BUILDING A HOUSE

What proverbs 24 says about building a house: 
- -  We should know how all things work together for a house:  how the house fits into God's Kingdom and how it will be used. 
- -  The site must be made fit or ready.  Before we build the house, the site must be prepared; similar to clearing trees, providing drainage, leveling the foundation area, etc.
- -  It is built by wisdom.  We should know and appreciate what is important for every basic purpose and function of the house. 
- -  It is established by understanding.  It is a place where we and others will live.
- -  Its chambers are filled with knowledge.  The rooms should ready for knowledge so the things acquired by knowledge will find their places in the rooms.

Whatever we think of a house (building) or a household (parents and family), the beginning, and most important aspects are:  spiritual, mental, understanding, common knowledge, preparation. 

How we live determines where we live. 

THE WAY WE JUDGE

The way we judge others is the way that we will be judged.  We are quick to judge others, never thinking of judging ourselves to see if fault maybe within us.  We judge others knowing the barest of obvious facts.  Sometimes our judgement is based upon nothing but suspicions originating only form our imaginations.  We have no real evidence to on which to base our judgements.  If we judge others from our own inward suspicions, how do we know the others are not judging us the same way?  They will not form opinions based upon what we do, but upon feelings arising within themselves.  We do not want them to do that, so we should not be that way. 

God never does that.

God judges us, he knows even our most minor sins.  Some of these sins we are not even aware of as being sin.  Yet God is full of loving kindness and patience, he is long suffering.  But there will be a day when his patience will end.

We are willing to correct others but will not try to correct ourselves.  Before the Final Day comes let us use God’s help correcting our own errors.

FROM THE OUTSIDE OR INSIDE?

Jesus tells us to simply say “yes” and “no” rather than swear by oaths.  In effect this means all our indications of intent should be as strong as if we were to put an oath to them.  It is as if we were signing a contract.

Apparently, in the old days, something said did not take any real effect until the speaker put an oath to it.  Did that mean you did not have to stand behind anything that you said without an oath?

James 1:6 says a wavering person “. . . is like a wave of the sea driven of the wind and tossed. . .”  Waves develop because of the wind; they go where the wind goes.  But one who does what God's word says goes where God's word directs:  This direction may be against the waves.  One driven by the wind is motivated, maybe even forced, from the outside.  One driven by God is motivated from the inside.  When we say yes or no today, we should intend that no one should ever doubt it.

Matthew 6:1-15:  God not only cares about what we do “in secret” (what is done within our own person, that which cannot be seen by others) - he desires to be a part of it.  He does not want us to keep unwanted things inside like sin and unforgiveness.  Our personal activity is important to God.  Our corporate activity (giving, going to church, how we work) is really governed by how we are inside. 

FALSE JUDGES

Psalm 27:12 says, “for false witnesses have risen against me, an such as breathe out violence.”  In the real world there are real people, accused and accusers, testifying before a judge.  In these cases, real injustice is done.  But inwardly these might represent elements of ourselves:  the, the accused (us), accusers (false witnesses) and the judge (the decision renderer).  Hence (in our imagination) the witnesses are presenting their case before a judge about us.   Sometimes this whole judgmental system can be corrupt.

What if the “corrupt judge” is part of our inward selves?  The part that is deciding what to do or think?  Sometimes we sit a corrupt judge at the bench.  What if these "false witnesses" are wicked forces trying to get us to think or to do bad things?  The courtroom is our own mind and the verdict will be just or unjust according to what our inward judge decrees.   The “false witnesses” are trying to move the judgment in their favor:  “watch pornography”, “think that someone hates you (even though there is no evidence of it)”

We have set up false judicial systems that render the decisions we dictate and thus build up a violent society.  The only hope is to be honest within ourselves, hire only upright lawyers, seek honest judges and put the false judges out on their ears.

THE FRIENDLY COMMANDER

The Lord does not need our help, but he does want our effort, company, attention, our requests, our dependence and presence.  All these and more we do through reading, prayer, listening and being with people.  I think of God as Jesus – the man with us, present with us.  He is the one who said, “. . . you are my friends. . .”, “. . . a friend that sticks closer than a brother . . .”  He wants to know what we need, what we want, what is troubling us.

