Archives for April 2013

 

The Odd Couple

 

There is a natural order of things in life.  You know, like peanut butter and jelly, peas and carrots, hamburgers and hot dogs, Bert and Ernie, cookies and the Cookie Monster… (Sorry, too much Sesame Street this week).  Well, you get the picture.  We associate these things together, we think nothing about them when mentions together.  We also recognize when things don’t go together.  There is TV commercial that depicts stores in multiple businesses that don’t make sense – Chocolate shop and pet grooming, flower shop and plumber, financial counselor and cupcake baker, etc. They do this to show how ridiculous it is for some businesses to be connected.  We see the same in today’s reading.

 

Today’s verse is from Proverbs 11

22 As a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.

 

Jewels and hogs just don’t go together. My grandfather raised hogs and I can tell you that it never crossed his mind to purchase gold bling for any of the hogs.  So it is with a fair woman without discretion.  The dictionary defines discretion as:

• the quality of having or showing discernment or good judgment
• the quality of being discreet : circumspection; especially: cautious reserve in speech
• the ability to make responsible decision, individual choice or judgment

 

You’ve seen her. There are examples everywhere.  She is a beauty; very fair to look upon. Until you read about her in the paper or see her in the news or see her on that reality TV show. Until she opens her mouth and spews forth stupidity.  Until she has been arrested too many times to count for DUI or has multiple failed marriages, or has a substance abuse problem or she ends up dead in a fancy hotel room. Fair woman, bad judgment.  This goes for men, too.

 

The Bible says it is a heart problem

Matthew 15:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

 

So, how is it going in your life? Do people see you as beautiful and fair…until you open your mouth or they see your lifestyle? Would you like that in yellow gold or white gold?

 

 The view is fine from up here

Have you ever been in a maze?  When the kids were teenagers, we would go to the maze at Coconut Creek in Panama City.  It is very difficult to tell which way to go.  They would get turned around, go to dead ends and go in circles.  They had lots of fun.  I would not participate.  The hot humid evenings were not conducive to running blindly through a maze.  I sweat just thinking about it. No, I would sit comfortably in the observation platform.  From there I could see which way to turn, which path was a dead end and which would lead you in circles.  My advantage was that I was higher and could see the whole maze from my vantage point.  We can see the same thing in today’s reading.  When making decisions on which path to take, elevate your understanding with wisdom to get the whole picture.  Look at the “cause and effect” of taking the right path or not.

 

Think of it this way

 

Wisdom

• Seeing life from Gods’ point of view
• Tracing our problems to violations of God’s principles
• The choices we make have an intricate cause and effect relationship

 

Understanding

• Gaining knowledge of God’s Holiness
• Responding to situations from God’s principles
• Avoiding the negative that cause a negative effect

 

As we look at a few of the verses, we see the direct cause and effect relationship.  Each verse shows the positive and negative. Each of the positive of the verses takes place when we see life from God’s point of view, from a higher observation point. Each of the negative of the verses takes place when we see life from a worldly, low level view. 

 

Today’s verses are from Proverbs 10

8 The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.

 

13 In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.

14 Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.

 

27 The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.

28 The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.

29 The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

30 The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.

31 The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.

32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.

 

The Tale of Two Women – Part 2

 

Today’s verses are from Proverbs 9:13-18

13 A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing.

14 For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,

15 To call passengers who go right on their ways:

16 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,

17 Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.

18 But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.

 

In this chapter there is a contrast of the two women. They both cry from the wall of the city.  They both cry to the simple. They both have the same invitation.

 

Wise Woman

4 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,

 

Foolish Woman

16 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,

 

But the results are different

 

Wise Woman – note that she has prepared her own supper – “eat of my bread”

4 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,

5 Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.

6 Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.

 

10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

11 For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.

 

 

Foolish Woman – note that she has stolen her supper

16 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,

17 Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.

18 But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.

 

Decisions, decisions.  Which shall we chose?  Both have given the invitation, both have prepared a supper.

 

The wisdom of God has prepared a feast from His own resources – the Word of God (bread) and Spirit of God (wine).

 

The foolishness of this world has prepared a feast from stolen resources – deceit and self gradification.

 

Hmmm, let me see….

Door #1 – thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased

Door # 2 – that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell

 

I’ll take door #1.  How about you?

 

 

 

The Tale of Two Women – Part 1

 

Today’s verses are from Proverbs 8:1-7

1 Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?

2 She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.

3 She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.

4 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.

