Author Archives: Anthony Baker

About Anthony Baker

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Husband, dad, pastor, artist, and musician. Time Magazine's Person of the Year in 2006 (no joke!). Loves coffee (big time), good movies, and sarcastic humor. Holds a Doctorate in Ministry. Most importantly, a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. All glory belongs to Him! Matthew 5:16
October 21, 2016

Listen to Father

By Anthony Baker

Proverbs 23:22

“Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.”

Many young people never experience the comfort and security of a strong father who provides and a caring mother who doctors wounded knees. Therefore, I am thankful that God blessed me with a father and mother who loved me and took care of me. However, countless children are blessed with loving parents, but never realize it until it’s too late.

Every new generation of youth complains that parents are stuck in the past, uncool, and not with it. What makes it worse is that today’s culture promotes closing the ear to one’s father and despising one’s mother. Forget what’s own children’s cable networks, even Disney movies promote the individuality and independence of boys and girls over the wise instruction of parents. Heck, the plot lines in most Disney movies are centered around a broken family.

Culturally, parental advice is considered a joke, a hindrance, and is even treated with disdain. How sad for us all.

Why should we listen to our parents? 

Parents aren’t perfect, that is for sure. As a parent with over 20 years of experience, I know for a fact that my advice can be flawed. So, what, then, makes my advice worth “hearkening” unto? Well…

  • I have seen a lot more, done a lot more, hurt a lot more, hurt others a lot more, and regretted a lot more than my children have.
  • I have stepped in pits, taken wrong turns, been bitten by dogs that weren’t supposed to bite, and picked up a snake by the tail.
  • I know what it like to love, what it is like to be loved, and what it is like to throw love away. I can give reason why one should question the old adage, “It is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all.” I mean, really?
  • I have held jobs, lost jobs, created jobs, and fired people from their jobs. I know the value of work, how to get work, and what to do to keep work.
  • I know what boys are thinking.

When we don’t listen to our parents or respect their opinions it is like saying we know that there are mines in the field, but we’ll figure out where they are on our own. Sheer foolishness.

When it comes to our mothers,…

Why shouldn’t we despise them when they get old? Why shouldn’t we get tired of their health problems, their stories, their complaints, and their warnings? Well…

  • For starters, she had you. You weren’t aborted.
  • More than likely she could have told your father, “No!”
  • For all your sleepless nights studying, partying, or hurting, she spent ten times that worrying.
  • You owe her. No amount of money, no matter how nice the nursing home is, can ever repay the pain of child birth.
  • Even though you owe her, she’ll never expect you to pay it back – because you can’t.

Only fools despise wisdom which can be gained without the pain of earning it.

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October 20, 2016

Don’t Follow Your Heart

By Anthony Baker

Proverbs 23:19-21

“Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe [a man] with rags.”

Stay Away from These

The first thing many people will pick and choose out of these verses is a condemnation of drinking alcohol. Like many I have known in my life, the point many will immediately deduce is that drinking will lead to ruin, poverty, rags, etc. The last thing most will conclude is that eating will lead to destruction and ruin. No, the only thing many will see is, “stay away from those social drinkers and drunks.”

Why is it that little is ever said about gluttony? Why is it that gluttony is a sin, but eating isn’t? Unfortunately for the legalists among us, this proverb has nothing to say about eating and drinking, but gluttony and drunkenness. Take that for what it’s worth.

What Solomon is really telling us to stay away from are people who will most likely influence us to act like they do. We should stay away from those who eat and drink simply for pleasure because their self-indulgent spirits will lead not only to their own destruction, but also to the ruin of those who follow.

A Heart Issue

Drunkenness, gluttony, and drowsiness are certainly dangerous characteristics, but the initial command in this passage, a warning, is to “guide thine heart in the way.” Much like as in Proverbs 23:12, the idea is that the heart must be forced to do what is in its best interest.

