Tag: proverbs

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11.26.24. Fear is the enemy

Faith or Fear?
What is your guide?

John 19 Guilty or Innocent

In this chapter the Apostle John is like Sherlock Holmes. He has the evidence, will he pronounce the verdict? Jesus remarked that the one who had handed him over to Pilate had the greater sin. Who was He referring to? Could it be Pilate who stood before him in total fear. Of what was he fearful? Jesus had just said he was given the power of his destiny and Pilate had to answer to Rome. Could it be Caiaphas, the high priest because of his announcement that one man should die for the nation. As we read this we encounter several emotions and decisions are revealed. 

The first and prominent emotion is fear and Proverbs reminds us that the fear of man is a snare. Both Pilate and Caiaphas were fearful and their fear was guiding their decisions. As we watch and listen we are reminded that we have an adversary who is clever enough to sway men’s minds just as he did in the Garden of Eden. He presents just enough truth to sway us and then we fall victim to his plans. The worst part of that is that our fear leads us into the path of sin and others become complicit along with us. We can’t say he made me do it. We are all responsible to God for what we decide. 

Both Pilate and Caiaphas leave us with how we are to make decisions. We can allow fear to guide us or we can seek the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom from the Holy One. Whom will you choose? 

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10.10.24.Word to the Wise

Listen, look then determine

Proverbs 23 What price? 

Probably one of our weakest areas in this life is this tool of discernment. You may be born with it, but truly it is a skill that you must be taught and honed. To discern is to stop and think what is true in contrast to what is false. The Proverbs chapters speak of this over and over, so it must be a skill that is needed to succeed and one that will protect us from falling for the ways of the world and our arch enemy Satan. 

Discernment is what you can use in nearly every engagement be it, purchasing a garment or even  as this Proverb says to paid dinners with high ranking people. Not always, but many times, the dinner is really a cover up for what they want you to do after the dinner. For example, you are invited to a swanky hotel and a posh dinner but behind that dinner, usually after listening to a speech, you are asked to donate an amount whether it be for a starving child or a man/woman who wants our vote. 

The Proverbs author tells us “do not crave that ruler’s delicacies,for that food is deceptive.” In other words, that meal you are enjoying comes with a price. Warning signal: “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you;” In fact the Proverbs author goes so far as to say: “will have wasted your pleasant words.” 

Word to the wise, stop and consider what the payment will be if you attend these functions. 

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Epiphany

Prov 1 Today, many worldwide will celebrate Epiphany or Three Kings Day, marking the supposed day that the three wise men from the east came bearing gifts, asking, “Where is the one who is born king of the Jews? For we…have come to worship him.” [Matt 2:2]. Upon finding this infant King Jesus, they “bowed down and worshiped him. They opened their treasure boxes” [and presented three precious gifts] of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”

As we open Proverbs, we begin with three precious gifts God places before us: “wisdom and moral instruction, and to discern wise counsel” [Prov 1:2] so that we may be “a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,” [2Ti 2:15] Gleaning these precious gifts begins when we fear or reverence the Lord God Almighty and “seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness” [Matt 6:33]. The contrast is the fool who despises wisdom and instruction. The caution is given in [Prov 1:8]: “Listen…to the instruction from your father; do not forsake the teaching from your mother.”

Today, which of these three Proverbs gifts do you have to present to him as you worship him?

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The Sin of Pride

2 Kings 15, 2 Chron 26 Ever notice that the middle letter in pride is “I”? Pride is the deadliest of all sins and is listed as one of the sins God hates more than any other because it puts self before God. [Prov 6:16-19] It has been the cause of many a downfall. 

God blessed King Uzziah for years, but when he became strong, he also became prideful. In his later years, Uzziah entered the sanctuary to burn forbidden incense and instantly became a leper when confronted and unrepentant. He remained a leper until the day he died and was not buried in the tombs of the kings but in a field of the kings. Truly “pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.” [Prov 16:18]

Where is God speaking to us about our pride? Watch out for that middle letter “I.” The OT prophet Zephaniah reminds us: “Seek the Lord’s favor, all you humble people of the land who have obeyed his commands! Strive to do what is right! Strive to be humble!” [Zephaniah 2:3] Humility is what God seeks and blesses, and pride is what God detests. 

