“Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.” (Proverbs 5:18-19).
When God gives a man a godly wife to be his helpmate, he should rejoice in her all the days of his life. When a man and woman marry, they make a covenant before God and men to love, honor and cherish one another until death separates them. They become one flesh when they unite in sexual union, and a spiritual bond is established. “Therefore
shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24). “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” (Matthew 19:6). God hates divorce, and he hates when men mistreat their wives and take them for granted. In Israel, during the time of the prophets, men divorced the wives of their youth so that they could marry younger wives. (This is not a new occurrence.) “The Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.” (Malachi 2:14). These men dishonored their wives and themselves by not cherishing the gift God had given them. “Whose findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord.” (Proverbs 18:22). There is nothing wrong with enjoying the sexual pleasures that God has ordained for husbands and wives; however, we should not view our wives as mere sexual objects for our own gratification. God instructs husbands to be ravished always with her love and to love her as Christ loved the Church. This kind of love is unconditional and eternal. God enables us to have this kind of love for our wives.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Desiring God's Wisdom
“Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman: That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.” (Proverbs 7: 4-5).
Wisdom and understanding must be embraced and held dear to us if we are to continue our quest toward godly manhood. There have been many times in my life when I outwardly professed a desire to gain godly wisdom and understanding, but inwardly, I was scared to receive it. What if I couldn’t live up to what God expected? What I feared the most, though, was how God’s wisdom and revelation would affect my status quo. I was in a comfort zone in my spiritual walk, and although God prodded me and encouraged me to take a step of faith, He didn’t push me off the cliff. God wants nothing more than to give us His wisdom, but He requires that we ask of Him and He will give it liberally. “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” (James 1: 5-6). Wisdom and understanding will keep us from temptation; they will give discernment to help us see with spiritual eyes; they will expose the hidden agendas and motivations of others; they will reveal the consequences of giving into temptation; they will show us the way out that God always provides. We desperately need wisdom and understanding from God, if we are to stay on course in our journey. May we ask God for these gifts in faith and use them judiciously.
Wisdom and understanding must be embraced and held dear to us if we are to continue our quest toward godly manhood. There have been many times in my life when I outwardly professed a desire to gain godly wisdom and understanding, but inwardly, I was scared to receive it. What if I couldn’t live up to what God expected? What I feared the most, though, was how God’s wisdom and revelation would affect my status quo. I was in a comfort zone in my spiritual walk, and although God prodded me and encouraged me to take a step of faith, He didn’t push me off the cliff. God wants nothing more than to give us His wisdom, but He requires that we ask of Him and He will give it liberally. “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” (James 1: 5-6). Wisdom and understanding will keep us from temptation; they will give discernment to help us see with spiritual eyes; they will expose the hidden agendas and motivations of others; they will reveal the consequences of giving into temptation; they will show us the way out that God always provides. We desperately need wisdom and understanding from God, if we are to stay on course in our journey. May we ask God for these gifts in faith and use them judiciously.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Men of Integrity
“He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.” (Proverbs 10:4).
When someone is deceitful in their business practices, it is usually because they are trying to get ahead. The practice of imbalanced scales was popular in Biblical times. If you bought a pound of flour, an underhanded vendor might give you fourteen ounces. Over the course of an entire day, he could have an entire sack of flour available to sell the next day, as a result of cheating his customers. God says that although ungodly men use such deceptive tactics in an attempt to become rich, they will become poor instead. A man who is honest in his business practices will become rich financially, but more importantly, he will become rich in integrity, character and faithful customers. In Strong’s, the word slack is translated not only as deceitful but also slothful. “He becometh poor that dealeth with a [slothful] hand.” As men of God, one of our primary responsibilities is to provide for our families. We are not to be lazy and indolent, expecting God to feed us by the ravens, spiritually speaking. God does not often supernaturally intervene when He has given us the tools and abilities to provide for ourselves. Even though there are occasions when divine intervention is necessary, God expects us to use the resources He has given us. “Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.” (Proverbs 19:15). Paul told the church at Thessalonica: “If any would not work, neither should he eat.’ (II Thessalonians 3:10). Godly men, be responsible; be honest; be diligent; be determined and be men of integrity.
