God Invisible but Real!

Exodus 32:1–5 (HCSB)

When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, "Come, make us a god who will go before us because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!"

Then Aaron replied to them, "Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring ‹them› to me."

So all the people took off the gold rings that were on their ears and brought ‹them› to Aaron. He took ‹the gold› from their hands, fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it into an image of a calf.

Then they said, "Israel, this is your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!"

When Aaron saw ‹this›, he built an altar before it; then he made an announcement: "There will be a festival to the LORD tomorrow."

I may be completely wrong about this, but I believe Aaron’s intent was not to make a new God. I believe his intent was to make an image of Jehovah. As long as the people could see Moses, he was like God to them. When Moses disappeared and did not return they were without a god. They had a journey ahead of them and they could not make it without the LORD. So they demanded that Aaron make an image of God.

The tendency of man is always to slide back to worshipping what he can see. Even as Christians we do this. We have our statues of Jesus on the cross and our paintings of Jesus on our walls. Now we even movies of Jesus!

We have to remind ourselves that the images we have are NOT Jesus!

Have you ever wondered why we have no descriptions of Jesus in the Bible? I think it is for just this reason. We are so visually oriented. If we had a description we would paint it and worship that!

The God we worship is real, but He is not a God we can see—leastways, not with these eyes. That is a big hang up, I think, with the atheists and agnostics. They won’t believe in God until they can see Him with their eyes and feel Him with their hands. They will not believe in the God of the Bible, but they will fall head over heels for a golden calf!

God reveals Himself to us personally, but He is not a person like we think. He does not have flesh and bones. He is totally other than anything we have ever seen, felt, or even imagined. This is part of what we mean when we say He is “transcendent.” He transcends our imaginations. We can know Him intimately, but just not visually. Please don’t think this makes Him less real. I cannot see the air I breathe, but it is altogether real. I cannot see the dust that makes me sneeze, but it is real. I cannot see the love I have for my wife and children, but it is real. I actually think this makes Him more real because this God, this invisible God, can come and live in my heart. Oh yes, dear friend, He is real!

Giving to Build

Exodus 25:1–2 (HCSB)

The LORD spoke to Moses: "Tell the Israelites to take an offering for Me. You are to take My offering from everyone whose heart stirs him ‹to give›.

The most sensitive nerve in the human body is the one attached to the billfold. We have no problem spending. Our problem is giving. We can hardly wait to spend our hard-earned money on that which will give us a momentary feeling of pleasure, but we agonize over giving for that from which we get no immediate (although fleeting) satisfaction.

God’s plan was to build a house. He threatened no judgment to those who refused to give. He promised no special blessing to those who gave. But He did give them the opportunity to participate in building a place where He would dwell among them.

Structures are important. Structures are symbols of our values. Look at our Whitehouse and our Capitol building. These are symbols or our democratic values. Look at our schools and universities. These represent the value we place on education. Our houses of worship are the same. Churches that dot our landscape are symbols of the value we place on worship, and our belief in our Creator. These are reminders to us of that which we believe.

Who pays? This is our responsibility. This has always been so. Those nations where the government pays to build churches are spiritually dead. But where the people give to build there is spiritual vitality. This is what God knows. This is what wise people understand. This is why God gives us the opportunity to participate in the building of His house. And this is why we should be glad to do it.

Controlled Growth

Exodus 23:29-30

²⁹I will not drive them out ahead of you in a single year; otherwise, the land would become desolate, and wild animals would multiply against you. ³⁰I will drive them out little by little ahead of you until you have become numerous and take possession of the land.

We want everything instantly. We even want our spiritual growth to be instant. There is a law, I think, that this cannot be. We must grow little by little. Spiritual development must be gradual. This is actually for our good. Too much too soon can be detrimental.

I have experienced this personally. We do not grow that fast… but we think we do. This is especially true of new Christians. There has been no growth. Now, suddenly, we begin grasping spiritual truth. To go from a dead stand still to forward progress can be a bit… may I use a word… intoxicating? We become impressed with our own development. We become intoxicated with our own knowledge. We experience what I would describe as an “I know more than all my teachers” syndrome. I went through this as a new Christian, especially when I started attending a Christian college. I was sure I knew more than all my Sunday School teachers. I knew the Greek alphabet!

I supposed I was full of knowledge. I was full… full of myself! I was too full of pride to learn anything. God had to bring me back down to earth… and show me how ignorant and empty I was. The most humble Believer who walks with God and loves their Bible knows more than I do. This is because we all learn the same way: little by little.

