BECOMING FRUITIER

 AUGUST 1, 2022

Galatians 5:22-23

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things.

Don’t you love when summer fruits are in season? You wait and wait until your favorite ones are available. I find it is worth waiting for summertime produce to arrive. Nothing tastes better than a fruit salad prepared with fresh, local, seasonal fruit.

I was thinking the other day that just like our favorite fruits take time to develop before we can enjoy them, it takes time for the fruit of God’s Spirit to grow in us. It does not happen quickly, in a moment or with the snap of our fingers. I have discovered, that these nine fruits mentioned above do not tend to develop at the same rate. Our creator knows us, and God knows that some of His attributes, the fruits of the Spirit, take longer to produce in some of His followers, than they do in others. Our spiritual journey isn't a competition, it is a step by step growth patiently letting God produce his fruit in our lives.

You become “fruitier” (is that a word?) by abiding in the Vine, and through the work of God’s Spirit within you. In time, all nine fruits—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—will appear. Remember the song we used to sing “in His Time …. He makes all things beautiful, In His Time”?

Jesus said, “I am the sprouting vine and you’re the branches. As you live in union with me as your source, fruitfulness will stream from within you-but when you live separated from me you are powerless” (John 15:5 The Passion Translation). Abide in Him and His fruitfulness will flow through you.

TAKE AWAY

Take a few minutes to slowly recite the fruits of the Spirit and ask God to show you the fruits in which you may need to grow and mature.

 

BENEFITS and BLESSINGS

 JULY 29, 2022

Proverbs 31:10-31

A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

The book of Proverbs is summarized in a poem praising a woman who is the wise manager of diverse enterprises ranging from weaving to wine making to trade in the market. In my view this poem provides us with a description of the benefits and blessings bestowed on a home when we decide to be committed to pursue Wisdom. Perhaps you recall, way back in Chapter 1 of Proverbs we noted that pursuing wisdom will result in being drawn closer to God, and discovering ways of living life well.

The uniting theme of the Book of Proverbs is the benefits of seeking to be wise, to learn how to be skillful in life. I realize that this Proverbs 31 poem has quite an interpretive history among Christian communities. I would imagine, most of you have read of heard this passage being used by some men as a checklist of what they should be looking for in a wife, and by some women as a description of all the things that are expected of them if they want to play the part of a “good wife.” I wonder if there isn’t something more here, I mean the description of this woman seems to create an overwhelming burden for both females and males. I mean who can live up to this character that is described? Who can find such a women?

Yet, in Proverbs the pursuit of wisdom, is liberating, freeing, gives clear guidance and direction. It is not a checklist of qualities or actions, but rather a description of a life that is lived in close relationship with God. I wonder if this closing poem, is a parable of sorts that is meant to drive home the outcome seeking God’s wisdom.

To conclude our quick look at Proverbs, lets look at the benefits and blessings of pursuing “Lady Wisdom” as Proverbs 31:10-31 outlines.

Wisdom Helps You Work Hard (vv. 13-15) Wisdom reminds us that hard work has value. The Wise Person Takes Joy in Work (v. 13), “She works with her hands in delight.” The Wise Person Does What Is Needed (vv. 14-15) Does what needs to be done!

Wisdom Helps You Work Smart (vv. 16-19) Wisdom doesn’t just show us the value of hard work, it helps us find ways to work smarter. Notice, the Wise Person Plans the Work (v. 16) “She considers a field and buys it…she plants a vineyard.” Wisdom helps us to plan our work in such a way that will be most beneficial.

The Wise Person Prepares Themself (v. 17) Sometimes work is hard. Work is harder when we ourselves are not prepared to do it. The woman in the passage “girds herself with strength” and “makes her arm strong.” This means that she makes sure she is ready to do the work.

The Wise Person Perseveres (v. 18) Work is harder when it doesn’t go as we had planned. Wisdom helps us persevere when we feel like giving up. The woman in verse 18 doesn’t give up even when work takes longer than expected. In the ancient world, light at night was a luxury. To light a candle or lamp was often an extravagance. Most people worked only during the day. When it got dark outside, most people just went to bed. So, for her to light a lamp and keep working shows both that her work took longer than she was expecting and that she perseveres and sacrifices in order to get the job done.

Wisdom Helps You Bless Others (vv. 20-27). The Wise Person Has Compassion (v. 20) The wise person sees the abundance that they possess as a tool for blessing others. Verse 20 says, “she extends her hand to the poor, and she stretched out her hands to the needy.” Wisdom encourages us to be compassionate, to bless other people

Finally, The Wise Person Has Counsel (vv. 25-27) Wisdom will help us bless others with our counsel. Verse 26 says, “She opens her mouth in wisdom and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.” The wise person will be able to guide others down the right path. Notice, though, this aspect of wisdom comes last. The wise person first works and blesses before they open their mouth.

