Tag Archives: Proverbs

Apr 23 2013

Proverbs 24 – Precious and Pleasant Riches

family-002By wisdom a house is built,
and by understanding it is established;
by knowledge the rooms are filled
with all precious and pleasant riches.

Clearly the wisdom referred to here is that which is gained from knowledge of the Lord through His word.  Through studying God’s word, one gains the understanding to avoid building “on the sand” (Matthew 7:24-27).    God has given us the plans for the architecture, the answers to the important questions of life – how to live one’s life, how to treat our husbands and wives, how to raise our children, and how to love one another.  Knowledge and application of all these things will surely fill our homes with precious and pleasant riches; and such knowledge is therefore, by example and instruction, passed down to our children and their children, even though they dwell in a wicked world.  These rooms are a more precious gift for our heirs than any worldly wealth.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Apr 16 2013

Proverbs 23 – Buy Truth

At first glance, verse 23 of this chapter seems odd and I actually have given it little thought in the past:

Buy truth, and do not sell it;
buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding

The meaning of this may be obvious to some, but it was not so to me. Acquiring wisdom, instruction, understanding, and especially truth – even at great cost – is certainly advisable, desirable, and to be cherished.  We search diligently for the truth because that is the way of the Lord.  But what is meant by “do not sell it?”  I think it means that we should not let go of truth.  We should not turn away from it, compromise it, and we certainly should not not allow it to be taken from us or perverted – not at any price.

sun-001The price of truth may seem high at times.  It sometimes costs people in terms of relationships – not everyone likes the truth, so they will not acknowledge it.  The truth is light, and those who dwell in darkness hate the light (John 3:20).  It will certainly at times cost us in terms of earthly pleasures.  It has cost people their jobs, their freedom – even in our time.  It cost Stephen and many other Christians their lives (Acts 7:51-60, Romans 8:36).  The truth is not always popular with others, but we as His priests (1 Peter 2:9), are commanded to always speak it to others.  The key is to do as as Ephesians 4:15 says: “speaking the truth in love.”

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Apr 14 2013

Understanding the Cross of Christ – Part 5 (The Anointed One and His Sacrifice)

This series began in Part One as a search for a more meaningful answer to an aspiring young Christian’s question: “Why did God send His only son to die?”  The short answer “to save us from our sins,” while correct, really only serves to raise more questions.  In part 2, we looked at what sin is, why it matters so much to God, and why it should matter to us.  In part 3, we delved into God’s response to sin.  In all of that discussion, we have made great mention of the fact that God has a plan for our salvation.  In part 4, we looked at how Jesus really fits into that plan.  But what were God’s people looking for in a Messiah?  And why did God plan such a horrible death for Him?

The “Missed” Messiah

John 1:29-41

John the Baptist told his disciples that Jesus was the Lamb of God, the Messiah, God’s Son, who would give his life for his followers — John 1:29-41

The Jews had been waiting for the Messiah to come for thousands of years.  But what kind of Messiah were they expecting – especially during the time that Jesus actually did come?  By and large, what many of them were hungry for in a Messiah was one that would lead Israel to greatness as a power in the world.  After all, he was to be the son of David.  They wanted him to be a great military leader that would first defeat the Romans who ruled and oppressed them.

But for people at that time,  getting them out from under the thumb of Roman rule was just the beginning.  They wanted a king that would eventually lead them to be the kind of power in the world that Israel enjoyed being during the reign of David – mighty and feared – possibly even to replace the Romans as the great power of the world.

In Matthew 2:1-5, when Herod learned of the birth of the Christ, the chief priests and scribes quoted Micah 5:2 in Matthew 2:6, saying:

“And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.”

So Herod feared for his position, because he too assumed this Messiah would be a king of an earthly kingdom.  In John 6:15, when Jesus was at the height of his popularity with the people, the multitudes were ready to make that kingship a reality in their own way:

“Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.”

And in Acts 1:6, just before Jesus ascended to heaven, the apostles (not yet having received the Holy Spirit) demonstrated that they still didn’t “get it” either: (“So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’”).  So focused were so many of the people of that time on an earthly kingship for the Messiah, that they overlooked completely prophecies such as that of the “Suffering Servant” in Isaiah 53 or others such as Psalm 16:8-11 (“you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption”) that clearly predicted a different course for God’s anointed.

Sadly, many of those who longed most for the coming of the Messiah completely missed Him, when he was right under their very noses.

