This is my final post from our nation's capital, Washington DC. We have truly had a blessed time here including a wonderful Foursquare International Convention.
Today's Reading: Proverbs 25; Proverbs 26; Proverbs 27; Romans 15
Scripture: Proverbs 27:9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one's friend springs from his earnest counsel.
Observation: As I read this verse, I thought of the sweetness of friendship -- and the friends that I love and that love me. I am so blessed to have so many wonderful friends. The best friends are those who tell you the truth and give you "earnest counsel" as this verse puts it.
Application: And then I thought about one friend that always tells me the truth. This friend is always available to me. But this friend never intrudes -- actually there is an occasional intrusion but it is always so timely and so well targeted that it truly fulfills the definition of "earnest counsel." The sweetness of this friendship is real and so valuable that it is something I would not care to live without. And the more time I spend with this friend, the more I feel love for this friend. The friend I am speaking of is the Bible. What a blessed friend the word of God is. Think about it as you reread the verse: "Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one's friend springs from his earnest counsel." I don't know about you but this so connects with me as a perfect fit. This verse describes how the Bible blesses my life as the best of all my earthly friends.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the wonderful friend You are and for the gift of Your word as that friend which always speaks earnest counsel to my soul. Thank You for the comfort, encouragement, love, and gentle correction that come my way so faithfully from Your word. May I take what Your word tells me and work it into my heart, my mind, and all of my life.
This I pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Friday, June 02, 2006
Title: The Happy Teacher / Topic: Discipleship
Posting from our nation's capital, Washington DC, from May 22 through June 3.
Today's Reading: Proverbs 22; Proverbs 23; Proverbs 24; Romans 14
Scripture: Proverbs 23:15-16
My son, if your heart is wise,
then my heart will be glad;
my inmost being will rejoice
when your lips speak what is right.
Observation: The goal of the teacher is for the proper development of the student. Here, the teacher speaks to the student. Here's my paraphrase: "What makes me truly happy is to see you doing well."
Application: So often, people misunderstand the process and purpose of discipleship. They get upset because they view it as the teacher lording it over the student. But it's really not about the teacher at all. A teacher's success is not in the number of people following -- it's in the quality of the people following. Do they demonstrate positive change? Are they growing in excellence of character? A good teacher finds his greatest joy when he sees wisdom in the lives of those he leads -- it makes his "heart glad". And notice that the teacher has a simple way to evaluate the good progress of the followers: "when your lips speak what is right." Listening to the disciples is a key. Many teachers spend all their interactive time talking. It's important to give time to listening. And when the teacher hears the disciple speaking truth, that is when they "speak what is right," he has cause to rejoice.
As a teacher myself, it is one of my greatest joys when I listen to those that I have the privilege to lead, and I observe Godly character and wisdom. What a blessing it is to be used as a vessel to pour out the good things of the Lord to others in such a way that those things become a part of their lives!
Prayer: Lord, thank You for the privilege of being used by You. And thank You for those good teachers You have used to teach me. May I demonstrate Your character by the quality of my life and speech. And may I lead well in Your character, and be used to raise up many whose lives demonstrate who You are.
This I pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
Today's Reading: Proverbs 22; Proverbs 23; Proverbs 24; Romans 14
Scripture: Proverbs 23:15-16
My son, if your heart is wise,
then my heart will be glad;
my inmost being will rejoice
when your lips speak what is right.
Observation: The goal of the teacher is for the proper development of the student. Here, the teacher speaks to the student. Here's my paraphrase: "What makes me truly happy is to see you doing well."
Application: So often, people misunderstand the process and purpose of discipleship. They get upset because they view it as the teacher lording it over the student. But it's really not about the teacher at all. A teacher's success is not in the number of people following -- it's in the quality of the people following. Do they demonstrate positive change? Are they growing in excellence of character? A good teacher finds his greatest joy when he sees wisdom in the lives of those he leads -- it makes his "heart glad". And notice that the teacher has a simple way to evaluate the good progress of the followers: "when your lips speak what is right." Listening to the disciples is a key. Many teachers spend all their interactive time talking. It's important to give time to listening. And when the teacher hears the disciple speaking truth, that is when they "speak what is right," he has cause to rejoice.