We do not grow “ by leaps and bounds” as we suppose. We progress by small, incremental steps. Maybe our minds can handle more, but our egos cannot.

God and Justice

Exodus 21:23–25 (HCSB)

If there is an injury, then you must give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, bruise for bruise, wound for wound.

This may seem like strange words for a devotion. These verses are found in a section giving instructions for civil society. The revelation here is this: God is just. He reveals His justice in His laws. Our behavior as individuals and collectively as a community must reflect of God’s just character. God is a God of Justice. We must be a people of Justice.

We do not subscribe to this very well. Our problem is our sin. We call it our “civility.” We believe we are being just by showing compassion and tolerance. The truth be told we live by the black rule: “Do to me as I do to others.” It goes like this: “Since I have demonstrated tolerance and compassion when others mess us, show the same tolerance and compassion to me when I mess up—‘cause I’m going to!”

Well, we all mess up. But when the rules bend we tend take things further than they should go. We flirt with the boundary, and the further we extend the boundary the further we will go. The fear of judgment and punishment helps to keep us in line. Rules also help to remind us of the ideals of our society—the sanctity of life, the right to private property, the sanctity of marriage and family, the right to a reasonable expectation of personal safety, etc.

God is just and He expects His creatures to behave justly.

Moses On Leadership

Exodus 18:17–24 (HCSB)

"What you’re doing is not good," Moses’ father-in-law said to him. "You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You can’t do it alone. Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and God be with you. You be the one to represent the people before God and bring their cases to Him. Instruct them about the statutes and laws, and teach them the way to live and what they must do. But you should select from all the people able men, God-fearing, trustworthy, and hating bribes. Place ‹them› over the people as officials of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. They should judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you every important case but judge every minor case themselves. In this way you will lighten your load, and they will bear ‹it› with you. If you do this, and God ‹so› directs you, you will be able to endure, and also all these people will be able to go home satisfied."

Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.

I might write a book one day “Moses On Leadership.” We learn some great lessons from Moses on how to be a leader. Yesterday the lesson was: “You cannot please all of the people all of the time.” Leaders are constantly walking the tightrope between “God’s anointed” and being stoned.

Notice some lessons in these verses:

“You cannot do it alone.” In the first place, you can’t do it. Only a self-deceived person thinks he/she can. In the second place, you’ll die trying. In the third place, it’s not fair to the people you lead. There is not enough of you to go around. Someone or something will be neglected. You need help. Some you choose to help you will let you down. Some will disappoint you. Some will even be a problem to you. But you still cannot do it without help.

“Listen to good advice.” You’ll get tons of it! Everyone thinks they are an expert at what you do! But there is some wisdom out there and you owe it to yourself and those you lead to heed it.

“How advice is presented has a lot to do with how it is received.” Criticism is easier to shallow when it comes from someone you know loves you and genuinely cares about you.

No leader has arrived yet. He/she is a person in process. We learn the ropes as we go along. But if we continue to learn, and remain open to instruction, we will continue to progress.

The Leader Saved from Stoning

Exodus 17:4 (HCSB)

Then Moses cried out to the LORD, "What should I do with these people? In a little while they will stone me!"

The people were complaining because they had no water. It seems they were always grumbling and complaining. Moses felt at any moment the situation would erupt and they would rise up and stone him.

This gives me comfort. As a leader I have felt the same way. It is impossible to please all of the people all of the time. If one group likes the music another group is going to hate it. If one group likes the current sermon series another group is going to hate it. Some will like the decision and others are going to hate it. There is always a group of grumblers who want your hide. But it’s not just you and me. It was Moses too! The guy who led them out of Egyptian slavery and through the Red Sea—yeah, that guy too! So, none of us is immune. It goes with the territory. If you are a leader you will always be on trial. You will always be making someone unhappy.

I have a pastor friend who said it well. He had recently accepted the position as pastor of another church. He stood up the Sunday he resigned and said: “Today I am going to do what they say cannot be done. They say ‘You can’t please everyone.’ Well, today I will have accomplished pleasing everyone. I pleased some of you when I came to be your pastor. I pleased some of you while I was here. Now I am going to please the rest of you… I resign.”

How many times did Moses write his resignation? I think lots of times. But he hung in there and he saw the job through. I have more appreciation for this man than ever.

