Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Ecclesiastes, Chapters 7-12 [NIV] To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage: Ecclesiastes 7: 14 :[NIV] … When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future.
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Highlight Passage #2: Ecclesiastes 8: 1; 16-17 :[NIV] … 1 Who is like the wise? … Who knows the explanation of things? … A person's wisdom brightens their face and changes its hard appearance. … 16 When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe the labor that is done on earth - people getting no sleep day or night - 17 then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all their efforts to search it out, no one can discover its meaning. Even if the wise claim they know, they cannot really comprehend it.
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Highlight Passage #3: Ecclesiastes 9: 5. 10 :[NIV] … 5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even their name is forgotten. …
10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.
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Highlight Passage #4: Ecclesiastes 10: 10 :[NIV] … If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success.
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Highlight Passage #5: Ecclesiastes 11: 4, 9 : … [NIV] 4 Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap. [NLT - If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done.] … [NIV] 9 You who are young, be happy while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.
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Highlight Passage #6: Ecclesiastes 12: 13-14 :[NIV] … 13 Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.
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Reference Passage #1: Romans 8: 28 :[NKJV] … All things work together for those who love the Lord and who are the called according to His purpose.
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Reference Passage #2: Proverbs 3: 5-6 :[NKJV] … Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understand. In ALL your ways, acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.
My Journal for Today: Whew, … again! I said that yesterday after studying and meditating on the first six chapters of Ecclesiastes. Now, here my chronological reading plan takes me through these last six chapters; and they seem to be more personally engulfing than the first six.
In these chapters, using his old Proverbial style of poetic couplets, Solomon takes his readers on a reflection of life, especially seeming to focus on the younger generation, as he did in the first nine chapters of the Book of Proverbs; and trying to get any believer to see that we need to do all we can to seek out and sharpen our wisdom, which really is to know God as deeply and as intimately as we can. Then, … we simply (but never easily) need to trust the God we know because all things in life come from Him.
That’s why all of Solomon’s reflections on life in Ecclesiastes boil down to the very brief, but powerful, summary statement in Ecclesiastes, Chapter 12, verses 13-14, which you can read and meditate on above, especially noting the exhortation in verse 13b to … “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.”
And that’s why, when I was studying through these last six chapters of Ecclesiastes today, I was taken back from my remembered Scripture to the same reference passage I copied yesterday in Roman 8: 28 as well as one of Solomon’s tried and true proverbs, one which my wife refers to often as her life verse, Prov. 3: 5-6, one which many of you probably have memorized. These two truths really – to me – summarize much of what Solomon tries to get his readers in Ecclesiastes to capture and to live out; and it’s why I titled my devotional today … "SEEK HIM … KNOW HIM … TRUST HIM!”
Dear fellow Christian, … if we live out our lives seeking out the mind of God, with the mentoring of His Spirit, Whom we have in our hearts as Christians, and we come to know our Lord deeply and intimately, I believe we will be driven to trust the God Whom we’ll get to know and love so abidingly. And from this pursuit, we’ll be able to avoid many of the pitfalls which Solomon discovered from his own life, mistakes, and reflections.
My Prayer Today: … That’s my prayer today, Lord … that I do all I can in life to know you, seek Your will/way from Your word, and to trust You in all I think, say, and do. Help, me, dear Holy Spirit, to make that my trek in life. Amen
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
June 18, 2012 … Chasing the Wind
Bloggers's Note: Yesterday, because of a set of circumstances beyond my control, I didn't get the devotional I did yesterday morning posted here. Therefore, I will be posting two of my devotionals today (6/19). If you're reading along with me here, please forgive this personal glitch in the discipline of my posting schedule. … wrb
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Ecclesiastes, Chapters 1-6 [NIV] To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage: Ecclesiastes 1: 12-14 :[NIV] … 12 I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind! 14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
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Highlight Passage #2: Ecclesiastes 2: 9-11, 26 :[NIV] … 9 I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me. 10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil. … 11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun. … 26 To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
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Highlight Passage #3: Ecclesiastes 3: 14-15 :[NIV] … 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him. … 15 Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account.
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Highlight Passage #4: Ecclesiastes 4: 4; 16 :[NIV] … 4 And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person's envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. . … 16 There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
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Highlight Passage #5: Ecclesiastes 5: 16 :[NIV] … 16 This too [i.e., toiling for wealth] is a grievous evil: As everyone comes, so they depart, and what do they gain, since they toil for the wind?
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Highlight Passage #6: Ecclesiastes 6: 9 :[NIV] … 9 Better what the eye sees than the roving of the appetite. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
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Reference Passage #1: Romans 8: 28 :[NKJV] … All things work together for those who love the Lord and who are the called according to His purpose.
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Reference Passage #2: 1st John 2: 15-16 :[NKJV] … 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.
My Journal for Today: Whew! Today’s chronological reading assignment was rather rigorous – all of Chapters 1-6 of the Book of Ecclesiastes, … Solomon’s later-life journal on the meaning of our existence from his own life experiences. And the first six chapters are rather grim upon surface reading.
And as I read this morning, one phrase kept repeating itself through these chapters, which I’ve emboldened and underlined above in the highlighted passages, which write of “… chasing after the wind.” This is Solomon’s repetitive discovery about his own life. I read earlier this year in my devotionals that when Solomon became king, he asked God for wisdom (2nd Chronicles 1:7-12), and he became the wisest man in the world (1st Kings 4:29-34). … BUT … here we are, years later, and Solomon has discovered much about life, which he now wants to be our “teacher” (which he even labels himself early in Ecclesiastes), telling us that life can be “chasing after the wind” if we let our HUMAN wisdom be our guide rather than a pursuing Godly wisdom.
God gave Solomon all the wisdom a human could every want or use; but Solomon did not use it for God’s glory; and he chose to ignore God’s teaching in the Book of the Law or from the lessons life taught him along the way. And King Solomon, supposedly the wisest man who ever lived (other than Jesus, of course), found out that life was merely “chasing after the wind” when man pursued what men normally pursue … and that is education, position, power, recognition, and wealth, … all of which are merely “chasing after the wind.”
Ironically, at the time Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes, he had already written, in Proverbs 3: 5-6, to lean not on one’s own understand and to trust in the Lord with ALL of one’s heart. But apparently that lesson went unheeded in Solomon’s life; and he quit pursuing God’s way of living and went down his own way. And so, here in Ecclesiastes, he wants to be “the teacher,” helping those who come after him to avoid “chasing after the wind” and pursuing the only way in life that is meaningful and that is to know God and pursue HIS WAY through life.
My friends, life doesn’t have to be meaningless or “chasing after the wind.” As I was reading and meditating through the first six chapters of Solomon’s reflections today, two Scripture passages bubbled up in my consciousness; and they are listed above as references. The first tells us that all things in life – for the Christian – can be “teachers.” If all of life is for our good, and it is; then even the tough stuff or what we see as “bad stuff” can help to guide us through life and avoid “chasing after the winds” of life.
And the second passage, from 1st John, helps to us red-flag and avoid what led Solomon to chase after the winds of life. Solomon got off track because he followed after “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life;” and these, according to God’s truth in 1st John 2, are those things which Satan uses to call us to chase after the winds and to find ourselves where Solomon found himself as he was writing, as “the teacher,” the book of Ecclesiastes.
I hope we all glean the lessons Solomon is teaching us as our “teacher” in this book; and we apply them to our lives so that we avoid “chasing after the wind.”
My Prayer Today: … Lord, I chase after You and Your truth. Amen
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Ecclesiastes, Chapters 1-6 [NIV] To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage: Ecclesiastes 1: 12-14 :[NIV] … 12 I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind! 14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
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Highlight Passage #2: Ecclesiastes 2: 9-11, 26 :[NIV] … 9 I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me. 10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil. … 11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun. … 26 To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
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Highlight Passage #3: Ecclesiastes 3: 14-15 :[NIV] … 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him. … 15 Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account.
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Highlight Passage #4: Ecclesiastes 4: 4; 16 :[NIV] … 4 And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person's envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. . … 16 There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
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Highlight Passage #5: Ecclesiastes 5: 16 :[NIV] … 16 This too [i.e., toiling for wealth] is a grievous evil: As everyone comes, so they depart, and what do they gain, since they toil for the wind?
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Highlight Passage #6: Ecclesiastes 6: 9 :[NIV] … 9 Better what the eye sees than the roving of the appetite. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
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Reference Passage #1: Romans 8: 28 :[NKJV] … All things work together for those who love the Lord and who are the called according to His purpose.
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Reference Passage #2: 1st John 2: 15-16 :[NKJV] … 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.
My Journal for Today: Whew! Today’s chronological reading assignment was rather rigorous – all of Chapters 1-6 of the Book of Ecclesiastes, … Solomon’s later-life journal on the meaning of our existence from his own life experiences. And the first six chapters are rather grim upon surface reading.
And as I read this morning, one phrase kept repeating itself through these chapters, which I’ve emboldened and underlined above in the highlighted passages, which write of “… chasing after the wind.” This is Solomon’s repetitive discovery about his own life. I read earlier this year in my devotionals that when Solomon became king, he asked God for wisdom (2nd Chronicles 1:7-12), and he became the wisest man in the world (1st Kings 4:29-34). … BUT … here we are, years later, and Solomon has discovered much about life, which he now wants to be our “teacher” (which he even labels himself early in Ecclesiastes), telling us that life can be “chasing after the wind” if we let our HUMAN wisdom be our guide rather than a pursuing Godly wisdom.
God gave Solomon all the wisdom a human could every want or use; but Solomon did not use it for God’s glory; and he chose to ignore God’s teaching in the Book of the Law or from the lessons life taught him along the way. And King Solomon, supposedly the wisest man who ever lived (other than Jesus, of course), found out that life was merely “chasing after the wind” when man pursued what men normally pursue … and that is education, position, power, recognition, and wealth, … all of which are merely “chasing after the wind.”
Ironically, at the time Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes, he had already written, in Proverbs 3: 5-6, to lean not on one’s own understand and to trust in the Lord with ALL of one’s heart. But apparently that lesson went unheeded in Solomon’s life; and he quit pursuing God’s way of living and went down his own way. And so, here in Ecclesiastes, he wants to be “the teacher,” helping those who come after him to avoid “chasing after the wind” and pursuing the only way in life that is meaningful and that is to know God and pursue HIS WAY through life.
My friends, life doesn’t have to be meaningless or “chasing after the wind.” As I was reading and meditating through the first six chapters of Solomon’s reflections today, two Scripture passages bubbled up in my consciousness; and they are listed above as references. The first tells us that all things in life – for the Christian – can be “teachers.” If all of life is for our good, and it is; then even the tough stuff or what we see as “bad stuff” can help to guide us through life and avoid “chasing after the winds” of life.
And the second passage, from 1st John, helps to us red-flag and avoid what led Solomon to chase after the winds of life. Solomon got off track because he followed after “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life;” and these, according to God’s truth in 1st John 2, are those things which Satan uses to call us to chase after the winds and to find ourselves where Solomon found himself as he was writing, as “the teacher,” the book of Ecclesiastes.
I hope we all glean the lessons Solomon is teaching us as our “teacher” in this book; and we apply them to our lives so that we avoid “chasing after the wind.”
My Prayer Today: … Lord, I chase after You and Your truth. Amen
Sunday, June 17, 2012
June 17, 2012 … Surrounded by Good People
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Proverbs, Chapters 27-29 [NIV] To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage: Proverbs 27: 6, 17, 21 :[NIV] … 6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. … 17 As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. … 21 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but people are tested by their praise.
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Highlight Passage #2: Proverbs 28: 9, 13 :[NIV] … 9 If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, even their prayers are detestable. … 13 Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
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Reference Passage #1: Jeremiah 17: 9 :[NKJV] … The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
My Journal for Today: When you were growing up, did you ever have a parent or a mentor tell you, “You will become like the people you run with and the books you read.” That’s proverbial and biblically sound advice, … and you can read it above.
As I seem to be doing often, going through this chronological read of the Bible this year, I end up referring myself from Scripture memory and my followers here to the truth of Jeremiah 17: 9, which I’ve copied above. My friends, our very being (i.e., “the heart”) is deceitful – to the very core of who we are spiritually. Our flesh is wicked; and it will always make us vulnerable to our spiritual enemies … UNLESS we take action to protect ourselves against self, Satan, and the world. And one of the best ways to do that is to live in the light and avoid the darkness. … BUT, how do we do that?
Well, one of the best battle strategies is to take the advice of our parents who probably did all they could to shepherd us to be surrounded by good and Godly friends, … real friends who would not try to influence us with evil thoughts or choices. I’ve learned in my life that it’s wise, as it says above in Proverbs 27: 6, 17 to be surrounded by people who will give me the straight stuff, not just trying to tickle my fancy with flattery. It is absolutely true that “iron sharpens iron;” and I will never grow sharper and stronger if I only want people around me who’ll soothe my deceitful heart with niceties. What we all need in the everyday battles of life is real friends, Godly wise friends, who’re able and willing to tell us the hard truth when we need to hear it.
As Proverbs 28: 9, 13 tell us (see above), we have this default, human tendency to hide ourselves in the darkness when we sin. It’s inherited! We can’t help the tendency to cover-up our selfish choices. Even two-year-olds will lie to cover up when they know they’ve done wrong. You may have seen it in your kids or grandkids. As sinful creatures, we are much like cockroaches; … we want to hide our dirty selves in the darkness. Again, as Jeremiah 17: 9 attests, our hearts are just naturally deceitful and wicked; and we desperately need to have assistance in living in the light rather than more easily and naturally bolting back into the darkness.
Hence is our need to surround ourselves with Godly wisdom and staunchly righteous people who’ll hold us accountable to the truth. These are the real “friends” in life; and the more of these who “have our backs” in life, calling us out when we have sinned or when we’re trying to defend the evil in our lives, the more we’ll be able to live in God’s light, rather than succumbing to the darkness in our sin-ridden hearts.
I pray, as I do below, you are connected with and closely surrounded by cohorts of warriors who “have your back” by being willing to continually shine the light of Christ on your life, never allowing you to bolt and run back into the darkness; and always being willing to sharpen you with God’s truth, gleaned from the ultimate source of light – the Bible. If you have such “real friends,” you’re very likely living in the light of Godliness; but if you are trying to do life as a lone ranger Christian, you’re very vulnerable to a very coy and crafty enemy who wants to draw you back into the darkness of your very vulnerable and deceit-ridden heart.
Beware, my dear one! Go to the light of God’s truth and surround yourselves with honorable and Godly friends who’ll have your back in the battles we face everyday. Be surrounded by fellow warriors who’re wearing God’s full armor, swordsmen who’re adept with the sword of the Spirit, and warriors who know how to take you to the high ground of battle in prayer. When you are surrounded by such co-warriors, my friend, you’ll be surrounded by God’s light and you’ll stay out of the darkness.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, I pray here that all who read here will be surrounded by Your light and love in the honest and realness of friends who live in the light and honestly follow You. Amen
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Highlight Passage: Proverbs 27: 6, 17, 21 :[NIV] … 6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. … 17 As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. … 21 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but people are tested by their praise.
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Highlight Passage #2: Proverbs 28: 9, 13 :[NIV] … 9 If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, even their prayers are detestable. … 13 Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
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Reference Passage #1: Jeremiah 17: 9 :[NKJV] … The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
My Journal for Today: When you were growing up, did you ever have a parent or a mentor tell you, “You will become like the people you run with and the books you read.” That’s proverbial and biblically sound advice, … and you can read it above.
As I seem to be doing often, going through this chronological read of the Bible this year, I end up referring myself from Scripture memory and my followers here to the truth of Jeremiah 17: 9, which I’ve copied above. My friends, our very being (i.e., “the heart”) is deceitful – to the very core of who we are spiritually. Our flesh is wicked; and it will always make us vulnerable to our spiritual enemies … UNLESS we take action to protect ourselves against self, Satan, and the world. And one of the best ways to do that is to live in the light and avoid the darkness. … BUT, how do we do that?
