Turning Dreams Into Reality.

Proverbs 13

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.” – Proverbs 13:12 NLT

"I want to lose 20 pounds."

"I wish I could go back to school and get my degree."

"I hope I make varsity this year."

"I am going to get out of debt this year."

"I am determined to spend more time with my family this year, and less at work."

There are all kinds of dreams out there, and we all have them. We dream of success. We dream of getting married or, if we are married, of having a better one. We dream of our kids becoming successful at sports or growing up and having a family of their own. We dream of a day when we will be financially free and emotionally happy. We dream of getting into better shape or accomplishing a long-sought-after goal. We all dream. But many of us never see those dreams come to fruition. And as the verse above states, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick." The frustration of an unfulfilled dream can result in depression and discouragement. It can leave us frustrated and wallowing in self-pity, wondering why everyone else seems to have it so well and so easy.

But there is a second verse in Proverbs 13 that is a companion to this one. It says, "It is pleasant to see dreams come true, but fools refuse to turn from evil to attain them" (Proverbs 13:19 NLT). Wow! That one hurts. It seems that there is a certain degree of responsibility when it comes to seeing our hopes and dreams become reality. We have to make certain decisions and alter our lifestyles if we want our dreams to ever happen. And a big reason they never do is because we refuse to turn from evil. That word "evil" is a hard one for us to get our hearts around. It sounds so, well, evil. It sounds like we must be doing something really wicked and ungodly. But in the Hebrew, the word carries a range of meanings. It can simply mean "bad" or "wrong." So when it says that fools refuse to turn from evil, it can also mean that they refuse to turn from doing what is bad. So if your dream is to lose 20 pounds, it never happens because you refuse to cut down on your eating and neglect doing any kind of exercise. That's bad. It's wrong. You see, a fool dreams of losing weight, but won't stop doing the bad things that are contributing to the problem. If you dream of having a better marriage, but refuse to stop doing the bad things that are harming your marriage, your dream will never come true. The Proverbs are full of admonitions about diligence and hard work. Dreams rarely come true with both. I can dream about running a marathon, but if I refuse to go out and train, strapping on my running shoes and putting in the miles each day, my dream will never become a reality. It will be hope deferred, and it will lead to a sick heart.

But when we do what is necessary to see our dreams fulfilled, it is like a tree of life. It enthuses and encourages us. It invigorates and revitalizes us. Setting a goal and achieving it is a powerful motivator. But only a fool would believe that dreams are possible without hard work and a determination to stop doing those "bad" things that are counterproductive and potentially destructive. God has wired us to pursue transformation. He has placed His Spirit within us and given us His Word to direct us. He inwardly and outwardly motivates us to pursue transformation into the likeness of His Son. But there are going to be things we must give up and turn away from if we want to see change take place. If our goal is godliness, we must turn from evil, from doing what is bad or wrong for that goal to come about. The Spirit of God gives us the capacity and capability to say no to those things that are detrimental to our transformation. If you want to lose weight, you can't keep a box on donuts in the pantry. If you want to become godly, you can't surround yourself with ungodly influences. That would be counterproductive and lead to defeat. What dream has God placed on your heart? What are you willing to give up to see it become a reality?

Father, we all dream, but so few of us ever see our dreams come true. All because we refuse to give up those things that are holding us back. We hang on to the wrong things, then wonder why our dreams go unfulfilled. Open our eyes and show us the part we need to play. Thank You for giving us Your Spirit to motivate and empower us. But never let us forget that we have a responsibility to do our part. Amen.

A Polly-Anna Proverb?

Proverbs 12

“No harm comes to the godly, but the wicked have their fill of trouble.” ­– Proverbs 12:21 NLT

As I read through the Book of Proverbs, I inevitably run across verses that sound really good, but that don't appear to be realistic about life. They seem to make sweeping promises that aren't necessarily true. But then I have to remind myself that these proverbs are not actually promises. They aren't even necessarily principles for life. They are truths. They reflect how the world should operate. The picture how things were designed by God to be, but because of the fall and the presence of sin, things are not always pristine and clear. When we read "No harm comes to the godly," it isn't hard to think of instances in our own lives, as believers, when we may have experienced harm or hurt. We can come up with countless examples of godly people who have suffered and even been martyred for their faith. So what is this passage really telling us? Is it a lie or simply wishful thinking?

As is typical in the rest of the book, what we have here is a contrast between godly living and wickedness. The individual who loves God and seeks to live his life according to God's will and way, is juxtaposed with that individual who has determined to live in rebellion to God. And this verse tells us there are benefits to godliness and consequences for wickedness. This isn't a promise for a trouble-free life. It isn't a guarantee of protection from harm. I think it is telling us that a life of godliness will never be the cause or root of our pain or problems. In other words, if I follow God's way and walk according to His will for my life, it will not result in trouble. Think about this carefully. As a Christian, I may suffer because of my faith. In fact, Jesus told me I would. But when others attack me or cause me pain because of my relationship with Christ, it is because of their own hatred, bigotry and sin, NOT because of anything I have done to them. Jesus suffered greatly at the hands of men because He claimed to be the Son of God. He was accused of blasphemy. The Jewish religious leadership demanded His death. But even Pilot could find no fault in Jesus. He was innocent of all wrong-doing. His crime was that He was telling the truth and they simply did not want to hear it or accept it. Yes, Jesus faced trouble. But He was not the cause of it. Godliness does not result in harm. Wickedness does. The two men hanging on the crosses next to Jesus deserved to be there. Their lives had determined their fate. They were guilty as charged and worthy of their punishment, as cruel as it may have been. One of them even admitted, "We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn't done anything wrong" *(Luke 23:41 NLT).

When we suffer pain or undergo persecution in our lives, it is NEVER because of our faith in Christ. It is not a result of godly living. It is because we live in a godless world. People may attack us because of our Christianity, but what they do to us will never be justifiable because of our Christianity. Godliness does not produce pain and suffering. Yes, we will suffer pain and suffering, but those things are the byproduct of wickedness. Jesus' death on the cross was not caused by His righteous, sinless life, but because of the wickedness of men.

So what do we do with all this? It should be a reminder to us in times of difficulty, that any pain and suffering we encounter are not the result of our faith in Christ. At no time do we have the right or are we justified to shake our fist in the face of God and complain that our faithfulness to Him is causing us harm. We may be suffering because of the sinfulness of others or even because of our own sin, but not because we did things God's way. And we must remember that God can and will always use our pain and suffering for our good and His glory. When Joseph looked back on his life, a life filled with all kinds of setbacks and disappointments, including his own brothers selling him into slavery, he was able to say, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people" (Genesis 50:20 NLT). The life of godliness or faithfulness to God, never results in harm. It will never be the cause of our troubles. It is the presence of wickedness in our own lives and the lives of others that will always be the culprit. "The way of the godly leads to life; that path does not lead to death" (Proverbs 12:28 NLT).

Father, living my life according to Your terms and in faithful submission to Your will is right where I need to be. It results in life. It will produce pain or result in harm. But I know there will be pain and suffering. Help me to realize the source and recognize that it is not because of my faith in You.  Amen.

Wrong Priorities.

Proverbs 11

"Trust in your money and down you go! But the godly flourish like leaves in spring." – Proverbs 11:28 NLT

This verse is pretty straight forward. It doesn't leave much to the imagination or require a lot of explanation. If you trust in your money, you will find that it lets you down. It can't be trusted. It is a poor substitute for God. In fact, money makes a lousy god.