Leaders are always dependent on one more miracle from God to pull them through. Maybe that’s not a bad way to live.

Manna In the Morning

This morning I read that every morning God provided the Israelites with bread in the wilderness (Genesis 16). God gave it fresh everyday, except the Sabbath, but the people had to go out and pick it up. What they collected each day was sufficient for that day, but it did not carry over to the next. If they gathered more than they needed it spoiled or was ruined the following day. In the manna was all the nourishment they needed for that day’s journey. It sustained them for forty years.

Jesus taught us to pray, “… and give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). Jesus also said, “Man must not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

Today God has given us manna, supernatural bread. This bread is His Word. He has provided it. We find it lying on the surface pages of His Word. But it will not supernaturally fly from the pages into the tent of our mind. We must go out every morning and gather it up. We must gather it in the morning because it gives us the nourishment we need for this day’s journey. What we glean today will not suffice us for tomorrow. God gives us each day what we will need for that day only.

Can you imagine those Israelites who neglected to gather in the morning? By mid-morning they were hungry. By early afternoon they were slumping along like snails. By evening they were famished, grumpy and weak.

Now picture modern day Christians who do the same thing. Each morning they neglect to gather nourishment from God’s Word. They fast until their evening quail-time. But they struggle through the day. Why? Does it make sense not to collect the strength that God has provided? I know I would rather go through the day with a full soul.

Have you had your manna this morning?

Sweet To God

Exodus 15 records the song of triumph the Israelites sang after passing through the Red Sea. But three days later they were they were complaining again. They were out of water. They came to a place called Marah. There was water there, but it was undrinkable. But God showed Moses a tree, and when Moses threw into the water it became drinkable.

We were bitter to God! Our sins made us a stinking cesspool. But there was a tree that cleansed us and made us acceptable to God. That tree is the cross of Christ!

The Bible says that God “tested them there.” The cross, when presented, is still a test today. It tests the honesty of the human heart. Are we honest enough with ourselves to admit we are hopelessly lost on our own, we cannot save ourselves, and we need a Savior? If we will admit that, and put our faith in Christ alone to make us acceptable to God, He will heal us. Just like He healed that poisonous spring and made it palpable, Jesus makes us sweet to God. Think on that: you are sweet to God!

Have a blessed day, “Sweetie”!

Pharaoh lives!

I have been reading in the early chapters of Exodus. In chapters 7 through 14 you read these verses:

“I will harden Pharaoh’s heart… he will not listen to you…” (7:3-4).

“…Pharaoh’s heart hardened, and he did not listen…” (7:13).

“So Pharaoh’s heart hardened, and he would not listen…” (7:22).

“But… Pharaoh… hardened his heart and would not listen to them…” (8:15).

“But Pharaoh’s heart hardened, and he would not listen to them…” (8:19).

“But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also and did not let the people go” (8:32).

“But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not let the people go” (9:7).

“But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he did not listen to them…” (9:12).

“…Pharaoh… sinned again and hardened his heart…” (9:34 & 35).

“But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the Israelites go” (10:20).

“But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was unwilling to let them go” (10:27).

“…but the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites go out of his land” (11:10).

“The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the Israelites, who were going out triumphantly” (14:8).

The pattern is glaringly obvious. The question comes up: “Did Pharaoh harden his heart, or did God harden Pharaoh’s heart?” The answer is “Yes.”

But the lesson we need to learn is this: There is a Pharaoh who resides in every one of our hearts. He will not listen to God. He will stubbornly resist the Lord’s will until the waters of the Nile roll over his silent face. He lives in you and he lives in me. In fact, the longer I am a Christian the more I lament his presence in my life. Paul knew him too—read Romans chapter 7.

There is only one answer for this old man—death! I do not mean you need to shallow poison. There is a spiritual sentence. When Jesus our Savior died on the cross He not only died for our sins but also for our sin—for our old man. We died with Him. That old Pharaoh died, and every day of my life I have to claim that truth and remind myself of it. Every day I must bow my heart and my will and say, “Lord Jesus, You are my Lord and I choose to obey You and do Your will today.”

God Demands the Details

On the trip, at an overnight campsite, it happened that the LORD confronted him and sought to put him to death. So Zipporah took a flint, cut off her son’s foreskin, and threw it at Moses’ feet. Then she said, "You are a bridegroom of blood to me!" So He let him alone. At that time she said, "You are a bridegroom of blood," referring to the circumcision (Exodus 4:24–26 HCSB).

