Frugal?

Proverbs 30:8 (NASB95) Keep deception and lies far from me, Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion,

Every time I read this, I want to make it my prayer also.  On reflecting this morning, I feel that God has honored this in my life.

I was at dinner with the old fogies at the church and as we were leaving, we were talking about leaving a tip .  As a rule, we tend to be a generous bunch because we realize God is blessed us.  As we walked out one of the guys confessed that he tended to be cheap.  His wife said maybe a better word is frugal.  I will go with either one for myself.

I tend to be cheap.  Often, I will buy something that is not up to snuff simply because it’s a few cents cheaper.  I need to get over that because there is a big difference between being cheap and being frugal.  Frugal gets a good buy.  Frugal makes your money goes as far as possible.  Frugal is capable of being generous.

And that’s where I want to be.  I want to be frugal and make conscientious, responsible purchases.  I want to be generous when it comes to things like tipping . These people get up and go to work on jobs that I could not survive on.  They make dining a pleasure and increase the value of our lives.  It’s only right that we share the wealth.

So?  I don’t think this is what Solomon had in mind, but tip the people who bring you refills on your drinks and that extra napkin that you need because you were sloppy.  They work hard and God has blessed you.  That’s a blessing.  

Right Face

Proverbs 29:26 (KJV) Many seek the ruler's favour; but every man's judgment cometh from the LORD.

One of the disadvantages of living in a republic, and believing that we have freedom of speech is that we tend to express our concerns to the government and think they’re going to do something about it.  That works more here than it does say in Soviet Russia, but it doesn’t work the way we want it to.

I wouldn’t say don’t keep trying to go through channels, but I would say, as this verse seems to say, is that the justice that we want in the form of proper judgment is ultimately going to come from God and not from our local officials.  They may be the ones who will actually sign the papers, but it will be God demanding the signature.

So?  Seek what God wants.  Share with him your concerns. Do what you can on a human level. Ultimately trust him.  

Attribute or Action

Proverbs 28:16 (KJV) The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.

Yeah, we have another one of those chicken or the egg scenarios.  Which comes first, being an oppressor or lacking understanding?

People are very quick to attack free enterprise and capitalism because they see the disparities of wealth.  My belief is that many of the early capitalist, the ones often called robber barons, were very much aware of the difference between building wealth and oppressing the poor.  Some point out the attitude or philosophy of zero sum economics as opposed to the ability to generate wealth.

The one who has understanding, the one who has wealth, the one who has power understands that it will be better for everyone, not just himself, if he is not an oppressor.  Henry Ford understood that if his workers could not afford to buy his car, then he would not sell very many cars.

So?  As you pursue life, pursue wisdom.  Pursue understanding.  And of course, that starts with the values and balance shown in the scripture.  

Reason to Fear

Psalms 56:4 (KJV) In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.

(Proverbs 27 also read)

If you are awake when you read this verse the last part of it will strike home.  The question is what can other people actually do to me?  The answer is quite a lot.  They can attack me physically.  They can sabotage my reputation.  They can threaten my children.  They can steal my possessions.  The list is almost endless of what people can do to me.

The question is how important is the damage.

This is another point where we need to get the big picture.  We need to understand that God is the one in which we trust.  We don’t trust in our ability to defend ourselves although we do our best.  We don’t trust in our reputation because that is so fragile.  Possessions can be replaced.  Ultimately we have to believe that God is going to limit the damage.  In most cases, unless we force the issue, He will find ways to help us avoid the damage.  Face it. usually the biggest threat to our peace of mind is our lack of trust.  Worry causes more damage than reality on a regular basis.

So?  We need to learn to trust and believe in the trust.  We need to find ways to set aside the worry and concentrate on Him.  We need to take setbacks and put them in perspective.  Just think about all the things you’re worried about through your life would’ve never come to fruition.  

Safe Garden

Psalms 52:8 (KJV) But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.

(Proverbs 26 also read)

I just finished a book dealing with the history of Greece, and one of the things the author pointed out in their constant warfare was that invading armies would cut down all of the olive trees.  Because of the poor soil, and other factors olive oil was the major source of income and wealth for many of these cities.  When you cut down the trees, you cut down their source of olive oil and money.  That was only the beginning of the problem.  Evidently olive trees are very slow to grow.  At least that’s what the book said.  I don’t set myself up as a authority on olives.  The author did.