Yet, most of us worship it in one form or another. If we don't have enough of it, we dream of getting more. We devote our time and energy trying to earn more of it so that we can feel more secure, live more comfortably, and look more successful. The lack of money makes us desire more of it. It consumes our thoughts and causes us to envy those who have more than we do. We feel inadequate and as if we have been dealt a bad deal. We can't understand why we have to struggle financially when others do not. Money becomes the solution to all our problems. With more of it, we think, all our troubles will be solved.

On the other hand, if we have money, there is an interesting reality that we can become either dissatisfied, always wanting more, or constantly worried that we will lose what we already have. Contentment is a rare commodity for the wealthy. Not only can wealth be illusive, it can be fickle and hard to keep your hands on. Elsewhere in Proverbs we read, "Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit.In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle" (Proverbs 23:4-5 NLT). Here today, gone tomorrow. Most of us have seen the truth of that statement in our own lifetimes as we've our 401k accounts and investment portfolios dwindle right before our eyes. Retirement accounts that at one time were our hope for the future no longer provide the peace of mind we were counting on.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with money. Having wealth is not a sin. But when we make money our god, we will ALWAYS be let down. This proverb is dealing with the issue of trust. In the Hebrew, the word has to do with placing our confidence in someone or something. It is what we hope in and rely on. It is that thing that gives us comfort and provides us with motivation and security. The problem with placing that kind of requirement on wealth is that it can't deliver. A beautiful home is great, but it can burn down just as easily as a shack. It can be broken into or destroyed just as easily as a home of far lesser value. We have seen images of beautiful homes destroyed by hurricanes and ravaged by tornadoes. Forest fires don't seem to care how much a home costs before it turns it to ashes. Expensive cars wear out, break down, get stolen, lose their value, or end up junk yards. If we trust them to give us self-worth of value, they will let us down. Wealth will ALWAYS let us down.

But those who trust in God will flourish like leaves in spring. That is what it means to be godly. The godly are those who have learned to rely on and trust in God. Like a leaf on a tree, they are dependent on God to provide them with all they need to survive and thrive. Their job is to rest in Him and allow Him to produce His life in them. When we trust in money, we become like a dead leaf, ultimately falling to the ground, dried up and lifeless. The godly flourish, regardless of how much money they have, the kind of car they drive, the quality of the neighborhood they live in, or the schools their kids attend. Money and wealth are illusive and fickle. God is not. Trust in Him. Put your hope and confidence in Him. He alone is reliable, and worthy of any investment you make in order to know Him better.

Father, open my eyes and help me understand just how faithful You really are. Help me to know that money makes a lousy god. It will never deliver what it promises. It ALWAYS lets me down. But You never do. Amen

Some good advice.

Proverbs 10

"Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep you mouth shut." – Proverbs 10:19 NLT

Let's face it, our words can get us into trouble. There was a popular saying during WWII that said, "Loose lips sink ships." In other words, because of the reality of spies, it could be dangerous to speak about things concerning the war because you never knew who might be listening. A simple case of gossip could have devastating consequences for the entire nation. Our tongue can get us into trouble. James wasn't a huge fan of the tongue. "And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself" (James 3:6 NLT). But the tongue can also be used for good. Solomon says, "The words of the godly are like sterling silver" (Proverbs 10:20 NLT). They have value and worth. He also reminds us that the words of the godly can be used to encourage many. "The mouth of the godly person gives wise advice" (Proverbs 10:31 NLT) and "The lips of the godly speak helpful words" (Proverbs 10:32 NLT).

But the truth is, we all struggle with knowing what to say and when to say it. We speak too quickly and we can too often say the wrong thing and the wrong time. We mean well, but we can still speak words that harm rather than help. We are too often too quick with an answer. We fail to think about what we are going to say and we we tend to think what we have to say is always right. And then we wonder why our words blow up in our face and end up doing damage to the ones we love. Maybe we need to heed Solomon's advice. "Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut" (Proverbs 10:19 NLT). This verse reminds me of one of the Old Testament prophets. His name was Ezekiel and he was given the unenviable task of speaking the convicting word of God to the people of Israel. They were a rebellious and stubborn group of people who refused to listen, and Ezekiel, being human, found himself getting frustrated with their lack of obedience and response. God had appointed Ezekiel a watchman over Israel. He was told that every time he received a message from God, he was to tell it to the people. God was going to hold him personally responsible for the deaths of anyone whom he failed to warn. If he warned them and they failed to listen, then their death was own their own hands. So it was vital that Ezekiel say ONLY what God had told him to say. It would have been dangerous for Ezekiel to ad-lib and come up with his own version of the truth. So God did him a favor. "Then the Spirit came into me and set me on my feet. He spoke to me and said, “Go to your house and shut yourself in. There, son of man, you will be tied with ropes so you cannot go out among the people. And I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you will be speechless and unable to rebuke them, for they are rebels. But when I give you a message, I will loosen your tongue and let you speak. Then you will say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says!’." (Ezekiel 3:24-27 NLT). God struck Ezekiel dumb. He could only speak when he spoke what God had given him to say. His own words got stuck in his throat. If he was angry and wanted to read the Israelites the riot act, he was unable to do so. If he got frustrated and wanted to give them a peace of his mind, he couldn't. If he felt like he had some good advice they needed to hear, he had to keep it to himself. He could only speak when he spoke what God had give him to say. Think about it. Wouldn't that be a great restriction for all of us to be under? Wouldn't it be better for all parties involved if the only things we could say were what God had given us to say? Our tongues get us into trouble when we speak on our own behalf and according to our own "wisdom." We say what is on our mind. We respond in anger of frustration. We give what we think is good advice, but it ends up being ungodly. It's not biblically based or Spirit motivated. James tells us, "Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry" (James 1:19 NLT). We need to learn to shut up and listen. We need to hear what's being said by others before we determine what it is we are going to say in response. And we need to learn to listen to God, so that when we do speak, we say what He would have us say. There are times when silence is truly golden.

Father, keep me from speaking my own words. I do it far too often. Help me learn to listen to You and to keep my advice to myself. Let me learn to hear from You so that I might speak for You. Forgive me for the damage I have done with my tongue. Give me an ever-growing sensitivity to Your counsel and an increasing desire to say only what You would have me say. Amen

Prone To Wander.

Proverbs 7

"Don't let your hearts stray away toward her. Don't wander down her wayward path." – Proverbs 7:25 NET

O to grace how great a debtor

Daily I’m constrained to be!

Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,

Bind my wandering heart to Thee.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,

Prone to leave the God I love;

Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,

Seal it for Thy courts above.

Those are the lyrics from one of my favorite old hymns and they go well with today's topic. Prone to wander. That's a big problem for all of us as Christians today. We have happy feet. We just can't stand still. Constantly on the move, because we grow quickly dissatisfied and discontent, we find ourselves prone to leave the God we say we love. We stray off the path and start to pursue other temptations, other delights that promise us more and offer to satisfy our passion for pleasure. This proverb is a warning from a father to his son regarding the danger of sexual promiscuity and immorality. It was a problem then, and it remains a problem today. And the enemy knows that we still can't seem to control our most basic urges and animal instincts. We are far too often driven by the desires of the flesh. If not for sex, then for some other sensual pleasure, whether for food, a good buzz, a momentary thrill, sleep, entertainment, or our insatiable need for acceptance.

