Proverbs 15 verse 10: “Correction is grievous to him that forsaketh the way . . .” This can mean more than: the man does not feel comfortable with the correction. The man has gone outside of “the way”. He is either resolute about it and determined to precede in the wrong way, or he is repentant that he has gone wrong.
The resolute one resents the correction and resists it. It is irritating to him and he fights against the correction as one more element of struggle in his life. He does not consider, or does not care, that he has gone against God’s wishes. It is inconvenient, he does not want it, and he fights it.
The repentant one is sorry for his wrong way. He knows he has done wrong and accepts it. The trial is grievous for him because he caused it. It not only renders him hardship, but he knows it is also troubling to the Lord.
Or he may view the correction as a justified trial. It may be a sort of "pop quiz", an occasion to test his character or resolve. It is an opportunity to discover his weaknesses so he can see the need of improvement and attempt to modify his thinking or behavior.
For both correction is an unpleasant task to manage.
Monday, January 14, 2019
Wednesday, January 9, 2019
NOT TOO BAD
Someone said to me, “Not too bad . . .” when he was responding to the question, “How are you?”. To say, “Not too bad” presupposes the whole idea of sin, sin being that which is not measuring up to the standard of “good”. For there to be “bad” there has to be “sin”. For something to be “bad” it is not being done “right”; it is not measuring up to the standard of “good”. Therefore, by definition, bad has to do with sin. When someone is saying, “not too bad” he is saying he is doing a degree of “bad”, but not a sufficient degree to matter to much - - it is not “altogether bad” or “very bad” or “somewhat more bad than I should be doing” - - just, “not too bad”.
A person ought to say, “not too good”. Then he means that, “I am not doing altogether good” or “Of all the good I could do, I am not doing all of it.” He is recognizing his sinfulness. He is saying, “I am a sinner and have done sin (not doing the right thing), therefore everything I have done is not ‘too good’, or, every bit of it has not been ‘entirely good’.”
The “too” is understood in both of the above (‘too bad”, ‘too good”) to mean “too much”. But if any sin is cause for separation from God, is the sin that causes this separation too much? If the result is separation from God, it is too much.
On the other hand, how can someone do “too much good”? If he has done the right, and not the wrong, he has done what he was supposed to do. It can not be “too much” - - but it is impossible. Hence the degree of correction in saying, “not too good”.
If I don’t stop now I’ll get myself into a position where I can not say anything. If I don’t say anything then I can not say anything "bad" ; however, not saying anything prevents me from saying "good" . If I should say good, and I do not, then I am being bad.
A person ought to say, “not too good”. Then he means that, “I am not doing altogether good” or “Of all the good I could do, I am not doing all of it.” He is recognizing his sinfulness. He is saying, “I am a sinner and have done sin (not doing the right thing), therefore everything I have done is not ‘too good’, or, every bit of it has not been ‘entirely good’.”
The “too” is understood in both of the above (‘too bad”, ‘too good”) to mean “too much”. But if any sin is cause for separation from God, is the sin that causes this separation too much? If the result is separation from God, it is too much.
On the other hand, how can someone do “too much good”? If he has done the right, and not the wrong, he has done what he was supposed to do. It can not be “too much” - - but it is impossible. Hence the degree of correction in saying, “not too good”.
If I don’t stop now I’ll get myself into a position where I can not say anything. If I don’t say anything then I can not say anything "bad" ; however, not saying anything prevents me from saying "good" . If I should say good, and I do not, then I am being bad.
Monday, December 31, 2018
ADVANTAGED BELIEVERS
One great advantage the believers have over non-believers is the law - - the written set of standards - - the unchangeable counsel of God. Without the standard, according to Proverbs 13, here is what the wicked get:
o Can’t hear correction (1)
o Contention (10)
o Destroyed, death (14)
o Hard way (15)
o Open folly (16)
o Mischief (17)
o Poverty and shame (18)
o Destroyed {20)
o Pursued by evil(21)
o Loss of inheritance (22)
o Hunger (25)
“Much food is in the tillage of the poor, but there is that is destroyed for want of judgement.” I’ve thought of this as meaning that the poor do not have judgement, so they destroy their own wealth. But someone else explained it as a second party not having judgement which results in making the poor unproductive, such as the government promoting big time agri-business over family farms. It happened also when the government set laws that prevented Fathers living in households that were collecting certain types of welfare. The intention was to keep truly indolent men from taking advantage of a "free ride", but it forced some truly well-intentioned men from caring for their families and made for many single parent households.
