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Lights Out For Those Who Diss Dad and Mom - Proverbs 20:20

6/5/2012

He who curses his father or his mother, His lamp will go out in time of darkness. Proverbs 20:20

How does your relationship to your dad and mom relate to whether you are filled with the Holy Spirit or not? Some might consider this a strange question, yet from what we read here in Proverbs 20, it is anything but strange. We read here of someone who has decided to curse his father or his mother. There is no love for parents in this person's heart. There is no respect or honor for theim either - even though God's Law states plainly that we are to honor our father and mother. If there is no honor for them - then there will be a very serious grieving of the Holy Spirit. But from reading this particular proverb some may raise their eyebrows thinking, "There is no where in this proverb that mentions the Holy Spirit by name, so how can this refer to the work of the Spirit of God in the believer?"

What is the "lamp" in this passage? In order to understand this we need to look at other passages that refer to this "lamp" in the Bible. The lamp, as used here, is the same word as used for the lamp in the Tabernacle and the Temple. It was the only light available in the Holy Place to see. It illumined two things - the altar of incense and the altar of showbread. The altar of incense represents the believer's prayer life - and the altar of showbread represents the Word of God in our lives. Prayer and the Word are wonderful things, in and of themselves but, if we are going to get all we can out of them - need the Holy Spirit to illumine and empower them. There is a light from that lamp that allows us to see through the darkness and makes the Word and prayer powerful and meaningful. This lamp represents the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We read in Proverbs 20:27 the following, "The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all the innermost parts of his being." We learn here that the spirit of man is where the "lamp of the Lord" (i.e. the Holy Spirit) wants to light up our lives and help us to see and pierce the darkness that is around us. When God's lamp is shinig within by the Holy Spirit - we are directed in the Word and granted power to pray effectively. We can see - even in the dark. When the Holy Spirit is grieved or quenched due to our sin - the light diminishes and we are walking in the dark spiritually.

As we return to our proverb we see now that the Holy Spirit is grieved when we curse our father of our mother. We are being disobedient to God and to His Word when we do this. Thus the lamp goes out. In time of darkness, we find that we do not have the light of life within us. We see nothing because we are no longer illumined within by the Spirit of God - the lamp of the Lord. Since this speaks of our parents - there is also a warning here for us. Family - especially your father and mother - are the ones who will step up when you are facing the deepest crises of your life. They are the ones who are the last line of defense. If we curse them and disobey God, we are going to have the lights turned out. We will find that there will not be the work of God going on in our hearts to help us see spiritually. The Lord is very serious about this.

In the book of Malachi - the last prophecy given is that of the work of God in revival. That work though, is when God turns the hearts of the fathers to the sons - the hearts of the sons to the fathers - lest God smite the land with a curse. Thus we see that the work of the Spirit of God - the illumination of the Word of God - the light of life within the people of God WILL affect the way that we live with our families. We can guarantee that if we disregard family - especially father and mother - we can just about guarantee that we ourselves will be disregarded. The lights will turn off and everything will go dark. That is not something that we want - but if we treat father and mother with disrespect - it is what we will get.

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Whose Thoughts Do You Respect Most? Proverbs 15:33

2/21/2012

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The fear of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom, And before honor comes humility. Proverbs 15:33

There are few people who do not want to be wise. The rub comes when they learn how to become wise. There is even a higher cost when you learn the method by which God will bring us to the point where we become wise.

The first thing we need to grasp is that wisdom comes from God. If men, in their experience of life, manifest wisdom - it is only because they have stumbled across it over the course of their lives. Even a blind squirrel will find a few nuts as he wanders underneath the trees. Wisdom is defined best as seeing things as God sees them. Therefore if we are going to become wise - we will have to respect God and what He has to say. That is the crux of what Solomon is saying here when he states that the fear of Jehovah is the instruction for wisdom. If we do not respect and reverence God - we are fools. If we do not honor Him and give Him the honor which He deserves, we will not be wise in the end.

We note here that the fear of Jehovah is the "instruction" for wisdom. The word for instruction here is the Hebrew word "musar" which means to instruct with discipline. This means far more than just learning something in our heads. This involves both mental instruction of the head - and discipline to make sure that what goes into our heads is then applied and carried out in our lives. This often involves some correction, pain, and difficulty as we have to learn to value God's perspective more than our own. This is the process of wisdom - and depending on how stubborn or prideful we are in holding to our particular perspective - how painful and hard it will be to become wise.

