Tag Archives: Faithfulness

November 5, 2013

Doing Our Duty

By Daniel M. Klem

Proverbs 27:18

18 Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.

Lazy or Hardworking?

Perhaps you have heard the fable of “The Grasshopper and the Ant”.

The ant works hard all summer getting food ready for the winter. The grasshopper merely enjoys his lazy summer days lying around making fun of the ant for working so hard. When winter comes, the grasshopper has no food, so he goes to the ant. Depending the version of the story you find, the ant tells the grasshopper “If I give you food to eat that you did not earn, I will not have enough to get through the winter. You cannot have any of my food.”

If we have a garden and do not tend it, there will be very little food to eat at harvest. If we tend our garden and work hard at protecting and nurturing it, we will have an abundance of food at harvest.

Serving our Master

Likewise, if we work hard at what we are tasked to do (at work, at play, in anything that requires doing something that may be hard), we will be honored – respected, and rewarded.

This can be seen through promotions or bonuses at work, new friendships, getting awards, or another other number of good things.

Also, if we serve our Lord and Savior faithfully by sharing the gospel and helping those in need, we will one day get to hear Jesus say to us in persons “Well done, my good and faithful servant!”

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Colossians 3:23-34, NIV

Dear Lord, give us the strength and integrity to do what we must and to do it well. Empower us to share Your love and healing with our world that we may One Day hear You say “Well done!”

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September 30, 2013

A Fool’s Errand

By Chris Jordan

Proverbs 26:6.

“He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage.” (KJV).

Teaching about Fools:

For the past several days on Proverbial Thought, we have been reflecting on Solomon’s wisdom concerning fools:

Click on the links to review, or read them for the first time if you haven’t done so yet! Anyway, Solomon continues his teaching on fools here when he says: “Trusting a fool to convey a message is as foolish as cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison!” (NLT).

Don’t Trust a Fool:

The Bible gives us this sage advice: Don’t trust a fool! I think it’s interesting that we have a figure of speech in the English language called a ‘fool’s errand.’ This simply means a fruitless undertaking, something that is completely absurd, useless or hopeless. In other words, to ask a fool to do something for you is, well, foolish. It’s a stupid as cutting off your own feet – you’re only hurting yourself. When the foolish person doesn’t do what you asked them to do, you will have to either waste time now having to find someone else to do it for you, or you may even end up having to do it yourself.

Trust a Wise or Faithful Person:

If it is foolish to trust a fool to do a job for you, then the flip-side is also true: You are smart if you choose someone who is wise, faithful or trustworthy to do something for you. Jesus Himself said, “Who is a faithful, sensible servant, to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his household and feeding his family?” (Matthew 24:45, NLT).

Let us be Faithful:

Now some of you may never find yourself in a leadership position, having to hire or choose someone to get a job done. But as Christians, all of us are called to serve the Lord and serve His church. So let us be found faithful even with the smallest tasks the Lord asks of us, and He will reward us. If you have a job to do, do it heartily as unto the Lord, and do it with a spirit of excellence! As we do this, God will be glorified. Amen!

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September 16, 2013

Unnecessary Pain

By Daniel M. Klem

Proverbs 25:19

19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.

Hiking the Trails

I enjoy going on hiking and camping trips. I find them relaxing and refreshing.

Those long walks and getting away from it can be a relief to a weary mind and soul. Making simple meals over a fire (or out of a bag) is such a joy.

However, if I were to slip and twist my ankle, my hike would be more of a bother than a time of relaxation.

If I in my slip I fell and broke my tooth, my meals would be a time of anxiety rather than of joy.

A “friend”

On one trip into the wilderness with a college group, we had been out hiking and camping for three days. We had a great time.

On the hike out, a couple of the hikers grew quite tired and had run out water. One of our friends, who had decided at the last minute to join our group, did not even slow down to help. When all but those two were at the meeting point for almost half an hour, we got worried. The one mentioned seeing them, and then he started walking on ahead toward the exit.

He did not help us locate our friends, and he did not seem interested in helping in any other way, either. All he managed was to cause unnecessary pain through more grief and tension!

