No Fears in Heaven

            Try and imagine living in a land where you were not free to worship who you wanted, when you wanted, or how you wanted.  Imagine living in constant fear that you would be beaten to death if you were found worshipping in a manner not authorized by the authorities of that city, state, or nation.  Envision having to go into the back room of someone’s business or in the basement of your house so you would not be seen or heard in order to worship.  What if you were caught with a Bible in your belongings and you were arrested or killed on the spot?  Talk about a life of fear.  Sadly, there are Christians around the world that live in this kind of terror. 

            Christians that stand firm in their faith no matter what the circumstance are admirable.  They remind me of Daniel who continued to worship God even when the decree had been signed to throw anyone into the lions’ den petitioning any god or man other than the king (Daniel 6:10).  Stephen, in Acts 6-7, spoke the truth among a hostile crowd who stoned him.  These men and others like them did and surely can find comfort in the wise man’s words, “Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes, for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught” (Proverbs 3:25–26, ESV).  Some versions render, “Have no fear…”  This is certainly easier said than done.

Can we really have no fear when our lives are in danger?  There may not be a verse in the Bible that will keep your heart from skipping a beat when an oppressor sticks a gun in your face for worshipping God.  This is not Solomon’s intent, but rather to give hope.  We can have assurance in whatever circumstance we are put in as Christians because we have the Lord on our side.  When God is on one’s side, there is great reason to have no fear of our eternal destination.  Our lives may be cut short on account of our faith like was threatened to Daniel and carried out with Stephen, but those men did what they did because they had the confidence of the God on their side.  They said what needed to be said and did what needed to be done and God rewarded them both:  Daniel an escape from the lions and Stephen saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God.  What a great thought to have no tears or fears in Heaven!

The Depths of Wisdom

            Some things in life are difficult to understand.  The eternal nature of God boggles my mind.  The concept that God always was, is, and will be keeps my head turning.  Theology in omnipotence/omnipresence and trying to understand how God knows everything and is everywhere is welcoming, yet confusing all at once.  The story of Jesus’ birth and how he was miraculously conceived puts me in awe as well.  Maybe one of the most difficult things to understand is the creation.  I am certainly not the handiest of men.  I can easily spend hours putting together an entertainment center.  God created the entire universe out of nothing!  “The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens; by his knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew” (Proverbs 3:19–20, ESV).  What depths of wisdom that God used at the beginning of time.  If only I had some of that with the entertainment center!

            It is easy to lose sight of some important things in life.  Sometimes, these important matters get swept under the rug and different things make their way into our lives disguised as “important,” such as careers, retirement, programs, books, TV, radio, clothes, vehicles, internet, and on the list can go.  These things are not bad, but when they take the place of the real important things, they become idols.  “My son, do not lose sight of these—keep sound wisdom and discretion, and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck.  Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble.  If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet” (Proverbs 3:21-24). 

            Kids seem to get distracted very easily (some adults too for that matter).  We can be told to do something and get distracted very easily by the noise that is all around us in this world.  Like parents tell kids to clean their room and three minutes later they are playing with the toys they were supposed to be putting away, we get easily distracted from God.  Solomon pleads for us to dive into the depths of wisdom and not lose sight of the wonders that God will bring into our lives.

Worth of Wisdom

Something I never understood as a child was the comments made to me after a spanking, “We are doing this because we love you,” said my parents.  I remember thinking, “If you love me then why do you spank me?”  The LORD says this to his children as well, “My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights” (Proverbs 3:11-12).  Though it is hard to think of discipline as love when you are in the midst of it, that is exactly what it is.

Lynn Deshazo wrote the words and music to “More Precious than Silver” in 1982 which say, “Lord, You are more precious than silver; Lord, You are more costly than gold; Lord, You are more beautiful than diamonds; And nothing I desire compares with You.”  These words sound much like what Solomon wrote about wisdom, “Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold.  She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her” (Proverbs 3:13-15).  Even though the song is singing about the Lord and the Proverb is discussing wisdom, the two seem to go hand-in-hand.

Wisdom is not limited to a select few in society.  Wisdom is not biased towards who can obtain it.  Wisdom has so much to offer those who care to have her.  Solomon wrote, “Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.  Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.  She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed” (Proverbs 3:16-18).  The Christian life can be enjoyable and peaceful when we have this wonderful gift that our Lord offers freely.  We will never be in want with wisdom, but all our necessities can be found. 

You may know someone whom you consider to be wise.  Do not neglect to spend time with and talk to that person about their life.  The adage says, “You are what you eat.”  Well, you will reflect whom you spend time with.  Are you spending time with the prudent or the foolish?  What is wisdom worth to you?