As a teacher myself, it is one of my greatest joys when I listen to those that I have the privilege to lead, and I observe Godly character and wisdom. What a blessing it is to be used as a vessel to pour out the good things of the Lord to others in such a way that those things become a part of their lives!
Prayer: Lord, thank You for the privilege of being used by You. And thank You for those good teachers You have used to teach me. May I demonstrate Your character by the quality of my life and speech. And may I lead well in Your character, and be used to raise up many whose lives demonstrate who You are.
This I pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Title: Who Can I Blame? / Topic: Wise Living
Posting from our nation's capital, Washington DC, from May 22 through June 3.
Today's Reading: Proverbs 19; Proverbs 20; Proverbs 21; Romans 13
Scripture: Proverbs 19:3 A man's own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the LORD.
Observation: One of my current "funny statements" is: "happiness is having someone else to blame." The above proverb describes exactly that. Here is a person who has lived a life of folly (that is, "Perilously or criminally foolish action"), and yet blames God for the resultant troubles. How comforting it is to not have to accept responsibility for my life -- but how false! And notice the word "rages". This is a word filled with intensity, with pathos. This person is really angry with God. But the person he should be angry with is himself.
Application: Like me, when you read this verse, you probably have some people come to mind that have chosen to live away from God and the obvious fallout of their lives has been significantly ruinous. But, this verse does not apply only to such people. This verse can apply to the God-fearing person as well! We can operate in folly -- damagingly foolish action in one or more areas of our lives -- that is not obvious to others, or that is at least "more acceptable" in our Christian culture.
Let me draw a contrast. On one hand, let's talk about substance abuse. We would all easily identify an alcohol or cocaine addict as a person living a life of folly. A substance-abuse problem is obviously damaging behavior. But contrast that with a financial problem. it's easy to spend too much, save too little, and fail to plan. And we don't readily consider this to be folly. In fact, many Christians, many of us, are living (present tense) like this.
A significant lack of discipline without correction in any of dozens of areas can bring harm to our lives. Money, food, time, fitness, entertainment, speech, gossip, submission, study, work, relationships, sex, thoughts, and many others are all aspects of life that require discipline. And we can easily be tripped up in them. But the problem is not in the initial tripping, it's in continuing in the "folly".
The key to address this issue is accountability. This has been a buzz word for some time and lots of people talk about it. But few people truly have functional accountability. By that I mean you have people in your life who know and share the values you want in your life and who you have asked to pay attention and intentionally intervene when (not if) you fall short or show signs of wavering. This involves a meddling in the life of someone else and someone else meddling in my life. True accountability is inconvenient, intrusive and uncomfortable. But folly is deadly. So pick your poison. I advise you to seek accountability. It does not happen without work and maintenance. But it is worth it to keep folly out of your life.
Prayer: Lord, help us to gain the full benefit of those You have made available to us. Our brothers and sisters can help us to stay on the path of wisdom and health, but only if we allow them to. Give us courage to risk giving others entry into our personal lives. Give us the awareness of our own weakness and tendency toward folly. And bring to us the right kind of partners to mutually seek Your best in all of our lives.
This I pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
Today's Reading: Proverbs 19; Proverbs 20; Proverbs 21; Romans 13
Scripture: Proverbs 19:3 A man's own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the LORD.
Observation: One of my current "funny statements" is: "happiness is having someone else to blame." The above proverb describes exactly that. Here is a person who has lived a life of folly (that is, "Perilously or criminally foolish action"), and yet blames God for the resultant troubles. How comforting it is to not have to accept responsibility for my life -- but how false! And notice the word "rages". This is a word filled with intensity, with pathos. This person is really angry with God. But the person he should be angry with is himself.
