In step

[RiverOL]

It thundered
For reading & meditation: 1 Corinthians 2
"The spiritual man judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one." (v.15, RSV)

The final words of our Lord in the incident we are considering are these: "Father, glorify thy name" (John 12:28, RSV). What a decision! What a moment! "Father, do not think of what it costs me - only glorify Your name." At that moment, He gave God a blank cheque, blank save that it was signed in His own blood. It is a great moment in our life, too, when we hand God a blank cheque, signed in our own blood, and invite Him to call on us for all we have and all we are.

One person described this moment as "the great renunciation". If that is so, then the moment of great renunciation is followed by a great annunciation. Listen: "Then a voice came from heaven, 'I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again' " (John 12:28, RSV). The moment Jesus made the final response, then heaven spoke. Many of us who complain we are living under a silent heaven would find it vocal with the voice of God if we would choose the Calvary way. Of course, the bystanders missed what was really going on and "said that it had thundered" (John 12:29). To them, it was the impersonal voice of nature. Others came a little closer to reality, and said: "An angel had spoken to him."

To them, it was a little more than the impersonal voice of nature, and yet something less than the voice of God. Anyone who stands on the edges of life as a bystander is bound to give a shallow interpretation of what God is doing. It is only those who have faced the alternatives - to die or not to die - who are really involved.

Prayer:
My Father, I don't want to be a bystander. I want to be in the centre of all You are saying and all You are doing. Heres my cheque - signed with my own blood. Fill it in for everything You want from me. I do it willingly, gladly, happily. Amen.

 

[RiverOL]

Gearing Up for Work
. . . you have put off the old self
. . . and have put on the new self—Colossians 3:9-10
At work, we serve. We serve the users of products and services that we and our companies produce and sell. But what about the people working alongside us? What about the people with whom we spend so much time—our bosses, our teams, our peers, our rivals, our friends? What about those who inspire and teach us, or who frustrate and annoy us? Well, each one was designed and built by our Creator God. Each was found worthy of the great sacrifice of our King, Jesus Christ. And each was put into our lives for a reason. So our responsibility is clear: we must love them (Matthew 22:36-40). We must love (and serve and lead and influence) all the people with whom we work.

Now, this kind of thing is undertaken best with action—not “in word or talk but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18). It’s done by doing. It’s done by treating people with care; doing our work with care; doing the hard things, when the hard things are the right things. It’s done by allowing ourselves to become the people we’re meant to become. It’s done, actually, by simply becoming ourselves—our new selves. For that, though, we must first put on the proper gear:

“. . . dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love” (Colossians 3:12-14 MSG).


What’s something you can do today, brother, to love or serve or lead or influence someone at work? Take it up a notch, maybe, and focus on the toughest person—the last one you’d normally choose.

 

[RiverOL]

The last word is life
For reading & meditation: John 10:7-18
"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (v.10)



At the close of our meditations we look at the results of the momentous choice Jesus made when the Greeks said: "Sir, we would like to see Jesus." Our Lord saw that three things would happen: first, the judgment of this world (John 12:31). What did choosing the cross have to do with that? This - the cross is the judgment seat of the world. I confess that the Man on the cross judges me, convicts me, challenges me. His Spirit of facing the world's sin and suffering makes my spirit tremble like a magnetic needle in a storm.

At the cross, His love judges my hate, my selfishness, my desire to live only for myself. His self-sacrifice inspires my self-sacrifice. The second thing our Lord saw would happen was the overpowering of Satan: "Now shall the ruler of this world be cast out" (John 12:31, RSV). He would overthrow Satan, not by breaking his head, but by letting him break His heart. Third, He would make the cross the magnet by which He would draw all people to Himself: "But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself" (John 12:32).

His choice was made - and hopefully, ours is also. No longer will we lie on the edge of life's furrow - "a corn of wheat afraid to die" - but willingly roll over into the dark channel of death, knowing, as we do, that from our death will come a life that is well-pleasing to God - fruitful, profitable and productive. Afraid to die? No - afraid to live. For life that is not preceded by death is a life not worth living.

Prayer:
O Father, burn the message into my heart that when I try to save my life, I succeed only in losing it. And help me never to forget that the last word is not death, but life. Thank You, Father. Amen.