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The Two Paths of Life

Two distinct paths

Proverbs 1-3 God’s path leads to wisdom if we fear/revere Him. Therefore, the foundational principle is that if we want to be wise, it must start not just with our head but our heart’s knowledge of who He is. He is holy, He is in heaven, and as the author of Eccl so succinctly says: God is in heaven; therefore, let your words be few (I think he means may our words be wisely chosen.)

Prov 1:7 is the overarching principle: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction. Thus, Solomon, as the author, reflects on the positive along with the negative. In Prov 3:5-6, he again gives us another overarching principle along with God’s promise: Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways, acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

What path am I on or what path are you on? God’s path is clear and to obedient is my desire; is it yours?

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The Contrasts: Pride & Humility

Pride and Humility

2Chron 26 Pride goeth before the fall.

Uzziah started with glowing statements of following God, but like Joash, who was faithful only as long as his mentor Jehoiada the priest was alive.  Uzziah, similarly, was only faithful during the lifetime of the priest Zechariah, who had faithfully taught him how to honor God.  Both Joash and Uzziah are, as Romans 1:20 says, “without excuse.”  God always provides what we need to be faithful, but it is our choice, and for both Joash and Uzziah, the lack of repentance came at a cost.  Uzziah had a faithful façade, but behind that was an insatiable desire for power, leading to his downfall.  Listen again to the Proverbs, “a proud and arrogant person, whose name is scoffer acts with overbearing pride.” [Prov 21:24] King Uzziah lived that verse at the most critical point in his life; when he became powerful.  

How then can we master this enemy of pride?  Interestingly, the Proverbs writer again counsels us: the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.  [Prov 9:10] As sinful people, we do not naturally seek to fear and honor God.  It goes against our nature because we want to be God, like our arch-enemy, Satan.  We must cultivate a reverent fear of the holiness and majesty of God, so we are not caught in the sin of pride like Uzziah. 

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It isn’t rocket science!

Jeremiah 6 Heeding Instructions

jeremiah 6b choos= the right path.2a

Ezekiel was told to pay attention, watch closely, and listen carefully and Jeremiah echoed those words! He reminded them that they were standing at the crossroads and must decide; God’s way or the world’s way. He also reminded them that the ways of their forefathers who chose the ‘good way’ or the ‘right way,’ they were now calling old fashioned. Like many even today the glitz and glamor outweigh the prudent and wise ways of God.

The nation was standing at the crossroads of life. They must consider their path—there is the narrow way that leads to God or the wide path that leads to destruction. A funny but true story of a prophet teaches that principle.

Balaam refused to listen to his donkey that had been empowered by God to speak. Balaam was both deaf and blind to the wisdom of the donkey until the angel opened his eyes when the donkey was in a narrow place with nowhere to turn. This story illustrates that if we fail to follow God’s way we may too find ourselves in a narrow place with nowhere to turn. Jeremiah is saying to his people and to us: Ask where the path is that leads to blessing and follow it.

Smart advice: Don’t be stubborn like the prophet but choose God’s way.  Remember the words of Proverbs: The one who wanders from the way of wisdom will end up in the company of the departed.

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The Next Generation Needs YOU!

2Kings 15 to 17  & Prov 1:4 “Fathers Listen Up”

2kings 15 to 17 and prov 1 pay attention2aA godly family does not just happen; it takes work. If we look back we see the failures of fathers like Eli, Samuel-a prophet yet had ungodly sons; David who did not confront sin and Solomon as wise but did not practice application.  Now in this set of chapters we see men who were given the privilege of raising sons and future kings yet failed miserably. It is heartbreaking as you read king after king fails to raise godly leaders of their homes; the nation and the church. It is into that heartbreaking scene we read these words “they did not pay attention.” And again they worshiped the Lord “AND” at the same time served idols.