That means that one of the points of this verse is that in order to grow healthy it’s going to take a long time to mature.  We need protection.  God offers that protection.

So?  That should be encouraging.  It also means that we have to stay in the garden instead of wandering around engaging people swinging axes in conversation.  Stay safe.  

Joyful Triumph

Psalms 47:1 (KJV) [[To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah.]] O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.

(Proverbs 25 also read)

I began reading this in the NASB.

Psalms 47:1 (NASB95) For the choir director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. O clap your hands, all peoples; Shout to God with the voice of joy.

And as I moved into the next verse, I noticed that it went from joy to fear.  The KJV goes from triumph to terrible.  The contrast struck me.  I looked at the footnote in the NASB and it had the idea of shouting with great enthusiasm.  So it wasn’t just rejoice in the sense of having beaten down someone else, but it is trust Him in the sense of joyful victory.

There’s a very real sense in which God wants us to live in victory but I think that the nuance presented by the word “joy” might give us a better insight into our attitude toward that victory and the nature of that victory.  Every day will not seem like we are winners.  Often it will feel like we were given the short end of the stick.  That’s when we need to realize that God is on the throne and that He’s watching what happens and He’s working things out for His glory and His purpose.

So?  Live in the joy of knowing the things that happened to you can have glorious outcomes.  It may not happen today or tomorrow.  

Unexpected

Psalms 46:6 (KJV) The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.

(Proverbs 24 also read)

One of the bits of advice that we get at different times is, “Be careful what you ask for.”  We see a little bit of that in this verse.  The author or his nation are being threatened by evil people.  He wants to be delivered.  That’s mainly what he wants, to be delivered.  When God responds, he doesn’t answer the need the way the victim feels is necessary.  He tends to go at times what we would consider overboard.  It would’ve been enough if he had made the armies of the enemy fall on their face.  Instead, God melts the Earth . We kind of get the result we want, but with much more power than we had planned on.

Make allowance for figurative language.  Make allowance for poetic expression.  Make whatever adjustments you want to make to bring this down to where you can understand it.  God moves.  God has the ability to do whatever it takes to get His will.

So?  Make sure that you are on God’s side.  He’s not going to melt the Earth just because you’re having a bad day, but He might do things you don’t expect to bring about His will.  

Testimony Time

Psalms 40:10 (KJV) I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.

(Proverbs 23 also read)

First, it seems strange to me that I was going to hide God’s righteousness.  Because it seemed strange, I read it again and thought about it.  Then became clear that the contrast to hiding was sharing or what we like to call testimonies.

I don’t think this is talking about witnessing to the world.  Notice the last word.  It is to be in the congregation.  This is a call for us to have a part of our worship time being testimonies.  Last time I taught Sunday school, instead of starting right out with prayer requests, I asked for words of praise.  It almost ran away with the time.  When people were given opportunities to share the things they had to praise God for they opened up and we were blessed by all the ways in which our prayers have been answered, and which God was touching our lives.

So?  You may not be in charge.  You may not set the agenda.  But if you get a chance be ready to share the blessings.  

The Ism’s at Work

Proverbs 22:16 (KJV) He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.

People with one track minds or petrified understanding of economics might see in this verse a condemnation of capitalism or free enterprise.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  This is not a condemnation of working hard and gaining wealth.  If you need a balance on that look at the Proverbs 31 and see how the perfect wife is praised for starting a business and selling merchandise.

This is a condemnation of both the capitalist and the communist.  The condemnation comes not because of an abstract economic theory, but because the way those theories tend to work out in our sin burdened cultures.  Socialism and communism are really good at talking about equality and the people.  In reality it ends up with the elites oppressing the poor while they live in great luxury.  They are literally living off of the blood of the poor.

So?  We are free to buy and sell at a profit.  We are free to enjoy the fruit of our labor.  We are not free to take unfair advantage of those who may be a little bit less aware of economics than we are.  Live in righteousness, even when it comes to your bank book.  

The Façade of Righteousness

Proverbs 21:27 (KJV) The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?

I noticed that there seems to be two levels of abomination.  The first one is simply bringing a sacrifice is not righteous.  He may not even be thinking about it.  He may be living in rebellion and so used to that lifestyle that he doesn’t even seriously consider the things that God expects of him.  He brings a sacrifice.  It is an empty ritual.  It is an abomination.