Well, one of the best battle strategies is to take the advice of our parents who probably did all they could to shepherd us to be surrounded by good and Godly friends, … real friends who would not try to influence us with evil thoughts or choices. I’ve learned in my life that it’s wise, as it says above in Proverbs 27: 6, 17 to be surrounded by people who will give me the straight stuff, not just trying to tickle my fancy with flattery. It is absolutely true that “iron sharpens iron;” and I will never grow sharper and stronger if I only want people around me who’ll soothe my deceitful heart with niceties. What we all need in the everyday battles of life is real friends, Godly wise friends, who’re able and willing to tell us the hard truth when we need to hear it.
As Proverbs 28: 9, 13 tell us (see above), we have this default, human tendency to hide ourselves in the darkness when we sin. It’s inherited! We can’t help the tendency to cover-up our selfish choices. Even two-year-olds will lie to cover up when they know they’ve done wrong. You may have seen it in your kids or grandkids. As sinful creatures, we are much like cockroaches; … we want to hide our dirty selves in the darkness. Again, as Jeremiah 17: 9 attests, our hearts are just naturally deceitful and wicked; and we desperately need to have assistance in living in the light rather than more easily and naturally bolting back into the darkness.
Hence is our need to surround ourselves with Godly wisdom and staunchly righteous people who’ll hold us accountable to the truth. These are the real “friends” in life; and the more of these who “have our backs” in life, calling us out when we have sinned or when we’re trying to defend the evil in our lives, the more we’ll be able to live in God’s light, rather than succumbing to the darkness in our sin-ridden hearts.
I pray, as I do below, you are connected with and closely surrounded by cohorts of warriors who “have your back” by being willing to continually shine the light of Christ on your life, never allowing you to bolt and run back into the darkness; and always being willing to sharpen you with God’s truth, gleaned from the ultimate source of light – the Bible. If you have such “real friends,” you’re very likely living in the light of Godliness; but if you are trying to do life as a lone ranger Christian, you’re very vulnerable to a very coy and crafty enemy who wants to draw you back into the darkness of your very vulnerable and deceit-ridden heart.
Beware, my dear one! Go to the light of God’s truth and surround yourselves with honorable and Godly friends who’ll have your back in the battles we face everyday. Be surrounded by fellow warriors who’re wearing God’s full armor, swordsmen who’re adept with the sword of the Spirit, and warriors who know how to take you to the high ground of battle in prayer. When you are surrounded by such co-warriors, my friend, you’ll be surrounded by God’s light and you’ll stay out of the darkness.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, I pray here that all who read here will be surrounded by Your light and love in the honest and realness of friends who live in the light and honestly follow You. Amen
Saturday, June 16, 2012
June 16, 2012 … Using A Powerful Word Today
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Proverbs, Chapters 25-26 [NIV] To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage: Proverbs 25: 11, 15, 18, 23 :[NIV] … 11 Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a ruling rightly given. … 15 Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone. … 18 Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow is one who gives false testimony against a neighbor. … 23 Like a north wind that brings unexpected rain is a sly tongue—which provokes a horrified look.
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Highlight Passage #2: Proverbs 26: 20-28 :[NIV] … Read these nine proverbs from the link above for Chapters 25-26.
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Reference Passage #1: James 3: 1-12 :[NKJV] … To study this passage, go to this link -
My Journal for Today: Today’s chronological reading segment, again taken from the Book of Proverbs, is, according to my Parsons Commentary, a section of proverbs apparently collected by King Hezekiah, primarily for kings, princes, and priests, … i.e., the leaders of God’s people. And from just these two chapters, you will likely note, as I did, that many of these directives deal with using and/or controlling the wild and powerful tongue.
And anytime this subject is discussed in Scripture, I immediately think of the discussion of “the tongue” we find in the book of the New Testament written by the half-brother of Jesus, the leader of the Church in post-resurrection Jerusalem, … James. Jesus’ brother was very concerned about how leaders and teachers used the power of influence in their speech; and hence you can read James’ powerful word pictures and treatise on the power of the tongue in James 3: 1-12 (linked above); and being a minister, Elder, and teacher in my church, verse 3: 1 is always daunting to me, which states that leaders/teachers in a church have greater responsibility to think and say the right things than do other disciples of Christ. Therefore, careful control of “the tongue” becomes something doubly (if not more) important for us church leaders; … but of course, it’s important for all witnesses for and disciples of Christ due to the powerful influence our words have in this age of information.
Have you ever been dealt a decisive, or even crippling, blow by the lying, slanderous, or gossiping tongue of someone else? And in today’s world of emailing, texting, and e-messaging on social websites, what we say – or how we use words from our keyboards – can very quickly and powerfully make or break relationships … or have devastating influence on others.
I think about how young people can – and do – use social media to bully or tear down the egos of their fellow teens; and adults can even be more vicious with the way they use “the tongue” in various social groupings, … yes, even in the church. How often does the effective testimony and/or witness of someone in a church or company become damaged or destroyed by gossip or an ill-used email or texting from one person to another? Today, someone’s reputation can be ripped asunder by one ill-place text or a casual comment of gossip.
The tongue can so quickly rip apart someone’s life; … or … it can do just the opposite with a well-place word of encouragement or affirmation. And the latter is what we need so, so much more of in our culture these days, especially as words are bantered about so rapidly and powerfully. Could you use a word of encouragement today? I’ll bet you could. So, why don’t you turn that around, assuming that someone in your life could also use a little affirmation and let’s you and me make it a point to use our tongues, keyboards, or texting devices to powerfully lift up someone else’s life with a word of encouragement.
Being influenced by God’s word in Proverbs this morning, I’m going to choose to encourage someone today! How about you?!!
My Prayer Today: … Lord, show me someone who needs a word of Your love from my mouth or keyboard today; and help me to use the opportunity to shine Your light of love into their lives by a word of affirmation or encouragement. Amen
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Highlight Passage: Proverbs 25: 11, 15, 18, 23 :[NIV] … 11 Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a ruling rightly given. … 15 Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone. … 18 Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow is one who gives false testimony against a neighbor. … 23 Like a north wind that brings unexpected rain is a sly tongue—which provokes a horrified look.
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Highlight Passage #2: Proverbs 26: 20-28 :[NIV] … Read these nine proverbs from the link above for Chapters 25-26.
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Reference Passage #1: James 3: 1-12 :[NKJV] … To study this passage, go to this link -
My Journal for Today: Today’s chronological reading segment, again taken from the Book of Proverbs, is, according to my Parsons Commentary, a section of proverbs apparently collected by King Hezekiah, primarily for kings, princes, and priests, … i.e., the leaders of God’s people. And from just these two chapters, you will likely note, as I did, that many of these directives deal with using and/or controlling the wild and powerful tongue.
And anytime this subject is discussed in Scripture, I immediately think of the discussion of “the tongue” we find in the book of the New Testament written by the half-brother of Jesus, the leader of the Church in post-resurrection Jerusalem, … James. Jesus’ brother was very concerned about how leaders and teachers used the power of influence in their speech; and hence you can read James’ powerful word pictures and treatise on the power of the tongue in James 3: 1-12 (linked above); and being a minister, Elder, and teacher in my church, verse 3: 1 is always daunting to me, which states that leaders/teachers in a church have greater responsibility to think and say the right things than do other disciples of Christ. Therefore, careful control of “the tongue” becomes something doubly (if not more) important for us church leaders; … but of course, it’s important for all witnesses for and disciples of Christ due to the powerful influence our words have in this age of information.
Have you ever been dealt a decisive, or even crippling, blow by the lying, slanderous, or gossiping tongue of someone else? And in today’s world of emailing, texting, and e-messaging on social websites, what we say – or how we use words from our keyboards – can very quickly and powerfully make or break relationships … or have devastating influence on others.
I think about how young people can – and do – use social media to bully or tear down the egos of their fellow teens; and adults can even be more vicious with the way they use “the tongue” in various social groupings, … yes, even in the church. How often does the effective testimony and/or witness of someone in a church or company become damaged or destroyed by gossip or an ill-used email or texting from one person to another? Today, someone’s reputation can be ripped asunder by one ill-place text or a casual comment of gossip.
The tongue can so quickly rip apart someone’s life; … or … it can do just the opposite with a well-place word of encouragement or affirmation. And the latter is what we need so, so much more of in our culture these days, especially as words are bantered about so rapidly and powerfully. Could you use a word of encouragement today? I’ll bet you could. So, why don’t you turn that around, assuming that someone in your life could also use a little affirmation and let’s you and me make it a point to use our tongues, keyboards, or texting devices to powerfully lift up someone else’s life with a word of encouragement.
Being influenced by God’s word in Proverbs this morning, I’m going to choose to encourage someone today! How about you?!!
My Prayer Today: … Lord, show me someone who needs a word of Your love from my mouth or keyboard today; and help me to use the opportunity to shine Your light of love into their lives by a word of affirmation or encouragement. Amen
Friday, June 15, 2012
June 15, 2012 … So Easily We Forget!
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: 1st Kings, Chapters 9 [NIV] To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Passage of the Day #2: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: 2nd Chronicle, Chapters 8 [NIV] To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage: 1st Kings: 9: 4-9 :[NIV] … Go to link above for 1st Kings 9 and read this passage.
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Highlight Passage #2: 1st Kings: 9: 16 :[NIV] … Pharaoh king of Egypt had attacked and captured Gezer. He had set it on fire. He killed its Canaanite inhabitants and then gave it as a wedding gift to his daughter, Solomon's wife.
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Reference Passage #1: Deuteronomy 17: 16-17 :[NKJV] … 16 But he [any king over Israel] shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall not return that way again.’ 17 Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself.
My Journal for Today: Back into the life and times of Solomon after he built the Temple; and we see how quickly one who has power can forget even the dictates of God, Himself. In today’s study passages, 1st Kings 9 and 2nd Chronicles 8, we read of God reappearing to Solomon to reiterate the covenant the Lord had made with David, i.e., that the line of succession in the progeny of David would never end, as well as God’s warning to David, repeated here to his son, about God’s protection over the Israelites as long as they, including the King and the Priests, were obedient to God’s commands in the Book of the Law.
And how quickly we see that Solomon snubbed God’s commands for any king in Israel (see Deut. 17: 16-17 copied above in the NKJV) as he took on the spoils of a multiple marriage, involving a daughter of the Pharaoh of Egypt, which would have been a double-NO-NO according to God’s regulations on kingship. And we know – from history – that Solomon went on to take on hundreds of wives, accumulating greater wealth in the form of horses, gold, and silver … more NO-NOs, according to God’s kingly boundaries.
And then there was all the subsequent disobedience of God’s people to God’s will, the worst case scenario being the Jews in Jesus’ day, ignoring the very Son of God and having Him crucified. And we know that all of the prophesies which we read meted out to God’s second instructions to Solomon (see 1st Kings 9: 4-9 have come to pass in that the Temple was later destroyed and God’s children were exiled and sent out all over the world.
Read God’s word to Solomon again: “ 6 But if you or your descendants turn away from Me and do not observe the commands and decrees I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, 7 then I will cut off Israel from the land I have given them and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. Israel will then become a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples.”
And today I titled my journal entry - So Easily We Forget!”
If you’re a parent, have you ever set up a boundary for your children when they were young, giving them the consequences if they ignore or rebuff your instructions? Of course, in your mind, you are setting up these limits to protect your child because you don’t want them hurt or worse; but do you expect them to get it the first time? No, of course not, they’re just children; and they’re little sinners, aren’t they? In no time at all, vigilant parents will note the kiddos breaking the “rules” or going past the boundaries which you set for them; and then you have to exercise the punishment or consequences which you set up to show your child that you really meant it when you set up the boundaries. You have to punish the child – in love – even though the punishment might mean some real pain for the child.
Well, here in 1st Kings 9, God, the Father, is telling Solomon, “the child,” a second time, to beware of disobedience; but did Solomon, the child, get it? Obviously not; and it didn’t take him very long to go way past God’s boundaries for the kings of Israel. And he just kept on ignoring God’s boundaries for kings, didn’t he? And in the Book of Ecclesiastes we read of how Solomon – after many years of womanizing and arrogantly accumulating wealth – learned God’s lessons and wrote in the last words of that book (i.e., Ecclesiastes 12: 13-14 [NKJV]): 13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: “Fear God and keep His commandments, … for this is man’s all. 14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, .. whether good or evil.”
My friends, as I go through God’s word this year in my chronological reading plan, I am reminded of many of His guidelines, statutes, and outright laws, many of which I have memorized over the years, … and all of which God has established for my good and for His protection. But … I know how vulnerable I am (again see Jer. 17: 9) to the ploys of our very powerful enemy, Satan, and his worldly sirens, trying to tempt me and pull me away from God’s way and worship and to draw me to do life MY WAY or Satan’s way, worshiping him or myself rather than having my life worship the LORD, Who is the only One worthy of my worship.
Obedience to God is our only viable choice; and living out of His word, showing us the way to live in obedience, is the only way we can succeed as disciples of the Living God. Again, as I have referred my readers here many times for memorization, I refer you to the exhortation of God’s word in Psalm 119: 9-11, 105 and Joshua 1: 8 and Proverbs 3: 5-6 to let God’s truth guide us away from our own sinful nature and to allow God Himself to guide our steps in life.
As God told Solomon [Elder Berry paraphrased] … “My way is the only way! … And it’s My way (of life) or the highway (of death)!” … Not really a choice, is it?
My Prayer Today: … Lord, I will stay in Your word to find Your way and stay with it! Amen
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Passage of the Day #2: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: 2nd Chronicle, Chapters 8 [NIV] To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage: 1st Kings: 9: 4-9 :[NIV] … Go to link above for 1st Kings 9 and read this passage.
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Highlight Passage #2: 1st Kings: 9: 16 :[NIV] … Pharaoh king of Egypt had attacked and captured Gezer. He had set it on fire. He killed its Canaanite inhabitants and then gave it as a wedding gift to his daughter, Solomon's wife.
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Reference Passage #1: Deuteronomy 17: 16-17 :[NKJV] … 16 But he [any king over Israel] shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall not return that way again.’ 17 Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself.
My Journal for Today: Back into the life and times of Solomon after he built the Temple; and we see how quickly one who has power can forget even the dictates of God, Himself. In today’s study passages, 1st Kings 9 and 2nd Chronicles 8, we read of God reappearing to Solomon to reiterate the covenant the Lord had made with David, i.e., that the line of succession in the progeny of David would never end, as well as God’s warning to David, repeated here to his son, about God’s protection over the Israelites as long as they, including the King and the Priests, were obedient to God’s commands in the Book of the Law.
And how quickly we see that Solomon snubbed God’s commands for any king in Israel (see Deut. 17: 16-17 copied above in the NKJV) as he took on the spoils of a multiple marriage, involving a daughter of the Pharaoh of Egypt, which would have been a double-NO-NO according to God’s regulations on kingship. And we know – from history – that Solomon went on to take on hundreds of wives, accumulating greater wealth in the form of horses, gold, and silver … more NO-NOs, according to God’s kingly boundaries.
And then there was all the subsequent disobedience of God’s people to God’s will, the worst case scenario being the Jews in Jesus’ day, ignoring the very Son of God and having Him crucified. And we know that all of the prophesies which we read meted out to God’s second instructions to Solomon (see 1st Kings 9: 4-9 have come to pass in that the Temple was later destroyed and God’s children were exiled and sent out all over the world.
Read God’s word to Solomon again: “ 6 But if you or your descendants turn away from Me and do not observe the commands and decrees I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, 7 then I will cut off Israel from the land I have given them and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. Israel will then become a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples.”
And today I titled my journal entry - So Easily We Forget!”
