Spread the Merry

(Pro 1:24 KJV)  Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

It is Advent season.  In its attempt to muzzle the message of Emmanuel the secular world has been working overtime to remove Jesus from the Christmas story.  That is a tragedy but there is still enough evidence around to point people to the incarnation and thus to the crucifixion.  The cradle is just the first chapter leading to the cross.  The words in the carols that used to be sung everywhere for an entire month involved Joy to the World and a solution that extended “far as the curse if found.”

What is tragic is the situation in this verse:  rejection of truth.  The message of redemption is still out there but people don’t want to hear it.  We cannot make decisions for them.  What we can do is keep the message in front of them.  Get into playing and singing the hymns of the incarnation and using the words.  Do your part to give the world around you a chance.  After that it is between them and God.

So?  Merry Christmas.  Spread the reason for the Merry. 

Guilt Trips

(Pro 29:13 KJV)  The poor and the deceitful man meet together: the LORD lighteneth both their eyes.

In a recent discussion the topic of witnessing came up.  We were concerned about people coming to Jesus and wondering about the opportunities we miss.  We wanted to do a better job of evangelism.  We were feeling a lot of guilt and I pointed out that we should not feel it is our fault if people don’t accept Jesus.

The real evangelist is the Holy Spirit.  We cannot argue anyone into the kingdom.  We forget that.  This verse should help remind us.  Two classes of people.  Both are given access to the truth.  I think we can assume that one does not respond, maybe neither, but God is being faithful.

So?  People make choices.  One of those involves accepting the message God is laying on their hearts.  You may not hear the voice speaking to them.  They might deny it.  The Holy Spirit is still working.  Rejoice that you heard and pray that they might but set aside the guilt. 

Target Selection

(Pro 9:8 KJV)  Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.

One of the things we don’t like to do is be selective.  We think it is virtuous to minster to the homeless but wrong to target the well-to-do.  In reality we should be looking for those who are receptive.  If people are happy in their sin there is little you can say to them and we need to understand that many in poverty are happy in their sin.  Part of that sin is envy of the wealthy.  Part is sloth.  You can find similar issues with the in crowd.

We need to be ready to respond to those who are open.  That is often something we cannot determine without getting to know someone.  I think that most evangelism takes place with people who are like you, know you and will listen to what you say.

So?  This is not an excuse but a reality.  Watch attitude not logos. 

Target Preparation

(Pro 25:11 KJV)  A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

This is a double challenge to me.  It seems like I speak up when I should be silent and conversely I am silent when I should speak out.  This is an aspect of wisdom that is hard to master.  It isn’t just the truth or appropriateness of the words.  A bigger question is the receptiveness of the hearer.  

Two factors are important in the person you speak to.  They need to be willing to listen.  Often that requires an awareness of their ignorance.  As an example, it is almost pointless to witness to people about a savior if they won’t admit they are lost.  The second factor is us.  Have we earned their trust?  Do they think out opinion is worth anything?  People who think sushi is a great delight won’t pay any attention to my recommendation for the pot roast as Golden Coral.

So?  Earn the right and carefully consider the target.  I think it is safe to say we should err on the side of reticence. 

T Stands for Total

(Pro 6:12 KJV)  A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.

I began reading today and the first words I saw were “naughty" (worthless NASB) (1100) “person” (120) [adam].  How mean spirited.  How unfriendly.  How non-seeker friendly.  And of course, the one that modern American church attenders like to leave out, how Biblical.  It is amazing how hard it is for us to connect simple truth with the world we live in.

Think of the Calvinists.  Chances are if you scratch a Christian they will bleed Calvin.  The first point of the TULIP system is Total Depravity.  That is the ultimate worthless person.   Yet we go to church after church that is trying to appeal to the totally depraved by appealing to their comfort zone.  What part of depraved are they not getting?

So?  Wake up church.  We are not out to make the depraved feel at home in our sanctuaries, sorry, worship centers.  We are out to create an environment that will move them toward being uncomfortable with their sin. 

The Goal of Columbus

(Pro 11:23 KJV) The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.

Notice that there are two words, “desire” (8378) and “expectation” (8615b), that speak to the view toward the future.  Both words are used in both positive and negative ways in the Old Testament.  It key is in the context.  Hope can be based in reality or it can be rooted in deception.  If the reality is the person and power of God, then there is good news coming.  If you hope is based on your own worth or the promises of our culture then there is no guarantee of the outcome short term, and a real danger of disaster long term.