Then you go to a deeper level.  This speaks of someone who comes consciously thinking wicked things.  He still goes through the motions.  He still offers sacrifices. He may work overtime to make people think he is living a righteous life, but underneath he knows exactly what he’s doing.

So?  I would hope this does not apply to me or you.  But what it does tell us is that we need to be aware of people who know how to go through the motions and are either not thinking about it or are deliberately being deceptive.  Discernment is a quality that God wants us to develop.  

Investing

Proverbs 20:17 (KJV) Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

Most of us avoid what we would consider deceit.  I’m not sure that everyone who deals with us feels the same way.  So one of the things that comes across here is we need to be more critical of our own motives and our own methods.  I would suggest bending over backwards to make sure that we are standing in the place of righteousness .

It is so easy to compromise.  It is so easy to make excuses.  What we need to understand is that the ultimate judge of our transactions and positions is God himself.

So?  Believe me you don’t want God filling your mouth with gravel.  That doesn’t mean you won’t have time to recover or that God won’t forgive you in the long run, but it’s not great finding a piece of sand in your spinach.  

Still Required

Proverbs 19:16 (KJV) He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his ways shall die.

If you’re looking for a bone to pick, you might lift this verse out and have issues with it because you claim it teaches works righteousness.  You might claim that this is a statement where we earn our salvation.  You might have a dissertation to write on dispensationalism and how we’re no longer under the law.

If so, you’ve missed the whole point.  This doesn’t say that you earn your soul by keeping the commandments.  It says you keep it.  All through Proverbs and Psalms I keep coming across statements about faith and trust in God’s favor being extended towards us.  That’s a simple statement of salvation.  It is grace through faith.  What this does is remind us that there is also the element of obedience, of walking in the faith, of being faithful.

So?  Keeping the Commandments should be automatic to us by this time.  I assume that when this talks about the Commandments, it’s talking about the Decalogue and the basic moral standards that are given in the Old Testament.  I don’t think He’s worried about us not boiling a kid and his mothers milk.  Rejoice in a God who is morally upright, and expects us to live the same way. 

Take a Deep Breath

Psalms 37:1 (KJV) [[[A Psalm] of David.]] Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.

(Proverbs 18 also read)

I have been getting agitated.  I’ve been focusing on the plans that others have made for me for the day interfering with what I had planned.  In a word I have been “fretting”.  What a theme to start my reading with.

We tend to look at obstacles as barriers.  They’re almost like a stop sign where I am expected to come to a full legal stop.  Actually more like a red light than the stop sign because of stop sign I often look both ways and then proceed.  Have you ever been at a red light where the signal is stuck and it just refuses to cycle?  Eventually, I have learned when I am convinced that’s the case, I look both ways very carefully and then get on with my life.  We need to do that with the barriers that people put in front of us.

So?  Plan your day.  Stay flexible.  You never know when a detour will come up.  Usually there’s more than one way to get to Rome.  

Inner Piece

Psalms 36:1 (KJV) [[To the chief Musician, [A Psalm] of David the servant of the LORD.]] The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, [that there is] no fear of God before his eyes.

(Proverbs 17 also read)

One of the truths I have been coming across repeatedly is how God looks at the heart.  Our outward actions are vital.  Obedience is necessary.  We are expected to live lives that are exemplary . All that is required, yes, but beyond that is the necessity of having the right heart.  It must start in our inner-you.

I like the way the NASB phrases the first part of this.

Psalms 36:1 (NASB95) For the choir director. A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD. Transgression speaks to the ungodly within his heart; There is no fear of God before his eyes.

There is a process that goes on inside the heart, which tends to drag people away from the righteousness of God.  I rejoice that I do not know that leaning within me.  I think a large part of the reason I lean the other way is because of the work of the Holy Spirit and my calling upon Him.

So?  Check your leaning.  If you tend to be going the wrong way, it’s time to call upon God to work a miracle within you.  It is a part of our spiritual journey, a vital part.  

Two-Way Roads

Proverbs 16:17 (KJV) The highway of the upright [is] to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.

The question that comes to my mind is the location of the evil.  Is the concern behind me on the road or has it suddenly appeared beside the road?  I would assume from the way the statement is made it’s not ahead of me and blocking the road.  The highway of holiness is providing me with a way of escape, not confrontation.

