Where Are the Ways?

(Psa 84:5 KJV)  Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.

(Proverbs 7 also read)

I first read this in the NASB which talks about the “highways to Zion”.  I noticed that some other translations have that also.  In the NASB “Zion” is in italics which means it is not in the Hebrew.  The KJV has words in italics too.  Where do they get Zion?  One translation has “temple”.  Interesting but not what got my attention.

What stood out to me was that the ways, or highways, of God are to be established in our hearts.  God is not satisfied with people who learn to go through the motions but are not touched in their core being.  Yes, He wants us to live upright, righteous lives but He wants it grounded in a heart that is on the right path.

So?  Seek to be constantly touched and renewed in your inner man.  God wants a foundation that will endure the trials of life.  

Refined, Not Carved

Proverbs 25:4 (KJV) Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.

The Bible has numerous spots where it talks about how we mature and grow spiritually.  One of the things that occurred to me about this recently was shown in this verse.  When God talks about molding our character or deepening our spiritual strength, He uses the illustration of smelting precious metals.  I don’t see any place where it talks about carving things or sanding things down.

In fact, when it talks about adjusting the outward looks, it usually is referring to man-made idols.  God works on the inside, which then is reflected on the outside.  The world tends to look at the outside and make it adjustments there and not worry about the core.

So?  This doesn’t mean that we don’t work on our discipline and our behavior but we need to be focused on allowing God to change our heart.  

The Picture of Clean

Acts 15:9 (KJV) And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

(Proverbs 20 also read)

I started my journey today in Psalm 24 where David is talking about lifting up clean hands and a pure heart.  I got to thinking about how people keep telling us that we are dirty rotten sinners, and that we are unworthy and so forth.  And yet I keep reading references like this, that say it is possible for us to come into His presence, with clean hands, and pure hearts. I looked up the word “pure” in the Hebrew and then went to the Greek.  When I went to the Greek and the New Testament, my mind went to this verse.

As I looked up the word purify in the King James, which is “cleans” in the New American Standard, I saw that its usage in the gospels was repeatedly used in being cleansed from leprosy.  Paul, Hebrews and James get into deeper applications, but I thought it was interesting that the idea of cleansing from leprosy is how Jesus use the word.

I think sometimes leprosy is used as a type for sin.  We don’t see much of it anymore although the disease is still around.  It’s a condition that deadens your nerves, and make your flesh susceptible to damage.  In effect your body starts to rot away because of this disease.

So?  Is this verse talking about the work of the Holy Spirit?  The point is that the grace of God through the power of the Holy Spirit is capable of changing a heart, and making it possible to come into the presence of God with clean hands in a pure heart.  That is reason to rejoice. 

Don’t Be Hopeless

(1Pe 3:15 KJV)  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

(Proverbs 2 also read)

The meaning of “sanctify” (37) can be one of two different emphasis.  One means to make holy and to cleanse.  That is not the meaning here.  In this passage it is to set aside or to put in a central location.

It is vital that we set aside Jesus as Lord of our lives.  It is vital that we put Almighty God in the center of our life and our hearts.  If we do this, we have a hope to share.

If we put our trust in something else, then we have no hope.  There are many things that we can put our trust in.  There are many things we can put in the center of my life.  Examples are family, our job, sports, sex, our cars.  The list goes on.

If we do not put Jesus in the center, then we have no hope to share.  We have nothing to make it to “Make a defense of” (NASB) or “give an answer” (KJV).  We have nothing to explain.  And to be honest people may not ask what it is.  They can understand being excited about family or sports or sex.  You don’t need to explain that to them.

So?  We need something in our hearts that gives us the kind of hope that needs to be explained.  If you don’t know Him yet, might I suggest Jesus? 

Perfect Fear

(Psa 101:2 KJV)  I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.

The KJV uses the term perfect twice in this verse.  It uses it again later in the chapter.  In every place the New American Standard chooses a different word.  In the Hebrew all three are related going back to the same root and expressing the same idea.  We have in modern times a fear of this word “perfect”.  We avoid it when we speak in terms of theology.  We don’t mind talking about a perfect steak, but we shudder when we quote the Bible talking about perfect love.

I would suggest that instead of avoiding biblical concepts, we look a little bit deeper and try to find out what they are talking about.  It is obvious that in this case, whatever perfect means it is attainable.

So?  Work on that part of your life which is supposed to be perfect and accept the fact that David was at least as smart as you are and knew that in a very real sense perfection was impossible.  He still talked about it.  Join him.  Go for it.

