The fear of the LORD adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short. (Proverbs 10:27)
The Bible’s definition of loving God is not the same as our common perception of what it means to love God. Jesus taught,
"If you love me, you will obey what I command." (John 14:15)
How do we come to a point of complete obedience? This is similar to asking what came first the chicken or the egg. Obedience strengthens our love for God while disobedience will normally slowly diminish our love for God. Therefore, love for God and obedience to God go hand in hand like opposite ends of a wheel that consecutively turn from one end to the other. You are kidding yourself if you think that God isn’t also one to be feared. His wrath is eternal, and it goes way beyond our personal ‘pain threshold’. When we walk righteously before him, we can successfully call upon him to deal with our foes of sickness and premature death.
Wednesday, 14 March 2012
Tuesday, 13 March 2012
Proverbs 10:26
As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is a sluggard to those who send him. (Proverbs 10:26)
Practically, we need to think about who we send or employ on our behalf because anybody will definitely not do. If we are a person in authority, the people under our authority are expressions of our management. Some of them who need it, we will be able to train and mould but others, we will not be able to. They are a lost cause unless they, themselves deal with their own issues apart from us. Therefore, we should be careful of who we hire or give authority to. Nevertheless, don’t be fatalistic with the people already under your authority, but deal with them accordingly.
This truth can be also be taken up to another level and related to ourselves and God. Peter said,
For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:8)
What makes us ineffective and unproductive as ‘sent’ ones of God? Isn’t it if we are lazy (sluggish) instead of diligent in our walk with God? Can we have a tremendous impact on those around us in our daily lives? We certainly can. We can change their entire world. How can we do it? By changing our own entire world first through our relationship with God.
Practically, we need to think about who we send or employ on our behalf because anybody will definitely not do. If we are a person in authority, the people under our authority are expressions of our management. Some of them who need it, we will be able to train and mould but others, we will not be able to. They are a lost cause unless they, themselves deal with their own issues apart from us. Therefore, we should be careful of who we hire or give authority to. Nevertheless, don’t be fatalistic with the people already under your authority, but deal with them accordingly.
This truth can be also be taken up to another level and related to ourselves and God. Peter said,
What makes us ineffective and unproductive as ‘sent’ ones of God? Isn’t it if we are lazy (sluggish) instead of diligent in our walk with God? Can we have a tremendous impact on those around us in our daily lives? We certainly can. We can change their entire world. How can we do it? By changing our own entire world first through our relationship with God.
Monday, 12 March 2012
Proverbs 10:25
When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever. (Proverbs 10:25)
Who was better off before the storm? Paul said,
If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. (1 Corinthians 15:19)
If I mess around and party for the last six months going into my Year 12 exams, how will I feel compared to the other Year 12 students? I will probably feel that the last six months has been so much fun while the other students will probably feel that the last six months has involved so much hard work. However, if I need a high percentile grade to move forward into the career of my choice, how will I feel when I’ve failed to get what I needed? Suddenly, the last six months changes from a ‘celebration of life’ to a tragic wasted opportunity. This is an accurate illustration of life. The lifestyle of those who don’t serve God may appear attractive, easy, rewarding, etc… to us, but there will come a time when it will become obvious that serving God was the only true thing of value that we did.
Who was better off before the storm? Paul said,
If I mess around and party for the last six months going into my Year 12 exams, how will I feel compared to the other Year 12 students? I will probably feel that the last six months has been so much fun while the other students will probably feel that the last six months has involved so much hard work. However, if I need a high percentile grade to move forward into the career of my choice, how will I feel when I’ve failed to get what I needed? Suddenly, the last six months changes from a ‘celebration of life’ to a tragic wasted opportunity. This is an accurate illustration of life. The lifestyle of those who don’t serve God may appear attractive, easy, rewarding, etc… to us, but there will come a time when it will become obvious that serving God was the only true thing of value that we did.
Saturday, 10 March 2012
Proverbs 10:24
What the wicked dreads will overtake him; what the righteous desire will be granted. (Proverbs 10:24)
At any one time, we are either righteous or unrighteous. There is no middle ground. It is the secret things of our heart that determine whether we are righteous or unrighteous. Paul said the following.
First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds. (Acts 26:20)
Repentance is not a once for all act. Jesus said the following.
Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23)
Are we wicked or righteous? What is used to determine this? Jesus said to thief on one side of him that he would be with him in Paradise. He said nothing to the thief on his other side because he was going to Hell. The point that needs to be realised is that on the one hand, the ‘righteous thief’ had turned away from his unrighteous lifestyle in his heart. It was his desire to live the rest of his life right for God at that moment whether he lived or died. He took Jesus at his word and loved Jesus because of it. He realised that he had been given a second chance.
