A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” (Proverbs 4:23 NLT) 

What is in our hearts eventually comes out through our words, actions and associations (Matt. 15:19) We have to "guard" our hearts against evil influences and not let them be instructed/influenced by unrighteousness. As our "hearts" go, so go our lives. For me, I have to watch what I see, what I hear, where I go, who has influence in my life, what counsel I'm given, what music plays in my head, what movies I go see, what TV shows I watch, etc. (As you watch your food intake to be healthy, you have to watch your "heart" intake to be holy.) I can't avoid all these things all the time, but I have to "guard" my heart as much as possible to keep evil from getting more ingrained in me. Where evil is already ingrained, I have to "guard" my heart by replacing "bad programming" with "good programming" through scripture, worship, prayer, church gatherings, Christian friendships, etc. This is not a one-time event, but a process for all of us. The technical, biblical term for this "process" is sanctification ("set apart from/to"). We are being "set apart" from some things and we are being "set apart" to others! This is an important aspect of the "process" for how Christlikeness is developed in our lives.

Think about it...

Think about it...when right doctrine no longer matters to us, then the true God no longer matters to us.

As frail humans we see things “imperfectly” (1 Cor. 13:12 NLT), so Christians differ sometimes on the finer points of biblical doctrine. However, showing disinterest in and dislike for doctrine says we don’t think God and His Word are that important! I’d rather a person lovingly disagree with me on a point of doctrine than to say our differences don’t matter. Truth matters and it matters that we seek the truth!

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” (Proverbs 11:2 NLT) 

This is a tough one and it certainly doesn't come naturally to any of us. Humility is possibly the greatest need of mankind, aside from the need to know Christ in salvation. But, you can't even know Christ until you humble yourself to acknowledge that you are a sinner in need of Christ's help. A number of the Proverbs deal with this subject and it comes up again and again before finishing these thirty-one chapters. Humility is not walking around with drooped shoulders always talking about your past failures or poor performance. That's pseudo-humilty because what it does is draw attention to yourself so people will notice you. Humility doesn't seek out attention! Basically, It means acknowledging that you need God's help and that you can't live without it! True humility also acknowledges that everything you have and everything you are comes from God as His gift to you. The humble person turns any praise or recognition received back to God because He's the One that made it possible anyway. Consider these thoughts: Humility causes us to place ourselves under others so that we can lift them up instead of lifting up ourselves. Humility means even if you get used at times by others, you refuse to use others in a similar manner. Humility won't engage in petty arguments in order to prove the other person wrong and itself right. Humility tries to recognize what other people need and seeks to quietly meet that need when possible. Humility understands a spouse's weaknesses/struggles in order not to aggravate or exploit them. Humility loves others as God loves them even when that love isn't reciprocated. Humility acts as a peacemaker when relationships are difficult and troubled, rather than stirring up more trouble. I could go on like this, but you get the point. The humble person puts the interests of others ahead of his own, especially in his family and among his friends. Solomon says that apart from humility you can't be wise! The reason is because the humble ask for help, which is something the proud will never do! I have to ask God for help every...single...day!

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“Don’t say, ‘I will get even for this wrong.’ Wait for the LORD to handle the matter.” (‭Proverbs‬ ‭20‬:‭22‬ NLT)

I think the most difficult word in this verse is, "wait." When you've been wounded you don't want to "wait." You want vengeance now! Justice delayed seems like justice denied. The problem we have as fallible human beings is in bringing justice to a situation...justly. Our emotions and motivations too often get skewed when we are hurting. That's why we have to leave justice to the only One that can execute it justly. Besides, if we all got what we "rightly deserved" (justice) we would all be condemned. Let’s remind ourselves that when we want someone to pay for the wrong they did to us, that the measure of justice we desire for them may well be the measure of justice given back to us. Make the choice to leave vengeance to God and "wait" for Him to "handle the matter."