Divine Geography

(Psa 114:2 KJV)  Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion.

(Proverbs 5 read also)

As I read through this it struck me as a strange comment.  I had been contemplating the eternal nature of God and how we can’t really grasp it.  Now it tells me He has a “sanctuary” (6944).  My first reaction was based on the first meaning of sanctuary that popped into my head.  A sanctuary is the room we worship in.  It gets that name because in medieval times the church sanctuary was a place you could flee to and avoid persecution.  I assumed that went back to the OT idea of cities of refuge, but they are different words.

Refuge means asylum.  Sanctuary means set apart and sacred.  In some unexplainable way Psalms seems to be saying that the land and the nation of Israel is an anchor spot for God.  While God was impossible to escape it seems that the Holy of Holies in the Temple was a special place to meet Him.  This is why the Jews would journey to Jerusalem for Passover.  It is why Zion has such a special place in history and our hearts.

Pentecost changed that.  As Christians we have the offer of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  We have contact with God at any time and place.  When Jesus died on the cross the curtain in the Temple was torn asunder.  Truly, Immanuel.  God is with us.

So?  Be aware of the promises that have come about as you read the Bible.  Whether you like Israel, Judah or the “house of Jacob” from the first verse, the one you live in is the Body of Christ.  Rejoice. 

The Blessing of Dross Removal

(Pro 25:4 KJV)  Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.

My first heart response at reading this today was that I have value as a child of God.  That may not be the final thought offered but it is in there.  The miner digs out the ore because it contains something precious.  The ore is crushed, heated and gives up its precious metal.  It is more valuable than before.  That block of material is taken to another process where the purifying process continues or, I guess you could say, begins.  

The question for me, and I hope for you, today is not “When was I saved?”  I hope the issue is more, “Where am I on the journey of purification toward having all pollution removed?”  If you don’t like purification, okay.  It is a good Biblical word, but if you are more comfortable use maturity, final condition, sanctification.  They all work.

So?  Rejoice you have been mined and smelted.  Now live the removal of the dross. 

Weed Control

(Pro 24:31 KJV) And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.

This verse caught my eye in the NASB because instead of the “thorns” (7063) of the KJV it has “thistles” (7057).  My references say that they are actually the same word in the Hebrew.  Both translations have “nettles” (2738).  The reason I noticed is because I have been pulling them up out of my yard.  I originally thought they were the same thing but evidently not.  The plant with the glorious purple flower is a thistle.  Nettles are not so colorful.  Both have the spiky, thorny leaves.  Both have to go.

I am just beginning my struggle against these two plants.  I am operating on the assumption that just mowing them down will not take care of the problem.  I am pulling them up and trying to keep the seeds from spreading.  Fortunately they seem to come up easily.  One thing I know, if I don’t pull them they will multiply.

So?  The point Solomon is making is that we need to be diligent in our spiritual lives as well as our gardening.  We need to pull the weeds out by the roots or they will take over.

Torque Test

(Pro 7:2 KJV) Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.

When people come to know Jesus in a real way it makes a difference in how they think.  It might be a good test to read this verse and respond to find out if you are really saved.  To the genuine convert this verse is a promise.  To the superficial or phoney it is a threat.  There is a correlation between living the moral, focused life that God lays down and life.  To the believer it is not just eternal life that is being referenced but today and tomorrow.  It is the good life of the good.

Some people respond to the call to salvation but when they hear the commandments they pull up and say, “Now wait just a minute.”  They are quite willing to take the promise of pie in the sky but they want to be in the fast lane until that day comes.  Any restriction is poison and it eventually turns them away from Christ.

So?  I trust that you are enjoying life, now and forever.  We need to remember that the commandments are like a good torque wrench.  They keep the wheels from coming off. 

No and Yes

(Proverbs 20:9 KJV)  Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

This verse opens a can of theological worms.  If read in isolation you come to one conclusion.  If you consider all of scripture you come to another. 

In isolation this would seem to be saying that it is impossible to have a clean heart.  It would seem to be emphasizing the sinfulness of man and the fallen condition of creation.  It would seem that the only answer is a simple, “No one.”

But that doesn’t fit with the many places where the Bible talks about people who are righteous and upright.  It ignores the promises of God.  It refuses to read simple statements like,

(Acts 15:8-9 KJV)  And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

Is it possible to be pure from our sin?  Yes.  Is it possible to do it ourselves?  No. 

So?  The balance is that we are totally dependent on grace, but grace can do what seems impossible to us.  Relax and enjoy.  Try not to let your theological system get in the way of the simple promises. 

