Wisdom Series – “Wisdom in Contrast”

Wisdom Series – “Wisdom in Contrast”
“Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: And the  knowledge of the holy is understanding.For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased. If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.(Proverbs 9:8-12)
 
He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth.
As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation.
The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.”
 
Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. No explanation is needed other than if we can get pass our pride and or our insecurity (same root problem, too focused on me and not on Christ) and receive instruction it becomes a win,win situation.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: And the  knowledge of the holy is understanding.” To explain the ” fear of the Lord,” it would be anything but fear. The word would be better translated as reverence, awe, or wonder. Especially in light of the Cross. This is an added dimension to my life that completely separates me from everyday living. I filter all values, all desires and actions, all relationships and speech through this filter. This changes everything. As I grow in my awe of God there is not a dimension of my life that is not affected and or changed, and rightly so. To be in awe of God is to be rightly related to heaven and earth.  It’s when we allow ourselves to become enamored with the world that we get ourselves in trouble.There is no higher conscienceness than to walk in the reverence of the Lord. 
Furthermore when we are living in the awe of God verses such as the ones in I Corinthians 6:20 “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” And, “Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men” ( I Cor. 7:23) are life changing. How do these two verses with one single message affect you?  If you struggle with insecurity or fear,  you need to mediate on these verses. If you feel valueless, lost or lonely you need to mediate on this verse. To the degree that these verses  are experientially known by you, is to the degree you will be freed from these human emotions and free from the fear or opinions of man. To truly know that I belong to Him, that I am His concern removes so much weight and worry from my shoulders. It doesn’t mean that I (you) will not have problems, it means that their is purpose in all that comes our way. There is not a trial or difficulty that if brought to Him will not have a righteous work in our life.
The Christian life is not for those who seek the comforts of this life. The Christian life is not for those who always want to be in control. The Christian life is also not for those who seek only their good. The Christian life is for those who despite all self achievement are still sensitive enough to sense a lack. Much like the rich young ruler. He had everything and he knew the law and obeyed it yet he was honest enough with himself to sense a lack or an emptiness within ( Matt.19: 16-25)!. “The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?”   We all have this  lack within, it works “behind the scenes.” It is the voice inside that says,” if only I had this I’d be happy, or if I married him or her I’d be happy.” It’s that internal motor inside that drives us forward to achieve, “If I could achieve this or become that I could finally be happy.” The proverbial carrot that stays just out of reach and even when we achieve our goal our satisfaction is short lived, especially compared to how long it took us to achieve it. Though the story of the rich young ruler is over 2,000 years old, man’s internal  wiring has not changed. We were made by God to experience relationship and life with God. 
For those of us who are tired of  treading on the same old tread mill called “life governed by the flesh” we are great candidates for a life of faith. For those of us who have felt the bondage of materialism (or any other bondage), we too are great candidates for a life of faith. For in God’s  heart you are truly valuable and precious and He brings freedom to a life that was self consuming. It is a new dimension that God brings, a life now in fellowship with Him because you have trusted in Christ. We are all broken vessels because of sin, only in Christ do we have access to the Eternal Love of the Father, which brings healing. The road is so clear, yet we confuse it with all these different beliefs that have some truth but deny the way thereof. They are still man’s efforts to reach an unattainable God. It’s the same old sugar just a different flavor that has trapped man for the centuries. A cover up for a heart that really doesn’t want to deal with the truth, “I am a sinner and I need to be forgiven and saved.” Why this is so hard to admit about ourselves when it is so apparent on so many levels? Man cannot ” un- sin himself. He can ignore it, seek to reason it away, but it is a stain deep in our character, in our thoughts and at the heart of our soul. And because of it man cannot attain God like status. He will never be holy, but God has reached out to man through Christ Jesus and  through Christ Jesus man can experience a life with God, but this is the only way and it is a wonderful way, the way it was meant to be since creation,  “For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased. If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it. He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth…” “For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken(Proverbs 3:26). That works for me.
 
The wisest man that ever lived, King Solomon had disobeyed God completely and utterly as he pursued all vices, lust, and learning in his pursuit to understand life as opposed to just being obedient to God. The things he allowed became the beginnings of Israel’s downfall. However in his ending years he summed up all his madness, all his ventures and all his learning in one simple statement in Ecclesiates 12:-13 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. Or the International Standard Version,” Let the conclusion of all of these thoughts be heard: Fear God and obey his commandments, for this is what it means to be human.” 
 


Father God,
Thank you for this study. It is strong and You pull no punches because the cost at stake, are our soul, priceless in Your sight. Help us to at least be as honest as the rich young ruler and ask the question, “what more do I lack?” For we all lack and in need of being connected to Eternal Love and Eternal Life. Thank you and Amen
Move Forward in His Grace – Arthur

“Truth in Focus—Join a Cause?”

“Truth in Focus—Join a Cause?”

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,

Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord

When I kept silence, my bones waxed old

For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me:

My moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.

whose sin is covered.

imputeth not iniquity,

And in whose spirit there is no guile.

Through my roaring all the day long.

I acknowledged my sin unto thee,

And mine iniquity have I not hid.

I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord;

And thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah

(Psalm 32:1-5, KJV)

A righteous soul is one who wants a relationship with God and is willing to

forsake whatever actions or beliefs he or she has, so as to pursue God.

Whatever it takes; whatever I have to surrender to be closer to You, I am willing.

Whether it be a false belief or the idol of my soul, create in me a heart that wants

You above all else. Take from me that which You would; whatever thought or

hindrance to our relationship, I surrender to You. You are my Pearl of Great Price

(Worth). I put it all on the table, withholding nothing from You.

How easy it is for us to get the wrong focus. We get behind a cause—from the

whales, to the underprivileged, to the unborn, our cause defines us. It becomes

the reason we get up in the morning. It becomes the air we breathe. Yet, for as

noble a cause that it may be, it is not God’s cause. You say, “How can this noble

cause not be God’s? Does He not care?” And the answer is, “Of course He

cares, but He cares for one thing more—you. He came, He lived, and He died,

not for all these earthly causes, but for you. You are His cause and all of Eternity

is behind it, and He must become your cause as well. Does that mean we can’t

care about injustices or seek to make changes in society? No, but not at the

expense of your relationship to the Lord. There is no greater good or cause than

to be united by faith to God, to be filled by the Holy Spirit, and to lead others in

their own relationship with God. This cause, unlike all the others, is eternal.

When the world has passed, or your life from it, all the energy and all the toil will

be nothing except for the cause that goes into Eternity.

There are many who believe the Bible is old-fashioned; it has been reinterpreted

and is not accurate; or it doesn’t really mean what it is saying. Most, if not all of

these critics, have never really studied the Bible—I have spent my life studying

it—or if they have, it was from another point of view. The easiest one, especially

for young people, is the agenda, “God is going to use me to change the world.”

Feeling a sense of great importance and urgency, they miss the whole point. The

passion of youth, though sincere, is also sincerely wrong. God wants your heart,

and He wants your heart to want Him first and foremost. This is God’s agenda,

and from this point of view were the scriptures written.