Moses had his historic meeting with God at the burning bush. Now he is on the way back to Egypt to fulfill his commission. And God tried to kill him! God called him and then tried to kill him. What?

Why not? Any old Moses will do. God called Moses and He could call someone else. In fact, He had Aaron in waiting. Moses was expendable. Just as we all are. But why?

Moses was living as a pagan in the desert. He had two sons, neither of which had been circumcised. How could Moses be the leader of the Hebrew nation if he himself was not living as a Hebrew? He could not. This was a small thing, but it’s the little foxes that spoil the vineyard.

There is a simple principle of leadership: you cannot lead others where you are not willing to go. He had to get this straight. Moses had to live as a Hebrew and lead his family as a Hebrew if he was to lead the Hebrew nation. If he did not comply in this God would get someone else. Just this close and we could be talking about the “Law of Aaron.”

Are we complying in our private life? God does not have to use us. He can raise up someone else.

Everyday Miracles

Exodus 3:12 (HCSB)

He answered, "I will certainly be with you, and this will be the sign to you that I have sent you: when you bring the people out of Egypt, you will all worship God at this mountain."

Moses did not ask for a sign. He was looking at a bush burning with fire but not burning up. He was listening to the voice of God speak to him from the bush. It would not occur to him to request a sign while he was transfixed by a sign. But God offered Him verification anyway. But the sign seemed so mundane in comparison to everything else. He would watch his staff turn into a snake. He would see the Nile turn to blood. He would witness the death of Egypt’s firstborn. Coming back to a mountain to worship seemed like such a little thing.

But was it?

Bringing all the people out of Egypt was certainly a miracle. He did not leave any behind. I relocated a church and I did not bring everyone with me. It’s not that easy to pull such a thing off. People are fickle things. Convincing all the Hebrews to follow Moses out of Egypt was probably the greatest miracle of the entire exodus.

We wonder why God does not perform miracles today… or why He does not perform more. But God probably does more miracles than we are aware of! There are a lot of things that we pass off as mundane, just everyday experiences that may be some of the greatest miracles. We just can’t see because we are blinded by a burning bush. We think we have to see something unexplainable. How do we know what is explainable? How do we know what is miraculous? We don’t know everything. We certainly cannot see behind the spiritual curtain. We just go on about our humdrum lives and never realize all the stupendous things that God is doing for us every day. Just showing up at the same mountain was a sign. Maybe just showing up at the same church this Sunday for worship is a miracle we cannot explain.

An Immeasurably Better Way

“The LORD God made clothing out of skins for Adam and his wife, and He clothed them. The LORD God said, ‘Since man has become like Us, knowing good and evil, he must not reach out, and also take the tree of life, and eat, and live forever.’”

~Genesis 3:21-22

Where did God get the skins to clothe Adam and Eve? Somewhere in that garden an animal must have been slain, meaning that blood was spilt. The shedding of blood has always been God’s means for redeeming humanity.

Adam was the first man to have a personal relationship with God before he was saved. After his rebellion there was an immediate change. God came to meet with Adam, but Adam hid from God. Man cannot come to where holy God is, but God does condescend to where sinful man is—wooing… drawing… calling out. Man may run, but he cannot hide from God. Eventually we will all have to meet with God—and it is always on God’s terms.

The result of Adam’s rebellion was death. That consequence is confirmed in verse 19: “…until you return to the ground….”

But the mystery is in verse 22. Why would God cut off the way to life? The answer is—like every other mystery of the Bible—actually quite clear. Had Adam eaten the fruit of the tree of life he would have continued on forever in a fallen condition. His offspring would have been born in his image—as fallen creatures—but there would have been no end to it. God’s sentence of death, of an end to all things—even time itself—is a concession of grace! There would have been no “better life” or “better world” because this would have been it…forever. Man would live on forever until this world simply rotted out from under him—that would be a version of hell.

Thank God that He blocked that way! But in His grace He provided another. Paul called it “a better way.” In light of the truth it is immeasurably better than any alternative.

Justice and Evangelism

“Speak up for those who have no voice, for the justice of all who are dispossessed.” (Proverbs 31:8)

Back some years ago there was a movement called “The Social Gospel Movement.” There was very little emphasis on preaching the Gospel. The emphasis was on doing good deeds to people—giving a cup of cold water in Jesus’ name. The Social Gospel believers preached the Gospel through their deeds and not through their words.