I prayed: "Lord, please foil all attempts to destroy the family. Family is your idea and I think you want them strong. Fill fathers and mothers and sons and daughters with your Spirit so they will see and avoid the snares of the enemy. Let the very things that were intended for harm prosper and strengthen families. Let the wicked devices fall back upon the heads of those that formed them."
o Can’t hear correction (1)
o Contention (10)
o Destroyed, death (14)
o Hard way (15)
o Open folly (16)
o Mischief (17)
o Poverty and shame (18)
o Destroyed {20)
o Pursued by evil(21)
o Loss of inheritance (22)
o Hunger (25)
“Much food is in the tillage of the poor, but there is that is destroyed for want of judgement.” I’ve thought of this as meaning that the poor do not have judgement, so they destroy their own wealth. But someone else explained it as a second party not having judgement which results in making the poor unproductive, such as the government promoting big time agri-business over family farms. It happened also when the government set laws that prevented Fathers living in households that were collecting certain types of welfare. The intention was to keep truly indolent men from taking advantage of a "free ride", but it forced some truly well-intentioned men from caring for their families and made for many single parent households.
I prayed: "Lord, please foil all attempts to destroy the family. Family is your idea and I think you want them strong. Fill fathers and mothers and sons and daughters with your Spirit so they will see and avoid the snares of the enemy. Let the very things that were intended for harm prosper and strengthen families. Let the wicked devices fall back upon the heads of those that formed them."
Tuesday, December 25, 2018
IS THE RIGHT LIFE WORTH IT?
We are often tempted to think, as we choose a Godly way over an ungodly way (not fornicating, for example), “Will this really pay out in the end? Is what God says true? Will I get to the end of life and never have had enough sex, money, power, fame?” Life seems to be a process of making that kind of decision over and over. All we can do is have faith that doing what God says will benefit us.
We also see those who have had the sex, money, etc., and who do not live following God’s word. They choose their own way and do not perceive themselves to be missing anything and do not think that they are in trouble in any way.
When we all get to the end of our physical life it will be up to God to show himself faithful. He will be faithful to his word. What his word says means something entirely different for us than for them.
But he shows himself faithful the godly in this life. My wife and I have enough to eat, we do not have the burden of broken relationships (caused by ourselves, at least), we have a measure of contentment.
Should the country fall to pieces we know that riches profit not in the day of wrath. God says righteousness delivers from death. We must believe what God says and trust he will give us the grace to be righteous (Christ is our righteousness) and to deliver us at that time. We know that riches would not help if we had them in the day of wrath. We may not have physical comfort, but we must have faithfulness, we must do the work of the Lord. God will be faithful.
We also see those who have had the sex, money, etc., and who do not live following God’s word. They choose their own way and do not perceive themselves to be missing anything and do not think that they are in trouble in any way.
When we all get to the end of our physical life it will be up to God to show himself faithful. He will be faithful to his word. What his word says means something entirely different for us than for them.
But he shows himself faithful the godly in this life. My wife and I have enough to eat, we do not have the burden of broken relationships (caused by ourselves, at least), we have a measure of contentment.
Should the country fall to pieces we know that riches profit not in the day of wrath. God says righteousness delivers from death. We must believe what God says and trust he will give us the grace to be righteous (Christ is our righteousness) and to deliver us at that time. We know that riches would not help if we had them in the day of wrath. We may not have physical comfort, but we must have faithfulness, we must do the work of the Lord. God will be faithful.
Monday, December 17, 2018
CONTRASTING THE RIGHTEOUS AND WICKED
In Proverbs 11 many verses contrast the outcome of a righteous life compared to a wicked one:
Verse RIGHTEOUS WICKED
4 Delivered from death Riches profit not
5 Way directed Fall by wickedness
6 Deliverance Taken
8 Out of trouble Into trouble
10 Exultation Overthrown
18 Sure reward Deceitful work
19 Tends to life Pursues death
21 Deliverance Punishment
23 Good desire Expects wrath
27 Gets favor Gets mischief
28 Flourish Fall (failing)
30 Tree of life - -
31 Reward in earth Reward in earth
Verse RIGHTEOUS WICKED
4 Delivered from death Riches profit not
5 Way directed Fall by wickedness
6 Deliverance Taken
8 Out of trouble Into trouble
10 Exultation Overthrown
18 Sure reward Deceitful work
19 Tends to life Pursues death
21 Deliverance Punishment
23 Good desire Expects wrath
27 Gets favor Gets mischief
28 Flourish Fall (failing)
30 Tree of life - -
31 Reward in earth Reward in earth
Monday, December 10, 2018
BAD SEED
In Matthew 13 Jesus tells the parable of an enemy planting bad seed. He said: “The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares [bad seed] among the wheat, and went his way.” (24, 25) When asked about this the landowner said, “An enemy hath done this.”
The person that sows discord among brethren is repugnant to the Lord. The sowing may not result in an instant discord, but it is the very start of the discord. There is no stem of strife or root of bitterness until the seed of discord has been planted. We must be very careful never to sow this way: to intend to persuade the opinion of one brother against another. Why would we do this, to get ourselves allies as we oppose the one against whom we are talking?
We get ourselves allies, but we caused two relationships to be destroyed:
1) The one between ourselves and the one we talked against and
2) The one between the brother and brother.
