WHAT A CHAPTER!

Romans 8, Matthew 5, Philippians 2, Psalm 23, Deuteronomy 6, Exodus 12, Acts 2… these are some of the all time classic chapters of the Bible. But after my devotions this week, I have a new one for my list of favorite chapters, Proverbs 18.

Proverbs means, instead of many words. They are an eclectic collection of wise and godly sayings that are boiled down to just a few words from lifetimes of experience.

So the 18th chapter of Proverbs is not a flowing narrative, but a vast array of nuggets of wisdom, some of which I long to share with you in today’s blog by highlighting them.

1 Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.
2 A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.
3 When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach.
4 The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.
5 It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.
6 A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.
7 A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.
8 The words of a talebearer are as wounds , and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. (These proverbs are summed up in verse 21)
9 He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.
10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe. (when you don’t know where to turn, turn into the castle of God’s safe haven!)
11 The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.
12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty , and before honour is humility. 13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him. (gather all the info before you spout off!)
14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear? (daggers in the heart are always debilitating)
15 The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
16 A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men. (the way to a person’s heart? Bring a gift!)
17 He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him. (You just can’t convince some people, it is their way or the highway.)
18 The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty. (Disagree? Toss a coin, 2 out of three, and call the matter settled.)
19 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle. (Best to not be offensive, that is a whole lot easier than damage control.)
20 A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled .
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD. (‘nuff said!)
23 The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.
24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly : and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. (You need friends? Duh! Be friendly.)

See, I told you it was a great chapter.

Life is what you make of it!

Prov 15:15 All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast. 16 Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith. 17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

I have observed so many people climbing their ladders of success, but alas, they are leaning against the wrong buildings. Happiness is so illusive to them because they have bought in to Madison Avenue’s formulas for health, wealth and happiness. They are looking for love in all the wrong places. They are on a never-ending search for peace, contentment, satisfaction, joy and fulfillment, but it will never be found in things and circumstances.

They have to learn what the writer of Proverbs is stating. A good, positive attitude cannot help but beget a continual feast of wonder, joy and satisfaction. But the one who is cynical will not find contentment no matter how high the blessings are piled. He is always waiting for the other shoe to fall. He is burdened, not really by circumstances, but by his own rotten attitude.

He needs to learn to find the good things amidst the simple pleasures of life; a simple meal shared with loved ones, a meager existence crowned with God’s countenance. These types of things trump lavish dinners and fancy mansions apart from familial and divine presence.

Count your blessings rather than your complaints. Live on the sunny side of life. If you choose to have a merry heart, guess what? Life will be wonderful.

DON'T EVER CO-SIGN!

Pro 11:15 He that is surety for a stranger shall smart [for it]: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.

I strongly urge you to never co sign for anyone. It will end up being one of your biggest regrets in life. No matter how sincere the other party is, when things go south, they will not give a second thought about saving themselves and hanging you out to dry.

It may seem hard, but the Lord is not making a suggestion here, but giving us a valuable principle. To ignore it will cost us dearly, to obey itwill bring safety.

I pray this blog finds fertile soil and will save someone the heartaches we have experienced because we tried to help someone who gave us many assurances and yet went back on their word. God's Word says what it means and means what it says.

You're welcome!

Blessings

social networking

It is an extremely frustrating day. A virus is going through my computer like BP oil is filling the Gulf. It is amazing how attached we can get to those computers. But now it is a virus which is so attached. My brain is in that laptop! Literally thousands of hours of work are being eaten up by an e worm like bagworms eat an evergreen.

Oh well, now my kids will be able to see my face rather than the back of my head.

It so happens that the culprit came through FaceBook, which, as you know, is a social networking sight. FaceBook has now claimed a church family of 5, and two other teenagers. Now, it is going to cost us $356 to try to fix the computer.

It makes me think of the other types of social networking, that is, interpersonal relationships and the endemic dangers which accompany them. Breakdowns in communication, misunderstandings and yea, even vicious viruses ensue our attempts to stay connected. I have often considered buying some remote Montana property and a cabin and saying farewell to civilization. But, then there is that pesky great commission thing telling me to go into all the world and socially network, even though the cost and heartache may sometimes be high.

So, the PC is in the hands of the Geek Squad, Sunday's services will be sans Power Point, and I will go on interacting in my little social realms.