The last part of this proverb lets us know the one overarching principle that will apply throughout this entire process. "Before honor comes humility." Humans (at least fallen ones - and that means all of us) want the honor now. They want honor immediately. If we want the honor of other men and the world that may be possible. If we want the honor that comes from God and that is lasting - we will have to take a different path. Honor from God requires humility first. It is the humility that is willing to empty ourselves and lay our own will and ego down. This is what Christ Jesus did according to Philippians 2, and God requires nothing less of us. Oh how hard the human will goes down. But in order to be wise - and to receive honor from God - that is what we will have to do. But such wisdom and such honor is better than anyting billion things the world can offer us in the way of its trinkets and trash.

Want to be wise? Want lasting, eternal honor? Then wisdom is what you want. You will haae to first admit you don't have any - and then turn to the only One Who can give it to you. You will need to see your view of God raised infinitely higher - where you find His wisdom and guidance impeccable in every way. You will need to embrace His thoughts and working in your mind even in the most difficult times when honestly, it does not make sense. You will need to lay your own thoughts in the dust - until you learn that they are in agreement with His - then praise Him for enlighening your mind to have such thoughts. This is the way of wisdom - which is also the way of humility. But I can promise you by the Word of the Lord that this is also the way of true happiness, true contentment, and a true reward that will last infinitely beyond any trophy, any medal, any certificate, or any human reward that will fade and fade away with time.

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Twin Foes of the Godly Life - Proverbs 30:8-9

9/30/2010

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Keep deception and lies far from me, Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion, That I not be full and deny You and say, "Who is the LORD?" Or that I not be in want and steal, And profane the name of my God.
Proverbs 30:8-9

Here is the request of a wise man. It is a very wise request because it deals in two things that will derail a life that is seeking to be guided by God. It deals with deception and greed. As you seek to walk through this world in a way that pleases and honors God - you will find that these two things are snares that often will seek to trip your feet and make you stumble. The man who watches for them - and cries out for God to deliver him from them - is wise indeed.

His first request deals with deception. He cries out to God to keep deception and lies far from him. If we are going to live a godly life, we are going to have to have truth. The wise man has come to know that there is an absolue truth that God gives in His Word. He will cling to it. Jesus prayed for His disciples, "Santify them in the truth. Your Word is truth." If we are going to be purified and preserved in this life - it will be because God has kept us from deception and lies. There is one sure cure for lies - and it is the truth. Why should we be in God's Word every day? Why should it dwell richly within us? Why should we hide that Word in our hearts? It is so that we know the truth - because it is only that truth that will set us free. The most secure prison in the world is nothing compared to a man who enslaves himself by believing lies and deception.

The wise man's second request has to deal with the sin of greed. The best way to describe the danger of greed is by sharing the answer of a man who was very wealthy. He was asked how much money it would take for him to be content. His answer was telling because it did not refer to a specific, fixed amount. He sad, "Just a little more." There is the danger of greed. No amount is enough because we will be deceived into thinking that a little more will give us the illusive happiness that we seek from money. Our problem is that we were not made for money. Elsewhere in Scripture we are warned that when we set our eyes on wealth - it takes wings and flies to the heavens - always just a little beyond our reach. This pursuit will take forever - and will never end in contentment. The truth is that we were made for God - and until we find our contentment in Him - we will never be truly content.

The writer of Proverbs cries out and asks for neither poverty or riches. He knows that both of those situations leaves him in want. Poverty in a want for enough - and riches in a want for just a little more. What he asks for is the food that is his portion. Ah, a wise man he is indeed. His words parallel those of Jesus in His teaching on prayer. "Give us THIS DAY our DAILY BREAD!" There is wisdom - give me what I need today - and keep me in need of only one thing constantly. Keep me constantly needing You, Lord! That is the prayer of the wise man.

