(Pro 14:34 KJV) Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.
I am glad to be an American. I am also embarrassed to be an American. Actually that should be expanded to “I am embarrassed to be a human being”. Our cultures are rejecting the idea of “righteousness” (6666) and glorifying “sin” (2403b). The change may have started subtly but we are going down a steep hill with well oiled wheels. The question is, “What do we do about it?”
When I was a kid we lived briefly in a house with a steep dead-end road out our front door. We were cool. We had a wagon. We were stupid. I am not sure at what point in the ride I considered that it might be a bad idea but I was convinced when I reached the bottom. Blood and scrapes were the order of the day. The smartest thing would have been to not get in the wagon. If I had half a brain I would have bailed early. Like most of us, it was too late before I realized the danger.
So? We can’t usually bail from our culture, or can we? The word for church is “called out ones”. We need to be looking for things that we can be called out of. Think of clubs and organizations you have joined. Some might be able to change jobs. Many will need to find a church that is not oiling the wheels.
Monday, October 14, 2019
Sunday, October 13, 2019
Ranking Riches
(Pro 13:8 KJV) The ransom of a man's life are his riches: but the poor heareth not rebuke.
How do you define “riches” (wealth NASB) (6239)? The quick answer for most people involves looking around and checking their standard of living. Most people on reflection will look a little farther. In this context of “ransom” (3724a) it is a question of paying to redeem your captivity. If you were captured by pirates and they demanded a ransom most people would give up their money rather than their children. Wealth is a matter of attitude and priorities.
So? Look at your calendar. Look at your checkbook. What does that say about the things you value most? Is God pleased?
How do you define “riches” (wealth NASB) (6239)? The quick answer for most people involves looking around and checking their standard of living. Most people on reflection will look a little farther. In this context of “ransom” (3724a) it is a question of paying to redeem your captivity. If you were captured by pirates and they demanded a ransom most people would give up their money rather than their children. Wealth is a matter of attitude and priorities.
So? Look at your calendar. Look at your checkbook. What does that say about the things you value most? Is God pleased?
Saturday, October 12, 2019
Variables
(Pro 12:3 KJV) A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.
“Wickedness” (7562) does not have a “root” (8328). It does not start with one. It does not develop one. Adam Clarke makes an interesting statement about this. He says, “Evil is always a variable...” I know that variables are a part of math and necessary for equations but in living life variables become a matter of convenience. Have you ever tried to play a game like Monopoly with someone who keeps changing the rules? It doesn’t take long before no one will play their game.
You run into people like this all the time. In politics we see this as one difference between those called liberal and those called conservative. Whatever the value of their positions and whether you agree with them or not, one side adjusts the facts and the other adjusts to the facts. Truth does not change. In order to not change it must exist and be understandable.
So? We need to be constantly seeking to understand the truth. In order to do that we need to find out what it is. That is another good reason to begin each day in the Book of Truth.
“Wickedness” (7562) does not have a “root” (8328). It does not start with one. It does not develop one. Adam Clarke makes an interesting statement about this. He says, “Evil is always a variable...” I know that variables are a part of math and necessary for equations but in living life variables become a matter of convenience. Have you ever tried to play a game like Monopoly with someone who keeps changing the rules? It doesn’t take long before no one will play their game.
You run into people like this all the time. In politics we see this as one difference between those called liberal and those called conservative. Whatever the value of their positions and whether you agree with them or not, one side adjusts the facts and the other adjusts to the facts. Truth does not change. In order to not change it must exist and be understandable.
So? We need to be constantly seeking to understand the truth. In order to do that we need to find out what it is. That is another good reason to begin each day in the Book of Truth.
Friday, October 11, 2019
Strangers in the Day
(Pro 11:15 KJV) He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.
Keep in mind that just because someone is a “stranger” (2114a) doesn’t mean that they are treated like trash. In some cases non-Jews were to be held accountable just like Jews. In other situations they were to be given a bit of leeway. There was an overriding principle:
So? Nuance requires thinking. Be careful about one-verse proof texts. We can never afford to turn off our minds. God wants a package deal of body, soul, mind and spirit. Robots need not apply.
