Out of the heart - Proverbs 7

Proverbs 7 is a very important chapter in Proverbs and in the Bible. The chapter gives us insight into the problem with man and the solution from God. The solution is stated first and last like parenthetical brackets around what is a compelling story of innocence lost and evil attempting to triumphant. Solomon makes an argument for watching over your heart in Proverbs 4:3 and states the reason for our diligence of heart monitoring is because the "springs" of life flow from it. Apparently the heart is a big deal to Solomon. Up to chapter seven he has used the word almost 15 times in the preceding chapters. In chapter seven he uses it three more times translated heart a couple more times as a derivative of the same word. Solomon may have actually observed a young man like the one mentioned in chapter seven when he was looking through the window of his house. He sees the young man and can notice from a considerable distance that this young man is weak in his heart (7:7 ... the words "senses" is the same word as "heart" in 7:3 ... it means the inner man). It is because of this lack of "heart" (strength in the inner man) that the young man is lead astray by the "outward" enticements of the women of the night. Solomon tells us to strengthen our heart (7:3) like Paul tells us to strengthen our inner man (Eph. 3:16; 2 Cor. 4:16). The temptations of life are from the outside to gain victory over the inside. The solution is to strengthen the inside with the meditation and concentration and focus on His Word. Note that Solomon tells them to attach God's word to the fingers; make it the center of their eye; call it a dear sister; make it your intimate friend; write them on the heart. God's word builds up the inner man while the tempter leads astray by the fine linen and sweet smell of the senses. Don't let the senses rule, make the inner man ... the heart ... strong.

Establishing Leadership - Psalm 75-77

Perhaps the hardest thing for believers to grasp in regard to God, let alone non-believers, is the teaching from God's Word that God is sovereign and in complete control of all things. It may be the most difficult doctrine to embrace because you can't have God "almost" sovereign. The word itself means that there is total control and complete autonomy. But in Psalm 75:6-8 we read that it is God who establishes leader. It is not the vote of the people that makes the leader but God who puts one up and takes another down (although God uses people's vote to accomplish his choice for leadership). In Psalm 76:10 we see the sovereignty of God talked about when Asaph the writer states that even the "wrath" of man praise God ... God so controls the world that the anger of man to man or the anger of man to God is somehow a way for God to be praised. God is in complete control. We need to embrace it and praise it. We may not understand it or be able to comprehend it but we must believe it by faith. Give God the glory for who He is. Don't reduce Him in size so that you can feel better about understanding Him. I have never understood why a man thinks he should be able to understand God completely and put Him in a box He has systematically designed. Who wants a God they can understand? If I can understand God that would make me ... god ... and that is the problem. Man so much wants to be a god he continues to reduce God to something or someone he can understand. If I reduce God I can actually be like Him .... that is the thought of modern man. Don't reduce God - Excalt Him.

Positive Deviant - 1 Kings 17-22

When King Ahab sought counsel from the prophets about the possible success of an upcoming battle he asked his normal "yes-men" prophets. They all told him he would be successful. Like mindless drones they told the king what he wanted to hear. That was the norm for the day and for the king. I can imagine how it must have been in the "prophet break room" when it they were told that the visiting King of Judah wanted to consult another prophet; one not with their unionized group. The consulted Micaiah son of Imlah. What ever Imlah did to teach Micaiah it must have been good. Micaiah was not willing to follow the social norms of the prophet-for-hire-mindless-group. Micaiah was willing to deviate from the norms. He was, in the minds of the King and the prophet group, a deviant. But, in God's eyes, Micaiah was a positive-deviant in that he was willing to go contrary to the norms of the day - different from the status quo and become a positive deviant for God. God is in the business of identifying and equipping and using positive deviants in today's society. God wants His children to be positive deviants for Him but loving when others hate, by forgiving when others say they won't ever forget and by serving when others want to be served. Be willing to be a positive deviant for God.

Ministers - Part of Offering; Part of Gift - Leviticus 7-9

You can't help but read this section and get somewhat lost in all the ritual forms of worship taking place by Aaron and his sons as the Priest of God. I would not claim to know all the ins and outs of the worship but I did note that when it was done right God blessed their worship with His presence (9:23-24). I also noted that Aaron and his sons took part in several aspects of this worship. Their hands were laid on the sacrifice to indicate their relationship with the offering, but more importantly with the sin the offering represented. Ministers are people who sin like their flock. Taking part in the offering is necessary for priest as much as parishioner. Aaron and his sons also had the privilege of eating parts of the offering. That was their "payment" for service. The Priest were able to "live off" the sacrifices of the people. If the people became disobedient to God the priest would suffer as they couldn't live off the worship. It is important to realize that that portion of the system is still part of the NT church and our worship today. Pastors (Ministers) should identify with the sin of the people but should also take part in the offering and be able to enjoy that aspect of the obedience of the people. Most churches today don't mind the pastor identifying with the sin but struggle a little with the minister "living" from the offering. God has promised to care for ministers but He does through by the obedience of the people.

