Tag Archives: Jesus

April 24, 2018

Keep vigilant watch over your heart.

By M. Wiley Wilson

Jesus challenges me to be vigilant. If I don’t pay attention, I will drift. Jesus has given me the way of wisdom. May I pay attention and not reject him.

Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that’s where life starts.” ~King Solomon | Source: Proverbs 4:23

I must watch over my heart. The main thing to pay attention to is my heart. From my heart comes what I think, what I say and what I do. It starts with my heart.

Life starts with my heart. It is easy to believe my heart isn’t important but it is the key. David knew it. Solomon knew it. Jesus focused on it and challenges me to pay attention.

David was known as a man after God’s own heart. May I learn enough to have that said of me. Now that is a real goal to have.

The good news is the Jesus gives me a new heart. I am a new creation in Him. That is amazing to consider. I have been born again.

According to the Bible, the heart is the center not only of spiritual activity, but of all the operations of human life.

The heart is the “home of the personal life,” and hence a man is designated, according to his heart, wise, upright and righteous, pious and good.

The heart is also the seat of the conscience. It is naturally wicked, and hence it can contaminate my whole life and character. Hence the heart must be changed, regenerated, before a man can willingly obey God.

The process of salvation begins in the heart by the believing reception of the testimony of God, while the rejection of that testimony hardens the heart. “Hardness of heart” evidences itself by light views of sin; partial acknowledgment and confession of it; pride and conceit; ingratitude; unconcern about the word and ordinances of God; inattention to divine providences; stifling convictions of conscience; shunning reproof; presumption, and general ignorance of divine things.”

We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things.  Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God. | 1 John 3:19–21 (NASB)

 

3 Comments   |  tags: , , | posted in Wisdom

April 22, 2018

Why We Do This

By Daniel M. Klem

Psalm 49 gives some insight into why we at Proverbial Thought write (this will be a little longer than usual, but mostly scripture!):

Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world: Both low and high, rich and poor, together.

It does not matter our station in life: Our writers are different ages, genders, and nationalitites; and God’s Word is freely shared with all people.

My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding. I will incline mine ear to a parable (proverb): I will open my dark saying upon the harp.

We share God’s wisdom and (hopefully) reveal the truth of sayings and teachings that may be hard to understand or apply.

Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about? They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:) That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption. For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others. Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names. Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish. This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah. Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling. But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah. Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased; For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him. Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself. He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light. Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.
Psalm 49:1‭-‬20, KJV

We teach the Truth.

We as humans are hopelessly lost and foolish, and we have both willfully and accidentally sinned, turned our backs on God and His righteousness. We are utterly unable to get back into a right relationship with Him. Not by wealth, works, or good intentions. No person has been righteous enough to even sacrifice his or her own life to save the soul of another.

But the truth is that He made a way, by coming to us through His Son, Jesus of Nazareth, to perfectly fulfill the Father’s law and will through His truly righteous life, then sacrificed Himself on a cross to bring the forgiveness of sin and save our souls, and rose to life again to guarentee we can be in relationship with Him forever. And He helps us to live for and grow more like His Son through the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit.

And this is why we do this: To share this truth of His love, grace, and glory.

2 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Knowledge, Paths of Life, Word of the Lord

April 17, 2018

Don’t assume that you know it all

By M. Wiley Wilson

I think I am pretty clever some days. I think I can figure it all out.

AND then I run into the wall with something and I realize I am not as clever as I like to think I am. My understanding is not what our LORD wants.

If the victory is to be His, I have to trust Him with all my heart. I have to emotionally connect with what He wants not what I understand.

May I trust him from the bottom of my heart.

May I do it now.

What is God saying?

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to God! (Proverbs 3:5 The Message Bible)

And here is some more. True understand comes from Jesus. The point of understanding is to know Jesus the Messiah. Jesus is the Truth. Jesus leads us to eternal life. Now that is some very good news.

And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus the Messiah. This is the true God and eternal life. | 1 John 5:20 (NASB)

So what does Jesus himself say? The point is to know that God is in Jesus and Jesus is in God. They are one and the same. That is true understanding.

“But if I do them [miracles], though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.” | John 10:38 (NASB)

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April 7, 2018

Wisdom Is Crying

By Anthony Baker

Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: – Proverbs 1:20 

Try to picture the desperate concern of Wisdom. Read the next few verses. Here the pleading in Wisdom’s voice as she cries out: “If you respond to my warning, then I will pour out my spirit on you and teach you my words” (Proverbs 1:23 CSB).