To those people who are seeking to justify a lifestyle or a choice they are making

contrary to what the scriptures teach, I say go ahead. Live your life and disregard

the scriptures as being old and not accurate. God Himself will give you an

answer. For His Holy Spirit will not dwell within a temple that has self on the

throne. He will not live in a soul that puts their desires before His, disregarding

His teachings. You will live a life of “pretend righteousness,” keeping that idol or

thought or way of life that you so value, but God will not be in it. This is a

dangerous game to play with your soul. For on one hand, you think that all is well

because you are happy and have what you want, but on the other hand,

especially as time moves forward and the newness of your compromised faith

wears off, you (God willing) will realize that you left God behind, as you insisted

on redefining or ignoring the scriptures.

And aside from this point, what truly baffles me is how we can think any lifestyle

is going to make us happy? People are people. We are all empty vessels. And

whether it is a relationship or a possession, we become deceived into thinking

that this relationship or possession will fulfill us. And it does for a time, as

mentioned, until the newness wears off or until the person has no more to give.

We start looking for something or for someone else to fulfill us—like spiritual

vampires. It is no person’s job to make me happy, because no one can. We

assign to man what only God can do. That is why I say, “Go ahead, do what you

want, and in time the sincerity of your words will be seen. If you remain in a

lifestyle that is contrary to the scriptures, then you do not truly want God as you

say. If you believe that God is love and loves you, then bringing your life into

submission, although difficult, will have purpose and meaning. Just like a child,

he or she must believe that the rules of the parent are because the parent loves

them. And just because we feel a certain way, does that make that way right?

Since when do my feelings dictate faith? Faith leads until my feelings become

aligned or faith leads regardless. Had I yielded to my feelings through the years,

my life would be a mess right now.

People question saying, “Why is this wrong? It feels right.” This comment only

reveals how immature we are. When you raise a child, do they not do things that

feel and seem right to them? However, as the parent, we must instruct them

even if it means conflict with our child. Until they mature and come to a fuller

understanding, the discipline will not make any sense and quite frankly, it doesn’t

matter, because you must lead. There is a right way, a way that prospers you,

and a wrong way, a way that potentially could harm you. It is that way in the

Spirit. There is holiness, God’s way, and then there is my way. If I want God, then

I will obey Him. If I want what I want, obviously I will not go God’s way and the

fruit of those actions will be mine to bear. How I wish this last statement were

true. My family also pays the consequences. So in disregarding the truth, we are

forcing others to have to deal with the consequences.  If you cannot see how

your decisions are wrong, then be honest enough to go to God and pray what I

shared in the first paragraph. And then start with obeying God’s Word. Set aside

your personal opinions. The printed page is safer to trust. I have lived my life by it

for 35 years and have obeyed it even when the voice in my head, especially

when I was younger, contradicted it. The times I did not obey, I lived to regret it. I

know obedience is difficult because we feel as though we are surrendering our

freedom, when in reality we are gaining it, because God’s way is freedom. I am

no different than you. I have a sin nature that wants what it wants, but no one or

nothing can ever surpass the love and peace of Christ. I know that, and therefore

I say no to my flesh. There is nothing I want more than to be close to my Lord

and whatever sacrifice I make is well worth the cost.

For what relationship could ever replace the relationship with the Living God? No

man or woman and no house or wealth could ever compare. And if it does, then

you know your heart is not right. For what thing or person could ever be equal to

Him who inhabits Eternity and is the Creator and Giver of Life? The life of family

and friendship is only accentuated when our lives are in harmony with Him.

The truth of your words to know God will be seen in the sacrifices you are willing

to make. So join a cause, bang the drums, and write your essays, but never

forget that the quiet and sure testimony of a joyful and peaceful life, who knows

the love of his or her Lord, is His cause—a cause He ransomed with His life.

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,

Whose sin is covered.

Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity,

And in whose spirit there is no guile.”

(Psalm 32:1-2, KJV)

There is a rhythm to life, and it is found by walking in harmony with Christ.

Walking with Him in reverence and meditation is to have all the benefits of faith.

To do this in part because of some reverence for God is to be blessed in part;

however, to actually submit (come under) and follow the Lord completely is to

have it all.

Move Forward in His Grace – Arthur

“Say No to Me and Yes to Others” (Father’s Day Poem)

“Say No to Me and Yes to Others” (Father’s Day Poem)

Father’s Day has come and gone. Yet, being a father (as well as being a mother)

is so important, I wanted to write about it. Therefore, although belated, I trust this

will still be meaningful.

What is a father, and what is his contribution to the family? Unfortunately, there

are many men who father children because they can, but they have no clue or

care to fulfill the shoes they have created for themselves. Much, if not all, of the

unraveling of our society—the breakdown of our moral standards and the

disrespect with which we treat others and ourselves—is contributed to this

leadership breakdown. Thank goodness for grandpas who seek to be a loving

role model. The souls of our children are sponges, and they absorb all that is

around them, especially from the home. They are moldable clay that is being

shaped as they mature. Their shape and outcome are a reflection on us, and

there is no two ways about this. The biggest tragedy is to see a father, who was

badly parented as a child, parent his son as he was parented. His dad was badly

parented by his grandfather, who was badly parented by his great grandfather,

who was badly parented by… and years of pain unfold. The cycle of poor

parenting and disrespect for the life in one’s care just continues, affecting more

and more families. Sometimes, the child becoming a man sees this and is able to

make changes in himself stopping the damage. Other times, the damage is so

complete that the spirit of the child has been broken, though the child is now a

man. There is no escaping the damage done without outside intervention. And

the help given is limited, for to change a life, the heart has to be remade. To

remake a heart requires much patience, consistent love, and the working of the

Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit, man’s affect is limited. No one can love as

deep and wash away the hurt of the heart as God can.

To be able to raise my son or daughter with knowledge of respect and value, I

must respect and value myself. Often the love of a child, being so innocent, can

grow that in the parent. Sometimes it works, yet as a general rule, I cannot give

to another that which I do not possess. And since my sense of value, a core

foundation, is formed during my childhood, how do I go back after years of

feeling valueless and rebuild something that is core to my soul? If a father’s love

was missing during those years, a love that would have made me feel important

and valued, how does that love get put back in? And if my father did not love me

or value me, even if my mom did, the hurt and question is still there, “Why can’t

you love me.”  So what is a father’s role?

 

I say No to Me and Yes to Others (family)

When things are tough, work is hard, and others at home still await

I say no to me and yes to others

I find my identity in God, not in work

I seek to give those at home their identity by giving them all of me

When temptation knocks and says

This way is easier

I say no to me and yes to others, as I learn to reach outside myself

I close that door and say no to me and yes to others

Knowing that value is built by the effort that is given

When my soul is filled with doubt and fear

I stand my ground, knowing that others are watching

To a God that knows no fear and has no limits

When all that I have built crumbles before me

And defeat says, “Will you yield”

I say no to me and yes to others

As I find my strength in a God

Who knows not defeat and becomes a strength to others

My character is being formed in the crucible of life

Or does pity for self, and impatience with others, exceed

And how I handle it will be seen

Does my love for others remain true

I must say no to me and yes to others

My true values are seen in the storm

And in the storm, the depth of my words are measured and tested

When I say no to me and yes to others

My words ring true and build a foundation

For others on which to stand and from which to grow

My heart is seen, as I lead the way

Accepting my role to father (or grandfather) a child, who did not ask to be born

My unwavering commitment to my family places value and confidence in them

To do this is to provide a security that neither money nor possessions can give

They may not have the words to express, but internally they know

But by my love, I give him or her a reason to be

They know they are important and loved

Because I say no to me and yes to others

No man is above being human, subject to mistakes and failure, but it is not that

we fail or make mistakes that determines our path, but what we do with these

mistakes and failures. Do they define us and cause us to stop trying, or do they

cause us to acknowledge our need for a Savior. Do we reach beyond ourselves

and rely on a God who is much bigger than us, seeking first and foremost to be

His son by the grace the Cross gives?  In the fire the truth is seen. What is that

truth that others see in me; that others see in you? God help us to be men of our

word, even if it hurts.

