4:1 - Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. - This is awesome. Read this verse and then read verse 16. This whole chapter is an explanation of why we do not lose heart. It is a definition and a game-plan for how to think and process when you feel like you are at the end of your rope.
4:2 - ...by setting forth the truth plainly... - I have shared with many of my close friends that there is a culture in Christianity that says we need to be so creative we almost trick people into following Jesus without really knowing what they are doing. We use so much stuff (coffee, drama, architecture, music, etc.), not that those things are inherently bad, that they never really get to meet Jesus. I am all for creativity and engagement, but we have to put things in the right order. First, we PLAINLY set forth the truth. We help people see what is the essence of what we are teaching and who is the source and foundation of this truth. We clearly tell people about Jesus and the call to live a life surrendered to Him. Then, and only then, do we add the creative elements. If we would start with truth and add creativity instead of starting with a dancing bear who can juggle and then trying to slip in some Jesus we would be a lot more effective and God would be a lot more honored.
4:4 - The god of this age goes around blinding people. That is his goal, his purpose, his strategy. He convinces us of lies and skews the way we see things until we can't see goodness, or peace or hope or joy. A great prayer to combat this is to pray God, please keep falsehood and lies far from me. Help me live inside of your truth, which is truth.
4:7 - But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. - It is interesting how God works. He allows us to be involved, but He makes sure we do not go off on our own to help. God is a God of relationship and so He wants to keep us with Him and not just for Him. He allows us to be broken and weak so that we stay close and so that others will see Him. We are not a deep enough source to get people where they need to be, but He is. If we stay broken and cracked and glued together than there is more room for God to shine through. Be careful not to work towards so much competence that you no longer rely on God. God moves the most, it seems, through those who stay the most open to Him. many of us have tried so hard to help we have made it hard for others to see God.
4:8-9 - Pushed, but not pushed beyond what God can enable us to endure.
4:13 - ... we also believe and therefore speak, - True faith speaks to others about Jesus. If you do not speak about Christ with the lost and the found alike, do you really, truly believe?
4:15 - Grace should cause thanksgiving to overflow. When we receive the gift of eternal life that we do not deserve (grace) it should cause us to be thankful in every circumstance and to overflow, spill over, flood the streets with thanksgiving.
4:16 - ...being renewed day by day. - A promise form God that He will renew you each day.
4:17 - For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. - Love this verse. Our troubles really are light and momentary in the bigger picture. We see them as huge when they are just close. It is like a stop sign and the sun. The stop sign can seem SO BIG because of how close it is to us that we forget the truth size of the sun. We can become convinced that the stop sign (or problem) is bigger than God. How silly. We worship to remember the true size of God so that when the stop sign is close we aren't fooled.
4:18 - What we see is temporary. Be careful not to entrust yourself to something that is melting. If you had the chance to stand on a Rock or an iceberg which would you choose? Your reality, and mine, are icebergs - they are temporary. Stand on the Rock no matter what it seems like is happening around you and you will never lose your footing.
Love you all, Michael
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
2 Corinthians 2-3
2:4 - It is okay to show emotion to show the depth and extent of your love. It may freak some people out, but it blesses others. I recently expressed my frustration with the group of Christians I work with. It freaked some of them out and they left, some of them decided to withhold their offering (never understood that) and others thanked me for being honest. The effect was it hurt the overall attendance and giving, but it helped me and others see what we could do to change things. There is a balance here. Our culture freaks out any time someone truly expresses emotion, but as long as we have to pretend everything is okay we miss out on truly knowing each other and truly growing together. Wise (I might have messed this part up) sharing of how you feel can grow you and others in a mighty way.
2:7 - Now instead you ought to forgive and comfort him, SO THAT he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. - In the 1st letter to the Corinthians church there was a man who had been sleeping with his step-mom. Paul rebuked him and the church for putting up with it. He had told them that since the man refused to repent he should be kicked out of the church so that he understood how serious the situation was. Apparently the eventually listened to Paul and kicked the man out. But then they kind of left him there. In this 2nd letter to them Paul says that now it is time to try to restore the man. We have to be willing to quickly and completely obey God, but we have to be careful not to become so overzealous that we forget to understand the intent. In this case it was to lead the man to repentance not to punish him.
2:11 - Satan actively tries to outwit us and we need to be aware of his schemes. I am so amazed at how many times this concept comes up in the Bible. There is an active enemy trying to disrupt, discourage and dissuade us from moving forward and it is not enough to just endure it. We need to be fully aware of how he works so that we can take our stand and help others take their stand against him. We need to study the Scriptures to see the devices and schemes he uses and then plan against them. On a battlefield lives are at risk, but here it is so much more - it is souls!
2:12-13 - peace of mind - I am absolutely blown away here. Paul says God had opened a door for him, but since he didn't have peace of mind he went somewhere else. I think we have this wrong thought that if there is an open door in front of us we should take it even if we aren't settled in our hearts and minds about it. I am not saying we shouldn't overcome fear, but if we are in a situation, even a good one, and we do not have the peace of Christ about it, we need to ask Jesus where that peace is and go find it. Peace is way too important to live without. Jesus came so that we can have peace so if your faith isn't bringing peace you need to run to God and ask Him why.
2:15 - For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. - I used this verse when I preached at my parents' funeral. They truly epitomized people who brought Jesus with them wherever they went. They weren't super-spiritual people, but real people who love Jesus and loved people. The grace people experienced near and through them was Jesus. We are the aroma of Christ to those who need to be encouraged and those who need to find Christ. How do you smell today?
3:5 - Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.
3:12 - Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. - Your HOPE should cause your boldness and not just your personality or your opinions or your status. When we truly understand what/who our hope is in it causes a passion to rise within us. We can conqueror kings, take back cities and confront friends with the truth.
3:14/16 - The veil that keeps people blinded can only be removed through Jesus.
3:17 - ...where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. - If you don't feel free you are probably not living like Jesus intends. If you feel trapped by money, fear, depression, anxiety, anger, hopelessness, whatever you are most likely trying to receive God's peace and freedom your own way. God has promised that where He is there IS FREEDOM.
Love, Michael
2:7 - Now instead you ought to forgive and comfort him, SO THAT he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. - In the 1st letter to the Corinthians church there was a man who had been sleeping with his step-mom. Paul rebuked him and the church for putting up with it. He had told them that since the man refused to repent he should be kicked out of the church so that he understood how serious the situation was. Apparently the eventually listened to Paul and kicked the man out. But then they kind of left him there. In this 2nd letter to them Paul says that now it is time to try to restore the man. We have to be willing to quickly and completely obey God, but we have to be careful not to become so overzealous that we forget to understand the intent. In this case it was to lead the man to repentance not to punish him.
2:11 - Satan actively tries to outwit us and we need to be aware of his schemes. I am so amazed at how many times this concept comes up in the Bible. There is an active enemy trying to disrupt, discourage and dissuade us from moving forward and it is not enough to just endure it. We need to be fully aware of how he works so that we can take our stand and help others take their stand against him. We need to study the Scriptures to see the devices and schemes he uses and then plan against them. On a battlefield lives are at risk, but here it is so much more - it is souls!
2:12-13 - peace of mind - I am absolutely blown away here. Paul says God had opened a door for him, but since he didn't have peace of mind he went somewhere else. I think we have this wrong thought that if there is an open door in front of us we should take it even if we aren't settled in our hearts and minds about it. I am not saying we shouldn't overcome fear, but if we are in a situation, even a good one, and we do not have the peace of Christ about it, we need to ask Jesus where that peace is and go find it. Peace is way too important to live without. Jesus came so that we can have peace so if your faith isn't bringing peace you need to run to God and ask Him why.
2:15 - For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. - I used this verse when I preached at my parents' funeral. They truly epitomized people who brought Jesus with them wherever they went. They weren't super-spiritual people, but real people who love Jesus and loved people. The grace people experienced near and through them was Jesus. We are the aroma of Christ to those who need to be encouraged and those who need to find Christ. How do you smell today?
3:5 - Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.
3:12 - Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. - Your HOPE should cause your boldness and not just your personality or your opinions or your status. When we truly understand what/who our hope is in it causes a passion to rise within us. We can conqueror kings, take back cities and confront friends with the truth.
3:14/16 - The veil that keeps people blinded can only be removed through Jesus.
3:17 - ...where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. - If you don't feel free you are probably not living like Jesus intends. If you feel trapped by money, fear, depression, anxiety, anger, hopelessness, whatever you are most likely trying to receive God's peace and freedom your own way. God has promised that where He is there IS FREEDOM.
Love, Michael
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
2 Corinthians 1
Man, I started 2nd Corinthians today and it totally spoke to me. It has so much to say about where I am at right now and what God is doing in my life and the church here. Good stuff!
1:2 - Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. - If you are walking with God you should be experiencing and extending grace and experiencing and bringing peace to others. If those two things don't represent your life and what your life does for others you are not where God wants you. Make a change in your belief, your actions, your location, your attitude. Do something, but everywhere God is there is grace and peace. Everywhere.
1:3-4 - ...the Father of all compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in our troubles, SO THAT we can comfort those in ANY trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. - God has promised to comfort us in any and all circumstances. I can testify to this. When my mom and dad were killed by a drunk one Saturday morning in 2001 I would have thought there was no way to ever live and breathe again. It sucked the wind right out of my soul. And yet, because God is full of grace and my life is in His hands He comforted me to the place where I can not only breathe again, but offer air to others who are hurting. God comforts us SO THAT we can comfort others. He has empowered us to reach-out to others and help them. It isn't about having the right answer. It is about knowing God. Sometimes all you can say is nothing. Sometimes just comfort is all there is to offer - an arm around a shoulder, a prayer, a walk, a note. Wherever you have been comforted by God go out and comfort others there. It is your God-designed ministry opportunity.
1:7 - Our hope for you is firm... - I love this!
1:8-10 - far beyond our ability to endure...this happened THAT we might not rely on ourselves but on God...He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On HIM we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us.- WOW! If you are reading this and you are form The Oasis you can see truth all through this. We stand in the middle of this verse right now. We have found ourselves at a really tough place financially and yet I believe we have been allowed to get here so that we quit relying on ourselves and our money and our effort and even our people and start relying on God. God longs for us to wait for Him and He has promised that if we will He will bless us in ways unimaginable. We have indeed set out hope on Him to deliver us and HE WILL!
1:18 - But as surely as God is faithful... - I love how Paul uses God as an illustration like we would the sun. We might say, "As surely as the sun rises each day..." God is so faithful that He is the best illustration of faithfulness. Even better than the sun, moon and stars. Now that is a faithful God!
1:20 - For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. - I love this. Every promise God has ever made is a yes in Jesus. Jesus multiplies the promises. I know that sometimes we are really hesitant to look at the promises God has made because some people have abused that idea and said God promised them a Cadillac or whatever. But, every promise God has made is yes to us in Jesus. The promise of hope - YES! The promise of healing - YES! The promise that we will be provided for - YES! God says YES!!!!
1:2 - Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. - If you are walking with God you should be experiencing and extending grace and experiencing and bringing peace to others. If those two things don't represent your life and what your life does for others you are not where God wants you. Make a change in your belief, your actions, your location, your attitude. Do something, but everywhere God is there is grace and peace. Everywhere.
1:3-4 - ...the Father of all compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in our troubles, SO THAT we can comfort those in ANY trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. - God has promised to comfort us in any and all circumstances. I can testify to this. When my mom and dad were killed by a drunk one Saturday morning in 2001 I would have thought there was no way to ever live and breathe again. It sucked the wind right out of my soul. And yet, because God is full of grace and my life is in His hands He comforted me to the place where I can not only breathe again, but offer air to others who are hurting. God comforts us SO THAT we can comfort others. He has empowered us to reach-out to others and help them. It isn't about having the right answer. It is about knowing God. Sometimes all you can say is nothing. Sometimes just comfort is all there is to offer - an arm around a shoulder, a prayer, a walk, a note. Wherever you have been comforted by God go out and comfort others there. It is your God-designed ministry opportunity.
1:7 - Our hope for you is firm... - I love this!
1:8-10 - far beyond our ability to endure...this happened THAT we might not rely on ourselves but on God...He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On HIM we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us.- WOW! If you are reading this and you are form The Oasis you can see truth all through this. We stand in the middle of this verse right now. We have found ourselves at a really tough place financially and yet I believe we have been allowed to get here so that we quit relying on ourselves and our money and our effort and even our people and start relying on God. God longs for us to wait for Him and He has promised that if we will He will bless us in ways unimaginable. We have indeed set out hope on Him to deliver us and HE WILL!
1:18 - But as surely as God is faithful... - I love how Paul uses God as an illustration like we would the sun. We might say, "As surely as the sun rises each day..." God is so faithful that He is the best illustration of faithfulness. Even better than the sun, moon and stars. Now that is a faithful God!
1:20 - For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. - I love this. Every promise God has ever made is a yes in Jesus. Jesus multiplies the promises. I know that sometimes we are really hesitant to look at the promises God has made because some people have abused that idea and said God promised them a Cadillac or whatever. But, every promise God has made is yes to us in Jesus. The promise of hope - YES! The promise of healing - YES! The promise that we will be provided for - YES! God says YES!!!!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Proverbs 30-31
30:1 - I am weary, God, but I can prevail. - Cool verse. Being weary is not a sin, but failing to hold out hope and remember who your God is when you are weary is.
