About Daniel M. Klem
I am a product of the '80's (meaning I was born in that decade) and married to the most beautiful woman I know since 2009 (beautiful in appearance and as a woman of God). I graduated in the spring of 2013 from Grand Canyon University with a Christian Leadership major and in 2016 with a M.Ed. in Curriculum and Math, and now I am a student at Grand Canyon Theological Seminary. Also, most importantly, Jesus saved me ... and you.
Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way . . . –Hosea 10:13a, KJV
The first week of Advent focuses on the Prophets, which begins with the reminder that we are sinners in need of salvation.
Hosea reminds us that our sin comes from following our own path, a path built on lies, injustice, and counterfeit claims of truth.
But the Lord of Truth is coming to right wrongs and redeem, so let us prepare ourselves!
Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord , till he come and rain righteousness upon you. -Hosea 10:12, KJV
Lord of Truth, guide us in all truth, revealing our sin and removing it, and lead us in righteousness and mercy to see where Uou are moving.
1 Comment | tags: Advent, Coming, Deceit, Iniquity, Jesus, lies, Lord, Lord of Truth, Mercy, Messiah, righteous, Righteousness, truth, Wickedness | posted in Mercy, The Righteous, Truth
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. –Isaiah 64:6, KJV
Even our good works are tainted by sin, making it so that there is never enough good works we can do to tip the scales to outweigh our sins and earn forgiveness from God.
As we continue our journey through Advent, we remember the longing for a Savior that the Prophets sought and preached.
We may volunteer our time at the holidays, donate clothes, food, and toys to those in need, or even welcome strangers into our home. But it takes the perfect love of God moving through us to have any true impact.
See your need for a Savior, the One who gave up all power, glory, majesty, and honor to live a simple, faithful life to sacrifice His body for our benefit.
Gracious Lord, You see our sinful natures and every motive of our hearts. Help us to see Your forgiveness through Your great sacrifice, and change us and clean us to do good works in Your name.
1 Comment | tags: Advent, Christmas, Filthy rags, Good works, Isaiah, Savior, Saviour, Sin | posted in giving/charity, sin, Work
Welcome to the first week of Advent!
Tradition holds that the first week of Advent reminds us of the importance of prophecy and that we are desperately in need of a Savior. The Hebrew Bible – the Old Testament – reveals much through the Prophets and Wisdom literature and poetry.
If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him;
If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.
For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:
Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away:
And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday: thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.
And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.
Job 11:13-18
We first need to see our need for cleansing from sin. Then we need to remember that, through Christ, we have already been cleansed of our sin.
This knowledge gives us hope.
Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.
Psalm 27:14
Therefore, we no longer wait, as Israel did, for an unknown Savior. Rather, we wait for the return of our Lord, when all misery, pain, and tears will cease. He shall reign as God and Lord over a remade and perfect Creation.
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
Isaiah 9:6-7
Heavenly Father, we have sinned against you, but You sent Your Son to save us from our sin. Thank You for revealing Jesus’ first coming through Your Prophets of old and His immanent return through the Apostles. Give us a grateful heart and a sense of urgency to spread this Good News with the world with humility and grace.
Leave a comment | tags: Advent, Christ, Christmas, Coming, forgiveness, Hebrew Bible, Holidays, hope, Isaiah, Jesus, Job, Old Testament, Peace, Prophets, Psalm, Second Coming, Sin | posted in hope, Jesus, Peace, sin
As we here at Proverbial Thought (& More) consider our next step, how about a short series for the season of Advent.
Whether you celebrate holidays or think most of them come out of the hearts of man, let us agree that it is okay to turn to the Bible, even if we follow a liturgical calendar, which is where the season of Advent originated. Remember, traditions are okay as long as they do not contradict Scripture.
As Paul explained (my own paraphrase):
Someone celebrates one day as better than another, while someone else considers every day the same. Decide for yourself and understand why. The one who celebrates the day, dedicates it to the Lord. The one who feasts, feasts in honor of the Lord, because he gives thanks to God, and the one who abstains from celebrating and feasting still dedicates each day to the Lord while giving thanks to God.
Why do you say the other is under God’s judgment? Or why do you question their salvation? We will all stand before God’s judgment seat. (Romans 14:5-6, 10)
Therefore, don’t let others judge you about food and drink, or what festival or holiday or a Sabbath you observe. (Colossians 2:16)
The word “Advent” is Latin for “Coming”, so it a time to remind ourselves of Christ’s first coming to redeem lost sinners and that He will be coming again to be with His people forever.