In whose eyes a vile person is contemned;

But he honoureth them that fear the Lord.

He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not

(Psalm 15:4)(KJV)

Father God,

There is no substitute for a man or woman who seeks to honor You in all they do.

They are like a brook of water that refreshes the lives of those around them and

most profoundly their family. May we be this brook, Lord, watering our family with

love, truth, and guidance. Help us to help them to avoid the pitfalls that would

take them from You. Thank you and Amen.

Move Forward in His Grace – Arthur

“Wisdom’s Cry” Proverbs 6:23-28 (KJV) (Part 7 – Lust’s Trap)

For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light;

And reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

To keep thee from the evil woman,

From the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.

Lust not after her beauty in thine heart;

Neither let her take thee with her eyelids.

For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: And the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.

Can a man take fire in his bosom,

And his clothes not be burned?

Can one go upon hot coals,

And his feet not be burned?

 

 

 

As we make our way through Proverbs, I am selecting verses that have had a profound effect on my life. With respect to marital purity, these verses, plus the rest in Chapter 6 and including Chapters 5 & 7, have been profound. Sexual immorality is probably one of the easiest sins to commit, especially if you define it as Christ has in Matthew 5:28:  “But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her (or women towards men) hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”  For singles, it would be fornication. The standard that Christ holds out is so impossible that it is ridiculous to most people. Who doesn’t lust?  Who doesn’t see the opposite sex and have desire in their heart?  As one movie star put it, we are sexual creatures. (I can’t remember which one, but you could almost pick anyone of them. The majority are monsters when it comes to living out their passions.)  But is Christ really being ridiculous, or is He trying to keep us from becoming slaves to our passions?  In Proverbs 5:21-23 it says: “For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings. His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden (in the sense of being trapped, like an animal caught) with the cords (ropes used to bind animals) of his sins. He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.” I think Christ knows us better than we know ourselves and loves us more.

 

“For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:”

I cannot express to you how much I love this verse, maybe because my dad never instructed me in this respect. I think he fully expected me to be like my peers, having no restraint whatsoever in their lives. This verse was and is like a bright light pointing the way.  And as hard as restraint was, it was doable with the inner conviction that this was right.  It was right, not just on the physical level, but on the emotional and spiritual level as well. Sooner or later, sin catches up with you, just as Proverbs 5:21-23 says.  As I became older and observed my peers, some of whom used to be my best friends, I discovered that they were not any happier living indulgent lives.  In fact, the baggage they were beginning to carry was becoming more encompassing and heavy. They were becoming “jaded” from their failed relationships. I was learning that the gift of intimacy was powerful, and if used carelessly for selfish means, it caused much hurt and deep wounds.  In its proper context, I would learn that it was a binding (solidifying) strength between two people, though it took time and maturity to develop and appreciate it.  Lust/sex circumvents the process of building a relationship—a foundation based upon friendship, respect and love.  Lust makes intimacy shallow, cheap, easy, and valueless.  The appreciation for one another becomes circumvented, and hence respect will never be built. Without respect, a relationship will fail.

 

“To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.”

The word “evil” (raah) encompasses all the degrees of evil, from extremely morally wrong to “shades of gray.”  An example of very wrong would be a woman (or man) who sets out to “trap” a man (or woman) sexually, so in the end to ruin them.  She has no affection for him at all. She is both the huntress and the bait and is in “the game” for her own means. This word “raah” means that.  On the other end of this word, we could have a situation where two working companions, having no sexual interest in each other, have an evening drink just to wind down after a stressful day and end up having sex. The next day there is regret, and there could be some very serious consequences, but what was done was not by intent but because of the weakness of the flesh. This is that word evil as well. Either by intent or by accident, sin was committed and the damage was done. How can this be prevented? A good defense is an unstoppable offense, which for us is an active, growing relationship with Christ. If this is not happening with you, why isn’t it happening?

 

“From the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.”

Flattery is a strong tool, and many are caught by it. We want people to like us and to think well of us. We tend to gravitate towards these people; however, there should come a point when an internal alarm goes off and says “enough is enough” and insincerity is being sensed. Humility is the characteristic in us that sends up the warning:  “I am just not comfortable with this person; their presence is more a come-on than genuine.” And when one receives true praise, instinctively humility says, “Amen. Thank you. I am grateful for His work in my life.” In Proverbs 29:5 it says, A man that flattereth his neighbor spreadeth a net for his feet.” And in Psalm 5:9 it says,  “For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.”  Webster defines flattering as “to praise excessively, especially from motives of self-interest.”  Hence, it is the use of praise to manipulate someone into doing or giving me what I want.  And we seem to be particularly vulnerable to this if it involves the opposite sex, especially if there is an attraction.

 

“Lust not after her beauty in thine heart;” (or his beauty)

What is lust?  Is it not a strong emotional pull, wanting that which does not belong to us?  Uncontrolled, it supersedes our relationship with God; therefore, it becomes our idol, replacing God.  How strong can lust become? We have a good example between Amnon, King David’s son, and Tamar, King David’s daughter, making her Amnon’s half sister.  In 2 Samuel 13:10-12, 14-15 and 17, it says:

 

And Amnon said unto Tamar,

Bring the meat into the chamber, that I may eat of thine hand.

And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.

And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her,

Come lie with me, my sister.

And she answered him,

Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly.

Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her.

Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her (guilt?).

And Amnon said unto her,

Arise, be gone.

Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said,

Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.”

 

If you read the text prior to these verses, you will see that Amnon was making himself literally sick over his lust for his sister. Uncontrolled lust is like a fire in dry timber—it destroys both the bearer and the recipient.  Amnon later was killed by Absalom, his half brother, Tamar’s older brother.

 

“Neither let her take thee with her eyelids.”