How could this have been an advantage? The results are mistrust, bad feelings and strife where were none before. Is this an accomplishment of which to be proud? How can it be good to be an aggravator and destroyer? Better to choose to be a person of health and healing, a builder, not a destroyer.
The person that sows discord among brethren is repugnant to the Lord. The sowing may not result in an instant discord, but it is the very start of the discord. There is no stem of strife or root of bitterness until the seed of discord has been planted. We must be very careful never to sow this way: to intend to persuade the opinion of one brother against another. Why would we do this, to get ourselves allies as we oppose the one against whom we are talking?
We get ourselves allies, but we caused two relationships to be destroyed:
1) The one between ourselves and the one we talked against and
2) The one between the brother and brother.
How could this have been an advantage? The results are mistrust, bad feelings and strife where were none before. Is this an accomplishment of which to be proud? How can it be good to be an aggravator and destroyer? Better to choose to be a person of health and healing, a builder, not a destroyer.
Tuesday, December 4, 2018
LIGHT FOR THE PATH
Psalm 119:105 "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."
What is a "Lamp", and what is a "Light"? A lamp is a portable or localized light source for seeing your way as you travel, or when you are reading a book. A light is the source of a lamp’s light, it is that which emanates from a flashlight or a table lamp. We could reason that a commandment is a lamp while the Law is the foundation for any commandment. A commandment is more focused and specific while the Law is all of God’s instructions for conduct, moral and otherwise, taken together. Commandments are components of the law, as in the Ten Commandments.
A lamp, or flashlight, illuminates s specific area for us, so does a commandment. One commandment shows “Thou shalt not kill”, , another shows “Thou shalt not seal”, another shows “Thou shalt have no other gods beside me”. As we walk the path of life, we need to remember and follow the commandments as the need arises.
As a light in a room shows all that is in the room, so the law is all of God’s desire for how we should conduct ourselves. In the Room of Life the light of Law shows us we must not kill and have no other god, etc.
The commandments help us to choose the path we should follow, the Law shows general condition of our present position
What is a "Lamp", and what is a "Light"? A lamp is a portable or localized light source for seeing your way as you travel, or when you are reading a book. A light is the source of a lamp’s light, it is that which emanates from a flashlight or a table lamp. We could reason that a commandment is a lamp while the Law is the foundation for any commandment. A commandment is more focused and specific while the Law is all of God’s instructions for conduct, moral and otherwise, taken together. Commandments are components of the law, as in the Ten Commandments.
A lamp, or flashlight, illuminates s specific area for us, so does a commandment. One commandment shows “Thou shalt not kill”, , another shows “Thou shalt not seal”, another shows “Thou shalt have no other gods beside me”. As we walk the path of life, we need to remember and follow the commandments as the need arises.
As a light in a room shows all that is in the room, so the law is all of God’s desire for how we should conduct ourselves. In the Room of Life the light of Law shows us we must not kill and have no other god, etc.
The commandments help us to choose the path we should follow, the Law shows general condition of our present position
Monday, November 26, 2018
QUESTIONING HIDDEN KNOWLEDGE
Proverbs 25:2 "It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter." Why is it a glory to God to conceal a thing? What is it that he conceals? Does not God show us all things?
Well, no. In the book of Revelation God sealed up what the 12 thunders said until after the judgement. No man knows the hour of the last day but the Father in heaven. (Mark 13:32) Even as we consider that God conceals some things, we know that what is to God’s advantage is also to our advantage.
Because God seals a thing up from one person does not mean he does not reveal it to any. While hiding a thing from one person he may reveal that thing to another. This is a reason the saved can understand the Bible but the unsaved cannot. Also, as a proficient teacher, God may keep a thing from a person who may be confused by that thing at an early point in his spiritual development to reveal it to him when he becomes ready for it. It shows his power . . . that mankind just can not know everything there is to know. It shows God’s involvement and concern with men. God keeps his precious things from the godless and controls who gets what
We ourselves do not reveal all. We conceal to hide something because the one seeking it should not have it. We conceal to control the timing of the revelation to the seeker, or to exercise the seeker. You don’t want him to find it, or you want him to have it at some later time, or you want him to exercise some character in the search for it.
Godless reasons to hide knowledge would be: you want what belongs to someone else but can’t have it yourself, so you hide it from the rightful owner. You hate the true owner and want to do them harm. It is to your advantage to delay the receipt of the thing. You don’t like the other and don’t want to be involved with him.
Well, no. In the book of Revelation God sealed up what the 12 thunders said until after the judgement. No man knows the hour of the last day but the Father in heaven. (Mark 13:32) Even as we consider that God conceals some things, we know that what is to God’s advantage is also to our advantage.
Because God seals a thing up from one person does not mean he does not reveal it to any. While hiding a thing from one person he may reveal that thing to another. This is a reason the saved can understand the Bible but the unsaved cannot. Also, as a proficient teacher, God may keep a thing from a person who may be confused by that thing at an early point in his spiritual development to reveal it to him when he becomes ready for it. It shows his power . . . that mankind just can not know everything there is to know. It shows God’s involvement and concern with men. God keeps his precious things from the godless and controls who gets what
We ourselves do not reveal all. We conceal to hide something because the one seeking it should not have it. We conceal to control the timing of the revelation to the seeker, or to exercise the seeker. You don’t want him to find it, or you want him to have it at some later time, or you want him to exercise some character in the search for it.