How many times have you heard it said, “Just follow your heart”? Solomon is warning against that advice by cluing us in to what the heart desires. The Prophet Jeremiah said that the heart is “deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9). The way that the heart wants to go is where the “winbibbers” and  “riotous eaters” are.

Wisdom should guide the heart, not the other way around.

What of the Other?

Alcohol is no different than carbohydrates and fat; both are amoral. In other words, there is no more inherent sin in a bottle of Jack Daniels than there is a Big Mac and a large fry or a banana split. Some people can eat what they need to stay fit without over-indulging, while others will pig out and clog their arteries…all in the name of a church social.

Some people can consume alcohol without becoming drunkards, too. However, many who consume are proven to be fools.

Simply put, an unguided heart will go in the way that numbs pain, fills voids, and distracts from reality. The wise son will guide his heart down a different, disciplined path which leads to provision, not poverty; robes, not rags.

Related articles

2 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in advice, contentment, food, Money and Finances, Paths of Life, Warnings, Work

October 13, 2016

Get Ready to Learn

By Anthony Baker

Proverbs 23:12

“Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.”

Pause to Prepare

This proverb echos 22:17-21 and asks us to get ready for what we are about to read/hear. In other words, what is about to be said is very important, so we should prepare our hearts and tune our ears.

I can almost imagine Solomon looking at his son the way I sometimes look at my daughters. I call their name, get eye contact, and then ask, “Are you listening to what I am about to say?” Sometimes I even take two of my fingers, point at their eyes, then mine, just to make sure I have their attention.

Solomon is trying to get our attention, but he is warning us that what we are about to hear might not be pleasant.

“Apply”

It is interesting to note that the majority of Bible translations use the same word in this proverb: “apply.” This should tell us that there is something special about this word – something worth examining.

The Hebrew word for “apply” is an expression that simply means to go in and come out. But when we use it in connection with one’s heart, the idea is that we must decide where the heart goes – it can’t be allowed to go where it wants.

Obviously, the heart is our seat of emotions, but too often the heart is in the seat driving. Solomon wants us to prepare our hearts for something that might not be pleasant, something that might cause our emotions to take over.

“Instruction”

What is it that Solomon asks us to apply our hearts to? He says, “Apply thine heart unto instruction.” But here again, should be mindful of words. “Instruction” is a word we typically associate with being told what to do. However, the Hebrew word muwcar (mü·sär’) lends itself more to the idea of discipline and chastisement.

So what is the point?

Solomon is about to instruct us with knowledge that may be hard to handle, so he is telling us in advance to do what is necessary, even if it is difficult.

You see, we need to make our heart go to a place from where it would normally run. We need to force our ears to hear what we don’t want to hear. We need to take our emotions by the hand and willfully walk them through disciplined paces. Otherwise, what we are about to read next will cause us to flee with our emotions leading the way.

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October 11, 2016

Don’t Move the Stones

By Anthony Baker

Proverbs 23:10-11

Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless: For their redeemer [is] mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.

Landmarks

stone pillarUnlike what we have today, people in Bible days didn’t have GPS systems to determine property lines. In ancient days about the only way to mark off one’s property was with stones. Sometimes, instead of just an engraved stone or two, stone pillars might be erected to designate the boundary to one’s property.

The problem with stone landmarks is that they can be moved. All one had to do in order to expand one’s territory would be to move his neighbor’s landmark, but that was a dangerous thing to do. A person could be put to death for moving stones.

The Fatherless

When orphans and widows inherited property, especially if there were no other men in the family, it was common for neighbors to move the landmarks. Many times the only way to keep one’s property was to daily walk the borders, and for many widows, especially orphaned children, that was impossible.

Many people today treat the fatherless in the same way. Greedy crooks find ways to take advantage of the helpless in order to have access to their inheritances. Unless someone can come alongside to guide and protect, many orphans lose what is left to them. Fortunately, their is a legal system in place, but the fatherless still needs a good lawyer to plead their case.

Warning

The message of this proverb should be taken seriously. It is a warning to stay away from the boundaries of the fatherless; don’t even enter into their fields.