Therefore, for the next few weeks, as we head toward the celebration of Jesus’ birth, join us as we set our minds on Israel’s Messiah, the Savior of the world.
Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell?
-Proverbs 30:4, KJV
1 Comment | tags: Advent, Celebrate, Holidays, Season, Second Coming | posted in hope, Jesus
Here is a dangerous post for this day and age.
Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. -Proverbs 31:6-7, KJV
It certainly sounds as though Scripture is calling for helping the poor and needy to get drunk. So, when you see the panhandler and the homeless begging for money, just get them that drink you know they are just gonna buy, anyway!
Or …
We can remember that this passage is speaking of the wise ruler avoiding such things, to “Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.” (Titus 2:6)
As co-heirs with Christ, we are to remain sober and help others to come to sober-mindedness in all things, but we must not be judgmental of those who feel the need to drown their sorrows.
Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy. . . . She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. -Proverbs 31:8-9, 20 KJV
Michael also spoke to this this week. It should be the job of the Christian man and woman to help those in need and “be a voice for the voiceless.” (And remember that the original meaning of dumb was “mute” or “voiceless”, not stupid.)
I am not one for going after “social justice” as it is called today. This modern movement has a tendency to forget the most important aspect in its desire to be all-inclusive, and a reason I like the King James translation of this passage: the Gospel.
The “social justice movement” has a tendency to meet physical needs yet ignore the underlying problems or blow those problems out of proportion. To “open thy mouth for the dumb . . . as are appointed for destruction” reminds us that we need to tell a fallen and messed up world that they are headed for Hell without faith in Christ.
Should we stand up for the poor? Absolutely.
The drunk and drug addicted? Without question.
The “minority” of non-whites (as well as mistreated whites) around the world? Undeniably.
Even the homosexual, transgender, and queer? Yes, yes, and yes.
But we do so while remembering that they are all poor in righteousness, hopelessly sinful in their natural state, and in need of a Savior.
We are to be peacemakers and show this world love and charity.
And we are to share the Gospel.
To do otherwise (on both counts) is to play God and condemn their souls to destruction. To have social justice without revealing God’s justice is unloving and cruel.
4 Comments | tags: Addiction, Book of Proverbs, charity, Drunkenness, Drunks, Dumb, Giving, God's Word, Good works, Gospel, Help, hope, Hopeless, justice, love, Peace, Peacemakers, Poor, Social Justice | posted in giving/charity, Justice
For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. –Ecclesiastes 9:5, ESV
Today is Reformation Day, the anniversary of Martin Luther igniting the Reformation movement away from the Roman Catholic Church.
This means it is also Halloween.
And you know what? Halloween can be fun.
Yes. There is a lot of paganism in the history of this day.
Yes. This is a high holiday for many Wiccans and other pagans, attempting to connect with spirits and even demons.
Most people today do NOT participate in that.
While over the next few days many cultures either worry about or celebrate deceased loved ones visiting this world, Ecclesiastes 9:5 reminds us that the dead have no real concern for this world.
Either they are headed for destruction and railing at God, or they are with Christ and worshiping Him.
We try to show we are not afraid of death by dressing up as (un)dead things and people, and we sometimes claim we are remembering the dead. At best we are remembering a shadow, only the best or the worst of someone. In truth, the memory is just that: a shadow.
And most people – if they are honest – are afraid of death. Some want to be reunited with lost loved ones, but they rarely know what they are wishing for.
This is starting to get long, so let us remember:
- the fear of death is misplaced,
- the memories of the dead are never perfect,
- and the afterlife will be nothing like any of fully expect (if it all correct).
Instead, it is:
- the fear of the Lord that gives us hope for the afterlife;
- and the dead may not remember much of this life, but the Lord forgets our sins if we are found in Christ and brought into everlasting life.
And instead of getting caught up in the where and why of the history of Halloween, may we focus on sharing the truth of Life with those in this world who are still walking in darkness and death.
Leave a comment | tags: Dead, death, Ecclesiastes, Eternal destruction, Eternal life, Fear, Fear of the Lord, Fear the Lord, Halloween, hope, Life, Memories, memory, Reformation | posted in Fear of the Lord, Knowledge
Once again we have made it to the final chapter in Proverbs, chapter 31.
In summary, this is a chapter about motherly advice.
Think through your decisions. Don’t be a young Tony Stark (“frat boy” or playboy, getting drunk, partying, and fooling around with women), but be better than Iron Man (strong, smart, and dedicated to doing good for others).