Godless reasons to hide knowledge would be: you want what belongs to someone else but can’t have it yourself, so you hide it from the rightful owner. You hate the true owner and want to do them harm. It is to your advantage to delay the receipt of the thing. You don’t like the other and don’t want to be involved with him.
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
THINKING ABOUT THE HEART
Here is what we find in Proverbs 16:
V1 The preparations of the heart in man and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
V2 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the lord
V9 A man’s heart deviseth his way, but the Lord directeth his steps
V21 The wise in heart shall be called Prudent.
V23 The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth and addeth learning to his lips.
When we think of a person we often think of “body, soul and spirit”. We can also think of the essence of a person as “heart” of the person. That being said, we could consider the heart encompasses all of a person: body, soul and spirit.
What are the preparations of the heart? Someone, the Lord or the man, is doing something to the heart, getting it ready.
What is the heart? If it is the very innermost seat of a man’s being, that from which his thoughts emanate, it must originate in the man. It can be without God because it can be "proud" (V5). God is not proud. If a man can be proud in heart, he must not be regenerated by God because he is an abomination to God (as stated in verse 2. Yet in a regenerated man the heart must be something God uses because the preparations of it are from the Lord (V1). The heart comes before language and actions (VS 9, 23). Yet something of the Lord seems to be added to the speech and actions intended of the heart: “. . . is from the Lord” (V1), “. . . [God] directeth his steps” (V9).
• Is the heart thinking, or feeling, or both?
• Does a condition of the heart expressing itself to the outside influence the flesh to produce chemicals that lead to feelings such as joy or fear or even health or sickness?
• Is the joy or fear within the heart itself?
• Does the heart have emotion or are the emotions the result of something else or do they stand by themselves?
• The heart must be under ownership of the man because a Proud one in an abomination of the Lord. God does not make abominations. A man can direct his heart away from God and become an abomination.
• “There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” shows that the heart can continue from birth through eternity, in this case an eternity in hell.
• So, the heart could be the decision-making seat of a person, the essence of the character of a person, the spiritual essence of a person, a sub-lingual, pre-action impetus.
Monday, November 12, 2018
THE FROWARD MAN
What is a “forward” man? To define the word: Fro = from, back; Ward = suffix, indicating direction, as in "toward", "backward", "afterward"
A forward man willfully goes away from; goes in a direction from; opposes what is being said or done, no matter what it is. A forward person is like a whetting agent that makes things separate away or from, like soap disperses oil and grease. The direction does not count, only that things go “from”.
In Proverbs 6 we see what the wicked man does when he:
• Walks with a forward mouth - - It is his manner to oppose everything.
• Winks with his eyes - - He may say one thing but indicates by a wink that he means something else
• Speaks with his feet - - You can tell what he really means by where his feet take him (which would be away from whatever is being discussed or done.)
• Teaches with his fingers - - Points or states his opposition “one by one”; makes careful arguments against. Maybe not even careful arguments, just arguments against.
• Frowardness is in his heart - - Is a problem rooted in his very nature and has nothing to do with the issue he is “going from”.
• Devises mischief continually - - He will invent ways to subvert the issue in question at all times. He is comfortable with being in opposition.
• Sows discord - - Gets people disagreeing with each other.
The Bible says he will be broken without remedy (v15)
A forward man willfully goes away from; goes in a direction from; opposes what is being said or done, no matter what it is. A forward person is like a whetting agent that makes things separate away or from, like soap disperses oil and grease. The direction does not count, only that things go “from”.
In Proverbs 6 we see what the wicked man does when he:
• Walks with a forward mouth - - It is his manner to oppose everything.
• Winks with his eyes - - He may say one thing but indicates by a wink that he means something else
• Speaks with his feet - - You can tell what he really means by where his feet take him (which would be away from whatever is being discussed or done.)
• Teaches with his fingers - - Points or states his opposition “one by one”; makes careful arguments against. Maybe not even careful arguments, just arguments against.
• Frowardness is in his heart - - Is a problem rooted in his very nature and has nothing to do with the issue he is “going from”.
• Devises mischief continually - - He will invent ways to subvert the issue in question at all times. He is comfortable with being in opposition.
• Sows discord - - Gets people disagreeing with each other.
The Bible says he will be broken without remedy (v15)
Monday, November 5, 2018
BC AND AFTER BC
Before I was a Christian, being in church really felt like a dead place. No wonder, since at that time I considered myself a Unitarian. I felt that way particularly about Catholic worship observing their rites, clerical apparel, bells and smells, etc. I have no idea why I, as an atheistic Unitarian, would have a clue, let alone a right, to judge any other religion as “dead”. I felt it was a peculiar waste of time, sort of like a Unitarian service. When people talked of their “love of God” it sounded like such a hard effort, full or various requirements, and ultimately a useless one.