The Last Book of Presidents

1 And it came to pass that as Ronald Reagan finished his presidency that he was gathered together unto his fathers, George the Elder began to reign in Washington, and did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all the sins of the presidents that were before him.
2 For he removed not the liberals that were on the Supreme Court, neither ceased he to cause the children to pass through the fire unto the god evil-abortion. Moreover, his chamberlain spelled "potatoes" at a school in the manner of the king's English and was laughed to scorn by the liberal media. Never-the-less, he continues to garner a pension to this day.
3 And George reigned four years in Washington and the people wanted no more of him and he went the way of all the kings of the earth and Bill reigned in his stead, with Jezebel by his side.
4 Eight years did Bill reign in Washington and he did that which was exceedingly evil in the sight of the Lord. For Vince the left handed was found dead in a park with a gun in his right hand. And he sinned greatly, not like the sins of his father Jimmy Dolittle of Georgia, but much worse.
5 For he caused the sodomites to not ask or tell in the service of the army of the king.
6 And he had one wife and many concubines.
7 But the people greatly favoured the king, for he never inhaled, and gave him a second term, and he even considered usurping the law of the land to run for a third term. But the Constitution prevailed. Yet his VP won an Oscar and a Grammy and the Nobel, which was very inconvenient for it was a great lie that deceived even the very elect, Though Rush was right.
8 And he was plagued by terrorists on every side and saith to them all, "we will not rest until we have tracked you down and brought you to justice."
9 But alas, not one terrorist was slain, nor taken captive, but were allowed to move about freely, planning a reign of terror for 9/11.
10 Mercifully, the Lord removed King Bill of Arkansas in the first month, the 17th day of the year 2001.
11 In that same year began George the second of Connecticut, er, Texas, to reign in Washington by the will of the people, because Ross decided not to take the spoiler role for the third time. And though George was a Skull, he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord.
12 For he called upon the name of the Lord with the help of the Prophet Graham. This he did because of his many transgressions of youth. And when future kings went out to war, he opted to serve stateside, having been exempted by the pleadings of George the First of Connecticut.
13 Early in his reign, was he greatly oppressed by the media and other terrorists. The left wing called him stupid and the right wing thought him greatly evil.
14 Yet George did that which he considered right in his own eyes, and in the eyes of Dick Cheney, a mighty man of Haliburton.
15 In the midst of his early reign, George II sent troops to the nations of the east to chase the evil Bin Laden from cave to cave.
16 But alas, he was more subtle than any other terrorist and avoided capture and worshiped greatly the moon god allah and made his children to pass through the Ivy League. Moreover, did Bin Laden come to power by aid of the CIA and then rebelled against them.
17 Moreover, did George also send troops to Babylon as his father did, yet he went all the way to Baghdad and ceased not to pursue until he had captured the great king Nebuchadnezzar the 4th, in a pit on a cloudy day when the battle raged mightily in the provinces. And he was hanged before witnesses, yet one witness brought his cell phone to capture the event. And many greatly rejoiced. Yet the servants of the moon god were sore distressed and removed the head of the scribe Daniel and many other heads and posted the events on You-Tube.
18 Never-the-less, George II could not locate the stores of WMDs which were moved to neighboring countries to make his administration look as if they had played the fool.
19 In the end, the reign of George the Younger ceased in Washington and the media rejoiced.
20 And it came to pass, in the last days of the great nation of the people of God, began Obama to reign in Washington. For he put down the challenge of John, a mighty man of valor and Sarah, who would later write and speak and do Fox news and make a fortune and cause many to be angry and others to rejoice. And Barack, whose middle name was the same as America’s enemy, did that which was exceedingly evil in the sight of the Lord and in the sight of gun lovers and in the sight of all Evangelicals.
21 For he worshiped the gods of the middle east and the gods of the Kenyans and the gods of the Indonesians and the gods of Jeremiah Wright, who cursed America in Jehovah's name. Also, he worshiped himself and lifted up his own name above all that is called God.
22 And he also made the children to pass through planned parenthood and paid them for it.
23 And he blasphemed the Constitution on every hand. And he encouraged sloth. And he caused universal healthcare to become the law of the land, making Jezebel to be ashamed.
24 Though he greatly appeased her by granting her a cabinet position and telling her to leave the country not a few times.
25 And the sodomites and the communists did he make his counselors and the false prophet whom they called Rahm, that is highly exalted god with us, did he appoint as chief of staff, who caused all the world to wonder after the beast.
26 And many wondered after the beast, whither he was born and which color he was as he turned this way and that. And his wife did make a mockery of the American way as she disdained its heritage.
27 Moreover in the midst of his first reign did multitudes of the people begin to second guess their decision to make him to reign over them, for he threatened to take, not only from the wealthy, pulling down $250K in each year, but also from the mean man, causing them to serve with rigor to pay for the lifestyles of the shiftless and the illegals.
28 And thus ended the nation as it had ever been known, for the Lord was very wroth with the nation because they turned from serving Him with their whole heart to serving gods made with their own hands; cars, gardens, houses and such.
29 Moreover, political correctness, apathy, tolerance, acceptance, the internet, leisure, hedonism, sodomy, abortion, socialism, porn, and recreation caused them to turn from the one true God and they would soon be attacked by the armies of the moon god allah and brought very low.
30 Then the universal government ruled by the prince of the power of the air, whom anointed the Kenyan to reign over the nation and bring her to her knees.
31 He that hath an ear to hear let him hear and let him that understandeth say, Amen!
32 Woe unto you, inhabitors of that great nation America for your destruction is come upon you in a single term. And then shall Rachel Madcow, Keith Homoman, Spill Maher, Chrissy Matthews, Nojoy Bahar, Rosacia O'Donnell, Nancy Pillowsea, Harry Red and all of Hellywood be cast alive into the gulf of oil spill, which shall be ignited and shall burn for many days.
33 Behold as the sea turns to blood in the gulf. Say not, there are yet great days to come, for greatness cannot come again unto you unless you repent and turn to your first love and choose ye rulers who love the Lord thy God.

