Be Holy

(Prov 17:23 TNIV) The wicked accept bribes in secret to pervert the course of justice.


Here Solomon teaches us about the integrity the Father expects us to walk in. If we are IN Him and He is IN us, then we should be like Him. I have taught you a great deal about the fact that God is love. That should be ingrained in your heart by now, but God is also light. In the New Testament John taught us that “God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all” (1st John 1:5). God is completely virtuous, true and righteous. There is no sin, no darkness, and no variableness in God and since we are called by His name, we are to be the same.

Now, does that mean we will never sin. Of course not, but it does mean that we should strive to avoid sin and to live in the righteousness that Christ Jesus died to give us. I know many preachers today don’t even mention sin and many believers are too consumed with what they can GET from God that they don’t focus at all on what they can BECOME in God. But make no mistake, God will not overlook sin. Jehovah expects us to walk upright everyday and if we sin, we are to quickly repent. Earlier in the New Testament Peter quoted what God said through Moses (in Leviticus), when He said, “You must be holy because I am holy” (1st Peter 1:16). There is not a lot of wiggle room there. You and I, as believers, are called to be holy.

This leads us to our text. Corruption is nothing new. In Solomon’s time, just like today, there were those who sought to use their money to buy a favorable verdict, when they knew they were clearly guilty. The person who gives the bribe and the judge who accepts it, are both called wicked here. While these people (lacking integrity) are willing to pervert the course of justice, they will not go unpunished. Both will eventually reap a harvest from the corruptible seed they have sown. Back in chapter 15 Solomon said, “Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household, but he who hates bribes will live” (15:27).

A judge takes a vow to exercise righteous judgment and to serve the community, but when they distort the truth, for money, it turns justice into injustice. This is an exploitation of justice and when someone exploits others, without any sense of personal integrity or accountability, it deteriorates the moral fabric of the community. And for what? In chapter 10 Solomon told us that “tainted wealth has no lasting value” (10:2).

The Father is not against financial advancement, but He is against us pursuing it the wrong way. In chapter 28 Solomon said, “A greedy man stirs up dissension, but he who trusts in the LORD will prosper” (28:25). When you honor God in all your ways (being holy) you are able to prosper—spiritually, physically, socially, psychologically, and financially—without causing dissension, discord, and strife.

So what does this mean to you? A few things:

1. Walk in righteousness: God is never going to over look sin. If you do sin, quickly repent (1st John 1:9). Don’t allow it to linger and don’t allow yourself to fall into condemnation. The Holy Spirit will convict you, but He will never condemn you.

2. Walk in integrity: The Father expects you to say what you mean and to mean what you say. Let your “yes” be a true yes and your “no” be a true no. Align your words, thoughts, and actions with the Word of God. In other words: your audio must match your video.

3. Walk as light: You are called to be the light of the world (Mat 5:14). You are never going to draw sinners to God if you live just like they do. Be holy, be different, and allow the Father to shine His light through you, so that it can reach this dark, dying, and decaying world.

Father, You are Holy, therefore I am holy. I walk in the righteousness that Christ Jesus died to give me. I avoid sin altogether, but if I do sin, I will quickly acknowledge my sin, repent, receive Your forgiveness, forgive myself, and move on. I refuse to allow condemnation to keep me from Your best. I walk in integrity and I represent You well in all that I do. Lastly, I have been called out of darkness and into Your marvelous light, so I will walk in it. I submit to You and Your ways so that Your light will freely shine through me for the entire world to see. Use me to reach others with Your light and love today! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Enjoying Life!!

(Prov 17:22 NLT) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person's strength.

Here Solomon teaches us a lesson that I hope more Christian learn: the importance of have a cheerful heart. The message in this verse is that a merry heart or a joyful attitude (internally) can actually work healing externally (in your physical man). Simply put, the condition of your inner man will directly affect the condition of your outer man. Back in chapter 12 Solomon told us that “An anxious heart weighs a man down” (12:25).

Have you ever met someone who worries all the time? Unfortunately, there are even many Christians who are caught up in excessive worry. You can’t worry and trust at the same time. These people obviously have a trust problem (they are not trusting God) and they have a faith problem (they are not living by faith). The result is that they excessively worry about everything and anxiety can have detrimental affects to your body and your soul.

The Good News Bible reads: “Being cheerful keeps you healthy. It is slow death to be gloomy all the time.” Did you catch that? Those that live with a doom and gloom mentality are actually dying a slow death. Jesus did not die so that we could live a slow death of doom and gloom; He came that we might have life and that we would have it more abundantly (John 10:10). He not only came so that we would make it to heaven; Jesus wants us to enjoy the ride!