When someone is deceitful in their business practices, it is usually because they are trying to get ahead. The practice of imbalanced scales was popular in Biblical times. If you bought a pound of flour, an underhanded vendor might give you fourteen ounces. Over the course of an entire day, he could have an entire sack of flour available to sell the next day, as a result of cheating his customers. God says that although ungodly men use such deceptive tactics in an attempt to become rich, they will become poor instead. A man who is honest in his business practices will become rich financially, but more importantly, he will become rich in integrity, character and faithful customers. In Strong’s, the word slack is translated not only as deceitful but also slothful. “He becometh poor that dealeth with a [slothful] hand.” As men of God, one of our primary responsibilities is to provide for our families. We are not to be lazy and indolent, expecting God to feed us by the ravens, spiritually speaking. God does not often supernaturally intervene when He has given us the tools and abilities to provide for ourselves. Even though there are occasions when divine intervention is necessary, God expects us to use the resources He has given us. “Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.” (Proverbs 19:15). Paul told the church at Thessalonica: “If any would not work, neither should he eat.’ (II Thessalonians 3:10). Godly men, be responsible; be honest; be diligent; be determined and be men of integrity.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Pride
“These six things doth the Lord hate; yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A PROUD LOOK, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood.” (Proverbs 6: 16-17).
The Lord hates a proud look because it is outward evidence of an inward sickness. Pride is a disease that consumes our very souls. It affects everything: how we perceive God, how we interact with Him, how we treat our fellow man, how we respond to difficulties in life and how we think of ourselves more highly than we should. A proud look reveals that we feel that we are better than others. This attitude angers God, because in doing so, we exalt ourselves above others. Make no mistake, the Lord said that He will abase those that exalt themselves and exalt men who humble themselves. (Matthew 23:12). Jesus spoke these words to the Pharisees, who considered themselves to be the religious and holy elite of God. However, Jesus called them hypocrites, fools, blind, serpents and generations of vipers-among others names. Oftentimes, our perception of who is holy and God’s viewpoint is strikingly different. “The Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” (I Samuel 16:7). God knows if we are truly humble in heart or if we have false piety. Godly men, the Lord hates a proud look. Pride will prevent us from becoming the men He intends for us to be. Pride will keep us from treating others with grace and mercy, and it will cause us to keep our eyes focused on ourselves instead of on the Lord.
The Lord hates a proud look because it is outward evidence of an inward sickness. Pride is a disease that consumes our very souls. It affects everything: how we perceive God, how we interact with Him, how we treat our fellow man, how we respond to difficulties in life and how we think of ourselves more highly than we should. A proud look reveals that we feel that we are better than others. This attitude angers God, because in doing so, we exalt ourselves above others. Make no mistake, the Lord said that He will abase those that exalt themselves and exalt men who humble themselves. (Matthew 23:12). Jesus spoke these words to the Pharisees, who considered themselves to be the religious and holy elite of God. However, Jesus called them hypocrites, fools, blind, serpents and generations of vipers-among others names. Oftentimes, our perception of who is holy and God’s viewpoint is strikingly different. “The Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” (I Samuel 16:7). God knows if we are truly humble in heart or if we have false piety. Godly men, the Lord hates a proud look. Pride will prevent us from becoming the men He intends for us to be. Pride will keep us from treating others with grace and mercy, and it will cause us to keep our eyes focused on ourselves instead of on the Lord.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Out of the Heart the Mouth Speaks
“Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.” (Proverbs 4:24).
Once we become followers of Christ, there will be many aspects of our lives that need to be cleansed. Old habits have to be abandoned and mental strong holds that we have built for years have to be torn down. Many of these negative areas are miraculously demolished at the moment of our new birth; but other quirks in our personality are still frustratingly apparent (often to others as well as us). When I surrendered my life to the Lord, certain shackles and strongholds in my life were immediately broken, while in others areas I continued to struggle. One of the most obvious areas in need of transformation was my temper. I had possessed an out-of-control temper since I was a child. It took several years of constant work by the Holy Spirit before transformation occurred in this aspect of my life. One area I see many Christian men struggle with is the mouth. We are to put away a froward (contrary; ornery; stubborn) mouth, and perverse (corrupt; degenerate; wicked) lips put far from thee. “The mouth of fools poureth out foolishness” (Proverbs 15:2). We have a responsibility to control our mouth. When our heart is not right with the Lord and our spiritual life is stagnant, our mouth is the first to give us away. Our speech becomes peppered with complaints, bitterness, murmurings, resentment, pride, contempt and anger. Godly men, we must keep our mouths in constant check and allow the Holy Spirit to tame our tongue.