Lust can be between men and women, over homes, cars, money, position or a million other things. It is part of our fallen nature. So to feel it is unfortunately normal; however, as believers, to have it control us is not normal. That doesn’t mean it’s not a struggle.  Understand that lust is in essence spiritual.  It is rivaling God for our devotion. It is felt in the soul, luring us into believing that it can fulfill us, as opposed to the Lord. And it is initiated in the flesh, through our sight and physical needs. It affects all three levels, and on all three levels, it tries to mimic/ duplicate what is found in the Spirit. To overcome it, we must frequently meditate on verses that speak to our specific struggle. Also, finding a friend with whom you can share and pray is super helpful.  Do not allow condemnation to rule you when you fail.  Conviction is from the Holy Spirit trying to bring you back home through repentance. Condemnation is from the enemy trying to push you away from the Lord. Remember God’s promise in Isaiah 1:18:

 

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord:

Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;

Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

 

Daily, we need to be filled, just as daily we need to eat. If you are unhealthy physically, one question would be, “What are you eating?”  If you are losing the battle to lust, the question would be, “Spiritually, what are you feeding on?” Remember last week’s devotional, “Junk In, Junk Out,” or “Righteousness In and Truth Out?” The stewardship of our desires falls squarely on each person’s shoulders.  In the scriptures, there is no clause:  “He made me do it.”  Instead, there is, “Resist the devil, and he will flee.”  Even so, failure does occur. Peter denied the Lord, and in essence that is what sin is, denying the Lord and saying yes to myself.  Peter felt terrible afterwards, so much so that the Lord needed to restore him—the very person that he denied.  He learned that “his arm of flesh” was weak. He learned that God’s forgiveness was strong. It is only with the Holy Spirit that we can stand, and the best way to stand is to stay full.  If I just finished eating a great meal, I will not hunger for more, even if you place it in front of me; however, if I have not eaten, especially for some time, my strength to resist is not there. Even if it is food that is not good for me, my hunger drives me, and I will eat. If we can understand that, then we understand how the human soul works as well. A main key to resisting and defeating lust is to stay full.  Then you can, “Resist the devil, and he will flee.” In James 4:7 it says:  Submit yourselves therefore to God (submit, to come under or stay full).  Resist the devil (stand against), and he will flee from you.”  Satan is no match for a believer who knows his or her place in the Lord.  Unfortunately, not many of us do.

 

Father God,

In war, soldiers get in trouble when the battle lines get confused.  It is the same with us. We think that this is the problem or that is the problem and it is not. The only battle I fight—the only true battle—deals with myself and in bringing myself into fellowship with You daily.  In between You and me, there are going to be problems—smoke screens to get me looking away from You. I must keep You between my “problems” and me.  For in Your presence, the problems are not nearly what they appear to be when I am away from You. Thank you and Amen.

Arthur Navarrette

“A Worthy Soldier” (Proverbs 4:23-27)

 “A Worthy Soldier,” (Proverbs 4:23-27)

 

 

Keep thine heart with all diligence;

For out of it are the issues of life.

Put away from thee a froward mouth,

And perverse lips put far from thee.

Let thine eyes look right on,

And let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

Ponder the path of thy feet,

And let all thy ways be established.

Turn not to the right hand nor to the left:

Remove thy foot from evil.

 

 

 

Keep thine heart with all diligence;

“Leb” is the word for heart, and it has several meanings—from the human heart to the heart of an animal, to the intangible aspect of one’s inner person.  An example of a saying that expresses the inner person is, “His heart wasn’t in it.” This says that the participant would rather not have been involved.  Another example of this expression is when someone apologizes and afterwards the recipient says, “His heart wasn’t in it.”  This says that the apology was not genuine.  Just the opposite of that is the expression, “It came from his heart.” This means that his total person stood behind his words. So, in context of the verse, we are describing the immaterial part of our person—that which makes us who we are.  And we are told of its importance by the preceding and succeeding words, Keep thine heart with all diligence.”

 

“Nasar” is to keep, meaning to “guard, to hide, to preserve.”  It refers to people faithfully keeping something entrusted to them.  It especially emphasizes the keeping or guarding of God’s Word. Therefore, it appears that the chief duty of our heart is to keep, guard, preserve, and maintain God’s Word.  It is critical that our hearts be kept in right order to faithfully and diligently fulfill this privilege. To further emphasize this, the phrase “with all diligence” expands on the importance of this.  It means “to have custody, to set guards, to secure something of value by maintaining a watch of guards over it.”  So the word picture we get is that the chief duty of our heart is to be a guarded safe-deposit box for God’s truth.  In Psalm 119:10-11, King David said, With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.  Thy word have I hid (or stored) in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” David understood the importance of this and further knew the command that God gave to the Kings:  “And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law (the five Books of Moses) in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:  And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:”  (Deuteronomy 17:18-19)

 

This was the chief duty of the man who God made King, so that he would rule in justice and remain humble in nature:  “That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.” (Deuteronomy 17:20)  As a young man, when I first read these verses, my thoughts were, “I may not be a King, but what is good for a King must be good for me.  And who knows, someday I may be responsible for influencing others in the ways of the Lord.”  So my journey began.  And to this day, some thirty years later, it continues.  It’s been a great journey, beyond hard, but never without hope.

 

The importance of “keeping your heart with all diligence” is found in the next phrase, “For out of it are the issues of life.”  Unfortunately, King Solomon learned first hand the truth of this verse when it was not kept. In his later years, he lost his passion and allegiance to the Lord.  His lust for “strange women” got the better of him, and he married outside the Jewish culture.  More than likely, these were also political marriages, marrying daughters of Kings from the surrounding pagan cultures.  This could have been Solomon’s way of “keeping the peace” between the nations, although practically speaking, it was not necessary.  The Kingdom of Israel was a dominant one.  And, regardless of this, it was strictly forbidden to marry outside the Jewish Culture.  It was not only a violation within the Levitical laws, but it was also a violation of one of Solomon’s own Proverbs: “When a man’s ways please the Lord, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with Him.” (Proverbs 16:7)   Solomon’s focus was off, and instead of trusting the Lord, his heart drifted away from the Lord. This was Solomon’s attempt (the arm of flesh) to do God’s work.  Whenever we try to do God’s job rather than trusting God to do His job, the effort either fails or the outcome, at the very least, falls short from God’s desired end, if in fact the outcome is not devastating. These pagan women influenced Solomon to build idols to their gods and even worship them, and children born from these women had rights to the throne. He truly had “smitten” Israel at the heart, because he did not keep his heart with all diligence.

 

The word “issue” is interesting.  It means “ending point” or “the extremity of a border.”  In my understanding, it is the accumulated total within one’s heart producing a belief, action, and/or statement.  Therefore, based upon my understanding of this word, the saying, “Junk In, Junk Out or Truth In, Truth Out” defines it.  Therefore, the importance of the prior statement is critical, “Keep thine heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.”  We all influence someone.  Hannah influenced Samuel, and he became one of Israel’s greatest prophets.

 

“Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.” The mouth or speech is the first indication of knowing what is in the heart of an individual, for it is with words that we represent ourselves to others. And if a “froward mouth” (to speak without integrity) or “perverse lips” (deceitful speech) comes from an individual, it indicates that it is “just the tip of the iceberg,” and much more deceit lies within. Don’t make friends and keep that individual at the same distance you would a Cobra snake, because that is with whom you are dealing.

 

Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

When the eyes look, the expression indicates it is with intent to have. So to look straightforward means to keep your focus on the Lord and your eyes from lusting after false gods:  things, thoughts, or beliefs that are venom to one’s soul. These false gods and worldly ideologies seek to poison our faith, as Solomon’s many pagan women did to him.  Looking “right on…eyelids look straight” will keep your heart from worshipping/entertaining “pagan gods,” such as materialism, beauty/sex, and power, which have been idols that each culture and each generation have sought and worshipped. Regardless of the form the idols take, they have taken captive many a man and woman, and the fallout of it is painful. Divorce, fatherless children, drugs, and alcohol abuse just to cope have unmeasured devastation on the human soul, especially the children.