Many laugh at how easy it is to skirt the law. It is not uncommon, even, for lawmakers to change boundaries in order to get what they want. They claim “immanent domain” and take away widows’ and orphans’ homes and farms. They enter into the fields and remove the landmarks.

But God is not pleased. As a matter of fact, He is not only an attorney that has never lost a case, but He is the Judge who will decide the guilty’s fate. Those who take advantage of the helpless won’t laugh forever.

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October 4, 2016

Nauseous Hosts

By Anthony Baker

Proverbs 23:6-8

Eat thou not the bread of [him that hath] an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: For as he thinketh in his heart, so [is] he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart [is] not with thee. The morsel [which] thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.

Don’t eat with people who are stingy; don’t desire their delicacies. They are always thinking about how much it costs. “Eat and drink,” they say, but they don’t mean it. You will throw up what little you’ve eaten, and your compliments will be wasted. – NLT

Puzzling 

I have been struggling with this proverb. You must admit, it’s a little odd. I mean, what’s the deal with “dainty meats” and throwing up?

The best I can figure, the meaning of this proverbs is pretty simple once you get past the language. For one thing, don’t eat with a hypocrite. Secondly, if you do, you’ll regret anything nice you ever said.

It does seem a little strange, though. Why would someone feed you and say, “Go ahead, dear, eat all you want,” while at the same time regret you ever came to dinner?

Better to Eat Herbs

Solomon must have had an experience or two with people who wanted to entertain him with a meal. But evidently there were people who offered the best on the menu while wincing every time he took a nibble. Have you ever known anyone like that?

What makes a person sick after eating all the nice, expensive food is the guilt one is made to feel. There are some people who want to make you think they care, but then they make you feel guilty for taking advantage of their hospitality. The great Matthew Henry said,

Do not sponge upon those that are bountiful, nor make thyself burdensome to any; but especially scorn to be beholden to those that are paltry and not sincere. Better have a dinner of herbs, and true welcome, than dainty meats without it.*

Gag Reflex

Here’s the point that must be taken: don’t desire the things that belong to the wealthy, nor ask them for a free meal. Sure, there are kindly millionaires who love to give. The problem it that there are many others who love money more than people, but don’t want to seem greedy on the surface. That is why they will say, “Eat and drink,” but gag you in the end.

One commentary says that “Cultivating the friendship of the wealthy is a waste of effort,” and then goes on to say…

“For like a hair in the throat, so he is.” Just as getting a hair in the throat while eating causes a gag reflex and sometimes vomiting (v. 8), even so the wealthy man’s hospitality will leave one feeling disgusted.**

I sure hope the next rich person that takes me to dinner keeps his hair off my food.

Sources:

*Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), Pr 23:6–8.

**Duane A. Garrett, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, vol. 14, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1993), 195-196.

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September 28, 2016

How to Get Ahead

By Anthony Baker

Proverbs 22:29

“Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean [men].”
“Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.” – ESV
Victims

True victims should be pitied and cared for; those with a victim attitude should not. Oh, we should care, sure, but there comes a point when people need to quit blaming their lack of progress on others.

I know what it is like to lose everything. I know what it is like to go from making good money to having to work multiple jobs just to feed my family. But many will not lift a finger for themselves, while all along condemning those who have worked for what they have. They live as victims of their own laziness.

Just the other day I overheard a conversation a manager was having with an employee. The manager tried to encourage the employee to seek a better position in the company, but the employee would not accept. The reason she gave was that if she moved into a better paying position she would lose some of her welfare benefits. She would rather live on what was given to her than work for anything.

Victors

Look at the working man. Look at what he is doing and how he is doing it. He is diligent, which means he does the best he can as promptly as he can. He cares about his work, no matter what that work is.

There once was a waiter at  a particular restaurant. One day the restaurant changed their menu and began offering Pepsi instead of Coca-Cola. When a customer was saddened by the change, the waiter went around the corner to a convenience store, bought a Coke, and brought it to the table. He was diligent in his business.