Once we become followers of Christ, there will be many aspects of our lives that need to be cleansed. Old habits have to be abandoned and mental strong holds that we have built for years have to be torn down. Many of these negative areas are miraculously demolished at the moment of our new birth; but other quirks in our personality are still frustratingly apparent (often to others as well as us). When I surrendered my life to the Lord, certain shackles and strongholds in my life were immediately broken, while in others areas I continued to struggle. One of the most obvious areas in need of transformation was my temper. I had possessed an out-of-control temper since I was a child. It took several years of constant work by the Holy Spirit before transformation occurred in this aspect of my life. One area I see many Christian men struggle with is the mouth. We are to put away a froward (contrary; ornery; stubborn) mouth, and perverse (corrupt; degenerate; wicked) lips put far from thee. “The mouth of fools poureth out foolishness” (Proverbs 15:2). We have a responsibility to control our mouth. When our heart is not right with the Lord and our spiritual life is stagnant, our mouth is the first to give us away. Our speech becomes peppered with complaints, bitterness, murmurings, resentment, pride, contempt and anger. Godly men, we must keep our mouths in constant check and allow the Holy Spirit to tame our tongue.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Watch Your Step
“My son attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.” (Proverbs 4: 20-22).
In our journey to become godly men, we are always aware of the big pit falls that hinder us in reaching our goal; however, we fail to realize that it is our failure to be faithful in the little things that becomes our undoing. As we neglect the fundamentals and foundation of our walk with the Lord: prayer, spending time in the Word, fellowshipping with the Lord and other believers, we cease to feed our spirit man and the carnal man takes over. For men, the eyes are the gate to our souls. In Psalm 141:8, David said: “But mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.” He also states in Psalms 101:3: “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes.” David instructed his son Solomon not to let God’s truth depart from his eyes. As we meditate on God’s Word and the ways of God, the Holy Spirit writes these truths upon our hearts. They are there for us to draw upon when we need them. Men of God, we must be faithful in the small things. As we go about our daily activities, may God help us to be constantly aware of the things we allow access to our souls.
In our journey to become godly men, we are always aware of the big pit falls that hinder us in reaching our goal; however, we fail to realize that it is our failure to be faithful in the little things that becomes our undoing. As we neglect the fundamentals and foundation of our walk with the Lord: prayer, spending time in the Word, fellowshipping with the Lord and other believers, we cease to feed our spirit man and the carnal man takes over. For men, the eyes are the gate to our souls. In Psalm 141:8, David said: “But mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.” He also states in Psalms 101:3: “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes.” David instructed his son Solomon not to let God’s truth depart from his eyes. As we meditate on God’s Word and the ways of God, the Holy Spirit writes these truths upon our hearts. They are there for us to draw upon when we need them. Men of God, we must be faithful in the small things. As we go about our daily activities, may God help us to be constantly aware of the things we allow access to our souls.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Peaceful Sleep
“When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.” (Proverbs 3:24).
The first bedtime prayer my mother taught me was: “Now I lay me down to sleep, I prayer the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.” I had a sweet communion with Jesus as a young child. Because of my family’s example and a religious upbringing, I knew about the Lord from the time I could talk. When I was nine, my pastor introduced me to Jesus, and I began an intimate relationship with Him (I even saved a place for Him in my bed each night, so that he would have somewhere to sleep). As a child, I used to be afraid of monsters under my bed, and I would run and jump up onto my bed, so the monsters couldn’t grab my feet. Once I got on the bed, I knew I was safe because Jesus could protect me. The Lord wants us to have that same confidence in Him as adults (only we no longer have to fear the monsters). Nevertheless, adults continue to face their own bogey-men at night: depression, worry, anxiety, lust, fear, etc. The Lord is able to deliver us from our fears. He wants us to sleep peacefully under the protection of His wings. In Leviticus 26:6, God tells the Israelites: “I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land.” My mom used to say: “Sweet dreams” to me every night before I went to bed. The Lord will make our sleep sweet when we turn our fears over to Him and allow Him to fight our demons. Then we can be like Jesus on the Sea of Galilee; we can sleep peacefully in the mist of the storm.