So?  What does your heart desire and why?  Why was Christopher Columbus successful when so many others made no mark?  It is not often mentioned but one of his concerns was spreading the gospel.  He was not a 21st century evangelical so we might not understand his lingo or accept the whole picture but he was more successful than he thought.  He never found China but he opened the new world to Jesus. 

Cotton Candy Evangelism

(Pro 10:21 KJV) The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.

One of the points made to push people to witness and evangelize is that you may be the only source of contact the non-believer has with the gospel.  I think there is a bit of cotton candy theology mixed in with that.  Cotton candy is formed by taking a small amount of sugar and adding a lot of air to make it look a lot bigger.  I think it is safe to say that just about everyone we come in contact with has been touched by either the gospel or some kind of pre-gospel presentation.  Notice in the verse that there seems to be plenty of wisdom available but the fools are not accessing it.

Think about the presentation points.  Most traditional Christmas carols have the redemption story worked in.  We have holidays that are based on the concept of saints.  Valentine and Patrick come to mind.  Many cartoons strips make reference to spiritual things.  The information is out there, just ignored or deliberately avoided. 

So?  Be ready to make a defense of your hope as Peter tells us.  Don’t get trapped into thinking it all depends on how many verses you have mastered in the right order.  They need to be willing to listen and prepared by the Holy Spirit. 

The Breaks

(Proverbs 6:15 KJV)  Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.

Ice is slippery.  I know that.  I knew that.  I went down so fast that I did not have time to remind myself.  I learned something else, or at least had it reinforced:  The ground is hard.  I had a few minor issues and a few days of soreness.  I have completely recovered.  The same would not be true if my moment had ended just a little differently.  What if my temple came in contact with the bumper of the car?  What if I had slid under a moving vehicle? 

Sometimes there will be no opportunity for second chances.  That is what this verse is talking about.  God is gracious.  God is patient.  God give many chances.  Eventually God will offer no “remedy” (healing NASB) (4832).

So?  As I often share with people when danger approaches, “I am ready to go.”  I still watch my step but I am ready. 

The Big Roadblock

(Proverbs 16:4 KJV)  The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

Does this verse make you feel uncomfortable?  Does it make you look for ways to get out from the implications?  Do you look for exceptions?  If it doesn’t, it should.  This is one of the hardest things for human beings to accept:  He is God.  We are not.  Everything is for His “purpose” (4617).  Everything.  It is not about your happiness.  It is not about your personal goals or sense of fulfillment.  Those things come.  There are promises.  God is faithful.  All that is true but the basic reality that we have a hard time with is He is God.  We are not.  He does not exist for us to call on to fulfill our plans.  We are His servants.

Why do we find people resisting the gospel?  Why do we find people drifting away after they first respond to the love of the cross?  Why do so many continue to go through the motions but never really get on board?  It is this verse.

So?  Remember that one day every knee shall bow.  Now it is a choice.  Now it involves entering the family of God.  At judgment it will be forced.  At judgement it will be too late.  Live in submission.  Live in victory. 

Hanging On

(Proverbs 5:5 KJV)  Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.

I get frustrated with the desire to evangelize.  I don’t want anyone to go to Hell.  God does not want anyone to go to hell.  As I struggle with this I come across verses like this.  Notice the term “take hold” (8551).  This has the idea of reaching out and grabbing something and then holding on like it is necessary for survival.  We recently had the reminder of what it is like trying to give an infant a bath.  They are wiggly and squirmy and slippery.  You don’t want to drop them.  When they hand off to me expecting me to swaddle her in a big towel I need to make sure that I have a good grip.  People are that way with their sin and rebellion.

So?  You cannot talk anyone into salvation.  It is a gift offered by God and their hearts are responding to the Holy Spirit.  What we need to realize is that the response is usually, “No.”  It will become “a thousand times no” before God is finished with them.  By holding on to their sin they reject the God of salvation as well as the salvation of God. 

Balancing Act

(Proverbs 24:22 KJV)  For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?

We are warned about the “ruin” (6365) that can come from both the government and God.  As Christians we are to be submissive to the king, i.e. government, but not forget our priorities and standards.  That can be hard in modern times where Biblical morality is becoming a hate crime.  It can be a tough wire to balance on.  We are required to make the effort.

