Distractions

Proverbs 5:6 (KJV) Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them.

I find it interesting that in this verse the King James seems to be different from all the other translations.  In the KJV it makes it personal to us by using the word “thou”.  And the other translations it substitutes the word “she”.  I find the KJV more helpful in giving me some advice for my life today.

What this old translation is saying to me is that there are people and places and concerns that can distract me from seriously thinking about where I am going in life.  How many times have you given up your time of Bible study, prayer time or focus on worship because someone interrupts.  Sometimes the interruption is quiet and innocent.  Other times the interruption is quite overwhelming.  I either case it keeps you from doing what you knew you needed to do.

So?  Be alert to distractions.  It may just be life, it may be satanic, either way it keeps you from focusing on the things that God wants you to focus on.  Practice getting back on track.  When the ruckus is over, ask yourself, “What was I doing?” 

You Will Need a Dictionary

Proverbs 4:12 (KJV) When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

I must have been reading this verse in a modern translation because today when I read it in the KJV all I could do was scratch my head.  Take another look at it and look at that word which you think says, “straighten”, but it doesn’t.  It’s spelled differently.  If you read this while thinking it reads “straighten”, then it doesn’t make any sense.  But again, that’s not what it says.

So I went to the dictionary, and this word is more in line with our concept of a straitjacket.  The concept behind it can involve getting straight, but it’s more in the concept of confining and keeping within specific boundaries.  The overall point is that if you learn wisdom and allow it to guide you, it will open up your opportunities and your options.

So?  When you read something that doesn’t seem to make any sense, look a little deeper.  God is not the author of confusion, even if the translators sometimes seem a little old-fashioned. 

Early Morning Ears

Proverbs 3:12 (KJV) For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

As I read this, my thoughts turn to how correction and guidance do not have to be overwhelming or a matter of stern discipline.  I think about how God dealt with Israel with constant reminders and constant calls to repentance.  Israel’s response?  Business as usual.  We often focus on the tremendous threats offered by the prophets, and the tragedy of those threats being carried out.  We think of the deportation of the northern kingdom, and the ten tribes, and how they are never heard from again.  We think of the eventual exile of the southern tribes, and all of the death and destruction that went along with it.

It didn’t have to be . If Israel, as a nation had simply listened to the gentle voice of God, then they would’ve never had to face the storm.

So?  Is God speaking to you?  Are you listening?  There’s a reason why we refer to the influence of the Holy Spirit as “a still small voice.”  You can listen now or you can be punished later.  You can respond to the general nudging or wait for whack-a-mole. 

Wise Heart

Proverbs 2:10 (KJV) When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;

One of the great benefits of the new covenant is the advent of the Holy Spirit coming to fill us and being available to all believers.  This is expressed in many different ways through the scripture and is interpreted from different theological points of view.  Here is just one of those little sides that add another depth to it.

Wisdom is not just something we read in a book, like the Bible.  It’s not just something we listen to from those who are deeper into their spiritual walk than we are.  Wisdom is something which has a living element that actually enters into our hearts.  It becomes a part of us.  If we allow it, it becomes almost automatic in guiding our decisions, our priorities, our thought processes.

So?  At another place you will read the phrase “seek wisdom”.  In the seeking spend time, thinking about it, meditating on it, and praying that God would actually let it enter into your heart.  I’m sure I’ve said it before and others have said it, but it’s like a spiritual GPS.  But of course the GPS only works when you listen to what it tells you. 

Personal Covenant

Isaiah 55:3 (KJV) Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

(Proverbs 1 also read)

One of the many rabbit trails I follow on my daily journey of study and meditation has to do with the idea of the covenant.  There are a number of covenants discussed in scripture.  You have the covenants of Noah, Abraham and Moses.  Each one is an agreement with God which affects them and others.

Here what I see is God offering an everlasting covenant with us as individuals . I say individual, because at this point in history, God already had a covenant established with the nation of Israel.  This seems to be a different offering given to us to respond to.  It deals with your soul.

So?  This was written millennium ago.  It still would apply today I think.  God is reaching out.  He is done this all through history.  He is doing it today. 

Say Please

Proverbs 31:9 (KJV) Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.

The first part of this chapter is instructions given to a king.  I would suggest if you are giving directions to a king that you walk carefully.  Kings, especially in ancient times, tended to have total control over your life and your death.  You did not want to make them mad.

With that in mind, it’s interesting here not so much that the king was to judge righteously, but that he had to “plead” the “cause” of the poor and needy.  If you are in authority, your job is not to exercise your authority.  Your responsibility before God is to mold the hearts and minds of those that you are put over.  You are not to Lord over them.  You were to teach, and you were to lead them towards upright living.

So?  Don’t let your power go to your head.  If you’re a parent, it’s not just to be in charge of the house.  It is to mold your family.  If you are an employer, you are not just there to run the business and to make money.  You also have a responsibility to build up of the people put in your care.  Be a king in you’re a little world, a righteous king. 

Unnecessary Synonyms

Proverbs 30:33 (KJV) Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.

For some reason today I was looking at the Hebrew in this verse, and I noticed something strange.  The same Hebrew word was used three times, and was translated a different way each time.  In the KJV notice you have “journey, “ringing, “forcing".  All three are the same word in the Hebrew.  The most literal understanding of the word means to press.

I’m not sure what to make of that.  The picture of making butter I can see in my mind as you squeeze the milk through cheese cloth to separate the butter.  If that is the picture, then we have three situations which require our specific and focused attention in order to achieve.  I think that perhaps the one that should be the most concerning is the fact that “strife” is often the result of our repeated pressing a subject.

So?  Why is it that some people can avoid conflict and others seem to run into it all the time?  This suggests that it is our focus, or our attitude, which causes it.  This could be an illustration, or an instruction for us to learn to back off and not be aggressive. 

Grammar Guesswork

Proverbs 29:4 (KJV) The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.

As I investigate my Bible software, I find that the Blue Letter Bible will give me grammar for the Hebrew.  In looking at this, I’m considering the KJV endings of “eth”.  In the New Testament, this refers to the present tense, which is a continuing action.  I’m wondering if in the Old Testament this refers to the same idea.  So I did a little investigating.

There are two verbs in this verse which have that ending.  Both of them are in the imperfect tense of the Hebrew.  And the imperfect tense in Hebrew seems to be the same idea as a present in Greek, a continuing action.

So?  What that means is that the changes taking place are somewhat gradual and ongoing.  It’s not a statement that good judgment will immediately establish a country or that bribes will immediately destroy it.  The point is they will begin the process and move that nation in that direction.  I would guess that the same principle applies in our daily lives. 

A Psalm of Delusion

Psalms 44:17 (KJV) All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.

(Proverbs 28 also read)

I know I’ve read this particular Psalm many times before.  I’m not sure I’ve done it with my brain turned on.  As I read it today and got about halfway through, I realized this does not compute.  Take a look at the verse again if you didn’t read it attentively.  After you read it, I think about all of the accusations that come from Jesus and the prophets and down through the history recorded in the Bible.  Is this statement accurate or is it wishful thinking?

The author claims that Israel has not “dealt falsely with the Covenant”.  Do the statements of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel, etc., agree with that?  If you’ve done any reading at all, you know they haven’t.

So?  We can live in a world of a delusion.  We can say whatever we want to say and not check to make sure it is true or accurate.  It doesn’t change a thing.  When you look at your life and wonder why it’s gone the way that you might want to look a little more carefully and see the decisions you’ve made.  God is waiting for us to be open to Him.  There’s literally little He will do if we insist on living in delusion. 

Defining Grace

Psalms 40:11 (KJV) Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.

(Proverbs 27 also read)

One of the ongoing interests I have is trying to define grace.  We talk about it in different ways.  The common, popular definition is “undeserved merit”.  I prefer to define it as “God’s love in action.”

We also precede it with different adjectives.  We talk about saving grace.  We talk about sustaining grace.  You get the idea.  Here we have insights into how God moves in our lives and keeps our heads above water.  There are two words here that are very important.  The first is “loving kindness“.  I think this is chesed.  Then, of course you have that concept of truth, which we assume is universal, objective, and unchanging.

So?  Make sure you look for your definitions of biblical terms in the Bible.  Theology can help sometimes but keep in mind, that theologians, and blog writers, have their own opinions. 

EZ Credit

Psalms 37:21 (KJV) The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.