Keep in mind that just because someone is a “stranger” (2114a) doesn’t mean that they are treated like trash. In some cases non-Jews were to be held accountable just like Jews. In other situations they were to be given a bit of leeway. There was an overriding principle:
(Lev 19:34 KJV) But the stranger (1616) that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.Here we run into some difficulty with translations. Some strangers are stranger than others. Notice that though the English is the same the Hebrew number from Strong’s system is different. The one used here in Proverbs is also used as adulteress. It means strange in an corrupt way. The one in Leviticus is more like someone with a tourist visa or a green card.
So? Nuance requires thinking. Be careful about one-verse proof texts. We can never afford to turn off our minds. God wants a package deal of body, soul, mind and spirit. Robots need not apply.
Thursday, October 10, 2019
Mark It Paid
(Pro 10:16 KJV) The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.
The word for “sin” (2403b) has an interesting potential for translation. It can be translated this way but there is a word added throughout the Old Testament that gives it a different slant. That word is “offering”. Thus the promise to the unrepentant sinner is that they will become a sin offering.
When you put this together with
So? We can rejoice in the knowledge that the shed blood of Jesus on the cross moved us from the sin offering category to the paid in full column. A good thought to start the day and apply by our obedience.
The word for “sin” (2403b) has an interesting potential for translation. It can be translated this way but there is a word added throughout the Old Testament that gives it a different slant. That word is “offering”. Thus the promise to the unrepentant sinner is that they will become a sin offering.
When you put this together with
(Rom 6:23 KJV) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.and
(Heb 9:22 KJV) And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.it becomes clear that the sinner will pay for his sin with his own blood.
So? We can rejoice in the knowledge that the shed blood of Jesus on the cross moved us from the sin offering category to the paid in full column. A good thought to start the day and apply by our obedience.
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
Fear Hormone
(Pro 9:10 KJV) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
How can it be healthy to live in “fear” (3374)? We tend to think of fear as something that locks our joints, turns our muscles to jelly and freezes our mind. There may be some people who need to look at God with that attitude but not the believer. For us fear is a growth hormone that gives strength and vitality. It opens new worlds to us. Sound strange?
Think about the first time you got behind the wheel of a car. You entered in fear and it is a good thing. Your actions now made the difference in how 2,000 pounds of steel and plastic interacted with the world around you. Remember how hard it was to control the steering wheel? Every little tremble caused the car to change direction. In time you learned to live with it but it started with fear.
In one sense that fear should never go away. The car is still a lot of mass that can cause a lot of damage. If you forget that then you have even more reason to fear.
So? God is not an inanimate object. That makes Him even more dangerous. At the same time He has these auto-correct features that put Him in control. Fear. Relax. Obey. Trust. Get on with the journey.
How can it be healthy to live in “fear” (3374)? We tend to think of fear as something that locks our joints, turns our muscles to jelly and freezes our mind. There may be some people who need to look at God with that attitude but not the believer. For us fear is a growth hormone that gives strength and vitality. It opens new worlds to us. Sound strange?
Think about the first time you got behind the wheel of a car. You entered in fear and it is a good thing. Your actions now made the difference in how 2,000 pounds of steel and plastic interacted with the world around you. Remember how hard it was to control the steering wheel? Every little tremble caused the car to change direction. In time you learned to live with it but it started with fear.
In one sense that fear should never go away. The car is still a lot of mass that can cause a lot of damage. If you forget that then you have even more reason to fear.
So? God is not an inanimate object. That makes Him even more dangerous. At the same time He has these auto-correct features that put Him in control. Fear. Relax. Obey. Trust. Get on with the journey.
Tuesday, October 8, 2019
Refreshing Priorities
(Pro 8:21 KJV) That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.
We need to keep in mind verse 10 when we look at this.
But such is the life of faith. We see a similar conflict in,
So? Every day is a constant renewal of priorities. That is one reason it is so important to start with worship and imbibing in the word.
We need to keep in mind verse 10 when we look at this.
(Pro 8:10 KJV) Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.It is a delicate edge to keep that requires us to reject wealth in order to gain wisdom and have the wealth promised in the same chapter. It seems to me that the promise of one would cause us to lose focus on the other.
But such is the life of faith. We see a similar conflict in,
(Joh 12:25 KJV) He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.There are times when we will need to react based on our inner compass but much of the time walking with Jesus demands a mind as fully engaged as our heart and soul.
So? Every day is a constant renewal of priorities. That is one reason it is so important to start with worship and imbibing in the word.
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