Why Death on a Cross?

Although the crucifixion of Jesus is the most famous of all time, it was not an uncommon means of execution from about 500 BC until the 4th century AD – one that was used by the Romans, certain Greek-Macedonian states, and the Carthaginian empire, to name a few.  The Jews of Jesus’ time would have been very familiar with this means of execution.  This brutal and very public display of execution was usually reserved for those who committed the most heinous of crimes.  It was abolished by Emperor Constantine I in about 337 AD.

English: The Crucifixion, Genoa Svenska: "...

English: The Crucifixion, Genoa Svenska: “Korsfästelsen”. Chiesa del Gesù, Genua. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

So with respect to fulfilling the Scriptures concerning the suffering that the Messiah would have to endure, crucifixion fit into that plan perfectly, as only an execution inflicted with torture could.  A quick death by some other means (such as beheading in the case of the apostle James (Acts 12:1-5) ), while certainly painful, would not serve to accomplish the intense suffering prophesied in such passages as in Isaiah 53, nor the wounding predicted in that same passage and others such as Zechariah 12:10.  Accompanied by the beatings and scourging (Matthew 27:25-26, John 19:1), it also fulfilled the prophecy in Isaiah 52:13-14 of the Messiah being so disfigured from them that He was hardly recognizable.  Moreover, being “lifted up” on the cross was the fate Jesus prophesied for Himself (John 3:14-15, Matthew 20:17-19, John 8:28), as well as that prophesied in Isaiah 52:13.

What Did the Death of Jesus Really Cost?

It is important to understand how much love was involved in the sacrifice of Jesus on that cross.  Almost everyone in our society has at least heard John 3:16 quoted (“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”).  But how often is that verse quoted without much thought behind it?   After all, He was the Son of God, right?  It is easy to forget how much He gave up, and how human He became for us.  To be sure, God reveals to us what we need to know, but He does not reveal everything there is to know about many things; and that includes His relationship as the Father to Jesus as the Son.

Jesus clearly speaks of himself and God as separate entities (John 5:30).  God also does the same in such verses as Matthew 3:16-17 (“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”).   Yet John 1:1 makes it clear that Jesus (“the Word”) was God.  Peter (2 Peter 1:1) and Paul (Titus 2:11-13) both tell us that Jesus is “God and Savior.”  Philippians 2:5-6 speaks of Jesus having been in the form of God and having equality with God.  Even Thomas, having his doubt removed after the resurrection, recognized this as he exclaimed in John 20:28, “My Lord and my God!”   So the answer, in our limited ability to understand such things, is that Jesus was both God and a separate being – the Son.

The relevance of all of this to the willing sacrifice of Jesus is that God’s love for us prompted Him to have His only Son – and in a very real sense (the depths of which we cannot fully understand) a part of Himself – to come into this world as a physical man, to live and love as a man, to feel pain and sorrow just as we do, and to suffer and die a cruel and tortuous death at the hands of the very people He was trying to save.

In Part 6, we will conclude this series with a look at more of what Jesus’ death and resurrection accomplished, as well as what is required of us to gain our salvation.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
image © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Apr 9 2013

Proverbs 22 – Riches, Honor, and Life

We have mentioned before that reading the book of Proverbs can be challenging (see previous post).  That it contains great wisdom is unquestionable, but one of the many mistakes made easily is to draw faulty conclusions about general truths.  This is often done with passages in both the Old and New Testaments that may appear to some to predict financial gain for godly behavior, as in verse 9 (Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor).   Being generous with the poor will result in being blessed indeed.  But the richness that such actions results in is more often of a different type of blessing.  Take verse 4 of this chapter for example:

The reward for humility and fear of the Lord
is riches and honor and life.

Gold_BarsIt should be obvious that being modest and respectful and living a godly life does not guarantee one wealth in return.  Matthew Henry said it best: “Where the fear of God is, there will be humility. And much is to be enjoyed by it; spiritual riches, and eternal life at last.”

More often than not, generosity, good character, and doing the right thing bring richness of life in and of themselves in the form of spirituality.  Those who truly practice it have learned that it is so.  Verse one sets the tone as far as we are concerned:

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
and favor is better than silver or gold.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Apr 2 2013

Proverbs 21 – Refusing Justice

Charles Manson

Charles Manson

This chapter is laden with proverbs concerning righteousness, justice, and evil.  Consider verses 7 and 10:

The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,
because they refuse to do what is just.

