Words Of Wisdom From The Wisest Man Who Ever Lived

January 15, 2018 by Leave a Comment

wisdom, God's Word, the BibleTradition holds that Solomon, son of David and King of Israel from about 970 – 930BC, was one of the wisest men to have ever lived.  Several Old Testament books were authored by him (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon, also called Song of Songs) and he is also said to have been the wealthiest man to have ever lived.

Despite all of that, the Bible records as many of Solomon’s failings as it does his successes and is very clear that for all of his wisdom, he was a real person with real human flaws.  What is very interesting though, is that when Solomon’s conduct lined up with true Biblical wisdom, he was always successful and prosperous but when he acted selfishly or foolishly it always brought trouble and heartache.

The same holds true for us today.  When we think and act in ways that are wise and true, we will be prosperous and successful.  When we think and act in ways that are selfish or foolish, we will bring trouble and heartache on ourselves and others.  With that in mind, can we look back to some of the wise sayings of Solomon and glean instruction and truth for our lives today?  Absolutely we can!  Solomon’s wisdom was actually Godly wisdom that was granted to Him as a result of prayer (See 1 Kings 3: 6-14) and Godly wisdom never changes or gets stale.  In short, if God said it then we can count on it and build our lives around it.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at a few of my favorite verses from the first few chapters of Proverbs.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7) – Right away Solomon lets us know that our fear (respect, admiration, acknowledgement) of God is the beginning of our search for wisdom and truth.  No wisdom or truth exists without Him and a wise person is the one who has placed their life under the authority and instruction of God Almighty.

For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, Guarding the paths of justice, And He preserves the way of His godly ones. Then you will discern righteousness and justice And equity and every good course. (Proverbs 2: 6-9)  Much of the wisdom of Proverbs is given in “if – then” statements.  As in, “if you do the right thing, then the right result will occur”.  Proverbs 2:6-9 shows us that God grants the knowledge and understanding that we need from His Word.  Furthermore, if we walk in integrity (honesty) He will be our shield and guard and will preserve our way.  And if we do all of that then we will be granted the ability to discern what is right and good every single time (every good course).

Honor the Lord from your wealth And from the first of all your produce; So your barns will be filled with plenty And your vats will overflow with new wine.  (Proverbs 3: 9-10)  Does it ever feel like that you are in a hole (financially speaking) and that you will never be able to climb out of it?  Take heart, here’s your recipe for success!  Give to God off of the top of everything that you bring in, no matter how little it might be.  God will then fill your barns and vats (places of storage, up to and including our savings accounts – you do have a savings account don’t you?) with plenty until they overflow!  So many of us miss this simple commandment and suffer financial misery.  The good news is that it is never too late to start doing the right thing.

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 make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones.  (Proverbs 3: 5 – 8)  Relationships are founded on trust.  To the degree that we trust God, we will follow His instruction and to the degree that we follow His instruction we will be blessed and in turn bless others.  And not only should we trust God with everything but we should do all that we do with an acknowledgement of God as our creator and the source of all wisdom and knowledge.  If we can do that then God will take care of us and fight our battles for us (make our paths straight).

 

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From A Certain Point Of View

January 25, 2016 by 2 Comments

truth, The Bible, teaching, instructionThere’s a movie quote that is relatively famous among folks from my generation.  It’s from the movie “Star Wars” and when Luke Skywalker accuses Obi-wan Kenobi of lying to him about the death of his father (who has become Darth Vader) Obi-Wan responds (and I’m paraphrasing here) “your father ceased to be Anakin Skywalker when he turned to the dark side and took the name Darth Vader.  So what I told you was true, from a certain point of view”.

Far be it from me to teach that truth is relative to our own point of view.  That would be the opposite of what the Bible tells us about truth (that it is absolute and resides in God alone).  However, I believe it is accurate to say that our point of view can be an obstruction in our search for truth and that without the proper perspective we will never attain that which is God’s best for us.