I came along on the heels of this movement, and I was very much at the other end of the spectrum. I believed very strongly in preaching the Gospel. You can feed a hungry person in Jesus’ name—and that is good as far as it goes—but a person can die and go to hell on a full stomach as well as an empty stomach.

Then, as so often is the case, the pendulum began to swing back to the middle—and so did I. It is not a matter of either/or. It is a matter of both/and. We are commanded to do both: to preach the Gospel and to meet their physical needs. We are to feed and clothe and preach! We are to speak up for those who have no voice, stand up for the rights of the oppressed and marginalized of our society, and we are to tell them clearly and plainly the wonderful story of Jesus’ death for sinners.

Problem is, as I see it today, we are not doing either very well. Lord, please help us to do Your will—to raise our voices and extend our hands!

Smarter than an ant?

“Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise: the ants are not a strong people, yet they store up their food in the summer; hyraxes are not a mighty people, yet they make their homes in the cliffs; locusts have no king yet all of them march in ranks; a lizard can be caught in your hands, yet it lives in kings’ palaces.” (Proverbs 30:14-28).

All of these creatures live by instinct, not by reason. Man possesses reason, yet we do not act as smart as these creatures.

Ants understand the value of preparation. The time to prepare for retirement is while you still have a job.

Build your house for how it lasts, not for how it looks.

There is power in numbers and organization. Don’t be a lone ranger. Be a team player.

You don’t have to be rich to enjoy the finer things of life. Just keep your eyes and your options open.

Collectively the brains of these creatures are smaller than your little fingernail. The only way we can be dumber than an ant or a lizard is to do so deliberately! To a degree all wisdom means is to use your God-given brain! That should not be so hard.

Giving vs. Hoarding

Proverbs 28:27 says:

“The one who gives to the poor will not be in need, but the one who turns his eyes away will receive many curses.”

These are such strong words they almost sound like a threat! Suppose I stood up and said, “Give to the poor or you’ll be cursed!” You would be appalled. Perhaps you would start looking for another church.

We cannot pick and choose what parts of the Bible we will read, and what parts we will ignore. It is all the Word of God!

Why would God use such strong language? There are always needy people in our city and in our world. Some are poor due to their own behavior. Others are poor for reasons beyond their control. What about the children who are born into destitute situations? They have no control over their circumstances. Some adults have been devastated by disease or downturns.

Why should we help people? Generosity and stinginess both reveal a condition of heart. Generous people have an open heart. An open heart not only gives, it receives. A stingy person has a closed heart. Try to put a penny in a clinched fist. A closed heart, like a clinched fist, cannot receive anything from God. Giving and receiving is not a matter of “having something to give.” It is a matter of giving to receive. God will keep pouring into an open heart. A closed heart, like the Dead Sea, becomes a deadly pool in and around which nothing can thrive.

Will the Strong Emerge?

“If you do nothing in a difficult time, your strength is limited.”

~Proverbs 24:10

Our country is experiencing a difficult time. The principles upon which this nation was founded are being tested. This trail is not from the hands of an external foe, but from within. This is not a sudden and recent attack. The facilitators of this attack have been chipping away at the pillars of our republic for a generation… and good men have virtually stood by and done nothing.

Tom Brokaw called the generation that fought in World War II “the greatest generation.” I believe there has always been greatness in our nation. But times of great stress and stirring have historically brought the cream to the top. The question that faces us now is: will the leaders emerge? Where are the men and women or great moral character, of national patriotism and spiritual courage? Are they here among us, and will they arise?

I remain optimistic. It is time for those who have remained silent to begin to speak out. I believe the strong are still among us. Are they strong enough? Will the leaders arise? I expect to see it everyday.

Differing Standards

“Differing weights and varying measures—both are detestable to the LORD.”

~Proverbs 20:10

Many of the items they bought and sold were weighed and measured to determine their value—just like today (a bushel of corn, a pound of flour, a gallon of milk). A practice among unscrupulous merchants in that day was to use weights and measurements that were inaccurate. They would shave the weights to make them lighter or add a bit to make them heavier—depending on whether they were buying or selling. If they were sly they got away with it—and gained a little profit. Lying and cheating to make a buck is nothing new. It was been around since time immemorial, and it will continue to plague our race until the Righteous Prince rules our world. But God calls this practice “detestable”—and we don’t much care for it either.