All of this is the outcome of "a woman who fears the Lord." She is an example for all of us to pursue!! 

THE WISE ALTERNATIVE

 JULY  28, 2022

Proverbs 30:1-9

30 The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh—an inspired utterance.

This man’s utterance to Ithiel:

“I am weary, God,
but I can prevail.
2 Surely I am only a brute, not a man;
I do not have human understanding.
3 I have not learned wisdom,
nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One.
4 Who has gone up to heaven and come down?
Whose hands have gathered up the wind?
Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is his name, and what is the name of his son?
Surely you know!

5 “Every word of God is flawless;
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6 Do not add to his words,
or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.

7 “Two things I ask of you, Lord;
do not refuse me before I die:
8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.
9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God.


We live in a society racked with anxiety and depression. People feel overwhelmed and unfulfilled. Our whole world is crying out that the paths they have chosen are dead ends. We need to learn to be like Jesus and help people look beyond themselves and see how to get back on a path that leads to life. Proverbs 30:1-9 tells the tale of one man’s journey out of the dead end he found himself in. It shows us how we can learn to look beyond ourselves and find true fulfillment in life by looking to God.

Out the 9 verses above we are instructed that if we will find satisfaction in life, “abundant life”, the sense of fulfillment there are some truths to guide us.

Note that these words come from someone named Agur. Not much is known about him except what is written here. He was the son of a man named Jakeh, whom we also know nothing about. Some scholars believe from internal word usage in Proverbs refer to the author as Agur, “the Massaite.” Massaites where a tribe of non-Israelites who lived on the Arabian Peninsula. They are mentioned in Genesis 25:14 and 1 Chronicles 1:30 as children of Ishmael.

The opening verses are a confession that says, “I have wearied myself, O God, I have wearied myself, O God, and come to an end.” Agur, expresses that he is exhausted, worn out by life, at the end of his rope. I believe most of us know that place. Agur, acknowledges that he doesn’t have any more answers, doesn’t have what it takes, doesn’t know what to do next, or where to go.

I have found, maybe you have as well, that when we come to the end of ourselves, the world gives us a lot of bad advice. Many times we are told not to be discouraged but to believe in ourselves. We are encouraged to motivate ourselves and keep going by the sweat of our brow. We use terms like “step up” and “grind it out” to refer to how we try to keep going when we are worn out. Yet, and I think Agur would agree with this, trying harder and looking to ourselves leads to more exhaustion and further guilt, anxiety, and discouragement.

So, what is the alternative?

Proverbs 30 tells us that the alternative is to look beyond ourselves and cast our gaze upon God. That is what Agur does, and he notes some good reasons why this is the wise decision. Why God is the one to look to.

First, God Connects – “who has ascended…descended.” – God is not disconnected from his creation. He is involved and invested. He calls us into relationship. You don’t have to ascend to heaven to find God. He connects with us. PRESENCE.

Second, God Controls – “who has gathered…wrapped…” – God is not just connected to the world, He is in control of it. When you feel overwhelmed by life, realize that God isn’t overwhelmed!

Third, God Creates – The reason God is in control is because He created the world. It is His. He made it. He loves it. He is at work in it.

Often when we look beyond ourselves, we are tempted to rely on others who are more powerful than us. Having good friends and examples are essential but looking to them for fulfillment will end up producing the same emptiness and defeat as when we looked to ourselves. The best examples, friends, family, and role models are people who point us not to themselves but to God and his word. Like Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “Imitate me, even as I imitate Christ.”

Do you relate to Agur’s worn out life? Where are you looking?

Psalm 121

I look up at the vast size of the mountains—
from where will my help come in times of trouble?
2 The Eternal Creator of heaven and earth and these mountains
will send the help I need.

3 He holds you firmly in place;
He will not let you fall.
He who keeps you will never take His eyes off you and never drift off to sleep.
4 What a relief! The One who watches over Israel
never leaves for rest or sleep.

5 The Eternal keeps you safe,
so close to Him that His shadow is a cooling shade to you.
6 Neither bright light of sun
nor dim light of moon will harm you.

7 The Eternal will keep you safe
from all of life’s evils,
8 From your first breath to the last breath you breathe,
from this day and forever.

THE GIFT OF BOUNDARIES

 JULY 27, 2022

Proverbs 25:17

17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house—
too much of you, and they will hate you.

Proverbs 27:14

14 If anyone loudly blesses their neighbor early in the morning,
it will be taken as a curse.


One common attribute that many people associate with true friendship is familiarity. We imagine friends as people who know the rhythms of other people’s lives and are comfortable being themselves around each other. Sincerity and honesty are keys to friendship. Feeling like you need to pretend around someone is never a recipe for growing a friendship. On the other hand, there is a form of familiarity that is actually a kind of disrespect. True friends understand what the other person needs to be healthy and gives them room when they need it.