But since I came to know Christ, I do not feel a deadness in my religion. I think there are people in every Christian church who understand who Christ is, what he did, and what he will do. These are the “Saved”. There are others who do not know, who are the “unsaved”. I think this is what the book of Romans describes. When we were in the law ritualistically performing only the rites, the actions and reciting the “proper” words, and in the flesh, we were dead. But now that we are in Christ (know who Christ is, what he did, and what he will do) we are alive. When I was not a Christian (BC) I was spiritually dead; now that I am a Christian (after BC) I am spiritually alive.
But since I came to know Christ, I do not feel a deadness in my religion. I think there are people in every Christian church who understand who Christ is, what he did, and what he will do. These are the “Saved”. There are others who do not know, who are the “unsaved”. I think this is what the book of Romans describes. When we were in the law ritualistically performing only the rites, the actions and reciting the “proper” words, and in the flesh, we were dead. But now that we are in Christ (know who Christ is, what he did, and what he will do) we are alive. When I was not a Christian (BC) I was spiritually dead; now that I am a Christian (after BC) I am spiritually alive.
Wednesday, October 31, 2018
KEEPING TO THE ROAD
When God came to earth as Jesus he walked the road of righteousness and fellowship with us. The Nature of God is to have an open, giving hand; it is his heart to be in relationship with others; he is of action and came to live as an example for us and then to be a sinless sacrifice for our sins in our place and to take power and rise again for our forgiveness and benefit.
It is not God’s nature to be selfish; to keep in his own hands, to be unaffected in relationships with others; to refrain from action and to withhold his involvement.
(Prov 16:4) God made all things for himself - - even the wicked for the day of evil. I do not think that God made the wicked just to destroy them. I think they, the wicked, chose to walk in the wrong road, to make themselves evil. So, God was constrained to make a day of evil for them. A Day of Evil had already happened once before, as in the flood.
The wicked said to themselves, “We do not want to be this way. What we want is to close our hands, not open them. We want all relations to others to be for our benefit. We want things for ourselves and for situations to go our own ways. We want others to do what we want them to do, what is best for us. We do not want to do these things that God wants us to do.”
(Prov 18:17)
"The highway of the upright is to depart from evil"
The road stretches out ahead of us
Distant images shimmering in the heart
What are these distant images?
Jesus
Heaven’s Gates
A wholesome family
Useful ministry
A clean life
We are driving away from evil
This is the purpose for our being on this road
To leave evil behind.
Our mind should be, “I am leaving evil behind.”
Don’t turn off this road for
“he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.”
Keep to the road.
It is not God’s nature to be selfish; to keep in his own hands, to be unaffected in relationships with others; to refrain from action and to withhold his involvement.
(Prov 16:4) God made all things for himself - - even the wicked for the day of evil. I do not think that God made the wicked just to destroy them. I think they, the wicked, chose to walk in the wrong road, to make themselves evil. So, God was constrained to make a day of evil for them. A Day of Evil had already happened once before, as in the flood.
The wicked said to themselves, “We do not want to be this way. What we want is to close our hands, not open them. We want all relations to others to be for our benefit. We want things for ourselves and for situations to go our own ways. We want others to do what we want them to do, what is best for us. We do not want to do these things that God wants us to do.”
(Prov 18:17)
"The highway of the upright is to depart from evil"
The road stretches out ahead of us
Distant images shimmering in the heart
What are these distant images?
Jesus
Heaven’s Gates
A wholesome family
Useful ministry
A clean life
We are driving away from evil
This is the purpose for our being on this road
To leave evil behind.
Our mind should be, “I am leaving evil behind.”
Don’t turn off this road for
“he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.”
Keep to the road.
Monday, October 22, 2018
SCREENING OUT GOD’S LIGHT
People keep wanting to put something between themselves and God. God wanted them to go up to the maintain to hear his law; they said, “Moses, you go up for us.” God wanted them to follow his directions for themselves, listening directly to him: they said, “We want a king like all the other nations have.”
Using an idol a man built a screen
Blocking God’s law with a shadow
Hoping in shade that he would not be seen
But rot soaked his bones to the marrow
We also tend to put up idols in the place of God. Isiah 40 speaks of how God will come in power and glory. It then moves into how the whole earth is as nothing before him. It then moves into a place where one goes to build an image.
Maybe it is a “natural” thing for men, when faced with the power of God and man’s powerlessness, to want to create an image, something they can fashion and controll. This is another “something” between himself and God.
Yet how strange that man is so like Satan and seeks to climb “the sides of the North” and sit as gods. The intermediaries and idols become as screens. They block the light of God so we can be our own gods over what is in the shadow of the screen. We think God can not see. We really have only put on dark glasses. There is no screen.
