February 8, 2013

Keep Your Fingers to Yourself

By Anthony Baker

Proverbs 16:14

“The wrath of a king is as messengers of death: but a wise man will pacify it.”

When I first read this verse I pictured an angry king who sent out soldiers to execute judgment on his enemies. Then, just a few days later, I learned of a more modern example of an angry king – Judge Jorge Rodriguez-Chomat. His kingdom? The Miami-Dade courtroom in Florida.

February 4, 2013

It was all caught on camera. The cheerful, giddy, 18-year old Penelope Soto stood facing a camera, while Judge Jorge Rodriguez-Chomat sat in the courtroom hearing her case. Soto was being sentenced for illegal possession of Xanax.

The judge seemed nice enough, trying to be patient Soto, who evidently didn’t take the whole thing too seriously. Then, when the judge set the girl’s bail at $5,000, she turned around and said in a casual, disrespectful way, “Adios!”

Judge Rodriguez-Chomat said, “Come back…come back.” This time, irked at her flippant demeanor, he raised Soto’s bail to $10,000. That got her attention, too, and so this time when she walked away she held up her middle finger to the camera for the judge to see.

“Come back! Come back!” said the judge. This time, after few words, he sentenced the once-perky illicit drug user to 30 days in jail. She quit laughing.

Don’t be a Fool

It’s really not that complicated. When one stands before one who has the ability to exercise judgment, it’s not very wise to air out one’s middle finger.

Penelope Soto could have gotten off with just a slap on the wrist. She seemed sweet enough, and the judge seemed patient, to a degree. But it was when she disrespected his authority that she crossed a serious line. That is when she experienced the “wrath of the king.”

Why is it that some people do that? Everything could be going just fine, then they choose to disrespect authority. Don’t they realize the foolishness of their actions? Why don’t they show a little wisdom and keep the “king” in a good mood?

They Don’t Respect God

The real reason most people have a problem with authority and end up ticking off kings is that they have no respect for God. If they did respect Him, they would respect His “minister.”

In Romans thirteen we read that we should “be subject to higher powers” (13:1). Anyone who resists, or rebels against authority is in danger of rebelling against God, “For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.”

Paul also said that if one does good, he should have no reason to fear authority. However, when we rebel, or show our middle fingers, we must remember if we do wrong, “be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing” (13:4 NIV).

 

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February 8, 2013

Run Forest, Run!

By Jason Sneed

Proverbs 16:17

The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.

In Genesis 39, we read these verses: (Genesis 39:6-12)

So he left all that he had in Joseph’s charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, “Lie with me.” But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except yourself, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her.

But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house.

Did you catch that very last phrase? That last phrase is a beautiful picture of Proverbs 16:17!

Joseph was a righteous man, or an upright man, and he knew when he was close to danger. The advancements of Potiphar’s wife were a red flag to this fully committed follower of Jesus and he knew without a shadow of a doubt that he needed to be far away from this situation. So he departed from the evil so that his soul would be preserved.

I love the way the ESV reads  – “The highway of the upright turns aside from evil; whoever guards his way preserves his life.”

I Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

We must always be on guard as to where evil may be. We can not assume, at any point, that we are not targets of the devil and his band of demons. We must always be prepared and ready to fight. This is a great reason to always have on the Armor of God!

So, as Christians, what are we to do when evil comes our way? Let’s all says it together…”RUN FOREST, RUN!”

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February 7, 2013

Get Wisdom!

By Chris Jordan

Proverbs 16:16

“How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!”  

What is your purpose? What do you live for, and seek after in your life? So many people are just trying to make a living – making money, getting successful, and prospering. But is that the most important thing? So what if you are able to become the richest, most famous and successful person in the world? The Bible says that getting wisdom and understanding is better than gold or silver, or any other riches the world has to offer. But – how do we get wisdom?

1.         Read your Bible:

The Bible is the Word of God, and being inspired by God, is the ultimate source of wisdom. Someone described the Bible once in terms of this acrostic: B.I.B.L.E. = Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. I like that. If you want wisdom, turn to the book of wisdom – the Bible. God’s Word gives us wisdom for our relationships, family life, work, finances, and so much more. I am so thankful for God’s gift of the Bible, and I have found much wisdom, guidance, direction and understanding in my life ever since I started reading it when I first became a Christian over twenty years ago.

