JULY 5 & 6 PROVERBS 18-21

Proverbs 18-21

 

For the holiday weekend, let’s just continue our “Wisdom Search” for America!

 

• Proverbs 18:1, “Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.” What applies to one can be projected on the many. America learned the dangers of isolationism in the 30’s. Pray we don’t fall back.
• Proverbs 18:5, “It is not good to be partial to the wicked or to deprive the righteous of justice.” Is it my imagination, or are we actually leaning this way in our nation? God help us.
• Proverbs 19:15, “Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep; and an idle person will suffer hunger.” May God free Americans from the sticky sweet fruit of laziness in order to enjoy the true fruit of hard work!
• Proverbs 20:18, “Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war.” Rushing into war, or simply being lulled into war; both demonstrate a lack of wisdom and guidance. May America’s leaders be led by wise counsel!
• Proverbs 20:10, 23, “Unequal weights...are an abomination to the Lord...” May our nations, once again, become a nation of fairness and integrity, where both government and businesses use “equal weights.”
• Proverbs 20:26, “A wise king winnows the wicked and drives the wheel over them.” May America’s leaders discern accurately who the wicked are, and what action to take.
• Proverbs 20:28, “Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king; by steadfast love his throne is upheld.” Who would have made “steadfast love” the foundational trait of a national leader? May our president live by love.
• Proverbs 21:1, “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He will.” Sometimes we get all bent out of shape over the action of one president or another. We need to remember that God is sovereign over the hearts and decisions of all leaders!

 Lord God, as we have just celebrated the 238th birthday of our nation, we pray for the wisdom of Your Word and the love of Christ to flow unhindered through her people. Guide and bless our leaders, according to truth. And may we become, once again, fertile ground for true revival. Send Your Spirit down to us. Revive us again! In Jesus’ name we pray, AMEN.

 

 

Monday, we will alter our “Wisdom Search” a bit.

 

Your fellow traveler through the Word,

Pastor Gary

 

 

JULY 4 PROVERBS 14-17

July 4, 2014; HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA!

Proverbs 14-17

Yesterday, I gave out detailed directions for doing a “Wisdom Search” in Proverbs.  Today, on Independence Day, let’s modify the rules of a “Wisdom Search” like this: The question is: What wisdom can I find for nation like ours, which sought to be established on trust in God?  We’ll use all four chapters for today. Here we go.

Proverbs 14:11, “The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish.” If America wants God’s blessing, we should be seeking God’s righteousness!

Proverbs 14:23, “In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.” If America wants to win LBJ’s old “war on poverty,” there must be a re-birth of an old-fashioned work-ethic.

Proverbs 14:34, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people!” God help our nation!

Proverbs 15:22, “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.” America’s leaders must look to “many advisers” of various points of view, if they are to succeed.

Proverbs 16:3, “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” This is why the systematic omission of prayer in America’s public settings is so tragic.

Proverbs 16:12, “It is an abomination to kings to do evil, for the throne is established in righteousness.” What’s true for Israel’s kings is true in principle for America’s leaders.

Proverbs 17:3, “The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold; and the Lord tests hearts.” The times of trial that have faced (and do face) our nation have been our purifying crucibles.

Proverbs 17:6, “Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a prince.” America’s leaders would do well to find a revival of integrity!

Proverbs 17:15, “He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the Lord.” Sadly, both practices are running rampant in America of late.

That’s quite a lot of wisdom for our beloved country, and from just four chapters of God’s wisdom book! Tomorrow, we continue in these rich pages of wisdom! Maybe we should continue our “America Wisdom Search!”

Your fellow traveler through the Word,

Pastor Gary

JULY 3 PROBERBS 10-13

Proverbs 10-13

With Proverbs 10, we begin a new section this book of wisdom, one that lends itself especially well to a devotional exercise we used for many years with our family devotions. It’s called a “Wisdom Search,” and was first taught to us through the Institute of Basic Life Principles. 