How Many Loaves Do You Have?--Prezi

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Live Long & Wealthy If You Trust in the LORD

            How quickly is the class topic or sermon subject forgotten after Sunday or Wednesday?  As the closing prayer of worship is led and we ask God to “help us apply the lesson to our lives,” has it already been forgotten?  “My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you” (Proverbs 3:1-2).  What an encouraging idea for those who trust in God.  This sounds like one of the Ten Commandments, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you” (Exodus 20:12).  Good health, eating right, and exercise are crammed down the modern culture’s throat in order to live longer.  When was the last time you heard to keep God’s commandments in order to have longer life?  

Follow these principles and you will not be disappointed, “So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man” (Proverbs 3:4).  When we trust in the Lord with all our heart, do not rely on our own logic, and acknowledge him in everything, “he will make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).  Solomon even has some medicinal advice, “Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones” (Proverbs 3:7-8).  Some people discuss how to get rich in the stock market, investing in mutual funds, buying real estate and owning businesses.  One of the richest kings in history wrote, “Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine” (Proverbs 3:9-10).  What a paradox, give and you will prosper.

An important concept to understand in the Proverbs is that these are wise principles to live by, not promise equations.  If someone dies at an early age, it does not always mean they were disobedient to God.  Likewise, if someone lives to be old, that is not necessarily a mark of a faithful life to God.  By following these principles though, we can be assured that we are in the favor of God.  Things may not always go your way, but always trust in God giving him your firstfruits and you will be satisfied.

“If” Statements Leading to God

            “If” statements imply some sort of condition.  If you do this then that will happen.  I came to understand the significance of these statements very early in life.  “If you try your best then I will be proud of you,” my Dad said.  “If you do your chores then you will get paid,” said my Mom even though we really did not have a choice in doing the chores!  Probably the most impacting “if” statement of my childhood was, “If you do not do what we say then you will be punished,” my parents said.  We tried our best not to push the envelope because we knew from experience they were certainly not bluffing on the promise of punishment. 

When we see “if” statements in the Bible, we can know that whatever condition is set before us is reliable.  Proverbs 2 is such a chapter that lays out some conditions about our relationship with God.  “My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God” (vss. 1-5).  The three “ifs” found in these verses are part of the condition of understanding the fear and knowledge of the LORD God.  He promises that if we receive his words, call out to Him, and seek Him then He will give us wisdom, be a shield for us, we will understand righteousness, we will be delivered from evil and can avoid corrupt men (vss. 6-15).

With fornication running rampant in the American society and ungodly sexuality being pushed by all forms of media, these “ifs” in Proverbs 2 also give a way for escape from the “adulteress” (vss. 16-19).  When Paul wrote, “…walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh,” (Galatians 5:16), surely he had these three “ifs” from Proverbs in mind.  Hope is found in Proverbs 2:20-22, “So you will walk in the way of the good and keep to the paths of the righteous.  For the upright will inhabit the land, and those with integrity will remain in it, but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the treacherous will be rooted out of it.”  Do not be rooted out, but plant your faith in God.

Destructiveness of Decadent Thought--Prezi

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Do You Hear Wisdom’s Cry?

Proverbs 1:20-33

Wisdom is all around begging for someone to listen.  It cries aloud in the street, in the markets, at the head of the noisy streets, and at entrance of the city gates (v. 20-21).  Solomon’s point is that wisdom can be found if we will simply open our eyes and ears.  If we truly want wisdom, we will stop loving to be “simple” and stop delighting in scoffing because “fools hate knowledge” (v. 22).

            It is comforting to know that God reveals himself to those who seek him.  God does not hide out in a dark corner as seekers pass by, but Solomon assures us that he “makes his words known” to us, he calls us, and he stretches out his hand for us (v. 23-24).  We do not have to worry about missing God.  He makes himself known to those who pay attention, but “laughs at your calamity” if you ignore him and “mocks when terror strikes you” (v. 25-27).  

            Why is it that people who do not have a relationship with God seem to go to him when things get bad?  They either go to him for comfort or they point to him in blame.  If there was no prior relationship or seeking of God’s wisdom prior to a tragedy, “Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me.  Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof, therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices” (v. 28-31).  God is very blunt about our timing in seeking him.  If our relationship with God was lacking before disaster, what reason do we have to hope for help in disaster?

            Words of encouragement are written for those who hear wisdom’s cry.  Justice and mercy are for those on both sides of this discussion, “For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them; but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster” (v. 32-33).  Let us seek the wisdom of God and seek a relationship with him constantly in good times and bad.  God does not ration out wisdom, but “gives generously to all without reproach,” (James 1:5).  Wisdom is crying aloud.  If you have not heard it, open your ears and do not ignore it.

Peace in Purity

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The Lord is My Strength

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