If you’re a parent, have you ever set up a boundary for your children when they were young, giving them the consequences if they ignore or rebuff your instructions? Of course, in your mind, you are setting up these limits to protect your child because you don’t want them hurt or worse; but do you expect them to get it the first time? No, of course not, they’re just children; and they’re little sinners, aren’t they? In no time at all, vigilant parents will note the kiddos breaking the “rules” or going past the boundaries which you set for them; and then you have to exercise the punishment or consequences which you set up to show your child that you really meant it when you set up the boundaries. You have to punish the child – in love – even though the punishment might mean some real pain for the child.
Well, here in 1st Kings 9, God, the Father, is telling Solomon, “the child,” a second time, to beware of disobedience; but did Solomon, the child, get it? Obviously not; and it didn’t take him very long to go way past God’s boundaries for the kings of Israel. And he just kept on ignoring God’s boundaries for kings, didn’t he? And in the Book of Ecclesiastes we read of how Solomon – after many years of womanizing and arrogantly accumulating wealth – learned God’s lessons and wrote in the last words of that book (i.e., Ecclesiastes 12: 13-14 [NKJV]): 13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: “Fear God and keep His commandments, … for this is man’s all. 14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, .. whether good or evil.”
My friends, as I go through God’s word this year in my chronological reading plan, I am reminded of many of His guidelines, statutes, and outright laws, many of which I have memorized over the years, … and all of which God has established for my good and for His protection. But … I know how vulnerable I am (again see Jer. 17: 9) to the ploys of our very powerful enemy, Satan, and his worldly sirens, trying to tempt me and pull me away from God’s way and worship and to draw me to do life MY WAY or Satan’s way, worshiping him or myself rather than having my life worship the LORD, Who is the only One worthy of my worship.
Obedience to God is our only viable choice; and living out of His word, showing us the way to live in obedience, is the only way we can succeed as disciples of the Living God. Again, as I have referred my readers here many times for memorization, I refer you to the exhortation of God’s word in Psalm 119: 9-11, 105 and Joshua 1: 8 and Proverbs 3: 5-6 to let God’s truth guide us away from our own sinful nature and to allow God Himself to guide our steps in life.
As God told Solomon [Elder Berry paraphrased] … “My way is the only way! … And it’s My way (of life) or the highway (of death)!” … Not really a choice, is it?
My Prayer Today: … Lord, I will stay in Your word to find Your way and stay with it! Amen
Thursday, June 14, 2012
June 14, 2012 …. Yes, … Praise the Lord!
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Psalm 134 … To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Psalm 146-150 … To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage : Psalm 134 …1 Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord who minister by night in the house of the Lord. … 2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord. … 3 May the Lord bless you from Zion, … He who is the Maker of heaven and earth.
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Highlight Passage #2: Psalm 150: 1, 6 … 1 Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; … praise Him in His mighty heavens. … 6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. … Praise the Lord!
My Journal for Today: If one takes the time, as I did this morning, to read through and meditate on the six Psalms in today’s chronological reading plan devotional study [linked above for your study], it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to grasp the theme which God, through the anonymous authors of these songs, has for His children. … Duh! … He wants us to PRASE HIM!
And there was a time, early in my discipleship, when I actually thought that all of these repetitive references to praising God seemed a bit self-centered for God to keep having song writers, poets, and authors of Scripture to make reference to our praising our God. But I have come to realize that these references to praise are coming from the authorship of believers just like you and me, men who have discovered that their (our) God is WAY WORTHY to be praised; and much more than songs and poems and prayers in the Bible, our primary attitude for our Lord should be the same attitude which Jesus had for His Father in Heaven … and that is PRAISE.
Today, the first – very short, but very powerful – Psalm (i.e., Psalm 134) makes reference to the Levites, who were charged by God’s Law to be the models and protectors of our worship and praise of God; and they kept watch over the Temple, continually watching over the place where God was to be praised. And what does this say to us – today? … Well, in today’s New Covenant age, WE ARE THE LEVITES! We are God’s royal priesthood [see 2nd Peter 1: 9]; and our hearts are the temple of God [see 1st Cor. 6: 19]. So when it comes to being the watchmen (or women) on the wall of the Temple so as to hold up continual praise to our Lord, we are the Priesthood, my friend!! And we are the ones to watch over and protect God’s Holy Temple – our own hearts – so that we will be praising God, not just with our prayers, and songs, and church services … but with our very lives! Our 24/7 living should be the place of our lifting of praises to God – by the way we live – and worship for our worthy God.
So, I need to ask myself, from these Psalms of Ascent, all of which start and end with “Praise the Lord!”; … am I God’s Temple of praise to Him by the way I think, say, and live? Because if I’m not being the Priest of God’s temple, serving Him with my life of praise, I am not living up to the role of a Royal Priest the way I should.
My Prayer Today: … Oh, yes, my Lord … PRAISE YOUR HOLY NAME … and may my life be a living worship of Your holiness. Amen
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Psalm 146-150 … To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage : Psalm 134 …1 Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord who minister by night in the house of the Lord. … 2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord. … 3 May the Lord bless you from Zion, … He who is the Maker of heaven and earth.
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Highlight Passage #2: Psalm 150: 1, 6 … 1 Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; … praise Him in His mighty heavens. … 6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. … Praise the Lord!
My Journal for Today: If one takes the time, as I did this morning, to read through and meditate on the six Psalms in today’s chronological reading plan devotional study [linked above for your study], it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to grasp the theme which God, through the anonymous authors of these songs, has for His children. … Duh! … He wants us to PRASE HIM!
And there was a time, early in my discipleship, when I actually thought that all of these repetitive references to praising God seemed a bit self-centered for God to keep having song writers, poets, and authors of Scripture to make reference to our praising our God. But I have come to realize that these references to praise are coming from the authorship of believers just like you and me, men who have discovered that their (our) God is WAY WORTHY to be praised; and much more than songs and poems and prayers in the Bible, our primary attitude for our Lord should be the same attitude which Jesus had for His Father in Heaven … and that is PRAISE.
Today, the first – very short, but very powerful – Psalm (i.e., Psalm 134) makes reference to the Levites, who were charged by God’s Law to be the models and protectors of our worship and praise of God; and they kept watch over the Temple, continually watching over the place where God was to be praised. And what does this say to us – today? … Well, in today’s New Covenant age, WE ARE THE LEVITES! We are God’s royal priesthood [see 2nd Peter 1: 9]; and our hearts are the temple of God [see 1st Cor. 6: 19]. So when it comes to being the watchmen (or women) on the wall of the Temple so as to hold up continual praise to our Lord, we are the Priesthood, my friend!! And we are the ones to watch over and protect God’s Holy Temple – our own hearts – so that we will be praising God, not just with our prayers, and songs, and church services … but with our very lives! Our 24/7 living should be the place of our lifting of praises to God – by the way we live – and worship for our worthy God.
So, I need to ask myself, from these Psalms of Ascent, all of which start and end with “Praise the Lord!”; … am I God’s Temple of praise to Him by the way I think, say, and live? Because if I’m not being the Priest of God’s temple, serving Him with my life of praise, I am not living up to the role of a Royal Priest the way I should.
My Prayer Today: … Oh, yes, my Lord … PRAISE YOUR HOLY NAME … and may my life be a living worship of Your holiness. Amen
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
June 13, 2012 … His Love Endures Forever!
Blogger Note: Yes, God's love does endure forever; and we're feeling it today on our 47th anniversary.
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: 2nd Chronicles , Chapters 6-7 [NIV] To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Psalm 136 [NIV] To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage: 2nd Chronicles 6: 12-21:[NIV] … PLEASE GO TO THIS LINK and meditate on Solomon’s prayer -
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Highlight Passage #2: 2nd Chronicles 7: 1-3:[NIV] … 1 When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. 2 The priests could not enter the temple of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled it. 3 When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the Lord above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, "He is good; … His love endures forever."
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Highlight Passage #3: Psalm 136:[NIV] … PLEASE GO TO THE LINK for Psalm 136 and meditate on the Psalm which repeats the last words in 2nd Chronicles 7: 3 twenty-six times - Link Repeated here -
My Journal for Today: I have a relatively new friend who is the author of the new book depicted in the graphic above in this journal entry. Matthew Bryan wrote the book, SuperPower: … Praying Like The Ancients out of a quest in his own life to recapture the power of prayer which had been exhibited in biblical characters, … just like we read of Solomon praying down fire from heaven in today’s chronological read in 2nd Chronicles 6-7 (I hope you’ve read the assigned chapters today).
Matthew Bryan believes – as do I – that we Christians have the same immutable power of prayer available to us Christians as Solomon had when he prayed to dedicate the Temple as we read of today. Our God is the same God Whom Solomon worshiped; and why would the power of prayer to those believers today be any different than it was for Solomon. And in some respects, we have an advantage in our prayer lives over Solomon, don’t we?
We don’t have to go to THE Temple mount in Jerusalem to experience the glory of the presence of God. Because of Jesus’ finished work on the cross, our temple, as born-again believers IN CHRIST, is our own hearts; and we can go into the Holy of Holies anytime and anywhere to pray down the fire (or glory) of God into our lives. So, as Matthew Bryan asks (and answers) in his book, “Why don’t we pray like the ancients who exhibited Spirit-empowered prayer?” Well, I leave it to you to get Matthew’s book to get that answer; and it can be purchased by going to this link .
But let me give you a little teaser. ... SuperPower prayer – i.e., biblical prayer – is, according to Bryan, answered prayer. It’s deeply relational prayer (i.e., relating closely with God). It’s purifying; and it’s addictive (in the most healthy way!). And I agree with Matthew that many of us don’t capture the power of the biblical ancients in our prayer-life because we’re into stereotypical prayer formulas which are influenced by our culture, our church, our family traditions, and our own flesh.
I hope you read the passages to which I’ve linked you above and see the kind of prayer to which we Christians today can aspire and realize – IF – we’re willing to believe and come to God’s throne of grace fully expectant that God will answer our prayers – maybe not with fire coming down from heaven – but with miraculous and wondrous - answered - prayer which springs out of God’s promises with regard to our prayer life with Him (such as the one I love from Jesus in John 15: 7 - linked here for your meditation ). Do you believe that promise from Jesus?
I do; and I’m going after that promise … even today in my prayers!
My Prayer Today: … Oh yes, Lord. Your love does endure forever!!! >>> And a special prayer of thanks in that regard, Lord, for the dear woman who became my bride 47 years ago today – on of the many significant 13s in my life. And I also thank you for becoming a part of Your bride on 4-13-83 … the most important 13 in my life when I became Yours forever. And now, dear Jesus, both my bride and I are wed to You as our Bridegroom for eternity. … Your love endures forever!! Amen
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: 2nd Chronicles , Chapters 6-7 [NIV] To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Psalm 136 [NIV] To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage: 2nd Chronicles 6: 12-21:[NIV] … PLEASE GO TO THIS LINK and meditate on Solomon’s prayer -
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Highlight Passage #2: 2nd Chronicles 7: 1-3:[NIV] … 1 When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. 2 The priests could not enter the temple of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled it. 3 When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the Lord above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, "He is good; … His love endures forever."
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Highlight Passage #3: Psalm 136:[NIV] … PLEASE GO TO THE LINK for Psalm 136 and meditate on the Psalm which repeats the last words in 2nd Chronicles 7: 3 twenty-six times - Link Repeated here -
My Journal for Today: I have a relatively new friend who is the author of the new book depicted in the graphic above in this journal entry. Matthew Bryan wrote the book, SuperPower: … Praying Like The Ancients out of a quest in his own life to recapture the power of prayer which had been exhibited in biblical characters, … just like we read of Solomon praying down fire from heaven in today’s chronological read in 2nd Chronicles 6-7 (I hope you’ve read the assigned chapters today).
Matthew Bryan believes – as do I – that we Christians have the same immutable power of prayer available to us Christians as Solomon had when he prayed to dedicate the Temple as we read of today. Our God is the same God Whom Solomon worshiped; and why would the power of prayer to those believers today be any different than it was for Solomon. And in some respects, we have an advantage in our prayer lives over Solomon, don’t we?
We don’t have to go to THE Temple mount in Jerusalem to experience the glory of the presence of God. Because of Jesus’ finished work on the cross, our temple, as born-again believers IN CHRIST, is our own hearts; and we can go into the Holy of Holies anytime and anywhere to pray down the fire (or glory) of God into our lives. So, as Matthew Bryan asks (and answers) in his book, “Why don’t we pray like the ancients who exhibited Spirit-empowered prayer?” Well, I leave it to you to get Matthew’s book to get that answer; and it can be purchased by going to this link .
But let me give you a little teaser. ... SuperPower prayer – i.e., biblical prayer – is, according to Bryan, answered prayer. It’s deeply relational prayer (i.e., relating closely with God). It’s purifying; and it’s addictive (in the most healthy way!). And I agree with Matthew that many of us don’t capture the power of the biblical ancients in our prayer-life because we’re into stereotypical prayer formulas which are influenced by our culture, our church, our family traditions, and our own flesh.
I hope you read the passages to which I’ve linked you above and see the kind of prayer to which we Christians today can aspire and realize – IF – we’re willing to believe and come to God’s throne of grace fully expectant that God will answer our prayers – maybe not with fire coming down from heaven – but with miraculous and wondrous - answered - prayer which springs out of God’s promises with regard to our prayer life with Him (such as the one I love from Jesus in John 15: 7 - linked here for your meditation ). Do you believe that promise from Jesus?
I do; and I’m going after that promise … even today in my prayers!
My Prayer Today: … Oh yes, Lord. Your love does endure forever!!! >>> And a special prayer of thanks in that regard, Lord, for the dear woman who became my bride 47 years ago today – on of the many significant 13s in my life. And I also thank you for becoming a part of Your bride on 4-13-83 … the most important 13 in my life when I became Yours forever. And now, dear Jesus, both my bride and I are wed to You as our Bridegroom for eternity. … Your love endures forever!! Amen
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
June 12, 2012 … And God’s People Had Church!
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: 1st Kings, Chapters 8 [NIV] To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Passage of the Day #2: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: 2nd Chronicle, Chapters 5 [NIV] To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage: 1st Kings: 8: 1; 61 :[NIV] … 1 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion. … [After Solomon praised God and prayed for the people he charged the people] … “6 Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God, to walk in His statutes, and to keep His commandments, as at this day. “
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Highlight Passage #2: 2nd Chronicles 5: 2-3; 13-14 :[NKJV] … 2 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion. 3 Wherefore all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto the king in the feast which was in the seventh month. … [when the Ark was in place in the Temple, the people worshiped their Holy God] … 13 It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying, “For He is good; for His mercy endures for ever:” that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord;14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God.
My Journal for Today: Wow! Only two chapters of overlapping historical description in today’s chronological reading assignment; but there is so, so much to which I could address my journal comments. However, in the highlighted segments of these two chapters, which I’ve copied above, you can read of the sense of joy and worshipful exuberance which Solomon and God’s people obviously felt as they brought the Ark of the Covenant into the completed Temple, which took seven years to build. Now, the people had a permanent place to come together to worship God, rather than the mobile “tabernacle,” where they had seen the presence of God for all of their 40 years in wandering through the deserts of the wilderness. And it was God’s timing which had them complete the Temple and bring the Ark, as a symbol of God’s presence, at just the time of the Festival of Shelters (or Tents), which God had established in the times of Moses as an annual way for the people to celebrate God’s protection and guidance of His children.