We have Jesus paying taxes and giving us the admonition to give Caesar what is Caesar’s.  We have Paul telling us to live in submission to the governing authorities.  At the same time we have Peter saying he will not stop preaching just because they told him to.  In a day that has Christians being banned from the public square we need to be willing to take the risk.

So?  Don’t be obnoxious.  Don’t be arrogant.  At the same time stick to your guns. 

Adamson

(Proverbs 8:4 KJV)  Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.

Modern sensitivity has trouble with the phrase “sons (1121) of men (120)”  The modern attempts to communicate the word of God finds ways to avoid the masculine noun.  It could have been translated Ben-Adam.  You have seen the first part in the name of the hero Ben Hur, meaning son of Hur.  And of course Adam is the Hebrew word for “man”.  I guess if you were doing a Scandinavian translation you could say Adamson. 

The point being made is that the words of wisdom from the Bible are for all people, everywhere.  The contrast that we should be bringing away from this is not that the women have been left out but that the Gentiles have been included. 

So?  The Bible applies to you, and you, and you and, yes, even you.  It applies even if you reject it so if you have not looked seriously at it, give it a read. 

Look for the Gates

(Proverbs 8:3 KJV)  She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.

What does a “gate” (opening NASB) (6310) involve?  The Hebrew word literally means “mouth”.  I think we can see how this would apply here.  We run into openings in our life on a regular basis.  Even I, retired and by nature sedentary, regularly speak to people I have never seen before on a regular basis from waitresses to doctors.  I go in stores I have never visited.  I visit web sites that are new to me.  Every one of these is an opportunity to reach out and touch the world.  It could be a new relationship of any kind.  It could be a new job or position, a new acquaintance, a new home or just standing in line with “new” people.

It would be encouraging if we would learn to look at every new restaurant as a chance to spread a little wisdom.  I watched a friend do this the other day.  He is at a stage where he is thinking about the Old Testament dietary laws and their possible benefits.  God did not make them up arbitrarily and although they are not binding on those of us outside the Old Covenant they still had a reason.  Right now he is avoiding bacon and in the ordering at the restaurant the waiter got concerned because he thought there might be a little bacon grease in something and the problem might be an allergy.  It lead to a good discussion and wisdom was dispensed in a polite and civil manner.

So?  Look for the gates and the opening to dispense the truth of God.  It might be love.  It might be morality.  It might be eternal. 

Seeker Friendly

(Proverbs 9:3 KJV)  She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city,

Like God Himself, Wisdom is seeking out those who will listen and respond.  There are many areas of life in which it is legitimate to claim, “I didn’t know.”  There are also many areas of life in which that claim is rather empty.  Can we honestly believe that there are very many people who have not heard at least enough about Jesus to begin a journey in His direction.  They may not have heard the four spiritual laws or be able to quote John 3:16 but they hear bits and pieces that they respond to, or not.

Of such decisions are destinies made.

So?  God is still communicating.  Our job is to keep listening and responding. 

Timing

(Proverbs 25:25 KJV)  As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.

Have you ever tried to share your faith with a non-believer?  Have you ever tried to reprove a believer?  How did it go for you?  My guess is that most of the time you either generated apathy or anger.  They might have a need but their defenses were still in place.  Their “soul” (5315) [nephesh] was not “thirsty" (weary NASB) (5889) enough. 

Think of how you respond when someone is trying to tell you how to do your job, or other areas of life.  I don’t listen much when most people try to tell me how to teach.  Experience has told me that what works for them may not work for me.  It has also shown me that it didn’t work for them either.  When my son introduces me to new technology, I am all ears.  On new technology I am aware that my soul is weary.  I know I need something.

The times that I have been “successful” in sharing the gospel have always surprised me.  The people who have responded were ready.  They were hungry and knew it.  They were hungry enough to admit it.

So?  Continue to look for opportunities to share the good news but don’t take the response personally.  It may be that they are so good at keeping the Holy Spirit at arms length that they won’t listen to anyone.  On the other hand, it may be time. 

Soul Seekers

(Proverbs 29:10 KJV)  The bloodthirsty hate the upright: but the just seek his soul.