Here’s how it works: There are 30-31 days in most months and, coincidentally, 31 chapters in Proverbs. Make sure everyone in the family has the same translation of the Bible and a pencil to mark it with. Then agree on a question/issue on which the family needs God’s wisdom. Pray and ask the Lord for insight. Then read the chapter that matches the day of the month ONE VERSE AT A TIME, each family member reading one verse in turn. Read slowly, allowing time to process what is heard. As you go, each family member makes a mark by a verse that seems to speak to the question or issue at hand. When the reading is complete, the family shares the verses they marked, one at a time, beginning with the youngest member of the family who can read. God used this time wonderfully with our family as a catalyst for good conversation and a pathway to wisdom. We sought wisdom on a variety of topics: allowances, owing money, TV watching, responding to unkindness, and many more. I’d love to hear from any of you that try this with your children or grandchildren.

The reason why this works best from the 10th of a month on, is because each chapter from Proverbs 10 to 31 covers a variety of topics. You can almost always find something in one of those chapters that is germane to your question or issue.

For example, I read the four chapters for today looking for wisdom concerning my words, both in preaching/teaching and in everyday conversation. Eight or nine proverbs just leapt off the page into my heart. Along the way, I noticed other verses that apply to my life, such as “He who gathers in summer is a prudent son” (10:5a). This reminds me that summer is a season of opportunity. Proverbs about wives, children and grandchildren, also stood out to me: (11:21; 12:4; 13:22), along with the warning: “Whoever troubles his own household will inherit the wind.” (11:29). Does anyone remember the play and film, “Inherit the Wind?”

Tomorrow, we continue in these rich pages of wisdom!

Your fellow traveler through the Word,

Pastor Gary

JULY 2 PROBERBS 5-9

July 2, 2014

Proverbs 5-9

We are privileged to listen in on the words a father (Solomon) shared with his son (Rehaboam). The principles in these words of warning are just as applicable to daughters as they are to sons.

There are three discernible sections in today’s chapters:

Warnings about the alluring call of an adulterous woman. Proverbs 5-7

In Proverbs 5, Solomon warns his son that “the lips of a forbidden woman drip with honey,” (5:3) but to give in to her may spell the end of his life (5:11). Instead, he should “rejoice in the wife of his youth” and be faithful to her. “For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the Lord.” (5:21)

In Proverbs 6, both father and mother warn the son (6:20) in much the same way. The commandments, they say, are “to preserve you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulterer.” (6:24) To dally with her is to “carry fire next to one’s chest” (6:27) and risk “destruction.” (6:32)

In Proverbs 7, we read a parable. The adulterous woman is bigger than life, a sort of symbol for the seductive power of foolishness. But the lesson remains the same. Here, we actually listen to her honey-soaked words (7:14-21). Here, we read that the young fool will indeed lose his life (7:23).

Encouragements about the call of wisdom. Proverbs 8-9. If the adulteress calls, we can rest assured that wisdom calls, as well. Here, Godly wisdom is personified; she calls to men (8:4) with words of truth, righteousness and wisdom (8:5-11); and anyone can find her who seeks her (8:17). She has been the Lord’s special possession since the beginning (8:22-23). Proverbs 9 summarize the way of wisdom and the way of folly.


Practical warnings in Proverbs 6:1-19. In the midst of all the woman-talk, the Father gives practical warnings against indebtedness (6:1-5), laziness (6:6-11), deceitfulness (6:12-15), and the six things the Lord hates (6:16-19). Try guessing them before you look at them!

Tomorrow, we enter the section of Proverbs entitled: “The Proverbs of Solomon.”

Your fellow traveler through the Word,

Pastor Gary

JULY 1 PROVERBS 1-4

BLOG July 1, 2014

Proverbs 1-4

With Proverbs we move from praise to the practical, from an emphasis on our relationship with God to the way that relationship should impact our relationships with people. Proverbs is the primary “Wisdom Book” of the Bible. My favorite definition of wisdom goes something like this: Wisdom is seeing and responding to life situations from God’s point of view. It’s the right living that flows from a right relationship with God, and Proverbs will help us sort out the specifics.

