(Pro 7:4 KJV) Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:
I am used to the American culture where we personify things and give them a gender. Thus ships are “she”. I don’t know if that is the same in all cultures. In Proverbs Wisdom is usually referred to as being feminine. Is that cultural or does it have some deeper meaning? Again the answer is, “Yes.” We have a both/and situation.
Traditionally we think of women as being more intuitive. That means they have a deeper understanding of things. Many situations in life are not cut and dried. Grey is more common than black or white. Right and wrong can be murky. That does not mean that we can put off decisions or stop moving. It means that we need wisdom.
So? Keep adding to the foundation that makes it possible to make the right choices. It will involve facts and principles. It is molded by the package into wisdom.
Wednesday, August 7, 2019
Tuesday, August 6, 2019
The Glory of the Law
(Pro 6:23 KJV) For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
One of the attitudes I have been noticing as I read the last few days is a love of the law. A lot of different words are used but the idea is consistent. This makes me ponder just what the law includes. Somehow I don’t think Solomon was getting excited about the regulation to not cook veal in the milk of the mother cow. I am not sure he was excited about all the little regulations that the rabbis had come up with.
I think he was responding to the holiness of God that is a part of so much of the law. This high standard of morality and conduct was attractive to many people who were not willing to submit to circumcision or the kosher requirements. In the New Testament Paul refers to a group of people that hung around the synagogues and were drawn toward the God of Israel. They were ready made converts when grace moved them beyond legalism.
So? Don’t discard the commandments of God because you are under grace. Keep in mind that Jesus said He came to fulfill the law not do away with it. Keep in mind that the core of the law is love of God and neighbors. Have a good day of worship.
One of the attitudes I have been noticing as I read the last few days is a love of the law. A lot of different words are used but the idea is consistent. This makes me ponder just what the law includes. Somehow I don’t think Solomon was getting excited about the regulation to not cook veal in the milk of the mother cow. I am not sure he was excited about all the little regulations that the rabbis had come up with.
I think he was responding to the holiness of God that is a part of so much of the law. This high standard of morality and conduct was attractive to many people who were not willing to submit to circumcision or the kosher requirements. In the New Testament Paul refers to a group of people that hung around the synagogues and were drawn toward the God of Israel. They were ready made converts when grace moved them beyond legalism.
So? Don’t discard the commandments of God because you are under grace. Keep in mind that Jesus said He came to fulfill the law not do away with it. Keep in mind that the core of the law is love of God and neighbors. Have a good day of worship.
Monday, August 5, 2019
Life Spice
(Pro 5:15 KJV) Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.
Have you heard it said that “variety is the spice of life”? That may apply to your diet and your wardrobe but it does not apply to your sex life. Sex is like chewing gum. It is not to be shared cavalierly. It is so special that it is to be reserved for that one special person. I know that goes against every TV program and college course on diversity. Chalk it down to following the standards of God rather than Google.
Have you ever had something so special that you were saving it to share with just one special person? It might be a mountain view you have discovered. It might be a recipe that is hard to duplicate. It might be a poem from your heart. Have you ever shared something like that and the other person looks at you blankly and says, “Yeah. So?” I think of stories of people who have had a rare and expensive bottle of wine and a family member with no understanding of fine wine serves it for dinner some night. Sex is like that. It is to be reserved for marriage and that special one God has for you.
So? Keep in mind that God’s standards are a reflection on His holiness and when applied make our lives better.
Have you heard it said that “variety is the spice of life”? That may apply to your diet and your wardrobe but it does not apply to your sex life. Sex is like chewing gum. It is not to be shared cavalierly. It is so special that it is to be reserved for that one special person. I know that goes against every TV program and college course on diversity. Chalk it down to following the standards of God rather than Google.
Have you ever had something so special that you were saving it to share with just one special person? It might be a mountain view you have discovered. It might be a recipe that is hard to duplicate. It might be a poem from your heart. Have you ever shared something like that and the other person looks at you blankly and says, “Yeah. So?” I think of stories of people who have had a rare and expensive bottle of wine and a family member with no understanding of fine wine serves it for dinner some night. Sex is like that. It is to be reserved for marriage and that special one God has for you.
So? Keep in mind that God’s standards are a reflection on His holiness and when applied make our lives better.
Sunday, August 4, 2019
Right or Left
(Pro 4:27 KJV) Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
In politics we talk about the “right” (3225) and the “left” (8040). The reference refers back to the days when the French legislature sat on certain sides based on their politics. We often take the easy way out and follow the course set by the spokesman for the side we choose. Labels can help. A political party might give some guidance. Ultimately our choice is not between right and left but between right and wrong. Often there is a moral dimension that we are overlooking.
We want to ignore that some choices are just plain “evil” (7451b). This is a very common word in the Bible and a very rare word in our culture. What is frustrating is that when the word is used it is often used to take a stand against the law of God. We need to work on some clarity about what is good and what is evil. If you are pleading ignorance here then turn to Exodus 20 and read the Ten Commandments for a starter.