 

[RiverOL]

Child-Like Faith

"In God I trust; I will not be afraid."1

Cindy traveled across America and in Australia with the Youth Aflame Singers. In one home where she stayed there was a boy of about seven or eight. When Cindy saw him reading a Bible with large print and holding it close to his eyes, she asked, "Are you okay, Jamie?"

"I sure am," Jamie replied confidentially even though he was going blind. "God says, 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths.' And even though I am losing my sight, I know that God will always direct my paths because I trust in him."

Trusting God in the light where you can see where you are going is certainly easier than trusting God in the dark.

When in the dark I always pray, "God, I'm afraid. I can't see what lies ahead, but I commit and trust my life and way to you. No matter how dark the night, I pray that I will also have child-like faith and trust in you."

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, no matter what, I choose to always trust in you. Please help my feelings to catch up with my choice to trust in you so that my faith will always be much stronger than, and overcome, all of my fear/s. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Psalm 56:11 (NIV).

 

[RiverOL]

Wise up and live
For reading & meditation: Proverbs 1:1-19
"For attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight" (v.2)


We set out to explore some of the great and thrilling themes of the book of Proverbs. I have no hesitation in saying that, as far as practical matters are concerned, it has influenced my thinking and colored my judgments more than any other book of the Bible. I shall never forget my pastor taking my aside just after I had been converted and saying, "I am going to teach you to steal, to drink, to lie and to swear." Seeing my astonishment, he quickly went on to add, "I want to teach you how to steal time out of every day to read something from the book of Proverbs.

And then I want to teach you how to drink from its clear, refreshing waters, to lie on your bed at night and meditate on its great themes and to swear that by the grace of God you will put into practice its wonderful teaching." We begin with the question: What is the purpose of Proverbs? Our text for today gives us the clue. Listen to how the Living Bible paraphrases it: "He [Solomon] wrote them to teach his people how to live - how to act in every circumstance" (1:2). This then is what Proverbs is all about - wisdom for living. Multitudes know how to make a living but they do not know how to live. They know everything about life except how to live it. I tell you, the more you understand the book of Proverbs, and the more you put its truths and principles into practice, the more effective will be your living. I guarantee it.

Prayer:
O Father, help me come to grips with the wisdom that enables me not just to live, but to live abundantly. I want to know what I need to do as a person to get on in life. Through the ancient but inspired words of Proverbs teach me how. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

 

[RiverOL]

Half Truthers - Masters of Deception

The Temptation and Fall of Mankind: "Now the serpent [Satan, the devil, disguised] was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, 'Has God indeed said, "You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?"' And the woman said to the serpent, 'We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, "You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die."' Then the serpent said to the woman, 'You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.'"1

When God created man and woman— Adam and Eve—he placed them in the Garden of Eden—which, at the time, was a perfect world—and not wanting mankind to be puppets on a string, God gave them a free will so they could freely choose to follow and obey him and be greatly blessed, or go their own way and pay the natural consequences. Along came Satan who, wanting to take revenge against God because in his attempt to dethrone God when he was one of the most beautiful angels in Heaven, was cast out of Heaven, came to Eve to tempt her to turn from God and, in so doing, destroy the apex of God's creation.

To tempt Adam and Eve, Satan told Eve a part truth. Adam and Eve both knew that God had told them that if they ate of the forbidden fruit, they would surely die; that is, they would die spiritually and be eternally separated from God. So Satan said to Eve, "You will not die but be like God knowing both good and evil." This was partly true in that she would know both good and evil, but what Satan didn't tell Eve was that if she ate of the forbidden fruit, she would not only know good and evil but would be forever confirmed in a fallen state of evil.

Tragically, Adam and Eve bought into Satan's lie, ate of the forbidden fruit and fell into sin. In so doing, they introduced sin and evil into the entire human race.

Unfortunately, part-truths can be the most deceptive form of lies there are. For instance, every false cult claiming to be a bearer of God's Truth always has an element of truth in their teaching, as this is what makes them believable to those who are not aware of what God teaches in his Word, the Bible. The tragedy in this life is that if and when we turn from God and his ways to go our own way, we remove ourselves from God's blessings and bring the natural consequences of our sin and rebellion upon ourselves. This is why it is imperative that each of us reads and studies God's Word so we know exactly the ways of God and his truth, so that we will not be deceived by Satan and his evil demons, and ultimately be destroyed.