Then read of the sorrow and disappointment as Wisdom bemoans the lack of attention to her offer.

“Since I called out and you refused, extended my hand and no one paid attention, since you neglected all my counsel and did not accept my correction, I, in turn, will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when terror strikes you, when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when trouble and stress overcome you.” – Proverbs 1:24-27 CSB

Then stop and ponder (meditate upon) the dreadful finality of verse 28: “Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me…”

Tragic. Just tragic! Wisdom calls, yet few answer.

But then stop and consider this greater truth: Wisdom has a name, and His name is Jesus.

…Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. – 1 Corinthians 1:24

And Jesus has done his share of crying (both calling out and shedding tears).

“…[He] beheld the city, and wept over it…” (Luke 19:41).

“Jesus wept” (John 11:35).

Please don’t mock the things of God. Please listen to Wisdom. Don’t be like those in verse 28!

Wisdom is crying out in the street right now, tears flowing. Are you listening?

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April 2, 2018

More Than Knowing

By Anthony Baker

To know wisdom and instruction… – Proverbs 1:2a

As I looked at the first few verses of Proverbs chapter 1, I thought to myself, “What have I not seen?”

I looked for something to write about. I looked for something to share.

But in reality, what good is it if I write a post about wisdom, yet never heed it? If I’m going to spend time in God’s word only to write blog posts, what good is that? A devotional on wisdom from a writer who didn’t apply it? Pretty sad.

Verse 2 starts off with “To know wisdom…” In other words, these proverbs are a gift to us…the product of experiences (much of which we should want to avoid). They were written for us to learn, to know…

The problem is that knowing something is different than doing something. Having access to wisdom is not the same as putting that wisdom into practice.

The same can be said about Jesus. It’s one thing to know who He is; it’s another thing to know Him on a personal level. The more we have a personal relationship with the Wisdom of God, the more our choices and actions will reflect it.

So, as I share my thoughts on these proverbs, may they be more than comments on what I see, but a calling to a deeper relationship with Wisdom Himself.

2 Comments   |  tags: , , , | posted in Instruction, Knowledge, Wisdom

April 1, 2018

Here’s a New Thought

By Anthony Baker

On the 1st day of April 2012, a new blog was born. Now, exactly six years later, ProverbialThought.com is being reborn…re-envisioned…rebooted…reinforced.

Welcome to Proverbial Thought (& More)!

More Contributors

Over the years we’ve had contributors come and go. Therefore, as we do a reboot, a new generation of authors will be joining our ranks, offering new and fresh perspectives. As a matter of fact, we are looking forward to having a few more ladies join our ranks this time around.

Just be aware, it will probably take a little time for everyone to get on board…some have yet to be asked.

A More Flexible Format

The last time we went through Proverbs we had a specific format. Every day we looked at a new proverb, one at a time in consecutive order, until we eventually commented on every proverb from chapter 1 to 31.

The last time around our contributors pre-selected what verses we would cover, put our names to them, then submitted a post in the proper order and (usually) at the appropriate time.

This time is going to be different.

This time we are going to cover a chapter a week. This time there will be no schedule. This time there will be no pre–selection of verses. This time we are going to be sharing our thoughts only on the verses that stand out, the ones God selects for us. If two people happen to pick the same proverb/verse, that’s OK – none of us will have the same perspective.

We haven’t worked out all the details at this point, but we hope to at least have a post a day from somebody, even if it’s only me (Anthony).

More Thoughts

All of our previous “proverbial thoughts” had a goal of around 500 words, give or take. Each post was to be like a mini-commentary with personal observation and application. The idea was to explain the proverb then give examples from our personal experiences how the wisdom of each proverb played out.

This time around we are simply going to share what the Holy Spirit is showing us, whether it be about ourselves, each other, our communities, or life in general.

And then we will ask for your thoughts.

More Than Practical

The book of Proverbs is a book of practical wisdom, but it’s more than that; it’s inspired Scripture. In 1 Corinthians 1:24 we read that Jesus Christ is “the wisdom of God.” In Luke 24 we read where Jesus expounded the Scripture, “beginning at Moses and all the prophets,” and explained to the disciples how He was the subject of it all.

In Proverbs, Jesus is Wisdom personified.