What hypocrites we are! We find the practice of “skimming” evil in the commercial world, but we are guilty of the same sin almost everyday of our lives! How?

Don’t we measure our sins with one standard and measure the sins of others with another? Don’t we call the lies that others tell “whoppers” and the ones we tell “expedient”? If someone else does not pay their taxes we call them a “cheat” but if we don’t we’re “being wise”? If someone else drives over the speed limit they’re “reckless” but if we do so we’re “justifiably in a hurry”? Differing weights and measures!

What did Jesus say?

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you” (Matthew 7:1–2, NKJV).

A Man's Words

“The worlds of a man’s mouth are deep waters, a flowing river, a fountain of wisdom.”

~Proverbs 18:4

I wonder if this is speaking of three different cases of men? It sounds like it could.

First is the man whose words are like deep waters. Deep waters move slowly and hide a lot. Some men don’t say too much, but what they do say is worth paying attention to.

Some men are like the flowing river—they never seem to shut up. There is a constant flow of words. They speak a lot, but they don’t say anything.

Then there is a man whose words are like a fountain. Springs are rare and harder to find. The water is cool and clean, filtered by the earth—refreshing to drink. When you find a man like this, who speaks because he has something to say and has the wisdom to keep his mouth shut when he doesn’t—this man you should seek out and listen to. This man is a gift from God—and we need more of them!

Confirming God's Will

Think about it: what is in your heart right now that you are convinced is God’s will for your life?

Have you talked to anyone about it?

What do they say?

Are you ticked?

“They just don’t understand. How can they know God’s will for my life? This is between me and God.”

True, but is that how God operates?

You may be surprised, but the answer is: No, He does not. God births His will in our hearts through a meeting of our minds and His Word, but God always confirms His will through the counsel of others.

Chapter and verse? Excellent question. Here you go:

“The reflections of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD” (Proverbs 16:1).

What is floating around in our hearts is ours, but the Lord confirms His will through the lips of others. Why? Read on:

“All a man’s ways seem right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the motives” (Proverbs 16:2).

Can we trust our hearts? We think we know God’s will—we are convinced a thing is God’s will for our lives. But can’t our thinking be influenced by our desires. We want it so bad that we convince ourselves it is God’s will. Happens all the time—even in the best of Believers! Consider this:

“A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD determines his steps” (Proverbs 16:9).

We make our plans, but the LORD always reserves the right to interrupt them... and He does so very often. He allows us to plan and act to get us sailing, and then He changes the wind to His direction. When God changes the wind you can pout, doubt, or move out.

Hackers and Plodders

“A slacker’s way is a thorny hedge,

but the path of the upright is a highway.”

~ Proverbs 15:19

Physically, one way is no different than the other. It is the same way—the same project, the same challenge, the same opportunity. The difference is—and I hate to use the word because it sounds so “Tony Robbins”—but the difference is attitude. The difference is in perspective—how one sees it. Of course the slacker is looking for obstacles. He is looking for all the reasons why he should not go forward. The thorns are all in his head. They are there because he sees them there. He projects them, imagines them to be in the way. He is looking for an excuse not to proceed.

The path of the upright is no different than that of the slacker. They’re both the same path. He sees the obstacles. He observes the challenges. It is not that he stumbles blindly ahead. He looks and he perceives, but he does not let the challenges stop him. He prepares for them. He packs machete. He has a plan. Then he hacks away at the thorns and pushes ahead. He may not reach his goal, but surely no one has ever gone this far forward before. He blazes a trail that others will follow. Lord, we need people like these—people who see the obstacles but refuse to let these stop them. Greater than the challenges are the needs to be met, the goals to be achieved, the help to be rendered, the good to be done.

God give us hackers and plodders!

A Tranquil Heart

“A tranquil heart is life to the body,

but jealousy is rottenness to the bones.”

~Proverbs 14:28

Thom Rainer wrote a book called “Simple Life.” He interviewed 1077 people and asked them some basic questions about life. Most said their lives were so cluttered with stuff and pursuing things that they had lost the joy of life.

A tranquil heart is a contented heart. Paul said that “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6). Professional marketers are constantly telling us that we need one more thing to be happy. Can I really be happy without a big screen TV? Can I really be happy with the mate I have? Can I really be happy with last year’s model automobile? Can I really be happy in the house I live in? Can I really be happy with this computer? The message is always “No; you have to but now!”