Next the wise man states why this request for enough for today is truly wisdom. First, he knows that too often the rich man thinks he does not need God. He looks to his riches and foolish thinks he does not need God. Such was the case for the rich farmer in the parable of the rich fool told by our Lord. He thought his bumper crop meant that he was set for life. His problem though was that he was not set for death. God came to him and called him a fool. That night he was to die - and he would suddenly have nothing. All his wealth was left behind - and since he did not prepare to meet God - he faced a horrific fate. He was about to enter into eternal poverty - having decided that storing up treasures in heaven was not a worthy pursuit. Here on earth his riches deceived him into thinking, "Who is the Lord?" The answer to that question is one that does not need to be put off until after death. It needs to be answered here and now - because the one who puts it off - or ignores it altogether - will spend all eternity in a poverty that will consume his flesh with fire forever and ever as the smoke of his torment will never cease to rise in an epitaph revealing his eternal stupidity.

The second reason he asks God for enough is because he knows that hunger may deceive a man into thinking that stealing is a way of getting enough. Want often leads men to profane God's name by their thievery. They steal thinking that God has not provided and therefore they need to take things into their own hands.

Here is a wise man - praying. He seeks God for what is necessary for that day. He also knows that the best thing for him is to have to do this each and every day. His stomach may be full - and possibly can be provided for well into the future. But - he knows that his need of the Lord will never subside. He needs God continuously. May it be the wisdom of that need that guides us to our knees daily to ask for God's mercy and grace to deliver us from the twin foes of deception and greed.

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How to Have Your Enemies Be at Peace with You. Proverbs 16:7

6/16/2010

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When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. Proverbs 16:7

You mean to say that if my ways please God, I will never have an enemy? That is how too many people view this proverb. But the proverb itself assumes that we will have enemies when we are walking with the Lord. Then what does this proverb mean - and how can we know when God has done this on our behalf.

This passage teaches us that when our ways are pleasing to God that God does some wonderful things in our lives. He takes those who are our enemies and makes them to be at peace with us. It does not mean that we don't have enemies, it means that they are at peace with us instead of warring or seeking to destroy us. They may still be our enemy, but they will choose peace rather than to be in open conflict with us.

The stories of this are many in our society. J. Vernon McGee speaks of a man who hated him, but who was heard saying to others, "I hate the man, but he preaches the Word of God." That kind of thing is what this proverb is saying to us. The world will continue to hate us - but due to our lives being pleasing to God, they will see godly character in our lives. I know of situations where the ungodly came to the aid of believers not because they agreed with our theology or teaching, but simply because they knew the character of the person and vouched for them.

Let me take a moment here and say something about what this points to in the human condition. Why would the world be at peace with us when we choose God's ways? In fact, why should God's ways even be viewed positively? Ever wonder why our world values things like peace and joy and what we call good character? Think about it for a moment. Why, if we are supposed to be the result of survival of the fittest, do we not value a more cut throat kind of existance? Why would we value the weakest - and embrace values that would allow others to take advantage of us? Why shouldn't we value the thief and the one who crushes all others on his climb to the top? These should be things we value and admire if we are simply a process of evolutionary processes. Why shouldn't we admire Adolf Hitler and even thank him for trying to get rid of the more errant DNA in our worldwide gene pool? The truth is that we don't admire these things - we consider them evil and wrong - even among the most ardent evolutionists. Even thsoe who live this way have mighty struggles with their own behavior - somehow just knowing deep within themselves that they are not living right. But I want to ask this incredibly important question, "Who told them this?" The answer, though the world hates it, is in the Bible itself. Romans 2 speaks of the way that our conscience works in either approving and condemning our actions and attitudes. This is the mark of God in our world. It is the hidden proof that we are His workmanship - we are His creation. His original design - though badly marred by sin - still is written on our hearts. We may try to sear it from our memories and ignore it in our actions, but it still remains deeply written within us. When the ungodly are at peace with us due to our choice to act on God's character-transforming Word - it is only a testimony to this very spiritual DNA that is a remnant of His creative work before the fall.

God does not promise we won't have enemies. In fact just the opposite is told to us. If we desire to live godly in Christ Jesus, we will suffer persecution. Jesus faced enemies that desired and conspired to put Him to death. To say that God promises a carte blanche freedom from having enemies is to say that Jesus did not please the Father - and evidently His ways were not pleasing to God. Nothing could be further from the truth. God does not promise freedom from enemies - He promises that when we do have them - He will choose to even make our enemies to be at peace with us. This is why we should choose the wisdom of God's ways and walk in them. There is a desirable-ness in how we live. There is an honesty - a joy - a freedom - a peace that will make even our enemies say good things about us. When this happens, we can know that God in His grace has worked in our lives - taking even those who oppose us - and making them testify of His grace that works in us when our ways are pleasing to Him.