Of course, he is also the one who created all, the one that sits on the throne, the one we bow down to.  He is the severe but fair judge.  We stand up at attention when he comes into the room.  When he commands something, we do it.  While we may question the purpose and timing, we do it.

He always appreciates thankfulness.

GAINING GODLINESS

1 Timothy
Two verses from 1 Timothy have a similar meeting - 1:6: “. . .godliness is great gain" and 4:8:  ". . . godliness is profitable onto all things".  Godliness produces something worth having in life.  It is well worth working for.  How do we get it?  It is easy to work for the things we can see (healthy body, more money) but it is elusive to work for things we cannot see (righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness)  (1 Timothy 6:11)

We can attain godliness.  Minimally we can read the Bible and pray.  God wants us to do both.   Although Timothy may have been somewhat reserved about expressing his faith (v8), I’m reasonably certain he did both.  Timothy was also known for his unfeigned faith (1 Timothy 1:5) that came into the family through women (Lois and Eunice).  Timothy had a gift from God via the hands of Paul (v6).   Timothy may not have been aware, but he was equipped.  You may not be aware, but you are equipped,

We are not handy tools God found alongside the road that he could use.  God called us out, not to take advantage of our self-developed natural talents, but for a purpose that he had in mind before the world was created (v9).  This purpose is now made possible by the work of Jesus Christ (v10).  Paul is an example of these sorts of God-gifts, for God was using him as a preacher, Apostle and a teacher of the gentiles (v11).

Timothy was to "hold fast the form of sound words”; to know and to be able to repeat the gospel and teachings (v13). And he was to keep his gift empowered through keeping in touch with the Holy Ghost (v14).

JUDGING IN A BIBLE STUDY

While sitting in a men’s study one night I felt some displeasure for the type of questions that seemed to originate too much in the world.  They wondered why religious people are "judgmental" against such things as homosexuality.  They didn’t seem to know the Bible specifically defines such acts as sin (along with adultery, fornication, stealing, murder, etc.).  Why is any sin less wrong than another?  All sins are wrong.  All sins will be judged at the last.  Why didn’t they know?

Maybe these men were at the beginning stages of a deeper journey with God.  Maybe they had not yet read, or carefully considered God’s prohibitions.  It is natural to love God’s mercy and forgiveness yet forget his severity.  We overlook the consequences of sin.  We perceive our own sins as somehow less serious.

It would be good to be in a fellowship where all brothers are those that we agree with an approve of.  But we are not all the same.  Some are less advanced and some are more advanced.  Some are so "advanced" they have become hardened and crusty to the extent no one knows better than they.  They have less room for forgiveness than God.

We “seasoned” Christians should never be that way.  We ought to be available for example, teaching and consultation of the “less seasoned” Christians.  Helping in their process of sanctification may be part of our own sanctification.  What use is an “advanced position” if it is only to notice and annunciate the faults of others.  Is not this “sitting in the seat of the scornful”?  Let us be sources of direction, health, godliness and instruction in righteousness.

When making judgements we should remember, all of us are holding the position of “Learner”.  We all have something to learn from another.

THE CZAR OF PHONES

I would be the “Czar of Phones”.  Many times I see parents walking with their children while they are looking at their phones.  Today I saw a young woman interacting with her phone as she met her husband and walking with her child.  The husband reached out and hugged the child but the woman continued to look at her phone.  I wanted to reach over and grab her phone and say “Naughty girl!  Pay attention to your daughter and your husband!”

As Czar of Phones I would have almost godlike power to control how people use their phones.  They would not be allowed to pay attention to the device while in the presence of a living, breathing person.  If they did, they would have their phone removed for two weeks while they meditate about how to relate to real people.  If they were not associated with the person they are near they would not be permitted to use their phone in speaker mode. 

People do not seem to realize a person you can actually touch has more immediate worth than a voice on a device.

A “TWIST” OF TRUTH

The verses of 1Timothy 6:5, 6 fit today where there are those people who seem thrive in a good argument.  They want to have the high ground as victors over unfortunates who dare disagree with them.  For example, they dispute the old ways in an attempt to prove that wealth and health show godliness.  If a person is rich and wealthy God must be showing his approval.  They use "questions and strifes about words” (v4) to pervert the meaning of scripture to prove their own point.  They say "gain is godliness" (v5); but God says "godliness with contentment is great gain"  We're supposed to withdraw ourselves from such people.