Fortunately, even though we inherited the sin nature when we were born, God loves us and made a way of escape by giving his Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty for our sin by dying in our place on the cross at Calvary more than 2,000 years ago. All we need to do, is to confess our sins, ask God for his forgiveness, and accept Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you that you are not only a God of infinite holiness and justice, but also a God of unconditional love and that you gave your Son, Jesus, to die in my place on the cross of Calvary to pay the penalty for all my sins so that I can be fully forgiven and receive your gift of eternal life. Thank you, too, for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

NOTE: If you haven't received God's forgiveness and accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, for help read the article, "How to Be Sure You're a Real Christian" at" www.actsweb.org/christian.

1. Genesis 3:1-5 (NKJV).

 

[RiverOL]

Wisdom personified
For reading & meditation: Proverbs 1:20-33
"But whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm." (v.33)
Before settling down to focus on our theme, which is the Seven Pillars of Wisdom, it will be helpful if we acquaint ourselves with some of the background material to the book - hence, these opening days will be more introductory than expository. You can't get far into Proverbs before you begin to notice a peculiar thing - wisdom and its opposite, foolishness, are personified as women, Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly, each of whom attempts to persuade people to follow her ways.

This personification of wisdom and folly is a literary device which the writer uses to add punch and power to his points. We use a similar form of expression when we personify natural laws and refer to them as "Mother Nature." For example, we may hear people say "Mother Nature is bringing out the spring flowers," or, "Mother Nature is doing her thing." It is a poetic and colorful way of referring to the principles and laws which guide and govern our universe.

Notice how wisdom is personified in these words taken from the passage before us today: "Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech" (1:20-21). Later on in Proverbs you will see how similar language is used of Lady Folly. The purpose of this personification is to make the reader vividly aware that over and against the fatal attraction of folly, wisdom brings true delight. Wisdom is the soul's true bride, true counselor and true hostess. Wisdom is good for us; it is what our personalities were designed for.

Prayer:
O Father, help me to grasp the truth that I am made for a certain way of living - Your way - and when I try to live against that way, then I am nothing but a fool. Make me wise, dear Lord, with the wisdom that comes from You. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen.

 

[RiverOL]

Moral Compass
"Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue, that you may live and possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you."1

Not so long ago a local leader in our area who was on the board of a Christian retirement home resigned his position. Why? Because he was the only one out of 13 board members who took a stand on a moral issue the home was facing. This reminds me of what an English bishop once said, "Everywhere the Apostle Paul went there was either a revival or a revolution. Everywhere I go they serve tea!"

True leaders are not afraid to swim against the tide. Their goal is not prestige, power, or popularity … or to be served tea. They stand for justice and righteousness. And whether it is in the United States or the United Nations, in local churches or on school boards, on judiciary benches or in the local council, what the world desperately needs today are statesmen and stateswomen (not merely politicians)—leaders who lead; judges who love justice; and Christian leaders who love, practice, and make a stand for righteousness.

Sad to say far too many politicians and so-called leaders have no moral compass. They raise their finger to the wind to see which way it is blowing and follow the in-crowd in order, not to promote justice or righteousness, but to gain votes, votes, and more votes. This makes them followers—not leaders. They allow themselves to be controlled by vocal minorities without regard to moral guidelines and, in so doing, often disregard the will of the people.

So for all citizens who have the privilege of voting and choosing their leaders we are to choose men and women who stand for justice and have a strong moral compass to clearly show the way they are to lead their people.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help us as a people and as individuals to make a stand for justice and righteousness, and vote for and choose leaders who have a strong moral compass. Help us always to put our trust in you and earnestly seek to follow your leading. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Deuteronomy 16:20 (NASB).

 

[RiverOL]

Wisdom is a Person

For reading & meditation: Proverbs 2:12-22
"Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men '" (v.12)

We touched yesterday on the thought that in the book of Proverbs, particularly in the first nine chapters, wisdom and foolishness are seen as persons. Jesus was also using the device of personification when He said in Matthew 11:19, "But wisdom is proved right by her actions." Some have thought that the personification of wisdom in the Scriptures indicates that wisdom is to be seen as a personality, perhaps a member of the angelic hierarchy, who visits men and women and imparts to them divine wisdom, but this, in my opinion, is taking things too far.

