Proverbs 3: 27-35

Proverbs 3: 27-35
Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, "Come back later, I'll give it tommorow" - when you have it with you. Do not plan harm againts your neighbor, who lives trustfully near you. Do not accuse a man for no reason - when he has done you no harm. Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways, for the Lord detests a perverse man but takes the upright into his confidence. The Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous. He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble. The wise inherit honor, but fools he holds up to shame. (NIV)

I like this passage. It seems that most people do not feel any obligation to treat others well. It seems more like people try not to do anything BAD. However, God does not call us to be 'not bad', He calls us to do what is BEST. I find the meaning of these versus to be simple: DO WHAT IS BEST, ALL THE TIME!

Proverbs 3: 11-26

Proverbs 3: 11-26
My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed. By wisdom the Lord laid the earth's foundations, by understanding He set the heavens in place; by his knowledge the deeps were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew. My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble; when you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared. (NIV)

Much of this passage replicates what has been stated in the previous chapters. It emphasizes the importance and benefits of God's wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. It is stated that the whole world came in to being by these things. This continues to emphasis the unfathomable power that God has provided for us to tap in to in order to live the BEST POSSIBLE LIFE. The more I read, the more convinced I become that God's motivation for giving us scripture is to EXPAND the joy and productiveness of our lives, not to be a restriction on what we can do, should do, can't do, etc. This is reinforced in the first verse of this passage. God disciplines us because he loves us like a father loves his son. Just as we would want the very best for our own children, and would provide instruction and guidance to them, God provides instruction and guidance in our lives so that we may live our lives to the fullest potential. I think that too many people (Christians and Non-Christians) believe that God is looming over them waiting to hit them with a lightning bolt if they step out of line. This belief drives many away from God and church. I believe this to be one of the very top reasons people do not commit their lives to Christ. It is our responsibility as Christians to remove this misconception from the minds of the public and replace it with the TRUTH of our God.

Proverbs 3: 1-10

Proverbs 3: 1-10
My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all of your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. Do not do what is wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing and your vats will brim over with new wine. (NIV)

My first thought when I began reading this chapter went toward those people that I have known that did keep the commands of God in their heart but did not have long lives and were not prosperous. As I thought about this further, I realized that this was not true. See, I was judging the length of life and the measures of prosperity as I (a man) would think of them. However, when I turn my mind toward the thinking of God, it is clear that those who keep God's commands live for ETERNITY and store up treasures in heaven. In this way all those who keep God's commands fulfill this scripture. As this scripture moves on it emphasizes trust in God. I would imagine that I'm not the first person to question verse 1 of this chapter as I did above. God insists that we put our trust in Him, that He knows what is in store for our lives (and our afterlives).

DO NOT DO WHAT IS WISE IN YOUR OWN EYES. The previous chapters have emphasized God's wisdom and it's power over our lives. In this scripture, God points out again that we can not trust in our own mortal wisdom. Again I reference my initial thoughts on this chapter. If I were to go with MY wisdom, I would have thought that this scripture was untrue (for at least some people) and if it were untrue, how could I trust the rest of scripture. But by trying to see God's wisdom in his word, I am able to understand more clearly what He has meant by this. The end of this section tends to be a difficult one for most people to follow strictly. Giving to the Lord what is already His. It has been a struggle for me since I was a young teen-ager, when I got my first paper route and was mowing lawns for money, and I knew that I was supposed to tithe from that money. I often found excuses not to give. "I'm just a kid, that only applies to my parents." "I can't afford to give up my hard earned money." "If I give up that money I won't be able to afford _______." As I have matured, I have forced myself to tithe regularly and write those checks first. It has cut the budget close a few times, but God has never failed to provide my wife and me with what we need. I heard a speaker talk about tithing once and he said that he had a discussion with his wife about whether to tithe pre-tax or post-tax. He said the following, "Do you want God to bless us on the gross or the net." I have remembered this for a long time and it makes sense that the more you give to God, the more he gives back.

Proverbs 2

Proverbs 2: 1-22
My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield for those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair - every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discression will protect you and understanding will guard you. Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways. It will save you also from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words, who has left the partner of her youth and ignored the covenant she made before God. For her house leads down to death and her paths to the spirits of the dead. None who go to her return or attain the paths of life. Thus you will walk in the ways of good men and keep to the paths of the righteous. For the upright will live in the land, and the blameless will remain in it; but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be torn from it. (NIV)

I went back and read over the end of Proverbs 1 (see yesterday's post) and I noticed that there is a clear distiction made between the warnings to those who do not seek Gods wisdom and knowledge and this message to those who do. This scripture provides a message of all the good things that come from seeking wisdom, understanding, discression, and faithfulness. God says here that he will protect, guard, and give knowledge to those who 'turn your ear to wisdom' and 'call out for insight. It states that we should seek these things as we would seek out a treasure. I want to encourage you to stop reading right now and call to God for understanding, wisdom, knowledge, and discression, so that Gods protection will be with you and so that you might grow in your faith. Stop and do this NOW! Then you can finish reading.