We need to be cautious.  We shouldn’t pervert the meaning of scripture attempting to prove someone else wrong.  Don't smugly think you are not one of those rich men who withholds from the poor.  Maybe we are not giving enough.  Let us remember we ARE rich.  We never go hungry.  We are air conditioned.  We can always buy gasoline.  We have an automobile.  We dispose of our clothes before they become rags.  We have jobs.  We have education.  We have. . .

Most important is we have the Word of God.  If we read it, we  have the true riches.  And having the Word of God we have knowledge that can uplift others, not put them down.  It is not knowledge for the purpose of achieving superiority, for demonstrating mastery.  It is knowledge given us for our own security - - and to help others achieve the same security.  It is not knowledge we twist to fit our own purposes.

PROPER EXERCISE

1Timothy 4:8
"having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. . . .  “  This is speaking of godliness not bodily exercise

When I think of exercise, I think of the benefits it will have for me in this life.  Such as feeling better, more health, looking better, being more capable.  When I think of godliness, I think of the benefits to come in heaven and for things that cannot be seen or touched.  Somehow, I do not think of the useful benefit of godliness that comes by doing it in this present world.  I feel guilty that I should be looking for a reward.

Yet this verse says that godliness, like exercise, has promises, or benefits, for the life that now is.  I can do godliness, as I would do push-ups, or practice the drums, and expect benefits in this life. 

I don't think I should read the Bible , or pray, thinking "this is good for me and it will improve me right now.  When I pray, or read the Bible, or do a good work, I ought to think:  "This is a building block.  This will bring build something.  This will benefit my heavenly father, but it will also benefit me and others around me. 

SHORTCUTS CAN MEAN SHORT CIRCUITS

Proverbs 9
Wisdom and Foolishness are personified as women in Proverbs.  Both openly compete for the hearts and minds of mankind.   Both call from their house and from the high places of the city.

A house is a place where you go, where she resides.  It could be a school, a conference, a church, or any place where you can find her.  It is a high place, a prominent place, a public place, a place of government.

Wisdom through, readily available, takes time to get.  It’s obtained through persistence and discipline, in short:  work. 

By contrast the foolish woman promotes the shortcut.  She calls the simple, those who lack understanding.  They have not taken the time to increase their bank of knowledge nor are practiced in the use of it.  They have the idea that “Stolen waters are sweet" for the stolen takes no labor to obtain.   “Have it now, why should you wait?  Don't wait to spend your labor on it.  Besides, the stuff that is stolen and eaten in secret has a thrill which somehow makes it pleasant"

Why would anyone want to eat bread in secret unless you want no one to see you eat it?  It must be bead you should not have.  You want that pleasantness and will get it even if it is wrong.  It's OK if someone else works for it and you take it.  The ones who the foolish woman calls are those that want things that they have not earned, do not belong to them, should not have.  But the foolish woman foolish woman's ways are the ways of death, her quickness and the easiness and the pleasantness lead to death.

Better the cottage of the Wise Woman than the mansion of the Foolish Woman.

REWARD OF THE FOOLISH WOMAN

Proverbs 9
Wisdom and foolishness are personified as women in the Bible.  They both have prepared their houses and both openly compete for mankind.  They both call from the gates and the high places of the city.

Could a "house" mean a place where you can go, a sheltered place? where she resides? a school?  Could a "high place" or “city gates” mean a prominent place, a public place, a place of government, a place of worship?

Wisdom for most people, through readily available, takes time to acquire, it takes persistence and discipline.  In short: it comes by work. 

By contrast foolishness, or the foolish woman promotes the shortcut.  Verses 13 through 16 explain her well.  She calls the simple, those who want (lack) understanding (v16).  They have not taken the time to increase their bank of knowledge, nor are practiced in the use of it.  There has been too much TV and too little books.  The Foolish Woman says, "Stolen waters are sweet" (v17)  That which is stolen takes no labor to obtain.  She says, "Have it now, why should you wait?  You don't want to spend labor on it." 

"Bread eaten in secret is pleasant" she says.  Why would anyone want to eat bread in secret unless you want none to see you eat it?  It must be bread you should not have.  Somehow the wrongness of taking it makes it “sweet”.  She encourages you to want that pleasantness and to get it even if it is wrong.  She makes it seem it's OK if someone else works for it and you take it. 

