May 31: Ecclesiastes and the Death of Solomon

THURSDAY, MAY 31, 2012

Ecclesiastes and the Death of Solomon

Today’s brief passage marks the end of both Ecclesiastes and our look into the life and wisdom of King Solomon, bringing closure to the history of a unified Israelite kingdom.

 

After recounting that life’s pursuits, including worldly wisdom itself, are largely meaningless, the Teacher points out that life’s purpose comes mainly in recognizing its center and focus, God Himself.  While the world may try to exalt human achievement as central to the universe, we know that any one’ person’s impact on the earth will be fleeting and relatively small.

 

Yet, God “has made everything beautiful in its time.  He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” (3:11)  God has created humans in His image in a special manner unique from all other creatures.  God has placed within us a longing for the eternal, for a greater purpose.  He has given us the facility to worship, but, in many cases, we choose to worship the created rather than the Creator.  Indeed, the world’s restlessness often stems from this hunger for the eternal and the dissatisfaction that comes from seeking its fulfillment through temporal people or things.  The eternal nature of God and His Kingdom provides a backbone of meaning for our daily activities in this temporary sphere:  that they might have a value and impact beyond the temporary.

 

God carries out His will to draw people unto Himself.  When we reflect on what God has done, we are drawn to His eternity, which gives life purpose:  “I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it.  God does it so that men will revere him.” (3:14)

 

So, the Teacher goads the young:  “Remember your Creator/ in the days of your youth... “ (12:1)  Knowing God and living in obedience to His commandments will bring true and lasting joy.  He has revealed Himself, but we must continue to seek Him out.  In his book The Pursuit of God, A. W. Tozer writes:

 

“I want deliberately to encourage this mighty longing after God.  The lack of it has brought us to our present low estate [in 1948].  The stiff and wooden quality about our religious lives is a result of our lack of holy desire.  Complacency is a deadly foe of all spiritual growth.  Acute desire must be present[,] or there will be no manifestation of Christ to His people.  He waits to be wanted....

 

“The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One.  Many ordinary treasures may be denied him, or, if he is allowed to have them, the enjoyment of them will be so tempered that they will never be necessary to his happiness.  Or if he must see them go, one after one, he will scarcely feel a sense of loss, for having the Source of all things[,] he has in One all satisfaction, all pleasure, all delight.  Whatever he may lose[,] he has actually lost nothing, for he now has it all in One, and he has it purely, legitimately and forever.”

 

QUESTIONS

 

1. How has God revealed Himself to you this week?  How can you give thanks for that?

2. When life appears like a grind, how can you step back to recognize the greater purpose of value of God’s eternal purpose?

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Ecclesiastes 7, 10, and bits from 8, 11, & 12

Ecclesiastes 7, 10, and bits from 8 11, & 12

 

To start, I'm going to echo what Apryl said yesterday.  Solomon was a great and rich king.  He had beautiful women, kingdoms, riches that we can't even imagine.  We see a glimpse of him now in Ecclesiastes.  A man who had regrets.  He most likely had heartbreak, despair, and wisdom that was a double-edged sword. 

 

In chapter 7: 1-10 the word "better" is used 8 times.   Just like Pastor Scott mentioned in his sermon on Sunday, our society around us live in the present.  Our culture promotes being spontaneous, just like Nike tells us to "Just Do It."    There is always something better and greater.  But I read and reread these verses…and thought, really?  Did he really say that sadness is better than laughter?  The day we die is better than the day we were born?  These are some pretty intense statements.  The writer knew there something better than this world.  It is true that as a Christian, the day we die, will be better than the day we are born.  We shouldn't only live in the past asking "Why were the old days better than these?" (7:10)  It is a balance.  Also looking at these early verses in chapter 7, I looked at the commentary in my study Bible and it made sense.  Wisdom does not come from great, happy, picture perfect times.  We gain wisdom from those tough times, the trials, the heartache.  We lean on God and fear God during these times.      

 

 

We also see God the Creator again.  I love 11: 5, "As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mothers womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things."  So true…the mystery of God.  We question God, just like Job did, what we can't understand God all the time.  We just need to trust him and his Sovereign wisdom.  He knows what He's doing even though I don't.  Just like chapter 7: 29, "God made mankind upright, but men have gone in search of many schemes." – SIN.  We are sinners and 7:20  "There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins."  Sound familiar?  The whole New Testament touches on our sin and our NEED for a SAVIOR.  Even Solomon knew that we fell short of God's glory and that we are sinful, messy people.  But as I mentioned before, God is Creator and God is Sovereign.   He knew that and he sent His son so that the day of our death will be better than the day of our birth.  As a believer and follower of Christ, I know that there is something better than this world.  Salvation came from Jesus.  I pray I live Christ-sufficient, not self-sufficient.  I'm thankful for my comfortable life, for what I am able to do, and I celebrate God's creation: beauty, food, drink, my family, my friends, and my husband.  But I do know that there is something better.   