The first bedtime prayer my mother taught me was: “Now I lay me down to sleep, I prayer the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.” I had a sweet communion with Jesus as a young child. Because of my family’s example and a religious upbringing, I knew about the Lord from the time I could talk. When I was nine, my pastor introduced me to Jesus, and I began an intimate relationship with Him (I even saved a place for Him in my bed each night, so that he would have somewhere to sleep). As a child, I used to be afraid of monsters under my bed, and I would run and jump up onto my bed, so the monsters couldn’t grab my feet. Once I got on the bed, I knew I was safe because Jesus could protect me. The Lord wants us to have that same confidence in Him as adults (only we no longer have to fear the monsters). Nevertheless, adults continue to face their own bogey-men at night: depression, worry, anxiety, lust, fear, etc. The Lord is able to deliver us from our fears. He wants us to sleep peacefully under the protection of His wings. In Leviticus 26:6, God tells the Israelites: “I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land.” My mom used to say: “Sweet dreams” to me every night before I went to bed. The Lord will make our sleep sweet when we turn our fears over to Him and allow Him to fight our demons. Then we can be like Jesus on the Sea of Galilee; we can sleep peacefully in the mist of the storm.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Cursed or Blessed?
“The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.” (Proverbs 3:33).
“Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day. And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.” (Deuteronomy 11: 26-28). “If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.” (Malachi 2:2). Joshua admonished the Israelites to: “Choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your father’s served…or the gods of the Amorites… but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the Lord God of Israel.” (Joshua 24:15, 23). As men of God, bought by the blood of Jesus, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” (Galatians 3:13). The habitation of the just in Christ Jesus is blessed, but the curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked. Be obedient to the Lord, men of God, and be about the ministry of reconciliation. We are in the curse removing business, turning homes of the wicked into homes of the righteous, one heart at a time.
“Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day. And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.” (Deuteronomy 11: 26-28). “If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.” (Malachi 2:2). Joshua admonished the Israelites to: “Choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your father’s served…or the gods of the Amorites… but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the Lord God of Israel.” (Joshua 24:15, 23). As men of God, bought by the blood of Jesus, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” (Galatians 3:13). The habitation of the just in Christ Jesus is blessed, but the curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked. Be obedient to the Lord, men of God, and be about the ministry of reconciliation. We are in the curse removing business, turning homes of the wicked into homes of the righteous, one heart at a time.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
The Word Is A Mirror to the Soul
“Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.” (Proverbs 6:24).
The word of God is a mirror. When we read and meditate on it, it shows us who we really are: there is no hiding from our own reflection. When we look in a mirror, we notice immediately if there is something amiss in our appearance. We might see a new blemish, a hair out of place or a patch of dry skin, and because we are so familiar with ourselves, we recognize it immediately. The Word reveals our sins, weaknesses and idiosyncrasies in the same way a mirror reflects our appearance. Not only is it a mirror, but it is also a light and a lamp. “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalms 119:105). The Word is a lamp to shine on our immediate path so that our feet do not trip and stumble or become ensnared in traps that have been set for us. It is also a light or beacon that illuminates the path ahead of us, so that we can see obstacles and temptations in order to avoid them. The Word also directs its beam inward, into the very dark recesses of our heart, to expose the hidden sins that lurk there. God’s Word quickens our heart in order to drive us to repentance. When God’s Word reveals an area of sin or disobedience, we should confess it to God and then turn from it. Make no mistake; the Word of God is painful. It will cut to the quick and show us sides of ourselves we do not like to admit reside within us. Nevertheless, we must face them, admit to their presence and conquer them through the power and blood of Jesus.