As we start afresh in our relationship with Proverbs, it is our prayer that this blog will do more than offer practical advice for life. This time around we hope you get to know the Author of Life and the Wisdom that makes life worth living.

And speaking of living, happy Resurrection Day! He is RISEN!

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November 16, 2017

Are You God?

By Anthony Baker

Proverbs 30:4

“Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell?”

Did You?

I have met some pretty remarkable people during my life. I have met writers, inventors, musicians, engineers, heroes of all kinds, and ordinary people who have done miraculous things. One time I even threw a several-hundred-pound friend through the air when his life was in danger (that’s a humorous story involving a snake). Therefore, I have known and even been part of an elite group of people who have done superhuman things.

However, I have never ascended into heaven (without an airplane), or gone much further than a few hundred feet into the earth. Have you? My hands are pretty quick and can snatch a fly in mid-air, but they’ve never been able to scrunch up the wind like a snowball. Have yours?

Once I made a superhero cape from a bed sheet. Before we got married, I helped my wife sew her bridesmaid dresses. When in Romania I met ladies who would un-thread old sweaters, then take the yarn and re-knit a new one. But darn it, I have never been able to stitch water. Have you?

I have met some pretty rich people in my day, although I have never been rich, myself. As a matter of fact, I have never even owned property. On the other hand, I have met people who decided where property lines should be drawn. You may have even been one of the military heroes who’s exploits determined the boundaries of nations. But, we all walk on a planet that was here long before us. I didn’t put it here. I didn’t create north, south, east, or west. Did you?

You’re Not

I have met some strange people during my life. Some of the strangest have been ones who have attempted to leave comments on my blogs. One individual even claimed to be Jesus Christ, the Son of the God (except he also claimed to be the son of the Egyptian god, Ra, too). Yet, he lived in America, had never been crucified, and believed there were more ways to the Father than just through him (the opposite of John 14:6). He was a blooming idiot! Just saying.

But the pseudo-Jesus, the son of Ra, is not the only idiot. There are a lot of people who live their lives like they’re convinced they are God. There are a lot of people who think their loved ones, their possessions, or their careers are gods; but they’re not.

And unless you created the earth; unless you can ball up the wind in your hands; unless you can travel at will back and forth to the farthest heaven in a garment made of stitched water, you’re not God, either.

“And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son (Jesus), that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” – John 3:13-16 KJV

Do you know Him?

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October 2, 2017

A Long, Consistent Reign

By Anthony Baker

Proverbs 29:14

“The king that faithfully judgeth the poor, his throne shall be established for ever.”

The Base

One thing that strikes me about this proverb is the dependency of the king’s throne on the welfare of the poor people. Nothing about the rich or the famous is said in this verse. Nothing is said about politicians, big donors, entertainers, generals, media moguls, advocacy groups, or businesses, either. For that matter, nothing is even said about other members of the royal family, just the poor.

The poor, in this case, could be considered the king’s base, i.e., his grass-roots supporters. They are the bulk of his kingdom. They are the ones that, if they ceased to exist, would leave the king without a kingdom to rule. He would be wise to treat them justly.

Consistency

Another thing that catches my attention is the importance of “faithfully” judging the poor. The king will always be needed to rule on matters of state. He will also have to deal with controversy on a daily basis, making judgments that will affect everyone in his kingdom in some way or another. But one of the keys to establishing a long-lasting throne is the king’s ability to be consistent.

I have heard it said of leaders many times; I have even said this very thing myself of leaders ranging from pastors to presidents: “I may not agree with him on everything, but at least I know what he believes.” There are leaders with whom I have some differences,  but it is a lot easier to work with them than with others who are inconsistent, changing their beliefs with every shift of the wind.

Established

Throne Charles III of Spain

Throne Charles III of Spain (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Do you want to have an established kingdom? You may not be a king in the literal sense, but are you “king” of your home? Your office? Your club? Do you have those over which you rule, make a judgment, or have to enact policy which will affect their lives? The key to a long-lasting, well-loved, “established” position is the consistent, non-partial, and just use of one’s authority.

Don’t be persuaded to act in the self-interests of a select few who would hold the purse strings. Where the king fails in his duty, the Righteous King will one day avenge.

“And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.” – Isaiah 11:3-4 KJV

Even so, come Lord Jesus!

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September 6, 2017

Trapped or Rejoicing?

By Chris Jordan

Proverbs 29:6.