    

May 29

Eccl 2:10-11
I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my work,
and this was the reward for all my labor.
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
nothing was gained under the sun.

There was a show on the History channel called Life After People. It speculated on what would happen to the earth if suddenly all the people disappeared. How long would it take for the Sears Tower in Chicago to crumble? The Hoover Dam? The Eiffel Tower in Paris? The Statue of Liberty? How long would it take before there are no traces of people on the planet? It was a very interesting show, but also quite unsettling. It put into perspective just how insignificant human accomplishments are. Plants and animals would thrive without humans disrupting or polluting their habitat. After a few thousand years, there would be no evidence of anything humans have achieved.

Reading Ecclesiastes made me think of Life After People.  Solomon had it all: riches, wisdom, wives, servants, a palace. Every material desire was at his fingertips. Yet he writes "I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind." (Eccl 1:14) If Solomon's accomplishments and possessions meant nothing, how much less is anything of ours?!

Even though Solomon spent much of Ecclesiastes reflecting on how meaningless life is, you will run across passages where he shows that he really did understand what life was all about. Eccl 5:18-20 says: "Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him—for this is his lot. Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart." Our time on earth is a gift from God and He will make our hearts glad.

We would be in big trouble if it was up to us to create meaning for ourselves. We can't earn enough money, we can't buy enough stuff, we can't discover enough unknowns, we can't gain enough wisdom to feel truly fulfilled. Our lives and accomplishments are meaningless... but thankfully that's not all there is to it. C.S. Lewis wrote: "If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world." There is a God who created us and loves us and He is the one who gives us meaning. Ecclesiastes paints a picture of what life would be like without God. Life would be meaningless. Thankfully, He is greater than anything we could accomplish for ourselves and He will never let us go.

Monday May 28th

Nearsighted is defined as: "unable to see things clearly unless they are relatively close to the eyes. Not having a clear focus of things far away." 

How often do you suffer from spiritual nearsightedness?  You know what that is!  The inability to see beyond the here and now (focused on earthly things) and not having a clear focus on the eternal, which seem so far away and far removed from where we are now?

When I read through today's reading it was very depressing and hopeless at times.  It definitely had some observations based on Solomon's spiritual nearsightedness:

Everything is meaningless
There is nothing new under the sun
What was will be again
Man has no advantage over the animal – all come from dust and all will return to dust
What's the advantage of being wise, the same fate awaits both the fool and the wise which is death.
Both the wise and fool will be forgotten – the memory of both forgotten
The hearts of man are full of evil
Man is trapped by evil times

These verses are a far cry from the spiritually uplifting verses of the Psalms.  But at the end of today's reading Solomon put's on his spiritual glasses of wisdom and brings his heart into clear focus of what is not always so easy to see.

"When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe man's labor on earth – his eyes not seeing sleep day or night – then I saw all that God had done.  No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun.  Despite all his efforts to search it out, man cannot discover its meaning.  Even if a wise man claims he knows, he cannot really comprehend it. "  Ecclesiastes 8:16-17

That word applied means: " To bring into nearness or contact with something."  So, Solomon brought near wisdom to see clearly what is beyond the here and now.  He was correcting his spiritual vision.

When we choose to put on our spiritual glasses, crafted from wisdom found through the Holy Spirit, and we look beyond ourselves and the here and now we begin to perceive how life and its meaning is bigger then we are.  It is beyond what our finite (nearsighted) minds can comprehend.  This vision, wisdom, requires faith in the one who created all things with a plan and a purpose.  What it offers us is a clear vision of hope in a seemingly meaningless world and the way for us to live through it.