Application: Like me, when you read this verse, you probably have some people come to mind that have chosen to live away from God and the obvious fallout of their lives has been significantly ruinous. But, this verse does not apply only to such people. This verse can apply to the God-fearing person as well! We can operate in folly -- damagingly foolish action in one or more areas of our lives -- that is not obvious to others, or that is at least "more acceptable" in our Christian culture.
Let me draw a contrast. On one hand, let's talk about substance abuse. We would all easily identify an alcohol or cocaine addict as a person living a life of folly. A substance-abuse problem is obviously damaging behavior. But contrast that with a financial problem. it's easy to spend too much, save too little, and fail to plan. And we don't readily consider this to be folly. In fact, many Christians, many of us, are living (present tense) like this.
A significant lack of discipline without correction in any of dozens of areas can bring harm to our lives. Money, food, time, fitness, entertainment, speech, gossip, submission, study, work, relationships, sex, thoughts, and many others are all aspects of life that require discipline. And we can easily be tripped up in them. But the problem is not in the initial tripping, it's in continuing in the "folly".
The key to address this issue is accountability. This has been a buzz word for some time and lots of people talk about it. But few people truly have functional accountability. By that I mean you have people in your life who know and share the values you want in your life and who you have asked to pay attention and intentionally intervene when (not if) you fall short or show signs of wavering. This involves a meddling in the life of someone else and someone else meddling in my life. True accountability is inconvenient, intrusive and uncomfortable. But folly is deadly. So pick your poison. I advise you to seek accountability. It does not happen without work and maintenance. But it is worth it to keep folly out of your life.
Prayer: Lord, help us to gain the full benefit of those You have made available to us. Our brothers and sisters can help us to stay on the path of wisdom and health, but only if we allow them to. Give us courage to risk giving others entry into our personal lives. Give us the awareness of our own weakness and tendency toward folly. And bring to us the right kind of partners to mutually seek Your best in all of our lives.
This I pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Title: Pleasant Words / Topic: How We Speak
Posting from our nation's capital, Washington DC, from May 22 through June 3.
Today's Reading: Proverbs 16; Proverbs 17; Proverbs 18; Romans 12
Scripture: Proverbs 16:24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
Observation: Obscenities are everywhere. In our workplaces, our schools, on our radios and iPods, on TV, in the movies, spray painted on walls and trains, and, most sadly of all, in our own homes. How I long for pleasant words. Just the words pleasant words have a nice something about them. Pleasant words. We could use more.
Application: When this morning's wakeup call came in at 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time (that's 3:00 a.m. Pacific Time), my lovely bride reminded me that I should get up and do my blog. My response to her was terse. "Leave me alone," I snapped. This was the opposite of pleasant words. (As I write, it is about 90 minutes past this exchange and we have patched things up, my having apologized and she having graciously forgiven.) I share this because I did not want to limit the discussion to obscene words only. There is much harsh and ugly communication that contains no obscene language. And it can wound just the same. Our culture is full of it. It is impossible to go through a day without having some hit you.
I ask you to join with me to be kind in your words today. Let us employ pleasant words: words of kindness, love, and healing. Let us fulfill the second commandment by loving others with our words.
Prayer: Lord, You are the Father of all of us. And we are all Your dear children. How it must hurt You to hear how we speak to one another. Help us to honor our heritage as Your children and those made in Your image and likeness. May we only speak to one another as You would, with love, respect, and care. Help us to promote healing, love, and wholeness with the words that proceed out of our lips.
This I pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
Today's Reading: Proverbs 16; Proverbs 17; Proverbs 18; Romans 12
Scripture: Proverbs 16:24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
Observation: Obscenities are everywhere. In our workplaces, our schools, on our radios and iPods, on TV, in the movies, spray painted on walls and trains, and, most sadly of all, in our own homes. How I long for pleasant words. Just the words pleasant words have a nice something about them. Pleasant words. We could use more.