The writer is simply using a literary device to make a point. However, it is the opinion of most evangelical commentators that the device of personification as it relates to wisdom is to prepare the way for the apostle Paul's great statement in 1 Corinthians 1:24 that Christ is "the power of God and the wisdom of God." If this is so, then it suggests that the divine purpose underlying the personification of wisdom in Proverbs is not simply to acquaint us with an absorbing set of rules or helpful suggestions by which to run our lives, but to hint that true wisdom lies in a Person, that Person being none other than our Lord Jesus Christ.

Christianity moves beyond the wisdom of Solomon, which, by the way, commends itself to non-Christians as well as Christians, and points to the fact that the highest wisdom comes from a relationship with the One who is the fount of all wisdom - Jesus. Knowing the principles of wisdom is one thing; knowing the Person in whom all wisdom resides is another.

Prayer:
O Father, how can I sufficiently thank You that by faith I am linked to the source of all wisdom - the Lord Jesus Christ? Let the wonder of this relationship - I am in Him and He is in me - sink deep into my soul today. Amen.

 

[RiverOL]

Going Through Hell

. . . fear not, for I am with you—Isaiah 41:10

You know when you’re in the thick of it—facing tough financial circumstances, or maybe a problem with work or a relationship, or a health issue or an addiction? You know that “I just don’t know what to do” feeling? Most of us do, maybe all of us. The thing is, we actually do know what to do—we know exactly what to do. It’s just hard, in those moments, to remember . . . and to trust.

But we must remember and trust our Father God. He sees and he knows . . . and sometimes he allows. We must not be “surprised at the fiery trial,” therefore, “as though something strange were happening” (1 Peter 4:12). When he allows hardship, though, it’s always for good—even if that’s not, at first, very obvious (James 1:2-4; Hebrews 12:1-11; Romans 8:28).

And we must remember and trust our King, Jesus Christ. He is truth. He teaches us what to do in any ordeal. He knows like no other. “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades” (Revelation 1:17-18).

And we must remember and trust our God the Holy Spirit. He’s always with us, in every moment (John 14:16). And he can help and strengthen us, whatever the hardship. The “Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead” exists within us, and can certainly bring new life to our circumstances too (Romans 8:11).



If you’re in the thick of it now, trust that God has a plan; follow your King, as he knows the plan and knows the way; and ask the Holy Spirit for help. If you’re not, take a minute to pray.

 

[RiverOL]

Wise fools
For reading & meditation: Proverbs 4:1-9
"Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you." (v.6)
Having understood that the main message of the book of Proverbs is to provide us with wisdom for living, it is time now to ask ourselves: What exactly is wisdom? How is it to be defined? Some say wisdom is synonymous with knowledge, and use the two words interchangeably. There is, however, a world of difference between knowledge and wisdom, as writers and philosophers down the ages have pointed out.

Knowledge is the capacity to comprehend and retain what one is taught; wisdom is the ability to put that knowledge to best effect. If knowledge is the same thing as wisdom, then, as Paul Larsen points out, "There are many 'wise' men who are fools." Our colleges and universities cram information into the minds of thousands of people, so that they come out knowing a good deal about such things as the solar system, microbiology, bacteriology, psychology, the laws of physics, art and so on, but knowledge by itself does not stop them from making a mess of their lives.

In the United States, a second year university or high school student is called a "sophomore," which is the Greek word for "a wise fool." How revealing. When we get into the higher stages of education, we think that we know it all, but if this attitude is not changed, then we will soon demonstrate what it means to be a fool. A "fool" in Proverbs is not someone who can't pass a simple literacy or numeracy test; he is someone who thinks he knows what life is all about but doesn't. Those whom the world recognizes as "wise" may, from heaven's standpoint, be the biggest fools.

Prayer:
Father, I see now what Paul meant when he said "we are fools for Christ" (1 Cor. 4:10). My Christian lifestyle may appear foolish to those around me, but help me never to forget that from Your perspective it is the highest wisdom. Amen.