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can compare with it.” (Proverbs 8:11 NLT)

Acquiring God's wisdom is a lifelong pursuit and more valuable than any other thing you can desire in life. I really like Proverbs 8 because wisdom is personified as a companion of the Lord in all His actions, words and deeds! It's ever present with Him because it's "His" wisdom! Pursuing wisdom in essence means pursuing God! (Another description of wisdom I like is in James 3:17. Don't read that verse unless you are ready to be punched in the gut!) In this chapter wisdom calls out to us, is with Kings that rule well, was with God at the beginning and during creation, gives life to those that find it, etc., etc. Everything God says and does is wise! I'm in need of God's wisdom all the time. Actually, I pray for wisdom all the time. So much of life is confusing apart from God's wisdom. There are still lots of things I don't have figured out yet and I'm waiting on God to give me greater wisdom so I can understand them. What I do know is that operating according to God's wisdom always pays off. That doesn't mean life necessarily gets easier! Sometimes it gets a lot harder because the world we live in rejects God's wisdom. The wisdom of the world is contrary to the wisdom of God...in most every area of life. What having God's wisdom does for us (when we apply it) is give us a sense of direction, confidence and fulfillment...even if everyone else opposes us for doing life God's way. God's wisdom comes through scripture, worship, preaching/teaching, godly counsel, the Holy Spirit's leading, the fear of the Lord, and other similar things! Make God’s wisdom your supreme goal and you’ll soon find yourself seeing the Lord at work everywhere in your life!

A Word From The Wise (i.e., Solomon)...

“When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation.” (Proverbs 10:25 NLT)

This section of proverbs covers lots of different subjects within a single chapter. I chose this verse today because I'm reminded that living for God gives us an anchor for our souls that prevents us from being destroyed by the storms of life that inevitably come. Thinking that we can live our whole lives without having troubles and trials is unrealistic and reveals an incomplete Christian worldview. I'd like to live where there aren't any reversals or hardships, but that doesn't come till I reach Heaven. As long as we live in this sin-cursed world there will be tragedies and troubles that come to us all. The "godly" are the ones that seek God and know how to depend on Him in a crisis. They are the ones that turn to His promises when His "plans'' don't make sense. They learn to "trust His heart" (that He loves them) even when they can't "see His hand" (understand what He's doing). The ungodly, however, have no such anchor for the soul. They can see no purpose or plan for anything in their lives. From their perspective, everything is mere happenstance or fate. When trouble comes they have no one to whom they can turn for help and they have no hope in the middle of the messes of their lives. The godly still hurt when life hurts, but they have a hope that transcends this life. We've all had our share of heartaches. God sees us, knows our pain and will love us through everything we have to face! The stronger we grow in faith, the more stable we become so we aren't "whirled away" by the storms blowing all around us!

Consider This...

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:8 NLT)

There are at least two central truths that are learned through the sufferings of Christ. The first is just how much God hates sin and requires that it be punished. The second is just how much God loves us and showed it by giving His Son to pay our sin penalty. Don't forget the clear testimony of scripture...Christ was dying for "sinners." And, it was the GREATEST display of LOVE known to mankind...EVER!

Consider This...

He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon!" Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:20 NLT)

One day Christ will come again to call His children out of this world. Both the dead bodies of His saints, as well as Christians living at that moment will be translated into His presence. On that day sin, death, crying, pain, sorrow, suffering, injustice, separation, sickness, etc., will be over forever for them. That's a great reason to pray like John, "Come, Lord Jesus!"

Consider This...

Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. (James 1:20 NLT)

There's a time to be righteously indignant, but most of the time our anger is about control, pride, hurt, unforgiveness, revenge, selfishness, etc., etc. Instead of giving someone a piece of your mind, next time give that person/situation to the Lord and let Him give YOU peace OF mind.

 

Consider This...

After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the LORD or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel. (Judges 2:10 NLT)

Parents can't be satisfied with merely imparting a "theoretical faith" to their children. They must lead them into genuine encounters with the living Lord where their faith becomes personal and alive to them. Christianity is not about religious ceremonies, but about an "intimate relationship" with the person of Christ.

Consider This...

