Category Archives: Word of the Lord
Proverbs 8:8-9
“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.”
Man’s Words
All one would have to do is look at the average text message or Facebook rant to figure out the difference between the words of God and the words of man.
For one thing, every word of God is pure, as pure as silver refined seven times (Ps. 12:6). The average text message is about as pure as water in a ditch – next to a barn yard.
And what about knowledge? God’s words are plain to those who want to hear, and completely factual in all things. The average Facebook post has about as much objective truth as the National Enquirer.
So, why is it that we continually seek man’s wisdom, instead of the Lord’s? There is more than enough wisdom to be had if only we would ask (James 1:5) and do His will (Ps. 25:14). King David said, “I understand more than the ancients because I keep thy precepts” (Ps. 119:100).
God’s Words
Unlike the foolish, prideful, arrogant words of men, the Wisdom of God is trustworthy and plain. Unlike the wisdom of men which is limited to knowledge gained from a finite perspective, the Wisdom of God is unlimited, infinite, and enjoys an omniscient perspective.
You can select any number of works from off the shelf of your nearest Books-a-Billion, each one written by the wisest of worldly philosophers, but they will all sound similar. It matters not if the book was written by Plato, Socrates, Hume, Samuel Clemens, or Oprah and Dr. Phil – it’s all human opinion.
But pick of God’s Word and you will find something totally different. You will find wisdom inspired by the Holy One. You will find hope, life, and joy.
More importantly, you will find Truth.
A Prayer
OH, Lord Jesus! How much we need your wisdom to guide us in these troubling days! We need not the shifting wisdom of men. We need more than the unpredictable advice of our emotions. We need the pure words from your mouth. Give liberally and don’t hold back. Speak, Lord, for your servants are listening.
1 Comment | tags: Dr. Phil, Facebook, God, Jesus, National Enquirer, Oprah, Plato, Sophia (wisdom) | posted in Wisdom, Word of the Lord
Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. -John 18:36-37, KJV
Photo by Min An on Pexels.com
As we round out the third week of Advent, we shift our focus from the earthly ministry of Jesus to His Kingdom.
This world will never fully see the Kingdom of Heaven, just a taste through its subjects, we Christians who spread the Kingdom throughout this fallen world. We carry His voice to every corner of the planet.
And what is Jesus saying through us?
“You have rebelled against your Creator, and your sins are immeasurable. But I came to redeem you back to Me, to cleanse you of your sins, and one day I am returning to bring you home.”
Be of good cheer, dear Christian. You are cleaned and redeemed, and He is coming again soon!
King Jesus, continue to make us faithful citizens of Your Kingdom, and move through us to reach this world for Your glory.
1 Comment | tags: Advent, Christ, Christmas, Christmas Hope, Coming, Heaven, Jesus, King, Kingdom, Pilate, Pontious, Relationship, relationships, Reward, Second Coming, Word of the Lord | posted in Relationships, Reward, Word of the Lord
Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: -Isaiah 29:13, KJV
We must be careful how we handle the Word of God. I mean both senses of the term:
- How do we handle Scripture? Do we read into it what we think it says? Do we read passages out of context or claim promises never meant for anyone but to whom they were made? Do we use Scripture to condemn everyone who disagrees with us or to keep people “in line”? All the while we say, “God is great. I love God.” But we are keeping God in a nice, tidy box that we can control.
- How do we handle Jesus? Do we treat Him like a monster? Do we treat Him as if He is aloof? Do we treat Him like a genie or vending machine, expecting Him to grant all of our wishes and desires, especially when we ask/demand them? Do we treat Him like a doting grandmother, thankful for the gifts He gives, but ignoring Him most of the time? All the while we say, “Jesus is great. I love Jesus.” But we are using Jesus to control others or only get what we want.
John lived in the wilderness, ate bugs and honey, and only had one outfit. He did not tolerate using God and His Word incorrectly, but he did point us back to the wonder of God’s works, as Isaiah did:
Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. -Isaiah 29:14
We cannot forget that though we rebel against God in many ways, even as we call on His name, He does marvelous things: Most importantly, He came to save us from our rebellion and make us more like Himself. We can try and reason Him away, twist His words and actions, but He is come and has made Himself known. And we cannot stand against Him.
And when Jesus returns, we shall be made like Him – holy, blameless, and glorified, able to give Him all glory for eternity.
Lord, help us to come to Your Word humbly and correctly, to align our thoughts and emotions with Yours, to follow Your will and not our own.
