless and bitter. Do we still have slavery in our culture today? Yes, we do. Not in the same sense as we did before the emancipation 150 years ago, but people are still enslaved non-the-less. They are usually lazy, undisciplined people who tend to chase fantasies (verse 11) rather than to develop a good work ethic. Some become enslaved to loan companies (government loans, credit card companies, etc.). These people now work to pay off huge sums of interest rather than securing the future for themselves and their children. They are enslaved. Or there are the socially enslaved who live off government support programs. These are the people who can become hopeless and bitter if they are not motivated to get out and develop a work ethic. They cover their hopelessness with an attitude. They are enslaved to a hideous system that robs them of dignity and reduces them to a statistic. Either of these 'slave-types' can be overcome if they are motivated to develop a strong work ethic.
As disciples of Christ we can see at least two practical lessons here: 1. Commit to develop a good work ethic. No matter what we are doing, we can do it for the glory of God. 2. We can seek to encourage those who are financially or socially 'enslaved' to seek hope in the development of a sound work ethic and help restore their hope and dignity.
“Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” –1 Thes. 4:11,12.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
January 11
Jan 11 - Today from Proverbs 11 we look at verse 24
"One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty."
I have had the privilege of traveling to many oppressed areas of this world, and of observing the real cultures of those areas. I sometimes took occasion to visit the areas of historical interest, but most of my time was spent in working with and serving the indigenous churches of the common people. Much of the service was focused on the poor. Now, when you're in a third world country to begin with, and you are in touch with the poor of that country, you begin to understand the incredible needs of most of the population of the world.
Even though I have seen some extremely poor areas, I am still very careful when I use the word 'poverty'. I am convinced that poverty is not a condition, it is a mindset. Being poor is a condition. Being impoverished is a mindset. I have met people who have more than adequate material resources, yet lived in poverty. I have met people who have little or nothing of this worlds goods, yet had a quality of life. It is refreshing to be in their company. I would go so far as to say that poverty is a spirit. It is something one can sense in the spirit. I once knew an old farmer and his spinster sister who lived near the rural service station my dad operated. The old man would come over to the station with a five-gallon can and get it filled with gas for his tractor. He always came on 'double stamp' day (For you younger folks, retailers used to give away premium saving stamps with cash purchases. You then saved up books of stamps and could redeem them for goods from the stamp companies. S&H was probably the most popular.) He would also always want any premiums we gave away with a fill-up. He never seemed to be clean-shaven. His clothes were always filthy. He had electric to his house, but he usually burned kerosene lamps to save money. He pumped water by hand to water his few cows. Everyone felt sorry for the old couple. One time when he got sick, we went to bring him a lunch. Going into the house was an unforgettable experience. There were stacks of newspapers and magazines from years and years back. There were cartons and boxes of who knows what, all over the place. There were 'walking-paths' through the various rooms. The old man passed on first - his sister soon followed. I don't know who the heirs were, but when they began to clean the place out, they discovered cans and boxes full of cash money. I heard that when all was said and done, there was over a quarter million dollars hidden on the property. That was a LOT of money in those days. I have encountered a lot of poverty in this world in the 35-40 years since that time. But that was my first real encounter with the spirit of poverty. Here was an old man who would do his best to get all that he could out of a transaction. Our signs said "Free (gift) with a fill-up of 8 gallons or more". He would fill up his five-gallon can and argue for 10 minutes until he got his premium. I finally stopped arguing and always gave him the premium. He would even walk over in the pouring rain to buy his gas because it was Tuesday, so he could get his double stamps. He lived in the dim light of kerosene because he could save a few pennies by not turning on an electric light. He had tens of thousands of dollars stored in shoeboxes and coffee cans in the very rooms where he trimmed the wicks of his kerosene lamps. A spirit of poverty bound him.