Speaking of wisdom (and hence the only source of wisdom, God:) “Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For he that findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the LORD. But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.” (Proverbs 8:34)
I published a blog similar in subject in March 2017: “It’s the Middleman’s”.
Using an idol a man built a screen
Blocking God’s law with a shadow
Hoping in shade that he would not be seen
But rot soaked his bones to the marrow
We also tend to put up idols in the place of God. Isiah 40 speaks of how God will come in power and glory. It then moves into how the whole earth is as nothing before him. It then moves into a place where one goes to build an image.
Maybe it is a “natural” thing for men, when faced with the power of God and man’s powerlessness, to want to create an image, something they can fashion and controll. This is another “something” between himself and God.
Yet how strange that man is so like Satan and seeks to climb “the sides of the North” and sit as gods. The intermediaries and idols become as screens. They block the light of God so we can be our own gods over what is in the shadow of the screen. We think God can not see. We really have only put on dark glasses. There is no screen.
Speaking of wisdom (and hence the only source of wisdom, God:) “Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For he that findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the LORD. But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.” (Proverbs 8:34)
I published a blog similar in subject in March 2017: “It’s the Middleman’s”.
Monday, October 15, 2018
ELEMENTS FORM PSALM 50
As I consider Psalm 50 I realize: God will come and judge the earth. He will not be angry for the sacrifices we should have been offering (he owns everything anyway). He wants the stuff that is easy for us to give: to offer thanksgiving, keep our promises to hem, calling upon him for advice, for comfort, to request blessing (for others and ourselves), for protection, when in trouble etc (vs14, 15).
Why is it hard to ask God for help when I am in trouble, am angry, need money, don’t know what to do about the family? I think the Psalm shows God wants me to ask. When I am feeling the least godly is when God wants to be involved. He wants me to act to involve him in my life.
The psalm also speaks to what the wicked do: Although religious appearing people talk of his statutes and take God’s covenant with their mouth, they hate instruction by casting his words behind them; i.e. they do not act out the instructions. They see evil and consent with it. The commit adultery even if only with their eyes. They give mouth to evil. They frame deceit. They slander their brothers, both their fellows and family alike.
Why is it hard to ask God for help when I am in trouble, am angry, need money, don’t know what to do about the family? I think the Psalm shows God wants me to ask. When I am feeling the least godly is when God wants to be involved. He wants me to act to involve him in my life.
The psalm also speaks to what the wicked do: Although religious appearing people talk of his statutes and take God’s covenant with their mouth, they hate instruction by casting his words behind them; i.e. they do not act out the instructions. They see evil and consent with it. The commit adultery even if only with their eyes. They give mouth to evil. They frame deceit. They slander their brothers, both their fellows and family alike.
Monday, October 8, 2018
WISDOM VS FOOLISHNESS
We read from Proverbs 8 that wisdom cries so obviously and openly at the public places wanting to speak to all including the simple and fools. There is no wrong speech in Wisdom. It is right, truthful, excellent and plain to the understanding. It is not difficult. It seems right to those that find knowledge. They know that wickedness equals abomination. Wisdom has nothing forward or perverse.
The foolish woman also cries openly at the at the public places. The fool of Proverbs goes to her. She is the personification of the type of thinking that is without God. As wisdom calls to everyone from the gates, so does this foolish woman. Two women personifying two opposed ways of thinking: one thinking in the context of a God-directed world and the other thinking in the context of a world without God: Godly thinking and godless thinking.
There are two groups of people that can be unwise: the simple and the fools. The simple are those that, at this present time, do not yet have understanding or knowledge; but it is possible to make them have it. The fools are those that, for some reason, want to refuse the truth. Since they begin by refusing truth they can not be made understanding or wise.
It might be said that there is nothing that is inherently right or wrong; all things must be judged by the conditions and attitudes in which they are set. Things like sex, the taking of a human life and love can be right in some circumstances and wrong in others. It is important for us, then, to set what we find along life’s way into good conditions and attitudes. In these circumstances we must listen to the proper woman. We must listen to Wisdom and not Foolishness.
Monday, October 1, 2018
KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT GOD WANTS
The word of the Gospel has come unto us and brings forth fruit as it also does in the world. If it had not been that I got saved, I would have become a much different man. Possibly I would have been in jail by now. Certainly, I would have depressed myself into a stupor. A prayer of Apostle Paul for us, written to the Collisions, is that we have knowledge, walk in a right way, have might and be thankful.
- Knowledge of God: who he is, what he means, what he wants, what he does.
- Knowledge of us: what our place is, what we can do, what we should think,
- That we should walk worthy: doing the right things, pleasing god, bearing fruit, increasing our knowledge of God.
- That we should give thanks: to God who has given us all the physical things in our lives, shown us the right way to think, behave and made us fit to take a part of the inheritance of the Saints.
- That we have the might of God: his power working out knowledge, patience, long suffering, joyfulness. This is not usually what men want might for; they want it for dominance and for the fulfilling of their own lusts. They hardly think of “might” in connection with patience, long suffering, and least of all joyfulness. I seldom (if ever) think of it that way.