And what does all of this say to you and me as New Covenant believers now that the Temple has been destroyed and there is no longer Temple worship for God’s people? What does it say to New Testament, Messiah-honoring Christians about the corporate worship of God, now that even Messianic Christians (Jews who believe in Christ) no longer have a Temple for collective worship, having rather to worship under the Synagogue or “church” system. Well, I like what my Parsons commentary gave me this morning in my study of these two chapters in 1st Kings 8 and 2nd Chronicles 5. [See commentary in bold below]
And the reason why I take the time and copy/paste this here for our review is to ask ourselves whether the church where we come together on Sunday mornings to worship is all of what the Temple was for God’s chosen peoples in the time of Solomon. Are we really excited to come to God’s place of worship and to praise/pray as Solomon did when he dedicated the Temple? Are we really coming together on Sunday TO WORSHIP the same loving/forgiving God Whom Solomon dedicated the Temple to worship? Or are we just coming together on Sundays out of habit or tradition or in some way to be seen by others as being believers?
I’ll let you mull over those questions with the hope that we all can become the worshipers in God’s house each Sunday morning as well as 24/7 during the week, … in living out our lives of worship, … the type of worship which God’s people experienced when they gathered in God’s Temple to worship their Lord in the days of Solomon. And to help you mull over this point of worship, let me link you to a wonderful song, performed by Hillsong, which says much about our worship experience in life.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, may every day of my life be “church” or my “temple worship” of You as it should be for all of God’s people. Amen
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Passage of the Day #2: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: 2nd Chronicle, Chapters 5 [NIV] To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage: 1st Kings: 8: 1; 61 :[NIV] … 1 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion. … [After Solomon praised God and prayed for the people he charged the people] … “6 Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God, to walk in His statutes, and to keep His commandments, as at this day. “
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Highlight Passage #2: 2nd Chronicles 5: 2-3; 13-14 :[NKJV] … 2 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion. 3 Wherefore all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto the king in the feast which was in the seventh month. … [when the Ark was in place in the Temple, the people worshiped their Holy God] … 13 It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying, “For He is good; for His mercy endures for ever:” that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord;14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God.
My Journal for Today: Wow! Only two chapters of overlapping historical description in today’s chronological reading assignment; but there is so, so much to which I could address my journal comments. However, in the highlighted segments of these two chapters, which I’ve copied above, you can read of the sense of joy and worshipful exuberance which Solomon and God’s people obviously felt as they brought the Ark of the Covenant into the completed Temple, which took seven years to build. Now, the people had a permanent place to come together to worship God, rather than the mobile “tabernacle,” where they had seen the presence of God for all of their 40 years in wandering through the deserts of the wilderness. And it was God’s timing which had them complete the Temple and bring the Ark, as a symbol of God’s presence, at just the time of the Festival of Shelters (or Tents), which God had established in the times of Moses as an annual way for the people to celebrate God’s protection and guidance of His children.
And what does all of this say to you and me as New Covenant believers now that the Temple has been destroyed and there is no longer Temple worship for God’s people? What does it say to New Testament, Messiah-honoring Christians about the corporate worship of God, now that even Messianic Christians (Jews who believe in Christ) no longer have a Temple for collective worship, having rather to worship under the Synagogue or “church” system. Well, I like what my Parsons commentary gave me this morning in my study of these two chapters in 1st Kings 8 and 2nd Chronicles 5. [See commentary in bold below]
Why is there so much emphasis on the Temple in the Old Testament?
(1) It was a symbol of religious authority. The Temple was God’s way of centralizing worship at Jerusalem in order to ensure that correct belief would be kept intact through many generations.
(2) It was a symbol of God’s holiness. The Temple’s beautiful atmosphere inspired respect and awe for God; it was the setting for many of the great visions of the prophets.
(3) It was a symbol of God’s covenant with Israel. The Temple kept the people focused upon God’s law (the tablets of the Ten Commandments were kept in the Temple) rather than on the kings’ exploits. It was a place where God was especially present with his people.
(4) It was a symbol of forgiveness. The Temple’s design, furniture, and customs were great object lessons for all the people, reminding them of the seriousness of sin, the penalty that sin incurred, and their need of forgiveness.
(5) It prepared the people for the Messiah. In the New Testament, Christ said he came to fulfill the law, not destroy it. Hebrews 8:1, 2 and 9:11, 12 use Temple customs to explain what Christ did when he died for us.
(6) It was a testimony to human effort and creativity Inspired by the beauty of God’s character, people devoted themselves to high achievements in engineering, science, and art in order to praise him.
(7) It was a place of prayer. In the Temple, people could spend time in prayer to God.
(1) It was a symbol of religious authority. The Temple was God’s way of centralizing worship at Jerusalem in order to ensure that correct belief would be kept intact through many generations.
(2) It was a symbol of God’s holiness. The Temple’s beautiful atmosphere inspired respect and awe for God; it was the setting for many of the great visions of the prophets.
(3) It was a symbol of God’s covenant with Israel. The Temple kept the people focused upon God’s law (the tablets of the Ten Commandments were kept in the Temple) rather than on the kings’ exploits. It was a place where God was especially present with his people.
(4) It was a symbol of forgiveness. The Temple’s design, furniture, and customs were great object lessons for all the people, reminding them of the seriousness of sin, the penalty that sin incurred, and their need of forgiveness.
(5) It prepared the people for the Messiah. In the New Testament, Christ said he came to fulfill the law, not destroy it. Hebrews 8:1, 2 and 9:11, 12 use Temple customs to explain what Christ did when he died for us.
(6) It was a testimony to human effort and creativity Inspired by the beauty of God’s character, people devoted themselves to high achievements in engineering, science, and art in order to praise him.
(7) It was a place of prayer. In the Temple, people could spend time in prayer to God.
And the reason why I take the time and copy/paste this here for our review is to ask ourselves whether the church where we come together on Sunday mornings to worship is all of what the Temple was for God’s chosen peoples in the time of Solomon. Are we really excited to come to God’s place of worship and to praise/pray as Solomon did when he dedicated the Temple? Are we really coming together on Sunday TO WORSHIP the same loving/forgiving God Whom Solomon dedicated the Temple to worship? Or are we just coming together on Sundays out of habit or tradition or in some way to be seen by others as being believers?
I’ll let you mull over those questions with the hope that we all can become the worshipers in God’s house each Sunday morning as well as 24/7 during the week, … in living out our lives of worship, … the type of worship which God’s people experienced when they gathered in God’s Temple to worship their Lord in the days of Solomon. And to help you mull over this point of worship, let me link you to a wonderful song, performed by Hillsong, which says much about our worship experience in life.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, may every day of my life be “church” or my “temple worship” of You as it should be for all of God’s people. Amen
Monday, June 11, 2012
June 11, 2012 … Furnishing God’s Temple
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: 1st Kings, Chapters 7 [NIV] To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Passage of the Day #2: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: 2nd Chronicle, Chapters 4 [NIV] To study these chapters, go to this link -
Highlight Passage: 1st Kings: 7: 13-14; 40; 49:[NIV] … 13 King Solomon sent to Tyre and brought Huram, 14 whose mother was a widow from the tribe of Naphtali and whose father was from Tyre and a skilled craftsman in bronze. Huram was filled with wisdom, with understanding and with knowledge to do all kinds of bronze work. He came to King Solomon and did all the work assigned to him. … 40 He also made the pots and shovels and sprinkling bowls. So Huram finished all the work he had undertaken for King Solomon in the temple of the Lord: … 49 the lampstands of pure gold (five on the right and five on the left, in front of the inner sanctuary); the gold floral work and lamps and tongs; … [more items described] …
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Highlight Passage #2: 2nd Chronicles 4: 7 :[NKJV] … [Items for Temple described and repeated in detail] … 7 He [Huram by Solomon’s specifications] made ten gold lampstands according to the specifications for them and placed them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north.
My Journal for Today: Above and below, besides a few highlight passages of text taken from today’s chronological reading in 1st Kings and 2nd Chronicles, you see two photos I took when my wife and I were in Israel – in Jerusalem – in 2009, where an institute there is rebuilding all of the items for what they believe will be the restored Temple, which will, in their orthodox Jewish beliefs, will be rebuilt one day and refurnished exactly as described in these Scripture passages I have studied this morning.
The Institute, there in Jerusalem, has rebuilt hundreds of items to the specifications found in 1st Kings and 2nd Chronicles, along with historical documents which have been found to describe how Solomon had the Temple furnished; and they have these items ready for when, in their beliefs, Messiah comes and ushers in the New Jerusalem.
Now, we of the New Covenant, of course, believe that the Messiah has already come; but we join the Orthodox Jews in the belief that Yeshua (i.e., Jesus) will come again and restore His Temple for the millennial reign on earth; and who knows, perhaps the items, like the giant menorahs pictured above [which were once built as described in 1st Kings 7: 49 and 2nd Chronicles 4: 7, will be used to refurbish the Temple for Jesus when He comes again.
But when we were in Israel, it was impressive to see the faith of these young Jews, so arduously rebuilding the items in preparation for what they believe will be the the coming of their Messiah; and it was a bit disquieting to think that if these young, faithful Jews who don’t receive Christ as their Savior before the return of Yeshua, … because they will never be able to see their Messiah reigning again over His promised peoples, … us knowing that if they die before the 2nd coming, they will spend eternity in hell. It was, to say the least, a disconcerting experience to see these young people so faithfully working to duplicate the items we read about in these passages above and not having a clue about their eternal fate if they could not see that their Messiah had already come and would someday come again. And there were some in our holy land pilgrimage which ached to share the truth with them; but we were not allowed to do so while we were there. We could only pray that these young, faithful Jews would – before they died – come to see the truth of their Messiah as we know Him in Jesus, the Christ.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, help all Your chosen ones see – in their lifetime – the truth of Your coming and the reality that You will come again. Amen
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Passage of the Day #2: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: 2nd Chronicle, Chapters 4 [NIV] To study these chapters, go to this link -
Highlight Passage: 1st Kings: 7: 13-14; 40; 49:[NIV] … 13 King Solomon sent to Tyre and brought Huram, 14 whose mother was a widow from the tribe of Naphtali and whose father was from Tyre and a skilled craftsman in bronze. Huram was filled with wisdom, with understanding and with knowledge to do all kinds of bronze work. He came to King Solomon and did all the work assigned to him. … 40 He also made the pots and shovels and sprinkling bowls. So Huram finished all the work he had undertaken for King Solomon in the temple of the Lord: … 49 the lampstands of pure gold (five on the right and five on the left, in front of the inner sanctuary); the gold floral work and lamps and tongs; … [more items described] …
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Highlight Passage #2: 2nd Chronicles 4: 7 :[NKJV] … [Items for Temple described and repeated in detail] … 7 He [Huram by Solomon’s specifications] made ten gold lampstands according to the specifications for them and placed them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north.
My Journal for Today: Above and below, besides a few highlight passages of text taken from today’s chronological reading in 1st Kings and 2nd Chronicles, you see two photos I took when my wife and I were in Israel – in Jerusalem – in 2009, where an institute there is rebuilding all of the items for what they believe will be the restored Temple, which will, in their orthodox Jewish beliefs, will be rebuilt one day and refurnished exactly as described in these Scripture passages I have studied this morning.
The Institute, there in Jerusalem, has rebuilt hundreds of items to the specifications found in 1st Kings and 2nd Chronicles, along with historical documents which have been found to describe how Solomon had the Temple furnished; and they have these items ready for when, in their beliefs, Messiah comes and ushers in the New Jerusalem.Now, we of the New Covenant, of course, believe that the Messiah has already come; but we join the Orthodox Jews in the belief that Yeshua (i.e., Jesus) will come again and restore His Temple for the millennial reign on earth; and who knows, perhaps the items, like the giant menorahs pictured above [which were once built as described in 1st Kings 7: 49 and 2nd Chronicles 4: 7, will be used to refurbish the Temple for Jesus when He comes again.
But when we were in Israel, it was impressive to see the faith of these young Jews, so arduously rebuilding the items in preparation for what they believe will be the the coming of their Messiah; and it was a bit disquieting to think that if these young, faithful Jews who don’t receive Christ as their Savior before the return of Yeshua, … because they will never be able to see their Messiah reigning again over His promised peoples, … us knowing that if they die before the 2nd coming, they will spend eternity in hell. It was, to say the least, a disconcerting experience to see these young people so faithfully working to duplicate the items we read about in these passages above and not having a clue about their eternal fate if they could not see that their Messiah had already come and would someday come again. And there were some in our holy land pilgrimage which ached to share the truth with them; but we were not allowed to do so while we were there. We could only pray that these young, faithful Jews would – before they died – come to see the truth of their Messiah as we know Him in Jesus, the Christ.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, help all Your chosen ones see – in their lifetime – the truth of Your coming and the reality that You will come again. Amen
Sunday, June 10, 2012
June 10, 2012 … Consider the Outcomes While Building
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: 1st Kings, Chapters 5-6 [NIV] To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Passage of the Day #2: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: 2nd Chronicle, Chapters 2-3 [NIV] To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage: 1st Kings: 5: 12-14 :[NIV] … 12 The Lord gave Solomon wisdom, just as he had promised him. There were peaceful relations between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty. … 13 King Solomon conscripted laborers from all Israel—thirty thousand men.14 He sent them off to Lebanon in shifts of ten thousand a month, so that they spent one month in Lebanon and two months at home..
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Highlight Passage #2: 1st Kings 6: 7 :[NIV] … In building the temple, only blocks dressed at the quarry were used, and no hammer, chisel or any other iron tool was heard at the temple site while it was being built.
My Journal for Today: Now, after an interlude of chronological reading through the Proverbs, we come back to Solomon building God’s Temple, as covered in parallel passages in 1st Kings and 2nd Chronicles, linked above for your study. Today, in my journaling, I’m going to focus on two passages from the 1st Kings version, copied above.
And in 1st Kings 5: 12-14, I was impressed by the wisdom, concern, and sensitivity of Solomon as he recruited three times the number of workers needed, using many from neighboring lands (see the 2nd Chronicles version), which took the pressure off of the families in Israel at the time of this monumental temple-building task. So, often these days we see our governmental leaders having no sensitivity for the family structure when they plan for projects or tax the public to build something in our land. Solomon realized the truth – as the family goes, so goes the nation. Oh, … how I wish our politicos would get that message!
Then, in 1st Kings 6: 7 we read of just how much Solomon revered God in the building of His Temple, honoring the Lord by not having the noise of even one hammer to be heard in Jerusalem, the city of his father, David, as the project was undertaken and completed. All the stone work and building were done at a distance from Jerusalem and brought and assembled on-site to avoid noise in the city, which was primarily done to honor God. How often do we think of GOD FIRST when we’re building our temples [or lives]?
God’s word, in the New Testament, refers to our bodies as being God’s Temple (see 2nd Cor. 6: 19); and so, do we take the stewardship in the building of our physical temple as seriously as did Solomon when he was building God’s Temple? Unfortunately, I think we see (or personally experience) a lot of poor, noisy (i.e., sinful) construction techniques when it comes to the building of our bodies, which is the Temple of God’s Spirit for our lives. Should we not be treating our temple bodies the same way which Solomon treated the building of God’s Temple in his day?
I know, … I’m meddling!! … But I’m doing so out of personal conviction from today’s reading/study; because my human, sloppy default temple-building techniques are way too noisy with my gluttonous dietary habits and lazy exercise disciplines. How about you? Could we be building our body-temple as did Solomon, thinking first of God and His way of building and then being sure that the outcomes of the building were fashioned to consider the families of God?
That’s the message of conviction I get from today’s study; and I am praying to become a better builder of God’s Temple in my life.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, help me to build my body-temple as Solomon did Yours, … first with Your consideration and then being sensitive to the outcomes as they effect my family. Amen
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Passage of the Day #2: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: 2nd Chronicle, Chapters 2-3 [NIV] To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage: 1st Kings: 5: 12-14 :[NIV] … 12 The Lord gave Solomon wisdom, just as he had promised him. There were peaceful relations between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty. … 13 King Solomon conscripted laborers from all Israel—thirty thousand men.14 He sent them off to Lebanon in shifts of ten thousand a month, so that they spent one month in Lebanon and two months at home..
