Cross References

(Pro 30:4 KJV)  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?

This verse should bring a number of other scriptures to mind.  The first part is reflection of the conversation God has with Job.  It is used to remind you about who God is.  Strangely enough, we have reference to His name.  That refers to another place where God and Moses were having a discussion, and the name of the Yahweh comes up.

So far any upstanding young Jew would know what is going on.  So far it’s clear.  And then you throw in this bit about the name of His Son.  His Son?  God has a Son?  That doesn’t make sense to the average Jew.  But it makes sense to the average Christian.

So? Are we dealing here with the Trinity?  Are we dealing with something we’ve never heard of before?  Isn’t it amazing the things that you find when you read and pay attention? 

Ultimately

(Pro 29:16 KJV)  When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall.

In the circles I run in there is a lot of concern about what is happening in our country and in our world.  Things do not look like they are going well.  It looks like the forces of evil are on the advance and attacking.  What is worse is they seem to be winning.  What are we to do?

Notice the two words here, first “multiplied” (7235a), and then “increase”(7235a) in the KJV, then “increase” twice in the NASB.  That doesn’t sound good for our side.  But then noticed the last part:  We will see their “fall” (4658).

So?  Continue to trust.  Continue to live in a righteous way.  Continue to do justice, love, kindness, and walk humbly with your God.  He is watching more carefully than we are. 

Riots

(Pro 28:7 KJV)  Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son: but he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father.

I continue to ask myself what is this law that was talked about in the Old Testament.  What is this body of rules that David praises up one side and down the other and that much of the Psalms think of as being glorious and grand?  I think this verse gives us an indication of the kind of standards that are being talked about when they mention the law.

Paul seems to be concerned about picky, little nonsense rules, like boiling a kid in its mothers milk.  The Old Testament seems to be concerned about the moral and ethical standards portrayed by the law.  Notice here the wise son is not the one who does not mix the material in his coat, but one who does not participate in loose living.

So?  Think about what you read.  Think about all that you read, not just the quotations from Paul that support you’re theological system.  The Bible should interpret itself.  Paul is an inspired writer, true.  However, we need to understand that David and Solomon, and the other authors of the Old Testament were also inspired writers. 

Which came first?

(Gen 1:1 KJV)  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

This makes me think of that old question of which came first the chicken or the egg.  In this case, however, it’s a question of what was in God’s mind first, the world or man.  If you are familiar with the discussion of intelligent design, and the fine-tuning of the universe, it would seem that everything was put together with the idea is it man would come along.  That would also fit with the nature of God and the fact that he doesn’t do things by chance, or accidentally.

Keep in mind that man was told to subdue and cultivate the Earth.  It was not ready out of the box, some assembly required.  Which again brings up the question of which was created for the other.  Or I guess it could be that both were created with the same goal in mind.

So? Keep in mind that you are here for a reason.  God had a plan and still has a plan that’s bigger than just you or me.  I’m glad to know that there’s something more going on than me getting the lawn mowed. 

June Fool’s Day

(Pro 26:1 KJV)  As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.

Now begins an extended statement about fools.  We know that Jesus told us not to call people fools.  We know that there can be a real attitude problem on our part for calling people fools.  Yet this chapter focuses on the reality of fools.

Might I suggest that a little bit of thought could go into making sure that we do not fit into this category.  We know that things need to begin with a fear of God.  Wisdom begins with the fear of God.  Knowledge begins with the fear of God.  I’m sure that we could add a lot more areas to our life that need the influence of the fear of God.

So?  Are you a fool?  Am I a fool?  Don’t answer that.  Actually, you can answer that.  As long as you don’t type it in the comments, I will never know.  I would hope that I am fearing God enough to be grounded in wisdom and knowledge.  I would hope that the love of Christ will control me.  The adventure continues. 

Majesty

(Psa 89:12 KJV)  The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name.

I am guessing that this idea of creating the directions to the north and south is a word picture, and an illustration of a great greatness of God.  That would make sense.  But that brings up the question of whether something is good because God declares it that way or whether God declares it good because it is that way.

Do virtues and principles and, as it’s given here, directions exist outside of God or are they the result of God.  Christian believers of course would say that nothing exists outside of God.  That would mean that North and south are arbitrary creations of Him.