On our first trip into Communist Romania in 1987 we had to be very careful in making contact with the Christian contacts of Dorcas Aid. If it were discovered that Westerners were visiting their homes, they would be taken in and interrogated by the Securatate - and that usually was a very unpleasant experience. The Christians were persecuted. Not always openly, but the authorities made sure they were punished. Their children could not go to the universities. The parents got the lowest jobs. Staples such as milk and meat were very scarce, and Christians were the last to get any - if at all. These contacts never knew when a Dorcas team would arrive. They never knew why a Dorcas team was there. Usually it was to collect information on prisoners or conditions. Sometimes a team would bring medicine, which the contact had to deliver. Our task was to bring food parcels and clothing to these families, have a short visit, pray with them, and leave - never expecting to see them again. It was an incredible experience. We were told to bring in the food parcels last. If you brought them in first, they would make a meal for you from the contents. Can you imagine?!? I will never forget the family we visited in Timisoara that summer. They lived in a tiny little apartment with the barest of furnishings. But it was spotless, as were the members of the family. Their clothes were faded and somewhat threadbare, but they were clean and pressed. More than the apartment and clothing was the sparkle in the eyes and the sense of peace in the home. We could hardly communicate as they knew only a few English words, and we knew even less Romanian. But we had a wonderful time. They wanted us to stay for lunch (yes, before we brought the food parcel in). Mama went to the small refrigerator and proudly took a frozen 'chicken' out that she wanted to prepare for us. It looked like a plucked pigeon. The meat was purplish and there was lots of freezer burn. We could tell by the way she was holding it and talking about it that this was a great treasure. We told them that we couldn't stay that long. She was genuinely broken-hearted. She was willing to give this family of strangers the last meat in the house - and probably wouldn't see any again for a long while. We said good byes - and oh, one more thing. We have some items we were asked to drop off. We went out and carried in the food and clothing. The prize was four large tins of powdered milk. The mother began to laugh and weep all at once. She explained as best she could that another Dorcas team had left behind a tin of powdered milk months ago. The day before we arrived she used up the last of that tin. She apologized to her little six-year-old son and said there would be no more milk for breakfast. He told her not to worry, he prayed to God and God said he would send more soon. She took it for a child's fantasy. And now there are four large tins in the house! Even before we left they were dividing the goods and making plans on which items should go to which families in the area. It appeared that very little was going to stay in this apartment - save one big tin of powdered milk.
"One gives freely, yet gains even more."
"One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty."
I have had the privilege of traveling to many oppressed areas of this world, and of observing the real cultures of those areas. I sometimes took occasion to visit the areas of historical interest, but most of my time was spent in working with and serving the indigenous churches of the common people. Much of the service was focused on the poor. Now, when you're in a third world country to begin with, and you are in touch with the poor of that country, you begin to understand the incredible needs of most of the population of the world.
Even though I have seen some extremely poor areas, I am still very careful when I use the word 'poverty'. I am convinced that poverty is not a condition, it is a mindset. Being poor is a condition. Being impoverished is a mindset. I have met people who have more than adequate material resources, yet lived in poverty. I have met people who have little or nothing of this worlds goods, yet had a quality of life. It is refreshing to be in their company. I would go so far as to say that poverty is a spirit. It is something one can sense in the spirit. I once knew an old farmer and his spinster sister who lived near the rural service station my dad operated. The old man would come over to the station with a five-gallon can and get it filled with gas for his tractor. He always came on 'double stamp' day (For you younger folks, retailers used to give away premium saving stamps with cash purchases. You then saved up books of stamps and could redeem them for goods from the stamp companies. S&H was probably the most popular.) He would also always want any premiums we gave away with a fill-up. He never seemed to be clean-shaven. His clothes were always filthy. He had electric to his house, but he usually burned kerosene lamps to save money. He pumped water by hand to water his few cows. Everyone felt sorry for the old couple. One time when he got sick, we went to bring him a lunch. Going into the house was an unforgettable experience. There were stacks of newspapers and magazines from years and years back. There were cartons and boxes of who knows what, all over the place. There were 'walking-paths' through the various rooms. The old man passed on first - his sister soon followed. I don't know who the heirs were, but when they began to clean the place out, they discovered cans and boxes full of cash money. I heard that when all was said and done, there was over a quarter million dollars hidden on the property. That was a LOT of money in those days. I have encountered a lot of poverty in this world in the 35-40 years since that time. But that was my first real encounter with the spirit of poverty. Here was an old man who would do his best to get all that he could out of a transaction. Our signs said "Free (gift) with a fill-up of 8 gallons or more". He would fill up his five-gallon can and argue for 10 minutes until he got his premium. I finally stopped arguing and always gave him the premium. He would even walk over in the pouring rain to buy his gas because it was Tuesday, so he could get his double stamps. He lived in the dim light of kerosene because he could save a few pennies by not turning on an electric light. He had tens of thousands of dollars stored in shoeboxes and coffee cans in the very rooms where he trimmed the wicks of his kerosene lamps. A spirit of poverty bound him.