Sometimes the danger is pursuing us.  I would assume that on this highway, whatever means we are using for transportation, if we put our foot to the metal, we can out-distance the evil that is overtaking us.  That’s one possibility.

The other is that as we move forward on the road there suddenly appears on the side a bandit or a zombie or something else that’s coming to get us.  In case it’s like that all we need to do is keep going straight ahead, stay on the road, and let the natural barriers protect us.

So?  The clear teaching is that when we are confronted with evil, we have a choice to depart or to stay and get involved.  Which do you think is indicated here?  

Your Choice

Proverbs 15:15 (KJV) All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.

How do you have a merry heart?  It sounds like an emotional state and we have little control over our emotions.  Or do we?

I think this indicates that we have a lot more to say about our emotional state than we want to admit.  Often it is an excuse we use to act in ways that are unacceptable to the people around us.  How often have we said or heard someone else say, “I’m just in a bad mood”?

So?  We can choose to be merry or sad.  The choice starts with acknowledging that fact.  Make a decision and call on God for the help you need.  Plan on being amazed at the results.  

Filtering

Proverbs 14:18 (KJV) The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

As I read this morning, it reminded me of how difficult it is for us to know what is happening in current events.  We go to the media and find that for the large part it’s all fantasy and lies.  We go to YouTube and we have lots of Clickbait and tantalizing titles.  We talk to our friends and they give us their opinions, which are very much their opinions

What are we to do?  The point here is that those who are simple or naïve, depending on your translation, just take what they hear and it produces nothing but folly.  On the other side, those who are prudent and careful in their thinking can end up with real knowledge.

So?  Again I remind you to start with the written word of God.  That will give you a standard by which to understand your world.  Once you have that foundation listen to what you hear, filtered through the active involvement of the Holy Spirit in your process.  

Life-Long Learning

Proverbs 13:18 (KJV) Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.

Instruction is presented here as something which is given to you by another person.  The NASB uses the word “discipline” (4148) instead of instruction.  That different vocabulary got me to thinking about how discipline, or instruction, or even learning is a two edge sword.

We are taught by others.  As children our parents are our first and most effective teachers.  That’s one reason why homeschooling works so well.  Parents, even when they don’t realize it, are outstanding teachers.  And this goes on through life as we go through apprenticeships or on the job training or just about anything.  We can learn from others.

The other side of this is self teaching.  I went to seminary.  It was a valuable experience.  But most of the value there was in maturing and developing an outlook on life that was shaped by the attitudes and values of the professors.  It wasn’t so much the content.  You may have seen that title, “everything I needed to know I learned in kindergarten”.  There’s some wisdom in that.  Our education really depends on us continuing to learn.

So?  Your greatest teacher is the Holy Spirit.  Learning depends on you though eventually.  You need to be open.  You need to be seeking.  God will supply the textbooks of life.  

Stay Alert

Proverbs 12:21 (KJV) There shall no evil happen to the just: but the wicked shall be filled with mischief.

As I read through this chapter, I kept seeing this word “wicked” appear again and again. Solomon seems to be really concerned about this and is convinced that there are some people who are just plain evil.  We as Christians have a hard time believing this.  We see it.  We’re told about it .  We experience it.  We still resist.

Evil exists.  Most people would admit that.  Evil is all around us.  Many would accept that.  People that you know and deal with daily are consumed with this evil.  That we don’t like.  It is still true

So?  Take warnings like this in Proverbs seriously.  

Count Your Strings

Psalms 33:2 (KJV) Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.

(Proverbs 11 also read)

As I read over this verse, my mind went down one of its rabbit trails.  I noticed that this Psalm specifically mentions 10 strings.  Is that divinely inspired and are we supposed to make a sermon based on that?  What about an instrument with nine strings?  11 strings?  My guitar only has six strings.  Can I use it or not?  It’s easy to get off on these tangents.  I think of a denomination that does not use any kind of instruments in their worship because all references to instruments are in the Old Testament and we are now in the new covenant.  They sang beautiful.  I don’t know what their theology is, but I would welcome them as part of the family of God.  They are straining after gnats and swallowing camels.

I recently started watching a video of a guy who was going to make an entire speech on 153 fish the disciples caught.  I listen for a few minutes, and then I realized that perhaps the time would be spent better in looking at the gifts of the spirit, the fruit of the spirit, what it means to love your neighbor, and so forth.