So? Evil exists. We are supposed to be on the other side. Knowing which side you are on is impossible if you don’t know the difference between right and wrong.
In politics we talk about the “right” (3225) and the “left” (8040). The reference refers back to the days when the French legislature sat on certain sides based on their politics. We often take the easy way out and follow the course set by the spokesman for the side we choose. Labels can help. A political party might give some guidance. Ultimately our choice is not between right and left but between right and wrong. Often there is a moral dimension that we are overlooking.
We want to ignore that some choices are just plain “evil” (7451b). This is a very common word in the Bible and a very rare word in our culture. What is frustrating is that when the word is used it is often used to take a stand against the law of God. We need to work on some clarity about what is good and what is evil. If you are pleading ignorance here then turn to Exodus 20 and read the Ten Commandments for a starter.
So? Evil exists. We are supposed to be on the other side. Knowing which side you are on is impossible if you don’t know the difference between right and wrong.
Saturday, August 3, 2019
Spelling “Epitaph”
(Pro 3:35 KJV) The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.
We watch our granddaughter and then try to decide where her distinctives come from. Does she “inherit” (5157) her obvious intelligence from her mother or father? Both? Anything that is less than optimal I attribute to my wife’s French ancestors. It is hard to tell what is gained from our DNA and what from our observation. We do tend to absorb things though.
There is not much we can do about our genes. We can, however, do something about our environment. I can control what I watch, read and listen to. I can choose whom I hang with. I can pick my words. There are things we cannot control but there are many we direct.
So? What legacy do you want on your tombstone? What character do you want written on your heart? Today’s decisions will determine that.
We watch our granddaughter and then try to decide where her distinctives come from. Does she “inherit” (5157) her obvious intelligence from her mother or father? Both? Anything that is less than optimal I attribute to my wife’s French ancestors. It is hard to tell what is gained from our DNA and what from our observation. We do tend to absorb things though.
There is not much we can do about our genes. We can, however, do something about our environment. I can control what I watch, read and listen to. I can choose whom I hang with. I can pick my words. There are things we cannot control but there are many we direct.
So? What legacy do you want on your tombstone? What character do you want written on your heart? Today’s decisions will determine that.
Friday, August 2, 2019
Paths to Not Follow
(Pro 2:13 KJV) Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;
There is a special class of danger to believers. I would like to say new believers but I don’t think that the danger ever goes away. It is from those who “leave” (5800a) the path of righteousness. Often they are people that we know and care about. They could be very close to us and when they decide to go a different way in their lives it causes us to think again and maybe doubt. It could be that they were the ones that influenced us toward following Christ.
This is why it is so important to keep our eyes on Jesus and read His word for guidance. We may be inspired by someone’s example but it must be more than that. I have confidence in the Holy Spirit. He can keep us on the path but we need to focus on Him and not our good friend.
So? Ultimately our salvation is a person commitment between us and the living God. Pray for those who leave but don’t follow.
There is a special class of danger to believers. I would like to say new believers but I don’t think that the danger ever goes away. It is from those who “leave” (5800a) the path of righteousness. Often they are people that we know and care about. They could be very close to us and when they decide to go a different way in their lives it causes us to think again and maybe doubt. It could be that they were the ones that influenced us toward following Christ.
This is why it is so important to keep our eyes on Jesus and read His word for guidance. We may be inspired by someone’s example but it must be more than that. I have confidence in the Holy Spirit. He can keep us on the path but we need to focus on Him and not our good friend.
So? Ultimately our salvation is a person commitment between us and the living God. Pray for those who leave but don’t follow.
Thursday, August 1, 2019
Who Is Number One
(Pro 1:29 KJV) For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
Motivation is a powerful force. It can bring victory or be willing to settle for defeat. We love the stories of people who have overcome adversity in order to be successful. On the other side we see people with everything going for them who destroy their lives. Many people who are raised in a Christian environment will reject the love of God. That is because they are motivated by hatred. They hate anything that edges them off the throne of their lives. They resent anyone who tries to tell them that they are not god.
Think of the attractive elements of certain religions. In Mormonism you have the attraction of becoming gods. In Islam you are put in a position of dominance over other human beings. In most pagan religions the gods are not smarter than you, just more powerful. The God of the Bible is to be feared and thus He is hated.
So? As Jesus quoted from the Old Testament,
Motivation is a powerful force. It can bring victory or be willing to settle for defeat. We love the stories of people who have overcome adversity in order to be successful. On the other side we see people with everything going for them who destroy their lives. Many people who are raised in a Christian environment will reject the love of God. That is because they are motivated by hatred. They hate anything that edges them off the throne of their lives. They resent anyone who tries to tell them that they are not god.
Think of the attractive elements of certain religions. In Mormonism you have the attraction of becoming gods. In Islam you are put in a position of dominance over other human beings. In most pagan religions the gods are not smarter than you, just more powerful. The God of the Bible is to be feared and thus He is hated.
So? As Jesus quoted from the Old Testament,
(Deu 6:5 KJV) And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.May people cannot deal with that because it puts them in submission. I hope you can.
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