Not long after the Pepsi/Coke incident we discovered the waiter had left the restaurant! When we asked where he went we were informed he had been promoted – to manage his own restaurant!

Visible

When a person wants to get ahead in life, the last thing he needs is to be invisible.  Look at the man who does his best and works hard – look at the man who hones his skills and fine-tunes his gifts – and you will find a man who gets noticed.

If you want to be considered worthy to stand in the presence of kings, do work that is worthy to be noticed by kings.

Don’t be a victim – be a victor! You will get noticed.

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September 23, 2016

Trouble’s Not My Friend

By Anthony Baker

Proverbs 22:24-25

Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

Just Mad

At first glance it might seem like “angry” would be self-explanatory. We’ve all seen someone throw a tantrum. We’ve all gotten furious over something. There’s nothing unusual about losing one’s temper once in a while. But when Solomon advises us to stay away from an angry or furious man, he is not referring to a man who throws his popcorn when his favorite team loses the championship in the last second of the game. We’ve all done that…right?

No, this proverb is talking about people who are always angry, always furious, always upset over something. It’s a warning to stay away from people like that, unless, of course, you want to start acting just like them.

Contagious Anger

  • Women-haters. Hang around these guys very long and you’ll never find love. However, you could start a club.
  • Disgruntled employees. Talk about angry! They make the water in the water cooler boil. Unfortunately, those who listen to them too long tend to overlook the blessing of being employed and end up out of work.
  • Bitter wives and jilted lovers. Talk about furious! Hide all sharp objects and weapons of any kind when you’re in their presence unless you want to get hurt. Better yet, don’t listen to them for too long or you might end up being  recruited to exact their revenge.
  • Political conspiracy theorists. They mean well, but they’re not well. They see grander schemes than actually exist and draw others into their paranoia.
  • Church gossips. They’re typically angry because things aren’t going their way. They look for ways to tear down others while they sap the joy and faith out of you. Before long you become one of them.

Why be like the angry and furious man? Is not God in control? Prolonged anger signifies a heart problem fueled by selfish demands, so is it worth a snare to the soul?

Avoid Trouble

The next time Mr. Trouble comes around looking for a companion, politely excuse yourself; he’s not your friend.

Rather, make Jesus your friend; He is gentle and lowly of heart. Instead of a snare, He will give rest to your soul (Matthew 11:29).

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September 6, 2016

Sleeping In the Pit

By Anthony Baker
Pro 22:14
“The mouth of strange women [is] a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.”

Chinhoyi Caves

Not long ago I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe. There I got to preach in several churches and see many come to know Jesus Christ as Savior! Hallelujah!

But I did a little sight-seeing, too!

Walking down to the Sleeping Pool

Walking down to the Sleeping Pool

Months before I went to Zimbabwe (Africa) I did a little research. What I found out was that there was a particular cave in Chinhoyi which was known for it’s beautiful, naturally-lit blue (318 feet deep) pool at the bottom – the “Sleeping Pool.”

The Sleeping Pool could be accessed by one of two ways; either walk down a bunch of steps through a tunnel in the ground, or be thrown to one’s death from the top, just like what happened to many people hundreds of years ago.

We chose to walk down the steps.

The Mouth

The mouth of the Chinhoyi cave is a huge opening in the ground. It was through this opening that the unfortunate enemies of some ancient warlords would be thrown … and “sleep” forever.

The “mouth” of a strange woman is a deadly pit, also. And as beautiful as it may seem, the fall to the bottom of this pit is just as deadly as the one in Zimbabwe. It is into this alluring pit that God will allow the fool – the one who despises wisdom – to be cast.

The Pit

Solomon describes the mouth of a strange woman as a deep pit. Why is that? Could it be because there is always this sense of intrigue and danger that draws men to take risks? They flirt with what they know could kill them as they peer over the edge, seeing just how far they can go. Men will flirt with sin, too.

image

The pits of adultery and illicit love are deep, dark, and deadly; few men survive the fall. But would a man listen to Wisdom, he would flee far from the edge. It’s to the fool that God says, “You chose your pit, now fall into it.”