It's interesting that the young men in this proverb are described as naive. They are lacking in common sense and good judgment. They are in the wrong spot at the wrong time. They have put themselves at risk by being where they had no business being. They're in the wrong neighborhood and after dark. Not a good combination. Spotting her prey, the immoral woman approaches one of them and begins to ply her craft. She is "seductively dressed and sly or heart." She's a pro. In her day, before she went professional, she was "the brash, rebellious type, never content to stay at home" (Proverbs 7:11 NLT). On other words, she was a wanderer as well. Now she plies the young man with all kinds of tempting tools of the trade, appealing to his sensual side. She applies false flattery and butters him up with offers of sensual pleasures and forbidden fruit. And before he knows it, he's hooked, like a striped bass to a lure.

And it all began with a simple step off the path. He wandered away from the truth. He took a dangerous detour and it led to a dead end. But isn't that always the way sin works. The problem is that it almost always begins with a wandering heart. We find ourselves somehow dissatisfied with life as it is. Unhappy or discontented with our lot in life, we begin to look around. We get off the path. It could be as simple as surfing the Internet while in a state of boredom or mild depression. Or what about channel surfing late at night while everyone else is in bed. Your guard is down. Your sensual side is on high alert. Your body tells you it needs more. It is unhappy and dissatisfied. Pretty soon, you find yourself somewhere you don't need to be – off the path and in for an attack from the enemy. And he will use all the subtle, seductive and yet sinister resources at his disposal to lure you in and trap you.

So what are we to do? Simple. Don't wander. Recognize the fact that you are prone to wander and ask God to bind your heart to Him. You see, it's always a heart issue. It's about love and misplaced affections. When we begin to fall out of love for God or doubt His love for us, we wander. We start to look for love in other places and from other people. And we all do it. We turn on the TV to anesthetize and numb us, or simply take our mind off our problems by distracting us for a few minutes. Some feel unloved or unwanted, so they turn to the false allure of pornography or sex outside of marriage. Some attempt to shop their way to satisfaction and happiness, or they work themselves to death in an effort to feel a sense of worth and accomplishment. But in the end, all these things turn out to be wrong turns that lead to dead ends and disappointment. Don't let your hearts stray. Don't wander. Let the goodness of God bind your wandering heart to Him.

Father, I am prone to wander. I tend to forget all that You have done and are doing in my life and begin to think that something is missing. Then I begin to look elsewhere for something or someone to provide what I think I need to have. But You are all I need. You are sufficient. Bind my heart to You, Father. Continually remind me of just how much You love me. Keep me from wandering off the path and away from Your love. Ame

Entomological Life Lessons.

Proverbs 6

"Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise!" – Proverbs 6:6 NLT

Nature is full of lessons if we will just stop long enough to look and learn. It seems that God has wired into His creation some valuable and highly practical illustrations from which we can glean insights for living. In this verse, the lazy person or sluggard, is told to wake up long enough to examine the work ethic of the ant. They're small, apparently leaderless and lacking anyone to make them work, yet they labor hard all summer gathering food for the winter. These tiny, insignificant creatures instinctively know how to diligently sustain not only themselves, but their entire colony, through hard work. Don't don't sleep in or shirk their responsibilities. Every one of them does their fair share of the work to help make the colony successful. But the lazy individual thinks only about himself, and prefers sleep over work. They just can't seem to get out of bed in the morning. Elsewhere in the Proverbs they are described to be like a door on hinges, they just keep rolling right back into bed every time they attempt to get up.

It would seem to me that if God has wired the ant with a basic instinct for hard work and diligence, the same thing would be true of man. Man was created to work. Man was created to be creative. But what has gone wrong? In short, the fall. Sin entered the picture and muddied the water. Because of the sin of Adam and Eve, work became drudgery. What used to be enjoyable became laborious and required sweat and effort. And because work became difficult, man began to look for shortcuts and workarounds. He began searching for a better way, an easier way. Because God had wired man to work and create, Satan began to tempt him with alternatives and distract him with easier options. Sleeping in seems so much more appealing than getting up and going to work. A few more hours of rest beats work hands down. But when we choose the Enemy's options, we find ourselves in rebellion against God. Just as Eve listened to the serpent and ate the forbidden fruit, in direct violation of God's command, every time we give in to the temptations of Satan and shirk our God-given responsibility to work, we are sinning against Him.

Laziness is sin. When we fail to work, we are refusing to obey God and do what He has created us to do. But wait, you say, "I get up early every morning and put in a full day at work. I never sleep in and I work long, hard hours." But you may still be lazy. Because when all is said and done, the work we are called to by God is to do His will. Ants are created to work hard for the colony. They are communal creatures whose soul purpose in life is to minister and contribute to the good of the whole. You don't see ants starting side businesses or taking a well-deserved two-week vacation to Barbados. From the minute they are born to the second they die, they are laboring, not for themselves, but for the community. And all they do, they do in conjunction with others. They labor together, not individually. There is a sense of shared responsibility and corporate cooperation. Too often, our hard work is self-centered and for our benefit only. We live in a society that has lost its corporate and communal sensibility. We have become Lone Rangers, doing what we do with diligence and determination, but with little sense of our responsibility to the body.

As believers, we are called to labor for the cause of Christ within the context of the body of Christ. But many of us have become so distracted with other cares and concerns. We work hard, but we have lost sight of our mission. We spend countless hours earning a paycheck and accomplishing work that benefits primarily just ourselves. But when it comes to the work for which God created us and for which Christ redeemed us, we can become lazy, disinterested and distracted by other concerns and cares. God has work for us to do, but we are too busy doing what we want to do. We have become lazy about accomplishing the will and the work of God. And we make excuses, justifying our actions and attempting to make ourselves feel good about all we are accomplishing – for ourselves. "Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise!"

Father, it is sometimes so easy to be lazy about the things You would have me do. I can put off Your work and replace it with my own. I can delay doing Your will in order to accomplish my own. I can also become so self-centered that I lose sight of the Body of Christ and my responsibilities to it. Help me learn a lesson from the ant and diligently do the work You have created me for and called me to do. Amen

God Sees.

Proverbs 5

"For the Lord sees clearly what a man does, examining every path he takes." – Proverbs 5:21 NLT

Have you ever stopped to think just how silly it is to attempt to try and and hide anything from God? After all, He is all-knowing and is not limited by space and time. He is everywhere at once and does not have to deal with the limitations of past, present and future as we do. He sees everything equally well, regardless of whether it has already happened or has yet to take place. David put it this way in Psalm 139:

O Lord, you have examined my heart

and know everything about me.

You know when I sit down or stand up.

You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.

You see me when I travel

and when I rest at home.

You know everything I do.

You know what I am going to say

even before I say it, Lord.

You go before me and follow me.

You place your hand of blessing on my head.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too great for me to understand!

He knows it all, including what I am going to say before I even say it. God sees everything I do. He examines every path I take. He literally weighs out our actions, putting them in a scale and determining their value or worth. And He measures them against His own righteous standard, not the flawed and fickle standards of this world. The context for this verse is a serious warning from a father to his son regarding the dangers of sexual immorality and promiscuity. He is trying to get his son to realize the deadly ramifications of being unfaithful to his wife and allowing himself to fall for the temptations of adultery. He gives him all the dire outcomes, but then wraps it up by reminding his son that God sees ALL our actions, and He measures and examines them against His own righteous requirements. We can't hide what we do from God. We may fool our spouses and our friends, but God sees all and knows all. And He knows exactly what is going on in our hearts even if we choose not to act out our adulterous desires. He knows every time we lust and every time an immoral thought goes through our brain. That realization should sober us and cause us to seriously consider our ways.