I mentioned this yesterday but it continues to amaze me that God knows the heart of man so well. He compares how we should search for his wisdom to searching for silver or a treasure. God knows our selfishness and drive to gain for ourselves. However, God knows that these are not the things we truly need. He states here that it is KNOWLEDGE that will be pleasant to our soul. The best part is that God doesn't hide this knowledge. It is written right here along side this revelation. God is not tricky or misleading, God has provided everyone with the tools to have an excellent life, but still we refuse to BELIEVE Him.

If you didn't stop before and pray for God's understanding, wisdom, knowledge and discression, I encourage you to do it NOW! There's no more to read here for today.

Proverbs 1: 20-32

Proverbs 1 : 20-32
Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speach: "How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you. But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you - when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. Then they will call to me and I will not answer, they will look for me and will not find me. Since they hated knowledge and did not fear the Lord, since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled in the fruit of their schemes. For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm." (NIV)

WOW! I was picturing in my mind, wisdom standing in the streets of our cities, here in the present day United States. Wisdom cries out (from the scriptures) and wisdom is unheard over the noise of the city. People delighting in their simple ways (according to my footnote, simple refers to "one without moral direction and inclined to evil"). Reading these verses, written thousands of years ago, it seems like it was written by someone observing any present day city. A political commentary could not be more accurate today, to describe the state of our world. It shows me that we as humans just don't get it. God has been telling us for thousands of years that if we follow his word, things will be better, and we turn to our 'simple' ways and act as if we don't know any better. I read the warning at the end of these versus and it describes exactly what we see as products of our society that turns from God's wisdom.

Could it be any clearer that God knows the hearts of man? He has predicted the ways of man for thousands of years. It is very clear to me that turning to the wisdom of God does nothing but benefit MAN! I've never met an old Christian that has said, "I sure do regret all that time I spent studying God's word. It sure was a big waste of my time." I bet you'd be hard pressed to find anyone that lives by His wisdom that would have anything but glorious things to say. This emphasizes the importance of continuing with this study and soaking up as much of God's great knowledge as my feeble mind can handle.

Proverbs 1: 8-19

Proverbs 1: 8-19 (broken into sections)
Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching. They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.

My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them. If they say, "Come along with us; let's lie in wait for someone's blood, let's waylay some harmless soul; let's swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down in to the pit; we will get all sorts of valuable things and fill our houses with plunder; throw in your lot with us, and we will share a common purse"- my son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths; for their feet rush to sin, they are swift to shed blood. How useless to spread a net in full view of all the birds! These men lie in wait for their own blood; they waylay only on themselves! Such is the end to all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the lives of those who get it. (NIV)

First, I will comment on the first short section. It seems that these verses state that your father's instruction and mother's teaching simply make you look better, with all the garland and adornment and such. However, as I think about it. Any reference to garland on one's head and chains on necks that I have ever seen in movies and other stories usually is to honor the person wearing these items. So it seems then that those who listen and learn from their father and mother, achieve honor. Furthermore, since the garland and chain are not physically present, it would seem that this honor is not achieved for the sake of impressing man but to achieve honor in the sight of God.

The second section seems pretty brutal. I can not remember the last time that someone approached me to lie in wait for blood. However, it is often that sinners entice me. Every time I turn on the TV or check my e-mail, there are suggestions that I engage in sins (Thankfully most of my friends do not engage in these activities). Those who would entice me say that it is ok and that it will make me a better person and increase my wealth or status. It is clear in the above verses that those who seek ill-gotten gains and rush to sin are only hurting themselves. I could testify to the validity of this warning. It seems that every time I find myself sinning, life begins to get a little harder. Perhaps not even in the same areas of life, but in life in general. It is sometimes difficult to put these pieces together and understand that by allowing sin into your life, it allows Satan to begin to have more power and gives less power to God. This can only lead to more trouble.

Please share your comments and experiences.

WELCOME!

Welcome to My Jesus Book!

I am excited to be beginning this new project. One of my biggest struggles as a Christian has always been to find time to read my Bible on a daily basis and soak up the knowledge that has been provided for me by our God. I have experienced some success in public accountability in other pursuits and I felt that this would be an excellent opportunity for me to grow in my relationship with the Lord and perhaps help others to do the same.

Proverbs 1: 1-7
The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel for obtaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discression to the young - let the wise listen and add to their learning, and the discerning get guidance - for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. (NIV)

I find it no coincedence that when I first contemplated writing this blog, the first book that came to mind was Proverbs. It more fully cemented the idea in my head when I looked up Proverbs and these were the first verses. This summarizes completely the purpose and dedication of this blog. I am going to begin with the entire book of Proverbs, breaking it down into manageable chunks and extracting everything I can from the text. I hope that you will join me as often as possible to reflect on these scriptures and grow in your walk with the Lord.

Everything I seek is covered in this opening to Proverbs; understanding, insight, wisdom, knowledge, discression, guidance, and discipline. I can think nothing else but that God has answered my prayers for His leadership in my life and has provided me with exactly what I needed to find at the exact time I needed to find it. I must and shall PRAISE GOD for his wisdom and patience and GRACE when I don't keep up my end of our relationship. He has shown me a perfect beginning to this endeavor and I have FAITH that he will continue to open my heart and mind to his word.

Please post your comments and your own experiences in your walk with Christ.