(Proverbs 26 also read)

A recurring theme in scripture is the danger of being a borrower, and even in the danger of being a lender.  In the Old Testament law, I believe Jews were forbidden from lending at interest to their fellow Jews.  They were allowed to charge interest to foreigners, strangers, sojourners, and such, but not the Jews.  Jews were their family and you don’t take advantage of family

I don’t know if I’m on solid ground, but I think this would refer to loaning money to people who are going through hard times and can’t buy food for the children.  I don’t know that it refers to business deals.  Loaning money to someone going into business in order to make a profit, seems legitimate, but I’m not sure the Bible makes that exception.

So?  As believers we are to give, not loan.  Generally when people have asked me to borrow money because they’re in need I will take this approach.  If I have it, I will tell them it is a gift.  If they want to someday give me a gift back that’s fine, but they are under no burden.  If I can’t afford it, I say so.  I think that’s the way the Bible wants us to do it.

Buttered Up

Psalms 55:21 (KJV) The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.

(Proverbs 25 also read)

David has a lot of concerns that we can identify with in this chapter.  One of them is that people he thought he could trust, his friends, are not what they seem.  At first he talks about how smooth they are at talking.  Underneath the talk, though, is an animosity and a hostility toward David.

When we think of David, we tend to like the stories of Goliath, hiding in the cave, or the victories that he won.  We are aware of Saul trying to kill him.  We know his big sins like his adultery and ordering a murder.  What we often miss is the day-to-day tension of being a king and having people who want to take over your throne.  What is it like to be surrounded by people who want to use you for their own purposes?

I don’t think most of us know what this is like.  We might have a little conflict with family members.  We might have someone at work gossiping about us.  There are conflicts we have, yes, but nothing like David was going through.

So?  Be aware.  Be discerning.  Know that people will be out to get you, especially if you are serving the Lord with gladness.  They can’t seem to stand it when people have the joy of the Lord.  So stand tall, call upon God and trust him to see you through. 

Elderly Clutter

Proverbs 24:4 (KJV) And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

As I was reading this section, there are several verses that talk about our home, and what we fill are home with, and the idea is to fill our heads, our minds and our lives with wisdom and righteousness.  Actually, I think I just added the righteousness.

I got to looking around my room and. for an old guy, I think I’m doing pretty good with the clutter.  You know how often when you would go into an apartment where someone my age is living it would be totally cluttered with little knickknacks and memorabilia.  Old people tend to collect things that bring memories.  That in itself, I still salute and celebrate.  I enjoy looking at things and thinking about who gave them to me and the warm fellowship that they provided.

But this can get overdone.  You can get your room so full of knickknacks that you don’t have room to store your socks.  In your room or apartment this is just clutter, in your spirit and your mind this can become disaster.

So?  What can we do to add spiritual remodeling to our minds, and our souls?  What can I put on my shelf instead of mugs and lotions and old books?  Perhaps a good concordance by the chair I read my Bible in is more important than the 14 volumes of the works of Wesley.  Something to think about.  More important, something to do. 

Not Always

Psalms 35:10 (KJV) All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?

(Proverbs 23 also read)

We have a platitude that we like to throw out, “God answers prayer.”  Other times we expressed it as, “prayer changes things.”  Both of those statements are true, but not always.  Sometimes God pats on the head and says, if you will excuse the expression, “Walk it off.”

Some people don’t like that.  Some people apply it at a times when they shouldn’t.  The point that David is making here though is that there are times when we were in a situation which is too much for us.  In those situations we can trust God to intervene.  Sometimes He intervenes by giving us the strength.  We need to make it through the difficulty.  Sometimes He intervenes by making change happen, in us or the situation.

Other times He expects us to walk it off.

So?  The hard part usually is knowing which it is.  Can we deal with this with our own skills or do we need to just let God do it all?  If that’s the question, I think the answer is no.  Are we supposed to use our own skills abilities and strengths?  Yes, we are.  Are we supposed to depend upon God ultimately to make it out whether through our obedience or through his intervention?  Again the answer is yes.  It’s not one of the other, it is both. 

Purpose in Writing

Psalms 32:11 (KJV) Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

(Proverbs 22 also read)

As I read through Psalms, I am constantly reminded that it is possible to be considered “righteous”.  Psalms is very clear about that.  Paul, on the other hand acts like it is impossible at places.  I would guess that the prophets also aren’t real big on calling people righteous.  I’ve said this before.  I’ll say it again.

Today it occurred to me that the reason is the difference in the purpose of writing.  David is expressing his joy in the Lord.  He is writing to encourage and to draw people in.  The prophets, on the other hand, tend to be dealing with believers, whether they be in the church or in the nation of Israel.  They are people who are refusing to except humility before God, and are living either in heresy or on the very edge.  In the prophets there is especially a spirit of rebellion.

So?  Is it possible to be considered righteous by God?  Obviously yes.  Is it a natural tendency in people who are still living in rebellion?  No.  God can make us righteous and we can take that and practice it and live in righteousness.  Decisions are important.  Behavior is vital. 

Routines

Psalms 51:2 (KJV) Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

(Proverbs 21 also read)

I have been up barely an hour and I have already washed my hands several times.  We do it without thinking, it’s just a reaction.  It is a healthy habit.  Why?

During the panic over Covid one of the big issues we were told to do is wash your hands.  Why were we told to wash her hands?  Two reasons really.  The first is because it’s a good thing to do.  Soap and water do not disinfect, but what they do is form a fluid which lifts the bacteria off your hands and flushes them down the drain.  This keeps them from having an opportunity to penetrate your body as you touch your eyes and so forth.

The second reason was really probably the most important, we weren’t doing it.  Even during all of the fear and panic, it was rather amusing to watch macho young men “wash” their hands.  They would turn on the water, swing their hands through the flow once and shake off any excess water that happen to have stuck to their skin.  If they were especially attentive, they might even take a paper towel and dry their hands.  If they were truly macho, they would just wipe them on their pants and walk out the door.

Yes, people need to be taught to wash.  In this particular spot and later on in the chapter, it’s a reminder I will need to be washed in the blood of the Lamb.  That’s a bit of spiritualizing. The perfect man of God does not come along for another 800 years or so.  It might even not be what David was talking about.  But I think it’s what the Holy Spirit is telling us

So?  If you have never been washed in the blood, this is a good time.  Also, as David shows in this Psalm, it’s a good practice to be regularly confessing our failures and our sins and asking God to forgive and restore.  Wash. 

Well, Oh Yeah?

Proverbs 20:3 (KJV) It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

As I started reading through this chapter in Proverbs, I came to this verse and it jumped out at me.  The reason it jumped out is because I have a tendency to enjoy a good argument and want to win.  This can be with friends, arguing theology, or with my wife discussing cleaning the kitchen.  It has many forms and even more applications.

It is so easy to think that, because I am right, I should win the argument.  We don’t like to think of it as an argument, or as the KJV calls it, strife, but how else would you describe it?  To misquote, Shakespeare,

“A rose by any other name, be it oh so sweet, it’s still a Rose.”

Since the thing that hit me in the face was the translation, or rather paraphrase, of the NLT I might as well print that out.

Proverbs 20:3 (NLT) Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling.

So?  I should insist on listening and understanding rather than quarreling.  God have mercy on my soul. 

Dividing the Word

Psalms 119:1 (KJV) ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.

(Proverbs 19 also read)

I have begun working my way through the book of Psalms again.  One of the difficulties that have to be dealt with is the fact that there are some months that have 31 days and that causes a problem when you divide Psalms into 30 Psalms a month.  What I am doing is taking the 119th Psalm and dividing it up with about 25 verses to read each month that has 31 days.

So today as I read through the first 24 verses of the first Psalm one of the things I noticed was the many different names that are given to the “law”.  Each verse almost has a new word.  The next few verses have “testimonies”, “Ways”, “precepts”.

There are many different words but what is universal in all of them is the joy in which they are engaged and lived out.

So?  Don’t be afraid of the law.  When Paul talks about the law, he talks about the condemning nature of it, the fact that it tells you where the lines are.  When David talks about the law, he rejoices in the freedom that he has by walking within those lines, and avoiding so many pitfalls because of it.  You’re not saved by the law.  It’s still a good way to live.

Names Matter

Psalms 29:2 (KJV) Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

(Proverbs 18 also read)

This is one place where I think the new Bible translation, the Legacy Standard Bible, has an advantage.  You’ll notice in the KJV and the NASB that the word “LORD” is in all capitals.  That designates that this is the Hebrew word for Yahweh, which is sometimes translated “Jehovah”.  In the LSB they have decided that, instead of capitalizing the word Lord, they would actually put in a transliteration of the Hebrew word.