The fact that God sees all and knows all should only scare us if we are guilty of doing things of which He might disapprove. The existence of traffic cameras should not strike fear into the hearts of those who are obeying the traffic signs. The presence of a policeman on the side of the road should not make our palms sweat and our hearts race unless we happen to be breaking the speed limit. If we are living in obedience to God's Word and in reliance upon His Spirit, His all-seeing eye should bring us comfort, not fear. We should rejoice in the fact that God is always looking out for us and never takes His eyes off us. And if He does happen to see us do something contrary to His will, He makes it known to us so that we can confess it and receive His forgiveness. We live under His watchful eyes at all times. There is no time when He is unaware of us or cannot see us. That realization should bring us peace and cause us to consider our ways more seriously. "For the Lord sees clearly what a man does, examining every path he takes."

Father, thank You for never taking your eyes off of me. What a comfort to know You are always there and you are always fully aware. Never let me forget that I am living under your loving, watchful eye at all times. May that realization influence my behavior and my thoughts. Amen

Choices Have Consequences.

Proverbs 4

"Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment." – Proverbs 4:7 NLT

Choosing to live wisely has its benefits, and the Proverbs lists them all. The wise life results in good judgment, guidance, protection, greatness, honor, good life, straight paths, light for the journey, the key to life, and healing, just to name a few. But we can all choose to reject the way of wisdom and find ourselves living like fools, and there are consequences that come with refusing wisdom. "But the way of the wicked is like total darkness. They have no idea what they are stumbling over" (Proverbs 4:19 NLT). That sounds pretty bleak, doesn't it? But think about it. If we refuse to live wisely, according to God's way, then we lack good judgement, we have no guidance, we find ourselves outside the protection of God, our lives are not marked by greatness and honor, our paths are crooked and difficult, and we find ourselves walking in darkness.

Oh, we may see individuals who are not Christ-followers who appear to be happy and successful, living care-free lives and enjoying what appear to be many of the benefits of a life of wisdom. But looks can be deceiving. What we fail to recognize and realize is that the benefits of wisdom are more internal than they are external. Walking according to God's way does not promise a life without difficulty or days without sorrow. But God does promise to give us the guidance we need and the peace required to make it through. He gives us light for the journey because the way can often times be dark and dangerous. He gives us good judgment, because too often we are faced with the task of making difficult decisions. He provides us with healing because we can become sick and weakened by constant exposure to the sin of this world. But those who choose to live foolishly, refusing to walk according to the wisdom of God, will always find themselves at a loss when tragedy strikes or times of difficulty come. Their possessions and prosperity will prove incapable of providing what they need. Their success will do little to help them survive. Choosing to live life without the wisdom of God will always have consequences. That's why Solomon warns us, "Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the straight path. Don't get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil" (Proverbs 4:26-27 NLT). To follow evil is to reject God or refuse to live according to His terms. It is not referring to a life of complete and total debauchery. Wickedness is not talking about a life marked by pure evil. The wicked are those who are guilty of sin and hostile toward God. They live in opposition to God. They reject His way and walk according to their own agenda and obey their own rules. They live lives that are unpleasing to God, because their lives are not lived according to His desires. And their decision to live that way always has consequences. Living life according to God's terms is a choice – a daily choice. Seeking His wisdom and applying it to our lives is a lifelong endeavor. Applying His good judgment to the decisions of life is a daily requirement. But it has its benefits. It will bring life, peace, joy, guidance, direction, comfort, and enough light to guide our next step.

Father, help me to understand that my choices have consequences. Sometimes it is so easy to forget. I can convince myself that everything will work out just find, no matter what choice I make. But only a life marked by wisdom has benefits. Only living according to Your way results in blessing. Never let me forget that. Amen

Be Ready To Be Used.

Proverbs 3

"Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it's in your power to help them. If you can help your neighbor now, don't say, 'Come back tomorrow, and then I'll help you.'" – Proverbs 3:27-28 NLT

God has us on this planet for a reason. He could have taken us when He saved us, but instead, He chose to leave us here. Rather than some sort of sick joke, God has a purpose for our presence in this world. We are His ambassadors, His representatives, and we have the distinct privilege of acting as His hands and feet, making His love and mercy visible to all those around us. According to the apostle Paul, "God has given us this task of reconciling people to him" (2 Corinthians 5:18 NLT). Because of what God has graciously done for us through Christ, we should be ready and willing to share this message of hope with others. "So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, 'Come back to God!'" (2 Corinthians 5:20 NLT). But not only are we to tell people about the good news of Jesus Christ, we are to act as agents of His love and mercy to all those around us. And that means that we are not only to be ready to share the gospel, but we must be ready to meet needs. These verses in Proverbs are interesting. When they say, "Do not withhold good from those who deserve it," it carries the idea of withholding something from the one to whom it belongs. In other words, you have something that belongs to someone else, and you run the risk of keeping it for yourself. God has given you the responsibility of stewarding something that He intended for you to give to someone else.

This makes me think about the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control. Who is to be the beneficiary of this fruit? You and I? No. The fruit is intended for others. God does not produce patience in my life so that I might enjoy it for me. It is to be shared with those who try my patience. Self-control is not intended for my own benefit, but to bless those around me as I practice it. Each of these characteristics of the Spirit are given to us to share with others. In essence, they are the owners of it and we are simply giving them what is rightfully theirs.

Take it a step further. If God blesses us with material possessions or financial means, does He do so simply for our own good? I don't think so. He gives to us so that we might be able to give to others. Once again, He makes us stewards of His blessings so that we might be ready to share them with those we meet along the way. And according to Proverbs, we are to be ready to help immediately. We are not to delay or postpone our acts of goodness and generosity to another, more convenient time. We are to respond immediately. James gives us the same words of advice and reminds us that our actions are an expression of our faith. "What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, 'Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well'—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless." (James 2:14-17 NLT).

Our faith must have an expression. It must show up in our actions and attitudes towards others. Each day we are given opportunities by God to act as His agents, His instruments of change in the world. We are like vessels through which He pours out His love, mercy and grace to those in our sphere of influence. We are conduits carrying the love of God to those in need, and one of the best ways to help them to see God is for them to experience His love through us as we respond to their physical needs in a timely manner. Our faith must be actionable, our love must be tangible, so that God's presence might be palpable.

Father, through Your Holy Spirit, give me the sensitivity I need to know what I have that others need. Forgive me for selfishly keeping for myself what You intended for others. Help me see the needs of others more keenly and respond quickly. Amen

Faithful and True.

Proverbs 30

“Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection. Do not add to his words, or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar.” – Proverbs 30:5-6 NLT

Our God is reliable. You can always count on Him. You can trust everything He has ever said and depend on Him to follow through on every promise and commitment He has ever made. He doesn't lie, play fast and loose with the facts, attempt to deceive, or ever have to say He is sorry. He doesn't make mistakes. He never says or does the wrong thing – ever. Since the beginning of time, God has proven His faithfulness and trustworthiness over and over again, providing constant, unwavering protection and provision to His people in spite of their own unfaithfulness and rebellion. Over the centuries, God has had to watch as men have twisted His words and attempted to speak on His behalf and in His name. They have exclaimed, "Thus says the Lord," but they were unauthorized to speak for God. Over in the book of Ezekiel, God has some serious complaints about what is going on in the land of Israel.

Again a message came to me from the Lord: “Son of man, give the people of Israel this message: In the day of my indignation, you will be like a polluted land, a land without rain. Your princes plot conspiracies just as lions stalk their prey. They devour innocent people, seizing treasures and extorting wealth. They make many widows in the land. Your priests have violated my instructions and defiled my holy things. They make no distinction between what is holy and what is not. And they do not teach my people the difference between what is ceremonially clean and unclean. They disregard my Sabbath days so that I am dishonored among them. Your leaders are like wolves who tear apart their victims. They actually destroy people’s lives for money! And your prophets cover up for them by announcing false visions and making lying predictions. They say, ‘My message is from the Sovereign Lord,’ when the Lord hasn’t spoken a single word to them. Even common people oppress the poor, rob the needy, and deprive foreigners of justice."