 

Since eyes are the keeper of one’s soul, what one allows himself or herself to see matters greatly. “I will set no wicked (vain) thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me (Psalm101:3). The eyes, however, are a port of entry.  They do not interpret or add or take away value.  That is the job of one’s heart. To one person, a super nice car may be the desire of the heart; to another, money in the bank is more important.  David said in Psalm 119:18-19“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.  I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.”

 

Jesus spoke of being the light and said the darkness vanishes in the light’s presence.  Solomon started out as a light of truth for Israel but ended up in darkness. He became “too wise” for his own good and lost his humility and need of the Lord.  He failed at his main mission, which was to guide Israel in the ways of the Lord, though economically speaking, he made Israel wealthy.  Faith was traded in for wealth and worldly living.  He grew up with a “silver spoon” and did not have the rugged faith of his father, David, who knew God through war.  David’s trust and faith in God was forged with the sword, as he saw God overthrow nations much mightier than Israel.  How important it is to live as though, “I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.” (Psalm 119:19)

 

My ending thought, and a somewhat sobering one, is that out of all the Kings that started out fearing the Lord, only two finished: David and Josiah. There must have been between the two Kingdoms, Judah and Israel, more than seventy-five kings (rough guess), and only two remained true to the Lord.  How will we end our race?  Will materialism, love of money, name, or pleasure take its toll on us, or will we run the race of faith, knowing that we are strangers in a strange land? Each day we answer that question by how we spend our time.  God help us to always choose Him, and in those days that we can’t, there is no fear or worry, for He will never abandon His own.  He knows and He will keep us.

 

Father God,

Thank you that the certainty of our salvation lies with You.  Call us back when we wander.  Remind us when we seek love, peace, or security from false idols of our imagination.  Help us to have the wisdom to see what man gives is temporary, but what You give is eternal and pure. Thank you and Amen.

 

 

Move Forward in His Grace – Arthur

Arthur Navarrette

“Wisdom’s Cry” Proverbs 3: 3&4, 9-12 (Part 6 – The Love of a Father)

Wisdom’s Cry  Proverbs 3: 3&4, 9-12 (Part 7 – The Love of a Father)
 
“My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction:
For — whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father — the son in whom he delighteth.”
 
“For — whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father — the son in whom he delighteth.” In last week’s Vida we focused on the first part of this verse, “not despising the chastening of the Lord.” To stay in the fire until the work has been done. The goldsmith of old knew the gold was pure when he could see his reflection. Gold is mined with soil and other minerals and has no value or use until it is pure. When our Father starts to see His reflection in us He knows that the work of chastening and correcting is having its perfect work. He is gaining a son or daughter that will not only love Him and receive His love, but will be faithful to represent His love to others. This is the end goal of all trials and troubles.
Trials and difficulties often last a life time because the desire to love ourselves is so woven into the fabric of our being that removing it takes much skill and  time. As a cancer doctor tenuously seeks to remove the cancer without damaging the organs, so our Father patiently and skillfully seeks to remove the cancer of self love and at the same time build into us  godly character. What is it that motivates the Lord to hang in there with us? “For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth.” There are times life is super painful and thoughts come that if this is love could you love someone else for a while? The word correcteth,”Yakah” has several meanings, ” to convince, convict, judge etc., but the one I find most interesting is this one,”to clarify a person’s moral standing.” And this is exactly what happens in trials and difficulties. How easy is it to say “I trust God, or I am a Christian” when all is going well. However what do we say when life is painful, when it’s hard, do we say the same? The Father’s goal is that we do, that we join Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego,
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful (bold statement) ‘on how’ to answer thee in this matter.If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore he spoke, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated (Daniel 3:16-18).” 

 
The fact that Nebuchadnezzar was King over the Assyrian nation, the world power at the time, did not cause them to change in any way their response to him. They were bold and forth rite. Because of their boldness, something that no one ever dared to be with Nebuchadnezzar, he became beyond furious, ordering the furnace to be overheated. Yakah, God’s correction, had developed three sons that were faithful. Not only to death, but faithful to speak the truth with boldness. God was so much bigger to them than the King. May we join them in their faithfulness.

Problems with this verse come if we had less than a loving dad. We struggle with receiving the discipline as from a loving Father, “even as a father — the son in whom he delighteth.” It is interesting that God always likens himself to a Father as opposed to a mother. Though both roles are critical, the father’s role is that of provision and protection as well as supporting the mother’s role of compassion, kindness and love. And in that, comes discipline. Be it that of teaching and training or that of the rod of correction (Proverbs 22:13-14). Something that is frowned upon in our liberal society – probably because it has not been done with love.
If your had a parent or both that were overbearing, harsh, unengaged or devalued you, the concept of a loving father is hard to grasp. Especially when times are tough, it’s  just too hard to believe that this is for my good. What does harshness produce in a child, “I must have done something terrible or something is terribly wrong with me. The feelings of having no worth or value, or not being important can be overwhelming. These are awful feelings that many adults carry with them from childhood. They are like a thick blanket between them and God. Fear is strong and the thought of reaching out to God and risking that He may reject me too is just too great a risk. “I would rather maintain a distance and believe that He loves me than find out to the contrary,” is an understandable thought.
What happens to these people? Well they may go to church because church is suppose to be safe, but they generally never go beyond that. Reading the Bible is a step they generally do not take. Or if they read the Bible, they read it from the perspective of trying to earn God’s favor and love rather than understanding that God’s favor and love has already been granted them (John 3:16). Many, especially young believers, fall into this trap and then become disillusioned when tragedy or hardship come and fall away from the Faith. I know as a young believer I struggled with this.
It’s impossible to earn God’s favor/love when He already has it in full measure  for us. It’s like trying to earn $100 dollars when all I want is for you to open your hand and I will place it there.  It’s a step of faith to sincerely open your heart and receive His love just because He wants to love you. Not for anything you’ve done or haven’t done.  Another example is your inheritance. Whatever it will be, it has been yours from birth. You did not need to earn it. When one comes to Christ your inheritance is a relationship with your Heavenly Father, you cannot earn it, you must just live in it. A promise God gave Joshua defines what it means to have this relationship.” There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee” ( Joshua 1:9).  And this is His promise to us as well.
So how do we overcome our fears and insecurities? It is still a supernatural work of God, drawing his hurting child to Himself, but others can help.  Flesh and blood believers sharing and giving God’s love.  Also the faithful teaching of God’s Word washing away the pain. It can take a long time to undo the damage done by a harsh parent, mostly because it takes us so long to really trust God. On God’s end the healing can be short in comparison.
Whether you were fortunate to have had loving parents there are still issues in all of us that need changing. Whether it’s bad attitudes or habits,  self motives or hurts from life events the healing/change occurs one way and one way only – it’s through the Holy Spirit. He can speak a word to our soul and supernaturally healing occurs or the crumbling of “road blocks.” He can also speak through a friend or a message from a pastor. For me, the route He has used the most is through the scriptures. That is why in every Vida I encourage us to be in His Word. The main pastor in my life, Pastor Chuck Smith often used this expression. “If all you have is the Word, you dry up. If all you have is the Spirit, you blow up (prideful) but if you have an equal balance of both, you grow up.” And it is so true. There are churches that teach the scriptures but no one has any joy, or churches where every one raises their hands but there is no depth or knowledge of the Word – it’s all feeling base. I have found very few churches that have the right balance, and why, I do not know. It does not seem that it should be that hard.
“the son in whom he delighteth.” I’m saving the best for last. Rasha ( delight) is a verb meaning to take pleasure in, to treat favorably, to favor, to accept. The thick black blanket can’t stand or remain in the presence of the truth.
 
