Author Archives: Daniel M. Klem

About Daniel M. Klem

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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.
May 27, 2018

Wisdom Leads to Love

By Daniel M. Klem

Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars:
She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table. -Proverbs 9:1-2, KJV

In chapter nine, we see that Wisdom has established a firm foundation.

In these two verses we see that true wisdom is only from God. This is what is implied by “killed her beasts”, that sacrifices have been made.

The full meaning, though, is that wisdom also takes care of others, for she has “mingled her wine” and “furnished her table.” She is prepared to feed those who come to her.

Therefore, true wisdom leads to the two greatest commandments:

  1. Love the Lord your God with all you are;
  2. Love your neighbor.

Wisdom leads to loving God and others, because it is firmly rooted in who God is.

1 Comment   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Love, Wisdom

May 24, 2018

Measure Twice …

By Daniel M. Klem

When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth -Proverbs 8:27‭-‬29 ESV

God did not begin Creation until He had begun with wisdom.

It makes sense. Jesus, also called the Wisdom of God, gave us hints:

For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?
Luke 14:28

God is smart. He planned and then built.

God’s Greatest Work

However, His universe building pales in comparison to His greatest work: Making us new.

We must remember that right relationship of us with Him was always His goal, a holy people who would give Him glory and love as He lavishes love on us.

… Cut Once

My dad, like Jesus and His earthly father, is a carpenter. He instilled in me the axiom “Measure twice, cut once.” That is, take time to accurately prepare so that you are not constantly fixing mistakes.

We should do the same with Jesus. The passage quoted above is a about the cost of discipleship.

Do we realize we must take up our cross (Luke 14:27)?

Do we realize we must radically change our thinking and actions, that we must tell a fallen world they are destined for destruction, and that it could cost us financially, materially, even bodily (basically Matthew 5-7 and … much of what Jesus said)?

If we do not wisely count the cost, we will be constantly re-cutting things from our lives, things that should have been done. We may even finding ourselves asking for forgiveness from God again.

Let God finish the work He started. Trust the Master Builder to cut and rebuild, and realize what it may cost you.

It cost Him Jesus.

2 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Relationships, Trust the Lord, Wisdom, Work

May 23, 2018

Ask (and Listen) for Wisdom

By Daniel M. Klem

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. -Proverbs 8:8‭-‬9, KJV

God does not lie nor deceive.

Why, then, do more people not hear the truth of God’s Word?

People ignore God’s truth or devise ways to disregard it.

Case in point:

But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, so that they might not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.
Luke 9:45

Firstly, fear and pride might get in their way. They are too intelligent and independent to simply ask (and then listen). Or they are afraid of the implications.

Secondly, God conceals it. Whether this is by not allowing them to understand or simply allowing them to remain ignorant, they never hear the truth.

Further:

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
Romans 1:21‭-‬23

They refuse to understand.

Therefore, break from the mold. Seek truth. “Ask God, who gives generously to all, and he will give wisdom.” (James 1:5)

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Knowledge, pride/humility, Truth, Wisdom

May 21, 2018

Wisdom Calls To All Children

By Daniel M. Klem

“To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man. -Proverbs 8:4, ESV

The call of wisdom is available to all – young and old, male and female.

Everyone.

This verse should serve as a reminder that God expects us to not only respond to the call, but to do all we can to help others hear it, too.

You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
Deuteronomy 6:7

Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
Psalms 34:11

He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children
Psalms 78:5

You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
Deuteronomy 11:19

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Ephesians 6:4

Especially when they are young.

But something to remember is that, in God’s eyes, we are all children.

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
3 John 1:4

1 Comment   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Wisdom

May 20, 2018

She Still Calls

By Daniel M. Klem

Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice –Proverbs 8:1 NKJV

Common Sense?

There used to be this thing called common sense. It was employed by many people to not do stupid things.

Then the late-1990’s came along, quickly followed by the early-2000’s. They brought with them shows and movies that focused on stupid pranks and stunts to get a laugh.

Our society thought it was okay. Harmless, even.

But they let so many people get away with these stunts that more people found it entertaining and okay.

The common sense of the land became “whatever brings you happiness.”

The New Sense

What has this fostered?

  • Open flagrancy of rules to make a dollar
  • Truth is relative
  • Happiness is the ultimate goal, regardless of the cost … to others

The only thing that is common is that “I can do what I want, so leave me alone.”

She Still Calls

If this is true, then how can we claim that “Wisdom cries out” in the midst of a selfish, uncaring society that seems to ignore wisdom?

Because we still hear the desire:

  • “But that’s not fair!” -Where does a sense of fairness come from?
  • “Give us justice!” -Where does justice find a voice?
  • “I should have known better!” -Some people still learn.

People still hear Wisdom’s cry, even if only a little. They desire the effects of Wisdom, but they ignore the warnings.

And this is why we need strong preaching and teaching in the Church. Wisdom often speaks through others. And Christ, the wisdom of God, calls His Church to proclaim to a lost world. The Church, His bride, has made missteps, true.

But she still calls.

1 Comment   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Wisdom

May 19, 2018

Defiled From Within

By Daniel M. Klem

Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death. -Proverbs 7:25‭-‬27, KJV

Proverbs chapter seven, as we have abundantly discussed lately, is a warning against an immoral woman.

As Anthony pointed out, women are just as guilty as men as regards aggressively pursuing physical satisfaction. And as Dawn reminded us, we need a lot of reminding of the dangers.

Hence, the New Testament did so, too, reminding us as usual that it goes farther than just sex:

  • And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed.
    2 Peter 2:2, ESV
  • They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.
    Ephesians 4:18‭-‬19, ESV
  • Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
    Galatians 5:19‭-‬21, ESV
  • For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
    Mark 7:21‭-‬23, ESV

I highlighted one word in particular: sensuality.