The only thing we can count on in this world is God Himself. His Word is the only reliable source of truth. There are so many who want to speak for God, but fail to use His Word as their primary source. If they do use His Word, they tend to cherry pick verses, forcing them to support their own conclusions and giving God's Word meanings He never intended.

We live in a time much like that described above. One of the most disturbing statements is, "They make no distinction between what is holy and what is not." This was an indictment on the religious leaders of the day. They were no longer seeing things as God sees them. They had blurred the lines between the holy and the profane. They were accepting of and accommodating to things that God had declared unholy. They had become overly tolerant and excessively lenient. And God was not pleased. But even when those who represent God fail to faithfully honor Him, He can always be trusted. His Word can be depended upon. Our God is faithful and true. Which is why we must read, study, and obey His Word. We must ask His Holy Spirit to help us understand His Word. It is in the Bible that we find the truth of God revealed. It is in the study of the Bible that we come to know the truth about God and hear Him speaking to us. It can be trusted. It will be proved faithful and true just as He is.

Father, thank You for your faithfulness and reliability. Forgive me for the times when I doubt You or attempt to speak on Your behalf when I really haven't heard from You. Forgive me for any times I have tried to put words in Your mouth. Keep me dependent upon Your Word and reliant upon Your truth and faithfulness. Amen.

Fear of Man.

Proverbs 29

“Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety.” – Proverbs 29:25 NLT

Most of us don't want to admit it and the rest of us probably just don't recognize it, but we all suffer from an inordinate fear of man – and it takes all kinds of forms. Sometimes we simply worry about what others will think about us. We get dressed in the morning selecting our wardrobe based on the various reactions we hope to get from those we work with. Some of us are petrified to speak in front of others, breaking out in a cold sweat at the very thought of it. Many of us fear rejection or getting hurt, so we refuse to let anyone get close to us. Others of us fear being made fun of or laughed at by others. Then there are those who fear being found out, of getting exposed and watching as others discover some hidden truth about us that we have covered up for years.

The fear of man is alive and well. And this simple proverb tells us that it is a dangerous trap. The truth is, any time we fear what people might do or think, we are allowing them to control our lives. Changing clothes three times in the morning out of some sense of insecurity and need to impress others is fear-based and debilitating. It robs us of joy. It traps us in a relentless pursuit of acceptance, never knowing if we are going to please those around us with our choices and whether or not we can influence others to like us, or just simply notice us. Refusing to pursue relationships out of a fear of being rejected leaves us isolated and missing out on the vital aspect of community we were meant to have as human beings. The fear of rejection causes us to turn inward, diminishing our capacity to give ourselves away to others and robbing us of joy in the process.

Every day we wrestle with the fear of man. But as believers, we are reminded that it is trust in God that should drive our actions and attitudes. Allowing ourselves to be driven by the fear of man shows that we do not really believe that God is sovereign and capable of taking care of us. We try to impress others in order to receive some kind of affirmation and acceptance in return. Yet, we are loved and accepted by God, JUST THE WAY WE ARE. We allow ourselves to become incapacitated by our fear of others, yet we worship an all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving God who has promised to protect us and provide for us. It is easy to fear men because they are all around us and easy to see. It is harder to trust God because He is literally out of sight, which tends to render Him out of mind. But we must constantly remind ourselves of His presence and rest in His promise that He will never leave us of forsake us. The writer of Hebrews reminds us, "So we can say with confidence, 'The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?'" (Hebrews 13:6 NLT). He was simply reiterating an Old Testament thought penned by King David himself, "The LORD is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?" (Psalm 118:6 NLT). The fear of man is a trap. But when we learn to trust in God, we find ourselves in a place of safety. We are free to be who He intended us to be. We learn that our worth is based on what He thinks about us, not others. We don't have to fear what others think about us or might do to us, because God is on our side. He loves us and thinks the world of us. In fact, He loves us so much that He sent His own Son to die for us. He is not impressed with or swayed by our clothes, cars, and winning personalities. He will never harm us, ridicule us, or do anything to belittle us. He will never reject us, even though He knows everything about us. So why would we fear what others think? Don't fall into that trap. Instead, trust in God.

Father, it's so easy to fear man. But I want to trust You more and more. Keep opening my eyes to the reality of just how prevalent the fear of man is in my life and then help me to replace it with trust in You. Amen.

The Leadership Void.

Proverbs 28

“When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily. But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability.” – Proverbs 28:2 NLT

Don't get me wrong. We have no shortage of leaders in this country. It's just that we don't have very many godly leaders. There are plenty of ambitious, intelligent, capable and sometimes even moral men and women who hold positions of leadership in our nation, but most of them lack the wisdom that only God can provide. The verse above paints a pretty bleak picture for a nation that finds itself with a moral and spiritual leadership void. The Message paraphrases verse two this way: "When the country is in chaos, everybody has a plan to fix it – But it takes a leader of real understanding to straighten things out." What an apt description of our own country at this stage of the game. We are in chaos, and everybody has a plan to fix it. We have an abundance of "princes" as the NIV describes them. These so-called leaders and political pundits all offer up solutions to our nation's myriad problems, but none of them really have a clue what to do about the economy, terrorism, or any other issue facing us. They fail to realize that the root of all our problems is a spiritual one. Our economy is a symptom of a much more serious issue. Neither raising or lowering taxes is going to fix what needs to be fixed. A larger or smaller government will neither one prove to be a panacea for our problems.

In the very next chapter Solomon gives us the real solution. He says, "When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice" (Proverbs 29:2 NLT). In other words, when godly men and women lead our nation according to godly principles and guide us with wisdom and insight directly from God Himself, the people find themselves living in peace and moral prosperity. Godly leaders make godly decisions. They are not selfish and self-centered. They are not greedy and out to benefit only themselves. They are not motivated by pride or consumed with the need for recognition. They view any power they have as given to them from God, to whom they must report and by whom they will be held accountable. What we pass off as leadership today is a far cry from what God intends. All you have to do is look at the leadership style of Jesus and you see a marked difference. Jesus came to serve, not be served. He came to give His life away for the sake of others. He was concerned with and consumed by the will of His Father. He was obedient to God to the point of laying down His life. He knew that the world's problems were spiritual in nature and the solution would have to be a spiritual one. Toppling the Roman government was not going to bring peace to the Jews. Only a Savior could save them from what ailed them. They needed deliverance from sin, not relief from high taxes. They needed dependence on God, not independence from Rome. The same thing is true for us today. We are looking to a government or political leader to bring us relief and restoration. We are wanting a flawed, failed system to deliver us, when God has already provided a deliverer – His very own Son. Godly leaders point a nation back to God. They don't try to act as a substitute for Him. We find ourselves in trouble as a nation, not because of a bad economy or the presence of terrorism, but because we have appointed leaders who have no respect for God. Without Him, they are helpless and hopeless to lead us because they lack the wisdom required for the job. We need to pray that God will raise up men and women who know Him, love Him and are willing to live for Him. But we also need to pray for a spiritual reawakening among the people of God who have become complacent and sometimes even contributors to the moral chaos facing our nation. We lack godly leaders because we have become a godless nation.