2.         Seek for wisdom diligently:

If you want wisdom, you’re not likely to discover it as you sit in your easy chair in front of the TV eating a bowl of popcorn. In Proverbs 8:17, Solomon personifies wisdom by saying, “I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me.” (See David’s post on this Scripture HERE). In other words, if you want wisdom, love it, seek it, pursue it, and you will find it.

3.         Spend time with wise people:

Elsewhere in Proverbs, Solomon writes, “He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed.” (See Jason’s post on this Scripture HERE). One of the best things you can do – if you want to become more wise – is to hang around with wise people. You become like the people you spend most of your time with! You will talk like them, walk like them, think like them, and ultimately, you will be like them. So, if you want to be wise, hang around with wise and godly people.

I don’t know about you, but I want to be wise. To be wise, I know I must read my Bible, seek wisdom diligently, and spend time with wise people. I want to challenge you to do the same! If you don’t have a regular Bible reading program, start one today! If you have never purposed in your heart to be intentional about seeking wisdom, begin now. Pray that God would give you wisdom, and lead and guide you in your life. And finally, spend much time with people wiser than you, and glean from their godly life experience, knowledge and wisdom.

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February 6, 2013

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

By Grady Davidson

In the light of the king’s countenance is life; and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain. (Proverbs 16:15 KJV)

 

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Depending on which study you go on, somewhere between 60 and 93% of all communication is said to be “non-verbal.”  Along with the actual words heard, the listener is also processing the speaker’s inflection, facial expressions, gestures, posture, and a host of other context clues.  Most of the time, we process this non-verbal communication instinctively to arrive at the speaker’s total meaning.  Communication is complex, but God has gifted man’s intellect to sort through it all in the beautiful art of human conversation.

 

Today’s proverb is about non-verbal communication between the king and one of his subjects.  Perhaps the subject has been arrested and charged with a crime of a serious nature.  For whatever reason, the poor man is hauled in before the king.  As the charges are read, the subject dares not lift his eyes from the parquet marble floor of the throne room.   But then the defendant’s legal counsel urges him to look up at the king!  Trembling, he lifts his chin, and against all hope, he see the light of acquittal in the king’s eyes!  Overwhelmed with grateful joy, the king’s subject falls to the floor. With tears streaming, he thanks his king for granting him life.

 

STANDING BEFORE KING JESUS

Dear reader, one day soon you will face King Jesus.  It may be this very day, or it may be years hence. But God’s Word testifies that God the Father has granted to His Son the authority to judge the world with justice.  That this unique honor is given to Jesus is proven by God’s raising Jesus Christ from the dead (Acts 17:31).  What do you expect to see in the eyes of Jesus on that awesome day?  The light of life? Or will his face be full of wrath and the verdict of death (Proverbs 16:14)?

 

The gospel tells us that in His great love, God did the most amazing thing:  He sent His Son, the King, to earth to receive God’s wrath against the sin of man.  God has a measured, just, hatred of sin.  Sin cannot be ignored.  That’s why King Jesus went to the Cross!  To be the sin-bearer!

 

Now the gospel commands all men, women, boys and girls, from every nation, tribe, language and people group to repent of their sins and to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (Acts 2:38, 17:30).  The result?  That you will one day look into the eyes of your Judge, and there you see the loving eyes of your Savior—even the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Father God:  In the countenance of your own dear Son, we see the light of life.  May his face shine in all of its glorious, merciful brilliance upon the reader this day.  Through Christ our Lord we pray: Amen. 

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February 4, 2013

The Business of Truth

By Daniel M. Klem

Proverbs 16:13

13 Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right.

Today’s Kings

As David said yesterday, (as far as I know) I have never met an earthly king. At least, I have never met a national royal.

It would appear that a new royalty has arisen in our world. These are the people who make people move, change the course of fortunes and of societies.

The kings and queens of today are those who move the most money: the CEO’s of large corporations and companies.

This new royalty requires one thing to thrive in the world of business: information

The information they desire will help in deciding which product to release, which service to offer, and which way to brand their new product and/or service.

The people who work for them and they want around them are the people who give them the most honest and truthful information.

If you give them bad information for the simple desire to look good in their eyes, you will be the one they remove from their sight first!