We already read what Solomon told us in chapter 12, in chapter 15 he gives us that other side of the story. Solomon said, “A cheerful heart brings a smile to your face” (15:13). This is the way that the Father wants us to live. Jehovah wants us to have and enjoy His life, the God-type of life. The Message Bible paraphrase of this verse reads: “A cheerful disposition is good for your health; gloom and doom leave you bone-tired.”

Here is a simple question: do you want to be healthy and happy or sick and tired? While the answer is obvious many allow the enemy to get them to focus on the wrong things. If the enemy can get your attention for five seconds, he will have your mind for five minutes (or more). Taking control of your thoughts is utterly important. Your thoughts give birth to images. Those images influence your words and actions. Your words and actions help shape your habits. Your habits help develop your character. Your character will ultimately determine where you end up in life.

It all starts with thoughts.

If you think the wrong things you will become the wrong person. That is why it is so important for every believer to fix his or her mind on the Word of God. Your mind must be renewed to think about things in the way that the Father desires for us to think. We must see ourselves the way He sees us. We must make our opinion of ourselves to line up with His opinion of us. If we do, we WILL NOT fall into the trap of stress, struggle and strain. If we don’t, not only will negative and ungodly thoughts rob us of God’s desired future for our lives, but they can actually make us sick along the way. Wouldn’t it be a shame to be miserable through life only to find out that you didn’t need to?

So what does this mean to you?

It means that you need to have fun!

I am tired of people that don’t want to give their hearts to God saying, “I don’t want to become a Christian yet, because I still want to have fun.” Why are they saying that? They are saying it because too many believers walk around lifeless. If you are in God and He is in you then you should enter every day with a spring in your step, a song in your heart, a smile on your face, and an attitude that enables you to whistle while you work! If you keep this attitude, then God will shine through you, others will be drawn to the Christ in you, and you will live longer and stronger for God!

Don’t kill yourself from the inside out!
Father, I sincerely thank You for this Word this morning. I know that a merry heart works healing in my body. I take the medicine of Your Word today. I look up and not down. I look forward and not backward. I take control of my thoughts and I declare that I am the victor, not the victim. I look at every challenge through the lens of faith. I see myself overcoming ever obstacle. I will not rob myself of the victory You want me to have and the health You want me to enjoy. I live long, healthy, and strong, because I hide Your Word in my heart and I align my thinking with Your thoughts concerning me! I am excited about this day and the rest of my life! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Walk in Love

(Prov 17:19 NLT) Anyone who loves to quarrel loves sin; anyone who trusts in high walls invites disaster.

Here Solomon teaches us about two things: strife and pride. I will discuss them individually.

As a believer we are called to walk in love, not strife. Jesus always drove home the love message. At the end of the day we must realize that God IS love (literally) and if God is in us and we are in Him, then we MUST operate in love.

Nothing we do for God matters if we fail to do it in love.

Everything we are called to do in the Kingdom requires faith and even faith works by love (Gal 5:6). Solomon tells us that those who love to quarrel (fight, argue, disagree) love to sin. I am sure you have met your fair share of people like this. People who love to fight seem to get some sort of twisted satisfaction from getting others riled up. While you and I both know people that are this way, don’t ever let this be said of you. God will not be glorified through you if you continually cause turmoil everywhere you go. You and I are called to be peacemakers, not peace breakers.

Paul drove this message home to the believers in Rome when he said: “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love… Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse… Do not repay anyone evil for evil… as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Rom 12:12-18).

The latter part of our focus text for today seems a bit confusing. Solomon says, “Anyone who trusts in high walls invites disaster.” Another translation of this portion reads: “Build a wall, invite a burglar.” To understand the message here we have to know something about the time.

Solomon’s culture and setting help give us the context. Back then people built walls around their homes to establish borders. Without the walls stray animals and those traveling on horses could wander through a person’s yard and damage whatever produce they were attempting to grow. While the walls were customary, they were not meant as a form of protection. In other words, the average person was not seeking to build a fortress and they did not want to close themselves in, so they normally built walls that were relatively short.
However some, because of pride, built high walls with very large doors. Their pride often backfired, because the high walls and large doors often drew the wrong sort of attention, the attention of those with bad intentions. More often than not those will high walls were attacked. This is why Solomon said that these people were inviting disaster. Why bring unnecessary attention to yourself?

OH, I know why. PRIDE!

The Bible has a great deal to say about the dangers of pride. In chapter 11 Solomon said, “When pride comes, shame follows. But wisdom comes to those who are not proud” (11:2). In chapter 16 he said, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (16:18). Later in Proverbs he says, “No one is respected unless he is humble; arrogant people are on the way to ruin” (18:12), and “Arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected” (29:23).

So what does this mean to you ? The message this morning is simple: walk in love and humility. If you seek to live in peace everyone and you remain humble you will enjoy God’s best life every day!