What this does is it makes it more personal.  When you saw the definite article, it became a proper noun instead of a general designation.  If you were a Jew of ancient times, you would recognize Yahweh as a term rooted in the verb “to be”.  So when you are saying, give Yahweh the glory to His name, which is Yahweh, you understand better.  The great glory that Israel had in their God was that He existed.

What a fundamental truth.  The God of the Bible is different from all other gods in many ways, but the key element of it all is, He is.

So?  When you give God glory start off with a deep felt acknowledgment that He is really there and that He hears your praise and your thanksgiving. 

Got Problems?

Psalms 27:12 (KJV) Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

(Proverbs 17 also read)

When I think of David, I think of him marching triumphantly out to face Goliath.  I think of him with his sling and his stones, and coming to victory with no fear in his heart.  I think of him as the king of Israel being victorious over his foes.  Usually I forget about the fact that he went through some really hard times.  Some of it he brought upon himself.  Some was outside his control.

It’s good for us to remind ourselves of how even people like David, who is described as being a man after God’s own heart, went through some real struggles.  It should be a reminder to us that our road will not always be smooth.  It should also remind us that God will be there for us because as you continue to read or go back through the verses you find David putting his trust in God.

So?  I hope this is a good day for you.  I hope your blessings are overflowing your cups.  But if not, keep in mind that God is still there and still waiting to meet with you and still waiting to bless you.  Rejoice. 

On or off

Proverbs 16:17 (KJV) The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.

Notice that it doesn’t say Interstate, it says “highway”.  When I see this and the idea of “depart” I naturally think of getting off the highway.  I looked for an off ramp.  When you see a sign that says bridge out ahead, you naturally look for a way to avoid that bridge.  If you’re listening to the radio and you hear that the interstate is blocked by a bunch of demonstrators as happened recently you look for an alternate route.

This is the advice that applies to every time and area of life.  The highway is not necessarily an interstate.  It could be.  It might not be.  It is a recognize route to get to the destination.  In most cases, there are alternative routes or at least ways around obstructions.  We need to be aware of that as we move through life.

I experienced this recently as I was trying to drive through town.  Unfortunately, the road was not very clearly marked.  It said there was a detour for trucks because of a low bridge.  The mystery was that in the direction the trucks would be traveling there were no bridges, but it was an early warning that something was wrong.  Since I wasn’t driving a truck, I kept going straight ahead. Instead of getting off and going right or left I found myself facing a situation where I had no escape, and was heading into a road that did not go through.  I managed to find a way around and changed my path.  If I hadn’t, I would still be sitting there today.

So?  Be alert.  That seems to be one of the prices of life.  Watch out for obstructions. Here the emphasis is on evil.  Evil exists.  Satan is out to get you.  Be aware.  Work to avoid his traps and God will supply the way out. 

Trash Talk

Proverbs 15:14 (KJV) The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness.

I like good adventure stories.  One genre that fits that is solid science fiction.  Westerns also qualify.  I can also enjoy spy novels and mysteries if they’re well written, and are not woke.  That last part is one of the key issues.  The main problem with all of these types of reading is that they usually don’t give you anything worth remembering.  They are escape.

Often what we read, even if it’s news, becomes escape because we aren’t serious about finding real truth.  Double that for things that we listen to.  I recently listened to an hour long discussion and the theme was the danger of dispensationalism.  They continually talked about the danger, and the tragedy brought about by this theological system, but they never got down to explaining in reality why it was so dangerous.  I invested my time with their conversation, but for me it was mush.  That’s why when I read the NLT, it jumped out at me with the final word,

Proverbs 15:14 (NLT) A wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash,

So?  If you have a desire, and again, I say “if”, to be wise rather than foolish, then spend your time feeding your mind and your heart with that which is not trash.  It can be done.  It just takes a little bit of focus and concentration. 

Fake Is Bigger Than the News

Proverbs 14:15 (KJV) The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going.

Have you read or watched any news today?  Did you believe what you read?  If you did you have my sympathy.  Buried in all that we are inundated with are some facts and some truth, but very little.  The problem isn’t that there is no truth.  The problem is that we don’t want to put the effort into digging it out.

There is a process.  It starts with listening carefully.  It then goes to comparing what different people say and what you know from the past.  You also need to mix in a heavy dose of common sense.  When you read a story about a person that goes totally against what you know their character to be, get out your salt shaker, and have a few grains.

I recently heard about a man from South Africa who was talking in glowing terms about how good things were there.  My skeptic bell went off, and I said to myself that does not go along with other things I have read and heard from what I consider reliable sources.  I asked the person reporting if they could vouch for the character and veracity of the person who was talking about South Africa and I got a pretty solid, “No”.   My conclusion was that the person speaking was either living in a bubble or being very dishonest.

So?  The most vital ingredient in finding truth in what goes on around you is a healthy skepticism that is willing to accept what is provable, but also willing to look beyond the surface to see if there was fraud or deceit going on.  Again, the basis that you need to judge truth is knowing the truth itself, found in the Scriptures.  The principles and standards there that can give you a foundation for evaluating everything else.  Don’t be simple.

Me Too

Psalms 100:1 (KJV) [[A Psalm of praise.]] Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

(Proverbs 13 also read)

One of the principles of understanding scripture is to first ask yourself who is speaking, and then to whom that person is speaking.  This verse does not tell us who wrote it.  It doesn’t tell us it was David so we can’t assume that, but it is some person inspired by the Holy Spirit conveying what God wanted them to say.

To whom is he speaking?  Since this was written in ancient Israel, he was at the time, addressing Israel itself.  However, we have a qualifying word here, which means that it is to be applied beyond just Israel .  Notice the word in the KJV “lands”, and in the NASB “earth”.  Some people would like to say that applies just to Israel but that is really stretching your imagination.  I’m sure at times when the ego is involved, Israel would like to think they are the whole earth but that doesn’t quite work.

This is the same word that is used in Genesis 1:1 where it says that God created the heavens and the earth.  That doesn’t mean He just created Israel.  It means the entire globe.

So?  God reached out to mankind through the genealogy that you find in Matthew and Luke.  That focuses on the coming of the Messiah, the death on the cross, the resurrection from the grave, the ascension.  But think about it as a big X where everything comes down to the crossing point, and then widens out to infinity.  This is written to you.  Make a joyful noise. 

Your Own Lying Eyes

Proverbs 12:2 (KJV) A good man obtaineth favour of the LORD: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn.

Stop and read that verse again.  I hope you see a bit of tension between what it says, and what you have probably been told again and again.  Because of the influence of certain theologians and theological systems, we have taken certain verses such as,

Romans 3:23 (KJV) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

and,

Romans 3:10 (KJV) As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

and interpreted them in such a way that ignores large portions of scripture which modify these statements.  Yes, we are all sinners, we have all sinned.  No arguments there.  And whether you understand it or not that second verse quoted is just a restatement of that.  That does not mean that people do not have desires to live right, and opposed to that, desires to commit evil.

So?  According to the Bible, not just the apostle Paul, but the entire scripture, there are people who desire to do what is right.  God’s grace is extended to those people.  Their sins are forgiven, not expecting perfection, but putting us in right standing with God.  Be one of the good guys.

Perfect Grammar

Psalms 23:5 (KJV) Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

(Proverbs 11 also read)

First, let me make it clear that I am not an expert in Hebrew by any means.  What I have to do is something that anyone can do and that is use the tools available through books and software to try and understand what the Bible is saying.  In this case, I started looking at the verbs in verse one, and follow through to the end of the chapter.  I found that in every case, except for one of the verses were in the imperfect tense.

The imperfect tense in the Hebrew is similar to the present tense in Greek.  I know that clarifies it to you right?  What that means is that it is a continuous action.  So in verse one when it says the Lord is my shepherd the idea is conveyed to be a continuous process.  So the 23rd Psalm is a living testimony of David walking with God and can be a reassurance for us.

The one exception is the anointing that takes place in this verse.  This is in the perfect tense, which means that it is a one time event.  You can draw whatever parallels you want from that.  You could take the fact that as king David was anointed one time.  You could take it as evidence that when we are filled with the Holy Spirit and saved that it is a one time event, or at least should be a one time event.  You could take this as a messianic prophecy.

So?  The Bible is to be read as a living document designed and delivered to living people.  It is something that we can apply day after day and trust what it has to say.  God is continually preparing a table for you.  Sit down and enjoy. 