Right from the outset, Solomon identifies wisdom’s starting place: “The fear of the Lord.” Such fear is “the beginning of knowledge,” (1:7) and “the beginning of wisdom” (9:10). Some Christians don’t like to talk about fear, citing 1 John 4:18, “there is no fear in love, for perfect love casts out fear.” But the rest of 1 John 4:18 tells us what sort of fear John is talking about: the fear of punishment. Here in Proverbs and in the New Testament too, the fear referred to is a loving reverence for the Lord that includes submission to His word! This sort of fear launches us into a life of wisdom.

Beginning with Proverbs 1:8 and continuing through Proverbs 9, these words of wisdom are directed from parent to child. If Solomon were speaking to his eldest son, Rehaboam, it’s sad to know how little of this wisdom took hold.

Here are some summary highlights of the first four chapters:

• In Proverbs 1, wisdom is personified; it “calls aloud in the streets” to any who will listen (1:20)!
• In Proverbs 2, we learn that those who answer wisdom’s call find all sorts of benefits, including an understanding of the right paths and protection from those whose paths are crooked!
• Proverbs 3 continues the list of benefits that come with wisdom. Some of the most quoted and memorized words in the Bible are found in Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all you heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Make your own list, from this chapter, of the blessings of wisdom!
• Proverbs 4 is personal and passionate. You can feel the Father’s urgent encouragement: “Get wisdom, get understanding; don’t forget my words!” (4:5) “Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom, though it cost you all you have...” (4:7) “Hold on to instruction; do not let it go!” (4:13) “Do not let them [my words] out of your sight; keep them within your heart, for they are life to those that find them and health to your whole body!” (4:21-22)

Tomorrow, we’ll see what else the wise father has to say to his son.

Your fellow traveler through the Word,

Pastor Gary

JUNE 30 PSALMS 146-150

BLOG June 30, 2014



Psalms 146-150

We’ve reached the pinnacle of highest praise. These final five psalms complete the entire Psalter, as well as BOOK FIVE! David’s psalms (138-145) were growing increasingly praise-full, now here we are, at the psalm-writers best efforts for pure praise, enabling mere humans just to begin to extol the wonders and greatness of God!



Psalm 146 reads as if the author is talking to himself: “Praise the Lord, O my soul” is similar to me saying: “Praise the Lord, Gary!” To praise Him is to trust Him, for the third verse reminds us NOT to put our trust in people! There follows of list of good reasons for this praise: God is creative, faithful, providing, freeing, and very especially caring and protective of the alien, the widow and the orphan! So praise Him!



Psalm 147 recommends “singing” as a wonderful means of praise. This psalm’s reasons for praise include: God’s rebuilding Jerusalem, God’s faithfulness to the Exiles, God’s healing for the brokenhearted, and God’s special concern for the humble. This is worth singing about; this is worth making music for! This psalm ends with praise for God’s word!





Psalm 148 is a song of pure praise for God’s creation. In it, the author calls the angels and even the created wonders themselves, into the act of praise. I don’t think the writer missed any aspect of God’s creation; let it all, “Praise the Lord!”





Psalm 149 calls the “saints” to sing God’s praises; He is their Maker and their King, worthy of worshipful dance and the music of instruments and voices. There is no time of day when praise is inappropriate. In fact, praise is better than a weapon in the hands of God’s people (vv. 6-9); why wouldn’t we praise Him?





Psalm 150 is the ultimate song of praise. After calling us to praise God in the sanctuary, in His mighty heavens, for His acts of power, and for His surpassing greatness, the poet assembles a bold orchestra for powerful praise, including trumpets, harps, lyres, tambourines, strings, flutes and loud, clashing, resounding cymbals! Can we make praise too well or too exuberantly? I think not. But, let’s try!





The Psalter is ended, and so has June. I hope this has helped you, as we read selections from the Psalms most Sunday mornings. In days, we have reached the halfway point of our time in God’s Word this year.


Tomorrow, we start the second half of the year with Solomon’s poetic collection of wise sayings:



Proverbs: Words for Wise Living!





Your fellow traveler through the Word,



Pastor Gary