Father, I thank You for the reminder this morning. I know You ARE love. You are in me and I am in You. Therefore, I declare, by faith, that I will walk in love with everyone I come in contact with. I am a conduit of Your love and an example of Your goodness. Use me to reach others, with Your love, today. Also, I avoid pride at all costs. I remain humble. I don’t bring unnecessary attention to myself. I seek to bring You glory in all that I do and resist every temptation to operate in arrogance. I humble myself before You and I know that You will exalt me as You see fit, so I don’t need to exalt myself. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Sound Decisions

(Prov 17:18 NLT) It's poor judgment to guarantee another person's debt or put up security for a friend.

This morning Solomon gives us sage financial counsel; he was more than qualified to do so. Solomon ran a nation with a multi-billion dollar surplus and he definitely knew how to manage a budget. Here he basically tells us to avoid co-signing a loan for someone else.

During Solomon’s time credit was not a new concept, but to this point is was relatively fair and it was offered at reasonable interest. But the Phoenicians developed a new system of credit at unusually high interest. This caused several people to be locked into bad deals.

Solomon warned his readers (believers) to avoid putting their good name on a bad loan; especially for someone else. Earlier in Proverbs he said, “Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer, but whoever refuses to shake hands in pledge is safe” (11:15). Or in other words, it is better to avoid putting your name on someone else’s loan, because if you obligate yourself, the Lord will expect you to pay if the other person defaults. At the end of the day, this is just not he best practice. The Contemporary English Version of our verse makes this very plain; saying: “It's stupid to guarantee someone else's loan.” It’s hard to misunderstand that.

We live in a society today that sees nothing wrong with filing for bankruptcy. This practice is NOT OK with God. If you borrow something and you obligate yourself to pay it back, then God expects you to pay it back – period. Remember, as a believer, we do all that we do for the Lord. So it is simply better not to obligate yourself in the first place than to obligate yourself and then not pay it back. The Bible is clear about this. Moses said,

“When you make a vow to the LORD your God, be prompt in fulfilling whatever you promised Him. For the LORD your God demands that you promptly fulfill all your vows, or you will be guilty of sin. However, it is not a sin to refrain from making a vow. But once you have voluntarily made a vow, be careful to fulfill your promise to the LORD your God” (Deut 23:21-23).

In Ecclesiastes Solomon said, “When you make a promise to God, don't delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to Him. It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it” (5:4,5).
So what does this mean to you? A couple of things:

1. Failing to pay is NOT an option for the believer. For the believer the word, “pledge” is a serious thing. You are putting your name on the line. You are giving your Word that if this person fails to pay, that you WILL; and as a believer, you are bound to do so. A person of poor character and deceitful intent may enter into a loan without the intentions of paying, but you MUST never do so. Your word has to be your bond. We are expected by God to meet every obligation. That is why we must “Count the cost” (see Luke 14:28-30) before we enter into a binding agreement.

2. Your family can be affected. You have an obligation to God and to your family to manage your finances well. Making a poor decision like this can put your family at risk. That is why prayer is so important. Many people make foolish decisions then say things like, “God, why did you let this happen to me?” No! Don’t blame God. He is not obligated to bless your mess. There is a difference between being generous and making a poor decision. Don’t allow your emotions to take you where your bank account can’t keep you.

Father, I thank You for providing me sound counsel through Your Word and by Your Spirit. You lead me in the way that I should go. I declare, by faith, that everything decision I make is a decision that is birthed out of my prayer life. I make decisions that line up with Your counsel. I am a blessing to others and I give to those in need. However, I am led in my giving. I don’t overextend myself and I don’t endanger my family by making poor decisions. I pray, I think things through, I count the cost, and I make sound financial decisions – BY FAITH! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Character

And the LORD said to Moses, "I will bring yet one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out of here altogether. Speak now in the hearing of the people, and let every man ask from his neighbor and every woman from her neighbor, articles of silver and articles of gold."

And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants and in the sight of the people.

Then Moses said, "Thus says the LORD: 'About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt; and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the animals.'"
(Ex. 11:1-5)
Basically, here's what happened: God said to Moses, "I want you to have all the men and all the women go to their neighbors and borrow all the articles of silver and of gold that they have." Because Moses had favor with the people who worked for Pharaoh and the people of Egypt, the people of Israel could go out and get whatever they wanted.

Favor in your life is an important thing. Too many Christians have the idea of "in your face, buddy" and push their Christianity in such a way that they become obnoxious and appear arrogant. Because of this, they shut themselves off from having any influence on the world whatsoever.

Moses had character. Because of his character, his reliability and the honesty of his word, he had favor with the servants of Pharaoh and the people of Egypt. When it came time to tap into that favor to get what God told him to get, they didn't write him off as a loony. So, don't be deceived. The devil would like nothing more than for you to be considered a lunatic.