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Highlight Passage #2: 1st Kings 6: 7 :[NIV] … In building the temple, only blocks dressed at the quarry were used, and no hammer, chisel or any other iron tool was heard at the temple site while it was being built.
My Journal for Today: Now, after an interlude of chronological reading through the Proverbs, we come back to Solomon building God’s Temple, as covered in parallel passages in 1st Kings and 2nd Chronicles, linked above for your study. Today, in my journaling, I’m going to focus on two passages from the 1st Kings version, copied above.
And in 1st Kings 5: 12-14, I was impressed by the wisdom, concern, and sensitivity of Solomon as he recruited three times the number of workers needed, using many from neighboring lands (see the 2nd Chronicles version), which took the pressure off of the families in Israel at the time of this monumental temple-building task. So, often these days we see our governmental leaders having no sensitivity for the family structure when they plan for projects or tax the public to build something in our land. Solomon realized the truth – as the family goes, so goes the nation. Oh, … how I wish our politicos would get that message!
Then, in 1st Kings 6: 7 we read of just how much Solomon revered God in the building of His Temple, honoring the Lord by not having the noise of even one hammer to be heard in Jerusalem, the city of his father, David, as the project was undertaken and completed. All the stone work and building were done at a distance from Jerusalem and brought and assembled on-site to avoid noise in the city, which was primarily done to honor God. How often do we think of GOD FIRST when we’re building our temples [or lives]?
God’s word, in the New Testament, refers to our bodies as being God’s Temple (see 2nd Cor. 6: 19); and so, do we take the stewardship in the building of our physical temple as seriously as did Solomon when he was building God’s Temple? Unfortunately, I think we see (or personally experience) a lot of poor, noisy (i.e., sinful) construction techniques when it comes to the building of our bodies, which is the Temple of God’s Spirit for our lives. Should we not be treating our temple bodies the same way which Solomon treated the building of God’s Temple in his day?
I know, … I’m meddling!! … But I’m doing so out of personal conviction from today’s reading/study; because my human, sloppy default temple-building techniques are way too noisy with my gluttonous dietary habits and lazy exercise disciplines. How about you? Could we be building our body-temple as did Solomon, thinking first of God and His way of building and then being sure that the outcomes of the building were fashioned to consider the families of God?
That’s the message of conviction I get from today’s study; and I am praying to become a better builder of God’s Temple in my life.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, help me to build my body-temple as Solomon did Yours, … first with Your consideration and then being sensitive to the outcomes as they effect my family. Amen
Saturday, June 09, 2012
June 9, 2012 … As We Think – So We Become!
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Proverbs, Chapters 22-24 [NKJV] To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage: Proverbs 23: 6-8 :[NKJV] … 6 Do not eat the bread of a miser, Nor desire his delicacies; 7 For as he thinks in his heart, so Is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, … but his heart is not with you. 8 The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up, and waste your pleasant words. ============
Highlight Passage #2: Proverbs 24: 5-6 :[NKJV] … 5 A wise man is strong, … yes, a man of knowledge increases strength; 6 … for by wise counsel you will wage your own war, … and in a multitude of counselors there is safety.
My Journal for Today: Three more chapters of the Proverbs today; and you’ll have to read through Chapters 22-24, linked above, to glean what God has for you today; but in the two highlight passages above, God spoke to me loudly and clearly this morning, saying, ”Your mind will guide you, Bill; so do all you can to shape your mind to MY way and not your own.”
I think of the mega-wisdom of Proverbs 23: 7a (in the NKJV, copied above), shouts out at me, crying, As a man thinks, in his heart, SO IS HE; and I capitalize the latter phrase because it shouts out that I become how I think. And isn’t that so true, my beloved? Our minds, … i.e., our thinking, … guide our choices and our actions. And even the context of Prov. 23: 6-8, which tells of how we tend to take in what the rich/famous say to us as being true, when, in fact, so often, others – especially those in power – are only trying to capture our favor by expecting us to believe what they say. Think of a political campaign as an example. Do you believe everything that a politician says to you? … Duh!! … Of course, you don’t. Just because someone says something, trying to shape or reshape our minds, doesn’t make it true, does it? Why do you think advertisers use slick imagery to appeal to our minds [?]; … yes, so that we’ll follow our influenced minds, choosing to buy their products/services.
Why do you think Satan has established his beachhead of internet p0rnography in our culture? Yes, to influence the minds of mostly men, to follow their minds into the tarpits of sexual sin. Truly as we think, so we become!
So, how do we protect our minds, and therefore protect our hearts, against the pollution of sinful thought manipulation in our world? Well, … the second of today’s highlighted passages gets at that. Proverbs 24: 5-6 wisely advises us that our strength in doing battle in our world, especially since we know life is a spiritual war EVERY DAY, comes in the strength of the number of truly wise people with whom we surround ourselves. In other words, God’s word here is advising us to surround our minds with those we KNOW can/will give us Godly-wise advice. And beware of making “Lone-Ranger Christian” decisions, especially choices which involve our own, personal feelings.
Feelings can – and many times will – be influenced by our deceitful hearts (see again Jeremiah 17: 9), … hearts which simply cannot be trusted unless the feelings are corroborated by God’s truth and more practically by the advice of others who are wise in the ways of God. Hence, our two mind-protecting and validating strategies must me … #1 … to confirm our feelings against God’s word … and #2 … to use wise counsel to back-check our feelings before deciding.
That’s why the Apostle Paul was so confident to advise the church that they could follow or imitate him (see 1st Cor. 11: 1. He knew that his mind was shaped in/by God’s word; and he was closely following Jesus via God’s Spirit. Therefore, he could say to other Christians, “Follow me, because I follow Christ!” Paul’s mind was protected and filtered through God’s truth; and so, by letting God’s truth lead him, he could confidently tell others to follow his way - … because it was God’s way.
The questions become, … #1 … how confident are we that our minds are so steeped in God’s truth that we will make decisions which are Godly choices rather than selfish one? And secondly, are we surrounded by Godly people who can help us make Godly choices? If we can answer with a confident “YES!” to both of these, we are doing what we need to do to protect our minds and become the Godly person whom God intends for us to become.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, thank You for your truth to guide my steps and for surrounding me with others wise in Your ways to help me walk with You. Amen
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Highlight Passage: Proverbs 23: 6-8 :[NKJV] … 6 Do not eat the bread of a miser, Nor desire his delicacies; 7 For as he thinks in his heart, so Is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, … but his heart is not with you. 8 The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up, and waste your pleasant words. ============
Highlight Passage #2: Proverbs 24: 5-6 :[NKJV] … 5 A wise man is strong, … yes, a man of knowledge increases strength; 6 … for by wise counsel you will wage your own war, … and in a multitude of counselors there is safety.
My Journal for Today: Three more chapters of the Proverbs today; and you’ll have to read through Chapters 22-24, linked above, to glean what God has for you today; but in the two highlight passages above, God spoke to me loudly and clearly this morning, saying, ”Your mind will guide you, Bill; so do all you can to shape your mind to MY way and not your own.”
I think of the mega-wisdom of Proverbs 23: 7a (in the NKJV, copied above), shouts out at me, crying, As a man thinks, in his heart, SO IS HE; and I capitalize the latter phrase because it shouts out that I become how I think. And isn’t that so true, my beloved? Our minds, … i.e., our thinking, … guide our choices and our actions. And even the context of Prov. 23: 6-8, which tells of how we tend to take in what the rich/famous say to us as being true, when, in fact, so often, others – especially those in power – are only trying to capture our favor by expecting us to believe what they say. Think of a political campaign as an example. Do you believe everything that a politician says to you? … Duh!! … Of course, you don’t. Just because someone says something, trying to shape or reshape our minds, doesn’t make it true, does it? Why do you think advertisers use slick imagery to appeal to our minds [?]; … yes, so that we’ll follow our influenced minds, choosing to buy their products/services.
Why do you think Satan has established his beachhead of internet p0rnography in our culture? Yes, to influence the minds of mostly men, to follow their minds into the tarpits of sexual sin. Truly as we think, so we become!
So, how do we protect our minds, and therefore protect our hearts, against the pollution of sinful thought manipulation in our world? Well, … the second of today’s highlighted passages gets at that. Proverbs 24: 5-6 wisely advises us that our strength in doing battle in our world, especially since we know life is a spiritual war EVERY DAY, comes in the strength of the number of truly wise people with whom we surround ourselves. In other words, God’s word here is advising us to surround our minds with those we KNOW can/will give us Godly-wise advice. And beware of making “Lone-Ranger Christian” decisions, especially choices which involve our own, personal feelings.
Feelings can – and many times will – be influenced by our deceitful hearts (see again Jeremiah 17: 9), … hearts which simply cannot be trusted unless the feelings are corroborated by God’s truth and more practically by the advice of others who are wise in the ways of God. Hence, our two mind-protecting and validating strategies must me … #1 … to confirm our feelings against God’s word … and #2 … to use wise counsel to back-check our feelings before deciding.
That’s why the Apostle Paul was so confident to advise the church that they could follow or imitate him (see 1st Cor. 11: 1. He knew that his mind was shaped in/by God’s word; and he was closely following Jesus via God’s Spirit. Therefore, he could say to other Christians, “Follow me, because I follow Christ!” Paul’s mind was protected and filtered through God’s truth; and so, by letting God’s truth lead him, he could confidently tell others to follow his way - … because it was God’s way.
The questions become, … #1 … how confident are we that our minds are so steeped in God’s truth that we will make decisions which are Godly choices rather than selfish one? And secondly, are we surrounded by Godly people who can help us make Godly choices? If we can answer with a confident “YES!” to both of these, we are doing what we need to do to protect our minds and become the Godly person whom God intends for us to become.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, thank You for your truth to guide my steps and for surrounding me with others wise in Your ways to help me walk with You. Amen
Friday, June 08, 2012
June 8, 2012 … Doing Life God’s Way
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Proverbs, Chapters 19-21 [NKJV] To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage: Proverbs 19: 16 : [NKJV]… He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, … but he who is careless of his ways will die.
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Highlight Passage #2: Proverbs 20: 24 :[NKJV] … A man’s steps are of the Lord; … how then can a man understand his own way?
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Highlight Passage #3: Proverbs 21: 2 :[NKJV] … Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, … but the Lord weighs the hearts.
My Journal for Today: Okay, again today three more Chapters in Proverbs, #s 19-21; and today God’s Spirit (I believe) has shown me three proverbs which I – and maybe you – need to heed to live out our lives GOD’S WAY. And the warning for not doing life God’s way comes in the first highlighted proverb above - He who keeps the commandments keeps his soul, … but he who is careless of his ways will die. … And in this guiding truth, we read the reality of the human condition, my nature, which so often leads me to make ill-begotten, even sinful choices (i.e., actions which wreak of death). Why? Because I simply ignore or selfishly circumvent God’s way to do life MY WAY. And right now the old Frank Sinatra standard bubbles to my consciousness, where “Old Blue Eyes,” sings “I did it my way.” If you want to listen to the 1969 hit, go to this link . Our human default just wants to do it our own way, doesn’t it? But God wants us to have the best in life, … HIS BEST. … BUT … the only way we’re ever going to have life at its best is to live it GOD’S WAY; and the only way we’re ever going to do that is to live by His commandments as this first proverb today charges.
But the second of today’s proverbial truths give us a related warning, when it says, A man’s steps are of the Lord; … how then can a man understand his own way? … Life is so complicated and getting more complicated – very quickly – as it passes before us. And so often we move down the roads of life, making ill-begotten, poorly calculated directions, which our lack of understanding or human selfishness dictates; and we just don’t realize that we’re not making those directional choices by following God’s way, … but rather doing it – as Frankie sings – “my way.” And though God always is there with us, even going ahead of us (see Deuteronomy 31: 8), we can be led off of God’s track and into danger because we simply didn’t choose to seek out God’s way and follow it. Oh how it behooves us to take the time to seek out the will and the way of God by heeding His word. Oh, the pain and agony we could avoid!
And finally today we read one succinct warning as to walking down the roads of life, in the final highlight passage above, Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, … but the Lord weighs the hearts. … How many times have you – like me – just knew that we had made the right choice; and walking down the road our choice led us and into really bad consequences. It is so easy to let our deceit-ridden hearts [see Jeremiah 17: 9] con our own minds into thinking that our self-driven choices are what God has for us. Many times this even leads us to doing good things for the wrong reasons. For example, have you ever done something which everyone would consider a “good thing;” but down deep in your heart you were doing it for human recognition and not for the goodness which the action produced? That’s what it means in this proverb by God helping us to do the right thing for HIS heart and glory and not for our own.
Oh, my fellow Christian, … so much of our trek through life needs to be modulated by how we pursue and follow the ways God leads us, rather than doing it “MY WAY.” So, rather than doing life as Sinatra sings, … should we not be doing life … HIS WAY?
Can I just imagine if I really lived life following how Jesus lived His, … fulfilling the old Jewish proverb (and truth) … to … Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind? And if we did do life this way, as Jesus said (in Luke 10: 28, "Do this, and you will live;” what would our life be like?
And as we walk through life today – this very day – and we’re going to make some choices, some of which may be critical; will I do it “MY WAY” or do it GOD’S WAY?
My Prayer Today: … Lord, help me to overcome self and do life YOUR WAY … this very day! Amen
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Highlight Passage: Proverbs 19: 16 : [NKJV]… He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, … but he who is careless of his ways will die.
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Highlight Passage #2: Proverbs 20: 24 :[NKJV] … A man’s steps are of the Lord; … how then can a man understand his own way?
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Highlight Passage #3: Proverbs 21: 2 :[NKJV] … Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, … but the Lord weighs the hearts.
My Journal for Today: Okay, again today three more Chapters in Proverbs, #s 19-21; and today God’s Spirit (I believe) has shown me three proverbs which I – and maybe you – need to heed to live out our lives GOD’S WAY. And the warning for not doing life God’s way comes in the first highlighted proverb above - He who keeps the commandments keeps his soul, … but he who is careless of his ways will die. … And in this guiding truth, we read the reality of the human condition, my nature, which so often leads me to make ill-begotten, even sinful choices (i.e., actions which wreak of death). Why? Because I simply ignore or selfishly circumvent God’s way to do life MY WAY. And right now the old Frank Sinatra standard bubbles to my consciousness, where “Old Blue Eyes,” sings “I did it my way.” If you want to listen to the 1969 hit, go to this link . Our human default just wants to do it our own way, doesn’t it? But God wants us to have the best in life, … HIS BEST. … BUT … the only way we’re ever going to have life at its best is to live it GOD’S WAY; and the only way we’re ever going to do that is to live by His commandments as this first proverb today charges.
But the second of today’s proverbial truths give us a related warning, when it says, A man’s steps are of the Lord; … how then can a man understand his own way? … Life is so complicated and getting more complicated – very quickly – as it passes before us. And so often we move down the roads of life, making ill-begotten, poorly calculated directions, which our lack of understanding or human selfishness dictates; and we just don’t realize that we’re not making those directional choices by following God’s way, … but rather doing it – as Frankie sings – “my way.” And though God always is there with us, even going ahead of us (see Deuteronomy 31: 8), we can be led off of God’s track and into danger because we simply didn’t choose to seek out God’s way and follow it. Oh how it behooves us to take the time to seek out the will and the way of God by heeding His word. Oh, the pain and agony we could avoid!
And finally today we read one succinct warning as to walking down the roads of life, in the final highlight passage above, Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, … but the Lord weighs the hearts. … How many times have you – like me – just knew that we had made the right choice; and walking down the road our choice led us and into really bad consequences. It is so easy to let our deceit-ridden hearts [see Jeremiah 17: 9] con our own minds into thinking that our self-driven choices are what God has for us. Many times this even leads us to doing good things for the wrong reasons. For example, have you ever done something which everyone would consider a “good thing;” but down deep in your heart you were doing it for human recognition and not for the goodness which the action produced? That’s what it means in this proverb by God helping us to do the right thing for HIS heart and glory and not for our own.