Who Has the Pink Slip?

(Proverbs 9:6 KJV)  Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.

Recently I heard a preacher comment on how people are willing to love Jesus, they just don’t want to serve Him.  It doesn’t work that way.  It never has.  Here we see the part of the formula that keeps so many people out of the kingdom of God.  In order to belong to Jesus we must give up our old way of life.  We sold a car last month.  When we took the man’s money we signed a paper saying that the car was his.  We had to “forsake” (5800a) any claim that we had before he would give us the money.  It was part of the deal.  I can’t be showing up in the middle of the night because I need a ride.

It is the same way with serving God.  We have a new title of ownership.  In California we called it a “pink slip”.  You might remember the old line from a Beach Boys song, “And one more thing, I got the pink slip, baby”.  God demands exclusive ownership.

So?  Are you still trying to lease salvation?  Then it doesn’t belong to you yet.  If you want life you must give up the ways of  the “foolish” (folly NASB) (6612a). 

Hearts and Minds

(Proverbs 18:15 KJV)  The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.

What determines how a word is translated?  Take “heart” (mind NASB) (3820) for instance.  The Hebrew word is used almost 600 times in the Old Testament.  The term refers to that center of a man’s being that is the location of our personality and how it interprets the world.  It has at least 10 different general understandings but they all point to some kind of focal point.  If I had to pick a generic word I would say “middle”.  The most common translation is “heart”.

We have a lot of terminology that uses this idea.  We talk about Jesus coming into our hearts.  The Bible refers to our hearts being cleansed.  Understand that this is not the soul.  That is a different word in both the Old and New Testaments.  Our hearts are cleansed; our souls, saved.  Maybe we could say that we have some input into our hearts staying cleansed but our souls are totally beyond our reach.  Heresy?

So?  Feed your heart of mind, whichever you prefer.  Think of it as a sponge that will pick up whatever it is surrounded by. 

Slip Knots

(Proverbs 6:21 KJV)  Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.

Why would we need to “continually” (8548) “bind” (7194) God’s words to our inner being?  It would seem that some things, once done, would not need to be repeated.  I am thankful that I only had to go through puberty once.  On the other side, how many times did I knock my head on the garage door after I got my bifocals?  How much pain was necessary before I learned to duck.

In the same way our inner being can be a slippery customer.  Our hearts seem to have a short memory.  Things need to be repeated, again and again.  That is why the same lessons are repeated throughout the Bible.  It is why Proverbs has themes that come up repeatedly.  We need to tie God’s words to our hearts and keep checking the knots.

So?  It is a living relationship with a living God and in order to not strangle us there needs to be stretch and wiggle room.  Stay alert to make sure things are in place.  Just a friendly warning about a serious need. 

Block Those Pop-Ups

(Proverbs 22:5 KJV)  Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.

How do you “keep” (guard NASB) (8104) yourself against pop-ups?  I notice that on my school computer they are coming up all the time at certain sites.  It doesn’t happen at home.  Why?  A couple of reasons.  First, my home computer was set up by someone I trust to keep out such things.  Many people see the problem in their lives.  They may try everything else but eventually turn to Jesus.  He forgives.  He cleanses.  He offers the fullness of the Spirit.  But often people don’t want to give up all the things that are destroying them.  They balk.  They backpedal.  They reject the presence of the Living God.  How does Satan respond?

(Luke 11:26 KJV)  Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.

When we make it a point to live in righteousness and invite the Holy Spirit to fill us, our steps are guided in such a way that we stay away from many potential spiritual infections.  Sometimes God allows us to be tested and strengthened but He keeps us away from what we cannot handle.

So?  What is the desire of your heart?  Do you want to be what the KJV called “froward” or do you want to stay far away from anything that will drag you down.  It makes a difference. 

No Ill Gotten Gains

(Proverbs 13:11 KJV)  Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.

As I said earlier, “wealth” (1952) is a broader concept than finance.  One of the great measures in Proverbs is wisdom.  Some people have wisdom, some don’t.  For some wisdom is easier to obtain than it is for others.  We are still to grow in wisdom.  Even Jesus went through the process somehow,

(Luke 2:52 KJV)  And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

What this is telling us is that there are no shortcuts to wisdom.  This is where the “labor” (3027)  comes in.  We are saved by grace through faith.  Got it.  We grow and mature through a process of discipline and struggle.  Don’t want it. 

You can’t fake spiritual wealth.  You can’t buy it on credit.  Counterfeit bills won’t be accepted.  In short, there is no short cut.