The word of God is a mirror. When we read and meditate on it, it shows us who we really are: there is no hiding from our own reflection. When we look in a mirror, we notice immediately if there is something amiss in our appearance. We might see a new blemish, a hair out of place or a patch of dry skin, and because we are so familiar with ourselves, we recognize it immediately. The Word reveals our sins, weaknesses and idiosyncrasies in the same way a mirror reflects our appearance. Not only is it a mirror, but it is also a light and a lamp. “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalms 119:105). The Word is a lamp to shine on our immediate path so that our feet do not trip and stumble or become ensnared in traps that have been set for us. It is also a light or beacon that illuminates the path ahead of us, so that we can see obstacles and temptations in order to avoid them. The Word also directs its beam inward, into the very dark recesses of our heart, to expose the hidden sins that lurk there. God’s Word quickens our heart in order to drive us to repentance. When God’s Word reveals an area of sin or disobedience, we should confess it to God and then turn from it. Make no mistake; the Word of God is painful. It will cut to the quick and show us sides of ourselves we do not like to admit reside within us. Nevertheless, we must face them, admit to their presence and conquer them through the power and blood of Jesus.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Where Is Your Treasure?
“Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.” (Proverbs 10:2).
When a man came to Jesus and asked the Master to tell his older brother to divide the inheritance with him, Jesus gave the man these words of wisdom: “Take heed, and beware of covetousness: For man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” (Luke 12:15). Yet in our society, the measure of a man is often based on the material possessions he has acquired. Jesus went on to tell the parable of a rich man whose land produced so much crop that he had no where to keep it. The rich man decided that he would tear down his barns and build even greater storehouses to stockpile his harvest. He was so proud of his accomplishments that he said: “Soul, thou has much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.” But God said to him, “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:16-21). Men of God, do not be consumed by the world’s definition of success. Your value does not come from the size of your bank account or your position in the community, but it comes from your position with Christ. When we stand before God, He will not be impressed with our earthly treasures and corruptible possessions. He will only be interested in the treasures we have laid up for ourselves in heaven.
When a man came to Jesus and asked the Master to tell his older brother to divide the inheritance with him, Jesus gave the man these words of wisdom: “Take heed, and beware of covetousness: For man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” (Luke 12:15). Yet in our society, the measure of a man is often based on the material possessions he has acquired. Jesus went on to tell the parable of a rich man whose land produced so much crop that he had no where to keep it. The rich man decided that he would tear down his barns and build even greater storehouses to stockpile his harvest. He was so proud of his accomplishments that he said: “Soul, thou has much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.” But God said to him, “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:16-21). Men of God, do not be consumed by the world’s definition of success. Your value does not come from the size of your bank account or your position in the community, but it comes from your position with Christ. When we stand before God, He will not be impressed with our earthly treasures and corruptible possessions. He will only be interested in the treasures we have laid up for ourselves in heaven.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Out of the Abundance of Your Heart
“Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.” (Proverbs 6:14).
We cannot separate what comes out of our mouths from what is in our hearts. When Jesus chastised the Pharisees, He said: “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.” (Matthew 12:34-35). Note the effects of having frowardness or perverseness in the heart: the wicked heart produces mischief and discord. A man that seeks mischief will have no trouble finding it. Proverbs 11:27 says “it shall come unto him.” “He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. His mischief shall return upon his own head.” (Psalms 7: 15-16). When a man has a corrupt heart, he will also be a sower of discord. Satan loves to sow discord and cause disunity in the Church, because he is the author of confusion. Sowers of discord are a cancer in the body of Christ. They are unhealthy cells that attack the good cells and continue to do so until the body is so full of malignant cells that it dies. Many Churches have died as a result of the cancer of discord. Godly men, be careful of what comes out of your mouth. Are you building people up or tearing them down? Examine yourself to see that you are in the faith. Do you need to confess to God any sins of mischief, discord or impurity of the heart?
We cannot separate what comes out of our mouths from what is in our hearts. When Jesus chastised the Pharisees, He said: “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.” (Matthew 12:34-35). Note the effects of having frowardness or perverseness in the heart: the wicked heart produces mischief and discord. A man that seeks mischief will have no trouble finding it. Proverbs 11:27 says “it shall come unto him.” “He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. His mischief shall return upon his own head.” (Psalms 7: 15-16). When a man has a corrupt heart, he will also be a sower of discord. Satan loves to sow discord and cause disunity in the Church, because he is the author of confusion. Sowers of discord are a cancer in the body of Christ. They are unhealthy cells that attack the good cells and continue to do so until the body is so full of malignant cells that it dies. Many Churches have died as a result of the cancer of discord. Godly men, be careful of what comes out of your mouth. Are you building people up or tearing them down? Examine yourself to see that you are in the faith. Do you need to confess to God any sins of mischief, discord or impurity of the heart?