 

[RiverOL]

Shooting the Wounded
"Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing."1

Dr. Leslie Flynn writes about the time when the English and French were at war in colonial Canada. "Admiral Phipps, in charge of the British Fleet, was ordered to anchor outside Quebec, a city on the St. Lawrence River. He was to await the coming of the British infantry and then join the land forces in attack.

"Arriving early, Admiral Phipps, an ardent nonconformist, was annoyed by the statues of the saints that adorned the roof and towers of the Catholic cathedral. So he spent his time shooting at them with the ship's guns. How many he hit we don't know, but history recorded that when the infantry arrived and the signal was given to attack, the admiral found himself out of ammunition. He had used it for shooting out the saints."

I sometimes wonder, in the church, how much of our efforts are poured into fighting among ourselves over insignificant trivialities, and "shooting our wounded," instead of uniting our efforts to attack the real enemy such as greed, dishonesty, immoral living, violence, abortion, gay marriage, pornography—and any and everything else that is harmful to people and society.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me not to waste my time, energy, and resources on trivialities or majoring on minors, but always to major on the majors. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. 1 Peter 3:8-9 (NIV).

 

[RiverOL]

The "Wisdom Literature"
For reading & meditation: Proverbs 5:15-23
"For a man's ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all his paths." (v.21)

We have just a few more important general points to make concerning Proverbs before settling down to focus on our theme - the Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Proverbs is often referred to as being part of the "Wisdom Literature" - those books which are associated with a class of people called "wise men" or "sages," an important group in the life of ancient Israel.

The Old Testament consists of three sections - the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings - answering to the three groups of leaders outlined in Jeremiah 18:18: "... for the teaching of the law by the priest will not be lost, nor will counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophets." Included within the category of the Writings are the Wisdom books - Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. While the prophets and the priests dealt with the religious life of Israel, the wise men were called upon to give advice about more philosophical matters. They made the point that the world was designed for wisdom and those who followed wisdom would find that the world was made for them.

The book of Proverbs, which was largely written by Solomon, is crammed with the best advice it is possible to get and it is a tragedy that it is not part of our secular education system. But perhaps the greater tragedy is the fact that in some parts of the Christian Church (though not all) Proverbs is an unexplored book. Any church that does not encourage its people, especially its youth, to dig into the book of Proverbs is doing them a major disservice.

Prayer:
Gracious Father, help me develop a love and regard for Your Wisdom Literature. Grant that these days of searching and exploring may result in a new understanding of what wisdom is all about and that new evidence of Your wisdom may be seen in my life. Amen.

 

[RiverOL]

When Your Boss is Difficult
"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone"1

"How do you resist a control freak?" a reader asks and continues, "My supervisor is very controlling, but she is still my supervisor. I'm not sure resistance in this case is good. Can you help me with this?"

At times at work we have to put up with a lot of nonsense unless we are willing to be fired. We go to work to do a good job and earn a living, not to have wonderful relationships (unfortunately). If your boss is reasonable, you might be able to discuss with her that you feel you are being over-controlled and that this makes it difficult for you to give of your best.

However, control freaks don't usually appreciate being told this. They are very insecure people and overcompensate by controlling those around them.

At the same time, while it is important that we don't repay evil with evil, it doesn't mean that we allow people to mistreat or walk over us. If we are being mistreated or persecuted for our Christian faith, that is one thing and we need to depend on God's grace to carry us through. But if we are being mistreated at work by a mean or nasty boss and can't do anything about it, we need to either depend on God's grace to help us cope graciously or look for another job.

Whatever you feel is best and right for you to do, the most important thing you can do immediately is to ask God every day to help you to be "as Jesus" to your supervisor and that she, seeing Jesus in you, will in time want him for herself. There's no guarantee that this will happen, but if it does, it will not happen overnight and, with God's help, will take a lot of patience and grace on your part.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, when I feel like I am being mistreated, help me to make sure that I am acting in a Christ-like manner, and to know when to confront, when to quit and get another job, or when to stay put and learn how to handle difficult people graciously. And please help me always to be 'as Jesus' to every life I touch. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Romans 12:17-18 (NIV).

