Hear voices in your head? Your eyes? Proverbs 1

Proverbs 1:20 - Wisdom shouts in the street, She lifts her voice in the square;

We have so many messages calling out to us today.   We have to remember that when Solomon wrote these Proverbs there was no "mass" media, no billboards, no texting, no internet, no newspaper, no 280 channels on a dish, no magazines,  no words on t-shirts, hats or boxers.   However, in Solomon's day folly called out  with as much vengeance as today in her endeavor to drown out Wisdom.   But, wisdom is not to be undone.   She calls out with the necessary intensity so that "all" hear her.  She is in the plain open street ... in the square (a reference to where all business and community activities took place).  Wisdom, however, do not look like folly.  The eye of man is attracted to folly.   The attraction of Wisdom is only seen through the eye of the Spirit.   So, to see wisdom  you have to exercise the eye of the Spirit and your sensitivity to the Spirit.  The Spirit sees wisdom in the noise of the world.   The Spirit can sort through the mass voices of evil and calls out to all. Heed the call. 

Who always has deeds that match their words? Psalm 63-65

We've all heard that deeds speak louder than words.   We often want others to "show" us not "tell" us about their love, forgiveness or support.   It goes without saying that hypocrisy is a common cause of mistrust.   So, it is not surprising that David tells us in Psalm 65:5 that God doesn't just speak His truth to us in Words (although if He did it would be truth none-the-less), He also speaks to us in great deeds of righteousness.  God follows through with what He says.  He provides us with great benefits and with sustaining blessings.  When we see the rain bow in the sky we see a great promise of a great deed to never to destroy the mankind again by a flood.   When we see the cross we are reminded of God's greatest deed when the Godhead worked in concert to provide salvation to us.   God is the God of Deeds.  He does what He says.  He follows through.  He fulfills His promises.   God is the God of deeds.  Thank Him today for His faithful deeds to the Children of God.  

Should you serve God for material reasons? 1 Kings 1-4

When we make the commitment to follow God in service, He will not leave us lacking.   We should never serve God, believe in God or come to God because of what He can provide us or give us, outside our salvation.   We should, however, know and believe that when we decide to serve Him, He will not leave us lacking of any good thing.   In 1 Kings 3 God asks Solomon to "make a wish." Solomon picks wisdom as the "one thing" God can give him. God gives him wisdom and then blesses him beyond that with material goods. Solomon will make many mistakes as he moves forward.  Especially in the area of women.   But, God will bless him with material goods (more than he needs) because Solomon made the commitment to follow God's way - without having the material blessings.   Again, this is motive of the heart.   Solomon knew he should follow God.   He did so in pure belief that God would care for him but with no knowledge "how" God would care for him.   We see the "rest of the story." But, at the time, Solomon only knew what he knew - obey God and things go right with you.  Disobey God and things go poorly for you. Let's make sure we understand the value of knowing God's methods.   He may keep us poor (think Jeremiah, Hosea, Isaiah).  He may cause us to be beaten and put in prison (see Peter and Paul).   He may bless us with position (see Daniel).   Or, he may bless us materially like Solomon.   We are to obey God.  God does with us what he wants.

Quit trying to do it all youself ... take the hand offered - Exodus 33-36

"I will do it for you."   We grow up hearing those words.  When we first have to tie our shoes we hear, "I will do it for you."   When we can't zipper our coat someone will say, "I will do it for you."   When we can't reach the Frosted Flakes on the shelf we hear, "I will get it for you."   What wonderful words to hear.   When we get old and can't do some things they are even more soothing and settling.   When we can't shovel the driveway or the sidewalk we would love to hear, "I will do it for you."   When our car is covered with snow and frost and it needs to be cleared off we want to hear, "I will do it for you."   So, with all that help, why do we still resist it and try to do things ourselves.   In Exodus 33:2 God speaks to the nation of Israel and says, "I will do it for you" in regard to driving out the evil nations that currently occupied their land.   God had promised Abraham and his descendants the land of Canaan.  But, nations currently lived there.   In God's plan they were simply caretakers of the land while the nation was formed and delivered from Egypt.  Now it was time to take possession of the land.   Here is where God tells them He will send an Angel (Christ) to deliver the land into their hand by conquering the nations.   Yet, Israel, as we know didn't take advantage of that promise and that aide ... not to the end.   Yes, Joshua, as we will soon read, used that Angel (or, was used by that Angel) to conquer nations.   But, the nation of Israel soon wants to become self reliant.   Do we not do the same thing in our Christian walk.  God promises to sanctify us through the Spirit and we still try to conquer sin ourselves.  Rather than fight sin with the shield of the Faith and the Sword of the Spirit, we attempt to do so in our own flesh.   Let's let God, "do it for us."   Let's let God conquer our sin after He has sent His son to pay for our sin.  Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God as the risen Savior and Conqueror and is saying, "I will do it for you."  