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Guard Your Heart
“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23).
Our heart must be guarded at all times. Keeping our hearts pure is a minute-by-minute task that must be maintained with diligence. The moment we slip up, Satan is standing by to tempt us. He is hoping to trip us up or gain a foothold in our lives. In boxing, the trainer is always at the boxer to “keep his guard up.” The trainer can sense when the pugilist is getting tired and knows that it only takes one correctly timed punch to knock out a boxer who drops his guard. Guarding our heart is a constant battle. We must fight against the dominion of darkness in order to keep it pure. “If we would endeavor, like men of courage, to stand in battle, surely we would feel the favorable assistance of God from heaven. For He who giveth us occasion to fight, to the end we may get the victory, is ready to succor those that fight manfully, and do trust in His grace.” (Thomas A. Kempis). Men of courage, stand up against the forces of darkness that seek to conquer your heart. Let those that are strong bear the infirmities of the weak.” (Romans 15:1). Train young men to stand up and fight for themselves. Above all, guard your own heart!
Our heart must be guarded at all times. Keeping our hearts pure is a minute-by-minute task that must be maintained with diligence. The moment we slip up, Satan is standing by to tempt us. He is hoping to trip us up or gain a foothold in our lives. In boxing, the trainer is always at the boxer to “keep his guard up.” The trainer can sense when the pugilist is getting tired and knows that it only takes one correctly timed punch to knock out a boxer who drops his guard. Guarding our heart is a constant battle. We must fight against the dominion of darkness in order to keep it pure. “If we would endeavor, like men of courage, to stand in battle, surely we would feel the favorable assistance of God from heaven. For He who giveth us occasion to fight, to the end we may get the victory, is ready to succor those that fight manfully, and do trust in His grace.” (Thomas A. Kempis). Men of courage, stand up against the forces of darkness that seek to conquer your heart. Let those that are strong bear the infirmities of the weak.” (Romans 15:1). Train young men to stand up and fight for themselves. Above all, guard your own heart!
Monday, April 5, 2010
Gaining God's Wisdom
“Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.” (Proverbs 4:5, 6).
Around the ages of twelve or thirteen, most boys received “the talk”– the dreaded birds and bees discussion. My step-mother actually gave the talk to me and she didn’t do too badly; however, I can only recall one thing she said: “Don’t forget what I told you, because it will keep you from getting hurt and out of a whole lot of trouble.” The Lord gives us similar instructions with today’s proverb. In essence, He is saying, “Don’t forget this. It’s important. If you do what I say, it will protect you.” One of the reasons I love Proverbs so much is because it is full of these Father-son talks of wisdom, guidance, and instruction. God commands us to not decline from the words of His mouth. To decline means “to turn away or to put aside.” In other words, don’t neglect the advice He has given us. When He says to forsake her not, it means we are not to relinquish the wisdom and understanding He has given us. When we relinquish something, we give away what is rightfully ours. As men of God, we are entitled to the wisdom and understanding of God. They are gifts that He longs to bestow on His sons, if only we would ask. “Ask and it shall be given you: seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8).
Around the ages of twelve or thirteen, most boys received “the talk”– the dreaded birds and bees discussion. My step-mother actually gave the talk to me and she didn’t do too badly; however, I can only recall one thing she said: “Don’t forget what I told you, because it will keep you from getting hurt and out of a whole lot of trouble.” The Lord gives us similar instructions with today’s proverb. In essence, He is saying, “Don’t forget this. It’s important. If you do what I say, it will protect you.” One of the reasons I love Proverbs so much is because it is full of these Father-son talks of wisdom, guidance, and instruction. God commands us to not decline from the words of His mouth. To decline means “to turn away or to put aside.” In other words, don’t neglect the advice He has given us. When He says to forsake her not, it means we are not to relinquish the wisdom and understanding He has given us. When we relinquish something, we give away what is rightfully ours. As men of God, we are entitled to the wisdom and understanding of God. They are gifts that He longs to bestow on His sons, if only we would ask. “Ask and it shall be given you: seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8).
Friday, April 2, 2010
Walk with Jesus
“Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.” (Proverbs 3:23).