Yes, we are peculiar. The people of Egypt probably thought Moses was peculiar because of some of the things he did. You may seem peculiar in the eyes of the world, but still have character and favor. Never, never throw away your character. It is one of your best witnessing tools.

True Friends and Family

(Prov 17:17 NLT) A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.

Solomon talks to us about friends and family. He tells us that true friends are family are there for us at all times; they are there in times of adversity as well as prosperity.

It’s easy to be there for your friend or family member when everything is going well, but when the chips are down and the pressure is on those with flawed character leave friends and family behind, to face the adversity alone.

This should not be said of you. As a believer, you should seek to be faithful to God and man. Be the friend and family member that is there at all times – good or bad, up or down, success or failure. The Message Bible paraphrase of this verse reads:

“Friends love through all kinds of weather, and families stick together in all kinds of trouble.”

As I think of this verse many great examples of true friends and family, in scripture, flood through my mind. For the purpose of this lesson, I will give you just three. First, from a family perspective, I think of Joseph. His brothers betrayed him and broke the familial bond. They first thought of killing him and later decided to sell him as a slave. Over 20 years later, when Joseph was second in command of the most powerful nation on the planet, his family was suffering the results of the famine and they came to Egypt looking for help. Joseph stood above his brothers (they did not know it was him), with the power to have them killed, but the love that he had for his family conquered the resentment he had for what they did to him. Instead of having them killed he brought them in as family and blessed them. When his brothers needed him the most (in a famine) Joseph was there for them, in spite of their ill treatment of him.

Joseph was a true brother. Secondly, as a friend, I think of Jonathan. Jonathan was a true friend to Solomon’s father David. Jonathan was as an heir to Saul’s throne. As a prince he could have easily been threatened by David, especially when it was known that David was a threat to take over his father’s throne. But Jonathan and David had a special friendship. Even when his father was making attempts on David’s life, Jonathan stood by his friend and did all that he could to help David.

Jonathan was not a fair weather friend and one could easily make the argument that Jonathan did more for David than his own blood-brothers. In the next chapter Solomon tells us that we can actually have a friend that “sticks closer than a brother” (18:24). Jonathan was that type of friend. And lastly, I will use the friendship example of Paul and Barnabas. Most believers have heard of Paul. Paul wrote half the New Testament and is one of the most prominent characters in the early church. However, we would not even know about Paul without Barnabas. When Paul came to Christ no one wanted anything to do with him. He had previously persecuted the church and everyone was either too afraid or too skeptical to deal with him. But Barnabas became a true friend. Barnabas stood up for Paul, vouched for him, traveled hundreds of miles to see him, helped develop him, and eventually help usher Paul into the ministry. Barnabas was a true friend when Paul really needed one.

So what does this mean to you? It means that you are called to be a true friend and family member. A true friend is like ivy—the greater the ruin, the closer he clings. Don’t just be there for your friends and family when everything is going well. You must be determined to be there through thick and thin and if you are there for others, others will be there for you. If you sow true friendship and kinship, you will reap true friends and family!

Father, I thank You for teaching me the importance of loyalty. I declare, right now, by faith, that I will be loyal to my friends and family. I will not only be there for them when things are going good, I will also be there for them in times of distress, despair, and desperation. I am known as a good friend and family member, and as such, You use me for Your glory. You use me as the conduit through which You can reach my friends and family, because they know they can call me in trouble and that You will speak to them through me. Send me to be a blessing to others today! Use me to make an impact in the lives of friends and family, so You can get the glory out of all of our lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Judge Righteously

(Prov 17:15 NIV) Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent— the LORD detests them both.

In this verse Solomon reminds us of the fact that our God (Jehovah) is a God of justice. And when I say “justice” I mean the justice that comes as a result of righteous judgment. We are living in a time where righteousness is not popular. Corruption is so commonplace and the moral compass of our society is so off kilter that people routinely call right “wrong” and wrong “right.” What would have been preposterous 50 years ago often goes unnoticed today.

But the Lord, through Solomon, reminds us that His standard of justice remains unchanged. God expects us to conduct ourselves in accordance with His standards and He literally hates miscarriages of justice. Yes, I know that is strong language, but it is the language Solomon uses. Another translation of this verse reads: “He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.” The word “abomination” is not an overstatement. The Lord will judge all those who judge unjustly.

The picture Solomon is painting is that of a case where a person stands in court, after being arraigned, accused, and the fact proven, only to be absolved of guilt by a corrupt judge or jury. Those that clear the guilty will be held accountable before God. And the opposite is also true. The Lord detests those occasions on which an innocent man is condemned without cause or evidence, in a case where he is clearly NOT guilty.

To acquit the guilty or to condemn the innocent is equally detestable to Jehovah.

While our courts may be filled with these types of injustices today, all those involved in the injustices will some day have to give an account before God and they will NOT go unpunished.