Sorta gives new meaning to “sleeping around,” doesn’t it?

 

*For additional info on the caves, click HERE and HERE.

3 Comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Temptation, Warnings

August 14, 2016

Generous Eyes

By Anthony Baker

Proverbs 22:9

“He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.”
“He who has a generous eye will be blessed, For he gives of his bread to the poor.” – NKJV

Always

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Never say never?” I heard it a lot in the days before the birth of my first child. I would say things like, “I will NEVER let my child…” That’s when people who knew better would offer insight based on their own experiences.

There are some decisions that should be made in advance, however; decisions preceded by a firm absolute. For example, I have said many times that I will never let my daughters leave the house looking like a “prostitot,” and I mean it.

But what about the word always? Isn’t that an absolute statement we should avoid? Should we always be giving? Should we always be generous?

Give

My father, a generous man, told me, “Son, if a bum on the street walks up to you and asks for a dollar, always give what you can…you never know who it might be.” He would never “withhold” when he had the power to give something (Prov. 3:27), and he was a firm believer in the possibility that every beggar could be a heavenly messenger:  “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (Heb. 13:2).

But more importantly, my father was wise enough to understand that it’s not really about what we give and to whom, although that is important; it’s about the heart. A person with a “bountiful eye” loves to give, especially to those who are less fortunate. Like the Good Samaritan, we are not told to question why our neighbor is lying in the ditch, or how he came to be in that situation, but to offer kindness and generosity. Even when it is impossible to give money, a sacrifice of kindness is always appropriate.

Blessings

When we give blessings we get blessings in return. It may not be in this life, but the promises of God are true: he who has a generous eye WILL be blessed.

Doesn’t it make you feel good to give? Wouldn’t you like to come into a bunch of money and then use it to fund an orphanage, provide for struggling families, or give to missions? Well, it doesn’t take a few people giving a lot, just a lot of people with a heart for giving.

Remember, “He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD, And He will pay back what he has given” (Prov. 19:17 NKJV). God is no man’s debtor.

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2 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in giving/charity, Money and Finances, Promises, Reward

August 9, 2016

Avoid the Thorny Way

By Anthony Baker

Proverbs 22:5

Thorns [and] snares [are] in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.
Corrupt people walk a thorny, treacherous road; whoever values life will avoid it. – NLT

Whose Fault?

People who drink and drive should expect problems down the road. People who use illegal drugs should expect problems, also. Why is it, then, when these people get caught, harassed, or arrested by law enforcement, they blame the whole thing on the police?

Recently a man’s dog was shot and killed. After seeing his owner arrested for mouthing off to machine gun-toting policemen who had surrounded the house of a criminal, the 80 pound Rottweiler decided to attack. What was the arresting officer supposed to do but defend himself? Yet, the community where this happened is calling for the policeman to be punished. Why? Because a fool who couldn’t keep his foolish mouth shut forgot to restrain his killer dog?

Taking a Different Path

The simple fact that Solomon is teaching is that if one wants to avoid the pain and suffering of thorns and snares, take a different path.

The above story reminds me of something that happened to me years ago. One night our German Shepherd was acting like a stranger was close by. There had been some suspicious activity down the street already, so I took my shotgun (we lived out in the county) and walked with my dog through the shadows around our house over toward the street. Just before we came out of the shadows, I saw six policemen with M-16 assault rifles walking in my direction. Little did I know they were looking for a criminal who had just shot at another policeman.

My heart nearly stopped. “Oh God…please don’t let them see me…for the love of all that’s holy, dog, pleeeeezzzzz don’t bark…”

The dog stayed silent – I took a different path – and we both survived.

Related articles

1 Comment   |  tags: , , | posted in Animals, Fools, Paths of Life, Warnings