 

[RiverOL]

Portable medicine
For reading & meditation: Proverbs 28:1-17
"' a man of understanding and knowledge maintains order." (v.2)

We ended yesterday with the statement that any church which does not encourage its people, especially its youth, to dig into the book of Proverbs is doing them a major disservice. I was introduced to Proverbs within weeks of becoming a Christian and this book, perhaps more than any other in the Bible, has supplied me with wisdom for living that has enriched my life. Moreover, the teaching in this book has greatly empowered my ministry and my writing.

Every young person in the Christian Church needs to be steeped in the book of Proverbs as there is nothing in the entire annals of literature that can so prepare them for life. Alexander McLaren, a famous preacher from a past generation, said: "Proverbs is portable medicine for the fevers of youth." How true. And we might add that with medicine what matters is that you take it whether you know the doctor or not. I have known a number of young men and women who have told me that they came to faith in Christ through reading the book of Proverbs.

One such person told me: "When I applied the principles of Proverbs and saw that these wise and witty sayings really worked, I was drawn to search for the One whose hand was so clearly present in the book and also in my life. After reading the Instruction Manual I wanted to know the Instructor." Not everyone, of course, will react in that way, but I myself am convinced that encouraging and exposing people, especially young people, to the ideas and concepts of Proverbs is one of the greatest forms of evangelism that can be conducted.

Prayer:
O Father, help me use any influence I have with young people to motivate them toward reading and absorbing the book of Proverbs. But first, let me dwell deep within it myself. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

 

[RiverOL]

Invoked or not
For reading & meditation: Proverbs 8:12-36
"Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors '" (v.34)
We spend just one more day acquainting ourselves with background information on the book of Proverbs before embarking on our theme - the Seven Pillars of Wisdom. The more you read and study Proverbs, and the more you apply its words to your life, the more you will find that its wise and witty sayings "work." They work because that is the way the Lord has set things up.

It was said of Jung, the famous psychologist, that written over the door of his study was: "Invoked or not, God is present." This interesting statement provides us with a clue to understanding Proverbs, for whether men and women invoke the Creator or not, His creative and sustaining wisdom goes on giving them a world where wisdom operates and where things make sense to humankind. Someone has described Proverbs as "the scrapbook of common grace."

"Common grace" is the phrase theologians use to describe the grace that God gives to humanity in general so that, whether they turn to Him or not, they are enabled to live more effectively and wisely on the earth. "Wisdom," says Charles G. Martin, "writes the handbook of instruction in God's workshop and when people despise wisdom, that is, true wisdom, they blot the copy book of life." Of course, we must accept that some may pursue wisdom for the wrong reason -self-interest - or just because wisdom "works," but as Archbishop William Temple put it: "The art of politics is so to arrange matters that self-interest prompts what justice demands." Heaven aside for the moment, our lives would be a lot better if wisdom, rather than folly, prevailed.

Prayer:
Father I am so thankful for this concept of "common grace." Your love reaches down to help people live life in a sensible and profitable way even though they may never come to know You personally. What a wonderful God You are. Amen.

 

[RiverOL]

May the Force . . . Be You

. . . what I want mostly is for men to pray—1 Timothy 2:8-10

There are many forces at work in this world—forces colliding, reacting to each other, influencing one another. And you, brother, are one of them. Each of us is. The question is, though, what kind? Are we forces for goodness and generosity? I mean, is this broken, evil world better because of us? Or are we forces that are simply neutral? Or are we forces for ‘me’—for selfishness, for stockpiling, for negativity, or depravity even?

These questions matter to God (Galatians 5:13-26). They should matter to us. And if we want to change our kind—or just intensify the positive force we already are—here’s a place to start: intercessory prayer. “Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know” (1 Timothy 2:1-3 MSG).

God certainly wants us to use our hands to help people in need, and he wants us to use our voices to reach people who’re lost. But, since “prayer is at the bottom of all this,” wrote the Apostle Paul, what we mostly need to do is pray (1 Timothy 2:2-10 MSG). You see, intercessory prayer—praying on behalf of other people—is the most powerful thing we can do (James 5:16-18). When we do it, we lay aside our own meager strength and call upon the awesome strength of Almighty God. When we do it, we call forth the most powerful force in the universe and focus its goodness and generosity right onto other people and right into their circumstances.