The soul of the wicked desires evil;
his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.

That there are people in this world that are simply evil is demonstrated to us at various times in our lives, but it often takes by surprise nonetheless.  We want to believe in the inherent good of man for the most part, and are sometimes shocked at how easily some can do evil – from the fearless and brazen thief to the cold calculating killer, our faith in humanity sometimes gets shaken as we learn of someone who has behaved with depravity, sometimes for years on end.

Osama Bin Laden

Osama Bin Laden

The truth is that there are wicked people who do horrible things not because they just cannot help themselves, but instead they do so eagerly and without remorse.  They have no mercy on their fellow man because they are ruthless.  But such evil will not escape punishment forever.  Eventually, their evil and violence will destroy them.  God wants everyone to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4).  But not everyone will be.  And so, there is no shame for us in the truth of verse 15:

When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous
but terror to evildoers.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Mar 26 2013

Proverbs 20 – Like Deep Water

Sometimes the proverbs of these chapters come at us so fast that our eyes want to glaze over, and we can miss any point whatsoever quite easily in any one of them.  Then we read the same set on another occasion, and something just clicks, and we so “oh yeah…i think I get it now!”  Verse 5 of this chapter was one such proverb for me:

“The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water,
but a man of understanding will draw it out.”

Humpback_WhaleSolomon presses us in these proverbs, particularly in the first few chapters, to pray for and to seek wisdom for many good reasons.  One of those reasons is to gain a deeper understanding of life, and of the heart.  Along those lines, so many of these proverbs speak of the value and wisdom to be gained by just listening.  By listening to others, we gain experience with the ways of the mind and of the heart – we acquire understanding.  The reference to deep water here is to say that what lies at the heart of a man’s (or a woman’s) intentions, desires, or even something that may really be bothering them is sometime not so obvious.

But by learning to listen, we can also learn what questions to ask to get to the heart of the matter.  And if the heart is up to no good, that will come out as well.  How do we know what questions to ask?  We ask those questions that help us gain a better understanding of what we are listening to.  And how does this help us with our walk with God?  If we truly are to love our neighbor, we must care enough about him to seek some insight into his heart.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Mar 19 2013

Proverbs 19 – A Man’s Folly

The first of the verses of this chapter of Proverbs that caught our eye as real wisdom is verse 3:

When a man’s folly brings his way to ruin,
his heart rages against the Lord

Don’t misunderstand this post.  As the Book of Job eloquently points out, man’s troubles are not always brought about by his own actions.  But most of us have known someone – maybe you even know someone now – who fits the description of this verse.  The person I am speaking of has either done something foolish, or lived a life of sin – or often, both of these.  Now their deeds have caught up with them in their life, and the consequences they are having to live with are great.  Perhaps it has resulted in trouble with the law, their marriage, financial devastation.  Maybe their health is bad due to a life of fast living and sinful self-indulgence.

jailBut instead of recognizing that most of what has come to pass in their life is self-inflicted, they instead rail against the Lord.  I have known people in this position who loudly proclaim that no just God would allow such things to happen to them, and they shake their fists at the heavens.  How tragic and ironic that we are inclined to blame our Creator for such trials in our lives, when He is precisely the one we need at those times – not to mention the fact that such trials will not have the opportunity to have their effect of building our strength and character as James advised (James 1:2-4) in that frame of mind.  It is a lose/lose situation.

We begin to overcome our own folly only after we come to recognize it for what it is, resolve to change, give ourselves over to serve the Lord, and allow Him to strengthen us day by day.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Mar 12 2013

Proverbs 18 – Restore My Soul

Proverbs 18:14 speaks truly:

A man’s spirit will endure sickness,
but a crushed spirit who can bear?

Have you ever felt totally defeated?  Have you ever thought that if only there were someone to whom you could wave a white flag, you would be perfectly willing to surrender?  When the spirit is crushed, the whole of life can feel like it is too much to bear.  So what do you do?

depressionLearning to “surrender all” to Jesus is not easy.  It goes against everything we have been trained to do all of our lives.  We are taught to pull ourselves up “by our bootstraps.”  We’re trained to find solutions to problems, and then to implement them.  Do not misunderstand me, God does not want us to sit around and just expect that He is going to fix all of our problems for us.  Quite the contrary.  But we must learn that there is a limit to our abilities.  There are always going to be things that are beyond our control.  How about a plan?