1 Comment | tags: Advent, Baptist, Bible, Blameless, Christ, Christmas, Coming, Desire, Fear of the Lord, Fear the Lord, Glorified, Glory, holy, honor, Jesus, John, John the Baptist, Second Coming, Word of the Lord | posted in desire, Fear of the Lord, Giving Honor, Word of the Lord
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” -Matthew 3:2
John’s primary message while baptizing people in the Jordan River was to repent.
Repent literally means “to change your mind.”
Stop thinking the way you do! Stop only thinking about what this world says, and think biblical thoughts, heavenly thoughts! Realize Jesus is Lord of all and Savior of the world!
You may think you are a good person, or that your good deeds will outweigh your bad deeds. But God says you do not understand how much help you need, how great a chasm separates us and Him.
The message of John and all of Jesus’ disciples is “Change your ways! Turn to God! Repent and believe!”
We cannot come to Christ unless we are willing to change.
Great God, thank You for leading us to Your Son. Continue to conform our minds to Your will as we bring others along.
1 Comment | tags: Advent, change, Christ, Christmas, Coming, Heaven, Jesus, John the Baptist, Kingdom, Mind, Repent, Second Coming, Think, Thinking, Warning, Warnings, Word of the Lord | posted in Warnings, Word of the Lord
Welcome to the second week of Advent!
Tradition holds that the second week of Advent is about preparing ourselves for the coming Messiah, with John the Baptizer being our model. This is when our focus turns from the promises to fulfillment of Messiah. Obviously, there is a connection between each week, as we begin by looking out our need for the promised Savior, and then we move to finding the truth of the living Savior.
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. -Isaiah 40:3, KJV (see Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:3, Luke 3:4)
John was prophesied centuries before either he or his cousin, Jesus, lived. John is also the final of the Old Testament Prophets. He was the last to prophecy the coming Messiah before Jesus began His ministry.
He was an ascetic – someone who separates from society in many ways through denying comforts and desires, including diet and habits, for religious purposes. (See Numbers 6 to understand more of John’s asceticism, known as the Nazirite vow.) He seemed pretty crazy and weird, but he laid the groundwork for the Messiah.
What did this mean?
He called out sin, decried fame, and [literally] pointed to the Lamb of God, the Messiah.
As Christians – believers in the life, death, and resurrection of the Son of God, Jesus – we are likewise called to point to the Savior. We are to prepare the the way for His return and encroaching Kingdom.
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. -Matthew 28:18-20
How are you pointing others to Jesus?
Good Lord, give us a passion for sharing the Good News of Jesus – to call out sin, love people, and glorify Your Name.
1 Comment | tags: Advent, Baptist, Baptizer, Christ, Christmas, Coming, Jesus, John, Lord, Messiah, Path, preparation, Prepare, Second Coming, Sin, Warning, Warnings | posted in sin, Truth, Warnings, Word of the Lord
The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;
According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.
And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.
I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. -Deuteronomy 18:15-19, KJV
As we continue through Advent season, we look back on what one of the greatest prophets (Moses) foretold of the coming Messiah.
The Hebrews were afraid of seeing God, and rightly so. They were still rebellious in heart, and they were afraid of dying at the sight of their Lord and even at hearing His voice.
Yet, God reminded them through Moses that He is their Savior, and one day One would come, a fellow Israelite, who would be their greatest Prophet who spoke directly from the Father.
The One who was in their midst as a burning pillar of fire and column of smoke would one day confront the sin of Israel and the rest of the world. If we refuse to listen to the words of this One, God will hold us accountable on the day that He returns. But instead of a column of fire, all that things will burn on His return, making all things new, except those who reject Him.
His first coming was the rebuke with forgiveness. His next coming will be in full judgment.
When we trust in the Lord, we no longer fear death. His birth led to our new life.
1 Comment | tags: Advent, Christmas, Column, Coming, fire, Jesus, judgment, justice, Moses, Pillar, Prophet, Second Coming, Smoke, Word | posted in Jesus, Justice, Word of the Lord
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
Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. -Proverbs 27:1, KJV
As I write this, it is the day before this posts online.
That seems rather presumptuous of me to assume that you are reading this the next day (or farther in the future).
The thing is, I am not sure anyone is reading this. For all I know, before anyone gets the chance, the Lord has returned and brought the world as we know it to an end.
However, this is scheduled for a Sunday. Therefore I continue this by encouraging you to get to your local church and worship God through song, hearing the preached and taught Word, and enjoying fellowship with other Christians. (If you went on Saturday, cool.)