Father, we desperately need Your help. Only You can solve the problems we face as a country. Our issues are so much deeper than the economy or global terrorism. Our problem is a moral one. Re-energize Your Church, that we might become the salt and light You have called us to be. May out of our midst come godly leaders who will step into the chaos and provide godly direction and wise leadership – pointing us back to You. Amen.

Timing Is Everything.

Proverbs 27

“A loud and cheerful greeting early in the morning will be taken as a curse.” – Proverbs 27:14 NLT

When my wife was growing up, she was regularly woken up early on Saturday mornings by the sound of two pans being banged together as her father attempted to get the family up for breakfast. I remember the first time she told me that story, I couldn't help but have homicidal thoughts. Just the idea of someone waking me up in such a noisy, obnoxious way on the one day I could sleep in was too much for me. While I'm sure he meant well, there had to be a better way. I can't read the verse above and not think about this story. And I think my wife inherited some of her father's traits, because when our children were young she would wake them up each morning by yelling up the stairs, "Rise and shine! This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!" You could hear the groans coming from upstairs as the kids covered their ears with their pillows, pulled the covers up over their heads and attempted to go back to sleep. Not once did they rise and shine or rejoice in the day that the Lord had made. No, their demeanor was less than cheery and their outlook on the morning, far from positive.

While no real harm was done by my father-in-law or my wife, these stories remind me how important timing and tact cab be when it comes to our relationships with others. A lot of hurt and harm can be done by well-meaning individuals, all because they fail to think about how their actions might be perceived and received by others. Even the right words spoken at the wrong time can be hurtful. How many times have you had someone quote you a verse of Scripture when you were going through a difficult time, only to have that passage feel like fingernails on a chalkboard rather than encouraging words? Hearing the words, "All things work together for good" when you are in the midst of difficulties is not always uplifting or encouraging. Having someone cheerfully remind you that "God loves you!" when you are feeling unloved and uncared for, does not change your outlook or your circumstances. If anything, it may reinforce your feelings of abandonment and isolation. It may even make you angry.

When reading the verse above, I can't help but think about Ecclesiastes 3, the chapter made famous by the song "Turn, Turn, Turn," sung by Roger McGuin and the Byrds. The Book of Ecclesiastes was also written by King Solomon and in chapter 3, he reminds us about the importance of timing. He says, "For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1 NLT). In God's grand design, there is a time for everything. He goes on to elaborate.

2 A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. 3 A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. 4 A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. 5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. 6 A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. 7 A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. 8 A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace.

Timing is everything. There are times when banging pots and pans together is appropriate, and there are times when it is not. There are times when a cheerful greeting is encouraging, and there are times when it is anything but that. The point is that we need to assess the situation and determine the right action or words for the right moment. There are going to be those times when the right thing is to listen, not speak. There will be occasions where we simply cry with someone rather than try to fix them or quote Scripture at them. The challenge is to know how to determine the right response for each and every occasion. That takes wisdom. And wisdom comes from God. Only He can give us the discernment we need to offer the right response at the right time, each and every time.

Father, I desire the discernment to know how to respond well. I don't want to be someone who means well, but ends up doing harm in the long run. I need Your wisdom and insight so that I know how to offer the right response at just the right time. Amen.

Confusing Counsel.

Proverbs 26

“Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools, or you will become as foolish as they are. Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools, or they will become wise in their own estimation.” – Proverbs 26:4-5 NLT

It's hard to read these two verses and not be a bit confused by them. They appear to be in direct contradiction of one another. Which is it? Don't answer the foolish arguments of a fool, or be sure to answer the foolish arguments of a fool? First of all, we need to establish just what kind of fool these verses are talking about. Because, in the Book of Proverbs there are five different types of fools described, not just one. There are five Hebrew words used when speaking about fools and this one is the word kecîyl – which refers to a fool, stupid fellow, dullard, simpleton, or arrogant one. The best way to describe him is that he is a sensual fool. This is the individual who rejects the discipline of his parents or any and all authorities in his life. He is determined to make the wrong choices, regardless of any counsel provided. He tends to focus on that which brings him immediate pleasure, never planning for or thinking about the future. It isn't that he has a mental deficiency, but he simply chooses to reject the wisdom of God, and glories in that of which he should be ashamed. This kind of fool is unreasonable and unteachable. His motives and methods are subtle and he should be avoided.

The reason it is important for us to know what kind of fool this Proverb is talking about is that we tend to lump all the verses about fools together. And when we do that, it can become very confusing. These verses are not talking about a simple fool (pethîy). The Hebrew word used for the simple fool describes a child who lacks discernment, has no ability to recognize cause-and-effect, is immature, gullible and intensely curious. This kind of fool is to be corrected, disciplined, and counseled. But the fool described in these verses is one that has become stubborn and set in his ways. The issue addressed in these verses is not whether you can or should answer a fool. This kind of fool will likely remain a fool regardless of whether you answer him or not. It is really about the common sense you need in determining how to answer a sensual fool. If you answer him in the hopes to convincing him he is wrong, you will only become embroiled in an argument that leaves you looking as foolish as he is. But if you answer him with the intent of exposing his foolishness, pride, and arrogance, you can walk away knowing that you have done all you can do. It is not your job to change him. You will never argue this kind of fool into seeing reason. These verses are warning us to go into the situation with our eyes wide open, knowing just what kind of fool we are dealing with. One of the big takeaways has to do with our intent. Arguing with a sensual fool is a waste of our time. Exposing a sensual fool is sometimes all you can do, in the hopes that it will help them see their own pride and foolishness. But someone who has reached this stage of foolishness will most likely remain just as they are. Their problem is not a lack of knowledge or cloudy thinking. It is pride, arrogance, and a lack of wisdom. Their hearts are not in love with God. And until that changes, no amount of discussion will change their situation.

Father, there are so many sensual fools in the world. And I have found myself falling into that category at times over the years. Give me the wisdom to know how to answer this kind of fool. Help me recognize them for what they are and realize that only You can change them. I have an obligation to expose their foolishness and pride, but I have to understand that I will never argue them out of their foolishness. Only you can change their hearts. Amen.

Be Wary of Wealth.

Proverbs 23

"Don't wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit. In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle.” – Proverbs 23:4-5 NLT

It was the apostle Paul who warned his protege Timothy, "Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows" (1 Timothy 10:6-10 NLT). There are probably no other words of biblical advice and counsel that have been overlooked and ignored quite as much as these. Especially in modern American culture. We are a country that prides itself on its affluence and its ability to produce wealth. It's the American way, the American dream. Money and material things are how we judge our worth and measure our success. And as a result, we live in the land of discontentment. We are constantly bombarded with advertisements and marketing campaigns that tell us what we have is not enough. We need more. We need bigger and better. We need new. We need what everyone else has. We need what we can't afford. So we work harder and harder to buy things we don't really need. Or we go into debt to get our hands on things that we think will make us happier. Only to find that our dream turns into a nightmare of monthly payments that last far longer than whatever it was we purchased.

But Solomon and Paul both warn us against wearing ourselves out on getting rich. Solomon reminds us of the proven fact that wealth can disappear in a heartbeat. We can lose it all in no time and find ourselves back to where we were. Riches are unreliable. Wealth if a fair weather friend. Paul goes even further. He gives us the bad news that we can't take our riches with us when we die. It stays here when we go. So even if we manage to keep our hands on it in this life, it won't be going with us into the next one. So Paul encourages us to learn contentment. He advises us to be satisfied with what we have, even if what we have is less than what the world tells us we deserve. Discontentment has a voracious appetite. It is like a monster living inside us that you can't feed enough to ever satisfy. It constantly desires more and more. We can find ourselves becoming discontent with something new we bought within minutes of purchasing it. We are constantly suffering buyer's remorse, not so much because we shouldn't have bought what we did, but because we found something else we wanted even more. Listen to Paul's warning again: "But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil" (1 Timothy 6:9-10 NLT). Longing to be rich, dreaming of more, desiring greater wealth – can leave us trapped by our own foolish and harmful desires. We become driven by what we want. We can become obsessed by our desire for more. Our love of money can tempt us to do all kinds of things that are ungodly, unrighteous, and unhealthy for our spiritual well-being.