Oh, my fellow Christian, … so much of our trek through life needs to be modulated by how we pursue and follow the ways God leads us, rather than doing it “MY WAY.” So, rather than doing life as Sinatra sings, … should we not be doing life … HIS WAY?
Can I just imagine if I really lived life following how Jesus lived His, … fulfilling the old Jewish proverb (and truth) … to … Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind? And if we did do life this way, as Jesus said (in Luke 10: 28, "Do this, and you will live;” what would our life be like?
And as we walk through life today – this very day – and we’re going to make some choices, some of which may be critical; will I do it “MY WAY” or do it GOD’S WAY?
My Prayer Today: … Lord, help me to overcome self and do life YOUR WAY … this very day! Amen
Thursday, June 07, 2012
June 7, 2012 … Do It God’s Way!
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Proverbs, Chapters 16-18 [NKJV] To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage: Proverbs 16: 3, 18 : [NKJV]… 3 Commit your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established. … 18 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. ============
Highlight Passage #2: Proverbs 17: 3 :[NKJV] … The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the Lord tests the hearts.
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Highlight Passage #3: Proverbs 18: 13, 15 :[NKJV] … 13 He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him. … 15 The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
My Journal for Today: I’m on wisdom overload this morning as I’ve been led to go through three chapters of Proverbs each day for the last few days. Each day, I’ve prayed to God’s Spirit to embolden His thoughts, which have come through Solomon, for my enlightenment and edification; and He has, in the Spirit of James 1: 5-6 given me an abundance of what I’ve sought; and today is no different. So let me share a few my own proverbial highlights from today’s meditation.
First, Proverbs 16: 3 is like a pro-active way of living out Prov. 3: 5-6. You know the latter – I hope – … to trust ALL in the Lord, and He will direct our paths. But committing – COMPLETELY – what we do for the Lord, God’s way here will be for Him to give us the mind power to accomplish any/all we do for His glory. The question becomes – am I doing what I’m doing COMPLETELY for my God; or am I doing it for me? Good question, huh?
Next, from the same chapter, this time verse 18, is that old saying that many of us know; but few of us live – that “pride goes before a fall.” Sure, … most Christians want to do life God’s way; but what is the first thing that gets in the way of our living for God’s glory? Yeah, … our PRIDE, … but … maybe I’m the only one in which my lack of humility is the biggest stumbling block to my living the way God would have me live. I’ll have to leave it to you to deal with that tidbit of God’s wisdom; but personally, I’ve got a long way ahead of me in dealing with this proverbial truth. All I can say here, this morning, is, … “OUCH!”
And then, from Proverbs 17: 3 I’m reminded of the reality that life’s hot moments – when I seem to be boiling in circumstantial stress – are likely for my own good and for God’s ultimate glory. And, … the truth of Romans 8: 28 bubbles up to my mind right now … that ALL things work together for the good of anyone who is truly born-again. And when we feel the heat of life, it’s probably just God boiling all the dross out of our soul so that we can be purified to reflect His light more clearly into the world, which is becoming such a murky, dark place.
And finally, the final two verses which popped out at me today, Prov. 18: 13, 15, are really related and are truths to which I really need to pay more attention. And the bottom line from these two verses screams to me that I need to get all the facts before I jump to act. And whoa,… how true that is!! Decisional patience is truly one of my chronic weaknesses. How often do I jump to decide or to act without getting all the info I should have. Well, … confession; … WAY TOO OFTEN!!! Patience is one of the fruit given to all Christians (see Gal. 5: 22, 23); but in my fruit basket of life, this is one fruit that needs more ripening and maturation. And this is one proverb which strikes me where I live; crying out for me to me to get more wisdom – filtered through God’s word – before, so often, I leap before getting all the fact.
Well, those were some jabs which God gave me to the gut this morning. I hope you read through all three chapters of the Proverbs this morning; and if the ones I highlighted here don’t touch you; God will most certainly use the wisdom in these proverbs to touch you with some gem of God’s truth or maybe the heat of his purifying pressure to help you become more of the Christian you need to be. That is my prayer for you today.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, for any who read through your word with me this day, help us all be purified by the heat of Your truth. Amen
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Highlight Passage: Proverbs 16: 3, 18 : [NKJV]… 3 Commit your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established. … 18 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. ============
Highlight Passage #2: Proverbs 17: 3 :[NKJV] … The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the Lord tests the hearts.
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Highlight Passage #3: Proverbs 18: 13, 15 :[NKJV] … 13 He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him. … 15 The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
My Journal for Today: I’m on wisdom overload this morning as I’ve been led to go through three chapters of Proverbs each day for the last few days. Each day, I’ve prayed to God’s Spirit to embolden His thoughts, which have come through Solomon, for my enlightenment and edification; and He has, in the Spirit of James 1: 5-6 given me an abundance of what I’ve sought; and today is no different. So let me share a few my own proverbial highlights from today’s meditation.
First, Proverbs 16: 3 is like a pro-active way of living out Prov. 3: 5-6. You know the latter – I hope – … to trust ALL in the Lord, and He will direct our paths. But committing – COMPLETELY – what we do for the Lord, God’s way here will be for Him to give us the mind power to accomplish any/all we do for His glory. The question becomes – am I doing what I’m doing COMPLETELY for my God; or am I doing it for me? Good question, huh?
Next, from the same chapter, this time verse 18, is that old saying that many of us know; but few of us live – that “pride goes before a fall.” Sure, … most Christians want to do life God’s way; but what is the first thing that gets in the way of our living for God’s glory? Yeah, … our PRIDE, … but … maybe I’m the only one in which my lack of humility is the biggest stumbling block to my living the way God would have me live. I’ll have to leave it to you to deal with that tidbit of God’s wisdom; but personally, I’ve got a long way ahead of me in dealing with this proverbial truth. All I can say here, this morning, is, … “OUCH!”
And then, from Proverbs 17: 3 I’m reminded of the reality that life’s hot moments – when I seem to be boiling in circumstantial stress – are likely for my own good and for God’s ultimate glory. And, … the truth of Romans 8: 28 bubbles up to my mind right now … that ALL things work together for the good of anyone who is truly born-again. And when we feel the heat of life, it’s probably just God boiling all the dross out of our soul so that we can be purified to reflect His light more clearly into the world, which is becoming such a murky, dark place.
And finally, the final two verses which popped out at me today, Prov. 18: 13, 15, are really related and are truths to which I really need to pay more attention. And the bottom line from these two verses screams to me that I need to get all the facts before I jump to act. And whoa,… how true that is!! Decisional patience is truly one of my chronic weaknesses. How often do I jump to decide or to act without getting all the info I should have. Well, … confession; … WAY TOO OFTEN!!! Patience is one of the fruit given to all Christians (see Gal. 5: 22, 23); but in my fruit basket of life, this is one fruit that needs more ripening and maturation. And this is one proverb which strikes me where I live; crying out for me to me to get more wisdom – filtered through God’s word – before, so often, I leap before getting all the fact.
Well, those were some jabs which God gave me to the gut this morning. I hope you read through all three chapters of the Proverbs this morning; and if the ones I highlighted here don’t touch you; God will most certainly use the wisdom in these proverbs to touch you with some gem of God’s truth or maybe the heat of his purifying pressure to help you become more of the Christian you need to be. That is my prayer for you today.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, for any who read through your word with me this day, help us all be purified by the heat of Your truth. Amen
Wednesday, June 06, 2012
June 6, 2012 … Wisdom OR Folly ... Glory OR Gluttony – We Choose!
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Proverbs, Chapters 10-12 [NKJV] To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage: Proverbs 13: 20 : [NKJV]… He who walks with wise men will be wise, … but the companion of fools will be destroyed.
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Highlight Passage #2: Proverbs 14: 12 :[NKJV] … There is a way that seems right to a man, … but its end is the way of death.
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Highlight Passage #3: Proverbs 15: 14 :[NKJV] … The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, … but the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.
My Journal for Today: Once again, I repeat with some degree of assertion, that reading through the Proverbs is a very personal task/assignment; and if you’re following along with me, what I glean through my trek through this book of wisdom may be very different from what any reader of my devotional journal entries might find if he/she was meditating through the same passages of Proverbs. So, I do hope you’re doing your own study and are letting God’s Spirit, as am I, convict/direct your mind/heart to harvest God’s truth FOR YOU as you study through the Proverbs – in this case, today, Chapter 13-15.
For me, though, the three verses, highlighted above jumped off the pages of my reading today, causing me some degree of reinforcement and encouragement; and to journal these impressions, let me first start with highlight passage #2 above, “There is a way that seems right to a man, … but its end is the way of death.” And if you’re like me, a redeemed and grateful sinner, seeking after God’s will and His way in this life, you know, that we sinners are most vulnerable to our own choices, especially since, as God’s word, through Jeremiah (in Jer. 17: 9) we are reminded that our hearts (i.e., our spiritual beings) are wicked beyond measure; and like a wild stallion, our flesh must be broken and tamed unto self-control by our surrender to God’s Spirit. My friend[s], my default mechanism – i.e., my human spirit – is a wild and unruly creature by nature; but praise God, I now have access to the reforming and morphing power of God, the Holy Spirit, Who resides in me, as a saved Christian, to rely upon and to follow as my Savior has commanded me (see Luke 9: 23).
And to help me be in a continual state of recognized brokenness and self-control (i.e., an attitude of humility and meekness, as was modeled by Jesus – see Matt. 11: 29), I think we all need to implement Prove 13: 20; and that is to surround one’s self with cohorts of wise and proven followers of Jesus Christ. I’ve always been stricken by the instructions of Paul to wayward Christians in the wild church (in Corinth) when he wrote to them that they could follow his lead in discipleship because he knew – and was confident – that he (Paul) was following Christ [see 1st Cor. 11: 1]. So, ask yourself, … “Am I following the lead of Christians whom I know are Godly and wise and are closely following God’s will and way by knowing and being led by God’s word?” If we are, we are wise disciples. If we are not, we are FOOLS!
And that brings me to the advice highlighted as #3 today in Proverbs 15: 14, which you can read above. And Solomon’s point here screams out the question, “Are you feeding on God’s wisdom or are you feeding on the junk food offered by the world and all of Satan’s sugar pushers?” Think about it, fellow Christian. We know the result of those who gluttonously chow down on processed sugar poison and junk food. They get stupidly fat and become addicted to the foods of the world. But those we know whose minds/hearts feed, in a disciplined way, on God’s truth – from His word – are lean and mean when it comes to their Christian life. Who are we, … fellow warriors [?], … the fat ones who are so addicted to the sugar poisons of the world; … or are we the lean and mean service machines who can be use for God’s glory because we’re feeding on God’s truth in His word?
Personally, my friends, I’m doing all I can to feed on God’s word – like I have here this morning – eating all that God would want me to consume every day for my spiritual sustenance. And though I do struggle against my obsessive/compulsive gluttonous nature, I do so try to follow disciplined Christians in feeding on the raw power of God’s word which helps me to be lean and ready for action in warfare as a soldier in God’s army.
So, my friends, though I may sound like I’m a bit “cocky,” I repeat Paul’s charge … that you can imitate me, because I’m doing all I can to follow my Lord into battle every day. Common, soldier, … let’s do business for God today, feeding on His word and seeking His ways by following the walk of His proven, effective leaders.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, I submit to others who know Your ways and seek Your will from Your word. Amen
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Highlight Passage: Proverbs 13: 20 : [NKJV]… He who walks with wise men will be wise, … but the companion of fools will be destroyed.
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Highlight Passage #2: Proverbs 14: 12 :[NKJV] … There is a way that seems right to a man, … but its end is the way of death.
============
Highlight Passage #3: Proverbs 15: 14 :[NKJV] … The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, … but the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.
My Journal for Today: Once again, I repeat with some degree of assertion, that reading through the Proverbs is a very personal task/assignment; and if you’re following along with me, what I glean through my trek through this book of wisdom may be very different from what any reader of my devotional journal entries might find if he/she was meditating through the same passages of Proverbs. So, I do hope you’re doing your own study and are letting God’s Spirit, as am I, convict/direct your mind/heart to harvest God’s truth FOR YOU as you study through the Proverbs – in this case, today, Chapter 13-15.
For me, though, the three verses, highlighted above jumped off the pages of my reading today, causing me some degree of reinforcement and encouragement; and to journal these impressions, let me first start with highlight passage #2 above, “There is a way that seems right to a man, … but its end is the way of death.” And if you’re like me, a redeemed and grateful sinner, seeking after God’s will and His way in this life, you know, that we sinners are most vulnerable to our own choices, especially since, as God’s word, through Jeremiah (in Jer. 17: 9) we are reminded that our hearts (i.e., our spiritual beings) are wicked beyond measure; and like a wild stallion, our flesh must be broken and tamed unto self-control by our surrender to God’s Spirit. My friend[s], my default mechanism – i.e., my human spirit – is a wild and unruly creature by nature; but praise God, I now have access to the reforming and morphing power of God, the Holy Spirit, Who resides in me, as a saved Christian, to rely upon and to follow as my Savior has commanded me (see Luke 9: 23).
And to help me be in a continual state of recognized brokenness and self-control (i.e., an attitude of humility and meekness, as was modeled by Jesus – see Matt. 11: 29), I think we all need to implement Prove 13: 20; and that is to surround one’s self with cohorts of wise and proven followers of Jesus Christ. I’ve always been stricken by the instructions of Paul to wayward Christians in the wild church (in Corinth) when he wrote to them that they could follow his lead in discipleship because he knew – and was confident – that he (Paul) was following Christ [see 1st Cor. 11: 1]. So, ask yourself, … “Am I following the lead of Christians whom I know are Godly and wise and are closely following God’s will and way by knowing and being led by God’s word?” If we are, we are wise disciples. If we are not, we are FOOLS!
And that brings me to the advice highlighted as #3 today in Proverbs 15: 14, which you can read above. And Solomon’s point here screams out the question, “Are you feeding on God’s wisdom or are you feeding on the junk food offered by the world and all of Satan’s sugar pushers?” Think about it, fellow Christian. We know the result of those who gluttonously chow down on processed sugar poison and junk food. They get stupidly fat and become addicted to the foods of the world. But those we know whose minds/hearts feed, in a disciplined way, on God’s truth – from His word – are lean and mean when it comes to their Christian life. Who are we, … fellow warriors [?], … the fat ones who are so addicted to the sugar poisons of the world; … or are we the lean and mean service machines who can be use for God’s glory because we’re feeding on God’s truth in His word?
Personally, my friends, I’m doing all I can to feed on God’s word – like I have here this morning – eating all that God would want me to consume every day for my spiritual sustenance. And though I do struggle against my obsessive/compulsive gluttonous nature, I do so try to follow disciplined Christians in feeding on the raw power of God’s word which helps me to be lean and ready for action in warfare as a soldier in God’s army.
So, my friends, though I may sound like I’m a bit “cocky,” I repeat Paul’s charge … that you can imitate me, because I’m doing all I can to follow my Lord into battle every day. Common, soldier, … let’s do business for God today, feeding on His word and seeking His ways by following the walk of His proven, effective leaders.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, I submit to others who know Your ways and seek Your will from Your word. Amen
Tuesday, June 05, 2012
June 5, 2012 … God's Wisdom … For ME ... Today
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Proverbs, Chapters 10-12 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage: Proverbs 10: 3 : [NKJV]… 3 The Lord will not allow the righteous soul to famish, But He casts away the desire of the wicked.
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Highlight Passage #2: Proverbs 11: 24-25 :[NKJV] … 24 There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty.25 The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself.
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Highlight Passage #3: Proverbs 12: 1 :[NKJV] … Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, But he who hates correction is stupid.