30:5 - Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. - The first part of this verse is great, but the second part really resonates with me. God is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. If we do not run to God for our protection, provision and answers than how can He shield us? It is our job to run to the source instead of trying really hard to figure it out on our own. I believe God longs to bless His church and every follower of Jesus, but we have to learn to go to Him. You do not have because you do not ask.
30:8 - Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty or riches, but give me only my daily bread. - I have prayed the first part of this verse for me, my family, my brothers and sisters, my elders, my staff for several weeks now and it has made a HUGE impact. Asking God to keep lies away so we can see the truth has helped me to develop better relationships, to avoid sin and to stay on track. I love that he says, only my daily bread. We need to pray for our needs and let God take care of our wants.
30:12 - those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth. - God, I pray that we are never those who are pure in our own eyes and yet are still covered in filth. Help us be an honest people who is pure and cleansed in your eyes and by your hand.
30:20 - This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, "I've done nothing wrong."
30:33 - For as churning cream produces butter and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife. - If you do not want difficulty in your life than do not stir up anger. Don;t have conversations with people about subjects you know will make them mad. Don;t talk politics with them if you know it angers them. Don't ask about a person or situation if you know it is going to set them off. How many times do we mess up our lives and others lives by stirring the pot? God says that just as certain is the natural process that produces butter or bloody noses, if you don't leave things that antagonize alone you will bring trouble to your life and the lives of others.
31:8-9 - Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. - This should be one of the rallying cries of every Christian. With Christ as our banner and guide we should stand up for those who are forgotten, marginalized and walked on. We spend so much time either jaded at those who really aren't in need or filling every need, that we often forget to take care of real needs.
31:10-31 - Paints a picture of a wife of noble character. This should never be used by a husband to speak harshly against his wife. It should be a great job description for a wife to work towards. If a man comments on this at all it ought to be to encourage his wife in how she is doing what a godly wife does.
31:27 - She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. - This is beautiful to see. When my wife is managing our household with wisdom and grace our whole family lives in great peace.
31:30 - Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. - When was the last time you praised your wife? They hear all day long how they are not thin enough, pretty enough, sexy enough, nice enough....enough. When was the last time you thanked her for her faithfulness, hard work, love, mercy, laughter, joy?
30:5 - Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. - The first part of this verse is great, but the second part really resonates with me. God is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. If we do not run to God for our protection, provision and answers than how can He shield us? It is our job to run to the source instead of trying really hard to figure it out on our own. I believe God longs to bless His church and every follower of Jesus, but we have to learn to go to Him. You do not have because you do not ask.
30:8 - Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty or riches, but give me only my daily bread. - I have prayed the first part of this verse for me, my family, my brothers and sisters, my elders, my staff for several weeks now and it has made a HUGE impact. Asking God to keep lies away so we can see the truth has helped me to develop better relationships, to avoid sin and to stay on track. I love that he says, only my daily bread. We need to pray for our needs and let God take care of our wants.
30:12 - those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth. - God, I pray that we are never those who are pure in our own eyes and yet are still covered in filth. Help us be an honest people who is pure and cleansed in your eyes and by your hand.
30:20 - This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, "I've done nothing wrong."
30:33 - For as churning cream produces butter and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife. - If you do not want difficulty in your life than do not stir up anger. Don;t have conversations with people about subjects you know will make them mad. Don;t talk politics with them if you know it angers them. Don't ask about a person or situation if you know it is going to set them off. How many times do we mess up our lives and others lives by stirring the pot? God says that just as certain is the natural process that produces butter or bloody noses, if you don't leave things that antagonize alone you will bring trouble to your life and the lives of others.
31:8-9 - Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. - This should be one of the rallying cries of every Christian. With Christ as our banner and guide we should stand up for those who are forgotten, marginalized and walked on. We spend so much time either jaded at those who really aren't in need or filling every need, that we often forget to take care of real needs.
31:10-31 - Paints a picture of a wife of noble character. This should never be used by a husband to speak harshly against his wife. It should be a great job description for a wife to work towards. If a man comments on this at all it ought to be to encourage his wife in how she is doing what a godly wife does.
31:27 - She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. - This is beautiful to see. When my wife is managing our household with wisdom and grace our whole family lives in great peace.
31:30 - Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. - When was the last time you praised your wife? They hear all day long how they are not thin enough, pretty enough, sexy enough, nice enough....enough. When was the last time you thanked her for her faithfulness, hard work, love, mercy, laughter, joy?
Monday, July 27, 2009
Proverbs 29
29:7 - The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern. - Those of us who want to be called one of God need to remember that He cares deeply for those who are genuinely poor and in need. When we care, and by care I mean do something and not just feel something (James 2) we show the heart of God to them. And, when we do not do anything for those truly in need we prove to have bad fruit and therefore have parts of our life that are not transformed by Jesus.
29:11 - Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end. - We need to learn that blowing off steam is an act for the foolish and not the wise. The wise brings peace because they do not let their emotions rule them. The truth be told, many of us blow up because we haven't had the courage to deal with our issues as they came along and they built to a point we couldn't handle them any more. True wisdom has the courage to confront instead of waiting until we have had enough.
29:15 - A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom, but children left to themselves disgrace their mother. - When we let our kids dictate their own paths we lead them to death. Our kids need guided, corrected and led.
29:21 - A servant pampered from youth will turn out to be insolent. - I have seen this to be true in my own life. When I have hired people and pampered them by giving them too much up front it hasn't worked out. There is something about treating a servant well, but still helping them work hard that benefits everybody.
29:26 - Many seek an audience with a ruler, but it is from the Lord that one gets justice. - Good reminder that all things (justice, provision, healing, etc) come from the hand of God. If we would entrust ourselves to the King of Heaven we would be well on our way to the best things in life.
Love, Michael
29:11 - Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end. - We need to learn that blowing off steam is an act for the foolish and not the wise. The wise brings peace because they do not let their emotions rule them. The truth be told, many of us blow up because we haven't had the courage to deal with our issues as they came along and they built to a point we couldn't handle them any more. True wisdom has the courage to confront instead of waiting until we have had enough.
29:15 - A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom, but children left to themselves disgrace their mother. - When we let our kids dictate their own paths we lead them to death. Our kids need guided, corrected and led.
29:21 - A servant pampered from youth will turn out to be insolent. - I have seen this to be true in my own life. When I have hired people and pampered them by giving them too much up front it hasn't worked out. There is something about treating a servant well, but still helping them work hard that benefits everybody.
29:26 - Many seek an audience with a ruler, but it is from the Lord that one gets justice. - Good reminder that all things (justice, provision, healing, etc) come from the hand of God. If we would entrust ourselves to the King of Heaven we would be well on our way to the best things in life.
Love, Michael
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Proverbs 27-28
27:2 - Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips.
27:5 - Better is open rebuke than hidden love. - Proper rebuke saves. hidden love lets someone go to destruction because we are more concerned with ourselves than we are with them. When we confront for the sake of the other person's soul we show a tremendous love. A love that would put itself in an uncomfortable spot for the sake of someone else. Sounds like a description of the Cross to me.
27:10 - Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family, and do not go to your relative's house when disaster strikes you - better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away. - When my parents were killed by a drunk driver I ran to my family. There was nothing wrong with that. The problem was I never let the people I was ministering to in Bayfield minister to me. I stayed hidden with my family for a month and then decided to simply stay there. The good people of Bayfield never got a chance to minister to me and my family and it hurt them. It was wrong of me to do that. As hard is it may seem, there is tremendous truth in this passage.
27:17 - As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
27:18 - Those who guard a fig tree will eat its fruit, and those who protect their masters will be honored. - The timing of this verse is really interesting to me. My wife just ordered a book on praying for your leaders. I take this verse to mean that when protect our leaders through prayer (and other ways) we benefit from it. When we do the hard work of lifting them up to god everybody, including us, benefits.
27:12b - ...but people are tested by their praise. - True. I have seen this play out many times.
27:23-27 - For elders.
28:1b - ...the righteous are as bold as a lion. - I have times when I am and times when I'm not. My boldness because of Jesus is a great witness. I need to work hard to stay bold in my asking and living so it honors Him.
28:9 - If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, even their prayers are detestable. - This is not taught much any more. Most places and most Christians teach that God listens to every prayer. The truth that I have found in the Bible is that God listens to the righteous and God listens to the prayer of confession from a sinner turning back to Him. God does not listen to those who do not submit to Him in relationship.
28:13 - Those who conceal their sins do not prosper, but those who confess and renounce them find mercy.
28:14 - Blessed are those who always tremble before God, but those who harden their hearts fall into trouble. - WOW! Love this verse. I see a total application to worship. If the thought of God causes us reverent fear and passionate worship we are good, but if we can sing without being affected by God than we are on our way to trouble.
28:19 - Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty. - There have been times in ministry when I have chased fantasies rather than working the land and it has indeed led to spiritual poverty for individuals, the church and ministry poverty for me. Always do the work that will produce fruit. never stop to do some other "good work." If you can't disciple and... than don't do the and. If you can't share Christ regularly and... than don't do the and. If you can't grow as a follower of Jesus and... than don't do the and.
28:26 - Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.
28:27a - Those who give to the poor will lack nothing,... - I am more and more convinced that this is a principle we need to keep in front of us. If we would make it our passion to love god and take care of the poor and those in real need, I believe god would continue to pour provision on us.
Love, Michael
27:5 - Better is open rebuke than hidden love. - Proper rebuke saves. hidden love lets someone go to destruction because we are more concerned with ourselves than we are with them. When we confront for the sake of the other person's soul we show a tremendous love. A love that would put itself in an uncomfortable spot for the sake of someone else. Sounds like a description of the Cross to me.
27:10 - Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family, and do not go to your relative's house when disaster strikes you - better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away. - When my parents were killed by a drunk driver I ran to my family. There was nothing wrong with that. The problem was I never let the people I was ministering to in Bayfield minister to me. I stayed hidden with my family for a month and then decided to simply stay there. The good people of Bayfield never got a chance to minister to me and my family and it hurt them. It was wrong of me to do that. As hard is it may seem, there is tremendous truth in this passage.
27:17 - As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
27:18 - Those who guard a fig tree will eat its fruit, and those who protect their masters will be honored. - The timing of this verse is really interesting to me. My wife just ordered a book on praying for your leaders. I take this verse to mean that when protect our leaders through prayer (and other ways) we benefit from it. When we do the hard work of lifting them up to god everybody, including us, benefits.
27:12b - ...but people are tested by their praise. - True. I have seen this play out many times.
27:23-27 - For elders.
28:1b - ...the righteous are as bold as a lion. - I have times when I am and times when I'm not. My boldness because of Jesus is a great witness. I need to work hard to stay bold in my asking and living so it honors Him.
28:9 - If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, even their prayers are detestable. - This is not taught much any more. Most places and most Christians teach that God listens to every prayer. The truth that I have found in the Bible is that God listens to the righteous and God listens to the prayer of confession from a sinner turning back to Him. God does not listen to those who do not submit to Him in relationship.
28:13 - Those who conceal their sins do not prosper, but those who confess and renounce them find mercy.
28:14 - Blessed are those who always tremble before God, but those who harden their hearts fall into trouble. - WOW! Love this verse. I see a total application to worship. If the thought of God causes us reverent fear and passionate worship we are good, but if we can sing without being affected by God than we are on our way to trouble.
28:19 - Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty. - There have been times in ministry when I have chased fantasies rather than working the land and it has indeed led to spiritual poverty for individuals, the church and ministry poverty for me. Always do the work that will produce fruit. never stop to do some other "good work." If you can't disciple and... than don't do the and. If you can't share Christ regularly and... than don't do the and. If you can't grow as a follower of Jesus and... than don't do the and.
28:26 - Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.
28:27a - Those who give to the poor will lack nothing,... - I am more and more convinced that this is a principle we need to keep in front of us. If we would make it our passion to love god and take care of the poor and those in real need, I believe god would continue to pour provision on us.
Love, Michael
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Proverbs 25-26
25:9 - Do not betray a confidence, even when you are trying to win an argument. So many times we throw other people under the bus so we can win. that shows a real lack of integrity and trust. If you can't entrust your cause to God while protecting those who have spoken in confidence to you, than your case is not as righteous as you think.
25:14 - Like clouds and wind without rain is one who boasts of gifts never given. - This is really true.
25:19 - Like a broken tooth or a lame foot is reliance on the unfaithful in a time if trouble. - True again.
25:26 - Like a muddied spring or a polluted well are the righteous who give way to the wicked. - never give way to the wicked. Never just get tired of fighting and let the wicked run away with your group or church or community.
25:28 - Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control. - The wall broken down meant there was no longer any sense of security or peace. The enemy could come in at any moment and destroy. Live with self-control and you will live with safety and therefore peace. This affects the leaders among us just as much as the followers. We have to learn and develop a life of self-control and self-discipline or we are like rulers protecting the gap who let the enemy in because we are weak or unwilling to do the hard work of changing our own lives.
26:7-9 - This is a reminder of why we should be careful when we speak proverbs.
26:20 - Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down. - People tend to be like carriers. someone speaks words that will injure or kill and we choose whether we take it ourselves or whether we pass it on to another. When someone says something that isn't glorify to God let it die with you. Why tell even one more person. All that does is continue the disease. how many times have we experienced someone saying something stupid and we tell others. All that does is increase the injury the the person who said it and to the hearts of the people you tell.