When all is said and done, Solomon would encourage us to pursue wisdom, understanding, godliness and the character of God Himself. Riches are little more than a poor substitute for what God wants to offer us. They tease us with promises of fulfillment, satisfaction, security, and yes, even contentment. But no amount of money will ever deliver what only God can provide. Which is exactly why Paul tells Timothy, "But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness" (1 Timothy 10:11 NLT). Now that's advice you can take to the bank and count on.

Father, riches are so subtle. They are so alluring and tempting. But contentment needs to be my goal. I want to learn to live with what I have and be satisfied with You. I can so easily find myself believing the lie that more is better. That money can meet my needs. That wealth can satisfy and solve all my problems. But only You can do those things. Money can be such a distraction. All the stuff I own can end up owning me. Open my eyes to the reality of the situation and help me be wary of wealth. Amen.

The Desire of Every Parent.

Proverbs 22

“Direct your child onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.” – Proverbs 22:6 NLT

This verse has been taught at every parenting seminar I have ever been to. It has been held up as a promise from the very Word of God that offers us a virtual guarantee of success in child-rearing if we just do our part well. But as a parent of six and as the youngest son of my own parents, I have found that this verse, while promising, is not exactly a promise. In fact, it is NOT a promise at all. Like all the other proverbs written or collected by Solomon, it is a universal truth. It is how God intended the world to work. But because of the fall and the presence of sin, things do not always turn out the way God intended or as we might want them to – regardless of how well we do at raising our children. But this does not change the reality that the best way is always God's way. As Christ-followers, we are to raise our children according to God's will and direct them on to the one path that leads to true life. In most translations, the first part of this verse uses the words, "train up a child." The Hebrew idea behind this is that of dedication. It is used in the context of dedicating a house to God. So, in essence, we are to dedicate our children to God and give them over to Him for His use – teaching them to walk His path and live according to His will. This includes not only teaching them well, but modeling Christ-like behavior and obedience in front of them. It isn't enough to simply teach them Bible stories and moralistic platitudes about honesty, sharing, truthfulness, and humility. As the old saying goes, when it comes to teaching more is caught than taught. Our kids will pick up the "godly life" by watching us live it more than they will by hearing us talk about it. When this verse says, "Direct your children onto the right path," it is encouraging us as parents to live our lives in such a way that our children instinctively know which way to go from having watched us and followed us. According to the Book of Proverbs, there are only two paths to life. There are only two ways for our children to go: The wise way or the foolish way. The way of righteousness or the way of wickedness. The way of the godly or the way of the godless. Because Proverbs uses the metaphor of the path so often, it fits in well here. It helps us understand that this verse is about a way of life, not just lessons for life. It is about a lifestyle choice. And it is a lifelong job. As parents, we are always training our children – even long after they are out of our house. We are still modeling godly behavior and directing them onto the right path long after they're grown and gone. The verse says, "and when they are older, they will not leave it." This conveys the idea that our job is never over and that the impact of our efforts are lifelong, not temporal. We may see our children wander off the path for a time, but we may also live to see them discover their way back our of the high weeds and into the light of God's will. Our job is to keep training, modeling, and directing. We have to leave the results up to God. At the end of the day, if we have truly dedicated them to God, we must realize that it is He who will determine the outcome of their lives. Only He can reach their hearts and transform their character from the inside out. And while this Proverbs does not guarantee results, it does give us the assurance that if we are faithful to do our job, we can trust God to do His part. We can leave our children in His capable, loving, merciful hands.

Father, give me the stamina and determination to direct my children on to the right path and to do it faithfully, all throughout the years of their lives. Don't let me take shortcuts or fail to model the godly lifestyle in front of them. Forgive me for taking complete responsibility for the way my children turn out and forgetting that only You can save my kids, and redeem, restore, and protect them. Amen.

What Really Pleases God?

Proverbs 21

“The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just than when we offer him sacrifices.” – Proverbs 21:3 NLT

A lot of us spend a lot of time trying to keep God pleased. We somehow think that He's like a divine Santa Clause. He's making a list, and checking it twice; gonna find out who's naughty or nice. So if we want to keep Him happy, we better get busy doing nice things. And that can translate into everything from having a quiet time to memorizing Scripture, doing acts of service, going to a Bible study or on a short-term mission trip, or even giving money to the church. There's nothing wrong with any of these things. They are good and proper things for us to do as believers, but when we turn them into actions that we believe will earn us brownie points with God, we miss the point. When we make them into personal sacrifices we offer on behalf of God in the hopes that He will notice and reward us favorably, they lose their meaning and we lose our focus.

King David understood this concept very well. He wrote, "You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God" (Psalm 51:16-17 NLT). While God had commanded the people of Israel to offer sacrifices, what He was really looking for was the heart behind the sacrifice. Jesus had harsh words for the religious leaders in His day. "What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law — justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. Blind guides!" (Matthew 23:23-24 NLT). These men we adept at keeping the law, of making the proper sacrifices, but they had missed the point. Their hearts were not right. They were skilled at keeping the letter of the law, but were oblivious to the real point behind the law: justice, mercy and faith. It wasn't supposed to be about their ability to keep laws, but about the motivation of their hearts. They were doing what they were doing out of a sense of self-righteousness and in the hopes that what they did was somehow earning them points with God. But as we read in Proverbs, God is more pleased when we do what is right and just than when we offer Him sacrifices. God is more focused on our hearts than our efforts. In the verse right before this one, Solomon writes, "People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their heart. God is able to see our inner motivation. He knows when we are doing what we are doing out of some sense of duty or simply in the hopes of keeping God pleased with us.

Over in the book of Micah, we read these sobering words: "No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8 NLT). God's desire is that our outer efforts be motivated by an inward transformation that He alone can bring about. As we submit to His authority over our lives and listen to the Holy Spirit's direction, we begin to understand what it is that God would have us do. We begin to desire what He desires, love what He loves, and see the world as He sees it. We learn to walk in humility, not pride. We understand that our best efforts are never enough to earn points with God. He doesn't need our sacrifices. He simply wants our hearts. And as He changes our hearts, we begin to do what is just and right. We act in ways that are in keeping with His heart and in accordance with His will. And He is pleased.

Father, I want to do what is right and just, not out of some sense of duty, but because my heart is being transformed to reflect Your heart. I want to love what You love and desire what You desire. Please continue to complete Your work in me, and help me get out of the way. Amen.

Two Priceless Gifts From God.

Proverbs 20

“Ears to hear and eyes to see – both are gifts from the Lord.” – Proverbs 20:12 NLT

Our two senses of sight and hearing are incredibly important to us. Most of us could not imagine what it would be like to lose either one. But there are countless individuals who have had to learn to live without one or both. Others have had to cope with an increasing diminished capacity in their vision or hearing. And because of it, they understand and value these gifts from the Lord more than most. But I don't think the writer of this Proverb is simply talking about the capacity to see clearly and hear well. No, there are far too many people with good hearing and great eye sight who might as well be deaf and blind. There problem is a spiritual one. Their organs of sight and hearing are perfectly fine, but they are spiritually deaf and blind. God used this imagery on many occasions, telling the people of Judah, "Listen, you foolish and senseless people, with eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear" (Jeremiah 5:21 NLT). They were unable to see the greatness of God and unwilling to hear the voice of God. In His day, Jesus often referred to the blindness of the Pharisees. "They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch" (Matthew 15:14 NLT).