We look at what the neighbors have and we feel our lives are shortchanged. Why hasn’t God blessed us? We want their car, their boat, their hardwood floors, their bonus, etc. We make ourselves miserable with our wanting. Why not just be satisfied with what we have? When will we realize that the things that make for a happy, fulfilling life are not the things that accumulate in our garage?

Tranquility of heart does not happen automatically with the next trip to Sears. It happens when we say, “I have enough. I am blessed. God, thank You for what I have. Help me to be a good steward.”

A Capable Wife Needs A Compassionate Husband

Proverbs 12:4

“A capable wife is her husband’s crown,

but a wife who causes shame

is like rottenness in his bones.”

The only way I know to find a capable wife is to let the Lord do the searching for you—not eHarmony!

We all have ups and downs in our marriages. Congratulations to you if you don’t—but we don’t want to hear about it. Most of us live in another world where there are disagreements over the kids and money and where to eat on Sunday afternoon. No one ever said relationships were easy. Living with someone totally different than you is filled with challenges. But finding the middle is a great exercise that results in marital and personal growth. Don’t ever loose the vision of growing old together. Keep talking about your dreams. Pray together even when you don’t feel like it. And be determined to hang in there. If one of you decides to leave the other one should tag along. Those who persevere will win the crown. It will be worth it all.

Proverbs 8 catalogues the virtues of wisdom. Wisdom is personified—speaks as a person. I think this can be the Holy Spirit-who is the “Spirit of Wisdom.”

Cicero called wisdom the highest level of reason. In other words, beyond reason—which is available to every person—is wisdom. But the difference is that wisdom is from God. Even Cicero recognized this. He spoke of “the law of nature” which, to him, was the law of nature’s God. Writing before Christianity he recognized this. That is wisdom!

Jesus of course epitomized wisdom. Solomon is said to be the “wisest man who ever lived.” Solomon would say, “Hogwash!”—Which, come to think of it, would have been especially detestable to him. But Solomon said, “He that wins souls is wise.” Jesus was the—and really the only soul winner.

Wisdom is not something unattainable. It is easily within reach of any person. She says, “I love those who love me, and those who search for me find me.”

And those who find her find the best—riches, honor, life, happiness and favor from the Lord. The person who ignores wisdom does so to their own detriment. Wisdom is to seek it. Foolishness is to ignore it.

“Anyone who listens to me is happy, watching at my doors every day, waiting by the posts of my doorway” (vs. 34).

Seek wisdom today. Put this on your list of “Things To Do.” Ask the Lord to give you wisdom as a gift. Seek it out. Make the attainment of wisdom one of your goals today. When the wise path is presented to you take it. Put wisdom into practice. The way to find wisdom tomorrow is to act with wisdom today. Now, start seeking!

Proverbs 7:6–9 (HCSB)

At the window of my house

I looked through my lattice.

I saw among the inexperienced,

I noticed among the youths,

a young man lacking sense.

Crossing the street near her corner,

he strolled down the road to her house

at twilight, in the evening,

in the dark of the night.

Proverbs 7:24–25 (HCSB)

Now, ‹my› sons, listen to me,

and pay attention to the words of my mouth.

Don’t let your heart turn aside to her ways;

don’t stray onto her paths.

You cannot blame this on the woman. Yea, she was wrong, but this young fella went out huntin’ for her. He knew where she hung out. He put himself in a position to be tempted. In fact, I’d say he was already tempted before he got there. His heart was filled with lustful thoughts. He got to the place and there she was dressed like bait. It was like putting fire and dynamite together.

Solomon said three things:

1. Don’t lust for her in your heart. It’s forbidden territory. You can’t go there. Such thoughts cannot be righteously fulfilled.

2. 2. Don’t go where she is. Stay away. Confucius say, “He who would not fall down ought not walk in slippery places.”

3. 3. Remember the consequences. Even cheap thrills have a high price tag. If you play with fire you’ll get burned. It’s not worth it.

Sour Fruit

Proverbs 1:29-31

²⁹ Because they hated knowledge,

didn’t choose to fear the LORD,

³⁰ were not interested in my counsel,

and rejected all my correction,

³¹ they will eat the fruit of their way

and be glutted with their own schemes.

Proverbs was written for our instruction. If we neglect God’s counsel we will suffer the consequences. We can listen to our own hearts—which are still desperately wicked. We can listen to our family and friends—who, although well meaning, can be wrong. We can listen to the devil—who may sound right but he always lies. We can choose to listen to God’s Word—which will always provide us with wisdom and lead us to do the right thing.