26:28 - A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin. - Lying and flattery are brothers, not distant cousins. They are one in the same. If you flatter (speaks words that aren't true) or let people off the hook when you needed to speak words that were true to them, you lead them to ruin.
Michael
25:14 - Like clouds and wind without rain is one who boasts of gifts never given. - This is really true.
25:19 - Like a broken tooth or a lame foot is reliance on the unfaithful in a time if trouble. - True again.
25:26 - Like a muddied spring or a polluted well are the righteous who give way to the wicked. - never give way to the wicked. Never just get tired of fighting and let the wicked run away with your group or church or community.
25:28 - Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control. - The wall broken down meant there was no longer any sense of security or peace. The enemy could come in at any moment and destroy. Live with self-control and you will live with safety and therefore peace. This affects the leaders among us just as much as the followers. We have to learn and develop a life of self-control and self-discipline or we are like rulers protecting the gap who let the enemy in because we are weak or unwilling to do the hard work of changing our own lives.
26:7-9 - This is a reminder of why we should be careful when we speak proverbs.
26:20 - Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down. - People tend to be like carriers. someone speaks words that will injure or kill and we choose whether we take it ourselves or whether we pass it on to another. When someone says something that isn't glorify to God let it die with you. Why tell even one more person. All that does is continue the disease. how many times have we experienced someone saying something stupid and we tell others. All that does is increase the injury the the person who said it and to the hearts of the people you tell.
26:28 - A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin. - Lying and flattery are brothers, not distant cousins. They are one in the same. If you flatter (speaks words that aren't true) or let people off the hook when you needed to speak words that were true to them, you lead them to ruin.
Michael
Friday, July 24, 2009
Proverbs 23-24
23:4b - ...do not trust your own cleverness. - I have suffered from this many times. Instead of going to God for the answer, I will trust in my own cleverness. Even the seemingly right answer may not be God's answer. It is better to ask God than to try to reason it out yourself. In my own life right now I am seeking God for some answers and so I have decided to go on a fast. Leading up to the fast I have seen some pretty neat answers, almost enough to make me think I don't need to fast. In reality, I still need to seek God's answer. Either He will confirm what I have come to or He will show me how they seem right, but aren't. I need to follow through with the fast instead of relying on my own cleverness. It removes the doubt, guessing and pride.
23:12 - Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.
23:13-14 - Some people have an issue with corporal (physical) discipline. But, when it is done carefully and from a place of love, the bible calls us to it.
23:17-18 - Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord. There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. - We have to keep our eyes on the right Person. It is easy to see the way the world is living and begin to want that. We want what they have with possessions, vacations, free time, etc, but their is no future hope for them. The Bible says their reward is this life. We have a future hope and so we need to keep our eyes fixed on what is coming and not just what is in front of us.
23:21 - for drunkards and gluttons become poor and drowsiness clothes them in rags. - I think it is interesting that God puts drunkenness and gluttony side by side. Many of us are not drunkards, but our gluttony (eating and consuming too much or more than we need or more than is healthy) is just as bad. Think about how you look and feel about a drunk. Are you any different? I heard of a great living example I want to try at The Oasis. You call the congregation to eat only rice and beans for one whole week as a way of helping people see if they can keep their peace, joy, focus without their favorite foods. I bet most of us would be shocked at how much value we place in food.
24:3-4 - By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. - I love this verse. your house, and the house of believers you are a part of, will be filled not through luck or cleverness, but through wisdom, understanding and knowledge.
24:10 - If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength. - I can see that my strength has been small. Regardless of the outcome, when my frustration gets in front of my faith my strength is small.
24:16 - for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes. - We will always rise again as long as we walk in righteousness.
24:25 - But it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come on them.
24:27 - Put your outdoor work in order and get your fields ready; after that, build your house. - I take this to mean that we need to prepare the seed for harvest before we worry about other things. Always focus on what needs to be started earliest and what can produce fruit on its own as well.
Love you,
Michael
23:12 - Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.
23:13-14 - Some people have an issue with corporal (physical) discipline. But, when it is done carefully and from a place of love, the bible calls us to it.
23:17-18 - Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord. There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. - We have to keep our eyes on the right Person. It is easy to see the way the world is living and begin to want that. We want what they have with possessions, vacations, free time, etc, but their is no future hope for them. The Bible says their reward is this life. We have a future hope and so we need to keep our eyes fixed on what is coming and not just what is in front of us.
23:21 - for drunkards and gluttons become poor and drowsiness clothes them in rags. - I think it is interesting that God puts drunkenness and gluttony side by side. Many of us are not drunkards, but our gluttony (eating and consuming too much or more than we need or more than is healthy) is just as bad. Think about how you look and feel about a drunk. Are you any different? I heard of a great living example I want to try at The Oasis. You call the congregation to eat only rice and beans for one whole week as a way of helping people see if they can keep their peace, joy, focus without their favorite foods. I bet most of us would be shocked at how much value we place in food.
24:3-4 - By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. - I love this verse. your house, and the house of believers you are a part of, will be filled not through luck or cleverness, but through wisdom, understanding and knowledge.
24:10 - If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength. - I can see that my strength has been small. Regardless of the outcome, when my frustration gets in front of my faith my strength is small.
24:16 - for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes. - We will always rise again as long as we walk in righteousness.
24:25 - But it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come on them.
24:27 - Put your outdoor work in order and get your fields ready; after that, build your house. - I take this to mean that we need to prepare the seed for harvest before we worry about other things. Always focus on what needs to be started earliest and what can produce fruit on its own as well.
Love you,
Michael
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Proverbs 21-22
21:2 - People may think all their ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart - I am amazed at how many times this theme comes up in Proverbs. I have always said I think it is crazy that people would lie to themselves about themselves, but that must be a normal thing that happens to each of us. We have to look at our lives to figure out where we think our motives are pure and then let God be the one to measure and weigh us. Just because we feel like we are in the right, or doing enough or have the right heart about something doesn't mean we do. God alone knows and if we honestly ask Him I believe He will tell us.
21:3 - To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. - I think we tend towards sacrifice over obedience because to some degree we are in control when we sacrifice. We decide how much and when and what, but obedience has little to do with us. God would rather we walk where He calls us than for us to make a million sacrifice in His name. To obey is better than sacrifice. I wonder where you are trying to sacrifice your way out of obedience right now?
21:5a - The plans of the diligent lead to profit... - I will hold on to this promise.
21:13 - Those who shut their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered. - We have to actively be involved in blessing the truly poor. We need to make an effort to find them and then to provide for them.
21:17a - Whoever loves pleasure will become poor - Pleasure = movies, TV, radio, the lake, sports, hunting, reading, running, lifting, Xbox, Playstation, Wii, .....It doesn't seem like those things are inherently bad. The problem is when they consume or time and attention (love) we become poor financially, spiritually or emotionally. We need to love what makes us rich spiritually and emotionally.
21:21 - Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.- How do you pursue these?
21:26b - ...the righteous give without sparing. - So, if you give sparingly you are not living in righteousness.
21:30 - There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord. - No matter how it feels or what it looks like God's will will come to pass.
21:31 - The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord.
22:3 - The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. - I struggle with how to put the truth of this verse with verses about faith. Faith is standing strong and not moving when the world comes against you, but wisdom is seeing danger beforehand and doing something about it. It is hard to know sometimes when it is time to exercise faith by keep going and when to be wise and take refuge.
22:7b - ...the borrower is slave to the lender. - WOW! How true is this. Every debt I have I am bound to pay. I work for someone else's benefit. The next time I get ready to go into debt I need to remember to ask if I want to be a slave to whoever is offering the loan.
22: 9 - The generous will themselves be blessed for they share their food with the poor.
Love you all, Michael
21:3 - To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. - I think we tend towards sacrifice over obedience because to some degree we are in control when we sacrifice. We decide how much and when and what, but obedience has little to do with us. God would rather we walk where He calls us than for us to make a million sacrifice in His name. To obey is better than sacrifice. I wonder where you are trying to sacrifice your way out of obedience right now?
21:5a - The plans of the diligent lead to profit... - I will hold on to this promise.
21:13 - Those who shut their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered. - We have to actively be involved in blessing the truly poor. We need to make an effort to find them and then to provide for them.
21:17a - Whoever loves pleasure will become poor - Pleasure = movies, TV, radio, the lake, sports, hunting, reading, running, lifting, Xbox, Playstation, Wii, .....It doesn't seem like those things are inherently bad. The problem is when they consume or time and attention (love) we become poor financially, spiritually or emotionally. We need to love what makes us rich spiritually and emotionally.
21:21 - Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.- How do you pursue these?
21:26b - ...the righteous give without sparing. - So, if you give sparingly you are not living in righteousness.
21:30 - There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord. - No matter how it feels or what it looks like God's will will come to pass.
21:31 - The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord.
22:3 - The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. - I struggle with how to put the truth of this verse with verses about faith. Faith is standing strong and not moving when the world comes against you, but wisdom is seeing danger beforehand and doing something about it. It is hard to know sometimes when it is time to exercise faith by keep going and when to be wise and take refuge.
22:7b - ...the borrower is slave to the lender. - WOW! How true is this. Every debt I have I am bound to pay. I work for someone else's benefit. The next time I get ready to go into debt I need to remember to ask if I want to be a slave to whoever is offering the loan.
22: 9 - The generous will themselves be blessed for they share their food with the poor.
Love you all, Michael
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Proverbs 19-20
19:2 - Desire without knowledge is not good - how much more will hasty feet miss the way! - In our day and age we think that having the right desire is enough. We desire justice. We desire equality. We desire the Kingdom to advance. We desire health. But, many of us never take the time or make the effort to learn. We don't invest in understanding. The best approach is zeal with knowledge. It is motive with wisdom. If we only react to motives we will often miss the way. I have seen many young men and women who have had great hearts, but since they were unwilling to do the hard work of preparation it all came to nothing. If you truly want to be successful in working beside God then get your heart right and your head informed.
19:3 - One's own folly leads to ruin, yet the heart rages against the Lord. - Isn't it funny how true this verse is. So many times we rebel against the teachings of God, end up in a miserable situation or miserable life and then turn and blame God for it. We withhold our tithes and then blame God for our money woes. We put ourselves first and then blame God for our crumbling marriage. We fill up on media Twinkies and then blame God for our lust or anger or apathy. It is our own choices that ruin us, never God. God's instructions bring life. If we could at least accept that it is us who is doing the ruining, maybe we could get through some of it, but as long as it is "God's fault" we will stay right where we are. The beauty of confession is God never says I told you so. He always just takes us from there to healing.
19:8b - ...those who cherish understanding will soon prosper. - I am banking on the soon part. HA!
19:14b - ...a prudent wife is from the Lord. - TRUE! One of the greatest gifts in my life is my wife as she seeks God.
19:18 - Discipline your children, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to their death. - To let them choose their own way is to be a willing party to your kids destruction. God has called us to influence and lead our children in faith. No matter how much our current culture says we need to give them room to choose their own way, we need to listen to God's word and raise them up in faith. So many of us have bought into the lie that the greatest gift we can give our kids is the choice of what to believe. The greatest gift we can give our kids is a strong early foundation in walking with Jesus.
19:27 - Stop listening to instruction, my child, and you will stray from the words of knowledge. - I see one friend after another who ends up really struggling and one of the first things that come sup is that they quit seeking God in His word. For some reason we want it to be different, but it is pretty simple. Stay in the Word and you stay with God. Walk away from the Word and you struggle.
20:4 - Sluggards do not plow in season; so at harvest time they look but find nothing. - A lot of us can look busy without being productive. We can run 100 miles an hour and never produce any fruit. The truth of a person's life is how much fruit comes up. If nothing comes up over an extended period of time than we are really sluggards who have not plowed in season. Busy-ness and business are no substitute for planting seed for Christ.
20:9 - Who can say, "I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin"? -
20:13 - Do not love sleep or you will grow poor; stay awake and you will have food to spare. - I have seen friends who for one reason or another (depression, selfishness, fear, weariness) let sleep consume them. They sleep more and more and more and their life falls apart. God is not opposed to healthy rest, but you have to determine what is healthy and what is hiding. Hiding never works. You know your hiding if you feel something inside of you telling you to do something and you lay down instead. Sleep is a powerful drug that sucks the life out of a person, a family, really any relationship. Be careful not to fall in love with something that will take the best years of your life away.
20:19 - A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much. - WOW! If you see someone who seems to always be talking, be on your guard. If you happen to be a person who always has something to say, do something to change that.
Love you, Michael
19:3 - One's own folly leads to ruin, yet the heart rages against the Lord. - Isn't it funny how true this verse is. So many times we rebel against the teachings of God, end up in a miserable situation or miserable life and then turn and blame God for it. We withhold our tithes and then blame God for our money woes. We put ourselves first and then blame God for our crumbling marriage. We fill up on media Twinkies and then blame God for our lust or anger or apathy. It is our own choices that ruin us, never God. God's instructions bring life. If we could at least accept that it is us who is doing the ruining, maybe we could get through some of it, but as long as it is "God's fault" we will stay right where we are. The beauty of confession is God never says I told you so. He always just takes us from there to healing.
19:8b - ...those who cherish understanding will soon prosper. - I am banking on the soon part. HA!