Look at what Proverbs 25:17 says, “Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house—too much of you, and they will hate you. This is about having healthy boundaries. We sometimes use words like “extrovert” and “introvert” to discuss the ways which we all have differing degrees of need when it comes to social interaction. This proverb reminds us that a friend focuses on giving what the other person needs rather than seeking what they themselves want.

Our second verse today, Proverbs 27:14 says, "If anyone loudly blesses their neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse." This is another proverb about the respect friends give each other. Even a blessing can become a curse when it is offered at the wrong time. This proverb mentions waking a person early, but it could also mean interrupting his work or other ways in which we intrude on people. It might be a good thing we are intruding with, but ultimately it will be seen as an intrusion and not a blessing. A true friend knows when he can connect with a friend and when he needs to give that individual some space.

I believe what these proverbs leave us with is that a Friend is Conscientious and desires more than any thing what is best for the other person. This is more important than their own wants. That takes a wise and skillful person to grow to that life perspective in relationships.

REVIEW 

BIBLICAL FRIENDSHIP in PROVERBS

A Friend Changes You

A Friend Cares

A Friend Cuts Slack

A Friend Counsels, Corrects, and Confronts

A Friend is Conscientious

 

CUT ME SOME SLACK, EH!

 JULY 26, 2022

Proverbs 17:9

9 Whoever would foster love covers over an offense,
but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.


Yesterday we looked at the characteristic of a friend not being shy about confronting us through uncomfortable conversations. Today, I just wanted to add to that teaching from Proverbs 17:9 above.

Our text above basically says A Friend Cuts Slack. Sometimes we can take confrontation too far. Am I right? Sometimes we use the closeness with someone as a justification to vent our own frustration and we can criticize another mercilessly. Sometimes what we have to learn is to stop confronting someone about every last little thing they do. I had a University Professor who would often remind us to be aware and “choose our battles carefully.” Friends cut each other slack.

Proverbs 17:9 says, “Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.” This proverb doesn’t mean that friends help friends cover up crimes, nor does it mean that we should overlook repeated destructive behavior. This proverb is a reminder to give people room to grow. When we mess up, we don’t need someone else complaining about us to other people, or airing our so called “dirty laundry” to other people. This proverb encourages us to pursue reconciliation and love even in the midst of conflict. A friend can overlook an offense. A friend can confront you without talking bad about you to others. A friend seeks love.

Let’s foster love, above all.

TRUSTING A FRIEND'S HEART

 JULY 25, 2022

Proverbs 27:9

Perfume and incense
bring joy to the heart,
and the pleasantness of a friend
springs from their heartfelt advice.

Proverbs 27:17

As iron sharpens iron,
so one person sharpens another.

Proverbs 27:6

Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
but an enemy multiplies kisses.

So far on the theme of Biblical Friendship Proverbs has taught us that Friends Change Us, so exercise care in who the people are that get close to us. Doesn’t mean shunning people, it just means that those who are influencing us, those inner circle friends, should be people who will help us grow and develop into women and men who live life “skillfully” and wisely. We also saw that these kind of influencers, are not just “good time” friends, but friends who stick with us through all seasons of life, no matter what. As Proverbs said it, this kind of pal who is a Friend who Cares.

Today we look at a third characteristic that Proverbs highlights it is that A Friend Counsels, Corrects, and Confronts.

You see a friend cares more than just having a good time with you. They genuinely care about you. One aspect of caring about someone is wanting them to be the best version of themselves, or more accurately, the fullest expression of whom God created them to be. If you have a friend(s) like that then you have likely experienced that that person is not shy about offering counsel, nor are they shy about confronting you with some correction. Now, saying that I acknowledge that such experiences can be painful. However, being a true friend means caring enough that one is willing to enter into uncomfortable conversations when it is necessary.

These are some proverbs that can help us do that.

Proverbs 27:9 says, "Perfume and incense

bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice." Life is confusing sometimes. Having people who can help you navigate the chaos is essential. God puts people in our lives to help us choose wisely in tough circumstances. Sometimes we want someone else to choose for us. Sometimes we want someone to confirm us in our choices. A friend’s counsel is neither of these things. Counsel is advice, guidance, and perspective. It is information to help you choose well. But the choice is still ours. Learning to listen to counsel then choose wisely is a key aspect of true friendship.

Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron,

so one person sharpens another." This proverb explains not just THAT friendship transforms us, but HOW it does so. Iron sharpens iron by friction. When it happens, sometimes sparks fly. This shows us that friendship isn’t primarily for our comfort. It is for our blessing. We all have “rough edges” that need to be sanded down. God uses friends to do some of the sanding. Like the correction of a father, the correction of a friend is designed not to humiliate or condemn but to sharpen.