Hmmmm….

Why do we struggle with this one? It seems like such a no-brainer!! And yet, we do struggle at this point don’t we?

When we enter his world as a baby our fists are clinched—because a baby is selfish and self-centered. When we leave this world look at our hands. They are open because we know we cannot take anything with us.

The counsel our own hearts is always self-serving—which is what we want. The problem is that we don’t want what we want when we get it!

Should’ve listened to God’s Word! It will save us from a truckload of grief every time.

Prophecy To Be Fulfilled

Zechariah is a book of prophecy. Much of it has been fulfilled—precisely. The rest of it is yet to be fulfilled just as precisely. It is as though the prophet were looking across a landscape. He could see the fields of flowers at the top of the ridge, and the mountain peaks in the distance. But, from his viewpoint, the scenes blended together so that they ran together into one.

Zechariah 9:9 was the some distance away from him:

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!

Shout in triumph, Daughter Jerusalem!

See, your King is coming to you;

He is righteous and victorious,

humble and riding on a donkey,

on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Jesus fulfilled this prophecy as He made His triumphant entrance into Jerusalem.

Zechariah 9:10 was a much greater distance away:

I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim

and the horse from Jerusalem.

The bow of war will be removed,

and He will proclaim peace to the nations.

His dominion will extend from sea to sea,

from the Euphrates River

to the ends of the earth.

This is yet future, yet to be fulfilled.

We must remember that when we read the Bible there are two aspects to prophecy. There is that which has already been fulfilled, and there is that which is yet to be fulfilled. But, to the prophet, both were still future. But the point is this: as we looked back at those completed prophecies we can see they came true exactly. We may be sure that those prophecies that have not yet been fulfilled will come true just as completely.

The Growing Branch

Zechariah 6:12-13

¹²You are to tell him: This is what the LORD of Hosts says: Here is a man whose name is Branch; He will branch out from His place and build the LORD’s temple. ¹³Yes, He will build the LORD’s temple; He will be clothed in splendor and will sit on His throne and rule. There will also be a priest on His throne, and there will be peaceful counsel between the two of them.

The prophet was given this vision of a man called “the Branch.” He would “branch out” from the temple and build the larger temple—“the LORD’s temple.” I understand that larger temple to be the church. I figure the “priest” to be the Holy Spirit. There will be “peaceful counsel between the two of them”—the Son and the Spirit will work together in perfect cooperation.

“The Branch” is a great name and a great analogy. Jesus told the story of kingdom being like a tree that grows. Jesus said, “On this rock I will build My church….” The Branch is still branching out today.

I see us as being a part of the growing and spreading of the Branch today. It grew in a fraction when I became a Christian. It grows in a fraction every time I have the privilege of leading someone to Christ. The Branch is still branching out through me! There is no greater honor in all the world than to be a part of that growth today.

The Glory of Small Beginnings

Zechariah 4:8-10

⁸Then the word of the LORD came to me: ⁹"Zerubbabel’s hands have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will complete it. Then you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent me to you. ¹⁰For who scorns the day of small things? These seven eyes of the LORD, which scan throughout the whole earth, will rejoice when they see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand."

Zerubbabel was the appointed governor of Judah. He was appointed, I presume, by Darius, the Assyrian king who had defeated the Babylonians. He was a contemporary of Ezra the scribe, Nehemiah the king’s cupbearer, and the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. He was governor when the deported Jews returned from the Babylonian captivity.

God commanded Zerubbabel to rebuild the temple. It was a bittersweet time for the Hebrews. It was sweet because they were back in their homeland and rebuilding the temple of the LORD. It was bitter because the temple they built was no comparison to the glorious edifice Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed.

Zerubbabel laid the foundation of the new temple. Look at what the Lord said: “For who scorns the day of small things?” There were some who looked at the outline of the new temple contemptuously. It was so small compared to it’s predecessor. They scorned it.

Are we guilty of the same shameful thing? Do we also scorn small things? We look at small beginnings contemptuously. “It doesn’t amount to much!”

But we look at the appearances of things. We see only the outside of the matter. God sees the result, and He rejoices. Great things usually have very small beginnings. The main thing is not the size of the building or the marketing or the crowd, but the blessing of the Lord! Do not scorn small things!!