"Anyone among the living has hope." Ecc 9:4 (Jer 29:11).  Eternal hope
"The righteous and the wise and what they do are in God's hands." Ecc. 9:1 (Ps. 31:15)
There is "Nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work." Ecc 3:22
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it w/ all your might Ecc 9:10 (Col 3:23-24)
"It is now (while living) that God favors what you do." Ecc 9:7 (grace given)

When life starts to feel a bit over cast with overwhelming circumstances, when difficulties and challenges start to block our eternal view, when situations don't make sense (when they are blurry), remember to take a spiritual vision test. Remember to make sure that you put on your spiritual glasses (wisdom) by seeking God who has you in his hands, is ready to pour out his favor upon you and who wants to remind you of the hope that awaits you once you finally make it back home, your eternal heavenly home with your father who loves you.  Once your glasses are firmly in place and God has given you wisdom and power then go face each day with clarity, focus, strength, and joy knowing that this "meaningless nearsighted" world is just a stepping stone to an eternity of splendor and glory with the author and perfect of our nearsightedness, our Faith.

May 27th 2012

May 27^th 2012

Solomon Is Lead Astray

1 Kings 11

After yesterday's readings, the outcome of today's reading doesn't seem too far off. The line from yesterday that sets up today nicely is in the last stanza, "Come away, my lover" because this is exactly what Solomon did, he went away. He took a thousand foreign lovers, and with each one his relationship with God dwindled. He was warned not to take on foreign wives, because they would lead him astray, but he did not listen and in the end he even built worship sites for his foreign gods.

Even though I understand that in this case, the word "foreign" meant stranger to God, as I was reading this, every time I read the word "foreign" all I could think about was how today at Church a passage from the Bible was beautifully read in many different languages. God is universal. He loves and is loved in every language and in every culture, and I couldn't help questioning why Solomon had left his God instead of trying to lead his wives to God. God gave Solomon everything, in His name and for the sake of David, not the gods of his wives. In fact, it can be said that without God, and without his kingdom, Solomon would not have had the opportunity to have a thousand foreign wives/concubines. At first, Solomon's abandonment of God completely baffled me. How could he turn away from God and all His love? Then I figured it out. He found the love of his wives and that love started to replace God in his heart.

Love is a tricky thing, and is as universal as God is. If we're being completely honest with ourselves, it is so easy to find the love of another more important than the love of God, whether it's the love of a spouse, of a significant other, of a parent, a child, or a friend. It's so easy because it's super convenient. Another person is so easy to relate to, so easy to hug, easy to talk to and easy to listen to. This is the tricky part. It can seem, at times, that another person can give more comfort than God because they can hug you. You can see their face as they listen to you speak. You have an actual, tangible relationship with someone, and for most people it is sadly what is the most important. Close your eyes and ears and ignore your sensory receptions and what is left? Love. I'm not trying to belittle the love of two people in any way, because if God wanted us lonely he would have just made Adam and no Eve. I am, however, trying to point out that even though God can't physically hug you, He can't personally materialize and give you a shoulder to lean on, He can be there for you in the most important way. He is the eternal love that is there for you if only you seek Him out.

Solomon could easily have led his wives to God. He was king, after all. He could have had all his wives converted. He obviously loved them, but he sadly lost sight of the fact that without God's love, there is nothing. As Solomon put his love for his wives in the forefront of his heart, God got pushed back. Obviously Solomon felt the emptiness of God's departure from his heart, because he misguidedly tried to fill that void with more wives and with the gods of his wives. And in the end, he lost everything.

The message we can take from this is simple, we can love others with all our hearts, but it is important to realize that that love is through a love of God. As you think about this, I hope you can recognize God's work in your relationships with other people.

I hope the rest of your Memorial Day Weekend is great!

Gina

May 26: The Builder, the Lover, and the Beloved

MAY 26, 2012
The Builder, the Lover, and the Beloved
(From Jon Lanuza)


Today's reading could be divided in two, of which the first - Psalm 127 -
was so much clearer, so much more straightforward. I was in a conference
room on the 10th floor of a building in San Francisco, and was looking out
across the street, to a newly dug construction site. The builders had put
in pilings, and then laid what appeared to be reinforcing 3 foot pipe across
the pilings, diagonally. I'd never seen it done that way. The builders had
also thought to build a platform that came three quarters of the way around
the dig site, at street level, so one could look down into the excavation.
And as I stood there, it struck me how I knew absolutely nothing about
building. Wouldn't know where, or how, to start. Wouldn't know when to
end. And would likely be condemned to a perpetual redo, as each mistake I
made became apparent.

In the grand scheme of things, though, building construction relatively
easy. There are architects and contractors, general and sub, roofers and
window guys and HVAC people and electricians and so on. Yet even if they
were to put everything together, there would still be no guarantee the
building was not built in vain. Earthquake-prone San Francisco is a great
example of a city where both nature and economics conspire against the
viability of buildings. And yet, taken against the context of, say,
choosing a spouse, raising a child or living a life, the stakes involved in
a building seem inconsequential. And the challenge of constructing a
building seem so much more manageable.