Do you worry about your church when you are not there? 1 Corinthians 11-13

Today I am writing this devotional in Chicago.  It is a Sunday.  That means I am not with the church I have the privilege to teach over and minister with.  I have taken the day off!!   That just doesn't even sound right in light of the passage here in this letter to the Church at Corinth.   Paul is confronting some false teacher that had wandered into the church and he is telling them that even though the false teachers claim of great sacrifice, he too could foolishly boast about sacrifice.   His argument is, "If what you have gone through makes you valuable to hear and be listened to (and it doesn't) than he trumps anyone else in his experiences of torture, mayhem and struggle.   But, the Paul says something that makes me understand my being away from the church today.   On top of all that Paul has struggled with he adds, "his concern for the churches."   He even describes that concern as, "when someone is weak, Paul, himself feels that same weakness and when someone is being drawn into sin, Paul feels that drawing and is concerned for them."   Today I am bodily in Chicago but mentality and spiritually in our small fellowship.  I love that fellowship.  We only have a handful.  But, when I am not there I worry about them, I pray over them.   I want to be with them.    Paul did that for "all" the churches.  What a burden for others he carried.  After all the struggles he listed (and he listed many) the care for the churches was his crowning evidence of his authority and apostleship.   Do we care about our churches?  Do we worry when we are not there?   Are we "part" of a church or "partners" with a church?  

Prayer before decisions prevents pain after decisions - Luke 5-6

Before we make a decision it is important to gather all the facts, look at the big picture, be analytical in our process and think of others to the extent of balance and implementation.  However, we often do these things (or, we focus on one of them because that "one" thing is our favorite way to make decisions), and miss the most important step in the process.  We often forget to talk it over with God.  When we consider facts we are considered "good" decision makers.  We make our decision with "data."   Yet, when we make decisions without talking with God through prayer we miss out on the very sovereign power of God.  In 6:12 we read that Jesus went away to pray (again ... 5:16).   THEN, He returned to make the decision about who His disciples would be.   Prayer should always follow selection or decision.   Prayer should always be a part of the important steps of life.  In 5:16 we see the Jesus would often slip away in prayer.  Prayer here was not an exception it was the rule.   Communion with God is the way we know God's communion.  Talking with God is the way His Spirit bears witness with our Spirit (Romans 8).   Before we make a decision about life we need to talk to the Ruler of Life - Yahweh.  Call upon God before a decision and their will be less of a need to cry out to God in pain after a decision.  

Does God answer prayer like you answer emails? Jeremiah 42-46

Sometimes when we ask God something we don't get the answer right away.  Remember, the same thing happened to Daniel, when Satan hinder the angel from delivering the message.  We sometimes think that God should be answering our prayers like we answer the emails of others.  We fail to realize that God is not on our time frame.   Waiting on the Lord is a portion of believing on the Lord.   So, we must learn to wait.   The other part of this is that God is making Jeremiah wait.  He made Daniel wait.  These are great men of faith and of prayer.   If they are waiting on God to answer their prayers what does that mean about our carnal attempts to implore God.   God doesn't owe us anything.  But, as we read the "Hall of Faith" in Hebrews 11 we see that all of them acted in faith and hope.  They realized that the "prize" wasn't immediate.   Perhaps this is why we live in a society to bent on the "immediate."  Satan has devised a system that rewards us with something quickly so we don't learn to wait.  God is teaching us to wait on Him.   Great men of God had to wait on answers to prayer.  They did not stop praying or living for God just because they answer didn't come with a tone, beep, or audible voice saying, "You've god mail ... answers!"