Proverbs 27:6 says, Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. ("but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.”) Being confronted or experiencing conflict can be hard. No one likes being told hard truth. This proverb reminds us to trust a friend’s heart even when their words may not be what we want to hear. The wounds of a friend are like the cuts of a surgeon, done to heal not to harm.

If you have a friend like that, you are blessed and loved. Of course, the other side of this, is to ask ourselves are we that kind of friend? The kind that “sharpens” our friend(s) toward healing and skillfully living with wisdom.

THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND

 JULY 20, 2022

Proverbs 17:17

“A friend loves at all times, a brother is born for adversity.”

Proverbs 18:24 

“One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

What is a healthy number of friends?
Quality counts more than quantity. While it may be good to cultivate a diverse network of friends and acquaintances, you may feel a greater sense of belonging and well-being by nurturing close, meaningful relationships that will support you through thick and thin.

Yesterday, we heard from Proverbs that we need to be careful who gets into our inner circle. Will they be people that build us up and strengthen us, and change us positively. Today lets look at another aspect of friendship that Proverbs points out.

The teaching is that A Friend Cares.

In Proverbs 18:24 says, “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Many of the friendly acquaintances we develop are relationships of convenience, people we share proximity with. You work or live near them, or share some hobby that puts you routinely together. But the moment you move, or a schedule changes and you are no longer routinely put in contact with them, the friendship fizzles. Such acquaintances are enjoyable and important. They can even be the soil from which true friendship emerges, but true friendship is revealed in the midst of hardship. True friends intentionally choose to stay close when it would be more convenient to go with the way the world is pulling you. In other words, as I have seen on a wall hanging, “a true Friend walks in, when others walk out.”

Then we have Proverbs 17:17 that says, “A friend loves at all times, a brother is born for adversity.” A sure sign of a true friend is someone who will stick with you in hard times. Life gets messy at times. Most of us have enough chaos and confusion in our own lives without adding someone else’s to it. Here is what Proverbs 17 is challenging us with. A true friend cares enough to walk in and be present and indeed take on the inconveniences of life and the adversity we all experience. Sometimes it is the very adversity we encounter that can transform an acquaintance into a true friend. Going with a person through hardship has the capacity to transform a relationship.

We all have had the so called “fair weather” friends. Proverbs is speaking here about the friends that stick with us in good times and in the difficult times. If you have been blessed with that kind of friend maybe today reach out to them and thank them for their friendship and for being a friend that loves at all times.

 

THAT'S MY BESTIE

 JULY 19, 2022

Proverbs 17:17

17 A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for a time of adversity.



Friends is one of those words that has lost much of its meaning. We have hundreds of “friends” on social media, but many of them are people we hardly see and barely know. Even before Facebook, the term “friend” had come to mean just about anybody we are acquainted with.

The Bible uses the term “friend” to mean something deeper, something similar to what we might refer to as “best friends” or besties. Such friendships are both needed and extraordinary. 

It would be easy to blame technology, or more recently a Pandemic, for the ways in which our lives have become distanced and isolated from each other. But the truth is that developing friendship has always been complicated. It requires being intentional and wise. That is why the Book of Proverbs is full of wisdom about what friendship is for and how to pursue meaningful friendships. Being skillful in life means developing wisdom in the area of friendship.


Over the next few days we are going to look at the teaching in Proverbs about friendship. We will jump around a bit in this book of Wisdom, as the verses on this theme are scattered through the book, but when they are pieced together, I believe we will notice that the verses form a powerful picture of Biblical friendship.


First notice that Proverbs cautions that A Friend Changes You (Proverbs 22:24-25 and 13:20) It is tempting to start a study of friendship with all the beautiful proverbs about friends, we will get to those, but the truth is Proverbs makes a point to tell us to be careful who we let into our lives. Friendship changes a person. Be careful about the people you allow into the deepest part of your life is the advice that we read in Proverbs.

A Couple examples for us would be helpful;

Proverbs 22:24-25 says, “24 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, 25 or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared.” This isn’t a call to detach from certain people. It is a reminder that the people we let into our lives transform us. It is our desire, I would say, for good to transform bad, but the truth is that more often than not it goes the other way. The Apostle Paul expressed it in 1 Corinthians 15:33 this way, “Do not be deceived: Bad company corrupts good morals.”

Then, Proverbs 13:20 says, 20 Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm. The Bible call us to love all people, everyone. But the people we allow deep into our lives should be people who will transform us, and make us better. We become like those with whom we spend the most time. A friend, like the Bible describes inspires you to live up to your best potential. So, let that kind of friend into your life and let them be the Friend that Changes you for the best.

 

CORRECTION

 JULY 18, 2022

Proverbs 3:1-12

3 My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you peace and prosperity.

3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.

9 Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.

11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline,
and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in.