On our first trip into Communist Romania in 1987 we had to be very careful in making contact with the Christian contacts of Dorcas Aid. If it were discovered that Westerners were visiting their homes, they would be taken in and interrogated by the Securatate - and that usually was a very unpleasant experience. The Christians were persecuted. Not always openly, but the authorities made sure they were punished. Their children could not go to the universities. The parents got the lowest jobs. Staples such as milk and meat were very scarce, and Christians were the last to get any - if at all. These contacts never knew when a Dorcas team would arrive. They never knew why a Dorcas team was there. Usually it was to collect information on prisoners or conditions. Sometimes a team would bring medicine, which the contact had to deliver. Our task was to bring food parcels and clothing to these families, have a short visit, pray with them, and leave - never expecting to see them again. It was an incredible experience. We were told to bring in the food parcels last. If you brought them in first, they would make a meal for you from the contents. Can you imagine?!? I will never forget the family we visited in Timisoara that summer. They lived in a tiny little apartment with the barest of furnishings. But it was spotless, as were the members of the family. Their clothes were faded and somewhat threadbare, but they were clean and pressed. More than the apartment and clothing was the sparkle in the eyes and the sense of peace in the home. We could hardly communicate as they knew only a few English words, and we knew even less Romanian. But we had a wonderful time. They wanted us to stay for lunch (yes, before we brought the food parcel in). Mama went to the small refrigerator and proudly took a frozen 'chicken' out that she wanted to prepare for us. It looked like a plucked pigeon. The meat was purplish and there was lots of freezer burn. We could tell by the way she was holding it and talking about it that this was a great treasure. We told them that we couldn't stay that long. She was genuinely broken-hearted. She was willing to give this family of strangers the last meat in the house - and probably wouldn't see any again for a long while. We said good byes - and oh, one more thing. We have some items we were asked to drop off. We went out and carried in the food and clothing. The prize was four large tins of powdered milk. The mother began to laugh and weep all at once. She explained as best she could that another Dorcas team had left behind a tin of powdered milk months ago. The day before we arrived she used up the last of that tin. She apologized to her little six-year-old son and said there would be no more milk for breakfast. He told her not to worry, he prayed to God and God said he would send more soon. She took it for a child's fantasy. And now there are four large tins in the house! Even before we left they were dividing the goods and making plans on which items should go to which families in the area. It appeared that very little was going to stay in this apartment - save one big tin of powdered milk.
"One gives freely, yet gains even more."
Friday, January 9, 2009
January 10
Jan 10 - Today from Proverbs 10 we look at verse 29
"The way of the Lord is a refuge for the righteous, but it is the ruin of those who do evil."
In meditating on this verse I see three elements:
The way of the Lord.
The righteous.
Those who do evil.
I also see two effects:
A refuge.
Ruin.
Three elements, two effects. That means that one of the elements is a cause: The way of the Lord. Strange, isn't it? That the way of the Lord can cause both a refuge and ruin? The way of the Lord is unchanging. God's perfect will is the first cause. When God willed to create, the effect was creation. The element of science that refuses to acknowledge God is still searching for the first cause. What could they possibly be searching for apart from a sovereign being???
All wisdom is included in this first cause. In Proverbs 8:22 & 23 the writer has personified wisdom and speaks in the first person. Wisdom says this; "The Lord brought me forth as the first of His works . . . I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning, before the world began." This is the way of the Lord. Those who seek, find and live in God's wisdom find a refuge. Those who ignore and oppose God's wisdom find ruin. The way of the Lord is the cause of their ruin. That's somewhat difficult to grasp at first. Let's look at a simple analogy. Let's say the way of the Lord is a moving vehicle. It is transporting a passenger from one point to another. It provides heat when it's cold outside. It provides cool when it's hot outside. It provides shelter when it’s stormy outside. As long as the passenger remains in the vehicle he has a refuge. But, let’s say the passenger decides that he wants to go his own way, so he opens the door and jumps out. As he rolls down the tarmac he curses the vehicle for all the pain it caused.
"But," you might say, "The cause of ruin was jumping from the moving vehicle." Yes, it was a cause, but not the FIRST cause. The first cause was the moving vehicle.
As I said, the analogy is simple. As with all spiritual analogies, it will break down at some point. It is only meant to demonstrate the axiom of cause and effect and the theory of first cause. (If one were a scientist, one would continue to go backwards from the moving vehicle; What action caused the vehicle to move? What actions caused the engine to produce power? Back - back - back until he hits a big wall. The big wall of first cause, which is the Sovereign Creator he so stubbornly denies.)