Whenever my parents would see me working such long hours, they used to quote
Psalm 127 to me. It took me almost 25 years to begin to understand what
they meant, how almost insignificant effort we put in is, unless that effort
is directed by someone who knows the way to go, who knows where, when and
why the building is meant to be constructed. Two weeks ago, part of the
reflection had to do with humility - humility is so critical to today's
reading as well. It isn't up to us. We need to recognize that we do not
know, and that we have Someone who does, Someone who is happy to take our
questions and give the guidance, sot hat we do not labor in vain, so that we
receive the sleep He grants to those He loves.

The second part of today's reading, the Song of Songs, was enlightening and,
after a bit of reflection, so straightforward. What an amazing relationship
the Lover and the Beloved had. What a totality of devotion, how completely
wrapped up in each other their lives are! The Beloved has neither eyes nor
concern for anyone but the Lover..."All night long...I looked for the one my
heart loves...I will get up now and go about the city...I will search for
the one my heart loves." In philosophy decades ago, we learned about the
heirarchy of values, and of the "summum bonnum" - the greatest good beneath
which all other values are ordered. The Beloved, however, does not seem to
have any other values - her summum bonnum, the Lover, is her only good. And
the Lover seems to see past the imperfections of the Beloved, to see only
her beauty.

What an amazing aspiration - to have God not only as our greatest good, but
our only good...to the point where even the conversations we have with
Friends center on Him. Wow. And, when we achieve that closeness, how
amazing then to experience the magnitude and completeness of His love for
us, as the Lover expresses.

Perhaps a reflection worth considering today - in the heirarchy of my needs
and wants, where does He sit? Can I say He is, in fact, my summum bonnum?
And if He isn't, do I want Him to be?


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Friday, May 25, 2012 – Proverbs concluded

Friday, May 25, 2012 – Proverbs concluded

Proverbs 30:11-14
11 There are those who curse their fathers
and do not bless their mothers;
12 those who are pure in their own eyes
and yet are not cleansed of their filth;
13 those whose eyes are ever so haughty,
whose glances are so disdainful;
14 those whose teeth are swords
and whose jaws are set with knives
to devour the poor from the earth
and the needy from among mankind.

I like the questions proposed by Travis Steinmetz on Tuesday about our
imperfections. I'd like to offer those same questions to the verses
above – Who of us are not guilty of any of these things? Who of us can
really truthfully say that we are innocent?

If you have said one hurtful thing to your parents, you have sinned.
If you have not wished your parents well, you have sinned. If you have
exalted yourself in your own mind to be holier-than-thou, you have
sinned. If you have looked at someone and thought yourself better than
they, you have sinned. If you have thought someone to be unworthy of
your consideration or respect, you have sinned. If you have said one
hurtful thing to anyone, you have sinned. I tell you this not to put
guilt in your heart, but rather humility.

We need to look at people with merciful eyes, not judgmental eyes. How
can a sinner judge a sinner? That's not our job, nor do we have the
authority to do so. Our job is to love like Christ. Let God be the
judge. Even our Judge has compassion for us beyond our comprehension.
Remember, "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were
still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Let's have God's
compassion for other sinners and love them despite their
imperfections. There's a great new song out called "Jesus, Friend of
Sinners," which portrays the humble merciful outlook that much of the
church has strayed from and needs to work back towards. Here's a link
to the music video and some of the lyrics:

http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=KZGWKLNX

Jesus, friend of sinners, we have strayed so far away
We cut down people in your name but the sword was never ours to swing
Jesus, friend of sinners, the truth's become so hard to see
The world is on their way to You but they're tripping over me
Always looking around but never looking up I'm so double minded
A plank eyed saint with dirty hands and a heart divided

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners
Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours


In addition, here are a couple other great Proverbs from today's reading:

Proverbs 30:7-9
"Two things I ask of you, LORD;
do not refuse me before I die:
8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.
9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, 'Who is the LORD?'
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God.

Have you asked for your daily bread today? Come Holy Spirit. Amen.


Proverbs 31:25-31 (a portion of "The Wife of Noble Character")
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 "Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all."
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Are you honoring God with your heart? Father God, we surrender our
lives to you. Please Lord, conform our will to yours. Teach us to
serve like the Noble Wife. Teach us to serve like Jesus Christ. In
Jesus Name. We love you Lord. Amen.