5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.

7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

 

Once again wisdom is personified as a woman. We will see her counterpart tomorrow but for today let’s look at this Wisdom Woman.

 

Picture this, a beautiful woman at the gate of a walled city earnestly calling out to all that passes by.  She is in a central location; she calls out to everyone – men, sons of men, the simple and the fools.  Listen to her words.  She is proclaiming truth, the truth of the Word of God.  I wonder how many of us are listening.  She tells of the virtues of wisdom, she extols the results of wisdom and she proclaims the origin of wisdom.   Are we listening? In this fast paced, in a hurry, I’m too busy life we live, are we listening?

Wisdom is putting forth her voice.  Can we hear her?  Or are we like the simple that just pass by without a second thought for what she is saying?  Or are we like the fools, which purposely ignore and reject the truth?

 

There are great rewards for taking heed to her words

 

34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.

 

There are tragic results for those who do not heed her words

 

36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

 

Wisdom is calling.  Are you and I listening?

 

Ask Your Sister, She Knows

 

Today’s verses are from Proverbs 7:4-5

4 Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:

5 That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.

 

In the verses today, we see 3 women.  Wisdom in personified as a woman. Not just any woman, your sister. The second woman is you cousin -“understanding”. The scripture also mentions another woman, “the strange woman”.  I can’t help but think of these women as religious systems.  The true Church has wisdom as the Word of God and understanding as the Spirit of God.  The strange woman is a false religious system. She comes with enticing words and flattering lips.  She tells you what you want to hear. She will do anything to get you into her chamber.  But God provides His Word and His Spirit to keep us from falling for lies.

 

Let us hold on to the truth of the Word of God to “keep us from the strange woman” and not be like the “simple” guy in verses 7-27.

 

25 Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.

26 For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.

27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.

 

Proverbs Chapter 6

The Perfect Storm

Today’s verses are from Proverbs 6:16-19

16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

 

Have you ever been fascinated with the weather? It takes just the right combination of high and low pressure systems, wind currents and water temperature to form a storm.  Weathermen use words like “storm of the century” or “the perfect storm”.

 

Today’s reading provides a list of components that can cause a “perfect storm” in our lives. The Lord is clear that he hates these things.  You would think the list would be longer but God knows our hearts and knows what we would do if left to our own devises.  He paints a picture for us using something we are very familiar with – parts of our body, we can relate to, a picture of us living in the flesh.

 

A proud look – looking down on everyone else, being superior

Proverbs 16:18

Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

 

A lying tongue – creating a falsehoods to make yourself look good or to cover your sin

James 3:5

Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things.Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

 

Hands that shed innocent blood

1 John 3:15

Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

 

Heart that deviseth wicked imaginations

Jeremiah 17:9

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

 

Feet that be swift in running to mischief

Galations 5:19-21

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Proverbs Chapter 5

“Officer, the hand cuffs are too tight”

Today’s verses are from Proverbs 5:21-23

21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.

22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.

23 He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

 

I am not a fan of reality Television shows.  They usually show people at their worst.  None is better at this than COPS.  You know…. the show where the cameraman rides around with a police officer and shows him chase a criminal, catch him and arrest him.  Inevitably the criminal will always say, “The hand cuffs are too tight”.  Does he not know that he is bound because of his own doing?

 

The verse today speaks of the same thing that can occur in our own lives. When we sin, we bind ourselves with cords of our own sin.  You think, just one little sin, I can break it, I can stop, no one will ever know.  One sin is like a thread.  You can break loose from just one.  But one sin turns to more and more until you have woven a perfect cord from you own iniquities.  You find yourself in bondage to your sin. You cannot break the cord. It controls you.  The Word of God is true.  You “shall be holden with the cords” of your sin.  When you find yourself bound, cry out to God for forgiveness.  He can break the bonds of your sin.  Otherwise, you will suffer verse 23.

 

James 1:

14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.

 

Let’s commit to ourselves, to each other and to God not to allow ourselves to be bound in sin.  Jesus died for our sin and nailed it to the cross.  Let’s act like it.

 

1 John 2:1

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

                               PROVERBS 31:4-6
         Pro 31:4  It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:
         Pro 31:5  Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.
         Pro 31:6  Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.