“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:8) 
 
Neither man, demon nor low self esteem can stand before a saint who stands on the specific promises in God’s Word that speak to the cause of their hurt and by faith continue to meditate on them until faith mets reality. Healing and/or change does come, obstacles are removed and a deeper freedom to really walk with God is gained.
Father God,
Thank you for this series on personal healing. So many of us our broken in different areas of our life. Please take each puzzle of our life, anoint it with your love and put us together the way you intended us to be. In the Name of Christ I claim this for us. Thank you and Amen.

“Wisdom’s Cry” Proverbs 3:3-4; 9-12 (Part 5: The Understanding of Wisdom)

Vida4U – Wisdom’s Cry

Proverbs 3:3-4; 9-12 (Part 6: The Understanding of Wisdom)

“Let not mercy and truth forsake thee:

Bind them about thy neck;

Write them upon the table of thine heart:

So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and

man.”

“Honor the Lord with thy substance,

And with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

So shall thy barns be filled with plenty,

And thy presses shall burst out with new wine.”

“My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord;

Neither be weary of his correction:

For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth;

Even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.”

“My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord;”

I liken a Christian, who is undisciplined, to a horse that has not been broken. Its

strength is useful for nothing other than for its own purposes—much like

Samson, who was a man gifted with supernatural strength, but his strength was

ruled by his passions, not by his love for the Lord. Samson loved himself first and

foremost. One of the statements I hear from believers when life gets difficult is,

“Why is God doing this to me or why is He letting this happen?” I feel like saying,

“Well, why not? Are you exempt from struggle, pain, and hardship? Do you not

see or read the news?” It is not the absence of pain or trial that marks the

believer, but it is the peace he demonstrates through it because God is in the

midst—like Meshach, Shadrach, and Abed-Nego. They would not deny their faith

and worship the statue of the conceited King Nebuchadnezzar. Because of their

commitment to God, they were thrown into an oven that was made so hot that

those who threw them in were killed by the sheer heat of it. Yet in their midst

walked the Lord, “There is one that looks like the Son of God (Daniel 3:25).”

They would rather die than deny their Lord. They didn’t say, “God, why me?”

Where is the heart that says, “I chose Christ as He has chosen me. I am

willing to suffer the consequences of this decision. The consequences are

mine. I will own them.”

This, then, is what is meant to not “despise the chastening of the Lord.” Despise,

“Maas,” means to reject, to abhor, and to refuse, much like the horse that refuses

the rider and bridle—much like Samson, who wasted his life when he was called

for a much higher purpose. And so are we, and chastening “Masar” is the road. It

means instruction and teaching, orally and/or via the rod. I have embraced these

verses from my youth,  “For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light;

and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: (Proverbs 6:23),” and “Take

fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.”

(Proverbs 4:13) These, among others, have been my teachers and instructors.

My dad loved me, and for that I will always be grateful, but ever since my

younger brother died when I was eight years old, his heart turned away from

God. Therefore, God became my spiritual Dad, the Holy Spirit became my

teacher, and the scriptures became my instructions and, at times, the rod of

correction. Armor was put upon armor until the trials and struggles in life became

like boot camp to me—they only made me stronger.

“Neither be weary of his correction:”

Weariness is an indication of weakness. Weakness is an indication of needing to

spend more time alone with the Lord—like a car running on fumes. For what

does the Word promise,  “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their

strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not

be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31) This verse is one

of the most famous verses we have. It is written onto plaques and cards of

encouragement, as well as cards of bereavement, but is it ever truly believed or

lived out? Where is the truth of this verse being lived out? Where is the

saint that says, “Father I am weak for the journey ahead; therefore, I will

not leave Your Presence till I receive strength from on High?” This is Your

promise to me, and I seek its fulfillment. Make good on Your Word. Being

tenacious is a quality I don’t see. It’s not in our society, and unfortunately it is not

in the church either. The Promise Land was given to Israel from God, from east

to west and from north to south, according to the boundaries God set. It was

theirs for the taking. However, there was only one small problem. There were

giants in the land, and the eyes of fear and doubt saw themselves as

“grasshoppers.”

“And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched

unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone

to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the

people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.

And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants:

and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their

sight.” (Numbers 13:32&34)

And how did fear affect the people? It is no different than how it affects us.

“And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron:

and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in

the land of Egypt! Or would God we had died in this wilderness!” (Numbers

14:2).

This was the report of ten out of twelve men. Yet the other two saw the same

giants and walked the same land; yet, their report was completely different.

Why?

“And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were

of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: (a sign of utter grief and

shock). And they spoke unto all the company of the children of Israel,

saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding

good land. If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and

give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye

against the Lord; neither fear ye the people of the land, for they are bread

for us: their defense is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear

them not.” They are bread for us? What kind of statement is this? It is the

statement from a heart that has been tried in the fire and knows the faithfulness

of his/her God. What if we said to our fears and trials, “You are but bread for me.

From you I grow stronger, more tenacious.”  Wrestle from the very storm that

seeks to defeat you and take its strength for thyself. Make it captive to

faith. Is this not what is meant, “And they shall mount up on eagle wings.” How

does the eagle mount? It turns into the wing, and the very force of the storm is

what it uses to soar. Caught in its huge wings that His maker has provided, the

force of the storm is tamed and used for its good. Our wings are our faith in a

God that is bigger than any trial or fear that would come against us. Joshua and

Caleb demonstrated this faith. The trail only demonstrated the depth of their trust

in God. Each difficulty introduces the man or woman to themselves and whether

they are made of steel or clay. Would to God that steel be our frame.

When fear is large, God is small. When God is large, fear is small. A Big God

equals small trials, regardless of the trial, and “big trials” mean a small God. We

can say whatever we want, but our emotions reveal the truth of whether we are

trusting in the Lord or not, and if we are not and want too, what does the Word

say, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

(Romans 10:17) The choice is ours. Make time to be with God and see how

your life will return back to order, or allow circumstances and trial to

dictate your life and you will find that it will never end. You’ll never have

order or time to be with God.

The Lord rebuked Jeremiah, “If thou hast run with the footmen, and they

have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the

land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt

thou do in the swelling of Jordan?” (Jer.12:5) Jeremiah was complaining

about the unfairness in life, and this was God’s response to him. It was basically,

“Suck it up, trust me, and go about being a prophet and speaking my words. The

details and the unfairness are for me to deal with.”

Father God,

Thank you for this study. It is strong, and it shows me my weaknesses and my

need to trust you more. May I learn to see each difficulty as an opportunity for

training and to deepen my dependence and walk with You. Earthly fathers are

faulty. You are absolutely without fault and You love me dearly. Help me to know

that love, and to trust YOU deeply. Thank you and Amen.