And of course, don’t hurry love, no you’ll just have to wait. Trust in the good Lord, not matter how long it takes …
Wait … I just quoted song lyrics …
The great thing about Proverbs is that these are guidelines and advice that apply to anyone. Chapter 31 may be written to a man, but the advice can just as easily be applied to women, simply swap the genders, and it basically applies.
Leave a comment | tags: Book of Proverbs, Can't Hurry Love, Drunkenness, good judgment, Good works, iron lady, Iron Man, Phil Collins, Philanthropist, Playboy, Proverbs 31, The Supremes, Tony Stark, Wisdom | posted in advice
There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up. There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men. -Proverbs 30:11-14, KJV
These words may have been true throughout history, but they do seem especially true today.
Most of the world appears to be on the same page of seeking personal fulfillment, attaining personal gain, willfully ignoring or forgetting the past, assuming their own righteousness, and condemning anyone who disagrees with them.
When we disregard the lessons of the past, we curse our parents.
When we claim we have all the answers and vilify those with whom we disagree, we declare ourselves righteous as we commit the exact same sins (in different ways).
We become dreamers and idealogues who ignore the sinfulness of humanity and the need for God’s love, grace, and forgiveness.
And the solution? Either attempt to eradicate the lower class (poor and needy) or make everyone the lower class. (Or, worse, killing them off literally.)
The Real Solution
Paul warned us such days would come (2 Timothy 3). We have been moving boundaries, reinterpreting Scripture, disobeying authority through declaring it obsolete and even harmful, and throwing out Scripture as antiquated, uninspired, powerless, error-filled, and merely written by men.
But the way forward is to pursue godliness through repentance, faith in Christ, the reading of Scripture, fellowship with the saints, prayer, and allowing the Holy Spirit to conform us to the image of the Son to the glory of God the Father. (2 Timothy 3 and 4 expound on these, too!)
Leave a comment | tags: Believe, Book of Proverbs, Disobedient, Last Days, Read, Rebellious, Repent, Scripture, truth, Warnings | posted in Truth, Warnings
Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die: Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain. –Proverbs 30:7-9, KJV
Do you ever think Jesus felt frustrated with His disciples? They made a few silly statements and asked quite a few silly questions, sometimes immediately after He gave a decent explanation of things.
That has little to do with today’s passage, but for people steeped in religious teachings and Bible readings (well, the tanakh, or our Old Testament) they missed quite a bit.
For example, do these verses look familiar?
And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.
And he said unto them, When ye pray, say,
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
Luke 11:1-4
Admittedly, it could be hard to miss this little prayer in Proverbs for how important it really is, especially knowing Jesus’ disciples were mostly anything but religious leaders who studied the Scriptures frequently.
This passage, though, does more fully explain what Jesus was telling us to pray:
- Teach me to be content,
- Help me control my mouth and thoughts,
- Keep me from blaspheming you by my actions,
- Remind me that You are in control, and people watch me when I say I am Yours.
In other words, “God, help me love You and love others.”
It keeps coming back to these two things. Almost like they are great commandments. 😉
Pray for contentment in all things but one: Pray for an abundance of love.
1 Comment | tags: Book of Proverbs, Contentment, Greatest Commandment, Lord's Prayer, love, prayer, Proverbs 30, Speech | posted in conversation/speech, Love
Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. -Proverbs 30:5, KJV
Scripture reminds us time and again that it is the very word of God, and He does not lie nor change. Therefore, we can know that what we read (when faithfully translated for us!) is trustworthy and true.
If it is not pure, it is not true. You may come across passages and verses that are difficult to understand or seem contradictory. We must remember a few things:
- We typically are separated by culture and thousands of years of time from when they were written. There may be:
- euphamisms and figures of speech we no longer use,
- historical references that seem out of place, or are practices that only make sense when seen/experienced, or
- descriptions that seem odd to us;
- Concepts are beyond our understanding (like the Trinity or free will with God’s sovereignty);
- Authors frequently seemed to play loose with details, but it was to make a specific point (such as the gospel writers putting orders of events in slightly different ways to highlight different details);
- Other portions of Scripture help fill in details not apparent in other portions (Why does God say “we/us/our” in Genesis? Jesus helps us see the unity of the Trinity of Father, Son, and Spirit).
Jesus helps us see the truth and reliability of Scripture, because His life, death, and resurrection verify it. If any part is untrue, the entire thing falls apart. But He has shown us that He and His Word are trustworthy for the salvation of our souls.
Leave a comment | tags: Book of Proverbs, God, God's Word, Jesus, salvation, trust, Trust the Lord, truth, Word of the Lord | posted in Trust the Lord, Truth, Word of the Lord
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Proverbial Thought 