The concern of the “just” (upright NASB) (3477) goes deeper than a welfare check.  They are concerned about more than the “life” (5315) the NASB mentions.  The KJV gives the more common definition as “soul.”  “Soul” is the most common translation in both versions, followed by “life”.  That tells us that we are concerned about the total picture, not just how someone feels today.  In another place Solomon uses the same word with this reminder,

(Proverbs 11:30 KJV)  The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls (5315) is wise.

This is not an excuse to draw back from meeting physical needs.  It is a demand that we not be satisfied with meeting physical needs.  To paraphrase a bit of wisdom, “Give a man a fish, you feed him for a day.  Introduce Him to the maker of fish and feed him for eternity.”

So?  Walk upright.  That will put your vision above the crowd and help you to see the long term goals of bringing people into the kingdom.

The Spirit of Christmas

(Proverbs 1:23 KJV)  Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

As I write I am thinking of Christmas coming.  I am also thinking about the legitimate question that many ask, “How can God condemn people to Hell who have never heard the gospel?”  Is that a strange question for Christmas?  No, not really.  As you go through the stores and public places you will hear Christmas music.  A growing segment is modern nonsense like “Santa Baby”, but you will still find the old carols rearing their heads.  Anyone who has heard the traditional Christmas Carols has heard the gospel.

That relates to this verse.  This verse talks about how God will “pour out” (5042) His Spirit.  Now look at the context of verses.  The Spirit will be poured out on the naive, the scoffers, the haters.  God will speak directly to the hearts of those lost in sin and rebellion.  At Christmas God will touch much of the world and the world will reject Him.

People do not reject the gospel because they do not understand.  They reject the gospel because they understand too well.  The gospel is acted out by the magi and shepherds kneeling at the feet of Jesus.  Human beings have a self centered nature that refuses to kneel.

So?  Have you heard the music of Christmas?  Does it bring joy to your heart because it announces the incarnation or hostility because it demands submission?  Rest assured that people have their chance to respond.  Maybe this month you will get a chance to explain the details.  Merry Christmas. 

Wearing Out a Welcome

(Proverbs 25:17 KJV)  Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.

This is an interesting verse to come up the day before Thanksgiving.  A large portion of the American population will be traveling to visit friends and family.  They will put their “foot” (7272) in someone else’s house.  Keep in mind that most of the Biblical recommendation and laws are based on moderation and balance.  That is why it is Ten Commandments not ten thousand.  There are standards with no wiggle room but that is not what this is saying.

Don’t let something like this become an excuse to join a monastery or become a hermit.  Paul points out the problems with that,

(1 Corinthians 5:10 NAS77)  I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters; for then you would have to go out of the world.

If we do not have any contact with the rest of the world then we would never be able to witness or be salt and light.

So?  Always seek balance.  In social contact, be friendly and gracious but don’t overdo it.  Finding the middle ground is work but it is expected.

Anger Evangelism

(Proverbs 15:1 KJV)  A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

Why would we want to “turn away” (7725) “wrath” (2534)?  My first reason is to save myself from being the target.  My spiritual concern is self seeking.  I want to avoid discomfort.  I am not sure that is the right motivation.  Following Christ does not mean that we are doing our own thing or advancing our own agenda.  It means we are serving others and looking out for them.

(Philippians 2:3-4 KJV)  Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.  Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

Why be careful in our response to others?  Because we want them to know the blessing of salvation and if they are consumed with anger at us they will not be willing to listen to God.

So?  Think of it as a characteristic of witnessing and evangelism.  Fires are usually put out by denying the flame oxygen, not by attacking the fire. 

Peak Performance

(Proverbs 9:3 KJV)  She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city,

We are to declare the wisdom of God from the “highest places” (heights NASB) (4791).  The picture here is of Jerusalem and a certain location that is a vantage point.  The word is used many ways but always has the idea of being at the top.  It means that we are to give wisdom our best presentation.  It is not supposed to be an after thought.  It should not be done with the left overs or relegated to a back room. 

Too often we are ashamed of the standards that God has given us.  We live in a culture that is in overdrive rejecting moral standards and objective values.  I will accept that often we do not have a chance to make a statement but we need to be looking for every opening we have to take the high places.  An example I have shared other places, when a student asks me, “What is your sign?” I answer, “The cross.”  When they ask me if I believe in Santa Claus I answer, “No, I believe in Jesus.” 

So?  Be alert.  Be creative.  Be honest.  Be a credit to your God, not an embarrassment.