The ones who the foolish woman calls, are those that want things that they have not earned, things that do not belong to them, things they should not have.  But the foolish woman's ways are the ways of death.  Verse 18 warns, “But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.”  The quickness and the easiness and the pleasantness lead to death.

LOVE WRATH ENVY

Proverbs 27:1-6
Open rebuke is better than secret love.  It is better to know where you stand, to know how someone feels than to not know it - even if that feeling is against you.  However, unexpressed love is as if there was no love at all because there are no words or actions to demonstrate the love.  But while there the words that come from a friend are faithful because they are intended for good; the kisses from the enemy are deceitful .because they are intended to disguise ill wishes.

"A stone is heavy, but a fool’s wrath is heavier".  It is difficult and bothersome to carry around the oppression that comes from another.  Wrath is difficult but envy is more dangerous.  Who can stand against it - one can defend against wrath; you cannot defend against envy.  Wrath you can answer with evidence and logic.  Wrath has been expressed by words and actions.  There is no evidence or logic in the expression of envy.  It has to do with the inward personal state of the one who envies, rather than anything you did.  How can you control what is in the mind of another?

DECEIT FOR DOLLARS

Proverbs 12
The “The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood”.  The person that lays in wait is more than just the mugger, he wants profit from the blood.  The “profit” might the perverse joy of a bully who wants to dominate another, or it might be the wealth of the victim.   

I think abortion providers are this type.  They enjoy dominance over other humans’ lives:  the Mother and child, but mostly they want the money.  The murdering process is framed in euphemistic words and phrases such as “freedom of choice”.  Such phrases comfortably insulate them from the eternal consequences of the act.  When all is done, the practice provides a lucrative income.

There are also doctors who will recommend operations that are not needed to patients.  Some of these patients stand a chance of dying.  There is also the contractor that will shortchange safety for the sake of money, or schedule knowing that someone could be hurt.  It is the person that takes advantage of refugees.  So is one who steals the windows living by poor workmanship or unneeded jobs.

“Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil” 

OPEN TO CHANGE

Proverbs 9
Wisdom can be easily found for she is “in the gates”, the prominent places of exchange.  Wisdom calls to the simple ones, to those who want, or lack, understanding.  She has prepared everything for the transfer of wisdom.  She has prepared her staff as it were, her space, her food, her drink and table settings.  Wisdom calls to the ones who need to hear what she has to say.  She invites specifically the ones who need wisdom, the simple ones.  She cautions them to avoid foolish people. 

We are told that the wise person is one who will be corrected (hear wisdom’s rebuke) and consequently increase in learning.  There is never a point in our lives where we no longer must be open to the acquisition of knowledge, to change.  The attitude of being ready to learn and to be corrected is a character trait of the wise.

She says that dealing with the scorners and wicked is a waste of time and, in fact, dangerous.  We must be careful who we listen to because the foolish woman also calls to the simple.  She calls to everyone who will listen and she too is “in the gates”.

HONEY IS GOOD

PROV 25:16  It is good to eat honey, but not too much.  You will vomit it if you eat too much.  Verse 27:  For men to search their own glory is like eating too much honey.  It's ok to search (observe, acknowledge, inspect, inquire for) your glory some, but too much will cause you to vomit.  Your soul will cast it out because it has become sick.  Then that which was pleasant will have become unpleasant, even repulsive, not fit for any further use.  Glory has been turned into repulsiveness.  By our own wills we can either eat a little, or eat a lot; search a little glory, or search too much.  If you find some glory, well, but do not dig and pry for it.  Take what is sufficient

THE HEART OF KINGS

(Prov 25:3) The heart of kings is unsearchable. 

In our day, when we speak of “kings”, we can substitute the word “leaders”, as in President, Senator, Congressman, County Commissioner, School Superintendent, etc.  This verse applies to bad leaders as well as good.  It means we should recognize the given authority of leaders (i.e. obey as necessary) without having to know the leader’s inward motivation.  Whatever is his motivation we cannot get to it, it is unsearchable. 

Is it then a waste of time to wonder why the present leader does the things he does?  Is not it more effective to proceed by presenting our just causes, with their rationale, to the leader and his advisers, and pray God to get it to their hearts?  Do we actually do that?  Do we write letters?  Do we make phone calls?  Do we respond to surveys?