So?  We can get so caught up in meaningless details.  When you read the Bible, God has something to say to you and I don’t think it has to do with how many strings your guitar has.  I could be wrong, but I don’t think so.  

Pick One

Psalms 32:10 (KJV) Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.

(Proverbs 10 also read)

As I read through this Psalm I kept coming across powerful thoughts that grabbed hold of me and made me want to stop and think about them.  It’s full of points of meditation.  I had to pick one.  I picked one several times.  I finally settled on looking at this.

We are saved by faith.  Faith is trusting.  We are to live by faith.  Faith is obeying.  And this is telling us that if we live this way, if we live in a trusting way, if we apply the standards of God in our lives, even when it doesn’t look like it will work, we have the promise of God’s mercy.

So?  Pick a promise.  This chapter is full of them.  A good place to start is the reminder of the security from trusting the Lord.  Put that in your pipe and smoke it.  

An Old Concept

Psalms 31:5 (KJV) Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.

(Proverbs 9 also read)

Ever since the cross on Calvary we have tended to think of Jesus as our redeemer.  We probably think of it in New Testament terms, as if it’s a new concept delivered in the gospels, but we can see that it is rooted in the Old Testament.  This idea of being redeemed, or as the NASB calls it, ransomed, goes all the way back to Genesis.  The need to be redeemed goes back all the way to the Garden of Eden.

So?  Jesus is our redeemer, we sing that.  We should also be singing that God the father has been our redeemer since the beginning.  We were lost.  We had a great price on our heads.  We’ve been left at the pawnshop to gather dust.  Now we have been redeemed. 

Watered Down

Psalms 29:1 (KJV) [[A Psalm of David.]] Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength.

(Proverbs 8 also read)

I first started having questions about the translation of this verse when I compared the Authorized and the NASB.  Notice the slight difference by the addition of a word.

(Psa 29:1 NAS77) A Psalm of David. Ascribe to the LORD, O sons of the mighty, Ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

The extra word is “sons”.  With my limited expertise in Hebrew, all I could do was look at the Blue Letter Bible tools, and noticed that according to them, the Hebrew word “ben” is in the original manuscripts, but for some reason the authorized version does not include it.

So the idea of the sons is biblical.

Now go another step.

The word “mighty” is usually translated as God and in the singular.  Out of 245 times the word appears in the Hebrew it is translated as God 239 times.  Why not here?  I guess the translators were in one of those moods.  The thing is it’s consistent through all the translations I have except one.

So?  Part of the reason that we are excited about who God is involves the fact that we are sons of God. 

Saucy

Proverbs 7:18 (KJV) Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.

This person is a good example of the dangers of quoting the Bible out of context.  This sounds like the beginning of a romance novel.  If you get a chance, look over this whole section where the local whore is seducing the young fool.  It’s pretty graphic.  If you quoted just as verse, you might think that the Bible is approving

Obviously that’s not the case.  At least it’s obvious to me and I think to you.  It may not be obvious to the person who has not read their Bible at all.  Be leery of one-word proof text.  There are times when it works.  There are times when it is disastrous.  I have been in a lot of discussions lately, where people are taking quotes out of context and using them for their own purposes.  We must be alert.

So?  The more you read the more you are informed.  The more familiar you are with the real thing the easier it is to detect the false.  May God bless your thinking and your reasoning.  

Was Solomon Confused?

Proverbs 6:16 (KJV) These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

Notice how Solomon seems to change his mind halfway through the sentence.  He starts off talking about six things and then decides that there are seven.  Did he really change his mind or was he just using a literary device.  I think it was a literary device.

We need to be careful when we read to not take things literally which are designed to be taken figuratively.  This is a good example which does not necessarily affect any theology that might change your mind about how inspired scripture can be changed when people talk about God, not changing his mind.  They obviously don’t take into consideration things like this or how He repented of creating man when He was talking just before Noah.

So?  Read with discernment . Read with your brain turned on.  Yes I know there are times when we find ourselves reading in a zombie state.  That just means you have to back up and hit it again.  

Yes, They Do

Proverbs 5:13 (KJV) And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!

I have a picture of judgment day.  The picture varies depending on my mood, but one of the landscapes that I see is that people are standing before God and claiming ignorance. “I didn’t know.”  “No one ever told me.”  “It’s not my fault.”   All I can really say is , “Yes, they did.”