Move Forward in His Grace – Arthur

“Wisdom’s Cry” Proverbs 3: 3&4, 9-12 (Part 4 – The Fruit of Wisdom)

Wisdom’s Cry  Proverbs 3: 3&4, 9-12 (Part 5 – The Fruit of Wisdom)
“Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:So shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.”
 
“Honor — the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.”

 

“My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction:
For — whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father — the son in whom he delighteth.”
As we mature in our walk the desire to be pleasing to the Lord  deepens, which is good and very necessary. One of the struggles we have in growing our faith is to overcome parting with “our money.” One of milestones of maturing faith is we realize that it is not “our money.” The money we earn we’ve earned because of the gifts and talents He has given us. Therefore it is only right that a percentage of it goes back to Him. To “Honor — the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:” and to do it cheerfully ( for God loves a cheerful giver 2Corinthians 6:7).
I think we all agree, however it still is a struggle, why?
There can be a multitude of reasons. We were not wise with our finances and got ourselves into debt, or we are putting our kids through college and financially we are tight, or our car broke down or we need a new roof etc. These and many more situations can be reasons for why giving is challenging. However I see these as more superficial reasons, though they do have merit to them. Let me explain. There is a more true reason, one that goes deep into the heart – to its very core. The “DNA of our soul,” in fact of every living creature is basically the same. We all have the need to feel  secure.  I see this need in our pet dogs. When they hear a noise at night it threatens them and so they bark, or when I come home from work they want me to spend time with them. It makes them feel secure. When I tap on the glass of fish aquarium the fish go hiding into the plants. The noise scares them making them feel insecure. Literally all that breathes has the need to feel secure.
And for many of us money represents that. With money we pay our bills, buy our food pay for our home, cloth our family etc., all the basic needs for a secure life. Without money or sufficient money we tend to feel more vulnerable, unable to fully met our needs. And feeling vulnerable is very telling. It reveals to us that are true security or trust is not in the Lord. Though we profess that we trust the Lord, to truly trust the Lord means He is our security and not our money. When He becomes our true security and no longer our finances we have had a major shift in our soul. Our faith now dictates our state of being and no longer our finances. We are now relying on God’s faithfulness to us. And as we begin to really walk with God trusting in Him, we begin to really experience His faithfulness to us.  We stop measuring our security by our bank account.
And as we live faith lead lives this doesn’t necessarily mean that all are needs are going to be met. What living by faith means, especially in hard situations is that we know that God knows and that’s all we need to know. If we go without, it’s not because God forgot about us rather it is for training in righteousness...” — I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.( I have learned that) I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Phil 4:12&13)”
When we reach this point of maturity then giving takes on a whole different meaning. We are glad to give so that the ministry of the gospel can reach others. That others can find the same help we have found. To know that by our giving we are aiding in the furthering of the gospel is so worth it. Whatever we may have to do without because we gave is small in comparison. The joy alone far outweighs what we do without. Especially knowing that in countries where Christianity is illegal, the believers go with so much less. To go without just a little bit makes us more mindful to pray for our brothers and sisters.
“So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.” Money can be a trap for the soul that many a Christian falls into. Therefore God is unable to bless them with more. However for the few that truly have found their security in Christ alone, making money an idol is not even an issue. They understand that they are simply conduits that God is using to bless others. They have been entrusted with the stewardship of giving and the greatest desire is not to build for themselves their own castle, but that the Great King of all wealth and treasures  finds them to be faithful stewards. To be found as such, no amount of wealth could ever compare. This is the heart of one who truly trusts and worships God. There are no false idols in his/ her heart. May we understand ourselves and be honest enough to know that if money is our security that we confess this to the Lord and begin to pray that God would help us to make Him our security.
The saying that money cannot buy happiness is true. It can buy things that temporarily make you happy, but it does not help you get along with your spouse or your children, co- workers and or neighbors. And it does not truly make you feel better about yourself. All benefits are mostly superficial. Look at the lives of movie stars. They have millions but cannot remain married. Multitude of divorces and remarries are no way to live life. Money has not brought them happiness. And it’s funny, with all their wealth they are still very insecure, getting face lifts and body part improvements etc. Money is a false foundation for security and the soul seems to know it deep down inside. The only true security is when Christ is Lord in one’s heart. Nothing replaces or assures the heart as the Love of God. When this is your foundation then money and its use is not complicated. You will not want to make decisions that will get you in debt because you want to maintain your giving. Nor do you want any idol to interfere with your relationship with God.  And if Christ is Lord then you will not be deceived into thinking that happiness is found through a thing that has no life. Only Christ has the ability to grant peace and love.
Father God,
Thank you for this insightful study. May this be the cry of our heart to experience your love for us consistently and not to be deceived into thinking that finances could ever replace You. It is but a tool. It can be used for selfish means or to bless and help others. Help us to be found faithful. Thank you and Amen
Move Forward in His Grace – Arthur

“Wisdom’s Cry” (Part 3 – The Fruit of Wisdom)

Proverbs 3:3-4; 3:9-12  (KJV) (Part 4 – The Fruit of Wisdom)

 

“Let not mercy and truth forsake thee:

Bind them about thy neck;

Write them upon the table of thine heart:

So shalt thou find favour and good understanding

In the sight of God and man.”

 

“Honour the Lord with thy substance,

And with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

So shall thy barns be filled with plenty,

And thy presses shall burst out with new wine.”

 

“My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord;

Neither be weary of his correction:

For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth;

Even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.”

 

 

 

Mercy or ” Hesed” is the Hebrew for kindness, faithfulness, loving kindness, etc., which are all traits that are the core makeup of God.  And Truth, “Met,” is often paired up with “Hesed,” and it means truth.  We speak the truth, and we live lives of truth (transparent), because we have nothing to hide. At least, that should be each believer’s goal.  To me, a truthful person is more than not telling a lie.  It is someone who is approachable, transparent, easy to talk with, sincere, and not perfect, yet is not afraid to let others see his or her imperfections. They are comfortable in their own skin, because their confidence is no longer in themselves to conquer their monsters.  Their confidence is in The Lord, who is able to change them and who has changed them.  And most importantly, they are transparent before the Lord—not that we could hide anything if we wanted to, but it is living in the awareness that The Lord sees all and has my permission to touch, take, and/or change that which He sees as a hindrance to our relationship with Him.  A truthful person is also a hopeful person, because he or she knows that living in the day-to-day reality of Christ as Lord is the absolute strongest, most secure place to be. There is no stronger point of reference for life. 

 

And Hesed is a necessary addition to living a truthful life.  There are those who are ” truthful” but their words cut.  They speak without compassion or consideration of how their words will affect the other person.  The truthfulness of The Lord always has the betterment of the other person in mind.  Some things can be received, and some things cannot be received and are better left to prayer.  To feel that we need to “dump this message of truth” upon someone, not considering whether they can receive it or not, is not living in Hesed.  And if we do not live in Hesed, it is doubtful that we are representing God’s “Met.”  Often, we spiritualize our true motives, making them seem “righteous,” where in reality, it is more about us and how their actions or habits bug us.  It is not because we really want to help them.  Now that is being truthful!