Why?

Our western culture is so steeped in sensuality that we barely notice it, but Peter, Paul, and even the Lord Jesus warned us that (outside of marriage) it is a dangerous tempter straight out of and that leads straight to hell.

And sensuality (and other things) lives in us.

This is why we need so many reminders.

5 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in desire, Temptation, Warnings

May 11, 2018

Suddenly Broken or Adopted

By Daniel M. Klem

12 A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.
13 He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;
14 Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.
15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy. -Proverbs 6:12-15, KJV

For anyone who may want to say that the Hebrew scriptures, our Old Testament, is not valid anymore, look at what Paul wrote:

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10

This sounds a lot like what Solomon wrote in today’s passage! Nearly identical, really.

And look at what we have been discussing for the past two weeks. Paul summed it up rather succinctly.

While it is easy to stay relatively negative – that our world is full of “naughty … wicked … froward” people – and that we may be guilty of such things ourselves, Paul continues with this:

11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Thanks be to God that, though we live in a fallen world and are ourselves messed up, Jesus has made a way and cleaned us of our sin, has given us the promise of the inheritance He shares with His own, adopted through His blood.

4 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Paths of Life

May 10, 2018

Stealing Passions

By Daniel M. Klem

Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry; But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house. -Proverbs 6:30‭-‬31, KJV

These two verses are in the midst of a chapter warning against adultery. Therefore, while we could discuss understandable thievery, let us continue only talking about sex.

Stolen fruit

Think about: when committing adultery, that love and passion is stolen from at least one other person (two of both are married). That time together is stealing from time that could be spent with family. Or even God.

The fruit of relationships is love, time, and fellowship, and all of that is taken away because something “feels right.”

We can understand when someone steals for unger, though it is still wrong. Our world tries to argue that if they love each other it is understandable, because they clearly were not having their desires fed at home. (Even though some people have perfectly satisfying relationships yet still “stumble”.)

Paying it back

But does that make it okay?

Look at the marriages that fall apart, the lengthy process of deciding who gets how much of whatever, or the lawsuits that happen.

It literally costs the substance of a household when adulterers are caught stealing these passions.

Adulterated Religion

Misrepresenting God, diluting or misapplying His Word, leading others astray, and otherwise treating others unlovingly is the same as stealing from and committing adultery against God.

We can understand not wanting to offend someone or bringing [temporary] comfort to others, but it is still “stealing from God” by not fulfilling His perfect truth.

And this can lead to Jesus dismissing us later with those feared words, “Depart from me. I never knew you.” (Matthew 7:23)

1 Comment   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Relationships, Warnings

May 9, 2018

Fearful, Bored Procrastinators

By Daniel M. Klem

Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man. – Proverbs 6:6‭-‬11, KJV

There are 3 main reasons people are lazy:

1. They think they have time.

They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them
Matthew 25:3, KJV

“Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow?” This is a common saying, and perhaps you see the danger in procrastination. Putting things off can lead to sloppy, unfinished, and/or unstarted work, which in turn leads to problems, as seen in Jesus’ parable with the five virgins who missed the coming of the Bridegroom.

2. They are afraid.

“He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.'”
Matthew 25:24‭-‬25, ESV

“I want to make sure it is done the way they want it.” Whether it is the fear of failure, not meeting expectations, or doing something wrong, this fear stops us from doing anything. However, just like the servant hiding the talent, we could miss out on rewards in this life and the next.

3. They are … bored?

Laziness casts one into a deep sleep …
Proverbs 19:15 NKJV

“There’s nothing to do,” or “I am already doing something.” This is also an excuse for not wanting to do something. Living life, especially following Christ, is hard, so it is easier to do nothing. Laziness then breeds laziness. In boredom, everything seems pointless. At least while reading a book or playing video games or watching videos you feel engaged in something.

Yet, in all cases we are guilty of not doing what we ought.

May we follow the example of the ant. It is Christlike.

3 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in discipline, Faithfulness, Work

May 6, 2018

Debts & Promises

By Daniel M. Klem

My son, if you become surety for your friend, If you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger, You are snared by the words of your mouth; You are taken by the words of your mouth. So do this, my son, and deliver yourself; For you have come into the hand of your friend: Go and humble yourself; Plead with your friend. Give no sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids. Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
Proverbs 6:1‭-‬5, NKJV

Co-signed

Have you ever needed to take out a loan or get a service (cable, telephone, electricity, etc.), but your credit was … lacking? You need a co-signer to get that loan or service.

Perhaps you have been on the other side and have been the co-signer. It can be scary either way. I have been on both sides.

I have had to pay debts friends and family could not pay, and sometimes it was a struggle financially.

This could be a lesson on Christ’s sacrifice posting our debt of sin. Instead, this is about seeing how our promises can catch us.

Leaving the Altar

You see, our commitments have effects on others. We promise to pay that bill. We promise to be at that event. We promise to carry our fair share.

And then we don’t.

We put up the strong front and commit to keeping other promises.

Say, tithing.

But Jesus says, “if you bring your gift to the altar, and then remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and first go be reconciled to your brother before returning to offer your gift.” (Matthew 5:23‭-‬24)

In other words, humble yourself, and do what is right.

If as the one who owes, confess your wrong or inability and seek forgiveness. If as the one who is owed, forgive the debt (of the promise, of the burden) and move on (possibly through making a plan or as simply releasing all responsibility).

The big point is to hold onto the relationship above all else.

That is why Jesus sacrificed glory, comfort, and life: to forgive our debts and broken promises to restore the relationship. And He arose to guarentee it for eternity.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Faithfulness, Money and Finances, Promises, Relationships