My Journal for Today: Now, after going through the first nine chapters of Proverbs in my chronological Bible reading plan, I now come to Chapter 10, which is the beginning of the section of proverbs from Chapter 10 to Chapter 24, which Solomon either wrote or collected and which have been canonized into Scripture as part of God’s wisdom literature for His people. Here’s what my Parsons Commentary states about these chapters of the Book of Proverbs: These short couplets are what we commonly recognize as proverbs. They cover a wide range of topics. The first section was written by Solomon. The next two sections were written by others but collected by Solomon. These sayings give people practical wisdom for godly living at every stage of life.
And because these collected sayings are not God’s commands, but rather God’s collected wisdom, they must be digested and used by the man or woman of God to become a more Godly man or woman. Therefore, this is an individual seeking posture and process; and I cannot, when reading, studying, and meditating upon Proverbs, write my observations, prayerfully sought from the guidance of God’s word and led by God’s Spirit, to apply to YOUR life (i.e., any who might be reading my journal entry today about the proverbs). However, … I will give one bit of personal advice from my take on a powerful New Testament teaching from Jesus’ brother, James, who wrote to wisdom seekers in James 1: 5-6: 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
In other words, and as an example from my reading Proverbs, Chapters 10-12, my citing three highlight verses above which struck my mind and heart as having personal application – FOR ME – may not have an personal application FOR YOU at all. Hence, applying James 1: 5-6 to MY reading of Proverbs, if I’m humbly and diligently seeking God’s wisdom from the Proverbs, deeply believing that God’s Spirit is going to guide my life as I seek His wisdom in these passages (see Prov. 3: 5-6 and Ps. 119: 105), then God will give to ME - generously - what I need for MY life. But YOU have to do YOUR OWN seeking from God’s wisdom literature to find God’s wisdom for YOU and YOUR life. So, this morning the three passages above struck my consciousness as being applicable FOR ME. I hope that you have read the three chapters of Proverbs this morning FOR YOU with a James 1: 5-6 attitude; and YOU have been guided for YOUR LIFE by God’s wisdom today.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, thank you for giving me Your mind through Your word today. Help me to apply it this very day for Your glory. Amen
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Highlight Passage: Proverbs 10: 3 : [NKJV]… 3 The Lord will not allow the righteous soul to famish, But He casts away the desire of the wicked.
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Highlight Passage #2: Proverbs 11: 24-25 :[NKJV] … 24 There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty.25 The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself.
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Highlight Passage #3: Proverbs 12: 1 :[NKJV] … Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, But he who hates correction is stupid.
My Journal for Today: Now, after going through the first nine chapters of Proverbs in my chronological Bible reading plan, I now come to Chapter 10, which is the beginning of the section of proverbs from Chapter 10 to Chapter 24, which Solomon either wrote or collected and which have been canonized into Scripture as part of God’s wisdom literature for His people. Here’s what my Parsons Commentary states about these chapters of the Book of Proverbs: These short couplets are what we commonly recognize as proverbs. They cover a wide range of topics. The first section was written by Solomon. The next two sections were written by others but collected by Solomon. These sayings give people practical wisdom for godly living at every stage of life.
And because these collected sayings are not God’s commands, but rather God’s collected wisdom, they must be digested and used by the man or woman of God to become a more Godly man or woman. Therefore, this is an individual seeking posture and process; and I cannot, when reading, studying, and meditating upon Proverbs, write my observations, prayerfully sought from the guidance of God’s word and led by God’s Spirit, to apply to YOUR life (i.e., any who might be reading my journal entry today about the proverbs). However, … I will give one bit of personal advice from my take on a powerful New Testament teaching from Jesus’ brother, James, who wrote to wisdom seekers in James 1: 5-6: 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
In other words, and as an example from my reading Proverbs, Chapters 10-12, my citing three highlight verses above which struck my mind and heart as having personal application – FOR ME – may not have an personal application FOR YOU at all. Hence, applying James 1: 5-6 to MY reading of Proverbs, if I’m humbly and diligently seeking God’s wisdom from the Proverbs, deeply believing that God’s Spirit is going to guide my life as I seek His wisdom in these passages (see Prov. 3: 5-6 and Ps. 119: 105), then God will give to ME - generously - what I need for MY life. But YOU have to do YOUR OWN seeking from God’s wisdom literature to find God’s wisdom for YOU and YOUR life. So, this morning the three passages above struck my consciousness as being applicable FOR ME. I hope that you have read the three chapters of Proverbs this morning FOR YOU with a James 1: 5-6 attitude; and YOU have been guided for YOUR LIFE by God’s wisdom today.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, thank you for giving me Your mind through Your word today. Help me to apply it this very day for Your glory. Amen
Monday, June 04, 2012
June 4, 2012 … The Two Women In Our Lives
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Proverbs, Chapters 7-9 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage: Proverbs 7: 1-5: [NKJV]… 1 My son, keep my words, And treasure my commands within you. 2 Keep my commands and live, And my law as the apple of your eye. 3 Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 Say to wisdom, You are my sister, And call understanding your nearest kin, 5 That they may keep you from the immoral woman, From the seductress who flatters with her words.
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Highlight Passage #2: Proverbs 8: 1-2 :[NKJV] … 1 Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice? Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice? 2 She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, Beside the way, where the paths meet.
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Highlight Passage #3: Proverbs :9 1, 13-15 :[NKJV] … 1 Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars; … 13 A foolish woman is clamorous; She is simple, and knows nothing. 14 For she sits at the door of her house, On a seat by the highest places of the city, 15 To call to those who pass by, Who go straight on their way.
My Journal for Today: Reading on in Proverbs, chapters 7-9 today, God pictures our everyday struggles of the mind verses the flesh as our response to the proclamations of a woman of wisdom (appealing to the mind) and the allures of the woman of folly (appealing to the flesh). Two women in our lives, … both clamoring for us to follow them, … but using two very different strategies.
The woman, wisdom, is solid, resourceful, and always able to provide all we need for life; but she is pitted against the thieving woman of the senses, the one who clamors with her alluring, sweet voice, which appeals to every part of our flesh. What the woman of folly can supply is only passing; but it is ever so sweet. The woman wisdom, on the other hand, is rock solid; and when we choose to listen to her, she can provide us with all we need to live in life. The fool’s harlot, however, can only give us temporary pleasure, which always leads to some degree of death in our soul.
Solomon wanted his son (as God wants all believers) to recognize that the pursuit of truth (i.e., wisdom) gives all we need for life; and the response to the folly of sensuous pleasure can only lead to death when we choose to respond to her siren call to our senses. And everyday Solomon’s son (and that’s all of us) are going to be faced with these two women, wisdom and folly, crying out for us to follow them; and the one we choose to follow will lead us to life or death.
Jesus gave His disciples this choice one day as a group of followers came after Him. He said (in Luke 9: 23 “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me” In that moment Jesus was speaking the voice of wisdom to those who will also hearing the voice of folly calling to their senses; but they (we) must choose to follow the ultimate voice of wisdom; and that is Jesus as He speaks His truth through His word.
Today, my dear one, we are going to be hearing the voice of the two women, wisdom and folly, crying out to our minds and our senses. We will have to respond to one of them. Which will it be?
My Prayer Today: … Lord, I am here in Your word this morning, listening to Your beautiful voice of wisdom; … and I choose to follow You. Show me Your way of life. Amen
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Highlight Passage: Proverbs 7: 1-5: [NKJV]… 1 My son, keep my words, And treasure my commands within you. 2 Keep my commands and live, And my law as the apple of your eye. 3 Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 Say to wisdom, You are my sister, And call understanding your nearest kin, 5 That they may keep you from the immoral woman, From the seductress who flatters with her words.
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Highlight Passage #2: Proverbs 8: 1-2 :[NKJV] … 1 Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice? Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice? 2 She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, Beside the way, where the paths meet.
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Highlight Passage #3: Proverbs :9 1, 13-15 :[NKJV] … 1 Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars; … 13 A foolish woman is clamorous; She is simple, and knows nothing. 14 For she sits at the door of her house, On a seat by the highest places of the city, 15 To call to those who pass by, Who go straight on their way.
My Journal for Today: Reading on in Proverbs, chapters 7-9 today, God pictures our everyday struggles of the mind verses the flesh as our response to the proclamations of a woman of wisdom (appealing to the mind) and the allures of the woman of folly (appealing to the flesh). Two women in our lives, … both clamoring for us to follow them, … but using two very different strategies.
The woman, wisdom, is solid, resourceful, and always able to provide all we need for life; but she is pitted against the thieving woman of the senses, the one who clamors with her alluring, sweet voice, which appeals to every part of our flesh. What the woman of folly can supply is only passing; but it is ever so sweet. The woman wisdom, on the other hand, is rock solid; and when we choose to listen to her, she can provide us with all we need to live in life. The fool’s harlot, however, can only give us temporary pleasure, which always leads to some degree of death in our soul.
Solomon wanted his son (as God wants all believers) to recognize that the pursuit of truth (i.e., wisdom) gives all we need for life; and the response to the folly of sensuous pleasure can only lead to death when we choose to respond to her siren call to our senses. And everyday Solomon’s son (and that’s all of us) are going to be faced with these two women, wisdom and folly, crying out for us to follow them; and the one we choose to follow will lead us to life or death.
Jesus gave His disciples this choice one day as a group of followers came after Him. He said (in Luke 9: 23 “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me” In that moment Jesus was speaking the voice of wisdom to those who will also hearing the voice of folly calling to their senses; but they (we) must choose to follow the ultimate voice of wisdom; and that is Jesus as He speaks His truth through His word.
Today, my dear one, we are going to be hearing the voice of the two women, wisdom and folly, crying out to our minds and our senses. We will have to respond to one of them. Which will it be?
My Prayer Today: … Lord, I am here in Your word this morning, listening to Your beautiful voice of wisdom; … and I choose to follow You. Show me Your way of life. Amen
Sunday, June 03, 2012
June 3, 2012 … Wisdom – God’s Map Thru the Sexual Minefields
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Proverbs, Chapters 4-6 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage: Proverbs 4: 4-7: [NKJV]… 4 He [Solomon’s Father, David] also taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words; Keep my commands, and live. 5 Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. 6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you. 7 Wisdom is the principal thing; THEREFORE, … get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.”
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Highlight Passage #2: Proverbs 5: 1-4, 21-22 :[NKJV] … 1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom; My son, pay attention to my wisdom; Lend your ear to my understanding, 2 That you may preserve discretion, And your lips may keep knowledge. 3 For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey, And her mouth is smoother than oil; 4 But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword. … 21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, And He ponders all his paths. 22 His own iniquities entrap the wicked man, And he is caught in the cords of his sin.
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Highlight Passage #3: Proverbs 6: 20-24 :[NKJV] … 20 My son, keep your fathers command, And do not forsake the law of your mother.21 Bind them continually upon your heart; Tie them around your neck.22 When you roam, they will lead you; When you sleep, they will keep you; And when you awake, they will speak with you.23 For the commandment is a lamp, And the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,24 To keep you from the evil woman, From the flattering tongue of a seductress.
My Journal for Today: Well, if you’ve read and studied along with me in this chronological trek through the Bible this year, on more than one occasion I have made a reference to a word picture I latched onto from a mentor years ago which has served me so well in dealing with a stronghold of sin in my life. He pointed out to me that one would be wise, if having to traverse a minefield either to follow someone who knew where all the mines were or to have a map of the mines in the minefield. And he went on to insure that I knew and internalized that God’s word – i.e., His truth/wisdom – was God’s map through the minefields, as we tried to avoid the explosive and deadly mines of sin in our lives.
And that is exactly what God was doing for Solomon’s son [and all believers] as Solomon, being the voice of God, the Father, did all he could to pass along the advice that David had given him to avoid one of the deadliest minefields any boy, becoming a man, can avoid and that is the minefield of sexual sin. And because of my past and my now calling in ministry – helping Christian men recover from habitual sexual sin, and learning how to traverse the minefields of sexual sin in our XXX-laden culture – this section of Proverbs has a special and powerful meaning for me.
Here was Solomon, having that dreaded “sex talk” with his boy, … doing all he could to show the lad (which is any immature believer learning to avoid the minefields of sin in life) how to get through the minefields of sexual sin without being severely damaged. And today, apparently as in Solomon’s day, sexual sin is one of Satan’s biggest and most deadly minefields in life. Our spiritual arch enemy has a vast and extremely deadly minefield for anyone in life – especially us guys – to traverse; and as Solomon warns his son in today’s chapters of Proverbs, the only way to get through this minefield successfully is to have God’s word so deeply embedded in our minds/hearts that it becomes God’s map through the minefields.
The author of Psalm 119 knew this when he wrote Psalm 119: 9, 11: How can a young man cleanse his way; … by taking heed according to Your word. … Your word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against You (Lord). And God told Joshua much the same thing as a prescription for spiritual success in all the battles of life which were to be ahead of Joshua, when God proclaimed (in Joshua 1: 8), … You shall meditate in [God’s word] day and night that you may observed to do according to all that is written in it. Then … you will have success …
Knowing – i.e., deeply knowing - God’s word (i.e., His wisdom) and praying to seek God’s wisdom from it (see James 1: 5-6) is the only way to negotiate the minefields of life, especially those laden with sexual bombs, like p0rnography addiction, homosexuality, and other forms of sexual sin. So, I pray that we (Christians) will take heed to this advice from Solomon. Unfortunately he didn’t live by his own advice; and the book of Ecclesiastes chronicles the deadly outcomes which Solomon had to deal with in his life by not heeding God’s map through the minefields.
May we take God’s advice to Joshua [in Joshua 1: 8] and trek successfully through the minefields of life, walking safely and securely by the light of God’s word [see Psalm 119: 105].
My Prayer Today: … Lord, I have Your word secured in my mind and heart as a light unto my path, … and I will use it to move through the minefields of life. Amen
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Highlight Passage: Proverbs 4: 4-7: [NKJV]… 4 He [Solomon’s Father, David] also taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words; Keep my commands, and live. 5 Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. 6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you. 7 Wisdom is the principal thing; THEREFORE, … get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.”
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Highlight Passage #2: Proverbs 5: 1-4, 21-22 :[NKJV] … 1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom; My son, pay attention to my wisdom; Lend your ear to my understanding, 2 That you may preserve discretion, And your lips may keep knowledge. 3 For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey, And her mouth is smoother than oil; 4 But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword. … 21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, And He ponders all his paths. 22 His own iniquities entrap the wicked man, And he is caught in the cords of his sin.
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Highlight Passage #3: Proverbs 6: 20-24 :[NKJV] … 20 My son, keep your fathers command, And do not forsake the law of your mother.21 Bind them continually upon your heart; Tie them around your neck.22 When you roam, they will lead you; When you sleep, they will keep you; And when you awake, they will speak with you.23 For the commandment is a lamp, And the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,24 To keep you from the evil woman, From the flattering tongue of a seductress.
My Journal for Today: Well, if you’ve read and studied along with me in this chronological trek through the Bible this year, on more than one occasion I have made a reference to a word picture I latched onto from a mentor years ago which has served me so well in dealing with a stronghold of sin in my life. He pointed out to me that one would be wise, if having to traverse a minefield either to follow someone who knew where all the mines were or to have a map of the mines in the minefield. And he went on to insure that I knew and internalized that God’s word – i.e., His truth/wisdom – was God’s map through the minefields, as we tried to avoid the explosive and deadly mines of sin in our lives.
And that is exactly what God was doing for Solomon’s son [and all believers] as Solomon, being the voice of God, the Father, did all he could to pass along the advice that David had given him to avoid one of the deadliest minefields any boy, becoming a man, can avoid and that is the minefield of sexual sin. And because of my past and my now calling in ministry – helping Christian men recover from habitual sexual sin, and learning how to traverse the minefields of sexual sin in our XXX-laden culture – this section of Proverbs has a special and powerful meaning for me.