Even there you have to be careful.  Is anything arbitrary in the sight of God?

So?  It’s always good to stop and think about what we read.  God is worthy of our contemplation, meditation, and our love. 

Generic

(Pro 24:1 KJV)  Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.

The first verse of this chapter sets the mood for the rest.  Here Solomon has a lot to say about the “evil” (7463a) “men” (376) that are so common in our world.  I would like to say “in our modern world” but this was written thousands of years ago and has remained true on a daily basis.  

It is interesting that in this location the actual Hebrew for “man” is used.  Often the “man” is understood and the comment would be more about generic evil.  

So?  Just another reminder that we do not live in a benevolent world.  Keep in mind that it is out to get you and your greatest protection is the presence of the Living God residing in your heart.

Aliens

(1Pe 1:1 KJV)  Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

(Proverbs 23 also read)

When Peter writes to a certain group of people who are located in what is today Turkey, they become the strangers in the King James Bible, and “aliens” in the New American Standard.  This is a good reminder to us that we are not supposed to fit into our world.  We are called to a higher calling.  We need to remember that.

Remember this song?

This world is not my home
I’m just a passing through.
My treasures are laid up
Somewhere beyond the blue.

So?  We should keep this in mind.  This is just a temporary home that we live in.  God has called us to be witnesses, salt, light, but not monuments. 

Tree crimes

(Rom 5:8 KJV)  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

“Was it for crimes that I had done He groaned upon the tree?”  It was.  And the song goes on to proclaim “Amazing love, how can it be...”  What a joy it is that we live in a day and an age where we can know that God loves us so much that He not only created us, but He died for us.

You may be a bit down today.  You may be looking at some struggles you’re having.  You may have been rejected in a personal relationship.  Look up.  Jesus died for you.  You are now called to live for him.  And he doesn’t want you living like you’re committed to tree crying.

Show? He died so that you can rejoice in your salvation. 

A Reminder

(1Co 15:19 KJV)  If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

The resurrection of Jesus is a key element, not only in our lives, but in the life of the world.  If there is no resurrection, there is no hope.  If there is no eternal life then this life becomes nothing but the accident the evolutionists believe in.  If there is nothing but this life, then we need to adopt  the motto of that beer company, that said, “You only go round once in life, grab for all the gusto you can.”

What a futile and frustrating way to live. It brings to mind that song, “Is that all there is, then let’s keep dancing.”

So? Rejoice. We have a hope that is not just an empty wish, but it is a fulfilling promise. We have an assurance. We are definitely not miserable. 

Go Deep

(Pro 20:5 KJV)  Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.

As I read this verse this morning, my mind went to the soup pot.  I thought of how I go about filling my bowl when I presented with a large container and a dipper.  I don’t skim the top, unless I just want water.  I dig down deep with the ladle, stir around a bit, and come up with what has set up residency in the bottom.

How I go about it depends on what I’m looking for.  If I just want the big chunks of meat or of fish or whatever the primary ingredient is, I dig straight down and bring up the bottom.  If I want a well-balanced bowl of soup or chili I stir it around, dig deep to get a good portion of the solids, but bring up a good amount of liquid with it.

God constantly tries to give us counsel.  He tries to teach us.  It takes us digging down.  It takes us going into the deep water and trying to draw out what God has to say to us.  We need to go for it.

So?  It’s sometimes expected that God will give us an easy answer.  That’s for the crisis, for the emergency.  Generally speaking, we need to dig and then expect God to meet us. 

The Pause That Depresses

(Psa 88:11 KJV)  Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?

What a depressing chapter in Psalms.  If you look one chapter back or one chapter forward, you find the expected joy in the Lord.  This chapter is nothing but gloom and doom.  It’s as if this writer has never heard of eternal life.  It’s as if he’s never heard any hope beyond the grave.  It’s very possible that that’s the case.

Some people debate whether eternal life was a reality to people in the Old Testament.  You can find evidence on both sides.  This would be evidence that people did not believe in an afterlife, or at least one that had any joy in it.  What a depressing way to live.

So?  We live in a different world.  We live not only having read the positive statements in the Old Testament, but also understanding who Jesus was and how He rose from the dead.  We have the testimony of Paul about our new bodies.  Truly, it is a joy to have the full testament of God. 