These verses called me out when I first got saved many know I was an alcoholic so many times I have drank and forgot the law never mind GOD’s law I never knew it. I hope GOD doesn’t have a camcorder because I don’t want to see that mess. I know that I am forgiven and that is gone praise JESUS. This is why we should not drink unless we are ready to die or sickness. I can promise you this go out and get drunker than cooter brown and you will forget GOD’s law as well as state law and wake up in the morning with a brand new pair of county bracelets or worse. You might wake up with a new wife or husband depends on how much you have to drink look at what happened to Noah and his family.

          Hab 2:5  Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:
PRAISE GOD THEM DAYS ARE GONE, HALLELUJAH

Proverbs Chapter 4

Keep on the Right Path, It’s Safer

 

Today’s verses are from Proverbs 4:20-27

20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.

22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

 

I like Stone Mountain. I’m from the generation where Stone Mountain was cool.  When I was a kid, our family would go on picnics at Stone Mountain.  As a teenager, our youth group would take frequent trips to Stone Mountain. There are lots of things to do at Stone Mountain but the one thing we did every time was to climb the mountain. When I was young, there were no real trail markers up the mountain, just a painted line to follow.  If you stayed close to the line, you were relatively safe. If you strayed too far from the line, you were in trouble.  Back before they had fences, you could actually explore quite a ways from the painted line.  But the mountain is deceitful. What seems to be a smooth gentle sloop downward turns out to be a very treacherous incline that you can’tclimb back up.  I learned this lesson first hand on one of my trips.  I wandered too far from the line and had to crawl on my belly up the side of this smooth granite rock to safety.  There were others that were not so fortunate.  We were always hearing news stories where someone had to be rescued or someone had fallen to their death by straying too far from the path.

 

From our reading today, we see that we must keep on the path and not depart from it.

25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee

26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

 

Just as straying from the path on Stone Mountain is dangerous, straying from the path set before us by the Word of God is dangerous.  They way may look smooth but the end is sorrow, a ruined life and even death.  There is a rescue by repenting and turning back to God.  But not every prodigal returns home; not every backslider returns to God and not every sinner is saved.

 

Let us commit ourselves to verse 27, Turn not to the right hand or to the left, and stay on the painted path for Christ.

Proverbs Chapter 3

The Perfect Formula

 

Today’s verses are from Proverbs 3:19-21

19 The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.

20 By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.

21 My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:

22 So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.

23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.

24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thoushalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.

26 For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.

 

There are lots of formulas we are faced with in our lifetime. We have everything from a simple food recipe to a complex Chemical formula; from Algebra to Trigonometry; from Physics to Chemistry. In business there are formulas on how to besuccessful, in marriage there are formulas on how to stay together and millions of self-help books with the formula on how to be happy. Coca Cola even has a secret formula for their soft drinks.

 

In today’s’ verses, God shows us his “not-so-secret” formula – wisdom, understanding and knowledge.  It is the way he got things done.  Now in my thinking this is backwards.  I would think that knowledge would come first; understanding second and then wisdom.  But God is telling us that His order has wisdom first. As we have learned, God makes things in three’s.  He made us Body, Soul and Spirit; physical, mental and spiritual.  For us to truly know wisdom, God must enlighten us from a spiritual standpoint.

 

Wisdom speaks to our spiritual nature and it only comes from God.  We start with wisdom and all other components of our life will fall into place.  Wisdom is the filter by which we judge all other information. Wisdom is the foundation.

 

19 The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth…

Proverbs 2:6

For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

Proverbs 4:7

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

 

Understanding speaks to our mental nature; our Soul; our mind, will and emotions.  It is the “middle man” in the composite of which God has made us.  It is the force in our lives that takes the first component, wisdom (spiritual) and the final component, facts (physical) and provides true understanding. The Soul is where faith (spiritual) takes hold on the facts of the Word of God (physical) and produces understanding.

 

19 … by understanding hath he established the heavens.

 

Knowledge is at the physical level; the five senses – things that are tangible, things that can be seen and touched. It is facts, figures, scientific research and even Biblical research.  Our post-modern society uses this as the basis for all conclusions and earthly wisdom.  This is how very smart people, with lots of raw head knowledge, produce wrong conclusions, wrong results and wrong thinking (evolution is a prime example).  Without wisdom, without the right starting place, all knowledge is futile.  But when we start with wisdom to gain understanding, then knowledge can be a very powerful force.

 

20 By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew

 

God has given the formula – Wisdom, Understanding and Knowledge.  When get them in the right order in our lives, we walk in confidence, we are protected and we are fearless.

 

22 So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.

23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.

24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thoushalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.

26 For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.