Turning back the Clock

2Ki 20:5 Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.
2Ki 20:6 And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.
2Ki 20:7 And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.
2Ki 20:8 And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the LORD the third day?
2Ki 20:9 And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees?
2Ki 20:10 And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.
2Ki 20:11 And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.

Not since the days of Joshua, when the Lord caused the earth's rotation to stall for several hours so the battle could progress, had God shown such a miracle against the laws of nature.

Here, the godly king Hezekiah, who had fervently served the Lord, is given a 15 year reprieve from the Grim Reaper. And to prove this miracle of an additional 15 years tacked onto the kings life, a greater miracle is wrought by the hand of the Lord through Isaiah. He causes the shadow on the sundial of Ahaz to recede 10 degrees. That is 40 minutes of time regained, and then another 40 minutes would have to elapse to bring the clock back to the original point, and then an additional 40 minutes to catch time back up to where it would have been. That means that God added 2 hours to that miraculous day!

Application: We serve a great God of miracles Who is still in the business today! As Hezekiah served God with great zeal in a day when everyone around him was forsaking the Lord, so we can take our strong stand on His behalf. And because of his allegiance to what was right, God smiled upon him by providing a miraculous supply to his dire need.

Serve God with your whole heart and be assured that He will have your back in all you do!

We Do Not Well!

2Ki 7:9 Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king's household.

We do not well to withhold the good tidings.
We do not well to keep to ourselves that which will help others
We do not well to let others die while we live.

I read recently a shockingly amazing story about pastors in mainline denominations who are closet athiests. They do not well to pretend to shepherd flocks when they are fakes.

Let us make sure that from the sunrising to the sunset we do well in all things.

Naaman's False Notions

2Ki 5:9 So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
2Ki 5:10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
2Ki 5:11 But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.
2Ki 5:12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.
2Ki 5:13 And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?
2Ki 5:14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
2Ki 5:15 And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.
2Ki 5:16 But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
2Ki 5:17 And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules' burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD.
2Ki 5:18 In this thing the LORD pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon thy servant in this thing.
2Ki 5:19 And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.

Naaman Thought:
*That Elisha would greet him at the door. But Elisha sent his servant instead.
*That Elisha would make a big to do and call on God for healing. But Elisha told him to go dip in the Jordan.
*That Abana and Pharpar were better rivers than the Jordan. But Elisha said it is the Jordan or nothing.
*That Elisha should receive a gift from him. But Elisha didn’t work for the Syrians.
*That he could worship God in the house of the pomegranate god. (Rimmon) But God demands complete allegiance.

Obviously, Naaman was wrong on all counts. We have in our minds the way things ought to be and align our agendas accordingly. But the ways of God are so much higher than our ways, and His thoughts so far above our thoughts.

I think that God delights in working "outside the box" so that all may see that it is He that is in charge and not us, that miracles are wrought on His terms, not ours.

The Fire of the Lord and the Fake Fire.

1Ki 19:12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

In the previous chapter, the Lord answered Elijah's prayer by accepting the Carmelite offering, altar, rocks and water by His consuming fire.

Today, the Lord teaches Elijah that every fire that passes by is not from the Lord. Today, He is speaking in a still small voice. I have noticed that God builds faith early on by the miraculous until such time as His still small voice is sufficient for the mature believer.