Charles Spurgeon said: “Losses and crosses are heavy to bear: but when our hearts are right with God, it is wonderful how easy the yoke becomes.” When we couple ourselves in a yoke with Jesus, He will gently lead and guide us. He will carry the brunt of the load, so that our only responsibility is to walk beside Him. He will keep us on a safe path, so that we will not stumble or fall. Usually, we flounder because we have been following our own path. Contrary to the theology of some, when we walk with the Lord, He doesn’t guarantee that nothing bad will ever happen to us. We still live in a sinful world with an enemy who desires to destroy us. Some Christians become disillusioned with God when tragedy strikes and they have been “faithfully living for the Lord.” These believers are victims of a false gospel that teaches God will give you everything you want if you ask in His name and nothing bad can happen to you if you are under the blood. This perverted gospel removes the suffering of Christ and the temptations and trials of the Christian faith. It is a feel-good gospel that has propagated in America as a result of our lavish lifestyle. The God who is able to prevent us from stumbling is the same God who picks us up when we fall. (Psalm 37:24). Men of God, be followers of the true gospel of Jesus Christ. Trust the Lord and lean on him no matter what life sends your way. After all, the very worst thing that can happen to us is death, and for the believer, that is also the very best thing.
Charles Spurgeon said: “Losses and crosses are heavy to bear: but when our hearts are right with God, it is wonderful how easy the yoke becomes.” When we couple ourselves in a yoke with Jesus, He will gently lead and guide us. He will carry the brunt of the load, so that our only responsibility is to walk beside Him. He will keep us on a safe path, so that we will not stumble or fall. Usually, we flounder because we have been following our own path. Contrary to the theology of some, when we walk with the Lord, He doesn’t guarantee that nothing bad will ever happen to us. We still live in a sinful world with an enemy who desires to destroy us. Some Christians become disillusioned with God when tragedy strikes and they have been “faithfully living for the Lord.” These believers are victims of a false gospel that teaches God will give you everything you want if you ask in His name and nothing bad can happen to you if you are under the blood. This perverted gospel removes the suffering of Christ and the temptations and trials of the Christian faith. It is a feel-good gospel that has propagated in America as a result of our lavish lifestyle. The God who is able to prevent us from stumbling is the same God who picks us up when we fall. (Psalm 37:24). Men of God, be followers of the true gospel of Jesus Christ. Trust the Lord and lean on him no matter what life sends your way. After all, the very worst thing that can happen to us is death, and for the believer, that is also the very best thing.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
True Treasure
“Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.” (Proverbs 3:13-14).
Every young boy dreams of finding a treasure map and venturing off in search of buried treasure. Dreams of gold coins, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, pearls and silver riddle his head with fantasies of wealth, adventure and fame. In a spiritual sense, God has already given every man a treasure map for living: His Word. The Bible tells us how to get eternal treasures that will never fade, rust or corrupt. It instructs us in how to obtain wisdom and understanding, how to live godly lives and how to mark the pitfalls and quagmires so that we can avoid them. Wisdom and understanding from God are better than anything the world has to offer. They are priceless and cannot be found in the land of the living. (Job 28:13). “More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.” (Psalms 19:10). God says: “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.” When God gives the privilege of hearing from Him, we have the obligation to obey and to share what we know with others. “Obey God in the thing he shows you, and instantly the next thing is opened up. God will never reveal more truth about himself until you have obeyed what you know already.” (Oswald Chambers).
Every young boy dreams of finding a treasure map and venturing off in search of buried treasure. Dreams of gold coins, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, pearls and silver riddle his head with fantasies of wealth, adventure and fame. In a spiritual sense, God has already given every man a treasure map for living: His Word. The Bible tells us how to get eternal treasures that will never fade, rust or corrupt. It instructs us in how to obtain wisdom and understanding, how to live godly lives and how to mark the pitfalls and quagmires so that we can avoid them. Wisdom and understanding from God are better than anything the world has to offer. They are priceless and cannot be found in the land of the living. (Job 28:13). “More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.” (Psalms 19:10). God says: “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.” When God gives the privilege of hearing from Him, we have the obligation to obey and to share what we know with others. “Obey God in the thing he shows you, and instantly the next thing is opened up. God will never reveal more truth about himself until you have obeyed what you know already.” (Oswald Chambers).
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