Getting away from science, let's get back to practical everyday living (we have already identified the first cause). The more we determine to seek out and live in the way of the Lord, the more we will enjoy the refuge of our relationship with Him. In Luke 12:22-32 Jesus comforts us with the knowledge that the Creator feeds the birds of the air and clothes the grass of the fields - and we are much more valuable to God than they are. If we will but trust and abide in Him, we needn't worry about our lives - God will provide. He says in verse 32, "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom." The kingdom is the way of the Lord. We cannot expect to profit from the refuge of the kingdom when we want to continually jump out and go our own way in this world.
"The way of the Lord is a refuge for the righteous, but it is the ruin of those who do evil."
In meditating on this verse I see three elements:
The way of the Lord.
The righteous.
Those who do evil.
I also see two effects:
A refuge.
Ruin.
Three elements, two effects. That means that one of the elements is a cause: The way of the Lord. Strange, isn't it? That the way of the Lord can cause both a refuge and ruin? The way of the Lord is unchanging. God's perfect will is the first cause. When God willed to create, the effect was creation. The element of science that refuses to acknowledge God is still searching for the first cause. What could they possibly be searching for apart from a sovereign being???
All wisdom is included in this first cause. In Proverbs 8:22 & 23 the writer has personified wisdom and speaks in the first person. Wisdom says this; "The Lord brought me forth as the first of His works . . . I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning, before the world began." This is the way of the Lord. Those who seek, find and live in God's wisdom find a refuge. Those who ignore and oppose God's wisdom find ruin. The way of the Lord is the cause of their ruin. That's somewhat difficult to grasp at first. Let's look at a simple analogy. Let's say the way of the Lord is a moving vehicle. It is transporting a passenger from one point to another. It provides heat when it's cold outside. It provides cool when it's hot outside. It provides shelter when it’s stormy outside. As long as the passenger remains in the vehicle he has a refuge. But, let’s say the passenger decides that he wants to go his own way, so he opens the door and jumps out. As he rolls down the tarmac he curses the vehicle for all the pain it caused.
"But," you might say, "The cause of ruin was jumping from the moving vehicle." Yes, it was a cause, but not the FIRST cause. The first cause was the moving vehicle.
As I said, the analogy is simple. As with all spiritual analogies, it will break down at some point. It is only meant to demonstrate the axiom of cause and effect and the theory of first cause. (If one were a scientist, one would continue to go backwards from the moving vehicle; What action caused the vehicle to move? What actions caused the engine to produce power? Back - back - back until he hits a big wall. The big wall of first cause, which is the Sovereign Creator he so stubbornly denies.)
Getting away from science, let's get back to practical everyday living (we have already identified the first cause). The more we determine to seek out and live in the way of the Lord, the more we will enjoy the refuge of our relationship with Him. In Luke 12:22-32 Jesus comforts us with the knowledge that the Creator feeds the birds of the air and clothes the grass of the fields - and we are much more valuable to God than they are. If we will but trust and abide in Him, we needn't worry about our lives - God will provide. He says in verse 32, "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom." The kingdom is the way of the Lord. We cannot expect to profit from the refuge of the kingdom when we want to continually jump out and go our own way in this world.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
January 9
Jan 9 - Today from Proverbs 9 we look at verse 10
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."
First, we must consider that there are indeed two kinds of wisdom. The first is a wisdom of this world (James 3:14-16). It may be identified as savvy-ness, street-smart, cleverness, etc. - the identifying factor of such wisdom is that it emanates from selfish ambition. It is often admired by others who themselves are self-ambitious. Jealousy and covetousness often accompany this admiration. People who 'successfully' display this kind of wisdom appear to get what they want in life – often at the expense of others. Obviously this is not the kind of wisdom being spoken of in this proverb. The wisdom here is the wisdom which comes from heaven - 'pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere' (James 3:17). This kind of wisdom endures and one who successfully displays this kind of wisdom is an asset to mankind.
The fear of the Lord is to revere Him - to hold a profound awe and respect for Him. It encompasses the spirit of the first four commandments which is articulated in the 'great 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" (Mark 12:30). This is the beginning of wisdom. One cannot expect to gain wisdom from above if one does not revere the One who is enthroned above. When one truly reveres God and His Word, one easily surrenders one's life to Him.