Effort and Depression

Proverbs 10:4 (KJV) He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

This seems like such a simple statement.  It is.  Too simple.  We need to dig a little deeper and look a little wider to find the full council of God on this.  This is flushed out by this complementary passage.

Proverbs 13:23 (NASB95) Abundant food is in the fallow ground of the poor, But it is swept away by injustice.

The Bible is clear that hard work makes us better off than being lazy.  It is also clear that there are people in power who can corrupt the system and make it impossible for us to get ahead.

So?  If you are a warrior for justice as defined by righteousness then you are on God’s side.  Yes, God does take sides.  If you are a social justice warrior, pushing your agenda then you are one of those who is sweeping others away with injustice.

Quite a Pair

Proverbs 9:13 (KJV) A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing.

The word “simple“ or “naïve“ has the idea of being empty headed or, as I’ve said before, having an open mind.  It’s like driving down the freeway in a pickup loaded with ping-pong balls and having a tailgate down.  That is the kind of openness we are talking about.

Although I won’t consult it for doctrine, the NLT paraphrase has an interesting insight here.  It says,

Proverbs 9:13 (NLT) The woman named Folly is brash. She is ignorant and doesn’t know it.

That’s quite a pair being ignorant about being ignorant.  It’s ignorant, both looking out and looking in.

So?  The solution to this problem is to close your tailgate and fill your pickup with truth that is vetted by God himself.  Seek wisdom in Him not in your culture, your education, your friends, or within your open mind. 

Biggest Sale Ever

Proverbs 8:34 (KJV) Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

One of the uses of paraphrases like the NLT is that the surprising way of putting things can catch your attention and make you think.  This verse got me today.

Proverbs 8:34 (NLT) Joyful are those who listen to me, watching for me daily at my gates, waiting for me outside my home!

As I contemplated this verse and tried to think of situations where we would make a priority of standing and waiting, my mind went to Black Friday.

I must confess that I have never gone out early in the morning on Black Friday and searched for great deals.  There are no bargains that are worth me sacrificing my dignity and personal safety by standing in a mass of people who are willing to shove, push, step on you and many other unsocial behaviors in order to get the first TV off the pile.  I cannot identify with that.

However, it is an attitude that would be good for us if we could adopt it when it comes to learning the truth of God.  You might not need to stand in line and push and shove.  It might require simply getting up an hour early, find a quiet corner and opening your mind of God.

So?  I’m not looking for guilt trips.  I’m just suggesting that we often find what we’re really looking for.  Just as you always seem to have time for what you want to do but not time to do the chores your wife has for you.  You’ll have more chance of hearing God’s voice if you’re actively listening. 

Having a Bad Day?

Psalms 22:6 (KJV) But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.

(Proverbs 7 also read)

This is David writing, according to the first verse.  This is the man who has been identified as being one who is after God’s own heart . In the next Psalm we will have that glorious statement of “The Lord is my Shepherd….”

Obviously, David was having a bad day.  Again, I remind you, if David can have a bad day, why do you think you won’t have them?  Or maybe you’re accustomed to it and are aware that sometimes it is the valleys of life that point out how special the peaks are.  It is the struggles that make the victories so glorious.  It’s kind of like how coffee makes the donut taste so good.

So?  Keep looking up, keep trusting, believe that God is there for you, and that He will be the one who hold you up, Who shelters you. 

Dr. Livingstone, I Presume

Psalms 19:13 (KJV) Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.

(Proverbs 6 also read)

This is the only place in the KJV where the Hebrew word is translated “presumptuous.”  Every other place it is simply “proud.”  I also noticed that the word “sins” is in italics, which indicates it is not in the Hebrew.  In the title I took the quote from Stanley when he met David Livingstone in the jungle.  The presumption was that he did not know for sure, but he had enough information to feel like he knew what he was talking about.  David is reminding us in his confession that we have a tendency to be a bit presumptuous when are thinking about ourselves and are communicating with God.

We need to make sure that our assumptions are based in scripture and not in culture.  They need to be grounded in the objective world God created not in the subjective environment we have established.

So?  Start your day by listening.  That’s really what meditation is and it’s an important part of worship.  Act like you are listening for instructions on an activity that you don’t know how to do or have not done before.  In a sense make each day new. 

Wall Bumpers

Proverbs 5:6 (KJV) Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them.

I have reached the stage in life where my path to the coffee pot in the morning involves help from the walls along the way.  It’s not an every day thing, but there are some days when I kind of bounce back-and-forth like a pinball.  It’s not a big emergency yet but someday it may be.  There are times when I get a little wobbly going downstairs.

That makes me read this verse in the NLT and smile.  Now the woman in the verse has nothing to smile about.  Running into walls is causing her great pain.  Her life is a shambles.  Unlike me she can do something about it.

Proverbs 5:6 (NLT) For she cares nothing about the path to life. She staggers down a crooked trail and doesn’t realize it.

Like me, she doesn’t seem to realize that she’s running into the walls.  I have to wake up enough to understand that I’m not going in a straight line.

So?  Are you running into walls?  Are you aware that you’re running into walls?  You may think that’s the normal way to live life but God has something better for you.  Consider and ask yourself if you need to ponder the path of life. 

Repetition

Proverbs 4:23 (KJV) Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

There is a theme in this chapter of Proverbs, which is repeated ad nauseam.  It’s expressed in many different ways.  And it is summarized in the word “keep”.  Some translations use the word “guard”, instead of keep which gets closer to the intent.  This isn’t a matter of sticking something in your pocket, keeping it generally safe and out of the limelight.  This is a matter of setting up a rigorous defense, to keep it from being polluted, diluted or damaged.

Wisdom is precious.  Wisdom is vital.  Wisdom is easily corrupted, and watered down.

So?  Stay alert.  Keep checking to see if the germs are attacking.  If you have a pool, think of how you are constantly checking the chlorine level.  Add chemicals, the word, as needed.  There are no replacements. 

Not a Good Bet

Proverbs 3:7 (KJV) Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

The New Living Translation caught my attention on this verse.

Proverbs 3:7 (NLT) Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn away from evil.

I got to thinking about how often we think we can handle the temptations of life and come out victorious.  I’m not talking here about the temptations we can’t avoid.  Some things are put on our plate and we have to deal with them.  In those cases we can trust God to help us find a way around or through the danger.  What I’m thinking of are those times where we get so impressed with her own wisdom and knowledge that we head straight into the storm.

I can remember going out walking in gully washers.  As a kid I would put on my poncho, don my pith helmet and boots and go for a walk in the rain.  Did I mention that I do this after dark and that much of my walking is done through the surging gutters on the side of the road and not on the sidewalk?  It was pretty stupid.  In the midst of my wisdom, I figured I was bundled up and ready to go.  I lived to not talk about it, at least around my parents.

This is a warning about that nonsense.

So?  I will admit God kind of has His eye on us and His guardian angels are working overtime to keep us out of trouble.  Don’t tempt Him to let us know how stupid we’re being.  Go for the wisdom, God’s wisdom, not ours.

Inferred Subject

Proverbs 2:12 (KJV) To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;

This verse gives us the promise that wisdom, which is inferred from the context, will deliver us.  What we tend to forget is that this is not some kind of mysterious elixir or magic ray gun that hits us when we least expect it.  Consider the verses before and after.  Consider all 31 chapters.  Wisdom is available.  We must seek it.

Think of all the verbs that are used in explaining this phenomenon.  Listening and seeking are two.  Then we have meditating and thinking about.  Just about every verb that has to do with seeking knowledge is used in these chapters.

So?  Don’t just sit there and expect wisdom to descend upon your head.  Although the Holy Spirit will help you understand, and is willing to give guidance, there is still that element of growing spiritually, which requires us to direct her mind in our will toward seeking and receiving. 

The Big Robbery

Proverbs 1:19 (KJV) So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

This month I am reading Proverbs from the New Living Translation (NLT).  First a disclaimer. I am not a big fan of the NLT.  I don’t consider it a translation, it is a paraphrase.  If it admitted it was a paraphrase, I might find a use for it more often, but I don’t like hiding behind phony titles.  That being said, it did have an interesting paraphrase of this verse,

Proverbs 1:19 (NLT) Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money; it robs them of life.

Focusing on the financial aspect of life as your main motivation, robs you of real life.  I like the use of that word, “robs”.

Again note that this is not saying that money is the root of all evil, it is the priority of money, not the quantity.

So?  What is the love of your life?  What is your number one priority?  What makes everything else get in the backseat?  If you could answer that honestly, you may be on the road to revival.

Do You Need an Umbrella Today?