“In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare: but the righteous doth sing and rejoice.” (KJV).
“Evil people are trapped by sin, but the righteous escape, shouting for joy.” (NLT). 

Of Monkeys and Bananas:

When I was a youth pastor in Surrey, BC, I hosted True Love Waits teenage abstinence seminars for young people. Over the course of several years (from 1999-2004), we saw around 900 teenagers and young adults make pledges to remain sexually abstinent until marriage. In one such event, we invited Dave Koop, the lead pastor of Coastal Church in Vancouver, to speak at the opening session of the weekend event. To this day, I’ve never forgotten this powerful story.

In Africa, they have an interesting method of capturing monkeys in their jungles. They will take a container with a narrow opening in it, and place a banana (or some other sort of sweet-smelling fruit or nuts), and place it in the bottom of the container. Then the hunters hide in the bushes and wait for the monkeys. When the monkey comes to check out the container, he reaches in his little monkey hands and grasps the banana. However, when he goes to take out his hand, which is now closed in a fist around the fruit, he can no longer get it out of the container. Out jump the hunters and club the monkey to death.

The sad part of the story is that at any time, the monkey could drop the banana and take its hand out of the container, but it won’t. And the result is it is trapped. And then it dies.This is Solomon’s Proverb in action: “Evil people are trapped by sin.” Sin is a trap that is very difficult to get out of – on our own.

The Joy of Freedom:

Thank God though for the second part of that verse: “but the righteous escape, shouting for joy!” Even though sin is a trap that is difficult for us to escape, the Bible teaches us that Jesus came to save His people from their sins. In the very first sermon Jesus ever preached, He quoted the prophet Isaiah and said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives.” (Luke 4:18). Jesus wants to set us free – not only from the guilt and penalty of sin, but also from the power of sin.

My favourite Christian author, the 19th century Charles Spurgeon, the Prince of Preachers, told this story that illustrates today’s Proverb well: I remember my old friend, Dr. Alexander Fletcher say to the children that when men came out of prison, they praised him who had set them free. He said that he was going down the Old Bailey one day and he saw a boy standing on his head, turning cartwheels, dancing and jumping about in all manner of ways, and he said to the boy, “What are you doing? You seem to be tremendously happy.” And the boy replied, “Ah, old gentleman, if you had been locked up six months and had just got out, you would be happy, too!”

If you are a Christian, then Jesus has set you free from the trap of sin. Our response? Rejoice!

cartwheel

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August 22, 2017

Stop Hiding!

By Chris Jordan
Proverbs 28:28.
“When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase.” (KJV). 

When the Wicked Rise:

Our nation of Canada – much like our neighbour to the south, the United States – has a righteous heritage. Canada was founded on the principles of the Word of God. It started out as a Christian nation, but we fallen so far from that glorious foundation.

You have heard it said, “The philosophy of the schoolroom in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.” What does that mean? Ever since God, the Bible, and prayer were removed from our schools, our nation has been plummeting into darkness. Rape, murder, child abuse, abortion, homosexuality, pornography, divorce, drug use, teen pregnancy and ever-increasing violent crimes are the results of removing the light of God’s Word from our schools and government. All because our nation as a whole has turned its back on God.

Today’s proverb tells us that when the wicked rise – in positions of power and authority – men hide themselves. Because of the wickedness that abounds in our nation, many good people have gone into hiding, afraid to stand up for what is right for fear of persecution. However, it’s time to take a stand for what is right, no matter how unpopular the truth of God’s Word becomes!

When the Wicked Perish:

Our proverb also says that when the wicked perish – or lose their positions of power and authority – then the righteous will increase. In numbers and in influence. Therefore, it behooves us to pray for our leaders! First Timothy 2:1-2 tells us, “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.” If we want to see righteousness exalted in our nation, it starts with prayer.

In the Canadian national anthem, we pray for Almighty God to keep our country glorious and free, and declare that we will stand on guard for Canada. Whatever nation you live in – whether it is Canada, the United States, somewhere in Great Britain, or another country – it is time to stand on guard for our nations. Let’s rise up and declare that we want God in our countries again!

Let us Pray:

God has given us a promise: “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14). If we want to see God hear from Heaven, and forgive our sins, and heal our land, then we must humble ourselves, and pray, as students once did in public schools, “Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers and our Country.”

Revive us, Lord! Amen.

Canada flag

 

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