God Bless,
Anthony

May 24: Proverbs

THURSDAY, MAY 24, 2012

Proverbs

Today’s passages echoed the truth that wisdom – and, in large part, our faith-walk generally – requires a long-term orientation.  As the cadets learn at West Point, wisdom urges us to “choose the harder right over the easier wrong.”  Like Moses chose in his life, so must we:  “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.  He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.  He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.  By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.” (Hebrews 11:24–27)

 

 

“A good name is more desirable than great riches;            

                to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” (22:1)

 

This proverb speaks to that long-term orientation.  A good name only comes through faithfulness and kindness over many years of time.  Also, as we seek to live for and honor God, His reputation ultimately becomes entwined with our own.  A great test of our motivations lies in these questions:  How do people perceive God as a result of watching my life?  Do I lead them closer to Him or farther away?  Lord, may You help us to lead lives that draw people unto Yourself and bring glory to Your Name.

 

 

“He who brings trouble on his family will inherit only wind,

                and the fool will be servant to the wise.” (11:29)

 

“The wise woman builds her house,

                but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.” (14:1)

 

“A friend loves at all times,

                and a brother is born for adversity.” (17:17)

 

Relationships have an amazing power to bring both great blessing and great pain.  Unreconciled conflict can cripple our strength and destroy our ability to worship God and love Him and other people.  Bitterness drives us to hurt those people who have loved us.  While our families are not perfect – simply as a result of our being in them! – we may approach our relationships with our family members with gratitude and seek to bless them.  God does not promise us an easy road with our families, but He desires us to love them richly.  How do your actions today influence your relationships 20 years from now?  How can you become a friend who stands by others in times of adversity?  How can you give thanks for your true friends?

 

 

“Love and faithfulness keep a king safe;

                through love his throne is made secure.” (20:28)

 

“A ruler who oppresses the poor

                is like a driving rain that leaves no crops.” (28:3)

 

What drives us?  We may see many examples of how power can corrupt man’s vision and lead him to all sorts of self-seeking activities.  Yet, the greatest motivation is love:  love for God and love for others (Matthew 22:37–40).  While we see many worldly examples of how Machiavellian tactics lead to short-term or perhaps even life-long gains, God’s Word is clear in its message that love brings true blessing.  David’s love for His Father established his family on the throne.  How does God’s concern for the poor flow against the ways in which leaders in government and business use them?

 

 

“Have no fear of sudden disaster

                or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,

for the Lord will be your confidence

                and will keep your foot from being snared.” (3:25,26)

 

May we look beyond today’s troubles and gratefully see God’s amazing provision and faithfulness.  Let us praise Him for today.

 

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Proverbs: Economic Well-Being

Proverbs: Economic Well-Being

 

Today's readings held some topics I think we have all faced in our daily lives.  I know I have.  The American dream is all around us...sure it has changed from the time of my grandparents and parents, but it's still influential.  I have struggled all day with what I should write about.  I know I have been confronted with my own sins and struggles in today's readings and know realities of wealth and poverty, laziness, generosity, and benevolence.  Just days ago Divan and I drove though townships in South Africa: towns of metal strips and dirt floors, and today I'm surrounded by retail and comfortable living. 

 

All these proverbs are pretty obvious and I have had many of them underlined or memorized for years.   The overall message from these proverbs is to take care of the poor, work hard, and money isn't everything.  I reread these passages and looked for God.  Any person can look at these passages of wisdom, but as Christians, how to we glorify God by living them?

 

Prov 3: 9 " Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops…"  How do we do this?  Our paychecks and all our wealth are necessary to us.  Do I give God the first fruits of my hard work? 

 

Prov 15:16 "Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil."  The fear of the Lord – we have seen this from the beginning of the Bible.  Fearing God is worth more than wealth, riches, stuff.  I'm reminded of when Jesus called one to follow Him by selling all he had.  We need to fear God and run after Him.

 

Prov 22:2 "Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all."  God is Creator.  We are all His children and we are all precious in His sight. 

 

Prov 19: 17: "He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward him for what he has done."  Throughout the New Testament, we are called to take care of the poor, the orphans, the widows.  They will know we are Christians by our love. 

 

Prov 14:31 "He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God."  Brings a few of the proverbs above together into one. 

 

Prov 29:13 "The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: The Lord gives sight to the eyes of both."  God is our Maker.  In the end it won't matter what we're worth or what we had.  What matters is how we used what God provided.  How we lived for Him and how we glorified Him. 

