The Fruit of the Womb

(Psa 127:3 KJV)  Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

(Proverbs 7 also read)

This is another passage that flies in the face of our modern culture.  Believers are to look at children as an “heritage” (gift NASB) (5159), not a burden.  When is the last time you heard something like that?  It was common in previous generations.  Now we read about child trafficking which is a euphemism for several degenerate practices.  We have children being mutilated in the name of the latest sexual perversion.  It is no accident that we are seeing more frequent depictions of Moloch.  

God’s plan was for us to have children.  It isn’t just a matter of someone to care for you when you get old.  It is more than hands to keep the farm going.  It is part of the original command to be fruitful and multiply.  It is a proclamation that the earth is to be subdued, not worshiped.  

So?  Encourage those who still can to have children.  Support them in any way you can.  Rejoice in the gifts of God. 

Wax Poetic

(Psa 113:3 KJV)  From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD'S name is to be praised.

(Proverbs 6 also read)

Are you a literalist?  Do you believe the Bible should be understood literally?  I am sorry to hear that because that puts you in an awkward position here.  We accept the fact that the “name” (8034) of the “Lord” (3068) is to be “praised” (1984b).  What about the time limitation put on it here?  Are we really only supposed to praise God during daylight?  I don’t think so and neither do you.

The Bible is full of poetic expressions that are not meant to be taken literally.  They are meant to touch a chord in your soul and get you saying “Yes” from your heart.

So?  Praise Him at all times, in all seasons and in all ways.  Let the poetic in you have a chance. 

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. 

Calm in Chaos

(Jer 33:6 KJV)  Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.

(Proverbs 4 also read)

I was reading in Proverbs 4 and it gave me this verse,

(Pro 4:22 KJV)  For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

One of the cross references took me to Jeremiah and I found joy in the promise.  Then I did what we are supposed to do.  I went and read the verse in its context and I am not sure I was happy with the results.  The promise is still there but the context is extreme.

Jerusalem was surrounded by the Armies of Nebuchadnezzar.  Jeremiah had been thrown into jail.  It seems they were tearing down the houses in the city to build up the walls.  God has turned His face away from His people.  Not a very pretty picture.  Not a moment of hope.  Yet in the midst of this God gives them a promise:  God will bring healing.

So?  That was a promise to Judah at a specific time but the principle is universal.  God is not in the habit of abandoning His faithful.  As I avoid looking at the news that is available I know what I will find if I bother to read.  I prefer to focus on the promises of God and trust Him.  I will stay informed on current events but I need to be immersed in the hope. 

Unseen Connections

(Psa 118:22 KJV)  The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.

and

(Psa 118:24 KJV)  This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

(Proverbs 3 also read)

This verse is very familiar to everyone.  We sing a chorus that is straight out of the KJV.  People love the song, even if they don’t realize it is from Psalms.

What I noticed today for the first time was how close it is to verse 22, a well known prophecy about Jesus.  How many times have I read this Psalm without noticing?  It is amazing how our brains don’t seem to engage at times.  Maybe it is only my brain but I have the feeling I am not alone in this.

Jesus is the cornerstone!  He was rejected.  Let us rejoice in that because it was part of the process of making us part of the Body of Christ.  It gives us unending reason to “rejoice” (1523).

So?  Is Jesus the cornerstone of your life?  He is the cornerstone of our faith.  As I contemplate a world where everything seems to be falling apart and I can’t believe anything I read, this gives me a reason to rejoice in the day. 

Build Your Ark

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

This is a recurring theme in the Bible.  Those who are evil actors will be punished.  In an era of grace we tend to overlook the fact that these seem to be people who make the wrong choices.  It is easy to ignore the fact that God does not sit in a Tuperware bowl making decisions based on nothing but His whim.  He knows our hearts and responds to what He knows.

Grace is wonderful.  It is the avenue of our salvation.  At the same time I wonder if Noah, who had just found grace in the eyes of the Lord, had decided not to build the Ark, how would history have been changed?  I would suggest that if he had not gone out and acted with obedience we would not be here today.  He would have been the last of the human line.  God believes in consequences.

So?  Don’t be on the naughty list.  Accept that your application of your heart priorities will have results.  Encourage others to obedience and faith. 

Puddles

(Pro 1:22 KJV)  How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

We are in a strange time when it comes to “knowledge” (1847).  We have a cup that is running over in what we are learning.  Research in all areas of scholarship appears to be going on full speed.  We hear about knowledge doubling in short periods of time.  There are two problems with this scenario.

The first problem we face today is that we cannot believe the scholars any more.  Maybe we never could but the past always seems so much simpler.  Recently there was a headline where a major science journal, respected and established, had to go back and discard about 500 peer reviewed articles that it had published.  It suddenly realized they involved collusion and fraud.  My impression was that even they admitted it was just the tip of the iceberg.  Add to that the censorship and lies that are going on in the public square and you wonder what knowledge is knowledge and what is just a quote from Big Brother.

The second problem is we tend to reject anything that does not fit into our narrative.

So?  Act like you are walking through unknown terrain after a heavy rain.  Be aware.  Be careful.  That little puddle may conceal a deep hole just waiting for your ankle.  Don’t be a scoffer but be discerning.