Proverbs 28:3 (KJV) A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food.

Rain is good.  Too much rain is destructive.  A very light rain is useless.  So much of life depends upon the quantity of product that is needed compared to what we receive.  Here the image is rain.

The weatherman loves to get us excited about rain.  My wife is constantly telling me not to go out driving because there are going to be flash floods that will wash me away.  As I drive across the road that goes east and west above our home, it has numerous dips through which at one time or another water channels.  The one that amuses me the most is the one that is called the Dry Comal Creek.  We have had some real gully washers since we’ve been in Texas.  We have a metal roof and the sound can be very dramatic as it pounds down.  We can watch the water running down the driveway and down the roads.  I have yet to see it come over any dips on that road.

On the other end we have forecasts of rain that keep getting moved back a day at a time until they disappear.  I don’t know if it’s a vain hope or just needing to hype up peoples’ enthusiasm so they keep watching, but the rain doesn’t come.

We don’t have any control over the rain, but we do have control over many areas of our life.  We can decide whether to eat too much or practice moderation.  We can decide to drink too much and need a designated driver, or we can practice moderation.  We can spend money on gifts using our credit cards and shake our head in despair when the bills come in, or we can practice moderation.

So?  I guess it should be obvious.  Practice, moderation, but you knew that. 

Not a Coward

Proverbs 27:12 (KJV) A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.

Americans tend to channel John Wayne.  We tend to take things head-on and think that our courage, honor and bravery will triumph.  Sometimes that’s the way to go, other times it is better to be “prudent.”  And what does prudent mean in this situation?  It means hiding.  I don’t think that means actually going into a closet, huddling down and covering ourselves with a blanket.  It could simply be a matter of not walking through the door.  It could be a matter of not reading a certain book or magazine article.  It definitely could be avoiding certain movies or entertainments. It is the prudent thing to do.

The hard part is knowing when we should stride forward with confidence that God will protect us, and when we are supposed to avoid the “evil.”  That is where discernment, knowing our scriptures, listening to the Holy Spirit and being willing to be obedient are so crucial.

So?  The place to start is in reading the scripture but we do that with an awareness that the Holy Spirit is going to try and speak to us.  The value in scripture is not how many verses we read, but carefully listening to what they might want to say to us. 

Worship Proliferation

(Psa 26:8 KJV)  LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.

(Proverbs 26 also read)

Originally, in scripture you have the Garden of Eden identified as the place where God met humanity.  After the expulsion, there was more evidence of meeting God wherever you were.  Then we come to the law, and the tabernacle and later of the temple.  During these time periods, the emphasis on meeting God was in coming to the place where the Ark of the Covenant resided.  I think that is what David has in mind as he is sharing here.  As I was looking into the different temples, one of the commentators said that the only temple that does not have a statement about the glory of God filling it was the one built by Nehemiah and Ezra.  That doesn’t mean God wasn’t there, but the others have a specific reference to God‘s glory.

Since I was meeting God in my bedroom, Israel is the other side of the world and there is no temple, my mind started wondering why I can meet with God here?  And my mind went back to where Jesus said that He had to leave so that the Holy Spirit could come to us and how on Pentecost He came in power.

So?  We can meet with God just about anywhere.  His glory in a sense now resides in us and not a building.  Rejoice and worship. 

An Open Secret

Psalms 25:14 (KJV) The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.

(Proverbs 25 also read)

When I see something that is supposed to be a “secret”, I think of private information that we don’t want shared with anyone else.  That’s not the emphasis here.  The word has the idea of a council meeting where only the members can join the discussion.  That doesn’t mean they can’t share it with others.  It might even be more like board meetings at my church.  They say they’re open to anyone who wants to come.  You can’t vote but you can listen.  I don’t know if you can speak, but you can listen.

We are admitted to the council of God when we have the right attitude towards him.  The word here is fear.  Keep in mind the biblical concept of fear is more awe and reverence than phobia.  It is an attitude that does not make us want to run away, but convinces us to listen.

So? God's counsel is available. Are you listening? 

Pick a Metaphor

(Psa 18:2 KJV)  The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

(Proverbs 24 also read)

David is waxing strong on his figures of speech.  I hope you realize that you’re not supposed to take everything here literally.  David is expressing the joy in the glory of God that he’s feeling and trying to come up with a way to convey that to you.  What would you come up with today? 401k?  Shields up?  Iron dome?

The actual figure of speech is not important.  What is key is to realize the glory of God, the power of God, the love of God, the holiest of God.  All of these are beyond our comprehension and yet we can grasp them enough to sense how awesome they are.

So?  Spend some time, perhaps meditating on the biblical pictures, trying to describe God and then spend some time looking for your own metaphor and similes. 

The Five Month Reminder

Proverbs 23:1 (KJV) When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:

Every five months because of my routine of Bible reading, I have this verse in Proverbs 23, which comes before me at the same time as this verse in Psalm 23,

Psalms 23:5 (KJV) Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

We have the picture of someone supplying us with a wonderful repast.  In both cases, we have the idea that our wants and needs are being supplied.  The difference is the attitude of the person doing the supplying.  In Proverbs, we are warned about the person who is called a ruler.  As you read on you find out that this ruler has a definite agenda, which is not to your benefit.

In Psalms it’s a totally different picture.  There you have a benevolent God who is laying out before you a benevolent feast.  There is no fear.  There is no concern about coming back to haunt you.  There will be no food poisoning in this banquet.

So?  Consider the source.  The supplies in our daily lives.  We have many people who give us gifts but they all come with strings attached.  The gifts that God gives us for our benefit and our eternal joy.  Bon appétit. 

Favor

(Pro 22:1 KJV)  A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

I don’t know if I have covered this before.  Even if I have, I’m going to look at it again.  I am referring of course to that word “favor.”  This is the word which the King James Bible usually translates “grace.”  It is the Hebrew word which is looked at as the Old Testament equivalent of the New Testament concept of grace.  It is the word that is used of Noah finding grace.

It jumps out at me because I have been discussing the place of Israel in the salvation message.  The person I was talking to was insisting that all Israel will be saved as it tells us in Romans 11.  I was telling him that for such an understanding as he had of that verse it had to involve what Calvin called “irresistible grace”.  Since he claims to not be a Calvinist, he didn’t like that.

Either way, grace is very evident in the Old Testament.  It talks about having God’s favor, and God, moving in benevolent and beneficial ways in the lives of those He extends His grace to.

So? That means that God has extended his grace even to you. I trust you have accepted the offer. 

Breaking Arms

Psalms 10:15 (KJV) Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none.

(Proverbs 21 also read)

The title given this section of scripture by the editors is “Prayer for the overthrow of the wicked.”  I understand that is not in the actual text, but just a summary offered by some mysterious editor.  But it does summarize the Psalm pretty well.  When you get down to verse 15 you get this interesting request.

While it’s true that we are not supposed to wish tragedy on our enemies, that advice, which is given other places in Psalms and Proverbs, seems to be overlooked.  I would guess that this means that it’s OK for us to pray for heaps of coal to be dumped on the heads of the wicked.

So?  Don’t let this get you to walk away from living a righteous life, or examining your own self, but as you pray and you see people that are obviously wicked and living in defiance of God, it would seem to be OK to call upon God to deal with them in physical ways. 

Passing the Buck

Proverbs 20:7 (KJV) The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.

Often when we read a verse like this, we think that there are certain promises made that are not really there.  In my first reading, and probably my fourth or fifth reading, this says that if I walk in “integrity” that my children will walk also in that integrity.  We take it as a promise, that if we follow God that our children will follow God.

That is not what it says.

It says that if we are faithful, our children will be blessed.  What that blessing means moves on to the next generation and depends on how they respond to the blessing.  I believe in free will.  Most people even if they are five point Calvinist, believe in some type of free will.  That means that no matter how much of a blessing we are to our children the question is, how will they respond.

I will concede that us walking in integrity gives them a better chance, a better foundation, understandings that others might not have, but it’s still up to them what they do with that blessing.  I can take my child out with a 22 rifle and teach him to shoot well.  He can take that skill and use it for recreation, or feeding his family, or for committing murder.

So?  Walk in integrity.  Lay the groundwork.  Set the example.  Pray that God would lead your children to follow in those footsteps.  Your responsibility is to give the blessing theirs is to respond to it. 