If we take away all the present leader’s bad advisors will he be established in righteousness?  How do we keep the present leader from filling those posts again with other bad advisers?  We can pray that God will place righteous advisors.  We can pray God that he will show us how we can strip out the bed ones in replace them with good ones.  What are those positions?  Who is there now and who should be placed there?  Does this country deserve a good righteous government, or do we deserve the one we have?  We must believe and act on how we can change the heart of the nation.  Leader by leader, voter by voter, citizen by citizen.

LABOR NOT TO BE RICH

Proverbs 23:23:  "Buy the truth and sell it not, and instruction and understanding"

How empty it would be to get rich, to get to the top, to have all the “things” -yet - to have lost wives and children, mother and father, friends and family along the way.  If you are fabulously rich and have lost all the other, are you really rich?  What situation are you in?  Are the others that are rich looking to steal from you?  Who do you have to pay to protect you?  Which is your friend and who just wants  your money?  Who will take care of you if you get sick if no one cares other than the ones you pay to do it?

Suppose you live in a small house, or a rented house, or a tent.  Are you not rich if you have and appreciate wives and children, mother and father, friends and family?  If you are “poor” and have these I say you are really rich.  What situation are you in?  If you are not rich in money and possessions others will look elsewhere to steal rather than stealing from you.  The ones who love you and respect you will want to protect you.  Your friend just wants you, not your money.  The ones you take care of will take care of you if you get sick.  They will take care for you even if you are not sick.

The only reason I could know that wisdom, understanding and instruction are better than riches is because God tells me so and that knowledge of itself is of immense value.

COMPULSIVE ISSUES

(PROV 23:35)
The problem with alcoholism – or any compulsive drive – is: "When shall I awake,  I shall seek it yet again."  The drunkard is not saying, "The purpose in my heart is that I will seek drunkenness again because I like it."  (Although he may think that from time to time).  He may really be saying, "When I awake from this time of drunkenness,  will be ashamed again.  I will not want to do it again, but I am afraid that I will, as I have done this time."  This is likely true because he knows from experience he has been beaten and laying on "top of masts" (V34) as the Bible says.  He has a history of it, he is suffering yet another time of regret.

There are many who have done things they should not have done.  Many do not want to do it again.  Drunks, who know they are drunks, do not generally want to be drunks.  The warning at the front of all this is verse 31:  "Look not upon the wine when is red, when it gives his color in the cup, when it moveth itself alright".  Do not be in a place where you can look.  You must stop at the beginning, before the first look, let alone the first drink, before drinking is even the issue.  Or before the first pornographic link on the internet.  Or before the first bit of gossip is passed on.

All compulsive issues are related.  Stop.  Keep to the right path before stepping onto the wrong one and turning back from it is too difficult.  It would  help when temptation nears to talk to yourself - out loud:  “This is a good thing to do, this other thing is harmful for me.”  Proverbs 5:8 says, “Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:”  Step 1:  "remove your way" (don’t take that path) because step 2, being "near the door of her house", makes staying away harder to achieve.

REST AND LENGTH OF DAYS

(Proverbs 3)
Things that lead to rest and peace:
(V1,2)  Remembering the law and keeping the commandments.
(V17)  Paths of wisdom.
(V24)  Keeping soundly wisdom and discretion.

Things that lead to length of days:
(V1, 2)  Remembering the law and keeping commandments.
(V16)  Finding and getting wisdom.

Length of days in the right hand, riches and honor in the left.  If the right hand is the power of something, the part that is immediately available; then the left hand may be the part that is deferred, the part that does not come immediately but later, the result of keeping the commandments, sound wisdom and discretion.

If this is so, a person that applies wisdom can expect to add days to his life while riches and honor may follow later.  Yet we seek first for riches and honor -  and hope that wisdom will result.  We have the process reversed.  What happens if it actually works out this way?  Will we be like the barn builder of Luke 12:16-21:  the one who tore down his barns to build bigger ones?  The one whose heart was not rich toward God.  He did not live to enjoy his wealth.

The one who treasures first the knowledge of God and his laws and directions, has the pleasure and reward of living in them now, whether he be poor or rich.  In fact, what is in his bank account really does not matter.  No bank account or houses or lands can provide eternal contentment.