- Knowledge of God: who he is, what he means, what he wants, what he does.
- Knowledge of us: what our place is, what we can do, what we should think,
- That we should walk worthy: doing the right things, pleasing god, bearing fruit, increasing our knowledge of God.
- That we should give thanks: to God who has given us all the physical things in our lives, shown us the right way to think, behave and made us fit to take a part of the inheritance of the Saints.
- That we have the might of God: his power working out knowledge, patience, long suffering, joyfulness. This is not usually what men want might for; they want it for dominance and for the fulfilling of their own lusts. They hardly think of “might” in connection with patience, long suffering, and least of all joyfulness. I seldom (if ever) think of it that way.
Monday, September 24, 2018
SUFFERING
Mental and emotional suffering can arise in many ways. One is the suffering we experience from having committed sin; another is when we are being trained, exercised or otherwise undergoing a “learning opportunity” from God. When we sin, we experience the consequences of sin, the natural (if unwanted) products of our actions.
There could be many reasons that God allows or even instigates suffering in our lives. I think one is so we may become more proficient and competent to lead the type of life he wants us to lead. In other words, it is one of those “learning opportunities”. While we could ask, “Does God want us to suffer?” we can also ask, “Does God want us to be strengthened in character?” I submit God does not want us to suffer. I submit further that character building is not suffering. It is discipline and it is exercise, but it is not suffering. When exercise my body I willingly go through discomfort to gain an improved body. Likewise, I go through hours of instrument practice to someday be proficient at that instrument.
Sometimes character building seems like suffering because we do not want the element of character God seeks to build into us. When we do not want an element of character God wants us to have, it is sin. If we do not know we should seek to discover what character element God might be seeking and ask for his guidance during its development.
Mowing the lawn used to seem to our boys more like suffering, than character building but we, the parents, wanted our sons to know the value of work, the execution of home duties, the necessity to support and add value to the family, etc.
Christ suffered on the cross for our sin. The suffering we endure for character development bears no relation to his. Christ was perfect in character, we are not.
There could be many reasons that God allows or even instigates suffering in our lives. I think one is so we may become more proficient and competent to lead the type of life he wants us to lead. In other words, it is one of those “learning opportunities”. While we could ask, “Does God want us to suffer?” we can also ask, “Does God want us to be strengthened in character?” I submit God does not want us to suffer. I submit further that character building is not suffering. It is discipline and it is exercise, but it is not suffering. When exercise my body I willingly go through discomfort to gain an improved body. Likewise, I go through hours of instrument practice to someday be proficient at that instrument.
Sometimes character building seems like suffering because we do not want the element of character God seeks to build into us. When we do not want an element of character God wants us to have, it is sin. If we do not know we should seek to discover what character element God might be seeking and ask for his guidance during its development.
Mowing the lawn used to seem to our boys more like suffering, than character building but we, the parents, wanted our sons to know the value of work, the execution of home duties, the necessity to support and add value to the family, etc.
Christ suffered on the cross for our sin. The suffering we endure for character development bears no relation to his. Christ was perfect in character, we are not.
Monday, September 17, 2018
YOU BET YOUR LIFE
Years ago, while on a trip for work, I went to a Casino at Ledyard, CT. to see what it was like and see if there would be any entertainment there. I heard there was good food and entertainment at casinos. The place had a HUGE parking lot filled with cars (MA, RI, FL, CT, NJ, VT). On the plane to go to my worksite there was a man was flying in from Washington state to go the casino.
In the parking lot there were just common looking cars. The people walking in were common looking people. There were hundreds of different sorts of card tables, electronic slot machines, wheels of fortune and crap tables. It was NOISY.
I looked at the people, the workers, saw an Indian museum, looked at the paintings. There was no entertainment or food worth paying for. There was a place called “Casino Credit”. I imagine you could lose all your money, borrow more, lose it, and pay long after the excitement was gone. Why do they do it? Is it: “I must have it all, I must have it now, any other life is better than the one I have, I must get excitement, I need to be an important person”?
In the parking lot there were just common looking cars. The people walking in were common looking people. There were hundreds of different sorts of card tables, electronic slot machines, wheels of fortune and crap tables. It was NOISY.
I looked at the people, the workers, saw an Indian museum, looked at the paintings. There was no entertainment or food worth paying for. There was a place called “Casino Credit”. I imagine you could lose all your money, borrow more, lose it, and pay long after the excitement was gone. Why do they do it? Is it: “I must have it all, I must have it now, any other life is better than the one I have, I must get excitement, I need to be an important person”?