Such Enthusiasm

Psalms 7:1 (KJV) [[Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the LORD, concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite.]] O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:

(Proverbs 19 also read)

The footnotes and interpretations that are often offered by the editors of our translation can either make me want to punch them or laugh along with them at their creativity.  The NASB here has a footnote by the word “Shiggaion”.  Part of what it says is “wild passionate song.”  At this one I’m afraid I am left a little bit wondering about their interpretation.

I went and looked at the Hebrew in my software and the first thing it said is that the meaning is not really clear.  The word is only used twice in the Bible and neither one has a great explanation.  If you go back to the root word, it means to go astray, or to wander.  I guess I can see where they would take a shot in the dark at the meaning but it would be a little more honest just to share that we don’t know.

So?  Be careful when you read editorial comments about the scripture.  One caution has to do with the fact that every editor has his theological bias.  Be aware of what it is.  Compensate for it.  The other is that they don’t want to admit often that they don’t know.  As much as possible, let the scripture speak for itself. 

Words Matter

Proverbs 18:8 (KJV) The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

Remember as a child how we used to chant, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”  That can be very reassuring as a defensive tool.  It helps us to realize that words themselves cannot physically damage, but it also opens us up to the danger of infection.

It’s not so much the bacteria that comes into your body, but whether your body can throw it off and defend itself.  We are surrounded by bacteria and viruses.  Pollution literally floats in the air.  Our bodies are under constant attack.  Just saying that these attacks have no danger is to ignore potential destruction.  So we take common habits as preventatives, is the fancy word prophylactics?  We wash our hands….

(An interlude, which was recorded as I stopped to respond to the cat.  “What’s the matter?  What’s the matter with you?  What are you doing, huh?  Are you doing OK?  You need to snap a hand no… Back to business)

Even more important for a spiritual lives is the awareness that our words can become the damaging infection in someone else’s life.

So?  We need to be less sensitive to the comments of others, and more aware of what our mouths do. 

Buried Non-Treasure

Proverbs 17:9 (KJV) He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.

As I read this today, it came to mind how certain people in my life tend to keep bringing up past failures, or imagined past failures.

It’s bad enough when the things that get thrown at you from the past are true.  I think we all know we have failed.  We know that we have not had perfect lives.  There comes a time when we need to get beyond that and move on.  Throwing our old failures at us doesn’t help us at all.

How about when the mud being thrown at you just doesn’t stick to the wall?  I think we all go through this to where we are accused of things that we did not do, attitudes we did not have or thoughts that we didn’t think.  What do we do then?  I guess that puts us in a position where we should be the one seeking love.  Maybe a better way of saying it is expressing love.  Keep in mind that the first word describing love in first Corinthians is patience or long-suffering.

So?  Be the one that demonstrates that kind of behavior God wants.  Sure there will be people that like to throw them out at you, but your place in God’s economy is not to return the favor but to let it lie and move on.

A Word for the Afterlife

Psalms 6:5 (KJV) For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?

(Proverbs 16 also read)

One of the books I have been reading had a discussion about hell.  It was rather interesting, even if the topic is one that I do not enjoy.  One of the topics looked at was the word that is used here for “grave”.  Many of the more modern translations transliterate the word as Sheol.

Some Bible scholars are of the belief that the ancient Hebrews did not have a concept of heaven and hell like we do.  The opinion was they went along with the general pagan idea of Hades, where the dead go to live in darkness and gloom.  Often they say there is no difference between the resting place of the righteous or the wicked.

This verse would seem to go along with that if it were the only witness we have in the Bible.  This would seem to say that once you’re buried, there’s no awareness or way that you can be praising or thanking God.  If this was the only place we had we could make that conclusion.  Fortunately, there are many other places where a different view is given, including the place where Jesus told the thief on the cross that he would be in paradise with Him that day.

So?  Be careful who’s opinion you listen to.  Do some reading on your own.  You’d be surprised at what you can find. 

What You See Is Not What You Get

Proverbs 15:8 (KJV) The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

I think it is natural for human beings to be impressed by what they see.  We see a shiny new car and we were impressed with the beauty and the power.  We might be impressed with the finances of the person owning it.  That’s our first reaction, or usually our first reaction.  My first reaction tends to be rather short, because my second thought is, “I wonder what his payment is?”

Recently, I was in a conversation where someone was talking about a person who made habitual bad choices.  Because of bad choices he had bought a new car, had it destroyed by someone with no insurance, and was now making $800 a month payments on a car that was junked.  At that point just about anyone would cease to be impressed.

The emphasis here is not on the outward expression, but on the condition of the heart.  On one side, you have the “wicked”.  On the other side, you have the “upright”.  Since this is the Old Testament, it is very possible that the upright was also giving a sacrifice, and the wicked might’ve added a few prayers.  The thing is that God looks at the heart of the person and not just the action.

So?  Is your heart right?  Is your motive right?  Your neighbors may not know the difference, but God does. 

Opinions Often Don’t Matter

Psalm 3:2 (KJV) Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.

(Proverbs 14 also read)

We are supposed to be open to counsel.  Wisdom means that we learn to take advice, and that we listen to other people who might be speaking the words that God wants us to hear.  That’s true, but not always true.

Here David hears what I was just saying.  I’m sure that if David were in one of his bad times, it would be easy for him to take these words seriously.  He tells us what everyone is saying.  I would guess that we have been there.  We’ve had people who question our motives and our whole spiritual demeanor.  Our first responsibility is to listen with an open heart.  Keep in mind when I say open heart I don’t mean the word that is used for simple or naïve.  It also means open. Your heart is not open in the sense that it’s so open everything will fall out and anything can come in.  Your heart is to be filled with the things of God and with His word.

Then when someone has something to say, you can filter it through the wisdom that you have stored up because you’ve been spending time with Him.  It may be that you need to hear what they’re saying.  It may be that you need to hear it and ignore it.  Only you know the answer to that.

So? Listen, but listen with the Holy Spirit guiding your heart in mind.  Hear what you need to hear.  Ignore the rest. 

An Earful

Proverbs 13:1 (KJV) A wise son heareth his father's instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke.

In comparing translations, we are reminded of the difference between hearing and listening.  In one sense they are the same but the conflict that comes out is that one produces an awareness and the other is simply a sensitivity to sound.

Think of the times where you have become aware of a sound that has been going on for a while.  Recently our heating system stopped working.  The house was getting colder, but still manageable.  There was nothing to freak out about.  The repairman were coming.  Suddenly I was aware that I was hearing the sound of the fan working.  It intruded in my consciousness, and I started listening, and I realize that the heater was on.  Once my attention was gained, I realized a few minutes later than it is stopped again.

The point is that my ears were capable of hearing.  They were working.  They just weren’t connected to my conscious brain.  Think about this in terms of spiritual truth.  We are surrounded by truth.  It appears in different ways and in different formats, but it is available.  Some people see it, some don’t.  The point that Proverbs is getting to is that it makes a difference in our lives if we’re paying attention or not.

So?  What is God trying to say to you?  Are you listening?  Are you not hearing simply because you don’t like with the message is?  Your choice. 

We Should All Be Pentecostals

Psalm 150:4 (KJV) Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.

(Proverbs 12 also read)

I may have touched on this before.  I won’t know until I look a little deeper into what I’ve written, but for now, as I look at this chapter in Psalms, I see a form of worship that I personally am uncomfortable with.  I see what I would consider a wild and crazy Pentecostal experience.  I picked this verse because in the translation I was reading it had tambourines and dancing.  I have seen Pentecostal services that have this as part of their worship.  I tend to stick my nose up at this and make note of how dignified I am.

Maybe I need to get over that.  This chapter illustrates the joy and enthusiasm that worship needs.  I tend to be more of a Presbyterian when it comes to my worship style.  I’m not sure that’s what God wants all the time, if ever.

So?  Feel free.  Feel free to worship.  Feel free to worship with enthusiasm, adoration and energy.  Based on this Psalm God seems to like that. 

Rejecting the Perfect

Proverbs 11:5 (KJV) The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.

If it weren’t for serious blindness, I would laugh at people who get all uptight at the word “perfect” (8549).  We see it being used in the KJV on a regular basis.  It even shows up in other translations.  The problem comes because we take a word in the English language, apply modern philosophy and sociology to it, say it is impossible, and reject what God’s word says.

A lot of the modern translations that I have on my software substitute the word “blameless”.  In reality, that’s just kicking the can down the road and refusing to look the issue in the eye.  The point that Solomon is making here, and that the rest of scripture makes, is that there are two basic attitudes towards life.  You have those who desire to live the way God wants him to live, and those who reject that.  The Bible is consistent with the teaching that we are expected to live righteous lives.  You may to find it different ways, but the demand is there.