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Avoiding Using God as a Spiritual Slot Machine . . . Proverbs 3:9-10

4/3/2010

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Honor the LORD from your wealth And from the first of all your produce; So your barns will be filled with plenty And your vats will overflow with new wine. Proverbs 3:9-10

Giving . . . here is an area where I struggle with presenting the truth. Just a personal testimony for a moment is in order. When I became a pastor - I did not preach on giving for the first six or seven years I was at Calvary Chapel. This was not because we did not give according to Scripture - we did. It was because of a reaction I had to all the abuse of this area by the televangelists and others in the church. I grieve over how the Lord Himself is dragged through the greed and abuse that happens in this area. But it should not have surprised me - that kind of abuse has been in the church for centuries. But, I realized through the correction of a godly elder that by not teaching on the biblical basis of giving - I was in effect robbing the saints of the true blessing God brings in this area. That was a good word for me to hear - and since then I've tried to deal with this area from time to time with the saints.

I love the way Solomon speaks of giving here. He does not even use that term. "Honor the LORD from your wealth . . ." What a great way to speak of giving. It is not like we're able to give God anything anyway. The Word teaches us that God owns the cattle on a thousand hillsides. He owns everything. Solomon himself said that all that he had given God had come from God's own hand anyway. So giving is not a matter of our generosity. The fact that we have anything to give is a matter of God's generosity to us. What we are doing is honoring Him from the wealth He has given us.

Why do we need to honor God from the FIRST of all our produce? It is because when we do this - our honoring God will not be affected by covetousness or greed. Too often we make the Lord the last thing we do with what He's given to us. Honoring Him first means we trust Him enough to know that He will provide for us. It is a matter of faith and trust that makes us act in this way. We don't check our budget first - or check if we could use that money for something different - maybe something we really want. We choose to say, "God, I love You and want to honor You for all Your generosity to me!" We make it clear through our actions - that He is first in our lives.

There is something about telling the greed that lies within the fallen human breast that God will be first that deals it a death blow. That greed and selfishness rises up so easily. Oh, what a wonderful thing it is to put it in its place - and to declare with boldness and confident faith, "God will be honored FIRST here - honored FIRST with my wealth - honored FIRST before self even enters the scene." That kind of faith statement prepares us for great blessing.

What kind of blessing comes when we honor God with our wealth and the first of all our produce? That is the subject of verse 10 of this chapter of Proverbs. In dealing with it we need to see what is says - but just as importantly - what it does NOT say.

First, what it says . . . when we honor God from our wealth and the first of all that we have, God promises that our barns will be filled and our vats will overflow with new wine. God promises abundance to those who honor Him. There is a blessing for those who put selfishness and covetousness in its place. There is promised abundance for us. There is no other way to look at this from the full teaching of Scripture. But there is wisdom to grasp here - for often these texts are used as a pretext for our greed.

What does this verse NOT say? It does not say that it is God's will for us to be rich - to have health, wealth, and prosperity at all times and in all situations. First of all there is the example of our Lord Jesus Christ. If health, wealth, and prosperity IS God's will for everyone - why didn't Jesus embrace it? He said that He did not have a place to lay His head. Scripture teaches us that He became poor for our sakes. That poverty included physical wealth. Jesus did not go out and give Himself to make tremendous amounts of money. In His death He had no great physical inheritance to offer. Not only Jesus lived this way - but John the Baptist did as well. He chose poverty in serving the Lord. Paul spoke in Philippians of knowing how to live with much as well as with little or nothing. The famous passage, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," refers to financial contentment - as well as contentment in all circumstances. Job's setbacks and temporary financial ruin was allowed by God for a season. He lost everything - his wealth, health, and prosperity. Today's false prophets of health, wealth, and prosperity would have eagerly joined Job's three friends in condeming him for his circumstances - saying that if he had enough faith - everything would be restored instantly.