19:14b - ...a prudent wife is from the Lord. - TRUE! One of the greatest gifts in my life is my wife as she seeks God.
19:18 - Discipline your children, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to their death. - To let them choose their own way is to be a willing party to your kids destruction. God has called us to influence and lead our children in faith. No matter how much our current culture says we need to give them room to choose their own way, we need to listen to God's word and raise them up in faith. So many of us have bought into the lie that the greatest gift we can give our kids is the choice of what to believe. The greatest gift we can give our kids is a strong early foundation in walking with Jesus.
19:27 - Stop listening to instruction, my child, and you will stray from the words of knowledge. - I see one friend after another who ends up really struggling and one of the first things that come sup is that they quit seeking God in His word. For some reason we want it to be different, but it is pretty simple. Stay in the Word and you stay with God. Walk away from the Word and you struggle.
20:4 - Sluggards do not plow in season; so at harvest time they look but find nothing. - A lot of us can look busy without being productive. We can run 100 miles an hour and never produce any fruit. The truth of a person's life is how much fruit comes up. If nothing comes up over an extended period of time than we are really sluggards who have not plowed in season. Busy-ness and business are no substitute for planting seed for Christ.
20:9 - Who can say, "I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin"? -
20:13 - Do not love sleep or you will grow poor; stay awake and you will have food to spare. - I have seen friends who for one reason or another (depression, selfishness, fear, weariness) let sleep consume them. They sleep more and more and more and their life falls apart. God is not opposed to healthy rest, but you have to determine what is healthy and what is hiding. Hiding never works. You know your hiding if you feel something inside of you telling you to do something and you lay down instead. Sleep is a powerful drug that sucks the life out of a person, a family, really any relationship. Be careful not to fall in love with something that will take the best years of your life away.
20:19 - A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much. - WOW! If you see someone who seems to always be talking, be on your guard. If you happen to be a person who always has something to say, do something to change that.
Love you, Michael
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Proverbs 17-18
17:3 - the Lord tests the heart. None of us know what is truly at the bottom of our hearts. We think we do, but God alone knows. I have a friend who has been in multiple combat situations and he always says the hardest part of coming home from war is knowing what you are truly capable of (good and evil). The truth is, we need to trust that God knows us best and therefore we need to ask Him to test our hearts and refine us. There are things in me I am not sure are good or bad and I can either guess or I can ask God to help me see them as He sees them. I have to go to Him and ask Him if it is something to be restrained or something to be celebrated.
17:9 - Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. Even retelling the "story" so someone else knows is destructive. Let matters that separate or harm rest. Don't even mention them again.
17:15 - Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent - the Lord detests them both. For those of us in any kind of teaching or leadership position we need to remember this. It is wrong to let everyone off the hook when we teach or lead and it is wrong to make everyone feel guilty. We need to do a good job of leading the guilty to feel enough guilt to change and we need to celebrate those who are doing well. The church does a poor job when we focus only on guilt or only on grace. We should love people enough to lead the guilty to grace and then to celebrate them when they get there.
17:19a - Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin; I used to say I love a good fight. Growing up with little man's disease and being an I/D or D/I on the DiSC profile I love a challenge and I love being able to passionately throw my entire self into things. So, when a fight came a long I loved it. I came across this verse and realized that while I can love a good challenge I have to be careful not to love a good fight. Fighting hurts people, even when we don't mean to. We have to learn to walk in peace whenever possible. God will give us great challenges to stir our souls, so we can afford to avoid the worldly ones that harm others.
17:27 - Those who have knowledge use words with restraint, and those who have understanding are even-tempered. It is like Solomon has already said, The more words, the more likely you are to sin. Wise people don't have to speak a lot, because what they speak is worth every word.
18:2 - Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. We are a generation of fools to a large degree. We have been raised to believe that what we think is the most important thing AND everyone in the world should care what we think. The truth is what we think is only a part, a small part, of any circumstance. We would do better to listen and try to understand than to tell people what we think. Our opinions are so often not found in contemplation, prayer and research anyway.
18:9 - One who is slack in his work is a close relative of one who destroys. This is especially true of leaders. When we are slack, half-hearted, easily distracted in the work of leading people and leading ourselves so we can lead people, we unintentionally destroy the work God intends. There are few things harder to overcome in a church than leaders who fail to follow through and live up to the high calling laid out before them. When we can't do the things necessary for Christian growth how can anyone who is following us? When we can't strive hard without getting distracted or just giving up, how can we expect anyone behind us will? We need to become people who are not slack at all, but who do whatever is required so others can come home.
18:12b - ...humility comes before honor. Tough, because I world has said you can have instant honor. You can get rich quick, get big quick, get to the top with one leap. We have been raised to believe we would get "there" if we could just get a lucky break. We need to choose to do the hard, dirty work first. Dirty work comes before a beautiful house.
18:13 - To answer before listening - that is folly and shame.
I also spent some time looking through Ezra about fasting during trying times and Malachi about God's call for us to test Him by honoring Him with our tithes and offerings.
17:9 - Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. Even retelling the "story" so someone else knows is destructive. Let matters that separate or harm rest. Don't even mention them again.
17:15 - Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent - the Lord detests them both. For those of us in any kind of teaching or leadership position we need to remember this. It is wrong to let everyone off the hook when we teach or lead and it is wrong to make everyone feel guilty. We need to do a good job of leading the guilty to feel enough guilt to change and we need to celebrate those who are doing well. The church does a poor job when we focus only on guilt or only on grace. We should love people enough to lead the guilty to grace and then to celebrate them when they get there.
17:19a - Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin; I used to say I love a good fight. Growing up with little man's disease and being an I/D or D/I on the DiSC profile I love a challenge and I love being able to passionately throw my entire self into things. So, when a fight came a long I loved it. I came across this verse and realized that while I can love a good challenge I have to be careful not to love a good fight. Fighting hurts people, even when we don't mean to. We have to learn to walk in peace whenever possible. God will give us great challenges to stir our souls, so we can afford to avoid the worldly ones that harm others.
17:27 - Those who have knowledge use words with restraint, and those who have understanding are even-tempered. It is like Solomon has already said, The more words, the more likely you are to sin. Wise people don't have to speak a lot, because what they speak is worth every word.
18:2 - Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. We are a generation of fools to a large degree. We have been raised to believe that what we think is the most important thing AND everyone in the world should care what we think. The truth is what we think is only a part, a small part, of any circumstance. We would do better to listen and try to understand than to tell people what we think. Our opinions are so often not found in contemplation, prayer and research anyway.
18:9 - One who is slack in his work is a close relative of one who destroys. This is especially true of leaders. When we are slack, half-hearted, easily distracted in the work of leading people and leading ourselves so we can lead people, we unintentionally destroy the work God intends. There are few things harder to overcome in a church than leaders who fail to follow through and live up to the high calling laid out before them. When we can't do the things necessary for Christian growth how can anyone who is following us? When we can't strive hard without getting distracted or just giving up, how can we expect anyone behind us will? We need to become people who are not slack at all, but who do whatever is required so others can come home.
18:12b - ...humility comes before honor. Tough, because I world has said you can have instant honor. You can get rich quick, get big quick, get to the top with one leap. We have been raised to believe we would get "there" if we could just get a lucky break. We need to choose to do the hard, dirty work first. Dirty work comes before a beautiful house.
18:13 - To answer before listening - that is folly and shame.
I also spent some time looking through Ezra about fasting during trying times and Malachi about God's call for us to test Him by honoring Him with our tithes and offerings.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Proverbs 15-16
15:1 - A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
15:18 - The hot-tempered stir up dissension, but those who are patient calm a quarrel. I have noticed in my own life and my own house how true this is. When I let my impatience out it kicks up a dust that causes others to react the same way. It is kind of like mowing weeds. You may not be suffering from any allergies before, but once the weeds are kicked up you begin to see the symptoms (runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes). One person's dissension or impatience can lead to others giving into that weakness as well. BUT, when I calm my own heart, tongue and mind than others around me aren't stirred up. Instead of feeding off of each other's stress, you nip it in the bud from the start. We would all do better to be calm first and I bet we would have a lot less trouble overall.
16:1 - To human beings belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue. I am asking God for some specific direction for the community of Christians I work with and for my own life and family right now and I know this to be true. I can make all the plans I want one way or the other, but what I really want is to know what God's will is. My plans do not satisfy and bring peace the way that even one answer from God can and does. I can detail out everything and still be unsettled, but if God speaks it brings a tremendous peace. I am seeking to figure that out better even right now. Nancy (my wife) shared a few chapters from a book on fasting for spiritual breakthrough and spiritual insight yesterday that was a great reminder. Why guess. When you want to know God's will and direction ask Him in a way that helps you focus. In my case, it means doing some fasting to listen better. God wants us to know what He wants and it is our job to make sure we are listening when He speaks.
16:2 - People may think all their ways are pure, but motives are weighed by the Lord. This is something else I know to be true. I can think I am pure in my motives all I want, but God truly knows. When you are talking with God be really honest. Whatever your sin, weakness or struggle (greed, laziness, overworking, uncommitted, impatient) admit it up front. Ask God to tell you the truth about yourself. If we truly want to follow God we have to ask Him to help us see ourselves as we truly are and not as we want to be.
16:3 - Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. I will stand on this promise.
16:9 - In their hearts human beings plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.
16:26 - The appetite of laborers works for them; their hunger drives them on. I love this verse. When people are tied to the success or failure they work better and harder and more faithfully. When it is someone else's benefit it is easy to sit back and not really invest. We have to develop our lives and our ministries so that people see their part in it. If they are affected by the harvest they will be more involved, invest and inclined.
16:33 - The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.
Love you each, Michael
15:18 - The hot-tempered stir up dissension, but those who are patient calm a quarrel. I have noticed in my own life and my own house how true this is. When I let my impatience out it kicks up a dust that causes others to react the same way. It is kind of like mowing weeds. You may not be suffering from any allergies before, but once the weeds are kicked up you begin to see the symptoms (runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes). One person's dissension or impatience can lead to others giving into that weakness as well. BUT, when I calm my own heart, tongue and mind than others around me aren't stirred up. Instead of feeding off of each other's stress, you nip it in the bud from the start. We would all do better to be calm first and I bet we would have a lot less trouble overall.
16:1 - To human beings belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue. I am asking God for some specific direction for the community of Christians I work with and for my own life and family right now and I know this to be true. I can make all the plans I want one way or the other, but what I really want is to know what God's will is. My plans do not satisfy and bring peace the way that even one answer from God can and does. I can detail out everything and still be unsettled, but if God speaks it brings a tremendous peace. I am seeking to figure that out better even right now. Nancy (my wife) shared a few chapters from a book on fasting for spiritual breakthrough and spiritual insight yesterday that was a great reminder. Why guess. When you want to know God's will and direction ask Him in a way that helps you focus. In my case, it means doing some fasting to listen better. God wants us to know what He wants and it is our job to make sure we are listening when He speaks.
16:2 - People may think all their ways are pure, but motives are weighed by the Lord. This is something else I know to be true. I can think I am pure in my motives all I want, but God truly knows. When you are talking with God be really honest. Whatever your sin, weakness or struggle (greed, laziness, overworking, uncommitted, impatient) admit it up front. Ask God to tell you the truth about yourself. If we truly want to follow God we have to ask Him to help us see ourselves as we truly are and not as we want to be.
16:3 - Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. I will stand on this promise.
16:9 - In their hearts human beings plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.
16:26 - The appetite of laborers works for them; their hunger drives them on. I love this verse. When people are tied to the success or failure they work better and harder and more faithfully. When it is someone else's benefit it is easy to sit back and not really invest. We have to develop our lives and our ministries so that people see their part in it. If they are affected by the harvest they will be more involved, invest and inclined.
16:33 - The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.
Love you each, Michael
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Proverbs 13-14
13:3 - Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin. There is something about holding your tongue that is powerful. It seems like any time I get in a spot where I am frustrated there is this overwhelming urge to just say what I think and tell them the whole thing. It feels like being honest. Even when the time is right it seems like speaking with consideration and not letting the full thought come out at once is beneficial. Pacing the content of what you have to say is incredibly helpful in being hear by others.
13:4 - A sluggard's appetite is never filled, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied. I have to remember this promise. There are many times I feel like I am working like a dog and I wonder if it is worth it, but God had promised that those who work hard will be satisfied by the outcome of that work. Many of us are doing things that take us to the very limit of who we are and what we think we can handle. We get pressed, but not crushed. Compressed, but not destroyed. We need to remember in those moments that God has made a promise that we will be satisfied at the outcome of our great efforts.
13:10 - Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice. The first part of this verse really stuck out to me. Anywhere there is strife or fighting there is pride. Fighting cannot exist without pride from at least one source. The next time you get in a fight look at your heart and see where you are trying to be right or trying to be better or trying to control something. Those are all aspects of pride.
13:11b - ...whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow. Get rich quick schemes do not end up helping anyone. Consistency is generally more effective than one big clump. When it comes to finances, we would do well to put some back little by little over time rather than trying to save (or fix) everything all at once. Some people save too much at once and miss the opportunities God has for them and others don't save anything and then try to do it all at once.
13:12 - Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
13:24 - careful to discipline - We are reminded that it isn't discipline that saves the child, but careful discipline. There is a HUGE difference.