Joy for Trouble

(Psa 86:7 KJV)  In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.

There are days when I need a verse like this.  Do you know what I’m talking about?  Now, I must say, today is not one of them, but it is so good to be reminded of how dependable our God is.

Maybe we also need to remember that we don’t just need to call upon God in our time of trouble.  That’s what it says here but, I somehow think that God really enjoys it when we call upon him in our blessings.

So?  Are you blessed today or are you troubled today? One thing, never changes, God loves it when his people call upon His name.  I’m not sure which He enjoys more, the trust we expressed in our need or the lovely expression of joy. 

The Original Zionist

(Psa 87:2 KJV)  The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.

There are ideas expressed in the Bible that make no sense to me.  This is one of them.  Why would God be specifically attached to one point of geography?  What is the big deal about Zion (6726)?  Zion can be used as a figurative label for the nation of Israel.  It can refer to the mountain top.  Here it refers to a city, which encompasses the other two ideas.  

The word itself comes from a root meaning “dry or parched”.  That is not much of a recommendation of an explanation.  

Is there some mystical force that is centered there other than the presence of God?  Is there a mystical force there because God chose it as the place to build His temple?  I remember years ago on a trip to Europe I woke up on the train as we were approaching Rome.  I saw aqueducts arrayed outside the windows.  I am not known for my sensitivity but I felt an almost physical force as we approached.  I wonder if I would feel the same about Jerusalem.

So?  Mysteries abound.  Enjoy them.  Research and think about them.  Don’t let them distract you from the hope that is already in you.

Decision Day

(Pro 16:16 KJV)  How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!

As I read through this chapter today the word “priorities” kept popping into my mind.  I don’t know that the word is used but the idea is there.  In this verse the comparison of worth is between “wisdom” (2451) and “gold”, also “understanding” (998) and “silver”.  Other verses make other contrasts.

We make many decisions each day.  Obviously they are not all of equal importance but all of them are based on previous experience and a set of priorities.  Even picking out my socks is based on whether I can live with holes today.  Some days it is important, others, not so much.  Clothing choices have priorities of how much we care about the opinions of others.  Shopping may depend on attitudes of stewardship and thrift.  How we treat people in our lives depends on whether we have been listening to God.

So?  Do you ever make choices or respond in ways that surprise you?  Maybe it is time to consider priorities in light of that action. 

Pour Choices

(Pro 15:2 KJV)  The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.

I usually don’t find literal translations in my KJV but today was an exception.  When I read the marginal note for “spouts” (5042) I laughed out loud.  It said the Hebrew means “belch or bubbles”.  What a statement for the products of a foolish mouth and mind.  They tend to think they are clever, or at least cute.  Have you been around boys in that age range who think it is funny to belch at social occasions?  Perhaps you have been a judge of a belching contest.  Perhaps you have been a contestant.

I am sure that childhood pranks are fun.  There comes a time though when we need to stop paying attention.  

So?  Grow up and help others grow up.  Good humor does not need to be foolish. 

Everywhen

(Psa 84:1 KJV)  To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts!

We spend millions designing and building church buildings.  Historically they were works of art and the results of years of devotion and hard work.  Buildings for worship were expected to glorify God and lift our physical senses into the heavenlies.  Or at least we used to be concerned with that.  Today it seems that any warehouse will do as long as you have a professional level set of speakers, some bright spot lights and maybe a fog machine.

I have no problem at all with people who meet in their homes or a gym they can afford to rent.  Often that is the best you can do.  Many times it is a statement of our sense of the divine along with the torn fashion jeans of the preacher and the brand name coffee cups in the pews.

Although this verse praises the place of worship as being “lovely” (3039) I think the real sentiment is expressed because of the presence of God, not the gold on the altar.  In fact the word for “lovely” is usually translated “lovable” or “beloved”.

So?  We can worship anywhere God is willing to meet us.  Great architecture can help but He is willing to join us anywhere we are that our hearts are right.  May you have joyful worship, everywhere and every when.

About Face

(Psa 73:17 KJV)  Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.

(Proverbs 13 also read)

If you read the first half of this Psalm, you find nothing but despair.  The author looks at the prosperous lives of the wicked and wonders.  Where is God?  Then he comes into the sanctuary and everything is refocused and put in a different order.