If we truly love God, we will see prayer after prayer answered. However, if we deceive ourselves that God doesn’t actually mind it when we sin or they’re not really that bad compared to other people, not only will our prayer life be greatly hindered but our deception may eventually destroy us.
At any one time, we are either righteous or unrighteous. There is no middle ground. It is the secret things of our heart that determine whether we are righteous or unrighteous. Paul said the following.
Repentance is not a once for all act. Jesus said the following.
Are we wicked or righteous? What is used to determine this? Jesus said to thief on one side of him that he would be with him in Paradise. He said nothing to the thief on his other side because he was going to Hell. The point that needs to be realised is that on the one hand, the ‘righteous thief’ had turned away from his unrighteous lifestyle in his heart. It was his desire to live the rest of his life right for God at that moment whether he lived or died. He took Jesus at his word and loved Jesus because of it. He realised that he had been given a second chance.
If we truly love God, we will see prayer after prayer answered. However, if we deceive ourselves that God doesn’t actually mind it when we sin or they’re not really that bad compared to other people, not only will our prayer life be greatly hindered but our deception may eventually destroy us.
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
Proverbs 10:23
A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct, but a man of understanding delights in wisdom. (Proverbs 10:23)
As believers, our goal is to deal with the flesh, which is intrinsically bad due to the fall in the garden. This does not necessarily mean that we are bad, but it does mean that we have bad impulses that we either choose to respond to or reject. Our goal is to put to death our evil conduct, which doesn’t come in the same form to every person. We have to recognise what it is within our everyday lifestyles that is wrong and deal with it. We will continually battle the deception of our flesh, which tries to make excuses and minimise our faults. However, if we delight ourselves in the Lord, he will continually give us the wisdom and conviction (motivation) to deal with those things, grow, and move forward.
As believers, our goal is to deal with the flesh, which is intrinsically bad due to the fall in the garden. This does not necessarily mean that we are bad, but it does mean that we have bad impulses that we either choose to respond to or reject. Our goal is to put to death our evil conduct, which doesn’t come in the same form to every person. We have to recognise what it is within our everyday lifestyles that is wrong and deal with it. We will continually battle the deception of our flesh, which tries to make excuses and minimise our faults. However, if we delight ourselves in the Lord, he will continually give us the wisdom and conviction (motivation) to deal with those things, grow, and move forward.
Sunday, 4 March 2012
Proverbs 10:22
The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it. (Proverbs 10:22)
Being ‘righteous’ as stated in the previous verse is certainly not without its benefits. A disciplined and orderly life that is focused on shining the love of God to those around us at home, work, etc… will bring prosperity into our lives. However, this prosperity is not the result of losing sleep and continually racking our brains for how to make more money. When we ‘want’ wealth (ie. financial independence), it normally involves a path of sacrifice and hardship in our relationship with God and others to get it. We’re too busy, and we can’t afford to be generous ‘at this time’. This is not God’s way. "Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:33).
Being ‘righteous’ as stated in the previous verse is certainly not without its benefits. A disciplined and orderly life that is focused on shining the love of God to those around us at home, work, etc… will bring prosperity into our lives. However, this prosperity is not the result of losing sleep and continually racking our brains for how to make more money. When we ‘want’ wealth (ie. financial independence), it normally involves a path of sacrifice and hardship in our relationship with God and others to get it. We’re too busy, and we can’t afford to be generous ‘at this time’. This is not God’s way. "Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:33).
Saturday, 3 March 2012
Proverbs 10:21
The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of judgment. (Proverbs 10:21)
God’s wisdom and truth is readily available, but do we have ears to hear it? Sometimes, we don’t know what to do. However, it may be that we simply won’t do what we know we should actually do or have done. Whenever there is a problem, first look back to how that problem developed. Were we following God’s ways when the problem developed, or did we think we had it ‘covered’ with our own methods? We will often deceive ourselves into thinking that our ways are ‘necessary’ as God’s way is too weak to actually deal with a problem or unfairly requires too much effort on our part. However, our ways will ultimately create more problems than they will solve.
God’s wisdom and truth is readily available, but do we have ears to hear it? Sometimes, we don’t know what to do. However, it may be that we simply won’t do what we know we should actually do or have done. Whenever there is a problem, first look back to how that problem developed. Were we following God’s ways when the problem developed, or did we think we had it ‘covered’ with our own methods? We will often deceive ourselves into thinking that our ways are ‘necessary’ as God’s way is too weak to actually deal with a problem or unfairly requires too much effort on our part. However, our ways will ultimately create more problems than they will solve.
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