14:4 - Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox come abundant harvests. - If you aren't sure what this verse is talking about, insert the word worker where oxen is. It means that where no one is present to work and harvest and do the dirty jobs that need doing, you will not prosper. Whether it is the bank account or the number of people in church or LIFE Group or at a certain team meeting, no workers means no harvest.
14:6 - The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning. - I need to figure out how to live better so that knowledge comes easier.
14:9a - Fools mock at making amends for sin, - You no this to be true if you have ever gone up to someone and apologized to them and they look at you like you are some kind of weirdo. Of, if you have told a friend or coworker that you need to apologize to someone and they tell you to forget about it, that it will only make things worse. God has taught throughout the Scriptures that seeking to fix the wrongs we create with each other is wise and it honors Him. So what of the world looks at us like we are foreigners and strangers - that's what we are any way.
14:10 - Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy. I have seen the truth of this in people who have lost loved ones, combat vets who come home torn up inside, those who have gone through a traumatic time at work. We can offer a certain amount of compassion, but we have to be careful when we say "I know exactly what you are going through." We don't. We can say, "I went through something similar." but each heart knows its own grief and so we would do better to hear them, share our story and then ask them how we can help them.
14:23 - All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. - But talk is easier than hard work, isn't it? It is easier to plan than to do. It is easier to discuss and strategize than it is to carry out. I have seen many good people who can talk all the good in the world, but who stumble at the carrying it out stage. We need to work hard to take what we know to be true and to live it out in a way that honors God.
I hope you have a great day and that you seek Jesus with a real effort. He sure does love you and would love to see you drawing closer to Him.
Love, Michael
13:4 - A sluggard's appetite is never filled, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied. I have to remember this promise. There are many times I feel like I am working like a dog and I wonder if it is worth it, but God had promised that those who work hard will be satisfied by the outcome of that work. Many of us are doing things that take us to the very limit of who we are and what we think we can handle. We get pressed, but not crushed. Compressed, but not destroyed. We need to remember in those moments that God has made a promise that we will be satisfied at the outcome of our great efforts.
13:10 - Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice. The first part of this verse really stuck out to me. Anywhere there is strife or fighting there is pride. Fighting cannot exist without pride from at least one source. The next time you get in a fight look at your heart and see where you are trying to be right or trying to be better or trying to control something. Those are all aspects of pride.
13:11b - ...whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow. Get rich quick schemes do not end up helping anyone. Consistency is generally more effective than one big clump. When it comes to finances, we would do well to put some back little by little over time rather than trying to save (or fix) everything all at once. Some people save too much at once and miss the opportunities God has for them and others don't save anything and then try to do it all at once.
13:12 - Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
13:24 - careful to discipline - We are reminded that it isn't discipline that saves the child, but careful discipline. There is a HUGE difference.
14:4 - Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox come abundant harvests. - If you aren't sure what this verse is talking about, insert the word worker where oxen is. It means that where no one is present to work and harvest and do the dirty jobs that need doing, you will not prosper. Whether it is the bank account or the number of people in church or LIFE Group or at a certain team meeting, no workers means no harvest.
14:6 - The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning. - I need to figure out how to live better so that knowledge comes easier.
14:9a - Fools mock at making amends for sin, - You no this to be true if you have ever gone up to someone and apologized to them and they look at you like you are some kind of weirdo. Of, if you have told a friend or coworker that you need to apologize to someone and they tell you to forget about it, that it will only make things worse. God has taught throughout the Scriptures that seeking to fix the wrongs we create with each other is wise and it honors Him. So what of the world looks at us like we are foreigners and strangers - that's what we are any way.
14:10 - Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy. I have seen the truth of this in people who have lost loved ones, combat vets who come home torn up inside, those who have gone through a traumatic time at work. We can offer a certain amount of compassion, but we have to be careful when we say "I know exactly what you are going through." We don't. We can say, "I went through something similar." but each heart knows its own grief and so we would do better to hear them, share our story and then ask them how we can help them.
14:23 - All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. - But talk is easier than hard work, isn't it? It is easier to plan than to do. It is easier to discuss and strategize than it is to carry out. I have seen many good people who can talk all the good in the world, but who stumble at the carrying it out stage. We need to work hard to take what we know to be true and to live it out in a way that honors God.
I hope you have a great day and that you seek Jesus with a real effort. He sure does love you and would love to see you drawing closer to Him.
Love, Michael
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Proverbs 11-12
Got back early today and thought I'd share a few of the verses that stuck out to me when I read this evening.
11:3 - The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithfulness are destroyed by their duplicity.
11:14b - ...victory is won through many advisers.
11:25 - A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
11:30 - The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and those who win souls are wise.
12:11 - Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense.
12:15 - The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.
11:3 - The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithfulness are destroyed by their duplicity.
11:14b - ...victory is won through many advisers.
11:25 - A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
11:30 - The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and those who win souls are wise.
12:11 - Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense.
12:15 - The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Proverbs 8-10
Just a heads up, I will be out for the next three days on a men's camping trip, so no posts.
There is so much in each chapter of Proverbs that I have 3 pages of notes just from this section. I will try to condense it and just share a few thoughts with you.
8:34 - Blessed are those who listen to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at me doorway. - What a cool picture. I can just see a young kid just sitting outside a doorway waiting for his best friend to come out and play. It doesn't matter if it takes hours he just sits and waits. Can you image how different our lives and our faith would be if we would sit outside wisdom's door and wait for her?
9:8b - rebuke the wise and they will love you. This is true. Wise people, while they don't enjoy rebuke, love you for loving them enough to do it. A great way to see if you are wise is to see how you react when someone corrects you. A lot of times we will say, "Well, I do okay when the right person rebukes me, but not when so and so does it." This says that the wise love those who rebuke them and it kind of implies it doesn't matter where the rebuke comes from. Some of the best, most needed and beneficial rebukes in my life have come from people I didn't really respect or care for. But, in the end they were right about something that needed to change in my life. Be wise and consider each rebuke, looking at the source, but paying more attention to the potential truth in it.
If you compare the passage starting in 9:14 with the one from 8:2 you will see that folly tries to mimic wisdom.
10:5 - He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son. You can apply this in many ways. I would say that right now is the time to harvest something for God. It may be people who are lost or those separated from Christ's Church or a certain group of people in your community that needs help or even just a ripe time at home to do something. You prove you are a good son of the Father when you take full advantage of the ripe things and begin to harvest them. I wonder how many of us are sleeping through the harvest? How many of us are so distracted by the world or tired from chasing money or wore out from living it up that we sleep when our strength should be used to bring in the things that God values?
10:14a - The wise store up knowledge...I love that imagery. The wise go around putting all the wisdom they can find anywhere they have room. They memorize Scripture here, stash a little extra understanding there. I get the picture of a pack rat of knowledge. I hope to be the kind of follower of Jesus to store up as much information and knowledge (knowing Him) in my head and heart as possible. I want it to fall out (in a good way) because I am on such a passionate pursuit. I want to be like the guys in the movies who look all crazy, but have a book or an idea for everything and I want it all to be about Jesus.
10:16 - The wages of the righteous is life, but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death. I thought this was neat for how close to Romans 6:23 it is.
10:19 - Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues. Isn't it true that the more you talk in a conflict the more messy things get. Especially with anger or difficulty or correction, fewer words are better. Multiplying words (talking a lot) doesn't lead to clarity. We need to learn to say what we know ought to be said and then be quiet and let the Holy spirit work. I think some of us talk a lot because we are worried that we have to do too much. Speak and let God do the rest. Speak as those who expect it is just a small part of what god is doing. You will take a ton of pressure off of you and them and allow more room for God to speak into their lives.
10:22 - The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, without painful toil for it. I believe this verse wholeheartedly and yet I struggle with it some. There have been times in my life I was certain I was right where God wanted me but there was a lot of painful toil. BUT, I will trust god when I don't understand. I do believe that when we are being blessed by god when never have to worry about some bad thing following it. We can fully enjoy His blessing.
10:24 - What the wicked dread will overtake them; what the righteous desire will be granted.
10:28 - The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.
Love you, Michael
There is so much in each chapter of Proverbs that I have 3 pages of notes just from this section. I will try to condense it and just share a few thoughts with you.
8:34 - Blessed are those who listen to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at me doorway. - What a cool picture. I can just see a young kid just sitting outside a doorway waiting for his best friend to come out and play. It doesn't matter if it takes hours he just sits and waits. Can you image how different our lives and our faith would be if we would sit outside wisdom's door and wait for her?
9:8b - rebuke the wise and they will love you. This is true. Wise people, while they don't enjoy rebuke, love you for loving them enough to do it. A great way to see if you are wise is to see how you react when someone corrects you. A lot of times we will say, "Well, I do okay when the right person rebukes me, but not when so and so does it." This says that the wise love those who rebuke them and it kind of implies it doesn't matter where the rebuke comes from. Some of the best, most needed and beneficial rebukes in my life have come from people I didn't really respect or care for. But, in the end they were right about something that needed to change in my life. Be wise and consider each rebuke, looking at the source, but paying more attention to the potential truth in it.
If you compare the passage starting in 9:14 with the one from 8:2 you will see that folly tries to mimic wisdom.
10:5 - He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son. You can apply this in many ways. I would say that right now is the time to harvest something for God. It may be people who are lost or those separated from Christ's Church or a certain group of people in your community that needs help or even just a ripe time at home to do something. You prove you are a good son of the Father when you take full advantage of the ripe things and begin to harvest them. I wonder how many of us are sleeping through the harvest? How many of us are so distracted by the world or tired from chasing money or wore out from living it up that we sleep when our strength should be used to bring in the things that God values?
10:14a - The wise store up knowledge...I love that imagery. The wise go around putting all the wisdom they can find anywhere they have room. They memorize Scripture here, stash a little extra understanding there. I get the picture of a pack rat of knowledge. I hope to be the kind of follower of Jesus to store up as much information and knowledge (knowing Him) in my head and heart as possible. I want it to fall out (in a good way) because I am on such a passionate pursuit. I want to be like the guys in the movies who look all crazy, but have a book or an idea for everything and I want it all to be about Jesus.
10:16 - The wages of the righteous is life, but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death. I thought this was neat for how close to Romans 6:23 it is.
10:19 - Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues. Isn't it true that the more you talk in a conflict the more messy things get. Especially with anger or difficulty or correction, fewer words are better. Multiplying words (talking a lot) doesn't lead to clarity. We need to learn to say what we know ought to be said and then be quiet and let the Holy spirit work. I think some of us talk a lot because we are worried that we have to do too much. Speak and let God do the rest. Speak as those who expect it is just a small part of what god is doing. You will take a ton of pressure off of you and them and allow more room for God to speak into their lives.
10:22 - The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, without painful toil for it. I believe this verse wholeheartedly and yet I struggle with it some. There have been times in my life I was certain I was right where God wanted me but there was a lot of painful toil. BUT, I will trust god when I don't understand. I do believe that when we are being blessed by god when never have to worry about some bad thing following it. We can fully enjoy His blessing.
10:24 - What the wicked dread will overtake them; what the righteous desire will be granted.
10:28 - The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.
Love you, Michael
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Proverbs 5-7
A lot of what is in these verses is about avoiding adultery. I think there are two very purposeful themes. One, is the theme of avoiding real adultery. Adultery really does destroy the man. There are so many verses in here about what really happens when a man sleeps with a wife other than his own. I think the other way to draw from this section is to see adultery as unfaithfulness to God as well. Since the writer discusses wisdom and folly it seems like the adultery can be real or spiritual in nature. Just a thought.
5:21 - For your ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all your paths.
5:23 - For lack of discipline they will die, lead astray by their own great folly.
6:5 - Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of a fowler.
6:6-8 - The lessons learned from the ant are to work hard and store up wisely. On of the greatest errors of my life has been to work hard and then to store up nothing. I bought into the lie of debt like many other people and that has turned out to be one of the most miserable parts of my life. Had I stored up wisely I would be free to follow Jesus wherever and whenever He calls, give generously whenever there is an opportunity and to live with greater peace. Instead, I bought things I didn't currently have the money for and just figured I'd pay it in the future. The wisdom of Proverbs is proven true, because the ant doesn't worry. The thing now is to figure out how to start living like ant.
6:26 - Adultery costs you everything.
7:8-9 - He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in. The problem was he wasn't paying attention. He went near at a time when he was most at risk. Don't even go near the corner of sin. Don't even walk in the general direction of it. And especially stay away when the time is ripe for sin. Have you ever noticed how easy it is to sin when you just get close to where sin is? You just peak at a photo or you just turn on the TV when no one is home or you just happen to go over to your neighbor's house when everyone is gone? Stay away from anywhere that you have found sin in the past. And especially stay away when the sun is fading and most people are not around.
In 7:16-18 the adulteress (and sin) make an erotic appeal. Everything she says is intended to stimulate a physical response. In 7:19-21 she is ready with an answer. Notice she doesn't say it is right, but that you won't get caught. Sin avoids talking about whether it is right or not and wants to focus on whether you can get away with it or not as if that is all that matters. Adultresses and sin know that if you think about the rightness of something you would never sin. We sin when we find a way to do it without getting caught and it seems like both are more than willing to protect you from getting caught the first time or to. Just enough to get you addicted and then they pull their protection and let you suffer the full wrath of being found out. Save yourself trouble by asking if it is right and not if you can get away with it. If you are thinking about loopholes you are at the door of sin.