With God

God does not remove us from His sight for spreading lies, at least not until the end of history! Yet, He still desires righteousness and truth.

The evidence of this is found in the first explicitly written laws found in the Bible:

3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

13 Thou shalt not kill.

14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.

15 Thou shalt not steal.

16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.

Truth and righteousness are found in confessing the truth of who God is and allowing Him to lift you to His standards.

Righteous God, give us Your righteousness. Help us through Your Holy Spirit to speak truth and live with integrity.

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February 3, 2013

What Makes a King a King?

By David

Proverbs 16:12

It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness.
A king detests wrongdoing, for his rule is built on justice. (NLT)

I have never met an earthly king, but I have often wondered what makes a king a king, or a queen a queen. The history books tell us that many kings and queens built their rule not on justice and righteousness, but on evil and by instilling fear among their subjects. There are countries in our world that continue to be ruled in this way.

Jesus was born into poverty in a land ruled by terror. A foreign king ruled the land with the help of a local puppet king. Neither covered themselves in glory in the way that they ruled. Compare Caesar and Herod to Jesus. The fact that Jesus was different was evident after His arrest when He was interrogated by Pilate, the Roman governor for the province:

Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
“Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”
“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”
Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
“You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” (John 18:33-38 NIV)

Did Pilate understand what Jesus was saying? Here was a King like no other. A King who is holy and perfect in every way that we are not. A King from another place who cannot be compared to any earthly ruler, but a King who considers every human welcome in His Kingdom. It is not us that this King judges, but our wrongdoing. His rule is built on justice, and the forgiveness made possible by His sacrifice. Before Jesus all human beings are equal, and all are equally welcome. He hates the wrongdoing, but He loves the wrongdoer. What a King!

1 Comment | posted in affection, Love, Mercy

January 31, 2013

Holy Recalculating

By Anthony Baker

Proverbs 16:9 

“A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.”

Planning Trips

Years ago, before Google and smart phones, I loved planning long trips. I would get a big, impossible-to-fold-back-into-its-original-shape map and plot my course, making sure I did not miss any landmark with free admission.

Not long ago there was a tour bus driving through a large city at night. Thinking he was on the right path, the driver took what he thought was a ramp connecting one highway to another. Unfortunately, there was nothing at the end of the ramp. The roads on the map were wrong, and the bus took a dive off a bridge, killing several, including the driver.

Maps were pretty reliable, and they still are, but what was impossible to know was the road conditions since the map was published. Even though a map may show a logical route from point A to point B, pieces of paper have a hard time remaining up-to-date. A well-planned route on paper could wind up being a detour nightmare.

Devising Ways

Courtesy of ShutterElf

Photo by Shutter Elf

Life is trip (in more ways than one), and we all make plans. We make plans for this and that, make reservations, and even daydream about what tomorrow’s activities will include. In our hearts we “devise our ways.”

However, I am thankful for a God who knows the road that lies ahead. He is not only up-to-date on all the current construction and detours, but He even knows what accidents are going to happen. Not even Google knows that.

We make long range plans, but God guides each step we take. He not only looks out for us down the road, but He makes sure each and every step is profitable. Sure, we can stray, but since He has promised to complete what He has begun (Romans 4:21), the Holy Spirit is always there to “recalculate.”

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January 30, 2013

Better to Stink …

By Daniel M. Klem

Proverbs 16:8

8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.

Madoff Made Off?

Do you remember Bernie Madoff?

A few years back, right after the economy tanked, news came to light that this man was not running as fair a business as many had been led to believe.

Mr. Madoff told investors that he could take their money and grow it very quickly. Some people received exactly that, while with the rest of the money he and his family lived very, very well.

It turned out he had been running his business as a giant Ponzi Scheme, a system in which many people put in money in hopes of a great pay-off, but only a small few benefit from all of that money. When it was all revealed, thousands of people combined lost many billions of dollars.

Today Bernie Madoff sits in a prison cell, and he will be there for the rest of his life. His family has to live with the shame and guilt of what he has done.

Smelling to High Heaven

On the other hand, there are people who struggle to get by from week to week at their jobs.

What is truly amazing is that, while they my grumble about the fairness of the world from time to time, they tend to be rather happy with life. They know they are earning an honest living, and it is their hard work that provides for their loved ones.