In Proverbs here it talks about how they didn’t listen, let alone obey.  They didn’t listen mainly because they didn’t want to hear what was being said.  It’s kind of like when you get on an airplane and the stewardesses stand up in the aisle and go through the nonsense of showing you how to buckle up the buckle and unbuckle the buckle.  They go through how to put on a vest in case of a water landing.  It always mystifies me when I’m flying from San Antonio to Las Vegas where they think they’re going to find a body water big enough to crash land an airplane.  But they go through the motions.  I tune them out.

That may be no big deal on an airplane flying over desert and being instructed on the water landing.  I pay a little bit more attention when they point to the exit rows.  Most people have many people pointing out exit rows to them.  But they don’t listen.

So?  Pay attention.  I like to think that anybody reading this it’s doing that.  I certainly work at it.  God will let you know what you need to know if you want to hear it.  

You Don’t Need to Look under the Rocks

Proverbs 4:16 (KJV) For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

Every month as I come to Proverbs 4 this verse stands out to me.  I am reminded not only that evil as a force is very real and there are evil people in the world, but that these individuals are focused on spreading the evil and causing problems for others.

You don’t have to go looking for the bugs, they come to you.  Just like in Texas we don’t have to go looking for scorpions. They somehow have a way of wiggling their way through cracks and showing up in our bathrooms.  I have found them tucked in the shower curtain.  I’ve seen centipedes 5 inches long crawling across the floor of my bedroom.  In the same way, your neighbors, your coworkers, and possibly even members of your family are out to get you.  It’s not just you being paranoid.

So?  All the more reason to live in faith and faithfulness.  All the more reason to follow the righteous path and keep our eyes on the things that God is teaching us and His wisdom literature. He will be your shield. 

Double Promise

Proverbs 3:16 (KJV) Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.

Living a life based on wisdom comes with a promise.  When I said a double promise, I wasn’t referring to the first and second parts of the verse.  I was referring to the double meaning you can have when we talk about length of days.

There is the obvious sense in which we will live longer lives.  Wisdom, if nothing else, tends to create more healthy activities, and more moderation in the crazy activities of life.  So however long you would’ve lived without the touch of God’s wisdom, you will live longer with it.

The second sense which is not necessarily obvious or even implied is the concept of eternity.  The wise person trusts in God.  A wise person repents, and calls upon Jesus to forgive his sins.  As a result, the wise person enters eternity with anticipation that he will be spending it in the presence of Almighty God.

So?  Choose the path of wisdom.  Get started on eternity today. 

The Blessings for Israel

Proverbs 2:22 (KJV) But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.

Obviously, this person is not talking about blessings.  Consider it though in the context.  The previous verse talks about blessings.  This one talks about the results of disobedience and rebellion.  One of the big questions that I have is how Israel can be the chosen people of God, and still be so blatantly rebellious and disobedient.  We even have what seems to be a promise in Romans about all Israel being saved.

One of the things I’ve noticed in reading through the Old Testament and the parts dealing with the law is that the promises of God to Israel seem to focus on this life, this world, before we die.  They are promised land.  They are promised a king.  We are promised a lot of things with the understanding that it is contingent upon their obedience.

They were in constant rebellion and rejection of God.  As a result the majority of Israelites, over the years, were regularly culled and discarded.  The faithful remnant receive the results of the promise.  Noticed that even here it’s not talking about eternal life, but being cut off from the Earth.

So?  Don’t get too excited about Israel’s place in the end times.  God will work that out the way He plans on, and we will have a little to say about it.  Focus on the fact that you have a promise of eternal life, because of the grace of God extended to you and your faith in Jesus.  That goes beyond the land.  That goes beyond the king sitting on a throne in Israel.  That goes into eternity. 

A Good Reminder

Proverbs 1:33 (KJV) But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

When I read promises like this, I find that it is a stabilizing reminder.  We need to be constantly reminded that God is watching over us, and that we are in His hand.

At the same time I tend to look at these as general assurances of protection, not specific guarantees that my 401(k) will not be devalued.  Security.  Safety.  Prosperity.  The repulsion of evil from our lives.  And since these are relative concepts, I can remember the time when I was down to being a month behind on my rent and nothing but a can of soup on the shelf.  I would not exactly consider that a time of celebration, but God saw me through.

So?  Trust.  Continue to live in joy.  God has our back.  He also has your front and sides and above us and below us.  Things are crazy in our world.  Things are calm in the heart of God.