The Golden Rule

Followers of Jesus are expected to help others, for we may in fact be helping Him increase His Kingdom (Matthew 25:31-46).

What kind of friend are you?

If you see someone in need do you find out if you can help, or do you carry on your way with little thought about the matter?

Do bring relief or cause more pain?

9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:9-12, NIV

Lord, help us to love as You love. Fill us with Your compassion and grace, that we may not cause unnecessary pain on others in their time of need. Help us to be Your faithful servants to this lost and hurting world.

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September 10, 2013

Refreshed

By Daniel M. Klem

Proverbs 25:13

13 As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.

Working Up a Sweat

I was born in upstate New York, so I know some things about snow.

I was raised in central Illinois, so I know some things about harvest time.

I currently live in Phoenix, Arizona, so I know some things about wanting some of that snow again!

I have worked in corn and soybean fields in the middle of summer.  I have also done many different things outside during the summer in Phoenix. They can be very hot and demanding on the body. It is the kind of thing where you long for a just a moment of snowfall to get relief from the heat and exhaustion.

It is kind of like getting a hold of some ice-cold water in the middle of those days, but it cools the entire body.

Refreshing the Soul

Whether a sinner far from God or the godliest saint alive, we all go through times when life just seems too much.

It feels like it has been forever since we have found encouragement, spent time with friends, had a fulfilling day at work, or just a day off.

Having that one person who comes along and says just the right thing, hangs out with you, makes your work feel worth it or helps you get through the worst part of your work, or takes a shift for you can feel like that sudden snow at the end of a late, hot summer day.

Likewise, when the weight of this world weighs heavy on your shoulders, that person who shares the gospel or a word of encouragement from God can be just as refreshing.

It is the One who literally took on the weight of the world on His shoulders coming into your heart and lifting it up.

It is so refreshing knowing the Lord of Creation and Lover of your soul is there with you.

Dear Father, grant us peace throughout our days and in our troubles. Help us to rely on You. Help us to carry your refreshing grace to our tired and burdened world.

2 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Faithfulness, hope

August 19, 2013

Parents’ Joy

By Daniel M. Klem

Proverbs 23:24-25

24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.
25 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.

My Testimony

Today, I begin a new chapter in my theological journey at Phoenix Seminary.

My parents are very proud to see me pursuing ministry for God so diligently and wholeheartedly.

My parents raised me to be respectful. I was also taught to be open-minded yet reasonable.

When I first began attending a local church, they were not enthused. They were worried I might be indoctrinated with bigoted ideas and a judgmental attitude.

Instead, I began to believe what I was taught about the Bible and Jesus of Nazareth. That little Church of the Nazarene congregation helped me see the truth of love and grace and the need of a Lord and Savior.

In less than a year of my believing, of my life being changed, of the Holy Spirit moving through to me to act in wisdom and righteousness, my parents believed in the same Savior.

God the Father sent His Son to die, and then He sent my parents’ son to show them His Son.

It was none of my own righteousness and wisdom that won them over. It was seeing the righteousness and wisdom of the Father – Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit – that drew them to glorify His name!

They found true joy and the true reason to rejoice through me, thanks to our Lord!

A responsible and intelligent child can bring much joy to his or her parents. The greatest joy comes from seeing God manifested in the life of their child, and that is only true if God is manifested in their lives, as well!

Heavenly Father, gracious God, help us to seek You diligently. Live in us and through us that our parents and our children may see Your glory and turn to You. Make our joy complete as Your joy is made complete in us through Your Son.

2 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , | posted in Faithfulness, Parenting, Paths of Life, Trust the Lord

May 23, 2013

Inherited Blessings

By Daniel M. Klem

Proverbs 20:7

7 The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.
7 The righteous lead blameless lives; blessed are their children after them. (NIV)

Walking in Integrity?

You may have noticed that there are not many people who walk with integrity in our world.

Many people find an error on their receipt and keep the excess change (although recently a relief pitcher for the baseball team the San Francisco Giants, Jeremy Affelft, discovered a half million dollar mistake in his paycheck, and returned it!), though it could cost someone their job.