1.  Talk to God each and every day.  Find your quiet place and your quiet time.  Perhaps you can take a walk by yourself – just you and the Lord.  Ask Him for His wisdom in knowing what you can and must do, and for His help in getting those things done.

2.  Spend time each day in God’s word.  God speaks to us through His word.  You will not find each and every time you read that there is that one magical verse that will give you insight and clarity of thought.  But by training yourself to let Him speak to you, you will receive the grace of His knowledge over time.  He has promised that He will not withhold from us the wisdom that we need.

3. This is the hardest one (for me), but the most important.  Realize that there is a point at which you have done all that you can do.  You have sought His wisdom.  You have talked with Him and bared your soul concerning your burdens.  And just as importantly, you trust Him to take care of the rest.  You trust that whatever happens next, God will not forsake you.  He will carry His sheep like the good shepherd He is, and with His help, – come what may, you can bear it.

Three scriptures, a song and a prayer for the weary soul

Psalm 55:22 – “Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you”

1 Peter 5:6-7 – Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you

Philippians 4:4-7 – Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The song – a special prayer to the Lord

Restore My Soul

Restore my spirit, Lord, I need restored.
My heart is weary, please help me, dear Lord.
I stand in need of more strength from Your Word,
Renew my love, rebuild my faith,
O restore my soul.

Revive the fire, Lord, deep in my soul.
Stir my desire to work in Your fold.
Light in my heart, dear God, my zeal grown cold.
Renew my love, rebuild my faith,
O restore my soul.

Renew my courage, Lord, it needs restored.
My cup is empty, refill it, dear Lord.
Replace all doubt and fear with faith so bold.
Renew my love, rebuild my faith,
O restore my soul.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Mar 5 2013

Proverbs 17 – The Lord Tests hearts

crucible

Proverbs 17:3: “The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the Lord tests hearts.”

A crucible is a container that is used to melt metal on a furnace. A crucible for silver would usually be made of clay/graphite, and would have to withstand extremely high temperatures, possibly ranging from 1800 – 2500 degrees Fahrenheit.  In the process of refining these precious metals, the impurities float to the surface as “dross” where they can be removed.  The extreme heat makes the precious metals better – richer, and even more pure.

The Lord does test our hearts (1 Chronicles 29:17), for He looks upon man in a different way than other men do (1 Samuel 16:7).  And James tells us that we should “count it all joy” when we encounter trials (James 1:2-4).  So what do we do when those times of trial seem too much to bear?

Ahhh… that’s the part that is most difficult to accept, at least it is for this blogger.  Let’s look closely at what James says in verses 5-8:

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

Most of my life, I have failed to put verses 5-8 together with verses 4-6.  James is trying to tell us that if we do not know how to “let steadfastness have its full effect,” if we do not seem to be able to cope -to stand the heat, we should ask for God to give us the wisdom to do so.  He has promised to give it “without reproach.”  And God always keeps His promises.  That means He does not disapprove of our asking for it.  He will not chastise us for our weakness, nor will he belittle us for any ineptitude on our part.  But we must ask with faith, not just believing, but knowing that God will deliver that wisdom to us.  That is the kind of faith for which I must continually pray.  I am still working on it.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Feb 26 2013

Proverbs 16 – Commit Your Work to the Lord

“All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,

but the Lord weighs the spirit.”  (Proverbs 16:2)

English: Head-piece to the first epistle of Pa...

English: Head-piece to the first epistle of Paul the apostle to the Corinthians, vignette with water pouring from a crucifix standing over a flaming bowl on a ledge with grain in clouds; letterpress in two columns below and on verso. 1800. Inscriptions: Lettered below image with production detail: “P J de Loutherbourg invt et delt”, “J. Heath direx”. Print made by James Heath. Dimensions: height: 480 millimetres; width: 380 millimetres. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Nobody I know begins their day with the intention of conducting themselves in their daily routine in a manner that will be harmful to others, or displeasing to the Lord.  This is not to say that none of us ever do wrong willfully, but most of the time we believe that we are doing what is right.  Being pure of actions in our own eyes can also mean that we try to get what we need, and do what we must, with as little thought to others as possible.  But Paul says in 1 Corinthians 4:4:

For I am not aware of anything against myself,

but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.

So how then should we go about our business?  The answer comes in verse three:

Commit your work to the Lord,

and your plans will be established.

If we begin each day in prayer to God for His divine guidance to direct our hearts in conducting our daily affairs, He will not withhold the wisdom we need in doing so.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________

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some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.