Application: When this morning's wakeup call came in at 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time (that's 3:00 a.m. Pacific Time), my lovely bride reminded me that I should get up and do my blog. My response to her was terse. "Leave me alone," I snapped. This was the opposite of pleasant words. (As I write, it is about 90 minutes past this exchange and we have patched things up, my having apologized and she having graciously forgiven.) I share this because I did not want to limit the discussion to obscene words only. There is much harsh and ugly communication that contains no obscene language. And it can wound just the same. Our culture is full of it. It is impossible to go through a day without having some hit you.
I ask you to join with me to be kind in your words today. Let us employ pleasant words: words of kindness, love, and healing. Let us fulfill the second commandment by loving others with our words.
Prayer: Lord, You are the Father of all of us. And we are all Your dear children. How it must hurt You to hear how we speak to one another. Help us to honor our heritage as Your children and those made in Your image and likeness. May we only speak to one another as You would, with love, respect, and care. Help us to promote healing, love, and wholeness with the words that proceed out of our lips.
This I pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Title: Think Before You Speak / Topic: Wisdom
Posting from our nation's capital, Washington DC, from May 22 through June 3.
Today's Reading: Proverbs 13; Proverbs 14; Proverbs 15; Romans 11
Scripture: Proverbs 15: 28 The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.
Observation: I just love these chapters in Proverbs. They are full of simple, yet profound, sayings. Here is one of my favorites. It tells us that the way we talk can be a measure of our righteousness/wickedness. It is good to think before you speak. It is bad to just run off at the mouth.
Application: So think before you speak. My mom has the following written in here Bible: "better to be silent and thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt." It's funny, but true. The truth that Solomon communicates here is that righteous lives bear certain characteristics. Pay attention to what the characteristics of your life say.
Prayer: Lord, I ask You to give us wisdom to be wise in the way we speak. Help us to give thought to our words -- to think before we speak and to speak the words that would honor You.
This I pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
Today's Reading: Proverbs 13; Proverbs 14; Proverbs 15; Romans 11
Scripture: Proverbs 15: 28 The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.
Observation: I just love these chapters in Proverbs. They are full of simple, yet profound, sayings. Here is one of my favorites. It tells us that the way we talk can be a measure of our righteousness/wickedness. It is good to think before you speak. It is bad to just run off at the mouth.
Application: So think before you speak. My mom has the following written in here Bible: "better to be silent and thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt." It's funny, but true. The truth that Solomon communicates here is that righteous lives bear certain characteristics. Pay attention to what the characteristics of your life say.
Prayer: Lord, I ask You to give us wisdom to be wise in the way we speak. Help us to give thought to our words -- to think before we speak and to speak the words that would honor You.
This I pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
Monday, May 29, 2006
Title: Discipline & Knowledge / Topic: Wisdom
Posting from our nation's capital, Washington DC, from May 22 through June 3.
Today's Reading: Proverbs 10; Proverbs 11; Proverbs 12; Romans 10
Scripture: Proverbs 12:1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.
Observation: What a great verse! Solomon tells it like it is. There is a link between discipline and learning. By discipline, Solomon means the consequences and/or corrections that result from errors. We learn that from the second half of the verse, "he who hates correction is stupid." Solomon says, "if you hate to be corrected, you are stupid." Why? Because you don't learn from your mistakes. And if you don't learn from your mistakes, you keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again without learning anything and that is certainly stupid!
Application: Correction isn't easy to take -- listening to others tell you where you went wrong isn't fun. But when you realize that benefit can be had by receiving correction, you want to listen. Embrace discipline, all kinds, and wisdom can result. If you want to stay the same (i.e. stupid), reject discipline in all its forms.
Prayer: Lord, thank You that You are faithful to bring us all opportunities to grow by sending people into our lives with insight and input that can help us to learn and improve. May we be good listeners and receive discipline in our lives as a gift from You.
This I pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
Today's Reading: Proverbs 10; Proverbs 11; Proverbs 12; Romans 10
Scripture: Proverbs 12:1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.