The very fact that something is a beginning suggests that it is not an arrival. It's the place to start. In order for one to grow in wisdom, one must gain understanding. Of what? Of life the way the Creator meant it to be. The best way to understand life the way God meant it to be is to grow in the knowledge of Him. When one of His disciples asked Jesus to see God the Father, He replied, "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father." (John 14:9). If we want to know God, we must watch, listen to, and follow the Son. The best way to do this is to regularly study the gospels. Read some good commentaries on the gospels. If we will commit ourselves to this, we will grow in understanding life the way the Creator meant it to be - the Son lived it. The world system has been corrupted by sin. It is indeed a wide path - wide enough to accommodate every conceivable philosophy and religion there is. But you will not find the Son of God or His true disciples on that path. They walk the path of wisdom and understanding. One cannot even find this narrow path until one surrenders. This is the purposeful act of laying down one's self-will and seeking to find and do His will. Once one has made this decision, one is on the narrow path, the path of true enlightenment.
Discipleship is a lifetime commitment. The process doesn't end until we pass over to our eternal home with Him. Even then, the process will not end; it will just be gloriously and infinitely different.
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."
First, we must consider that there are indeed two kinds of wisdom. The first is a wisdom of this world (James 3:14-16). It may be identified as savvy-ness, street-smart, cleverness, etc. - the identifying factor of such wisdom is that it emanates from selfish ambition. It is often admired by others who themselves are self-ambitious. Jealousy and covetousness often accompany this admiration. People who 'successfully' display this kind of wisdom appear to get what they want in life – often at the expense of others. Obviously this is not the kind of wisdom being spoken of in this proverb. The wisdom here is the wisdom which comes from heaven - 'pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere' (James 3:17). This kind of wisdom endures and one who successfully displays this kind of wisdom is an asset to mankind.
The fear of the Lord is to revere Him - to hold a profound awe and respect for Him. It encompasses the spirit of the first four commandments which is articulated in the 'great 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" (Mark 12:30). This is the beginning of wisdom. One cannot expect to gain wisdom from above if one does not revere the One who is enthroned above. When one truly reveres God and His Word, one easily surrenders one's life to Him.
The very fact that something is a beginning suggests that it is not an arrival. It's the place to start. In order for one to grow in wisdom, one must gain understanding. Of what? Of life the way the Creator meant it to be. The best way to understand life the way God meant it to be is to grow in the knowledge of Him. When one of His disciples asked Jesus to see God the Father, He replied, "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father." (John 14:9). If we want to know God, we must watch, listen to, and follow the Son. The best way to do this is to regularly study the gospels. Read some good commentaries on the gospels. If we will commit ourselves to this, we will grow in understanding life the way the Creator meant it to be - the Son lived it. The world system has been corrupted by sin. It is indeed a wide path - wide enough to accommodate every conceivable philosophy and religion there is. But you will not find the Son of God or His true disciples on that path. They walk the path of wisdom and understanding. One cannot even find this narrow path until one surrenders. This is the purposeful act of laying down one's self-will and seeking to find and do His will. Once one has made this decision, one is on the narrow path, the path of true enlightenment.
Discipleship is a lifetime commitment. The process doesn't end until we pass over to our eternal home with Him. Even then, the process will not end; it will just be gloriously and infinitely different.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
January 8
Jan 8 - Today from Proverbs 8 we look at verses 1-3
"Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights along the way, where paths meet, she takes her stand; beside the gates leading into the city, at the entrances, she cries aloud."
Even though this passage can easily stand alone, I am persuaded that it is a continuation of chapter seven. In chapter seven we just 'watched' an unsuspecting young man become lured and ensnared by an adulteress. There was no one person there to call out to him and warn him of the trap he was entering. The writer anticipates the question of the reader; "Doesn't wisdom raise her voice?" The question is, "Isn't there some sort of 'guidance system' available, even when there is no one around to alert and counsel you when being confronted by temptation?"
The answer is, "Yes". But, in order to benefit, one must 'listen' (verse 6). 'Where paths meet' are places where decisions must be made. 'Besides the gates leading into the city' is where the city elders sorted out information. Wisdom calls for one to 'stop' and think through the situation. Again, not simply seeking the pleasure of the moment, but looking far ahead. It is a determined action, a practiced skill. Even though there was no person around to warn the young man in chapter seven, had he stopped and carefully listened, wisdom was right there where the paths met. He didn't bother to listen. His ear and senses were tuned into the folly of pleasure for the moment.