So?  Wisdom is required.  The riches of heaven are offered.  Don’t be unemployed in this labor market of love and grace. 

What Is Winnowing?

(Proverbs 20:26 KJV)  A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.

I must go with the KJV here.  The word it translates “scattereth” (2119) the NASB translates “winnows”.  The word literally means to spread and that is what you do in winnowing but that gives a picture of throwing things up in the air.  In winnowing you are separating the good grain from the chaff.  When you scatter, you get rid of.

So?  We need to make it a habit of getting rid of the “wicked” (7563) things and people in our lives.  This includes the people, possessions and positions that bring enjoyment as well as the ones that bring pain.  Sanctification means separation. 

How Is the View?

(Proverbs 23:7 KJV)  For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

How do you view yourself?  Neither the KJV or the NASB make this word clear.  One says “himself” (5315) and the other says “heart.”  This is a very common word in the Hebrew and is one of those words that points to the soul or the inner man.  In fact the most common translation in both versions is “soul.”  It is not just a simple pronoun to be passed over. 

How does your soul think?  What is at your core?  This is getting down to the basic person that you are. 

The Bible teaches that we are all born in sin.  It says that we have all sinned.  That is the bad news.  That is who you were and might still be if you have not seriously met Jesus.  The good news is that the title used for you after you meet Him is “saint” not “sinner.”  The good news is that the inner person, the “himself” or “heart,” can be changed.  That makes a different you.

So?  How is your heart?  How is your inner person?  God wants to look down and see the heart of a saint inside your “himself.”  Trust and obey. 

Bosom Gifts

(Proverbs 17:23 KJV)  A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.
As I was reading this month I was struck by the phrase “out of the bosom (2436).”  Adam Clarke says this refers to the way in which people of the area carry their wallet or purse tucked up close to their stomach area.  I like a little more figurative understanding here. 

As I look at the definition of the word, one of the nuances is “hollow.”  I think this is reflecting literally on the chest cavity but theologically it is a picture of the inner nature of human beings.  We are born in sin and inclined to evil.  This is what motivates us when we do things like accepting bribes or allow ourselves to be seduced by flattery.

When we listen to the sinful core, we produce wickedness.  As believers we can be freed from this body of sin.

(Romans 6:6 KJV)  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Jesus has promised us deliverance from this wickedness in our bosom. 

So?  Look to your heart, your “bosom.”  Is it in submission to the Holy God?  If not, seek a cure given by the Holy Spirit. 

Right On!

(Proverbs 4:25 KJV)  Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

Who would have guessed that the expression “right on” came from the KJV.  The word means "in front of you," thus we have “directly ahead” (5227) in the NASB.

We are so easily distracted.  There is so much that can pull our “eyes” (5869) off Jesus.  It can be something as simple as a headache.  It really doesn’t take much.  It is almost like we are looking for a reason to get off track.  Why?

Because the life of holiness is demanding.  It demands the maturity of the long range view.  We are much more inclined to immediate gratification.  How many times have we had that extra helping of our favorite food because “life is too short.”  How many times have we gotten angry because someone gets in front of us in line. 

If you want to go straight, fix your eyes on something in the distance and walk toward it.  For us that should be Jesus.

So?  How did you start your day?  Did you get into the word and get your mind focused on the things of God or did you say, “Later.”  Maybe its just me but I find it to hard to bake the cookies if I don’t read the recipe.

Graced Will

(Proverbs 30:12 KJV)  There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.

This verse is one of those that make me shudder.  It does not remind me of the sin in the world.  That is obvious to even my limited vision.  It reminds me to look at my attitudes.  It is so easy to think of myself as “pure” (2889) and confine my understanding to my vision of myself.  This is why the Reformed point of view has value; it reminds us of our need for the grace of God.

I believe that God gives us free will but not in the caricature that is often thrown at free will.  Notice the “gives” of that sentence.  Think of it as “graced” will.  In a sense it is not true free will because it is also a gift of God.  Someone called it “freed” will.  I read this term at An Introspective of an Arminian Christian under a title of “Lest You Think Calvinists Wise.”  He was quoting an other article.

And this is only possible because we can be cleansed.  I hope you believe that.  If you don’t believe me, how about the Bible?

(1 John 1:9 KJV)  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

My shuddering can turn to shouting.  Jesus saves. 

So?  Don’t get resigned to sin in your life.  Confess.  Be forgiven.  Be cleansed.  Remember, you did not hear it here first.