Why do we come to worship?  Obviously we come to praise God, and to lift him up.  But in addition to that there is the presence of God speaking to us, and opening our eyes to eternity, and to what God has planned for us and for His world.  When we come to worship, when we come into the sanctuary, in our day and age, when we attend church, things look different.

Is it just appearance?  Is it just our imagination?  Is it just our feelings?  No, God simply makes us more aware of who He is and what He is doing.

So? Don’t abandon the means of grace that are extended to us by coming to the sanctuary and worshiping the living God.  He will meet with us.  He will speak to us.  He will help us to see things as they are, and not as we feel them to be.

A Resource

(Psa 83:17 KJV)  Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish:

I would say that the forces of evil or justice are today as they were in the time of the Psalms.  I’m not sure I would say more active, but they are certainly busy persecuting and holding down the people of God.  At this point, they tend to have the forces of the government and the media and education behind them.  All we have of course, is our God.

That should be enough.  It is enough.  We need to pray for our government and be supportive of our government, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t ask God to confound them and trouble them so they would be full of shame and ready to obey.

So? Our concerns should start with prayer.  Our hope is in Christ and in the God of eternity, not in our political savvy. 

Joyful ignorance

(Psa 71:15 KJV)  My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.

(Proverbs 11 also read)

What a great joy it is to know that we can never even begin to approach the blessings that God has for us.  Here David, or whoever is writing this Psalm, is rejoicing, in the fact that he can speak about the righteousness of God.  He can talk about his salvation.  And yet he admits his ignorance about how glorious and how eternal this is.

That’s where we should be. We should be rejoicing in what we do know, and getting excited about the things that we do not know.  And I might say that we don’t know yet, or I might even say that we will never comprehend the total of what God has for us.

So?  Are you living in joy?  Are you living in ignorance?  I am living in joyful ignorance, content in what I do know now and the Person that I know forever. 

Father Mold

(Pro 10:1 KJV)  The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

As I read this this morning, I knew that I was not reading what it actually said.  There was some thing about what I was hearing in my head that just didn’t ring true, so I looked again.  What I was hearing was that a wise son would grow up to be a glad father.  Actually the statement is a little bit different than that so take it with a grain of salt.  Consider it a preaching point.  I think it is spiritualizing.  I still think there’s some truth in it.

If we are wise fathers, then we will raise wise children.  At least I hope that’s true.  At any means having a son brought up wise, will certainly make me as a glad father.

So?  Learn to be wise.  Set an example.  You may produce a wise son, which will certainly make you glad.

A Big Question

Psalms 8:4 (KJV) What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

I am sure we have all heard this question asked.  Have we ever really gotten an answer?  I start asking this question when I read the creation story and see that we are created in the image of God.  What does that mean?  Why were we created?

If you look at this chapter, you don’t find an answer.  Does that mean that we quit asking?  No, I don’t think so.  I think we continue wondering.  We continue thinking about the glory of God and his creative power.  He made us as a group the way we are.  He molded us as individuals as we respond to Him.

So?  Seek him daily.  Listen.  Respond.  Be the answer to the big question. 

Worldwide

(Pro 8:16 KJV)  By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

Is there a body of knowledge which we call wisdom that is available through the entire earth, even to those who don’t know the God of the Bible?  This verse would seem to imply that.  This talks about judges of the Earth.  Now, princes and nobles might just refer to Israel, but when you say all the judges of the Earth, you go beyond those borders.

Is wisdom cross-cultural?  Is it something that God has placed in the hearts of all men?

So? There a certain principles that seem to be universal.  That should be something that makes us get along better with those who disagree with us on specifics. 

Choice ignorance

Proverbs 7:7 (KJV) And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,

As I watch a lot of the political theater going on today, one of the things that stands out is the total lack of knowledge in the lives of people who are making big statements.  Much of that is because their teachers deliberately brainwashed them and kept them ignorant.  We can’t over emphasize the damage done by these people.  But there is another aspect and that is the matter of choice.