Take a simple prayer walk—around your neighborhood, praying over each house; around your kids’ schools, praying over each locker; around your workplace, praying over each office and cube. Pray against pain, fear, and darkness. Pray for healing, peace, and light, all in the name of our King, Jesus Christ.

 

[RiverOL]

Come into my house
For reading & meditation: Proverbs 9:1-9
"Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars." (v.1)
We are ready now to begin focusing on our main theme. I would encourage you to read through the whole book of Proverbs, preferably in two or three sittings. This will better prepare you for the meditations that are coming up day by day. Our text for today tells us that wisdom is like a house built on seven pillars. There are two ways of interpreting this text.

One view says that both wisdom and folly have a house to which humankind is invited. Wisdom has a much larger house than folly, being built upon "seven pillars" - a sign in ancient times of wealth, status and prestige. There is no doubt that this is one meaning of the text, but the other view - and this is the one I am following in these studies - is that wisdom has seven major aspects. The book of Proverbs does not state categorically what these seven aspects are, so, based on my study and understanding of this great book, I am going to give you what I consider to be the seven major aspects of wisdom.

Never in the history of the human race have there been so many problems, so much confusion, and so many conflicting philosophies of how to live. Those who lack wisdom do not have the perspectives that enable them to discern the connection between cause and effect and therefore they don't understand what they are stumbling over, or, if they do avoid problems, they don't understand why they avoid them. We need wisdom to live and Proverbs will show us how.

Prayer:
Gracious and loving heavenly Father, my appetite is whetted and now I am ready to begin. Grant that as I expose myself day by day to the truths of Your Word, wisdom may be more deeply imprinted into my spirit. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

 

[RiverOL]

Making Use of What You Have
"What is that in your hand?" God asked Moses.1

At the close of World War II, Jimmy Durante, the famous comedian, was invited to entertain wounded soldiers at a veteran's hospital. He said he would be able to do only one very short routine as he had two radio shows to do that day.

The man who invited him was amazed when Durante didn't rush off but gave three complete routines.

"Why did you stay so long," the man asked, "you've probably missed your radio shows?" Durante answered, "Look at the men and you will see for yourself."

There on the front row were two men, each of whom had lost an arm, who were applauding by clapping their two remaining hands together."

Whether we have little or much doesn't matter in God's economy. What we do with what we have is what counts with him. When we bring what little we have and give that to God for him to use in his plans—and work together—God can do great things with and through us.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, I am available. Please use me today to help lighten another person's load, to encourage a friend, to love my family, to be a witness for you, or in some way to be 'as Jesus' to every person I touch today. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Exodus 4:2.

 

[RiverOL]

The first pillar of wisdom
For reading & meditation: Proverbs 3:1-18
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding '" (v.5)

We turn now to consider the first of the seven pillars on which I believe that wisdom is built - trust. The theme of trust is everywhere in Proverbs; it punctuates almost every passage. The word "trust" itself occurs quite often, the frequency varying according to the translation you read (in the King James Version, for example, "trust" appears ten times) and its synonyms, such as "lean," "acknowledge," "depend," are found scattered through the book. According to Rabbi Bar Kappa, the verse before us today is the pivot around which all the essential principles of Judaism revolve.

He claims that these words summarize the teaching of the whole Old Testament and give a clear focus to the fact that the wise are those who trust God and follow His directions for living. But what exactly is "trust"? How important is it to daily living? Why do the word and its synonyms occur so many times, not only in Proverbs but in other parts of Scripture as well? The dictionary defines trust as "a firm belief in the reliability, honesty, veracity, justice and strength of a person or thing."

Basically "trust" is confidence that what we believe about a person or thing is true. We tend to think of trust as a spiritual quality, but actually it is an essential posture of life for everyone. It would be very difficult to get through a single day without the exercise of trust. All government, all economics, all institutions, all marriages, all relationships between people, are fundamentally governed by trust. We cannot relate well to God or others unless the capacity to trust is present within us.
Prayer:
Father, I see that trust is an essential thread that runs through the whole of living. Teach me that art of trusting, for an art it is. Help me to relax and maintain a complete confidence in You - hour by hour and day by day. Amen.