If the Bible says we are to do it, then there must be a way to do it.  You can then get into conversations about the grace of God and the power of the spirit.  You cannot reject the expectation.

So?  The difference is there.  The expectation is real.  If you aren’t on board already, maybe it’s time to look a little closer. 

Spare Me the Paraphrase

Proverbs 10:2 (KJV) Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.

One reason I like the word for word translation philosophy is because it allows the Holy Spirit to stimulate my mind to greater understanding.  I don’t like translators deciding how to interpret God‘s word for me.  I accept the fact that there are times when that may be necessary because of the multiple meanings of a word, but here we have a simple, literal phrase “treasures of wickedness” which the NASB has decided to paraphrase as “ill-gotten gains”.  While it’s true, that that is the meaning it is not what it says.

I like the turn of phrase in the KJV.  It makes me think more than the modern phrase in the NASB.

So?  Opinions may vary.  I’m sure they do.  I still have this belief that God said things the way He did because He wanted them to be said that way.  I don’t think He was confused.

Hidden in Hebrew

Psalm 149:4 (KJV) For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.

(Proverbs 9 also read)

What got me looking at this verse?  A little nudge was the NIV translation that substituted “victory” for the more common translation of “salvation” (3444).  There’s a difference between victory and salvation.  One is temporal and the other is eternal.  So I looked up the Hebrew behind the word for “salvation”.  I thought it and it’s transliteration looked familiar and, sure enough it is the Hebrew word for Joshua, or Jesus.  When the angel appeared to Mary and said he will save his people from their sins this was a word play on the name, Jesus.

So here hidden in the Psalms, we see the name of Jesus.  The KJV says that He will “beautify” (6286) the “meek” (6035).  Think of that in terms of the statement of Jesus where He said “blessed are the meek.”

So?  Jesus was named Jesus for a reason.  He was to be a savior.  We see this concept buried even in the book of Psalms.  Something to rejoice about. 

Indicators

Proverbs 8:7 (KJV) For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

How do you know wisdom when it’s right in front of you?  There are several indications in this chapter and this verse has one of them.  This is a personification with wisdom, speaking and wisdom says, “my mouth….”

Notice that one of the elements of wisdom is truth.  That would seem to mean that people who do not tell the truth do not have wisdom.  That is a simple and obvious conclusion.  What may not be clear is that “wickedness” is not tied to wisdom.  And when wisdom speaks wickedness, it becomes an abomination, or not wisdom.

So?  You may not know everything.  Welcome to the human race.  But generally you know when something is true or you will find out soon whether it’s true, and you can know that if someone is pushing something that is not true, then they by definition are wicked.  Be on the side of righteousness.

Take the Antidote

Proverbs 7:21 (KJV) With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.

If you just read the second half of this chapter, you might have sympathy for this poor young man, who was seduced by the unfaithful wife.  She seems to have all the ammunition.  She seems to have the initiative.  He seems to be that which I like to call, “a helpless pawn in the hands of fate."

His failure is a choice, not predestination.  If you go back and look at the advice, at the beginning, it talks about taking wisdom, and making it a part of your heart.  It talks about the pupil of your eye, or the apple of your eye, being the place where God‘s commandments and laws should pass through, and then make your way into you.  There’s repeated reminders to spend time, knowing what God has told us to be into.  Obviously, this young man has chosen to ignore that advice.

So?  The problem wasn’t that she had such deep satisfying positions or arguments.  The problem is that he didn’t have the foundation that has been offered to him.  We can resist the wiles of the devil.  We can walk the path of truth.  But it only happens if we make the choices that lay the foundation.  Make this a day of wisdom. 

Priority Excuses

(Pro 6:16 KJV)  These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

As you continue down in this chapter of Proverbs, you see the seven abominations that are listed.  Have you ever wondered if they are in order of priority or are they just listed as they came to Solomon’s mind?  When I see a list, I sometimes wonder about this.  For instance, when I look at the Love Chapter and it’s definition of love, I ask myself, “Is patience the most important thing because it’s listed first?”  And I say the same things when it comes to the gifts of the Spirit, and the fruit of the Spirit.

It is an interesting question, but the more important question is, “Why are you asking?”  Is there a desire in your heart to vindicate yourself over someone else because you’re less a sinner than they are?  Is there an awareness of multiple weaknesses in your life and you want to start working on one and perhaps are looking for the easiest to deal with?  Or is it just idle curiosity?

So?  It makes a difference what your motivation is.  If your life is controlled by sin, there is a sense in which it doesn’t matter which is the most important or most grievous.  What is needed is freedom from sin and forgiveness for the sins of the past.  Fortunately, both are offered by Jesus. That’s why He went to the cross. 

Star Praise

Psalm 148:3 (KJV) Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.

(Proverbs 5 also read)

I can read this two ways.  The first way is obviously just read it with an attitude of worship and acceptance and glorifying God.

The second way is to have my skeptic hat on and ask myself, “How does the sun praise God?”  I can then go on, and substitute the moon and the stars.  In reality, those are just skeptical questions.  They are also questions asking for insight.  We can read in just an attitude of worship, and God will meet us.  We can read with a desire for deeper understanding, with skepticism, and God will also meet us.

So the question still stands:  “How do the celestial objects praise God?”

I don’t for a minute to think that the sun is an entity that is aware.  So, in the sense of conscious praise, it is impossible.  It’s possible that the answer to this is that we praise God, simply by being what He has made us to be.  That works for the sun, the moon, and the stars.  It’s harder for us to see in ourselves.

So?  Maybe we could start by just thanking God that He made us the way we are with our attributes in our personality.  Quit thinking we need to be like other people and just rejoice and what God has given us to do and be.  If nothing else think about it as star praise.

Watch the Drift

Proverbs 4:5 (KJV) Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.

My first inclination to stop and look at this verse came from the word in the KJV of “decline” (5186) (turn away, NASB).  How do you decline from the words of God?  That is a good question.  When I looked at the definition of the word and some of the early uses in Genesis I came across the idea of spreading out your attempt or pitching your tent.  At one point it seemed to talk about letting down your bucket deep for water.

What does this say about how we study the word?  We talk about digging.  We talk about searching and meditating.  Those are good concepts, and can probably be verified in scripture.  The problem we have is when we are so desperate for a great insights that we start wandering away from the central truth.  A nuance can be very beneficial, but when we are out looking for just that which is new and exciting, we tend to get into trouble.

So?  Start with the basics and as far as possible, stay with the basics.  We don’t need any exotic theology.  As I’ve said, and I possibly stole it from someone else, we don’t need something new until we get to the point where we are using what we have.  We don’t need new contemporary worship songs when we have hymnals full of songs we are not singing.  We don’t need new methods of outreach when we’re not witnessing or sharing. You get the idea. 

Considering Examples

Psalm 143:12 (KJV) And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant.

(Proverbs 3 also read)

One of the words that brings the most joy to my reading is chesed (2617).  My favorite translation of this is “loving kindness.”  Here the KJV has “mercy”.  It’s such a broad word, and has such deep meaning that it warms my heart and put a new shine on the day.

Then I read it in a context like this, and David seems to feel that God’s mercy is going to “cut off” (6789) his “enemies”.  That seems a bit violent and I would assume rightfully so.  How does destroying and cutting off reflect loving kindness?

One of the answers would be, that God has a different attitude towards those who follow him as opposed to those who resist him.  You have God’s people on one side and the rebels on the other.  Just because we talk of Yahweh, as “God is love”, does not mean that love is stupid or unprincipled.

So?  Yes, God is love.  He is also holy, righteous, light, and a God of wrath.  Make a decision, which side of God do you want directed toward you?  Remember, Jesus died on the cross to save sinners, but there will be no mercy for those who die unrepentant. 

One of Those Days

Psalm 142:6 (KJV) Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.

(Proverbs 2 also read)

There are times when I am aware of the saying “This too shall pass.”  I’m having one of those days when I’m feeling like the world is against me.  And this whole chapter kind of speaks to me.  It reminds me that this is nothing new.  I’ve had these days before.  I will have them again.

Much of the being brought low is in my mind.  Most of it is because I have been accosted in such a way that I tend to forget that the Lord is there watching and listening.  This reminds me.

As David, I will call upon the Lord and be reminded that He is there.   He never left.  I just got focused a little too much on me.  Of course they’re stronger than me . That’s the way life is.

So?  Refocus.  Remember.  Repent.  And, of course, rejoice. 