Love, Michael
5:21 - For your ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all your paths.
5:23 - For lack of discipline they will die, lead astray by their own great folly.
6:5 - Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of a fowler.
6:6-8 - The lessons learned from the ant are to work hard and store up wisely. On of the greatest errors of my life has been to work hard and then to store up nothing. I bought into the lie of debt like many other people and that has turned out to be one of the most miserable parts of my life. Had I stored up wisely I would be free to follow Jesus wherever and whenever He calls, give generously whenever there is an opportunity and to live with greater peace. Instead, I bought things I didn't currently have the money for and just figured I'd pay it in the future. The wisdom of Proverbs is proven true, because the ant doesn't worry. The thing now is to figure out how to start living like ant.
6:26 - Adultery costs you everything.
7:8-9 - He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in. The problem was he wasn't paying attention. He went near at a time when he was most at risk. Don't even go near the corner of sin. Don't even walk in the general direction of it. And especially stay away when the time is ripe for sin. Have you ever noticed how easy it is to sin when you just get close to where sin is? You just peak at a photo or you just turn on the TV when no one is home or you just happen to go over to your neighbor's house when everyone is gone? Stay away from anywhere that you have found sin in the past. And especially stay away when the sun is fading and most people are not around.
In 7:16-18 the adulteress (and sin) make an erotic appeal. Everything she says is intended to stimulate a physical response. In 7:19-21 she is ready with an answer. Notice she doesn't say it is right, but that you won't get caught. Sin avoids talking about whether it is right or not and wants to focus on whether you can get away with it or not as if that is all that matters. Adultresses and sin know that if you think about the rightness of something you would never sin. We sin when we find a way to do it without getting caught and it seems like both are more than willing to protect you from getting caught the first time or to. Just enough to get you addicted and then they pull their protection and let you suffer the full wrath of being found out. Save yourself trouble by asking if it is right and not if you can get away with it. If you are thinking about loopholes you are at the door of sin.
Love, Michael
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Proverbs 3-4
3:1-2 - Keeping God's commands extends life and brings peace and prosperity.
3:3 - Let love and faithfulness never leave you; - This passage goes on to say tie them around your neck like a garland or necklace. Out of all the things we should never let get away from us it is love and faithfulness. In the worst of times and the best of times we should always be known as those who love and remain faithful.
3:5-6 - Trust in the Lord with all you heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. - This verse so speaks to me right now. We are going through a time in the life of our church where I just want God to make things clear and so I work really hard to see and to understand, but I am reminded that I do not need to see and understand, but to walk in faith. I need to allow God to take care of what I cannot see and just take every step and every turn that He leads me to. It is enough that He sees what is in front of me. I can walk blindly in that kind of light.
3:9-10 - Honor God with your firstfruits and you will have all you need. The idea of firstfruits is that the Jews would give God from the first fruits of the season and not later on or what was left over. This meant they had to trust that God would provide second fruits and thirds fruits, etc. It was an act of faith, but more than that it was an act of honor and worship. By giving God the firstfruits they were saying that God was more significant than they were. They were telling God He came even before their own physical needs. This same idea of firstfruits carries over in the New Testament. We are called to give God from the first part of our income and not just the leftovers. Tied with the idea of the tithe from the Old Testament and even Jesus' teachings about the tithe, this means we give God the first ten percent as an act of worship and faith. So what does it say when we don't do this?
3:11-12 - Embrace discipline because it means God loves you.
3:15 - The Bible says nothing you desire can compare with the results of wisdom.
3:17 - Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace.
3:19-21 - God created all that we know and see (and even what we don't know and can't see) by His own wisdom and understanding.
3:24 - Wisdom brings sweet sleep.
3:27 - Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. I love this verse. It reminds me that I need to honor and praise those who I have the power and opportunity to honor and praise. It is wrong to let something good that someone deserves go by the wayside because it is inconvenient, painful or costly. When we have the power to reward we should every time.
3:31 - Do not envy the violent or choose any of their ways. I used to struggle with this a lot because of all the martial arts stuff I did. I would daydream about different confrontations and scenarios. And now I see many young men who struggle with this. They play video games that are so violent, it has to be affecting their souls. I wish we could humble ourselves enough and trust our God enough to let go of physical violence as our answer to either safety or exhilaration.
4:6 - Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.
4:13 - Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.
4:23 - Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. - This is true. No matter how right you are or how justified you feel or whatever, if you do not guard your heart it will sour or turn against God or people. You have to constantly protect your tender faith. You have to take great precautions to not let it bear to heavy a burden. Faith is the buffer that protects our tender hearts and keeps them from being crushed.
4:25 - Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.
3:3 - Let love and faithfulness never leave you; - This passage goes on to say tie them around your neck like a garland or necklace. Out of all the things we should never let get away from us it is love and faithfulness. In the worst of times and the best of times we should always be known as those who love and remain faithful.
3:5-6 - Trust in the Lord with all you heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. - This verse so speaks to me right now. We are going through a time in the life of our church where I just want God to make things clear and so I work really hard to see and to understand, but I am reminded that I do not need to see and understand, but to walk in faith. I need to allow God to take care of what I cannot see and just take every step and every turn that He leads me to. It is enough that He sees what is in front of me. I can walk blindly in that kind of light.
3:9-10 - Honor God with your firstfruits and you will have all you need. The idea of firstfruits is that the Jews would give God from the first fruits of the season and not later on or what was left over. This meant they had to trust that God would provide second fruits and thirds fruits, etc. It was an act of faith, but more than that it was an act of honor and worship. By giving God the firstfruits they were saying that God was more significant than they were. They were telling God He came even before their own physical needs. This same idea of firstfruits carries over in the New Testament. We are called to give God from the first part of our income and not just the leftovers. Tied with the idea of the tithe from the Old Testament and even Jesus' teachings about the tithe, this means we give God the first ten percent as an act of worship and faith. So what does it say when we don't do this?
3:11-12 - Embrace discipline because it means God loves you.
3:15 - The Bible says nothing you desire can compare with the results of wisdom.
3:17 - Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace.
3:19-21 - God created all that we know and see (and even what we don't know and can't see) by His own wisdom and understanding.
3:24 - Wisdom brings sweet sleep.
3:27 - Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. I love this verse. It reminds me that I need to honor and praise those who I have the power and opportunity to honor and praise. It is wrong to let something good that someone deserves go by the wayside because it is inconvenient, painful or costly. When we have the power to reward we should every time.
3:31 - Do not envy the violent or choose any of their ways. I used to struggle with this a lot because of all the martial arts stuff I did. I would daydream about different confrontations and scenarios. And now I see many young men who struggle with this. They play video games that are so violent, it has to be affecting their souls. I wish we could humble ourselves enough and trust our God enough to let go of physical violence as our answer to either safety or exhilaration.
4:6 - Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.
4:13 - Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.
4:23 - Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. - This is true. No matter how right you are or how justified you feel or whatever, if you do not guard your heart it will sour or turn against God or people. You have to constantly protect your tender faith. You have to take great precautions to not let it bear to heavy a burden. Faith is the buffer that protects our tender hearts and keeps them from being crushed.
4:25 - Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Proverbs 1-2
A couple of times I year I go through the Proverbs. It is a book filled with tons of wisdom and it seems to act kind of like a beacon to call us back to what righteous living and thinking looks like. It is a refiner's fire that shows you the truth about yourself and teaches you how to live well with God and others. I hope that the practical teaching of Proverbs will touch and change your life as you go through it.
1:7 - The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. If you really want to know...anything, you need to begin with developing a fear of the Lord. I think of the people I have seen struggle in life and faith and normally it is because they have not developed a proper sense of how big and holy God is. So, we run around without God, or just as bad, with God, but without a sense of who He is and we live very foolish lives. Begin with studying who God really is. It is terrifying and incredibly encouraging at the same time.
1:19 - Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the life of those who get it. The price for taking what is not yours is your life. Many of us would think we are beyond that, but when we look at someone else's situation or their stuff and we devise ways to get it (manipulation for a position at work, unethical business deals, withholding information to advance our own cause) we end up paying with our own lives. We may get what we set out to get, but we will pay dearly for it in the end.
1:23 - Wisdom says REPENT (change your mind) AND THEN she will teach you. I can;t tell you for how many years I have prayed for wisdom, but failed to see that I need to repent to receive it. Wisdom waits, wanting us to know her, but we have to take the step of clearing things up and moving in a new direction. Wisdom doe snot come just because we ask, but because we honor wisdom by heading in a new direction first.
1:29-31 - since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord. Since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of sinners. We are always given the fruit our lives produce to eat. Live well and eat good fruit. Live poorly and eat what a poor life produces.
1:32 - Waywardness and complacency kill.
1:33 - Wisdom brings safety, living at ease and no fear. So, if you are not living with those things you do not have all the wisdom you need. Or better yet, you are not yielding to wisdom where you need to.
2:1-4 - Accept and store up wisdom. Turn your ear and apply your heart. Call out and cry out. Look for wisdom as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure. vs 5 - If you will do what these four verses say, you will understand the fear of the Lord which is the beginning of knowledge. Isn't it funny how often we ask God for things He is willing to give us only we don't want to do our part in receiving them? In James it says that God will give us wisdom if we ask without finding fault in us, but we have to believe and each of these things in bold prove our belief.
2:6 - The Lord gives wisdom.
2:11 - Discretion protects and understanding guards.
2:13 - When you are not on the straight path, you are walking in dark ways.
2:16 - Wisdom saves you from the adulterous woman (or man).
1:7 - The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. If you really want to know...anything, you need to begin with developing a fear of the Lord. I think of the people I have seen struggle in life and faith and normally it is because they have not developed a proper sense of how big and holy God is. So, we run around without God, or just as bad, with God, but without a sense of who He is and we live very foolish lives. Begin with studying who God really is. It is terrifying and incredibly encouraging at the same time.
1:19 - Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the life of those who get it. The price for taking what is not yours is your life. Many of us would think we are beyond that, but when we look at someone else's situation or their stuff and we devise ways to get it (manipulation for a position at work, unethical business deals, withholding information to advance our own cause) we end up paying with our own lives. We may get what we set out to get, but we will pay dearly for it in the end.
1:23 - Wisdom says REPENT (change your mind) AND THEN she will teach you. I can;t tell you for how many years I have prayed for wisdom, but failed to see that I need to repent to receive it. Wisdom waits, wanting us to know her, but we have to take the step of clearing things up and moving in a new direction. Wisdom doe snot come just because we ask, but because we honor wisdom by heading in a new direction first.
1:29-31 - since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord. Since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of sinners. We are always given the fruit our lives produce to eat. Live well and eat good fruit. Live poorly and eat what a poor life produces.
1:32 - Waywardness and complacency kill.
1:33 - Wisdom brings safety, living at ease and no fear. So, if you are not living with those things you do not have all the wisdom you need. Or better yet, you are not yielding to wisdom where you need to.
2:1-4 - Accept and store up wisdom. Turn your ear and apply your heart. Call out and cry out. Look for wisdom as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure. vs 5 - If you will do what these four verses say, you will understand the fear of the Lord which is the beginning of knowledge. Isn't it funny how often we ask God for things He is willing to give us only we don't want to do our part in receiving them? In James it says that God will give us wisdom if we ask without finding fault in us, but we have to believe and each of these things in bold prove our belief.
2:6 - The Lord gives wisdom.
2:11 - Discretion protects and understanding guards.
2:13 - When you are not on the straight path, you are walking in dark ways.
2:16 - Wisdom saves you from the adulterous woman (or man).
Sunday, July 12, 2009
2 Peter 3
3:1-2 - The thing that stimulates wholesome thinking is recalling the Word of God.
3:3 - People scoff at faith and at God because it gets in the way of what they want. We let our selfish desires affect what and how we believe. We should believe what is true regardless of how convenient or inconvenient it is.
3:5 - they deliberately forget - Some people deliberately look the other way, because they don't want to have to acknowledge God.
3:8 - God is not bound by time like we are
3:9 - Patience - waiting for change and not merely embracing who we are. Tolerance means acceptance, but patience does not. god is patient waiting for us to change, but He does not okay or embrace who we are outside of His will.
3:11-13 - Because of all of this how should we live?
- Holy lives
- Godly lives
- Looking forward lives
Look forward - We spend so much time looking at right now or staring at the past that we live ineffective lives. We need to keep looking beyond this life to what God has promised is coming.
3:14 - spotless, blameless, at peace with Him
3:15 - Patience = salvation
3:17 - Be warned so you don't fall from your secure position. People struggle with the idea of whether you can fall away from Christ or not. there are verses that talk about our security in Christ and then verses that talk about the possibility of walking away from grace. The way I would understand it from this passage is that we are secure, much like a sniper in a hidden tower is secure, but we can fall out of the window if we choose to live reckless and unwise lives. God will never push us out, but we can abuse that grace to the point where we are hanging out the window and then a slip causes death.
3:18 -grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Love you all, Michael
3:3 - People scoff at faith and at God because it gets in the way of what they want. We let our selfish desires affect what and how we believe. We should believe what is true regardless of how convenient or inconvenient it is.
3:5 - they deliberately forget - Some people deliberately look the other way, because they don't want to have to acknowledge God.