Many people cut off others in traffic to save themselves time or drive slower to “keep themselves safer,” when in truth they may be causing accidents and delays.

There are a myriad of ways people do not walk in integrity, from relationships to finances to business even to church.

However, those who walk in integrity are held blameless by their families, friends, and communities. Whether it is financial, moral, or relational, those who walk in integrity leave many blessings for their children.

A Blessing with a Warning

The children of a person of integrity find that they are blessed with some influence.

People are willing to trust them because of who their parents were. Some people find they have enough money to influence others’ responses.

The wise will use this influence to make their world better. The godly will use this influence to make an impact for Christ.

However, as David and Solomon’s children demonstrated, that influence can also be used to burden and curse others.

The choice is ours how we use what our parents have left for us.

If they left us an example of integrity, may we follow that example.

If they left us an example of selfishness, pride, and violence, may we choose to follow the example of Christ and set a new example of integrity for our children.

Wise Lord, help us break the cycle of our families to walk in the integrity of Christ. Help us to live lives that are pleasing to You and blameless in the sight of our eyes, for Your glory.

4 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , | posted in Money and Finances, Parenting, Reward, The Righteous, Value and Worth, Wisdom

November 7, 2012

Mixed Messages

By Daniel M. Klem

Proverbs 13:17

A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health.

Cons and Lies

Have you ever seen the movie “The Princess Bride“?

In the beginning of the movie, a man named Vizzini and his two hired-hands are hired to start war between the lands of Florin and Guilder by kidnapping the Princess Buttercup to kill her and blame Guilder.

There is one problem, the Dread Pirate Roberts finds them before they can finish the plan.

These men were attempting to do something quite wicked: start a war for profit. Instead, the Dread Pirate Roberts defeats Vizzini’s men (who become Roberts’s friends) and kills Vizzini in a game of wits.

These men tried to con two nations, and they ran into big trouble.

Disguises and Love

It turns out the Dread Pirate Roberts is actually Buttercup’s true love. He has essentially “come back from the dead” (twice, actually) to find her.

He helps defeat all of the bad guys and win back his true love with the message that truth and true love always win.

Together they help restore peace and happiness to the land.

The Devil, The Wicked, Jesus, and His Church

Back in the beginning, the Devil came along and started a war. Many people throughout history have fought (whether or not they were aware) on his side, spreading lies and hatred. Then one day God intervened. He came disguised as a Man with the message that truth and love always win, and He defeated His enemy by dying on a cross. He came back to life and will return one day to finish removing all evil.

In the mean time, He has tasked His people, the Church, with spreading the news of truth and love and His return.

He brings healing through His people.

He brings trust through His people.

He brings truth through His people.

We are His messengers in a world full of the Enemy’s messengers. The best way to be His Ambassadors of healing is to regularly study the Bible, seek Him out in prayer and by gathering with others, and actively taking the message of hope and healing to our lost and fallen world. We can encourage each other and lift each other up in prayer and by being there for each other.

Heavenly Father, thank You for setting us free from the Enemy. Strengthen us in our resolve to be Your ambassadors to this world. Increase our faith that we may faithfully spread truth, healing, and love to Your glory.

6 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , | posted in Faithfulness, Warnings, Word of the Lord

September 12, 2012

Liked, or Liked Less

By Daniel M. Klem

Proverbs 11:16

“A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong men retain riches.”

To over-simplify things, there are two kind of people in this world: those whom are liked and those not liked as much. (To be fair, there tends to be a third group: the rest of us, we who seem to get by with little notice from most other people. We have our friends and co-workers, and that is about it.)

Gracious

The first person most people in our world think about when asked to name a person full of grace is Mother Teresa.

Many consider Mother Teresa to be one of the greatest women in history. She confessed hurts, pains, depressions, doubts, and weak faith.

Yet people still loved her … still love her to this day, even though she died in 1997.

Why?

She loved. She showed grace. She was devoted to serving others.