Then we have the Thessalonian believers - who were heavily persecuted for their faith - as well as all those in our day who are their heirs in the persecuted church of the 20th and 21st century. Hebrews speaks of those who willingly allowed their property to be taken from them. Others have lost jobs and some lost everything including their lives to hold fast to Christ - and to honor God. The poor widow who gave everything she had - which amounted to about 2 cents - was not castigated for her poverty. She was praised for the extreme honor she gave to the Lord - trusting Him with everything she had.

Oh, how it grieves me - and I believe it grieves Almighty God - when we make wealth and riches our pursuit - rather than honoring God. The twisting of Scripture that goes on when a religious huckster says that if you give God 100 dollars - He will return 1000 into your lap - is nothing more than the words of a greedy liar who would take from you the blessing of honoring God. Instead he would have you think that God is a spiritual slot machine. Insert a certain amount of giving - pull the lever - and you've hit the jackpot! God did not mean for our giving to be some religious casino experience. The Word is clear here - this is to be an experience in honoring God - not seeking honor for self in what we'll get back.

That is why I love this passage in Proverbs. The whole purpose of this practice is to "honor the LORD." That is what should be driving our giving to Him. A desire to honor Him and worship Him through the experience. This mindset will guard us from the deceivers who would take giving and make something about us. Instead giving it put in the right context - the context of honoring God!

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"Balance" in life . . . Proverbs 11:1

1/11/2010

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A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, But a just weight is His delight. Proverbs 11:1

Here is a proverb that has ramifications both in the practical world of everyday business as well as for living with other people. In the business world this has to do with weighing things properly. A false balance would be used in the market to weigh various food items - but would be set so that it would overweigh everything. Thus the crooked businessman would make people pay more for less. This is nothing more than cheating in a business. Unfortunately this happens more often than we would like for it to happen. But Yahweh wanted to let Israel know that when this was the case - He considers it an abomination. We don't use the word abomination much in our society - but it means to be highly offensive. When God considers things to be an abomination - He also judges these things and brings His wrath upon those who practice such abominations. When God calls something an abomination - our best wisdom is to steer very clear of such things - because these things will get you judged quickly - and the discipline will come hard.

Isn't it interesting to see that God is interested in the business world and the practices within it. Religion only affects a man when he is in the context of church - or some other accepted religious setting. But Yahweh is saying here that He is not just a "religious" figure. He is deeply interested in all that happens - even in the world of business - even to the point of someone tipping a scale slightly in their favor. He abhors such things. If we want God's blessing in our lives - that will include setting our business practices according to the principles found in His Word.

The "just weight" delights the Lord! He is pleased when a businessman chooses to act in his business according to what God sets as acceptible standards. His standard is honesty. He desires that we be honest and truthful in our business dealings. He wants us to practice godly buisness practices. When we do - He tells us that such things delight Him. And what God delights in . . . God blesses. The old addage, "Honesty is the best policy" definitely carries weight in the eyes of God. He will bless us if we will deal honestly and forthrightly with our business associates and with our customers. Here is a proverb that will help you in your everyday life.

This proverb also has something to say to us spiritually in regard to our lives as well. A false balance tries to weigh something falsely. This is often the case with the lost man too. He wants to be weighed according to the world's standards. He looks at other men and wants to be weighed as to what is right in their eyes. Such a false balance is despised by the Lord. The truth is that we are all judged by God's Law - by His standard. If we do not measure up to what He calls us to be - and to do - we just don't measure up. Too many men think they are fine because they are not as bad as other men. They compare themselves among themselves - but in doing so they deceive themselves. The false balance here is the lies of false religion and a man-oriented, works-oriented gospel. God hates this because His standard never changes. It has always been perfection in keeping His law. If we do not measure up to that standard, we lose.

From time to time you might want to check your balances and scales in life. You do this to make sure that God is the One who is setting the standards in your life. When you don't do this - you have that fallen tendency to fix your scales in a way that is abominable to God. May God give us grace to view His Word as the arbiter of all weights and standards - both in the business world - and in how we stand before Him.

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Lights Out For Those Who Diss Dad and Mom - Proverbs 20:20

Whose Thoughts Do You Respect Most? Proverbs 15:33

Twin Foes of the Godly Life - Proverbs 30:8-9

How to Have Your Enemies Be at Peace with You. Proverbs 16:7

Avoiding Using God as a Spiritual Slot Machine . . . Proverbs 3:9-10

"Balance" in life . . . Proverbs 11:1

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