Obey your last orders first, unless it comes from the Lord.

I Kings 13:11-31

The Lying Old Prophet countermanded God's commandment to this unnamed man of God. He entrapped him by lying that the Lord told him to invite him home for dinner.

Because God had given the younger prophet the orders to come straight home, those were the words that were to be obeyed, no matter what lie about God someone else told him or what circumstances ensued. God doesn’t change His mind. His gifts and callings are without repentance. We are to do, post haste, that which the Lord has commanded and turn neither to the right or the left.

God's command trumps all else.

How many "men of God" have transgressed God's orders because of circumstances? We must remain faithful to the job to which we are called and fitted until that work is completely dispatched.

Question: Are you faithful to the task God has called you to do and will you stay committed, no matter what, to seeing His calling through until the end?

A Tender Heart

1Ki 3:7 And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
1Ki 3:8 And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
1Ki 3:9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

Solomon's heart was tender at this time. God blessed his tender heart.

No wonder he said in his declining years, having tried everything else life had to offer, "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth."

It is too bad that so many have to stray so far, wasting so much time and talent, until they finally comeback to what they always knew, the God of their Fathers.

I Can't Get No Satisfaction!

Warning: This blog is rated PG-13. Pastoral guidance strongly suggested!

Read I Kings 1

Shakespeare would have called David's end, yea, his entire life, a divine comedy. If this story would be translated into a modern novel, it would wind up in the romance section with one of those racy pictures of a scantily clad beauty gracing the cover!


Abishag, a voluptuous young woman is called upon, in David's old age, to provide electric blanket service for the old man because he "gat no heat." She was to “minister to him” as a snuggy. Alas, the warm body of a hot girl didn't do the trick.

This is just too ironic. David's body had been warmed by about 8 wives and at least 10 other concubines throughout his life, and now, in the end, he "gat no heat."

So, Adonijah, younger brother of the dearly departed throne usurper Absalom, of recent memory, who was hung in an oak tree by his long locks as the mule walked on, follows in big brother's footsteps as a throne thief. He almost pulled it off. He seemed to have rights in that he was next in succession. He had schmoozed mercurious Joab, the fickle secretary of war and Abiathar the assistant high priest to join his coup cabinet.

However, he couldn't swing Zadok, the high priest, Benaiah, undersecretary of war and Nathan, the man of God, nor Shimei or Tei, the 5-star generals.

So, agreeing upon Rev. Nathan's plan to alert the king of the concurrent coup, Bathing Sheba enters into David's bed chambers and sees David's latest fling Abishag "ministering unto him." I wonder what thoughts passed between the 2 women in their initial glance at each other. Perhaps poor Bathsheba felt ashamed of her deteriorating body compared to Abishag's youthful one. Abishag may have felt guilt, she may have felt a bit haughty. Both may have overlooked their personal feelings for the sake of ailing David.

After the glance, Bathsheba prostates herself before his majesty and he asks her, "What do you want?" (not everybody is welcome into the king’s bedchamber as he is being “ministered to.”)

She reminds him of his promise to have her son Solomon succeed the king. Then, according to the plan, Rev. Dr. Nathan enters to alert the king of the coup underway by Adonijah. Cold-bodied, hot-tempered David then arights the situation with a proclamation in favor of Solomon's reign.

Note: Both Bathsheba and Nathan give the same benediction to David, "Live forever." Again ironic words for the man who has one foot in the grave and another on a banana peel!

The subsequent coronation of the true king caused such a riotous tumult of joy that there was an earthquake resulting in a crack in the royal pavement.

As to Adonijah, he wised up and repented and Solomon gave him a reprieve from execution.

Wow! What a story! This is much better than TV? Why don’t we read our Bibles more and our novels less?

Brothers of Folly

2Sa 16:20 Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.
2Sa 16:21 And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father's concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong.
2Sa 16:22 So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel. 2Sa 16:23 And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.

Absalom, that wicked self-possessed fool, son of David, rebel, murderer and usurper, has, as his counselor, Ahithophel.

This name means brother of folly and is not lost on this evil man. He counsels the would be king to erect a tent on a hilltop and parade all 10 of his father's concubines in for sex in the sight of the people. This is a strong statement that all that was his father's is now his.

Moreover, whatever Ahithophel counseled was considered by these fools as from God Himself.

I am put in mind of a president's chief of staff. Evil, wicked godless, unscrupulous. The absurdity of this kind of counsel is beyond the comprehension of reasonable people. It is unconscionable. Yet, soulless people of power exist and operate. But God will have the last word.

2Sa 17:23 And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.

Pro 29:2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.