Last week we looked at Proverbs 3 and the teaching and encouragement that skillful living, wise living, calls us to trust God. We were challenged to Trust God’s Devotion v3-4, Trust God’s Plan v5-6, Trust God’s Commands v7-8, and the week ended with the invitation and challenge to Trust God’s Provision v9-10.


Today, we start the week with the last area in Proverbs 3 that we are asked to trust God. The last area is when God disciplines us. Why bad things happen is a question that all of us ask at one time or another. The Bible gives several answers. One of them is that sometimes hard times come upon us as a means of helping us see the errors, or mistakes of our ways and as a result these circumstances place before us the encouragement to return to God. Errors, or mistakes can and do lead us away from the path God has for us, the path of life and blessing.


Back a while ago we looked at the passage in Haggai 2:17-19, God tells his people, "I destroyed you and everything you did with a strong-wind, disease, and hail. Yet you did not return to Me,’ says the Lord. ,’ Yet from this day on I will bless you.’” This shows us that sometimes hard times are used by God to get our attention, but the goal is never to condemn or crush but only to encourage us to return to Him and to the path of life.


The correction of God is a sign of His love. He loves us so much that He will not let us remain tangled in the web of sin and poor choices. God desires us to have the joy that comes from living the way He intended.

Many people get caught up in the idea of God using hard times to correct us. Sometimes it’s hard to think of God loving us and still allowing or even causing hard times to hit us. When those times occur, we have a hard time thinking they are caused by a loving God. Perhaps we feel like those times are proof that God no longer loves us. When faced with that possibility, many people either run away from God or try hard to prove themselves and earn God’s favor. Neither path is positive or necessary. 

The right answer is to realize your identity and how God sees you. It is revealed in the last phrase of verse 12: 

“As the father corrects the son in whom he delights.” The son has acted in a way that requires correction, but the father still delights in the son. It is because the father delights in the son that he corrects him, so that the son can experience the blessing that has been prepared for him.

Why does the sinful son still delight his father? Because the son belongs to his father. Even when God corrects us, He is delighting in us. We haven’t lost His love. His correction is proof of His love. We don’t have to earn it. It is ours because God is devoted to us, which brings us back to the first point we looked at in Proverbs 3 last week: trust God’s devotion.

“I rise at midnight to thank you
for your righteous judgments.”

Psalm 119:62

PUTTING GOD TO THE TEST?

 JULY 15, 2022

We noted on Monday that the Hebrew word for wisdom is best translated as “skill”. It was used to describe the ability of the craftsmen who worked on the tabernacle in Exodus 31:6.

31 Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— 4 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 5 to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts. 6 Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded you.”

The desire to be wise, is the desire to be skillful in the matters of life. Proverbs purports to be offering sound practical teaching to sharpen our skill.

Today, we will look at these words from Proverbs 3:9-10 that say:

9 Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.

AH, Money and wealth! Most of us don’t like to reflect on this theme, I will let you in a on little confession Pastors don’t like to write, preach or teach on it. Every time I do deal with the issue of wealth or money I take a risk, that I am going to be challenged by how skillfully I use my financial resources. Financial faithfulness has been a continue struggle in my life.

I am not alone. One of the leading struggles people have, is with money. No matter how much one has, we all still want a little more. We may not like to admit it but money is probably the thing that we trust in the most. We know we need it. We misunderstand it. We imagine that our problems would be solved if only we had more money.

This proverb encourages us to remember that God is the source of our provision. It tells us to give a portion of what we receive back to God in gratitude for His provision. Giving is a difficult subject. Perhaps, that indicates how true this proverb is.

We think the money is ours. We think offerings and tithes are just ways organized religion have created to take advantage of people’s money. The Bible instructs that giving to God is a way of demonstrating in a tangible way that we believe God is the source of all that is good in our life, and to show our gratitude to God, and to learn dependence on Him.

This proverb has a promise. If we trust God with our money, God will bless us. It is so hard for us to take that step and trust God’s provision. What I find tremendously interesting is that it is the area of our resources that God says we can test Him. You may recall Jesus response to the Devil in the temptation account quoting the words “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.” But Malachi 3:10 says, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. This isn’t some “prosperity pyramid scheme.” This promise is

not that God will give us everything we want. It’s a promise that if we trust in God’s provision, we can rely on the fact that He knows what we need, desires our good, and promises to fill our lives with blessing.

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” ---- JESUS

Matthew 6:26



Let Us Pray

God,

We thank you that you are Jehovah-Jireh, the God who provides. We are thankful that you own it all and you hold everything in your hands. We thank you that you know our needs before we even ask, before we even come to you. You’re aware of all that concerns us, and you have a plan. You hold our provision, in your loving hands.

Forgive us for doubting you, for worrying, and for trying so hard to work everything out on our own. Help us to trust you more, help us in our unbelief. We choose to recognize and to believe that you are Able to accomplish far more, to do far greater, than we even think possible.