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (Romans 8:18 ESV)

You can endure almost anything if you know the outcome will ultimately be good. Mothers go through intense suffering to bring their newborn infants into this world. But, when their little ones are laying peacefully in their arms the pain of childbirth quickly becomes a faint memory. God didn't promise us we'd have no suffering in this world. He did promise us, however, that Heaven will make us forget all our pain when it's replaced with "glory" unspeakable!

Consider This...

He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. (Psalm 103:12 NLT)

There's no need to carry the guilt of your past for another moment. In Christ...your sins are gone forever and you'll never meet them again! Only Satan wants you to be consumed with your past failures. Christ wants you to live in the freedom of His forgiveness.

Consider This...

Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 2:3 NLT)

Paul wrote these words to a young man that had travelled with him and knew the hardships of service to Christ. What Paul experienced from the enemies of the Gospel were also experiences Timothy had to personally endure. Had Paul detected that his friend and co-laborer was being tempted to shy away from further troubles? Or, was he just reminding him to be strong in the face of the battles he faced in his own ministry assignment? Either way, we all need the encouragement to "endure suffering" so that we will be "good soldier[s] of Christ Jesus."

Consider This...

But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood—idols that can neither see nor hear nor walk! And they did not repent of their murders or their witchcraft or their sexual immorality or their thefts. (Revelation 9:20, 21 NLT)

The Apostle John foretells a future time of God's severe judgment on earth. In spite of the fact that the "plagues" He sends are clearly punishment for the trespasses of mankind there will still be many that will "refuse to repent of their evil deeds." So entrenched are some people in their wickedness that even dire circumstances won't turn them to God. It's also the reason a lot of people today become atheists. They'd rather give up God than give up their depraved ways.

Consider This...

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing. (Psalms 143:10 NLT)

The heart of the Psalmist was for God's will and not His own. True joy eludes the person who fails to ask, "O, Lord, what will you have me to do?" A life of fulfillment is found only when you are willing to surrender what you want for what He wants for you.

Consider This...

After Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it, he went up to the Lord’s Temple and spread it out before the Lord. (2 Kings 19:14 NLT)

When Hezekiah got bad news about an impending invasion he did what all of us should do when surrounded by threatening circumstances. He took it to the Lord and "spread it out before" Him in prayer. God is sovereign over everything in our lives and has the power to turn back any aggression against us. It's worth reading "the rest of the story" to see how God protected Hezekiah and the people of Judah. He can do the same for you, too!

Consider This...

And they cried to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb." (Revelation 6:16 NLT)

An old Christmas hymn says that at Christ's first coming He was "meek and mild." But, John indicates that when He returns the second time it will be to execute justice against Christ-rejecting mankind. The Revelation lays out some of the events of those days when people will "cry to the mountains and the rocks" to hide them from "the wrath of the Lamb." Any teaching about God that diminishes the biblical view of His hatred for sin belies the one true God.

Consider This...

So David left the sheep with another shepherd and set out early the next morning with the gifts, as Jesse had directed him. He arrived at the camp just as the Israelite army was leaving for the battlefield with shouts and battle cries. (1 Samuel 17:20 NLT)

David left "the sheep with another shepherd" because responsible people do responsible things! Irresponsible people do irresponsible things! You never leave one task unattended in order to take on another task, no matter how important the new task may seem. If you want to become responsible for greater things, you have to demonstrate responsibility in the lesser things. Dependability is perhaps the greatest "ability" you can develop.

Consider This...

If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise. (Proverbs 15:31 NLT)

Some people just can't accept correction even when it’s offered by those that love them the most and want the best for them. Their pride won’t allow them to hear “constructive criticism” without taking it as a personal offense. Don’t let yourself become one of those people or you’ll never “be at home among the wise.” You stop maturing as a person at the point you stop manifesting a teachable spirit.

Consider This...

A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare. (Proverbs 15:1 NLT)

One of the hardest things to do is stay under control when someone is speaking harshly to you. The natural tendency is to respond in kind and to “give them a piece of your mind.” Maybe that will make you feel better for the moment, but it rarely solves the underlying issue(s) that caused the problem in the first place. When dealing with an angry person you have to respond as gently as possible and be sure to attack the problem, not the person.