In Exodus the Lord, through Moses, said: “Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty” (23:7). Later on in Proverbs Solomon said, “Here are some further sayings of the wise: It is wrong to show favoritism when passing judgment. A judge who says to the wicked, "You are innocent," will be cursed by many people and denounced by the nations. But it will go well for those who convict the guilty; rich blessings will be showered on them” (24:23-25). Let this be a warning for all judges and people in general, we will have to give an account for our actions, so we should do our best to judge righteously and deal uprightly with all men.

I could think of no better example than what happened to Jesus. He was taken from mock trial to mock trial in the middle of the night. Without any evidence and with trumped up charges an innocent Jesus was accused and condemned and a clearly guilty Barabbas (a wicked man), was released. No doubt that all those who participated in Jesus’ disgraceful trial will have to give account.

So what does this mean to you ? It means that the Father expects you to judge righteously. Don’t be afraid to call right “right” and wrong “wrong.” As a believer you should NOT be a coward. Don’t water down or sugarcoat the truth.

Stand for what is right, because it’s right, and the Lord will bless you for it!

Father, I thank You for Your truth. Your Word is truth. Your Word is the standard by which I live my life. I don’t make excuses for Your Word. I stand by Your standard and I am not ashamed of my convictions. In a world where political correctness has caused people to cowardly back down and succumb to unrighteousness pressures, I will stand firm in the truth and call right “right” and wrong “wrong.” I will not turn a blind eye to unrighteousness and injustice. I will judge righteously and live Godly before You and others. I declare this by faith! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Avoid Arguments

(Prov 17:14 NIrV) Starting to argue is like making a crack in a dam. So drop the matter before a fight breaks out.

Yesterday we talked about one-sided love. This morning we continue to flow in the vein of love. In yesterday’s message I quoted Romans 12:18 where Paul said, “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.” In the previous message (two days ago) I talked about avoiding foolish influences.

I received an email asking me if the two messages contradicted each other. Can we seek to live at peace with everyone while avoiding foolish influences? Absolutely. We can and we should. We are to love everyone, but that does not mean that we will like everything they do and that we should allow them into our inner circle. We can love someone, even while shielding ourselves from his or her foolishness. What we definitely need to avoid, like Solomon teaches us here, is allowing others to lure us into arguing and fighting. I like the analogy that Solomon uses. He tells us that the beginning of an argument is like a small crack in a dam. Now, when you see the word “dam” you may get a picture of the Hoover dam or something like it. While the dams of Solomon’s day were not as big, they were not tiny either.

Eastern cities often had a large tank or reservoir erected within or just outside of the city that held their water supply. Like any dam, if a small crack was made in the reservoir, then water obviously began to leak through. If the crack was not immediately corrected – and time was of the essence – the crack grew into a hole and the hole jeopardized the entire reservoir and everything around it. Before one knew it the entire mass of water could break through and destroy everything in its path. We have many modern day examples (like Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and the recent tsunami’s) that give us a clear picture of how destructive water can be. The sad part is that in Solomon’s example the damage could have been avoided if the small crack had been immediately repaired.

The message in all of this is to avoid arguing. What starts off as a single word spoken in anger can quickly erupt into a major fight. Once emotions are flared up people say things they will later regret and feelings get hurt. Like the old saying, “Sin will take you where you don’t want to go, make you stay longer than you want to stay, and spend more than you can afford.” So the best thing to do is to avoid sin altogether. In this case the counsel is to avoid arguments, because argument leads to bigger things. And as in the case of the crack, the argument must be squelched immediately. If the argument is not squashed right away, it can quickly get out of hand. Minor disputes have a way of growing to major proportions. So it is better to stop the dispute while dispute is still insignificant.

So what does this mean to you? It all comes down to walking in love. Love refuses to let an issue fester and if at all possible, love seeks to avoid disputes before they every get started. I will close with the words of Paul:

“Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don't use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don't stay angry. Don't go to bed angry. Don't give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life… Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift” (Eph 4:26, 27 & 29).

Father, I thank You for the reminder again this morning that You expect me to walk in love. I seek to live in peace with everyone and I refuse to allow myself to drawn into petty arguments. I avoid arguments altogether, but if one does start I will quickly squash it. I will not allow an argument to cause me to lose control of my emotions. I rule over my emotions and they do not rule over me. Even if I do get angry, I will never go to bed angry. I will resolve all issues quickly so that they do not develop into major catastrophes in my life. Walking in love helps me to live without undue stress and strife. Walking in love is awesome and I thank You for enabling me to do it by Your grace and with Your Spirit! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

One Sided Love

One Sided Love

(Prov 17:13 NLT) If you repay good with evil, evil will never leave your house.