 

“…Bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:”Qasar, “to bind,” literally means to fasten; to secure an object to another object. And it has its figurative meanings as well, such as in I Samuel 18:1: “Jonathan’s soul was bound (or knit) to the soul of David.”  It is also used as in binding someone in a conspiracy, an entrapment.  The trap is so set that there is no escaping—they are bound, whether they are truly guilty or not.  It is a strong word, and the definition that best speaks to me is “to knit.”  The concept is, as I mature in my walk with the Lord and expose my soul to His Word, the Holy Spirit “knits” His truths to me—much like the work of knitting different color threads to the tapestry of a blanket.  The colors form the “character” of the blanket.  Whether it looks contemporary or western, etc., God’s Word forms our character into His sons and daughters. The instruction in 1 Samuel about raising children is exactly like this. You talk to them “in the way” (figurative for life) teaching a line here and a line there…”For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:” As their soul is growing, we are knitting God’s truth to them, so that when they are old, they do not depart from it” (Prov. 22:6), because the truth has become a part of them.

 

 

At times, we read sentences as these, “bind them about thy neck…,” and we read it as if it is simply poetical and hence optional.  It is not optional if one wants to experience the blessing:  So shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.” A great example of this verse is the life of Joseph:  “And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.  And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?  And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath showed — thee — all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:  Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.”  I believe God wants all of us to be a Joseph in our area of influence and to speak and represent God’s wisdom as we “go in the way.”

 

When we do not follow God’s commands, things do not go well, at least not as God would have it.  One of the first fallouts is seen in our relationships, be it husband and wife, employer and employee, or neighbor to neighbor.  We wonder why we are having these problems. We need to connect the dots and understand that the fruitfulness of our life in all its facets is directly related to our commitment to our relationship with God. (God have patience with us!).  When fear, insecurity, or “me-first” attitudes govern these relationships instead of God’s truth, it is no wonder we have problems.  These attitudes of fear, insecurity and me-first tear relationships down—they do not build them up.  How important it is to find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.”  The fullness and fruitfulness of our life depends on it.

 

Father God,

Thank you for this short devotional. May its impact be meaningful, refining us more into your sons and daughters. Thank you and Amen.

Arthur Navarrette

” What is Success?” Wisdom Series ( Proverbs 8:11-13&13-15, & 35-36)

Vida4U ” What is Success?” Wisdom Series ( Proverbs 8:11-13&13-15, & 35-36)
All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.
They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.
Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
 
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
 
For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the Lord.
But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
 
“All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.” It’s amazing how confusing we can make the scriptures and reinterpret them when there is motive in our heart to do so. If we find the need to justify a belief or action we can probably pull a verse out of context that will help us to achieve this. However as mentioned in a prior Vida, we leave God behind. Therefore then, what is the point? It is much better to be honest with God and ask Him to help us to understand.
“They are all plain to him that understandeth and right to them that find (seek) knowledge.” “Plain to him that understandeth” implies a heart that seeks God for God, not with any pretense or need to defend, or to prove a position.When in humility I come to God simply because He is the life giver and I am in need of His life, the scriptures become clear. When something other than that approach is present is when we start having problems. We say this verse really means this, because in its current understanding it speaks against something we want. The more my heart just wants to know the Lord, willing to give up that which is causing the conflict, the more purposeful and meaningful become the scriptures. In this context the Holy Spirit is able to use His written Word to penetrate my heart, taking away selfishness, fear, lust, pride etc., and replacing these carnal attitudes with the secure knowledge of being loved.
Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it. There’s Godly learning that frees you from the values of this life, which are temporal. These temporal values can trap us, enslaving us to a life of debt. However the confidence that comes with His love, frees us from the need to be anything but His child. To “trade in” something that is temporal for something that is eternal is what receiving Godly instruction teaches you. How can there even be any comparison or even much grief over such an exchange? As my heart and mind learn to make Godly  decisions, my life will become more stable not needing to second guess my decisions.
“The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.”
Pride is such a stumbling block to our walk with God. Because of it we feel or say that God’s Word is irrelevant and that we do not need to follow it. Or we say it has been reinterpreted incorrectly an hence is inaccurate. I would say that your god is very small. Cannot He who created the world not preserve His Word? Is man greater than God that he can overrule God? There is not a page of scripture that the Holy Spirit has not used to teach me and quicken my spirit. To downgrade the scriptures to something less than God’s written Word is really just an excuse from a heart that does not want to surrender to God’s rule of order which He is FULLY entitled to have. Does the pot say to its maker why did you make me as such? Or does a child defy it’s parents,  dictating the rules of the home? I would hope not, what chaos and disorder there would be. Hence this is why our world is in the state that it is in.  We have openly defied God, disallowing His claim as Lord and not only reaping the consequences of that, but also not enjoying or experiencing His love. It is a lose, lose situation. We lose and He loses, for His heart wants nothing more than to be in communion with us, His creation and He uses His Word to teach and correct.
Not only is this important to realize but look at the freedom we have by reverencing the Lord.  We naturally  will ” hate evil, pride, arrogance, the evil way and the forward mouth.” No great lost, I won’t miss any of these vices that enslave the souls of men. My  reverence of the Lord and His Word makes me a free man.
“Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.”
We say that hindsight is 20/20. In other words looking back on an event or a past action you would say knowing what I know now I would have said this or done that. By receiving God’s instructions now and ordering our life accordingly we minimize our regrets. Making right decisions as we are moving forward in life is not hard to do when you rightly value that which He values. I may think that a job promotion is what I need to be happy, or being in a relationship with this person, or saving  this amount of money. If I have one or all these I now can feel secure. However the Holy Spirit teaches me that the only true security is in Him. He and He alone is able to keep us through the storms of life. For we are all subject to the ups and downs of this life. Wether or not we have the perfect job, or married the right person, or are financially secure challenges, painful events, even tragedies happen to us all.
One of my favorite Bible figures is Joshua. Alone in the wilderness, and I presume he is praying, he sees this soldier,” And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?

And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?
And the captain of the Lord’s host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest — is holy. And Joshua did so.

Joshua shows great security and confidence as he goes over to this stranger, prepared to fight him. I’m sure this stranger looked formidable with his sword drawn, and probably a bigger man. However Joshua showed no fear in taking him on. What was the source of Joshua’s courage? It is revealed in the next verse. In being faced with his heavenly counterpart he demonstrates immediate reverence. Some believe that this is the Lord Jesus because of the statement “take off your sandals.” The Lord said this to Moses, but we do not see Angels saying this, e.g. Mary’s announcement of being the mother of Jesus, or Elizabeth announcement of baring John the Baptist.
 This is such a great lesson in humility. Why do we fear, why do we worry so and trouble our soul late into the evenings? Humility says God is bigger still! We must often, and learn to love to say, as John the Baptist,”I must decrease and He must increase.” As God increases in us, the greater our freedom. Watch yourself, learn to read your soul. Our fears and worries reveal to us our weaknesses. Use these human reactions to show you what scriptures you need to meditate on, and by it become the stronger. Armor upon armor until there is no weakness but a perfect, quiet, abiding trust in a Father that cannot fail.  (Will finish these verses next week).
Father God,
Thank you for this study.  May the truth spoken become part of our armor. Make us strong Father as we commit to spending time with You in study, prayer and meditation. Thank you and Amen.
Move Forward in His Grace – Arthur
Arthur Navarrette