Here was Solomon, having that dreaded “sex talk” with his boy, … doing all he could to show the lad (which is any immature believer learning to avoid the minefields of sin in life) how to get through the minefields of sexual sin without being severely damaged. And today, apparently as in Solomon’s day, sexual sin is one of Satan’s biggest and most deadly minefields in life. Our spiritual arch enemy has a vast and extremely deadly minefield for anyone in life – especially us guys – to traverse; and as Solomon warns his son in today’s chapters of Proverbs, the only way to get through this minefield successfully is to have God’s word so deeply embedded in our minds/hearts that it becomes God’s map through the minefields.
The author of Psalm 119 knew this when he wrote Psalm 119: 9, 11: How can a young man cleanse his way; … by taking heed according to Your word. … Your word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against You (Lord). And God told Joshua much the same thing as a prescription for spiritual success in all the battles of life which were to be ahead of Joshua, when God proclaimed (in Joshua 1: 8), … You shall meditate in [God’s word] day and night that you may observed to do according to all that is written in it. Then … you will have success …
Knowing – i.e., deeply knowing - God’s word (i.e., His wisdom) and praying to seek God’s wisdom from it (see James 1: 5-6) is the only way to negotiate the minefields of life, especially those laden with sexual bombs, like p0rnography addiction, homosexuality, and other forms of sexual sin. So, I pray that we (Christians) will take heed to this advice from Solomon. Unfortunately he didn’t live by his own advice; and the book of Ecclesiastes chronicles the deadly outcomes which Solomon had to deal with in his life by not heeding God’s map through the minefields.
May we take God’s advice to Joshua [in Joshua 1: 8] and trek successfully through the minefields of life, walking safely and securely by the light of God’s word [see Psalm 119: 105].
My Prayer Today: … Lord, I have Your word secured in my mind and heart as a light unto my path, … and I will use it to move through the minefields of life. Amen
Saturday, June 02, 2012
June 2, 2012 … God’s “GPS”
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Proverbs, Chapters 1-3 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage: Proverbs 1: 1-7: [NKJV]… 1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: 2 To know wisdom and instruction, To perceive the words of understanding, 3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, Justice, judgment, and equity; 4 To give prudence to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion 5 A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel, 6 To understand a proverb and an enigma, The words of the wise and their riddles. 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
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Highlight Passage #2: Proverbs 2: 1-5: …[NKJV] 1 My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, 2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; 3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, 4 If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God..
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Highlight Passage #3: Proverbs 3: 5-6: …[NKJV] 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
My Journal for Today: Wow! I’m a bit in awe of where and how to start this journal entry now that my reading plan has led me into the Book of Proverbs; and here today to study the first three chapters. I like what my Parsons Commentary had to say about the Proverbs - ” What the book of Psalms is to prayer and devotional life, the book of Proverbs is to everyday life. Proverbs gives practical suggestions for effective living. This book is not just a collection of homey sayings; it contains deep spiritual insights drawn from experience. A proverb is a short, wise, easy-to-remember saying that calls a person to action.“
Solomon apparently wrote most of the Book of Proverbs, especially the first 9 chapters, early in his kingship; and he was probably led by God’s Spirit to write these poetic signposts to wisdom before his own pride and arrogance got in the way of his own walk with the Lord. In other words [and this is only my observation], … if Solomon had walked-the-walk of life as he wrote about it in his own Proverbs, he would not have ended up compelled to write the book of Ecclesiastes later in his life to confess for himself and to help others to realize that it is so, so easy for us to get complacent, lazy, and so filled with pride that we don’t do what he, Solomon, was trying to get others to do in following God and letting God’s Spirit guide us as believers to a wise and Godly life.
That’s certainly the purpose of the Proverbs, as you can read above in the first highlight passage (Prov. 1: 1-5), where we read Solomon challenging the believer, in this case young, immature, believers, like a father speaking to his son, … to become wise, … with the essence of wisdom coming from one’s fear of (i.e., reverence in following) the Lord. Certainly, Solomon had been given all the tools of intellect by God to have the ability to write what we read in Proverbs. God blessed him with the highest degree of human understanding and Spirit-led insight. But even though He had all of what a human would need to do to live a wise/Godly life; he blew it! What Solomon wrote in Prov. 3: 5-6, copied above, he simply either became prideful and arrogant or just plain lazy in seeking to grow further, motivated by the awe of His God, because we know that he was not able to live up to his own proverbial writings, and he got off track, … not walking-the-walk as he had talked-the-talk [i.e., written] from God’s Spirit.
In other words, somewhere along the way, using Prov. 3: 5-6 as truth, he followed his own, likely, fleshly, understanding, rather than following closely the understanding of life he had been given by God; and he went down the road of vanity as he ended up confessing in Ecclesiastes, which led him to crushing failure.
Dear one, … I hope we’re grasping the lessons which Solomon’s written warnings give us in Proverbs; and we don’t have to come back later in life, having to confess, repent, and be restored onto the path of righteousness from a life diverted into the tarpits of sin. God, through Solomon’s writings in Proverbs wanted us to seek His way and will from His word, living in awe of His holiness and following God’s road to eternal life, … rather than leaning on our own ways and going down the path of selfish pursuit, which can only lead to death.
Incorporating the Godly wisdom of the Proverbs into our life, with the assumption that we know and believe all that is written into the rest of God’s word (i.e., Scripture), we will be given God’s direction-finder, … a Spirit-enhanced “GPS” device [a “Godly Positioning System”], which will, if we follow it, lead us to walk-the-walk of a Godly life.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, I want You as my “GPS” for life; and I mostly find my way by seeking Your will and Your way from Your word. Amen
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Highlight Passage: Proverbs 1: 1-7: [NKJV]… 1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: 2 To know wisdom and instruction, To perceive the words of understanding, 3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, Justice, judgment, and equity; 4 To give prudence to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion 5 A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel, 6 To understand a proverb and an enigma, The words of the wise and their riddles. 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
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Highlight Passage #2: Proverbs 2: 1-5: …[NKJV] 1 My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, 2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; 3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, 4 If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God..
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Highlight Passage #3: Proverbs 3: 5-6: …[NKJV] 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
My Journal for Today: Wow! I’m a bit in awe of where and how to start this journal entry now that my reading plan has led me into the Book of Proverbs; and here today to study the first three chapters. I like what my Parsons Commentary had to say about the Proverbs - ” What the book of Psalms is to prayer and devotional life, the book of Proverbs is to everyday life. Proverbs gives practical suggestions for effective living. This book is not just a collection of homey sayings; it contains deep spiritual insights drawn from experience. A proverb is a short, wise, easy-to-remember saying that calls a person to action.“
Solomon apparently wrote most of the Book of Proverbs, especially the first 9 chapters, early in his kingship; and he was probably led by God’s Spirit to write these poetic signposts to wisdom before his own pride and arrogance got in the way of his own walk with the Lord. In other words [and this is only my observation], … if Solomon had walked-the-walk of life as he wrote about it in his own Proverbs, he would not have ended up compelled to write the book of Ecclesiastes later in his life to confess for himself and to help others to realize that it is so, so easy for us to get complacent, lazy, and so filled with pride that we don’t do what he, Solomon, was trying to get others to do in following God and letting God’s Spirit guide us as believers to a wise and Godly life.
That’s certainly the purpose of the Proverbs, as you can read above in the first highlight passage (Prov. 1: 1-5), where we read Solomon challenging the believer, in this case young, immature, believers, like a father speaking to his son, … to become wise, … with the essence of wisdom coming from one’s fear of (i.e., reverence in following) the Lord. Certainly, Solomon had been given all the tools of intellect by God to have the ability to write what we read in Proverbs. God blessed him with the highest degree of human understanding and Spirit-led insight. But even though He had all of what a human would need to do to live a wise/Godly life; he blew it! What Solomon wrote in Prov. 3: 5-6, copied above, he simply either became prideful and arrogant or just plain lazy in seeking to grow further, motivated by the awe of His God, because we know that he was not able to live up to his own proverbial writings, and he got off track, … not walking-the-walk as he had talked-the-talk [i.e., written] from God’s Spirit.
In other words, somewhere along the way, using Prov. 3: 5-6 as truth, he followed his own, likely, fleshly, understanding, rather than following closely the understanding of life he had been given by God; and he went down the road of vanity as he ended up confessing in Ecclesiastes, which led him to crushing failure.
Dear one, … I hope we’re grasping the lessons which Solomon’s written warnings give us in Proverbs; and we don’t have to come back later in life, having to confess, repent, and be restored onto the path of righteousness from a life diverted into the tarpits of sin. God, through Solomon’s writings in Proverbs wanted us to seek His way and will from His word, living in awe of His holiness and following God’s road to eternal life, … rather than leaning on our own ways and going down the path of selfish pursuit, which can only lead to death.
Incorporating the Godly wisdom of the Proverbs into our life, with the assumption that we know and believe all that is written into the rest of God’s word (i.e., Scripture), we will be given God’s direction-finder, … a Spirit-enhanced “GPS” device [a “Godly Positioning System”], which will, if we follow it, lead us to walk-the-walk of a Godly life.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, I want You as my “GPS” for life; and I mostly find my way by seeking Your will and Your way from Your word. Amen
Friday, June 01, 2012
June 1, 2012 … Living As Christ’s Bride
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Song of Solomon, Chapters 1-8; To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage: Song of Solomon 1: 4: … 4 Take me [the Shulammite maiden] away with you [King Solomon] — let us hurry! Let the king bring me into his chambers.
Highlight Passage #2: Song of Solomon 5: 16: … [Now Solomon’s wife] … 16 His mouth is sweetness itself; he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem.
Highlight Passage #3: Song of Solomon 8: 6: … [Later … Solomon’s wife] … 6 Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.
My Journal for Today: Well, today’s chronological read was – in my estimation – an unfair assignment – to read, reflect, and meditate on the entire book Solomon wrote to capture his love for a Jewish maiden who became his wife; and some scholars say this poetic book allegorically captures God’s love for His people as well as a pre-incarnate picture of Christ, the ultimate Bridegroom, wooing, winning, and loving His Bride – the Church.
So, how can one do all that in one morning?! Not fair!!; … because there is so much beauty, emotion, and down-right sensuality upon which a reader can meditate and reflect in this very different book of the Bible. But this morning I’ve done what my reading plan editors asked; and while I did so, some of my reflections are captured in the three highlight passages I’ve copied above.
And the first of these above is the Shulammite maiden, the beautiful, tanned, young woman whom Solomon was drawn to, expressing her surrender to the King, who swept her off her feet with the sensuality of their feelings for one another. And in this scene, I was taken back to when I was first emotionally swept off my feet by my pursuing prospective Bridegroom, … My Lord, Who, with such power and purpose, swept me from my spiritual foundation and pursued me with His love. And I responded, receiving my Lord’s pursuits, surrendering all that I was to His love and His forgiving grace. He came for His bride; and I was His.
I hope you read through the Song of Songs and reflect on how you are Christ’s bride, sealed forever in an eternal friendship and glorious covenant love relationship; and as our Groom, He is going to come back for us … to take us to His Kingly and heavenly court in order to consummate the relationship for which I am preparing my linens for the wedding feast of the Lamb, … for my beloved Bridegroom, Lord, and King (see Rev. 19: 7-8). Oh what beauty we can read – in the Song of Solomon – of that coming wedding feast.
My second observation, from the second passage listed above, is that my Bridegroom is my “bestest” friend. I know that superlative adjective is not even a word; but when it comes to the eternal relationship I now enjoy – and will enjoy forever – my Savior and Lord, the Bridegroom Who will come for His bride, the Church, sees all who receive His salvation love as HIS “FRIEND,” … just like He referred to the man who was let down through the roof for his healing in Luke 5. I am His bride and He is my friend. How cool is that?!!
And finally, from the third of the passages, copied above, I see my lover and Bridegroom as my protector and the one who will always be there because I’ve been sealed unto His heart forever in a love relationship that cannot be broken. And my fellow Christian, there is nothing more endearing than having that kind of relationship with the One Who gave His all to bind me with Him to eternal life together.
Reading and reflecting on this long assignment may have been a bit of a chore, especially for one, like me, who has a reading disability; but it was well worth it, to have God tell me and show me – in His word – from the pen of Solomon just how much my Lord and King loves me as His Bride; and now in that role, as it says in the passage of Revelations cited above, I need to be preparing my linens (i.e., with my acts of obedient righteousness) for His return, … when He, my King, will take me to His home in heaven to be with Him forever.
My Prayer Today: … Oh, Lord, I am overwhelmed with Your love. Amen
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Highlight Passage: Song of Solomon 1: 4: … 4 Take me [the Shulammite maiden] away with you [King Solomon] — let us hurry! Let the king bring me into his chambers.
Highlight Passage #2: Song of Solomon 5: 16: … [Now Solomon’s wife] … 16 His mouth is sweetness itself; he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem.
Highlight Passage #3: Song of Solomon 8: 6: … [Later … Solomon’s wife] … 6 Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.
My Journal for Today: Well, today’s chronological read was – in my estimation – an unfair assignment – to read, reflect, and meditate on the entire book Solomon wrote to capture his love for a Jewish maiden who became his wife; and some scholars say this poetic book allegorically captures God’s love for His people as well as a pre-incarnate picture of Christ, the ultimate Bridegroom, wooing, winning, and loving His Bride – the Church.
So, how can one do all that in one morning?! Not fair!!; … because there is so much beauty, emotion, and down-right sensuality upon which a reader can meditate and reflect in this very different book of the Bible. But this morning I’ve done what my reading plan editors asked; and while I did so, some of my reflections are captured in the three highlight passages I’ve copied above.
And the first of these above is the Shulammite maiden, the beautiful, tanned, young woman whom Solomon was drawn to, expressing her surrender to the King, who swept her off her feet with the sensuality of their feelings for one another. And in this scene, I was taken back to when I was first emotionally swept off my feet by my pursuing prospective Bridegroom, … My Lord, Who, with such power and purpose, swept me from my spiritual foundation and pursued me with His love. And I responded, receiving my Lord’s pursuits, surrendering all that I was to His love and His forgiving grace. He came for His bride; and I was His.
I hope you read through the Song of Songs and reflect on how you are Christ’s bride, sealed forever in an eternal friendship and glorious covenant love relationship; and as our Groom, He is going to come back for us … to take us to His Kingly and heavenly court in order to consummate the relationship for which I am preparing my linens for the wedding feast of the Lamb, … for my beloved Bridegroom, Lord, and King (see Rev. 19: 7-8). Oh what beauty we can read – in the Song of Solomon – of that coming wedding feast.
My second observation, from the second passage listed above, is that my Bridegroom is my “bestest” friend. I know that superlative adjective is not even a word; but when it comes to the eternal relationship I now enjoy – and will enjoy forever – my Savior and Lord, the Bridegroom Who will come for His bride, the Church, sees all who receive His salvation love as HIS “FRIEND,” … just like He referred to the man who was let down through the roof for his healing in Luke 5. I am His bride and He is my friend. How cool is that?!!
And finally, from the third of the passages, copied above, I see my lover and Bridegroom as my protector and the one who will always be there because I’ve been sealed unto His heart forever in a love relationship that cannot be broken. And my fellow Christian, there is nothing more endearing than having that kind of relationship with the One Who gave His all to bind me with Him to eternal life together.
Reading and reflecting on this long assignment may have been a bit of a chore, especially for one, like me, who has a reading disability; but it was well worth it, to have God tell me and show me – in His word – from the pen of Solomon just how much my Lord and King loves me as His Bride; and now in that role, as it says in the passage of Revelations cited above, I need to be preparing my linens (i.e., with my acts of obedient righteousness) for His return, … when He, my King, will take me to His home in heaven to be with Him forever.
My Prayer Today: … Oh, Lord, I am overwhelmed with Your love. Amen
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