So the question before us is how can that cycle be broken?  Men, (women too) here’s our challenge straight from Proverbs. If a man (or woman too) wants to know how to raise godly children who will be leaders, you must start at the foundational level. The book of Proverbs is given to impart shrewdness to the morally naïve; a discerning plan to the young person. Shrewdness is that quality that means you are sagacious; having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgment. Discernment is the ability to judge well especially with a view of obtaining spiritual guidance and understanding.

How does one accomplish this? By reading, meditating and practicing what the Word of God says. It is not too late. We must be training up the next generation and it starts with us.

May it not be said of us that we “didn’t pay attention.”

 

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Babies are a Gift…except at 3 a.m.!

So you are going to be a new mom or dad. What are you thinking about as you now recognize this new idea?

judges 13 samson2a

Judges 13  We love seeing and cooing and holding a newborn but at 3 a.m. when the wee one is screaming and you can’t determine what is wrong you find yourself wondering where is the manual to answer all of your questions.  Forward-thinking Manoah, a godly Danite, heard the news that Mrs. Manoah would soon give him a son. He didn’t question the answer but set out to get help to raise this miracle soon to be born.

Wisely Manoah didn’t go to the nearest library or the nearest midwife but to God alone. He prayed that God would return the messenger so he could ask about the manual he could read ahead of time. He wanted to know how they should raise this child. God answered this godly soon-to-be parent with this counsel:  Follow what I told your wife the first time.  At this point, we want to give a high five to Mrs. Mom! She had repeated what the messenger had said but Mr. Dad needed to hear it straight. This child is to be a Nazirite from birth and therefore she is to live a Nazirite life as well. That meant no wine, no grape juice, no raisins, and no hair cuts! He is to be dedicated to God from birth until the day he dies.

Like many new-to-be parents, Mr. and Mrs. Manoah most likely followed the angel’s words to the letter: “Train a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” [Pro 22:6] So as we read on in the story we can understand their perplexed state because Samson did not “follow the rules.” Like many today who parent a child who lives and moves outside the mainstream, they begin to wonder if they had done something wrong since Samson lived a less than illustrious life. Yet, even as Samson seemed a failure in his parent’s eyes, we find in the next chapter these words:

Now his father and mother did not realize this was the Lord’s doing.

Instead, God would use him as the first of several judges to begin to deliver the Israelites from the Philistines.

Take a lesson from Manoah; seek God’s direction, obey the word of the Lord, but mostly don’t give up on your children. God may be using them as He used Samson, even though we don’t understand the how or the why.

Parenting is a tough road. Study Proverbs and Psalm 78 for more answers when you are tearing your hair out. Keep on your knees for your children 24/7 so you can hear “well done thou good and faithful servant.” Like Manoah seek God’s direction on “how to raise this child.” Judges 13:8!

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Forgive Me but Really????

hands-words2q

“Do not be rash with your mouth or hasty in your heart… for God is in heaven and you are on earth! Therefore, let your words be few.”[Ecc 5:2] God often brings this verse to my mind as a gentle reminder of who I am and who God is. Who we are is often revealed by the voluminous words we speak versus the few words God speaks. Elihu, in Job 32-34 would have been wise to have taken this advice but he is really a pompous windbag in many ways.These chapters on Elihu are so like Meryl Streep’s rant at the Golden Globe awards to which I say “Forgive me but really??” And here’s why:

Elihu begins with his diatribe saying he is angry. When we are angry we often say things we later regret. He is not just angry with Job but the other three friends as well. He has, as we often say, “had enough.” He is controlled by his anger which is a danger signal. Secondly, he does not attribute wisdom to the fear of God but to age. Granted with age we do become wiser but the source of godly wisdom is from God, not from man. Thirdly, he admits he is full of words! Over and over through the book of Proverbs, it is the fool with the busy tongue. James reminds us that we cannot subdue the tongue and it is full of deadly poison. Fourthly, Elihu says Job is not listening to God for God reveals his plan and purpose and Job, you don’t a clue!

God exalts the humble, not the proud. Forgive me but I think Elihu is a proud “windbag.” Instead,  we should heed this verse:  “Like apples of gold in settings of silver, so is a word skillfully spoken.” [Pro 25:11]

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