In terms of being confident you are reading these words, though, I explain my presumption.
Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
James 4:13-15, KJV
Do you not see that James and Solomon were in agreement? But James explains Proverbs 27:1 in more detail.
To explain, I presume people are reading these words because I trust that God is in control. At the very least, I have obeyed His command to expound on scripture. At best, I have done so to your benefit in Christ.
Maybe no one is reading these words, but, if the Lord will, you are.
I do not boast in any skill I have or that I know you are reading this.
No, I boast that the Lord has spoken, has sacrificed Himself for me and for you, and He has risen to glory. And He is in control.
And I shall continue as long as it is called Today. For Tomorrow (capital “T”) shall be with the Lord, and all boasting shall cease, for He is fully present with us and all sin and rebellion and fear is gone.
Lord willing, you are there, too.
Leave a comment | tags: Boasting, Book of Proverbs, faith, Faithful Witness, Faithfulness, God's Will, God's Word, Knowledge, Lord, Lord Willing, Presume, Presumption, Promise, promises, Return, Today, Tomorrow, Will, Willing | posted in Faithfulness, Knowledge, Promises, Word of the Lord
Many readers of Proverbial Thought may enjoy the thoughts we share each day.
Maybe you do not understand some our thought process.
I for one do enjoy writing out these devotional thoughts for others to enjoy, but it weighs heavy on my heart.
For starters, read Proverbs 26. It will only take a few minutes. What really strikes me is the number of verses about the wastefulness, follies, and even dangers of fools speaking proverbs.
We are basically putting it put there that we are responsible for affecting the way people think!
In fact, when I was a new believer of Jesus Christ, I knew I should “do my part” and read at least something in the Bible. I chose James, for “not being too long and possibly boring me, nor too short and making me look lazy.”
Ouch. This was the first thing that stood out to me (in my NIV Bible at the time):
Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
James 3:1
I understood that to teach others means I would be scrutinized myself, both by other people and by God.
That terrified little 16-year-old me! (Even at six feet tall at that time …)
Honestly, it should be intimidating to all of us.
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:15
God has an expectation. If you teach others about the Word of God – which all believers should in some way – you are expected to know what it says and how to explain it adequately.
This is the struggle we deal with every day for Proverbial Thought, and for many of us, who are pastors and ministry leaders, as a daily concern.
Therefore, we write to help others (you, dear reader!) to be better equipped to share your faith, even if mostly about the Proverbs.
If you are a follower of the Lord, you should be able to share the reason for your faith. Use any tool available to you to grow, starting with regular Bible study, researching what others have said, and meeting with fellow believers (by going to church, attending Bible studies, meeting together just to talk, and serving togwther).
Hopefully, we have played a role in your growth and not written foolishly.
Leave a comment | tags: advice, Believer, Christian, Conversation, Fear of the Lord, fools, God's Word, instruction, Speech, teachers, Teaching | posted in advice, conversation/speech, Fear of the Lord, Instruction, Word of the Lord
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. -Proverbs 25:2, KJV
We are wise to remember that Jesus is the Son of God, and therefore He is God.
Jesus spoke in parables so that those who are willing to listen and see can find the truth, but those who are unwilling to listen and see the truth will ignore and even hate truth. (Matthew 13:10-17)
We are co-heirs with Christ, our King. (Romans 8:17) We are called priests – servants of God – but even a royal priesthood. (1 Peter 2)
As Audio Adrenaline put it, “boys become kings, girls will be queens,” so we are tasked with the honor of searching out the truths of God as revealed through Scripture.
Do not neglect your royal priestly duties as a Christian. Study the Word of God for yourself. Rely on those saints on whom we have the labors of faithful study that divulge the deep truths of the Bible. Go to church and be fed by your local shepherd and brothers and sisters in Christ.
Do not merely say a prayer and attend a church. Make your Christianity your own, and seek Christ with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
And then love your neighbor by sharing that truth. (Matthew 28:18-20)
1 Comment | tags: Bible study, Body of Christ, Book of Proverbs, Christ, Co-heirs, Conceal, Disciple, discipline, Faithful Witness, Faithfulness, God's Word, Great Commision, Greatest Commandment, King, kings, queens, Reveal, Secret, Seek, Share, truth | posted in discipline, Faithfulness, Truth, Word of the Lord
All one would have to do is look at the average text message or Facebook rant to figure out the difference between the words of God and the words of man.
Caitlin Klem
Chris Jordan
Daniel M. Klem
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Proverbial Thought 