 

In the morning when we open our eyes, God has given us the gift of life.  It has been my prayer in the last couple weeks that I would use His gift wisely and give thanks to God in the little things that He has provided.  Fear God and honor Him in what you do.    

May 22

"There are six things the Lord hates,
seven that are detestable to him: 
haughty eyes,
a lying tongue, 
hands that shed innocent blood, 
a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil, 
a false witness who pours out lies
and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers." (Proverbs 6:16-19 NIV84)

Who of us are not guilty of any of these seven things? Who of us can really truthfully say that we are innocent? If we think long enough about that we will come up with the right answer. None of us is perfect, none even close. But in Christ, and through the meditation on His word, we can come close. Even Jesus himself tells us to strive for perfection in Matthew 5:48; "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Now this statement was used to sum up what Christ was saying. He was talking about how we are to live our lives, and what we are expected to be in him. In this passage, He calls us the light of the world, and he calls us the salt of the earth. Now I look at this statement, and I think about the contrast of how we live our lives, and I realize that if we are to attain this goal, we cannot do it on our own. Christ must live in us, and must be shown to the world through us. If we are the light of the world, then we are just showing the world the light of Christ. The light that lives inside of us. We cannot give up this habit of sinning without taking on the habit of living in Christ.

(This blog entry was written by Travis Steinmetz)

Monday May 21st

As I went through today's reading I circled every time that the word tongue, lips, or mouth were used.  They are used 47 times in just today's reading.  These 3 terms are used to describe the words that flow from both the wise as well as the fool.  Both the wise and the fool use their tongues to form words, their lips to move them forward and their mouths to release them into the air for all to hear.   Words can either serve to build up, encourage, strengthen, instruct, protect, and heal or they can crush, deceive, ruin, destroy, trap, and divide.  What kind of words do you find passing over your lips most often?

What determines the words we speak? 

"A good man (the wise) brings good things (wise things) out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man (the fool) brings evil things (foolish things) out of the evil stored up in his heart.  For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of."             Luke 6:45

"For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks."           Matthew 12:34

Sobering verses these are.  When my words attack, tear down, crush – then it is a direct reflection of sinful turmoil that is swirling in my heart like a Hurricane ready to make landfall and pour down destruction.  Until I learn daily to see that my heart may not be where it needs to be my words are not going to flow from the spring of wisdom.  They are going to slowly kill the relationships I have, the trust that I have built, the "good" that God has done through me.  The following is a verse I had my children memorize and that I use to instruct them on what seems like a daily basis:

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.            Ephesians 4:29

My words are meant to benefit the listener not satisfy my pride.   They are to build up others not my ego.   My words are supposed to bless others and I should find joy and satisfaction in knowing that. 

So how do we ensure that we speak words of wisdom into the lives of those whom we meet each day?

Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.      Proverbs 23:12 (from our reading on the 18^th)

My son, keep your father's commands and do not forsake your mother's teaching. Bind them upon your heart forever; fasten them around your neck.  When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.  For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life.       Proverbs 6:20-23 (from our reading on the 20^th)

We must pour into our hearts wisdom.  We can obtain that wisdom from other seasoned Christians who have learned life lessons along the way (like Godly parents or just other Christians who have been there and done that).  We also need to pour into our hearts the wisdom that comes from God – His word.  Either way we must start with hearts that are humble and recognize their need for instruction.

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   James 3:17

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.           Timothy 3:16

In order to have tongues, lips, mouths – words of wisdom -  we must be pouring into our hearts the word of God every day.  That can be done by listen to others teach and through reading God's word.  By pouring the wisdom of God into our hearts and lives we are able to pour it back out into the lives of others through our words as well as our actions.   If we are not filling our heart and mind with Godly wisdom then sadly we will find that we are pouring out foolishness much like what we read in today's reading.

But you are on a good path by accepting the challenge of reading through the bible in a year.  That shows a yearning, a desire to be wise.  You have made great progress in filling your heart with the wisdom of the Lord.  When you feel tired or like you don't have time to read just remember that your heart will not fill itself with wisdom, only with folly.  Who really wants to be known as a fool?

Don't forget that once our hearts are filled with the wisdom from above we still need to follow some steps to ensure that only the "good things" from within make it past our lips.  Below are just a few to remember but I encourage you to add to this list as we continue to read through the bible and make it a part of what you pray for each day, protection of you words:

Be slow to speak (James 1:19), Guard your lips (Prov 13:3), Use restraint (Prov 17:27), Weigh your answers (Prov 15:28), Know what is fitting (Prov  10:32)