AMEN

I AM TRUSTING

 JULY 14, 2022

PROVERBS 3:1-12

3 My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you peace and prosperity.

3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.

9 Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.

11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline,
and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in.

 

Have you ever considered why we disobey? Not just why we disobey God, why we disobey anybody? Our parents, our bosses, other authorities, it could be anybody. What causes us to disobey?

I wonder, if we are honest with ourselves if at the core of why we refuse to do what we are asked or told to do is a lack of trust. We don’t believe the person commanding us knows us, or cares about us; perhaps we feel forgotten by them, or perhaps we have forgotten who they are. Whatever reason, we decide we can’t trust them, but instead need to rely on ourselves and take matters into our own hands.

The solution to such thinking and behavior is to learn to trust again. That is where Proverbs 3 takes us. It is an invitation to trust God, to live according to his guidance and will. The Bible word for this kind of trust is faith, learning to rely on and depend on God instead of ourselves. Let us look at Proverbs 3:1-12 today.

Proverbs 3:3-4 call us to Trust God’s Devotion

This proverb encourages us to trust, but not blindly. Before it tells us “how” to trust God, it gives reasons “why” we should trust God and follow His ways.

We are invited to remember God’s “kindness and truth,” or your Bible might say “loyalty and faithfulness.” These words in Hebrew are used to describe God’s devotion to His people, his covenant love and faithfulness. In Exodus 34:6-7, God revealed Himself to Moses: “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for a thousand generations, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin.” God knows you, loves you, is committed to you, not because you are perfect, but because He made you and He loves what He made. This is the central truth that if we could internalize would make us eager to trust God. Perhaps that is why the proverb tells us to bind this truth to our neck and write it on our heart.

Second Proverbs 3:5-6 invite us to Trust God’s Plan

After telling us why we should trust God, the proverb shows us how. Trust God with your whole heart and don’t trust your own understanding. Trust starts when we realize we don’t have all the answers. When we acknowledge our own lack of resources, we open ourselves up to God’s power and wisdom. If you think you are wise in your own eyes, you will do things according to your own assessment of things, which will be ultimately inadequate.

The promise here is that if we will trust God and live according to His plan, He will “make our paths straight.” Straight paths are an ancient symbol for the most direct route to travel to the destination. Life is hard enough without us making it harder on ourselves by doing things which seem easy at the time, but which create detours, or dead-ends in our lives.

Trust God’s Commands Proverbs 3:7-8

Next the proverb develops the idea of how to trust God. Obey God’s commands. The promise is obedience will lead to healing for your body and refreshment for your bones. God’s commands are the handbook for getting the most out of life. Living according to them will bring joy, peace, healing, and refreshment we are told.

Let's Pray

Lord, I struggle to find the right path ahead of me. I pray that you will move the Holy Spirit to guide my life steps. I pray that you will guide me with your spirit so that I may grow closer to you. Through your wisdom, guide me to your everlasting kingdom. Amen.

WISDOM: WHAT IS IN IT FOR ME?

 JULY 13, 2022

PROVERBS 2:1-11

My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
2 turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding—
3 indeed, if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
4 and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,

5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He holds success in store for the upright,
he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
8 for he guards the course of the just
and protects the way of his faithful ones.


9 Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path.
10 For wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
11 Discretion will protect you,
and understanding will guard you.





What is in this “hidden treasure” called Wisdom that makes it worth the hard work? I don’t know about you, but I have this desire to understand if I pursue Wisdom, what is the outcome? What is in it for me? What are the benefits of seeking Wisdom?

This is what wisdom will do for you, teaches Proverbs 2.

• Wisdom Will Draw You Closer to God v5-8  The first reward for seeking wisdom is that it will draw you closer to God. Wisdom, at its core, is theological. Seeking wisdom leads to God because you will discover the fear of the Lord. The opposite is true as well. Seeking God leads to wisdom. Look at verse 6, “for the Lord gives wisdom.” Some people just want God to tell them what to do. Some people want to decide what to do on their own. Both are extremes. God doesn’t want immature, uninformed people who do not know how to live. God also doesn’t want independent, isolated people are not aware of their need for Him. He desires to give us wisdom so that we can be free, joyful, mature co-laborers with Him.

• Wisdom Will Help You Live Well v9-11 Wisdom leads to God. Wisdom also leads to a good life. Sometimes we think the path wisdom will lead us on is like quitting a bad habit or giving up an unhealthy lifestyle. All we see is the things we miss, even though they are not the best for us, for example food that we have to give up, or the lifestyle we need to break with. The picture painted in the next few verses describes an internal transformation that happens, wisdom gained will change us from the inside out.