While sight and hearing are both gifts from the Lord, how much greater the gifts of being able to see and hear spiritually. The ability to see life from God's perspective and to hear from God clearly are truly God-given gifts. Every Christ-follower has been equipped with these God-given senses of spiritual sight and hearing. As a result, we have the ability and responsibility to listen more and talk less. I think it's interesting that speech is not listed as one of the gifts. We put a high value on what we say, but God seems to put a higher value on our capacity to listen – not only to Him, but to what is being said around us. We need to train our ears to hear the pain and suffering in the world. We need to hear and discern the falsehood and lies masquerading as truth. We need to hear God speaking in the midst of all the noise around us. But to hear, we have to stop talking.

And we need to see more clearly the world as God sees it. We need His vision and insight. We need His perspective. It is easy to be fooled by the false images of this world. But things are not always as they appear. God gives us the ability to see clearly and truthfully. He alone can open our eyes to the reality of what is going on in the world. When we see clearly, we see Him at work. We see the value of His righteousness and the greatness of His power. We view the world through the lens of the future. Our sight is not limited to the here and now. God has given us a glimpse into the future and we can see that He has a plan that He is working to perfection. The scenes of this present world are not the end of the story. We see the world through the eyes of God and know how the story ends.

Ears to hear and eyes to see – both are gifts from the Lord. How's your hearing today? How good is your eye sight? Are your ears hearing what God wants you to hear? Are your eyes clearly seeing the world and your circumstances as God sees them? Spiritual eyesight and hearing are truly gifts from God. May we learn to appreciate them and use them well.

Father, give me the capacity to hear what You want me to hear and the ability to see what You want me to see. As my hearing grows dimmer with years and my eye sight gets worse, may I never lose the capacity to hear and see spiritually. Amen.

Father Versus Friend.

Proverbs 19

“Discipline your children while there is hope. Otherwise you will ruin their lives.” – Proverbs 19:18 NLT

As the father of six children, I know a fair amount about raising kids. Notice I didn't say I knew a lot about raising kids WELL. In thirty-plus years of parenting, I have made my fair share of mistakes, and I continue to make them. But one of the most significant battles I have faced as a father is the temptation to try and be my children's best friend, rather than their father. Here's how it looks. Any time I have let slide some less-than-acceptable behavior because I didn't want to run the risk of making them mad at me, I have traded in being a father for being a friend. When I have refused to punish their actions because I wanted to avoid the confrontation, I have made friendship more important than fatherhood. And every time I have made being a friend to my kids the driving factor in our relationship, I have done them a disservice. My kids don't need me to be their best buddy, they need me to be their dad. And sometimes that role requires me to discipline and train them. Turning a blind eye to their behavior is not love, it's a form of child abuse. When I do it, I am allowing them to act in such a way that is unacceptable and potentially harmful to their future. The Proverbs call us to discipline our children while there is still hope. In other words, there is a window of opportunity in which we can instill into our kids the kind of discipline that will ultimately manifest itself in self-discipline. We are called to teach and train them. We are commanded to encourage them and, at times, admonish them. The desire to have them like me is a dangerous one. It seems so worthwhile and right. But how many times have we sacrificed their future well-being because we refused to teach them the consequences of their actions? That kind of parenting can ruin their lives. It makes them selfish and self-centered. It teaches them that the world revolves around them. It encourages them to become self-focused children who grow up to become self-absorbed, narcissistic adults.

Coddling and caving into our kids now will only ruin them later. We are called to be their parents, not their best friends. That doesn't mean we don't have to worry about whether our children like us or not. But it does mean that we may have to run the risk of making them angry at times in order to help make them godly. Giving in to their every whim is not good for them, but simply bad parenting. Over the years, I have often found myself refusing to discipline my children just because I didn't want to be unpopular. I have stayed quiet when I should have spoken up. I have looked the other way when I have should have pointed out what I saw. I have avoided when I should have confronted. Parenting is a long-term commitment. If we focus on short-term gains, not only will we lose, so will our children. We need to view what we do as an investment that pays future dividends, not a quick-fix remedy that makes our kids happy for the moment. When we parent that way we aren't doing our kids any favors. While our children may not appreciate our discipline now, a day is coming when they will look back and recognize our efforts with gratitude not regret.

Father, help me be faithful to remain firm in my role as the disciplinarian of my kids. Don't let me sacrifice the long-term goals for short-term gains. But also make sure I always discipline in love, not anger. Amen.

Guaranteed Success.

Proverbs 16

“Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.” – Proverbs 16:3 NLT

There are some verses in the Book of Proverbs that sound almost too good to be true. They seem to offer us some pretty significant promises; like guaranteed success in all our plans if we simply commit those plans to God. But is that what this verse is really saying? Is this some kind of spiritual secret to success that assures us of a positive outcome no matter what we plan to do? Common sense would tell you that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true. The first part of this verse is critical to understanding what's offered in the second half. "Commit your actions to the Lord." That word "commit" can literally be translated "roll over." It conveys the idea of rolling over or transferring something from one person to another. It is the idea of rolling over or committing your actions to God. Give them over to Him. The word "actions" are those works you intend to do. It has to do with your future plans. In other words, we are to give over to God those works that we want to do. Hand them over to Him. Share them with Him. Get His opinion about them. Don't move forward without His blessing and approval. If you look closely, you can see that this verse is really talking about submitting to God's authority in your life. It is encouraging an attitude of complete dependence on Him. In order to us to "roll over" our plans to God, we will have to humble ourselves under His sovereign will and submit to His plan for our lives. He may very well say no to our plans. He may give us a completely different agenda to follow. The key is that we are being encouraged to bring all our plans to God before we put them into action. We must seek His approval and permission.

Then, and only then, will our plans succeed. Verse nine supports this idea. "We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps." Ultimately, God is in control. His plan for our lives supersedes any goals or objectives we may establish. As believers we are obligated to turn to God for direction and insight into where He would have us go. We should want to know what He has for us to do. If we seek to discover His will for our lives, we can rest assured that it will succeed. God will always accomplish what He sets out to do. His plans are never thwarted. The Hebrew word that is translated here as "success" really means "securely determined." In other words, it's as good as done. There are no doubts, worries, or possibilities that His plan will fail to happen. When we bring our plans to Him and allow Him to either confirm or replace them with His divine plan, we can rest easy knowing that whatever we do will turn out just the way God intended it to. And even if the end result does not appear to be what WE expected, it WILL be what God intended. When Joseph found himself sold into slavery by his brothers, it did not appear to be a successful plan, but it was just what God had ordained to happen. When he was put into prison under false accusations, Joseph had to wonder how this was a part of God's plan for his life. But it was exactly what God had planned. All along the way, he encountered what appeared to be setbacks and detours for his life, but it was all a part of God's grand plan for his life.

If we commit our future actions to God, and if we are willing to listen to what He has to say and allow Him to possibly redirect our steps, we will find that His will always gets done in the end. We will encounter success. But on His terms and in His timing.

Father, forgive me for making my own plans so often and failing to bring them to You. I tend to forget that You are God and too often try to act as my own god. Then I wonder why my plans don't turn out like I expected. But I know that if I submit my plans to You and trust You with the outcome, I don't have to worry about whether I am in Your will – regardless of how things may appear. Amen.