I would say that a lot of the ignorance we see is the ignorance of choice and the ignorance of sloth.  I see this because in conversations people seem to be totally unaware of what’s happening.  People don’t pay any attention to the news.  Or even worse, they only get their news from sources that are totally untrustworthy.  It is possible to get a feel for truth and for what’s happening but you have to look for it.  You have to think about what you’re reading.  You have to take it and compare it too what you already know.

So?  Don’t ignore your own responsibility for your spiritual knowledge and your spiritual life.  Part of being created in the image of God is having free will and being able to reason and to work with information.  It involves making choices.  God makes it possible it’s up to us to apply it. 

Long term

(Psa 66:12 KJV)  Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.

(Proverbs 6 also read)

Here we see both sides of the coin.  On the one side we have those times of life where it seems nothing is going to go right.  Who has not felt at times that they are going through the fire. Who is not felt like the water is over their head.

But always consider the promise.  God is going to bring us out.  It doesn’t matter how dark, dreary, hot, wet.  God will see us through.  It’s possible that he will see us through in eternity, we need to consider that.  That is not a cop out.  That is simply seeing things as they are.

So?  Are you in the fire today or are you on your way out?  Either way, you can know that God is aware of your situation and is in charge. 

Because I Say So

Acts 10:15 (KJV) And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

This brings to mind the creation story.  God would produce something new and at the end of the day he would announce that it was good.  Was it good because God created it or was it good because God declared it?  Well, that is a philosophy question for another day.  The point I’m making is that God declared his creation good.  Everything he made was good before sin messed it up.

We need to look at the world around us, and realize that God created it as good.  Part of our job, given during creation, is to subdue the world.  That has even more meaning now, after the fall, than it did before.

So? Get with the program.  Start improving your world.  Start with yourself. 

Pick a Path

(Pro 4:14 KJV)  Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.

The Hebrew used here for “path” (734) is used again in verse 18.  It is common in Proverbs.  The difference in this chapter is the type of path you will follow.  Here the warning is against following evil.  In verse 18 it talks about the path of justice.  When you look at a new born baby one of the questions is, which path will they take.  Even at that tender stage of life it seems like different infants are inclined different ways.  If you have two children you have probably noticed that they are individuals from the beginning.  Life will be full of choices.

The similarity in these verses is that your path is a matter of choice.  Although some are inclined toward a more evil path than others the Bible teaches that salvation is open to all.

So?  I assume you have made your choice.  Are you happy with it?  Are you helping the young in your life to make an intelligent and informed choice.  I guess we do so even if we are not aware of it. 

Law of the Heart

Proverbs 3:1 (KJV) My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:

I think it’s important for us to consider what David is saying here, actually, it’s Solomon.  He is telling us that the law is important.  He is telling us that the commandments are important.  He is telling us to obey the commandments.  But notice the place that these demands are to be retained, in your heart.

Ultimately God‘s law is to be hidden in our hearts.  It is to reform and renew our hearts.  It is to come from our inner being and not from our outer reading.  God wants to live inside of us and He wants to do that in a way that we can work with him and be obedient to him, and let the glory of His presence shine forth.

One way in which we can witness to a pagan world is to allow the standards of a holy God be real in our lives.

So?  Internalize it.  Let it fill you.  And let it guide you.

Security

(Psa 62:2 KJV)  He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.

(Proverbs 2 also read)

Once again, I want to note that in this chapter of Psalms, David does not mention the law.  He does not mention ritual or sacrifice.  Look through the entire chapter.  You see reference after reference about his trust in God, and his faith in God, and the place of God, Himself, in our worship and trust.  You see nothing about the law.

Many people want to make the Old Testament about the law and the New Testament about grace and faith.  I would suggest that they might need to do a little bit more reading in Psalms and find out how David viewed God and salvation.

So? Trust. 

Yard Work

Psalms 72:6 (KJV) He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.

Who would’ve ever thought that the Bible would talk about yardwork.  Here it is.  It is equating the blessings of having a righteous ruler.  With refreshing rain.  Coming down upon a newly mowed yard.  I don’t think I’ve seen that before.  It was there.  I just didn’t see it.

I don’t know that this is a command that we are supposed to get out and mow our grass.  I wouldn’t be surprised to see it being used in an advertising campaign for some lawnmower company.  It certainly could be used by your wife.

So?  The Bible really does talk about every area of life.