We read that:

o You will know the right thing to do v9  The first thing wisdom will give you is insight into what the right path is. As you think about which path is right and why, you will see the value of wisdom and desire to choose rightly.

o You will enjoy doing the right thing v10 – As you think through wise choices, wisdom will become more than just a habit. it will become pleasing to you. You will see good produced by wise choices and will enjoy doing good. You will also see evil for what it is and no longer desire it.

o You will be protected from evil v11 Wisdom protects you from evil both by showing you the right way to go, but also by making you the kind of person who delights in choosing rightly. It’s a double defense that leads to living well. You will know the right thing to do and you will enjoy doing it.

Now, perhaps it is just me, but I believe these a some very awesome payoffs to pursuing Wisdom. Let’s keep pursuing wisdom, step by step, as God our father and our Lord Jesus Christ leads us. I do not know anyone who would say they do not want to live skillfully, to live well, to enjoy a blessed and happy life. We are going to see, that as we keep going in Proverbs, the benefits of Wisdom will be worth it and will keep being revealed.

Let's Pray

Heavenly Father, I come to you with open hands and an open heart. I depend on you to guide me during this day so that I may find wisdom in all things. Amen

TOWARDS WISDOM WE GO

 JULY 12, 2022

Proverbs 2:1-5a

My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
2 turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding—
3 indeed, if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
4 and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord

Dr. Steven Jones writes, “I once worked with a marriage counseling ministry in a church. They offered three kinds of counseling: premarital counseling, counseling for couples having marriage difficulties, and something they called “marriage maximizing.” When I asked what the third one was, I was told that it was for couples who weren’t having problems but simply wanted their marriage to be all it could be. I responded that those sessions are probably easier because the couples are already doing well and want to be doing better. The answer I received shocked me. They said these sessions were actually harder because they were the same as helping marriages in crisis, except these couples were unwilling to admit anything was wrong. They wanted to pretend everything was okay but at the same time try to get the help they needed. This experience showed me that the first obstacle to getting help in life is being willing to admit it. You will never want wisdom until you realize you don’t have it.”

In Proverbs 1, we saw that a wise person is not someone who has obtained wisdom, but simply someone who has the desire to be wise. We noted that this person lives in awe of our Creator and therefore seeks to draw closer into “right relationship” with God.

Proverbs 2 moves on to offer encouragement to seek wisdom sincerely. This chapter is a longer sermon-style proverb, so we will spend a couple days of this chapter. Proverbs 2 is told from the perspective of a father addressing his son about how to obtain a good life. He is trying to show his son what seeking wisdom looks like and all the benefits that he will obtain from it.

In our reading above in verses 1-4 we are told how to seek Wisdom. Like all great sermons the author gives us 3 key points. They are as follows:

• Receiving It v1 “If you will receive my words…” The first step in seeking wisdom is to be open to receiving it. The father is offering wisdom. The first step in gaining wisdom is seeking. The first step in seeking wisdom is being open to receiving it. Receiving wisdom is not a passive thing. It means valuing what someone is telling you, being thoughtful to it, and being humble enough to realize you need it.

• Storing It v1 “and treasure my commandments within you…”  One of the biggest reasons wisdom isn’t valued is because we think we don’t need it right now. Wisdom may not seem immediately relevant to our situation. There is a reason for this. It is better to learn how to handle a hard situation before we are in that hard situation. I liken this: to the basic training which equips soldiers with how to handle circumstances before they encounter them in real life experience. This wisdom that we are seeking, is offered in times of peace, but if we will treasure it and store it away, we will have what we need when the time comes. It’s “PRE-PREPARING” in other words. To do this, requires patience and a focus that looks beyond the present to what lies ahead in life.

• Hunting for It v3-4 “cry for discernment/seek her like silver/search as for hidden treasure”  Seeking wisdom starts with humility and being open to receiving it. Seeking wisdom means storing it to use later. Seeking wisdom means earnestly, sincerely, single-mindedly searching for it. It means realizing its true worth and wanting it above all. That is how we are supposed to seek wisdom, like the hidden treasure that it is. Reminds me of Jesus parable in Matthew 13:44-46.

44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

Most people after reading that you must seek wisdom like it’s a hidden treasure feel a sense of let-down and disappointment. Proverbs 2 seems to anticipate that reaction and goes on to point us to the benefits of the search by discussing what wisdom can do for us. That’s for tomorrow.

Today let’s just receive, store, and hunt for the wisdom that leads us to living well, to living skillfully.

 

A GOOD START

 JULY 11, 2022

The Hebrew word for wisdom is best translated as “skill”. It is used to describe the ability of the craftsmen who worked on the tabernacle in Exodus 31:6. This reminds us that the Proverbs are not abstract concepts. This radically practical Wisdom isn’t just something you know. It’s something you do. It is learning to live skillfully. This week we will begin a walk through the Book of Proverbs looking at key passages that give us guidance on how we can learn to live skillfully.