A Simple Intersection

Proverbs 1:4 (KJV) To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

There is a time in life when being “simple” (6612a) is natural and not a sin.  There is another time in life were being simple is equated with rejecting the depth of God’s love and His plan for you.  The Christian walk is a journey not just a place to stand.

Proverbs begins with giving an explanation of the purpose of wisdom.  It’s trying to explain how it works and how you achieve it.  Here it says that it is to give “subtlety” (6195) according to the KJV.  The NASB uses “prudence”.  The idea is that God’s wisdom, if we embrace it, will take our innocence and give us the tools with which to live life productively.

As I have pointed out before one of the nuances of the word “simple” is open minded.  That is not a good place to be.

So?  It is time to stop resting on your laurels and get moving.  Make some progress even if it’s small.  Start closing your mind to the vapid values of your contemporaries and build strong walls based on the foundations of God’s word, and what He’s done for you in Jesus. 

Another Day, Another Crisis

(Psa 138:3 KJV)  In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.

It was a rough day.  Things were said that made me want to crawl back into my hole, pull the rug over the entrance, and just hide myself from creation.  I don’t know if you have those days.  I have my share.  And in the midst of this time, when I am ready to give up and turn in my man card, the Lord reaches out to me, and “strengthens” (5797) my soul.

A couple of things are necessary for this miracle to take place.  What I find is that I need to be willing to reach out, to extend myself toward God himself.  Another is I need to be willing to listen.  Now God is able to overcome both of these, but it certainly makes it quicker if I open myself up.  Above all I have to believe that He is going to meet with me and since He has done it many times it tends to get a little bit easier each time.

So?  I rejoice in the knowledge that He has answered, and in the assurance that He will answer.  As a result, I am again able to hold my head up, step out, and face the day in the confidence that God is not done with me yet.

Deal with It

(Psa 123:2 KJV)  Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.

(Proverbs 30 also read)

There is a biblical concept that is very unpopular today.  It is the concept of being a slave of God.  This is rejected in our popular culture, which includes many churches, really, for two reasons.

One reason is spiritual.  Actually this is the root reason.  Our sinful nature, our self-centeredness, our need to be in charge, and wanting to be as gods rejects the idea that we are inadequate.  We know it.  We feel it.  But intellectually we reject it, especially as Americans.  Americans take equality seriously.  And it gets into our spiritual walks.  Submission is very difficult and slavery speaks of total submission.  That is why it is there as a biblical concept.

The second reason is social or political.  We live in a day and age where people make a lot of money by administrating guilt over the slavery of the past.  The politically correct crowd likes to make you think that the United States of America was unique in having slavery as a part of its culture at one point.  They overlook the fact that slavery has been common in human history from the very beginning.  They ignore the fact that during the slave trade Africa was not the only source of slaves, more slaves went to the Caribbean and South America than ever came to North America, and the survival rate of slaves in North America was much higher than anywhere else in the world.

So?  Get over the hangups imposed upon us by our own sin and the sinful attitude of our culture.   Submit yourself to God as Lord, King, and yes, Slave Master. 

The Coin Again

Proverbs 29:23 (KJV) A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.

The King James translation is fine.  It is accurate.  I noticed, though, when I looked at the NIV that there was a play on words that didn’t come through in the KJV.

Proverbs 29:23 (NIV) Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor.

The KJV uses “low” and “humble”.  Both are basically the same word; one a noun, the other an adjective.  That’s fine for grammar, but what struck me was the same concept and one place was praised and the other was condemned.  

It is always interesting when you see a place where the same word can have totally different meanings based on context.  It is like the two sides of a coin.  I don’t think any of us have any trouble telling the difference here, but someone who doesn’t know the language and was trying to translate might shake his head.  The KJV does a good job in breaking down the confusion by using a different word, which has a similar meaning but makes it richer.

So?  As I’ve said, before, always read the Bible with your brain turned on.  Expect to see things that you didn’t see before.  That’s one of the miracles of having the Holy Spirit in our lives, he pointed things out to us.

Dangers of Paraphrase

(Pro 28:2 KJV)  For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof: but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.

As I have said, I am reading Proverbs in the NIV this month.  Often what I read sounds good and speaks to me as well as the King James.  At other times I read something in it jumps out, bites me on the nose and I say, “What?”  This verse today is one of those. Notice what the NIV says,

Proverbs 28:2 (NIV) When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers, but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order.

My first reading, which may be all some people give, is that the rebellion is against the rulers, or against the government.  That is one possibility from this translation.  But that’s not what it’s talking about.  How much better word is that used in the King James and other translations of “transgression.”

This is not a warning against starting a revolution.  You can go other places to find that.  This is a warning that if the people of a nation refuse to follow the laws of God and live in righteousness, then chaos will be our reward.

So?  We are called to live righteous lives.  We need to understand that it makes a difference, not only in our salvation, but in the society in which we live. 

Synonyms

(Psa 119:2 KJV)  Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

(Proverbs 27 also read)

As I dwell upon the place and the meaning of the law of God, I come across numerous synonyms.  The generic would be “Law”.  Then there are the words that seem to go along with it: commandment, statute, ordinance, and the one that we see here “testimonies.  Are they the same?  Are they slightly different?  Is there overlap?

I still really don’t know.

When I looked at the resources I have on this word “testimonies”, I found that the first reference said that it referred to the “10 words”, which I assume means the 10 Commandments.  It talks about putting the testimony into the ark, and then refers to the ark as the ark of testimony.

So?  Regardless of what turns up eventually, we can safely say that the 10 Commandments are the basis of Law.  Even if you take what Jesus had to say about the greatest of the commandments, you find that the first part is summarized at the beginning of the Decalogue, and the second part is summarized in the second part.  The Bible interprets the Bible. 

Trigossipides

Proverbs 26:22 (KJV) The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

This verse is about gossip and how it affects the person who is passing it on.  When I read it, it struck me as reflecting on how we get fat.  My wife got some See’s candy for Christmas.  It’s almost a sin for us to buy it for her, but she asked for a very little.  This morning she casually stated that she had eaten five pieces.  I don’t need to tell you where all of those calories go.  They don’t go into a little cup beside the bed that you can throw away.  I know this because if you put a bag of potato chips within my reach it goes straight from the bag to my belly and from my belly to my belly fat.

We know that “triglycerides” is a fancy name for fat.  We know that too much fat resides in our body for too long and causes long-term damage.  The same is true of gossip, but today I was reminded about how the damage settles in and resides in the person doing the gossiping.  Possibly the damage to the poisoner is worse than the one poisoned.

So?  If you are the one being poisoned, then lean on the Lord for the antidote.  If you are the one passing on the gossip, then you need to repent and ask God for forgiveness.  It’s dangerous. 

Long Live the King

Proverbs 25:5 (KJV) Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.

We have just gone through a changing of the guard, or at least I hope so.  I am writing this a month ago.  I’m also aware that Donald Trump is not the king.  He is, however, the head of state which is the equivalent.  I think we need to be praying specifically that this verse might somehow impress itself on his mind, even if he never reads it.

Our leadership needs to be purged.  We need the “wicked” (7563) to be removed. We need to have the oval office established in “righteousness” (6664).  If we hope to have a future, this has to happen.  I don’t think that any politician will do this voluntarily or even if he wants to he’ll be able to do it on his own.  He will need the power of God behind him.

So?  Pray that God would find a way to get our leadership focused on righteousness, and serving the God of the universe.  This is a great time to pray without ceasing. 

Solomon, Plagiarist

(Psa 111:10 KJV)  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

(Proverbs 24 also read)

I am sure that I have read this verse in Psalms before.  Today, when I read it, I said to myself, “I have heard this before.”  It was actually pretty obvious, because when we quote this, we generally quote the words of Solomon from the book of proverbs,

(Pro 9:10 KJV)  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

The first half of the verses are identical.  Now one reason you would have that is because the Holy Spirit inspired each of these writers to put this down.  Another is that it was one of those bits of wisdom that grandmothers had been sharing with their grandchildren for centuries.  Another is that Solomon heard his father say it repeatedly.  It could be also that Solomon was reading the Psalms that David written, and liked what he saw.

If you are serious about Bible study, and were wondering how this worked out you might also noticed that this is one of those Psalms that is unattributed, it doesn’t tell us who the author was.  We tend to fall into the default of saying David, but it doesn’t say.  It’s very possible that this was written after Solomon.

So?  Anyway you look at it you have to accept one basic point, this is scripture.  That means it is truth from God.  Read.  Contemplate.  Apply.  Repeat as needed.