Rich

The first person most people in our world think about when asked to name a person who is rich is someone mentioned a couple of weeks ago: Donald Trump.

Many consider Donald Trump one of the wealthiest and most arrogant men in history. He has built a financial empire, built impressive buildings, hosted his own reality television series, and made a lot of money.

And many people can barely stand the guy.

Why?

He is blunt to a fault. He alienates others for the sake of profit. He is devoted to the bottom line.

Us

As mentioned above, most of us fall somewhere in the middle.

The downside is that we can fall into the trap of chasing something so hard that we alienate others and miss God. We end up with … nothing.

The plus side is that we can be like Mother Teresa. If we pursue God wholeheartedly, if we are desperate for His glory, we, too, can be known as people of grace remembered for our love.

The choice is ours.

The choice is yours.

Great God, give us Your grace. Fill us with Your love. Create in us a passion for Your glory, that we may not finish this race empty-handed and hated.

4 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Faithfulness, Love, Paths of Life, Value and Worth

May 17, 2012

It Takes Passion

By Daniel M. Klem

Proverbs 4:20-22

“My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.”

An intellectual gets great joy from learning and is invigorated by knowledge and good debate.

An avid reader gets great joy from a good book and has his or her spirit lifted by a great story.

A social person gets great joy from social interaction and is sustained by spending time with others.

A private person gets great joy from some quiet time and is refreshed by personal alone time.

God gives these desires … and uses them for His glory.

Nicodemus sought knowledge from the Teacher, and he was born again (see John 3:1-21, for example).

The Bereans found new life by reading the Scriptures foretelling the Messiah (see Acts 17:10-12).

Mary discovered everlasting life by talking with (and listening to) Jesus (see Luke 10:38-42).

Anna beheld her salvation after decades in prayerful solitude (see Luke 2:36-38).

These were all people who listened to the teachings of those who came before and especially of God. They kept God’s word within themselves and studied it fervently.

Do you?

It is not enough to just read books, talk with people, or seclude yourself from society. It is not enough to go to church services and functions or to do good things.

It takes a disciplined heart and a passion for God to truly live a godly life. And the best possibility for a long, healthy life this side of heaven comes from living a godly life (see verse 22).

Dear Lord, give us that passion for Your truth. Help us to cherish Your word and to live out Your commands.

5 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , | posted in desire, Faithfulness, Knowledge, Paths of Life, Wisdom

May 14, 2012

Wisdom Is Life

By Daniel M. Klem

Proverbs 4:13

“Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.”

As I finish my degree in Christian Leadership, I am beginning to focus on working toward eventually getting a Masters in Secondary Education for Math. I have had both memories of hearing others (and thinking myself) while in high school “Why do I need to know this?” as well as heard current classmates working toward teaching degrees and students at the elementary school where I work asking the same question.

Come to think of it, as children (and even adults) we ask more than anything:

Why?

Why do I have to do this? Why do I need this? Why is this important? Why should I care?

Asking these questions is not bad, but we should be willing to learn from the answers.

Why?

Because, those answers just might be “thy life.”

Jesus famously said “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6) so that qualifies Him for authority. We should listen to what He says.

But beyond that …

We want to know as children why, because we want to know how things work. Some of us never grow out of that.

Parents share what they have learned from others and from experience what a child needs to know about how this world works so that they might have a better life, or at the very least that they might be able to live this life.

God the Father wants us to live life.

He sent prophets. He sent His Son. He sent His Church.

God has given us instruction for life, even to the point of coming in person to teach us.

Just as the things we learn as children help prepare us to be adults, the things we learn from God’s word – written, spoken, and lived out – help prepare us for eternity.

As Jesus said:

“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”
John 6:63

“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”
John 14:21

The only way to eternal life is to believe and follow Jesus’ instructions, His commands. Read your Bible, learn His ways, and put them into practice.

Lord Jesus, give us a passion for your words. Give us ears to hear, minds to understand, wisdom to implement, and the strength to live.

3 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Faithfulness, Parenting, Paths of Life, Truth, Wisdom