Two verses ago Solomon described someone who was wicked. In the last verse Solomon described someone who was foolish. In this verse he describes someone who is both wicked and foolish. You would have to be wicked and foolish to repay good with evil. It is understandable to repay evil with evil. We know that God teaches us to repay evil with good, but the common standard of the world is quid pro quo, a tit for a tat, an eye for an eye. But for someone to repay good with evil exposes true wickedness. Solomon is clear that Jehovah will ensure that they reap what they sow and evil will never leave their house.

Solomon’s father (David) gives us a god example of someone who had haters, but who refused to respond to their evil with more of the same. For the purposes of this lesson, I will say that a “hater” is someone who has ill feelings towards you without a cause. Yes, David had his fair share of haters. In Psalm 109 we see how David responded to their hatred – with love. Here is an excerpt from the Psalm:

“O God, whom I praise, do not remain silent, for wicked and deceitful men have opened their mouths against me; they have spoken against me with lying tongues. With words of hatred they surround me; they attack me without cause. In return for my friendship they accuse me, but I am a man of prayer. They repay me evil for good, and hatred for my friendship” (Psalm 109 1-5).

David refused to repay evil with evil and he was blessed for it, but his haters were repaying good with evil and they paid the price.

The ultimate example of someone who had to deal with haters was Jesus. Jesus did not do anything wrong to anyone and people still ‘hated on’ Him. The same people He was out to bless turned on him. The same people that cried, “Hosanna” one week cried “Crucify Him” the next.

How did Jesus respond? Did He call down fire from heaven to destroy them? Did He call for a legion of angels to annihilate His enemies? No! Instead of repaying evil with evil, He interceded for those who were repaying his good with evil. Jesus looked up to the Father and said,

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

I know it hurts to have haters without a cause, but you cannot get caught up in their hatred. Especially when they are repaying your good with evil. But remember, God’s love is ONE SIDED! You don’t need their good for you to do good. If you did then you would be no better than the world.

The Father expects you to do good whether people do good to you or not. Even if they choose to repay your good with evil, it still does not exonerate you from your requirement to do good. Their poison can’t stop your purpose anyway. You don’t need their support for your rise. So just stay fixed and focused on your purpose and know that God will judge their evil acts. They will reap whatever they sow.

So what does this mean to you ? It means that you should never (EVER) repay good with evil. Repaying good with evil is exceptionally wicked. If anything you are called to: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:28,28); to “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love… Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse… Do not repay anyone evil for evil… as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Rom 12:12-18). God expects you to walk in love, because He IS LOVE (1st John 4:8, 4:16).

Father, I will never repay good with evil. Actually, I won’t even repay evil with evil. I am committed to living a life that is pleasing to You. I am in You and You are in me. Since You ARE love and You are in me, then I declare that perfected love lives in my heart. I love all people and my love is ONE SIDED. Regardless of how others act towards me, I will express and share Your love towards them. I walk in love every day of my life. I am a conduit of Your love and an example of Your grace everywhere I go. Use me to reach someone today with Your love, Your peace, and Your kindness! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Avoiding Foolish Influences

(Prov 17:12 GW) Better to meet a bear robbed of its cubs than a fool carried away with his stupidity.

It seems as though the reference to the ferociousness of a bear was a common one. David was said to be as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs (2nd Sam 17:8). The fury of a bear was (and still is) not something to mess with. In 2nd Kings there is an account of bears mauling 42 children (2:24).

In the U.S. we have the Black bear, Brown bear, and Polar Bear (primarily in Alaska). In Solomon’s time the common bear was “The large brown bear of Syria.” This bear was known to be powerful and dangerous, and like any bear, exceptionally ferocious if you messed with its cubs. A mother bear is especially protective of her cubs and she will do just about anything to get them back.

Solomon wants us to understand how fierce and unmanageable a bear can be when her cubs have been taken. He wants us to get a vivid picture in our minds of the danger posed by the uncontrolled anger of the bear.

He then says that it is better to deal with that – with the brute ferocity of a bear on a rampage – then to deal with a fool that is carried away with his stupidity.

Once a fool gets an idea in his head nothing will stop him. Solomon compares the passion of the fool (hell-bent on their project, no matter how foolish it actually is) with the determination of the bear to get her cubs back.

Have you ever met someone who was dead-set on doing something that EVERYONE around them knew was a mistake? It does not matter how many people attempt to rescue the fool from his folly, if the fool has convinced himself that the “thing” is right, then there is no stopping him. The best thing to do, after the fool has rejected your counsel, is to leave them alone and to pray for them. If you entertain their foolishness long enough, they may be able to convince you (with their zeal) to join them in their foolishness; and believe me they can be very convincing.

The issue here is the issue of influence. If you hang around someone long enough then either you will influence them, or they will influence you, but one way or another influence WILL occur. Back in chapter 13 Solomon said, “Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble” (13:20). That is just about as plain as it can be.