3:8 - God is not bound by time like we are
3:9 - Patience - waiting for change and not merely embracing who we are. Tolerance means acceptance, but patience does not. god is patient waiting for us to change, but He does not okay or embrace who we are outside of His will.
3:11-13 - Because of all of this how should we live?
- Holy lives
- Godly lives
- Looking forward lives
Look forward - We spend so much time looking at right now or staring at the past that we live ineffective lives. We need to keep looking beyond this life to what God has promised is coming.
3:14 - spotless, blameless, at peace with Him
3:15 - Patience = salvation
3:17 - Be warned so you don't fall from your secure position. People struggle with the idea of whether you can fall away from Christ or not. there are verses that talk about our security in Christ and then verses that talk about the possibility of walking away from grace. The way I would understand it from this passage is that we are secure, much like a sniper in a hidden tower is secure, but we can fall out of the window if we choose to live reckless and unwise lives. God will never push us out, but we can abuse that grace to the point where we are hanging out the window and then a slip causes death.
3:18 -grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Love you all, Michael
Saturday, July 11, 2009
2 Peter 2
2:1 - Be careful, because there will be false prophets in our world and communities too. They will secretly (unknown to you) introduce teachings that work to undermine faith. They will go so far as to deny Jesus as the sovereign Lord. I talked with a friend this week who listened to someone at a party explaining that Jesus never claimed to be God or Lord. That is a great example of a heresy that has been passing through our generations. It says that Jesus was a good teacher, but never said you had to accept Him as Lord and God. The problem with that idea is that Jesus repeatedly made it clear that He was one with God, calling Himself I AM (a name for God), forgiving sins which only God had the right to do, saying He was the only way to God. Jesus was and is the Son of God and one in nature with God.
2:2 - Many will follow these false teachers and false teachings, so be careful not to quickly accept something just because most other people who call themselves Christian agree with it. Check everything with the Bible not the crowd.
2:4-9 - then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.
2:8 - Are you tormented in your soul over sin?
2:10 - Ungodly = people who follow their flesh (desires) AND despise authority.
2:11 - Judgment comes from God and not from us.
2:12 - Our instincts are not always good. Many times our instincts lead us away from the will of God.
2:15 - They have left the straight way and wandered off.
2:19 - They promise them freedom while they themselves are slaves of depravity - So many things in life (money, doing it our way, overworking, ...) seem to promise us freedom, but they just make us more and more enslaved. The only one who can truly give us freedom is the One who is already free - Jesus.
2:20 - You can get so re-tangled in the world after walking with God that you end up worse than you were before you knew Jesus.
2:2 - Many will follow these false teachers and false teachings, so be careful not to quickly accept something just because most other people who call themselves Christian agree with it. Check everything with the Bible not the crowd.
2:4-9 - then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.
2:8 - Are you tormented in your soul over sin?
2:10 - Ungodly = people who follow their flesh (desires) AND despise authority.
2:11 - Judgment comes from God and not from us.
2:12 - Our instincts are not always good. Many times our instincts lead us away from the will of God.
2:15 - They have left the straight way and wandered off.
2:19 - They promise them freedom while they themselves are slaves of depravity - So many things in life (money, doing it our way, overworking, ...) seem to promise us freedom, but they just make us more and more enslaved. The only one who can truly give us freedom is the One who is already free - Jesus.
2:20 - You can get so re-tangled in the world after walking with God that you end up worse than you were before you knew Jesus.
Friday, July 10, 2009
2 Peter 1
1:1 - Peter begins by expressing that Jesus is both God and our Savior. Some people want to make Jesus nothing more than a good teacher, but the Bible doesn't allow for that. All through out Jesus is considered God.
1:2 - Grace and peace come through the knowledge of god and of Jesus. It is funny to me how we pray to God for grace and peace and then wait as if something is going to happen magically to us. Peter says that we receive grace and peace as we grow in the knowledge of Jesus. So, if I want more peace and more grace I need to seek God more.
1:3 - God has given us EVERYTHING we need to live this life the way He wants us to...and we receive it through knowing Him better. Peter seems to be on a theme that says you can have all this from God, but it does require you to make an honest effort and get to know God better. The problem with many people's faith is they are waiting for God to magically do what they are responsible to do.
1:5-8 - Faith---Goodness---Knowledge---Self-control---Perseverance---Godliness---Mutual affection---Love....For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. There is a way to make sure your life produces what it should. Use these as measuring tools.
1:9 - To lack these things means you are nearsighted, blind and you have forgotten. As we would say it, "You are outside your mind."
1:10 - Peter says three times in the first chapter (5, 10, 15) make every effort. This goes back to the theme mentioned in the comments on verse 3. Peter is trying to help us see it not only takes an effort on our part, but a sincere and sacrificial effort.
1:11 - rich welcome - I want that!!! (Not to mention my dad's name was Richard, so a Rich welcome would be pretty cool for me.)
1:12 - How firmly established is your faith? Check out Matthew 7:24-27. Is your life and faith founded on the Rock or just remodeled on the Rock? If it isn't founded there it won't last. I know that many times in my life I have tried to add Jesus in instead of letting Him deconstruct my life, faith, beliefs, habits and start over from scratch.
1:16 - Peter was an eyewitness to the things he is writing about. He walked with Jesus and was even there when God revealed who Jesus truly was on the mountain (Matthew 17).
1:19-21 - Prophecy (and all Scripture - 2 Timothy 3:16) is from God.
Love you each, Michael
1:2 - Grace and peace come through the knowledge of god and of Jesus. It is funny to me how we pray to God for grace and peace and then wait as if something is going to happen magically to us. Peter says that we receive grace and peace as we grow in the knowledge of Jesus. So, if I want more peace and more grace I need to seek God more.
1:3 - God has given us EVERYTHING we need to live this life the way He wants us to...and we receive it through knowing Him better. Peter seems to be on a theme that says you can have all this from God, but it does require you to make an honest effort and get to know God better. The problem with many people's faith is they are waiting for God to magically do what they are responsible to do.
1:5-8 - Faith---Goodness---Knowledge---Self-control---Perseverance---Godliness---Mutual affection---Love....For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. There is a way to make sure your life produces what it should. Use these as measuring tools.
1:9 - To lack these things means you are nearsighted, blind and you have forgotten. As we would say it, "You are outside your mind."
1:10 - Peter says three times in the first chapter (5, 10, 15) make every effort. This goes back to the theme mentioned in the comments on verse 3. Peter is trying to help us see it not only takes an effort on our part, but a sincere and sacrificial effort.
1:11 - rich welcome - I want that!!! (Not to mention my dad's name was Richard, so a Rich welcome would be pretty cool for me.)
1:12 - How firmly established is your faith? Check out Matthew 7:24-27. Is your life and faith founded on the Rock or just remodeled on the Rock? If it isn't founded there it won't last. I know that many times in my life I have tried to add Jesus in instead of letting Him deconstruct my life, faith, beliefs, habits and start over from scratch.
1:16 - Peter was an eyewitness to the things he is writing about. He walked with Jesus and was even there when God revealed who Jesus truly was on the mountain (Matthew 17).
1:19-21 - Prophecy (and all Scripture - 2 Timothy 3:16) is from God.
Love you each, Michael
Thursday, July 9, 2009
1 Peter 4-5
4:1 - arm yourself also with the same attitude - What attitude do you arm yourself with? When you get up in the morning do you arm yourself with the attitude that Jesus that Jesus had to serve and to forgive and to entrust yourself to God or do you arm yourself with a different attitude? When you head to work what attitude are you armed with - protectiveness, a fight, self-advancement, apathy? When you head home what attitude do you arm yourself with - me first, here comes a fight, find someone to serve me? Listen, we arm ourselves for every single environment we enter. Every one. We need to begin to honestly assess what attitude we are arming ourselves with in each of them. Maybe part of the frustration in life is caused by us entering a situation ready for disappointment or ready for a fight or ready to be let down or so focused on our own advancement that we miss the opportunities God has for us. Can you image if Jesus had started His ministry complaining about the Cross up front? Jesus entrusted Himself to God and armed Himself to do well by the way He chose to think and feel and speak.
4:2 - People who have walked out of the world and with Jesus are those who no longer live for themselves, but for God's purposes. They no longer live for the newer, nicer, bigger or next thing. They figure out what is on God's agenda and that is what they put all of their energies, resources and effort into. I still struggle with this. I try to follow God while I think about the next car or the basement getting finished or some way to be a part of some great victory. For me to fully walk with God I have to be fully committed to His agenda not just first, but only.
4:4 - Reminder - People that don't walk with God (even the church ones) will mock, tease and even abuse you for not joining them in their sin. You are a testimony and a witness of what right living looks like so if they can't persuade you to join them they will point out how different you are. Be okay with that.
4:7 - Be alert and sober minded SO THAT you may pray.
4:8-11 - ABOVE ALL LOVE!!! Peter goes on to give a few practical pictures of love. Real love offers hospitality without grumbling. It serves others. It speaks God's way and God's words. It makes an honest effort. ABOVE ALL LOVE someone today. Better yet, ABOVE ALL LOVE God today by perfecting these things.
4:12 - Suffering should not seem strange to Christians.
4:15 - Don't create unnecessary suffering in your life by foolish living. There is enough suffering when we walk with Jesus. Let's not add to it by making poor choices or putting ourselves in bad situations. Some suffering is our own fault and we could prevent that kind of suffering through wise living.
4:17 - For it is time for judgment to begin with God's household
4:19 - When you suffer - 1) commit yourself to God AND 2) continue to do good.
5:1-4 - Elders - 1) shepherd God's flock, 2) be eager to serve, 3) be an example of what to do and not of what not to do and you will receive a crown.
5:5 - Younger (people other than elders) focus on submitting.
5:5-6 - Everyone = clothe yourself with humility.
5:7 - We can cast all of our anxieties on (or to) God because God genuinely cares FOR YOU.
5:8 - This is the third time that Peter says to be alert and sober minded in just 5 short chapters. Maybe he wants us to be alert and sober minded. HA! Why do you think he keeps repeating that one statement?
Peter reminds us that the devil is looking for an opportunity to hurt, destroy and devour us. We need to live with vigilance, but not fear. Vs 9 says if we will stand in faith God will personally deliver us.
Love, Michael
Make a comment or send me a note so I know who is reading this.
4:2 - People who have walked out of the world and with Jesus are those who no longer live for themselves, but for God's purposes. They no longer live for the newer, nicer, bigger or next thing. They figure out what is on God's agenda and that is what they put all of their energies, resources and effort into. I still struggle with this. I try to follow God while I think about the next car or the basement getting finished or some way to be a part of some great victory. For me to fully walk with God I have to be fully committed to His agenda not just first, but only.
4:4 - Reminder - People that don't walk with God (even the church ones) will mock, tease and even abuse you for not joining them in their sin. You are a testimony and a witness of what right living looks like so if they can't persuade you to join them they will point out how different you are. Be okay with that.
4:7 - Be alert and sober minded SO THAT you may pray.
4:8-11 - ABOVE ALL LOVE!!! Peter goes on to give a few practical pictures of love. Real love offers hospitality without grumbling. It serves others. It speaks God's way and God's words. It makes an honest effort. ABOVE ALL LOVE someone today. Better yet, ABOVE ALL LOVE God today by perfecting these things.
4:12 - Suffering should not seem strange to Christians.
4:15 - Don't create unnecessary suffering in your life by foolish living. There is enough suffering when we walk with Jesus. Let's not add to it by making poor choices or putting ourselves in bad situations. Some suffering is our own fault and we could prevent that kind of suffering through wise living.
4:17 - For it is time for judgment to begin with God's household
4:19 - When you suffer - 1) commit yourself to God AND 2) continue to do good.
5:1-4 - Elders - 1) shepherd God's flock, 2) be eager to serve, 3) be an example of what to do and not of what not to do and you will receive a crown.
5:5 - Younger (people other than elders) focus on submitting.
5:5-6 - Everyone = clothe yourself with humility.
5:7 - We can cast all of our anxieties on (or to) God because God genuinely cares FOR YOU.
5:8 - This is the third time that Peter says to be alert and sober minded in just 5 short chapters. Maybe he wants us to be alert and sober minded. HA! Why do you think he keeps repeating that one statement?
Peter reminds us that the devil is looking for an opportunity to hurt, destroy and devour us. We need to live with vigilance, but not fear. Vs 9 says if we will stand in faith God will personally deliver us.
Love, Michael
Make a comment or send me a note so I know who is reading this.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
1 Peter 3
3:1 and 3:7 begin the same way. To both wives and husbands God speaks through Peter to say that "in the same way" that Jesus entrusted Himself to God we are to entrust ourselves to God in the ways in which we interact with each other. We are to follow the example of Jesus instead of worrying about our own agenda or how our spouse will treat us. We follow the way of Jesus without concern for ourselves in faith that God will be concerned for us. There are so many of our marriages that are a mess because we don't trust God enough to do it God's way. We want to see proof from our spouse first, when God has said do it like Jesus did. Follow God's truth regardless of what you experience, see or fear.
3:1 - Wives --- submit yourselves to your husbands. Submission is a powerful witness and testimony to your unbelieving (and you believing) spouse.
3:2-4 - Godly wives' behavior is characterized by submission, purity, reverence and a quiet & gentle spirit. If you want to be godly, women, let these things be what people mention about you and not all of the other things.