You have a piece of lettuce on your face - Ephesians 4-6

I was sitting down to eat with a believer friend of mine and at some point in our eating and conversing a piece of his salad landed in the lower quadrant of his face. He can't see it - I can! What do I do? I don't' want to embarrass him but then again I don't want him to be embarrassed if someone else sees it. It is important that we realize as believers we have some interest in the way other believers look and act. In this section of reading there is so much to pick from to write about it is hard to narrow it down. However, I am struck by the words of in 4:25 that tells believers they should speak the truth with their "believer" neighbors (the context is obviously talking about Christian neighbors not geographical neighbors). We are to tell others the truth about what we see. If they have sin hanging off their sleeves we have a Biblical responsibility to tell them ... while at the same time making sure our own sleeves are clean of spiritual dirt. God tells us through Paul in Galatians 6 that we are to bear the weaknesses of our friends and to help them overcome sin. So, speaking the truth becomes the manner of which I am to correct my friends in Christ. Paul had just told them in 4:15 to speak truth in love. Now he tells them to speak truth because they are members with each other. If I realize that the stuff hanging off my friend reflects on me I would be quick to show him, in love, his need to wipe his mouth. Since a piece of lettuce hanging off his chin doesn't affect me I am tempted to let it ride. But, sin I can let ride since we are "members" one of another. Let's make sure we are ready to correct, in a spirit of Love, those who are brothers with us. Don't let sin hang on their chins because we are embarrassed to tell them to correct it. We just need to show them love and maybe hand the a spiritual napkin that they can use to clean themselves up.

No limit when you can show mercy - Luke 13-14

The religious leaders of the Jesus' day had orchestrated worship and acts of service to a refined pattern and set of designed rituals. Jesus' acts of kindness and healing and teaching didn't fit their prescribed ways or manners. That is true today in most religious circles, as well. Man has "outlined" what is acceptable worship and services and 'preferred" acts of kindness. In these two chapters we read about Jesus taking the opportunity (more than once) to heal on the Sabbath. The religious leaders objected The crowd wondered. God ruled. Jesus simply asks them if they had an ox that fell into a well on the Sabath (what kind of ox would fall into a well?) or even a son who fell into a well (I know the type of son), what would they do? They would certainly rescue said ox or said son. Yet, for some reason the Pharisees didn't like that Jesus healed someone. He called them hypocrites because they themselves would at the minimum release their ox to go get drink or food on the Sabath. Jesus point is that there are no limits to when we can show mercy and do acts of kindness. God words are not limited to Sunday's between 11:00 - 12:00 in the morning. God words - good works - are not forbidden on Monday morning. We must realize that to follow Christ is to do good when we see the need for doing good. Don't let religion get in the way of your following Christ. Christ wants us to show mercy 24 x 7.

New heart in a troubled times - Ezekiel 7-12

Ezekiel doesn't always have a positive message to bring. He is often asked to give warning and correction. That can't be easy as a prophet. Doom and gloom doesn't build a congregation ... or so we think. God, however, is not into building by flowery words and flattering speech. God is into truth and sometimes truth hurts. So, in Ezekiel you get a lot of truth and the truth hurts sometimes. That backdrop is what makes chapter 11 so refreshing. Imagine after talking about the departing of the Spirit and glory of God in chapter ten and beginning chapter eleven with the concept of judgement on evil leaders what it must have felt like for the prophet to prophesy the words of 11:19-22 ... that God is going to put a "new" heart into the remnant. Can you imagine who Ezekiel must have felt to be able to say that God was eventually going to take the heart of flesh out and put the heart of God into their lives in place of the heart of stone. Of course the great words don't last long. Quicker that Ezekiel could change writing positions God uses his prophecy to tell us that God will punish all those who have a heart of stone and refuse to consider the heart transplant God offers. But, like a Lily pad in a swamp 11:19-20 sit for us to see, enjoy and embrace. God is chaining hearts. We only need to let Him give us a new heart in the midst of a bad time.