In our example above, Obi-wan chooses to practice deception and because Luke trusts him, he believes the lie that Obi-wan tells him about his father.  While this is an example from fiction, it has relevance to reality.  In life, without proper instruction and guidance we too can very easily trust in the wrong people and the wrong things.  Some of us were simply never taught the truth and are therefore in ignorance.  Others have been taught to believe in lies and actively practice evil because of it.  Regardless of the cause, the effect is the same; lives lived in opposition to the truth of God’s Word.

Even among believers this is a common practice.  I think of the many well-meaning parents out there who love their kids and teens but nevertheless allow them to see movies and television shows that teach a morality that is anything but Godly and to listen to music that encourages rebellion and selfishness.  The message that these young folks are getting is often times much louder and stronger from the worldly side than it is from the little bit of Bible instruction that most believers are giving their kids these days.

Ultimately, we are responsible for those that we influence.  And if we know and have been given the truth then we have a duty and a privilege to first live it and to secondly teach it to those around us.  When we fail in this task the entire body of Christ suffers, and when we succeed the body of Christ is built up in unity.

What then is our answer?  How can we, wherever we are in our walk with the Lord, make sure that our point of view is in agreement with God’s?  The first step would be to pray early and pray often.  Take it to the Lord, always!  The second step is to make sure that we study and get to know God’s Word, the Bible.  We need to read it, we need to pray over it, we need to listen to those who teach it and we need to actively seek out those who would encourage us to learn it.

The fact is, God wants us to know Him and His truth.  He does not desire to hide Himself or the truth of His word from anyone.  But until we are ready to receive His truth and agree with His point of view we will never have His best for us.  We need to pray and ask God to help us to know Him better and for the courage and strength to live by faith according to His Word and the truth contained therein.

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Getting to Know the Good Book

January 11, 2016 by Leave a Comment

The Bible, Bible Study, God's WordI don’t think that it’s a stretch to say that getting to know and love God’s Word is one of the best things that we can do in this life.  The importance of the Bible to a believer can’t be overstated; it is literally our guidebook on how to live, how to act, how to think and most importantly, how to get to know God.

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.  (Romans 10:17) NKJV

The fact that we believe and have faith in God at all is only possible because of His Word.  Our salvation is dependent on it and by it we are given hope, peace, wisdom, truth, instruction and inspiration.  All of this and more God has done for us through His Word and the more we study it and apply it to our lives, the better and more like Him we will be.

As I have read the Bible over the years and spent time listening to other believers, to sermons, to teaching and to hymns, certain verses have become very special and very real to me.  Not a Sunday morning goes by that I don’t get up with a smile on my face and this verse in my head:

(I will) Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.  (Psalm 100:4) NASB

Sunday morning for me means that it is time to go to my church.  It is time to gather with my brothers and sisters in Christ and to hear His Word proclaimed and to be taught and encouraged together.  Sundays are special times, but what about the other days of the week?  Do I have a verse for those?  I do, actually, and I really like it:

This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24) NKJV

Every day is a gift from God!  The Lord has fashioned it, He has made this day for us and we are instructed to rejoice and be glad.  For sure, some days it is easier than others.  But even on the tough days God is still with us, He is still on His throne and still deserves our praise and thanksgiving.  Because I have read and believe His Word to be true, I can then exercise my privilege to praise (and don’t ever forget that it is a privilege to call upon His name and offer Him praise!) despite my circumstances.

 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man or woman of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) NASB

Unless I commit to study and to memorize this amazing document that God has created just for me, I will never be adequate or equipped for His good work.  The same is true for you.  Have you committed His Word to memory?  Have you spent time reading and studying the Bible and do you continue to do so on a daily basis?  If you do, then it will make a powerful difference in your life and in the lives of those around you.  I can think of no better way to start a new year than to spend quality time in God’s amazing Word.

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