So what does this mean to you? It means that sometimes people are going to be convinced that they are doing the right thing, even when it is obvious to everyone else that they are not. Even if the person is completely sincere it does not mean that they are right. You can be sincere and sincerely wrong! If you run into someone who is hell-bent on stupidity, then you MUST avoid his or her influence. If you entertain their foolishness long enough you might find yourself involved in it and then you will have to deal with the consequences. And the end of the day, either you will influence them or they will influence you. So choose your friends, and even your associates, wisely.

Being around the wrong people may be hazardous to your destiny!

Father, I thank You for Your counsel this morning. I realize that being around the wrong people can be dangerous to my future. Therefore, I declare, by faith, that I surround myself with the right people; with people that will build me up and that will help me develop into the person that You desire for me to be. I also thank You for sending me to others, to help influence them in the direction that You want them to go, but if they refuse sound counsel, and if they are hell-bent on doing the wrong things, then I will pray for them from a distance. I will not allow myself to be lured into their foolishness. I have God-vision, I know where I am going, and I refuse to be distracted, derailed, or detoured. I WILL arrive at Your desired destination for my life, because I remain fixed and focused every day! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Great Expectations!

(Prov 17:11 MSG) Criminals out looking for nothing but trouble won't have to wait long—they'll meet it coming and going!

Beginning with the last verse, and continuing on to verse 16, Solomon describes some form of evil or foolish action in each verse. In the last verse we learned of the fool who is so hardheaded and stiff-necked that he refuses to learn anything from anyone. You could not even beat (physically) sense into him. Here Solomon describes a lawbreaking deviant who is always on the lookout for trouble. Guess what? He won’t have to look very long. Since he is a troublemaker and who looks for trouble he will find it coming and going.

Back in chapter 11 Solomon said, “Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished” (11:21). In chapter 16 he said, “The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished” (16:5). In the New Testament Paul said, “Do not deceive yourselves; no one makes a fool of God. You will reap exactly what you plant” (Gal 6:7). What do these verses teach us? Well, they remind us that we will reap whatever we sow. Why? Because our God created a system of laws and principles – sowing and reaping, cause and effect, and the free will of humans – that governs the earth. So, not only WILL we be judged some day, but our actions ARE regularly judged and we are either enjoy or endure the consequences. So, if we don’t like the harvest we are reaping, then we must check the seed we are sowing.

At the end of the day, we are where we are, because of the decisions we make and the actions we conduct. Since the troublemaker is sowing trouble, then he can’t help but reap it and Solomon tells us that he will run into it coming and going! But the good news is that this also works in the positive. If you sow good seed daily then you will experience blessing coming and going; you will run into God’s best around every corner! Glory to God!

I have taught on sowing and reaping many times. However, there is something else in this verse that I need to highlight as well that may not be as familiar. It is the issue of expectation. Solomon tells us that the troublemaker is out “looking for” trouble. Since he is out looking for it, then he has no problem finding it. See, it is often difficult for you to receive what you cannot perceive. In other words, most of the time you have to receive something in your heart BEFORE you see the manifestation of it in your hands. Once you receive something in your heart, and you believe it is going to happen, then it is only a matter of time before it happens. Since the troublemaker already developed “an image” on the inside of the trouble he is seeking, and he already “sees himself” performing it, then it is only a matter of time before he gets the opportunity to make it happen. His mind and psyche are so focused on making the image a reality that he can’t help but make it happen.

The good news is that you can tap into this same power for good. If you get a positive image of what God wants to do in your life DOWN INSIDE of you and you really believe it, then you will enter every day with the expectation that it will come to pass. Once you do, it will only be a matter of time before it manifests.

So what does this mean to you t? It simply means that you should seek to sow the right seed and to enter every day with great expectations. If you do you will experience God’s best, because you will be doing your part in His provision!

Father, I thank You for teaching me this truth this morning. I refuse to sow the wrong seed. I know that I will reap whatever I sow. Therefore, I declare, by faith, that I will sow good seed daily and I will reap a great harvest continually. I enter every day with the assurance of knowing that I am doing my part and I have full confidence that You will do Yours. I have great expectations. I have an image, on the inside, of what You want to do in my life and I know that it is just a matter of time before that image becomes a reality. I expect to see it come to pass I believe that it will! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Remaining Teachable

(Prov 17:10 NLT) A single rebuke does more for a person of understanding than a hundred lashes on the back of a fool.

Here Solomon contrasts the receptivity of a wise and Godly person with that of a fool. When you walk with God and develop in His wisdom you have a sincere desire to learn and grow. However, you cannot grow without changing. Therefore, when someone comes to you with a word of correction and they share it in love, you quickly receive it, learn from it, and apply the lesson to your life. This way you remain teachable and God is able to send people your way to help keep you on His desired path.