One of my favorite quotes from the film Bruce Almighty was said by Morgan Freeman playing God: “Some of the happiest people in the world go home smelling to high heaven at the end of the day.”

Speaking of going to high heaven, Jesus said to those who follow Him:

“And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.” (Matthew 19:29, ESV)

“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36, ESV)

We may have very little in this life, but if our life is lived for the sake of Christ we will one day get to have Him! There is nothing better.

Wonderful God, thank You for all You do and have done for us. Help us to live our lives entirely for You, that no matter if we have much or little, we have lived righteously and will one day see You face to face!

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January 29, 2013

Common Sense

By Anthony Baker

Proverbs 16:7

“When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.”

Common Sense

Some things make perfect sense. Some things are so sensible that everyone agrees, hence the term “common sense.” However, there are some things that people find hard to understand, even though anyone with common sense would think it makes perfect sense.

Today’s proverb should be a no-brainer.

Pleasing Ways

Are you familiar with the Ten Commandments? I’m not talking about the movie with Charleton Heston, just the Commandments themselves.

If you haven’t read them in a while, why don’t we refresh ourselves with a few of them?

  • Don’t steal
  • Don’t murder
  • Don’t commit adultery
  • Don’t lie about your neighbor
  • Honor your father and mother
  • Don’t sit around desiring what’s not yours

If you want to live in such a way (ethically speaking) that will please the Lord, the above list is a good place to start, wouldn’t you think? What is more pleasing than not stealing, not murdering, not lying, not envying, etc.?

Peaceful Enemies

Believe it or not, doing what pleases the Lord (like not committing murder, not stealing from your employer, or not sleeping with your boss’s wife) is actually a good way to get ahead in the world. Common sense, wouldn’t you think?

I have worked with many atheists and agnostics, some of which hated what I believed, but none of them every fired me for being a bad employee. Most gave high recommendations to my next employer. In one sense they were my “enemies,” but all in all they were peaceful. Why? Because my ways pleased the Lord.

Nonsense

What I found totally nonsensical was a story relating to the Ten Commandments being posted in a public school. I can’t remember where this exactly took place, but I do remember the reason the lawyers gave for removing the list from view…

“If the Ten Commandments are allowed to remain, then children will be tempted to do what they say.”

So my question is this: which is more pleasing, NOT committing murder, or gunning down kindergartners and teachers? Seems pretty simple, but I guess there is a shortage of common sense these days.

 

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January 28, 2013

Mercy and Fear

By Anthony Baker

Proverbs 16:6

“By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.”
“In mercy and truth Atonement is provided for iniquity; And by the fear of the LORD one departs from evil.” (NKJV)

“He Could Break Me”

When I was young I had a healthy fear of my father. Even when I was a teenager, he was half again my size and could break me in two. The last thing I would have ever wanted was for my dad to strike me in anger, or worse, as an enemy. Thankfully, he loved me, especially when he “spared not the rod.”

Yes, my dad knew how to discipline in the old-fashioned way. He did not believe in “time outs.” Never once did he remind me to “make right choices.” If I made a wrong choice I found out about it real quick.

daddyBut the thing that I was most afraid of was not being punished by my dad for doing something stupid, it was breaking his heart. The worst punishment I could ever receive was to see a disappointed look in his eyes. I wanted him to be proud of me. I was more afraid of seeing a tear than getting whacked in the rear.

You see, my dad was a godly man…a simple man…a humble man…a very hard-working man. He worked multiple jobs, once even giving me his pay so that I could have work. He never raised his voice, but he could preach with authority. He was a true pastor, a faithful husband, and a friend to all. He did a lot for me that I will never know.

Proper Motivation

In today’s proverb Solomon speaks of mercy and forgiveness, but then he ends with “fear” being the motivation for correct behavior. What should be noted is that “fear” isn’t the kind of emotion that causes one to run and hide, but it is a profound sense of respect.

When we think of God, we should remember how merciful he has been to us. We should contemplate his goodness and grace. We should remember that He did not have to forgive us, but would have been completely justified to cast us into a burning hell forever, had it not been for Christ. When we remember these things we should fear and “depart from evil.”

But why should we depart from evil? Is it because of a fear that He will destroy us? No, for we are forgiven, if we have been covered in the righteousness of Jesus. We should have a profound respect for what God has done for us, not to us, and that fear should cause us to depart from evil.

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