Children can be trained in wisdom. They can be taught to think through a situation. It takes patience and repetition, but it can be done. Once the patterns are in place, dad and mom don't have to be there at every 'intersection' to warn the child of consequences. The child has learned to listen for wisdom's voice. I wish I had been more proficient in training my own sons in wisdom - but I wasn't that good at it myself in those days. I think one of the best ways is to learn how to ask good questions and let the child think through to proper answers. In my early days as a disciple, I was more prone to give all the answers first. It kind of conditions a child to either let you do the thinking, or to tune you out. Children need to be stimulated and challenged. In relating to my grandchildren, I am amazed at the incredible lines of logic they display. Because of their limits of knowledge, they don't always arrive at the correct conclusions, never the less, they use surprisingly sound logic to get to their conclusions. Just by interspersing thought-provoking questions in regular conversation, I have been entertained, delighted and sometimes shocked at their processes of reasoning. By equipping them with good information, they come to the correct conclusions more and more. They want to know the answers, but they like to find their own way to them. As I said, it takes patience and repetition. As a dad, I guess it was easier for me to drag my sons to the conclusion than it was to guide them to the conclusion. As a granddad, I have developed more wisdom and patience.
Fortunately it's never too late to learn to listen for wisdom's call. It wasn't too late for me, and it wasn't for our children. It's just much better to learn it earlier than later. Our heavenly Father is always there to guide us into wisdom. "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt." (James 1:5, 6) When do we ask God for wisdom? When we are at a place where paths meet. Just the process of stopping to ask helps us to enter into a reasoning process. When we ask, then we must listen. We must think past the momentary and look to longer-range conclusions. If the young man in chapter seven knew God, and had stopped and earnestly asked for wisdom, "God, what should I do here?" and then thought through what was happening and what would be the possible (probable) long range effects of entering into the temptation he was facing. . . the story would have turned out much differently!
"Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights along the way, where paths meet, she takes her stand; beside the gates leading into the city, at the entrances, she cries aloud."
Even though this passage can easily stand alone, I am persuaded that it is a continuation of chapter seven. In chapter seven we just 'watched' an unsuspecting young man become lured and ensnared by an adulteress. There was no one person there to call out to him and warn him of the trap he was entering. The writer anticipates the question of the reader; "Doesn't wisdom raise her voice?" The question is, "Isn't there some sort of 'guidance system' available, even when there is no one around to alert and counsel you when being confronted by temptation?"
The answer is, "Yes". But, in order to benefit, one must 'listen' (verse 6). 'Where paths meet' are places where decisions must be made. 'Besides the gates leading into the city' is where the city elders sorted out information. Wisdom calls for one to 'stop' and think through the situation. Again, not simply seeking the pleasure of the moment, but looking far ahead. It is a determined action, a practiced skill. Even though there was no person around to warn the young man in chapter seven, had he stopped and carefully listened, wisdom was right there where the paths met. He didn't bother to listen. His ear and senses were tuned into the folly of pleasure for the moment.
Children can be trained in wisdom. They can be taught to think through a situation. It takes patience and repetition, but it can be done. Once the patterns are in place, dad and mom don't have to be there at every 'intersection' to warn the child of consequences. The child has learned to listen for wisdom's voice. I wish I had been more proficient in training my own sons in wisdom - but I wasn't that good at it myself in those days. I think one of the best ways is to learn how to ask good questions and let the child think through to proper answers. In my early days as a disciple, I was more prone to give all the answers first. It kind of conditions a child to either let you do the thinking, or to tune you out. Children need to be stimulated and challenged. In relating to my grandchildren, I am amazed at the incredible lines of logic they display. Because of their limits of knowledge, they don't always arrive at the correct conclusions, never the less, they use surprisingly sound logic to get to their conclusions. Just by interspersing thought-provoking questions in regular conversation, I have been entertained, delighted and sometimes shocked at their processes of reasoning. By equipping them with good information, they come to the correct conclusions more and more. They want to know the answers, but they like to find their own way to them. As I said, it takes patience and repetition. As a dad, I guess it was easier for me to drag my sons to the conclusion than it was to guide them to the conclusion. As a granddad, I have developed more wisdom and patience.
Fortunately it's never too late to learn to listen for wisdom's call. It wasn't too late for me, and it wasn't for our children. It's just much better to learn it earlier than later. Our heavenly Father is always there to guide us into wisdom. "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt." (James 1:5, 6) When do we ask God for wisdom? When we are at a place where paths meet. Just the process of stopping to ask helps us to enter into a reasoning process. When we ask, then we must listen. We must think past the momentary and look to longer-range conclusions. If the young man in chapter seven knew God, and had stopped and earnestly asked for wisdom, "God, what should I do here?" and then thought through what was happening and what would be the possible (probable) long range effects of entering into the temptation he was facing. . . the story would have turned out much differently!
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