Monday, September 10, 2018
BUYING THE WRONG BOOK
While on a business trip years ago in Hawaii I bought a book called “Listening . . .” (I can’t remember the full name). I wanted to have a book that would teach me something about music. I selected it over another (I should have bought) because of a praise I read: “teaching the tone deaf how to sing”. I said to myself, “I want to be a great teacher”. When back at the McDonald’s off base I began to read it. I found it was very Hindu oriented. There ware long passages where he was speaking of his experience. In one place he spoke of where some sound could be his “mantra”. I thought, “On no, have I wasted my (Lizzie’s, the boys’, the Lord’s) money?”
I wondered, could I read this book, weeding out all the Hindu stuff? Would I be risking harm to myself? Maybe there are good ideas in there I should know and use.
The next morning during my morning reading I was asking the Lord to show me what he thought about the book. I read Psalm 52. It says: “Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs like a sharp razor, working deceitfully, thou lovest evil more than good, lying rather than to speak righteousness, thou lovest all devouring words, o thou deceitful tongue.” It says that God will destroy him (the man who is mischievous, in this case Doeg), take him away . . . root him out of the land”
I said, “Well, all right, I’ll rip up the book” and I did. How much do we refuse to hear what those of other religions have to say about things, specially things that seem to directly relate to spiritual things?
I want to learn, but not that which will separate me from my God. God can teach me the things he wants me to know without the input of the godless.
I wondered, could I read this book, weeding out all the Hindu stuff? Would I be risking harm to myself? Maybe there are good ideas in there I should know and use.
The next morning during my morning reading I was asking the Lord to show me what he thought about the book. I read Psalm 52. It says: “Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs like a sharp razor, working deceitfully, thou lovest evil more than good, lying rather than to speak righteousness, thou lovest all devouring words, o thou deceitful tongue.” It says that God will destroy him (the man who is mischievous, in this case Doeg), take him away . . . root him out of the land”
I said, “Well, all right, I’ll rip up the book” and I did. How much do we refuse to hear what those of other religions have to say about things, specially things that seem to directly relate to spiritual things?
I want to learn, but not that which will separate me from my God. God can teach me the things he wants me to know without the input of the godless.
Monday, September 3, 2018
REACHING OUT
I once was having a poisonous turn of mind. Here is what I was thinking at the time:
When I was feeling bad I was thinking, “I am hurting and in need, yet I will not call out to people for help. People can help (and possibly would help) if I called to them. I do not call, and they do not reach out to me. I feel bad that they do not reach out to me. I feel they should reach out to me, but I know they will not if I don’t say anything. I know they have no special care for me (and why should they)? I feel as though we are all in a river, but I have been caught like a leaf on the side. The other leaves continue downstream as we all are supposed to do. I know if I do not call out I will be permanently stuck, and it will not be the other leaves fault, it will be my own fault – I could have called and possibly they would have helped.”
The big trick here is to realize that although you may want someone to reach for you (and perhaps they ought to reach for you) the greatest probability is that they will not reach for you. They do not think of you, they don’t have to. Even if God tells them to care for you people pretty much do as they wish, not as God wishes.
If there is reaching to be done, you must do it.
When you have reached, realize the scene will not play out as you imagined it in your mind. The play you imagined will be re written by the other because he holds the pen that writes his life. You only write your part, the other writes his. What you write together is how life turns out.
Some feel hurt when the leaders do not recognize them, but the leaders do not have to. The hurting will set stuck if they wait too long for the recognition to happen. Maybe it all means we must look to minister than to look for, or expect, ministering. All we can control is what we do and not what the others do.
Herein has God manifested his great love for us: in that when we were yet sinners he died for us, He came to minister not to be ministered to. What is God like? – he shows us by what he did and does. He ministers to us. If we are to be like God, we must minister.
When I was feeling bad I was thinking, “I am hurting and in need, yet I will not call out to people for help. People can help (and possibly would help) if I called to them. I do not call, and they do not reach out to me. I feel bad that they do not reach out to me. I feel they should reach out to me, but I know they will not if I don’t say anything. I know they have no special care for me (and why should they)? I feel as though we are all in a river, but I have been caught like a leaf on the side. The other leaves continue downstream as we all are supposed to do. I know if I do not call out I will be permanently stuck, and it will not be the other leaves fault, it will be my own fault – I could have called and possibly they would have helped.”
The big trick here is to realize that although you may want someone to reach for you (and perhaps they ought to reach for you) the greatest probability is that they will not reach for you. They do not think of you, they don’t have to. Even if God tells them to care for you people pretty much do as they wish, not as God wishes.
If there is reaching to be done, you must do it.
When you have reached, realize the scene will not play out as you imagined it in your mind. The play you imagined will be re written by the other because he holds the pen that writes his life. You only write your part, the other writes his. What you write together is how life turns out.
Some feel hurt when the leaders do not recognize them, but the leaders do not have to. The hurting will set stuck if they wait too long for the recognition to happen. Maybe it all means we must look to minister than to look for, or expect, ministering. All we can control is what we do and not what the others do.
Herein has God manifested his great love for us: in that when we were yet sinners he died for us, He came to minister not to be ministered to. What is God like? – he shows us by what he did and does. He ministers to us. If we are to be like God, we must minister.
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