_____________________________________________________

PROVERBS 1:1-7

1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:

2 for gaining wisdom and instruction;
for understanding words of insight;
3 for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
doing what is right and just and fair;
4 for giving prudence to those who are simple,
knowledge and discretion to the young—
5 let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance—
6 for understanding proverbs and parables,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Several times in the proverbs, including here in verse 7, we are reminded that the “fear of the Lord” is where everything begins. When someone says that we should fear God, people often think it means that we should be afraid of God. But that is not what it means. We are told that God loves us (John 3:16), and that perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18). So the word fear must have a couple different but overlapping meanings. Fear can mean “to cower in terror at.” But there is another definition of fear that means “to wonder and be amazed at,” or “to be awed by.” The difference is understood in its effect on us. To be afraid of something makes you want to run away from it. To be awed by something makes you want to draw closer to it.

Why is the word fear used? Most of the things that we are awe-struck and amazed by are powerful. Like a fire or a waterfall. We desire to be close, but we also have to be careful because it’s bigger, stronger, more powerful than us. Fearing God is to be amazed by who God is and to desire to draw closer to Him.

Wisdom comes from being in right relationship with the one who made the world. The word for this is righteousness. Righteousness doesn’t mean being right. It means being in right relationship.

Biblical Wisdom doesn’t work apart from relationship with God. You need righteousness; that is why Paul says in Romans 1:16-17 that he is “not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” and that the salvation the Gospel gives is simply the “righteousness of God.” But righteousness doesn’t mean trying to be good. That is why Jesus told his followers in the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 5:20, “unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” The Pharisees thought righteousness was achieved by one’s own effort. Jesus is telling them that righteousness does bring life, and it comes only through being connected with the one who is the source of life.

So let's draw close, and begin living skillfully!!

ALREADY ON THE WAY?

 JULY 8, 2022

Isaiah 65:24

24 I will answer them before they even call to me.

    While they are still talking about their needs,

    I will go ahead and answer their prayers

This is one of those passages that I have found revolutionary in my thinking about prayer. A little backstory is in order I suppose. You see for much of my life I have lived with the misconception that prayer or praying is my idea, that a conversation with God in my prayers only occur if I initiated the prayer. 

In my defense, I think many of us have had this understanding thrust upon us about prayer with the messages of emphasizing the importance of prayer as a duty, “you must pray” and talk to God. Prayer and Bible Reading are a necessity if you are serious about getting to know God. There is something in such teaching that is accurate, but I will be honest this emphasis caused me to think I needed to get God’s attention in some way, and that my words had to be perfect, you know the right words. This made prayer a chore, a burden, and dev eloped in me a reluctance to engage in times of prayer. 

That is until one day, I read Isaiah 65:24 “before they call I will answer; while they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers.”  Thus a discovery, a different view of prayer emerged, Prayer starts with God!! Prayer is God’s idea. The desire to pray is the outcome of God’s desire to communicate with us. God is the initiator. 

What I discovered, maybe you have too, is that the desire to pray is actually a gift that God gives us. You see this discovery has changed my prayer life significantly and here is why. What if, those moments in life when I sense a need to pray, you know the times of crises, or worry about ourselves or our family, or times when we need strength, God’s strength, what if those moments of “need to pray” or have to pray, are actually a result of God’s desire to speak with us? What if these urges we have are initiated by God, because there are insights, or wisdom, or guidance that he wants to give to us as directions for where we are in that moment. 

I mean Isaiah 65:24 is saying that the answer to our prayers is prepared before we pray. That the desire to talk to God about our needs comes from him. That is grace to help us in our time of need. 

Well this thought has sure deepened my prayer life. What if?

Romans 8:26-30

26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers[a] in harmony with God’s own will. 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together[b] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn[c] among many brothers and sisters. 30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.

FROM INSIGNIFICANT TO MAGNIFICENT

 JULY 07, 2022

Jesus tells this parable of the kingdom of God in Matthew 13:31-32. He teaches, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” I have become increasingly aware that trees are beautiful pictures of God’s ability to take what we view as weak or insignificant, a seed, and make a magnificent and life-giving creation out of it. And Matthew 13 reveals how trees can be viewed as pictures of the very kingdom of their Creator. It’s amazing and comforting that God would begin his kingdom small and grow it by faithful stewardship into a beautiful and life-giving creation.

Trees grow year after year, season after season. Flowers never begin as beautiful as they are in full bloom. The earth is constantly undergoing abundant transformation as God’s creation grows and changes. You and I are no different. God’s plan has always been to mold us into beautiful pictures of his love. He’s always longed to fashion us until we walk in a full, restored, abundant life relationship with him. And by the life and death of Christ, he’s made the way for his desires to come to completion. All that’s left is for us to engage fully in this wonderful process he’s created for us. Engage in the growth he longs to birth in you.

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” 

2 Corinthians 3:18-19