3:6 - Women (and men) do not submit because of fear. We are afraid we will be taken advantage of, but the example that Jesus left is to entrust yourself to God. We should do what God calls us to do and not worry about the outcome.
3:7 - Husbands --- be considerate and respect your wives. When we are not considerate as husbands our prayers are hindered!!!
3:8 - All --- like-minded, sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.
3:9 - Repay evil....with a blessing!!! This truly proves who your father is.
3:12 - For the eyes of the Lord ARE on the righteous and his ears ARE attentive to their prayers,... We need to be reminded of this. God sees and hears you and yes, you matter and what is happening in and to and through you matters to Him. Don't ever forget that He sees and hears and cares.
3:14 - Don't fear what the world fears.
3:15 - Set Christ apart in your life. The key word here might be the word apart. Many of us have tried to add Jesus to our lives. The call of the Bible is that we set Jesus apart; that we let Jesus be different from everything else in our lives. Jesus doesn't fit well with other things. It is Him or all the other stuff. If you have tried to have Jesus and...you know what it is to have a faith that doesn't work.
Always be prepared with your answer about your hope. Many of us are prepared with a million answers (like the commercial about search engine overload), but we can't give the one answer people are looking for. It is better to have an answer for your hope than all of the other right answers about the Bible you can think of. People want to know about YOUR HOPEi first. Take the time to figure out what brings you hope and why and be able to articulate it to others at the drop of a hat.
3:18 - Christ suffered to bring you to God. That was the whole reason He came.
3:21 - and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also - not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God.
Love, Michael
3:1 - Wives --- submit yourselves to your husbands. Submission is a powerful witness and testimony to your unbelieving (and you believing) spouse.
3:2-4 - Godly wives' behavior is characterized by submission, purity, reverence and a quiet & gentle spirit. If you want to be godly, women, let these things be what people mention about you and not all of the other things.
3:6 - Women (and men) do not submit because of fear. We are afraid we will be taken advantage of, but the example that Jesus left is to entrust yourself to God. We should do what God calls us to do and not worry about the outcome.
3:7 - Husbands --- be considerate and respect your wives. When we are not considerate as husbands our prayers are hindered!!!
3:8 - All --- like-minded, sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.
3:9 - Repay evil....with a blessing!!! This truly proves who your father is.
3:12 - For the eyes of the Lord ARE on the righteous and his ears ARE attentive to their prayers,... We need to be reminded of this. God sees and hears you and yes, you matter and what is happening in and to and through you matters to Him. Don't ever forget that He sees and hears and cares.
3:14 - Don't fear what the world fears.
3:15 - Set Christ apart in your life. The key word here might be the word apart. Many of us have tried to add Jesus to our lives. The call of the Bible is that we set Jesus apart; that we let Jesus be different from everything else in our lives. Jesus doesn't fit well with other things. It is Him or all the other stuff. If you have tried to have Jesus and...you know what it is to have a faith that doesn't work.
Always be prepared with your answer about your hope. Many of us are prepared with a million answers (like the commercial about search engine overload), but we can't give the one answer people are looking for. It is better to have an answer for your hope than all of the other right answers about the Bible you can think of. People want to know about YOUR HOPEi first. Take the time to figure out what brings you hope and why and be able to articulate it to others at the drop of a hat.
3:18 - Christ suffered to bring you to God. That was the whole reason He came.
3:21 - and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also - not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God.
Love, Michael
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
1 Peter 2
2:1 - Rid yourself takes action on our part. We have to actively work to get rid of malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander. It doesn't just go away. You have to work to get it out of your life and then you have to do some things to prevent it from coming back.
2:2 - Like an infant craves the milk of it's mother which gives it life and helps it grow, we have to begin to crave the Word of God that way. I am convinced this needs to be a major part of who we are as churches. We need to develop our ministries and efforts so that people are able to focus on craving God's teaching, receiving it and then growing in it. It is so easy to get busy with everything else. If we would help people grow in Christ through His Word we would have healthier Christians, healthier churches and a much more effective ministry.
2:8 - The stumble because they disobey the message...People stumble so much because they don't know or understand the Bible. If we would help them learn the Bible and learn how to learn the Bible, they would do so much better.
2:9 - chosen people, royal priesthood, holy nation, God's special possession...THAT you may declare his praises
2:10 - Once...but now. I love that. Once, but now. Once you were a lot of things, but now in Christ you are something completely different. Once you were a drunk. Once you were sexually immoral. Once you were angry. Once you had no hope. Once you...you fill in the blank. But now, now you are forgiven. Now you are free. Now you are moral. Now you have hope. Now you are being changed.
2:11 - foreigners and exiles
Sin wars against your soul. The way to overcome it is (vs 12) to live such a good life that others see and praise God.
2:13 - Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake...I have heard, read and seen more things that have to do with submitting to authority lately than you can imagine. I am struck by how much we fight against any and all forms of authority in our lives. We try so hard to live with us being the final authority and it doesn't work. I know Christians, many of us, who think God is broken, but in reality we are broken in that we will not submit to God by submitting to the people in authority in our lives. We submit on our terms which really isn't submission at all. Our problems stem from the Garden of Eden which was all about people struggling to submit. And hear this, submission issues are ALWAYS centered on trust issues. If you and I trusted God we would willingly submit to everyone He calls us to without fear. We don't submit because we don't trust that God will work things out.
2:15 - DO GOOD!!! In our culture there is such a shift to our actions being highly insignificant. That i snot true. Our hearts matter, but our hearts are proven by our actions. God has called every Christian to DO GOOD. You cannot follow God and not do. Following God is an action and not just an emotion.
2:16 - Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God's slaves. It is easy for me to use my freedom in Christ for myself rather than for what it is intended for. I can hide behind grace instead of honoring it.
2:21 - You were called to a life lived well that will bring suffering.
2:23 - Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. This is one of my favorite verses. It talks about when Jesus was mocked and beaten and the fact that He didn't cry out or hit back or scheme or run. Jesus simply trusted God and kept walking faithfully. This verse means I need to walk with God no matter what the crowd is doing or doing to me. Circumstances never change God. I honor God when I walk with Him no matter what is happening around or in me. Entrust yourself to God instead of to your boss or the promotion board or the teacher or the supervisor or the government or the whatever. Put all of your value in God and then walk faithfully no matter what they say or do.
2:2 - Like an infant craves the milk of it's mother which gives it life and helps it grow, we have to begin to crave the Word of God that way. I am convinced this needs to be a major part of who we are as churches. We need to develop our ministries and efforts so that people are able to focus on craving God's teaching, receiving it and then growing in it. It is so easy to get busy with everything else. If we would help people grow in Christ through His Word we would have healthier Christians, healthier churches and a much more effective ministry.
2:8 - The stumble because they disobey the message...People stumble so much because they don't know or understand the Bible. If we would help them learn the Bible and learn how to learn the Bible, they would do so much better.
2:9 - chosen people, royal priesthood, holy nation, God's special possession...THAT you may declare his praises
2:10 - Once...but now. I love that. Once, but now. Once you were a lot of things, but now in Christ you are something completely different. Once you were a drunk. Once you were sexually immoral. Once you were angry. Once you had no hope. Once you...you fill in the blank. But now, now you are forgiven. Now you are free. Now you are moral. Now you have hope. Now you are being changed.
2:11 - foreigners and exiles
Sin wars against your soul. The way to overcome it is (vs 12) to live such a good life that others see and praise God.
2:13 - Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake...I have heard, read and seen more things that have to do with submitting to authority lately than you can imagine. I am struck by how much we fight against any and all forms of authority in our lives. We try so hard to live with us being the final authority and it doesn't work. I know Christians, many of us, who think God is broken, but in reality we are broken in that we will not submit to God by submitting to the people in authority in our lives. We submit on our terms which really isn't submission at all. Our problems stem from the Garden of Eden which was all about people struggling to submit. And hear this, submission issues are ALWAYS centered on trust issues. If you and I trusted God we would willingly submit to everyone He calls us to without fear. We don't submit because we don't trust that God will work things out.
2:15 - DO GOOD!!! In our culture there is such a shift to our actions being highly insignificant. That i snot true. Our hearts matter, but our hearts are proven by our actions. God has called every Christian to DO GOOD. You cannot follow God and not do. Following God is an action and not just an emotion.
2:16 - Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God's slaves. It is easy for me to use my freedom in Christ for myself rather than for what it is intended for. I can hide behind grace instead of honoring it.
2:21 - You were called to a life lived well that will bring suffering.
2:23 - Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. This is one of my favorite verses. It talks about when Jesus was mocked and beaten and the fact that He didn't cry out or hit back or scheme or run. Jesus simply trusted God and kept walking faithfully. This verse means I need to walk with God no matter what the crowd is doing or doing to me. Circumstances never change God. I honor God when I walk with Him no matter what is happening around or in me. Entrust yourself to God instead of to your boss or the promotion board or the teacher or the supervisor or the government or the whatever. Put all of your value in God and then walk faithfully no matter what they say or do.
Monday, July 6, 2009
1 Peter 1
I'm back. Our Elders' Retreat was awesome and the Alaskan Cruise was incredible. We had a super time with the family that took us and the scenery was stunning. We got to see Ketchikan, Juneau, Hubbard Glacier, Mendenhall Glacier, Victoria (BC) and a lot of wildlife. It was an incredible gift from God.
I added something new to my life while away. After talking at our Elders' Retreat I was convinced I needed to begin to add worship to my life on a daily basis. All but one or two days I took 30 minutes or so and just sang praises to my God. It was really neat. I really sensed it drawing me closer to God. You should try it some time.
I am starting back up in 1 Peter.
1:1 - Peter says that we are exiles. He also uses the term strangers and foreigners throughout the letter. I wonder how many times we get so "settled" that we don't look much like strangers, foreigners or exiles.
1:2 - If you look at the way this sentence is written you could get the idea that we were "chosen...to be obedient." Just a thought.
I love where Peter says that grace and peace are ours in abundance. So many times we want just a little grace or a little peace or we live with just a little peace or offer just a small amount of grace, but Peter says we are people of abundant or overflowing grace and peace. We should have so much we can spare it.
1:3-4 - His great mercy...new birth...living hope...resurrection...into an inheritance
1:5 - You are protected by God through faith. Faith is a shield, but a shield is useless until you raise/use it.
1:7 - Trials and suffering refine you and prove if you are genuine or not. We want to convince people that we are genuine when in reality it is proven by how we act in and react to our trials and sufferings and frustrations.
1:8 - "filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy."
1:11 - I love where it talks about how God was working through the prophets to point to the time of Jesus. The part I have often glazed over is the last part where it says "and the glories that would follow." I have always focused on prophecy being about Jesus' coming and His death and resurrection, but Peter reminds us not to forget they foretold of glories that are yet to come as well.
1:13 - minds - alert and fully sober
Set your hope on grace.
1:14 - We need to un-conform. I think what we do when we begin to approach Jesus is figure out we have to stop doing what we were doing before, but we need to go further. We need to go back through our life and un-conform it. We need to untwist and untie parts of our life that are tangled and not just leave those knots behind without letting Christ deal with them.
1:17 - "foreigners here in reverent fear."
1:20 - Jesus was before Creation.
1:22 - purify yourself...obeying truth...sincere love for each other --- love one another deeply, from the heart.
1:25 - "the word of the Lord endures forever."
Love, Michael
I added something new to my life while away. After talking at our Elders' Retreat I was convinced I needed to begin to add worship to my life on a daily basis. All but one or two days I took 30 minutes or so and just sang praises to my God. It was really neat. I really sensed it drawing me closer to God. You should try it some time.
I am starting back up in 1 Peter.
1:1 - Peter says that we are exiles. He also uses the term strangers and foreigners throughout the letter. I wonder how many times we get so "settled" that we don't look much like strangers, foreigners or exiles.
1:2 - If you look at the way this sentence is written you could get the idea that we were "chosen...to be obedient." Just a thought.
I love where Peter says that grace and peace are ours in abundance. So many times we want just a little grace or a little peace or we live with just a little peace or offer just a small amount of grace, but Peter says we are people of abundant or overflowing grace and peace. We should have so much we can spare it.
1:3-4 - His great mercy...new birth...living hope...resurrection...into an inheritance
1:5 - You are protected by God through faith. Faith is a shield, but a shield is useless until you raise/use it.
1:7 - Trials and suffering refine you and prove if you are genuine or not. We want to convince people that we are genuine when in reality it is proven by how we act in and react to our trials and sufferings and frustrations.
1:8 - "filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy."
1:11 - I love where it talks about how God was working through the prophets to point to the time of Jesus. The part I have often glazed over is the last part where it says "and the glories that would follow." I have always focused on prophecy being about Jesus' coming and His death and resurrection, but Peter reminds us not to forget they foretold of glories that are yet to come as well.
1:13 - minds - alert and fully sober
Set your hope on grace.
1:14 - We need to un-conform. I think what we do when we begin to approach Jesus is figure out we have to stop doing what we were doing before, but we need to go further. We need to go back through our life and un-conform it. We need to untwist and untie parts of our life that are tangled and not just leave those knots behind without letting Christ deal with them.
1:17 - "foreigners here in reverent fear."
1:20 - Jesus was before Creation.
1:22 - purify yourself...obeying truth...sincere love for each other --- love one another deeply, from the heart.
1:25 - "the word of the Lord endures forever."
Love, Michael
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