Observation: What a great verse! Solomon tells it like it is. There is a link between discipline and learning. By discipline, Solomon means the consequences and/or corrections that result from errors. We learn that from the second half of the verse, "he who hates correction is stupid." Solomon says, "if you hate to be corrected, you are stupid." Why? Because you don't learn from your mistakes. And if you don't learn from your mistakes, you keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again without learning anything and that is certainly stupid!
Application: Correction isn't easy to take -- listening to others tell you where you went wrong isn't fun. But when you realize that benefit can be had by receiving correction, you want to listen. Embrace discipline, all kinds, and wisdom can result. If you want to stay the same (i.e. stupid), reject discipline in all its forms.
Prayer: Lord, thank You that You are faithful to bring us all opportunities to grow by sending people into our lives with insight and input that can help us to learn and improve. May we be good listeners and receive discipline in our lives as a gift from You.
This I pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Title: Good Fear -- Good Hate / Topic: Godly Living
Posting from our nation's capital, Washington DC, from May 22 through June 3.
Today's Reading: Proverbs 7; Proverbs 8; Proverbs 9; Romans 9
Scripture: Proverbs 8:13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.
Observation: Fear and hate. Things to avoid, right? Apparently not. We are to "fear the Lord." And if we do that, we will "hate evil." The proverb goes on to further define evil: "pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech." Notice the link between wrong attitudes ("pride and arrogance"), bad language ("perverse speech"), and evil action ("evil behavior"). This linkage is unbreakable. One of the reasons that I am so concerned about today's young people is the fact that pride and arrogance and perverse speech are their stock in trade. Evil behavior cannot help but follow.
Application: And how about our own lives? Don't we often think that we can engage in wrong attitudes and bad language without the corresponding evil behavior? We must apply comprehensive cleansing of our lives -- attitudes, thoughts, words, and actions -- to really live pure and clean before the Lord. So many people struggle with living fully for God. I believe that's because they have allowed "little sins" of attitude and language to continue, thinking that these wouldn't corrupt them. But it is not true. "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows." We need to learn what "the fear of the Lord" truly is and fully walk in it.
Prayer: Lord, help us to root the bad out of our lives: pride, arrogance, bad words, evil thoughts, hurtful action, and all sin. May we get it all out. Help us to see it, identify it, confess it, and bring it before Your throne of grace so that we may be free. Lord, we want to embrace You and to know what it is to fear You rightly that we may properly hate evil and thus be enabled to receive all the good that You have for us.
This I pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
Today's Reading: Proverbs 7; Proverbs 8; Proverbs 9; Romans 9
Scripture: Proverbs 8:13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.
Observation: Fear and hate. Things to avoid, right? Apparently not. We are to "fear the Lord." And if we do that, we will "hate evil." The proverb goes on to further define evil: "pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech." Notice the link between wrong attitudes ("pride and arrogance"), bad language ("perverse speech"), and evil action ("evil behavior"). This linkage is unbreakable. One of the reasons that I am so concerned about today's young people is the fact that pride and arrogance and perverse speech are their stock in trade. Evil behavior cannot help but follow.
Application: And how about our own lives? Don't we often think that we can engage in wrong attitudes and bad language without the corresponding evil behavior? We must apply comprehensive cleansing of our lives -- attitudes, thoughts, words, and actions -- to really live pure and clean before the Lord. So many people struggle with living fully for God. I believe that's because they have allowed "little sins" of attitude and language to continue, thinking that these wouldn't corrupt them. But it is not true. "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows." We need to learn what "the fear of the Lord" truly is and fully walk in it.
Prayer: Lord, help us to root the bad out of our lives: pride, arrogance, bad words, evil thoughts, hurtful action, and all sin. May we get it all out. Help us to see it, identify it, confess it, and bring it before Your throne of grace so that we may be free. Lord, we want to embrace You and to know what it is to fear You rightly that we may properly hate evil and thus be enabled to receive all the good that You have for us.
This I pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
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