However, the ungodly fool simply does not listen. God can send person after person, but the fool is so hardheaded and stiff-necked that he refuses to learn anything from anyone. While a simple word of correction teaches the wise, 100 lashes would not get through the fool’s thick skull.

The issue of lashes sounds like a figure of speech for us today, but in Solomon’s time it was a part of life; it was part of their legal system. Moses said, “When men have a dispute, they are to take it to court and the judges will decide the case, acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty. If the guilty man deserves to be beaten, the judge shall make him lie down and have him flogged in his presence with the number of lashes his crime deserves, but he must not give him more than forty lashes” (Duet 25:1-3).

Yes, Solomon was speaking of actual flogging. But since the law only allowed a maximum of 40 lashes, Solomon was either saying that the fool was a repeated offender or he was using hyperbole to drive home the message. Either way the point is that the fool does not learn from words or physical punishment. The Contemporary English Version makes it plain, it reads:

“A sensible person accepts correction, but you can't beat sense into a fool.”

John Gill said “A single verbal reproof, gently, kindly, and prudently given, not only enters the ear, but the heart of a wise and understanding man; it descends into him, as the word signifies; it sinks deep into his mind; it penetrates into his heart, and pierces his conscience; brings him easily to humiliation, confession, and reformation.”

So what does this mean to you? It means that you must contemplate the obvious question that is birthed from this text: are you the person of understanding or the fool? Can God teach you by simply sending people your way to share simple and kind rebukes (from time to time), or must He allow you go endure all sorts of challenges to learn the same lessons? Some are willing to learn life lessons from the lips of others, but then again some require the sledgehammer treatment. Don’t let this be you. Remain humble, remain flexible, but most of all, remain teachable. That way God is able to teach you through your head and not your back.

Father, I thank You for Your Word. I receive and apply Your truth. I declare, by faith, that I am right now, and I always will be teachable. I have a teachable spirit and I welcome Your divine correction. When people come to me, in love, to share truth that I need to grow, I will hear them out, process what they have said, pray over it, receive it, learn from it, and make the necessary changes. I have a sincere desire to maximize my purpose and potential in life, before I die, and I declare, by faith, that I will. I am willing to change because I have a desire to grow and I know that I cannot grow without changing. Speak to me Father, Your servant is listening. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Don’t Keep Good Records of Bad Things

Don’t Keep Good Records of Bad Things

(Prov 17:9 GW) Whoever forgives an offense seeks love, but whoever keeps bringing up the issue separates the closest of friends.

Here Solomon contrasts the peacemaker and the pot-stirrer. If we are going to have long, lasting, and fulfilling relationships with others, then we must be determined to forgive faults. It is tempting, especially in the midst of an argument (or intense fellowship) to bring up all the mistakes the other person has ever made.

Love, however, keeps its mouth shut and seeks to make the best of everything. One woman to another: “Don't you remember the mean thing she said about you?” The other woman replied: “I not only don't remember; I distinctly remember forgetting!” WOW!!! George Washington Carver was refused admission to a college because of the color of his skin. Years later, when someone asked him for the name of the college, he answered, “It doesn't matter!” I believe love helped him keep his mouth shut.

Back in chapter 10 Solomon said, “Hate stirs up fights. But love erases all sins by forgiving them” (10:12). The issue is how we respond to negative things done to us. As believers we should respond to the evil done wrong to us in a different way than the world.

Love was the central theme of many of Jesus’ messages and He, more than anyone, taught us (by precept and example) how to respond to negativity. It is too easy to repay evil with evil, but when you are able to repay evil with good you know that God has truly changed you from the inside out.

In Matthew chapter 5 Jesus acknowledged what the Old Testament taught: “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth” (Lev 24:19,20). The issue was not what the Law taught, but rather what He was teaching. He came to show us a new way – a loving way, a caring way, a forgiving way. Jesus went on to say, “You have heard the law that says, 'Love your neighbor' and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Bless those who curse you. Do good to those who hate you. Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:43-45). Did you catch that?

True children of God walk in love. True children of God do not keep a track record of the wrong things done to them. True children of God have mercy upon those that transgress against them. In Paul’s letter to the church at Colossae he taught them how forgiven believers should live, saying,

“Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony” (Colossians 3:12-14).

Be quick to forgive, to let go, and to move on!

So what does this mean to you? It means that you should not keep good records of bad things and you must truly learn to forgive – in your heart. I know from personal experience how liberating it is to truly forgive and let go. Not only does it free me, but it also frees the person who transgressed against me. Since you have been forgiven, then God expects you to forgive. Forgiveness helps mend broken relationships, heal broken hearts, and it provides a covering for the wrong done. I will close with the words of Peter:

“Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins” (1st Peter 4:8).

Father, I have been forgiven, and I declare, by faith, that I walk in forgiveness all the days of my life. I don’t keep good records of the bad things done to me. When my friends make mistakes, I am quick to forgive them and move on. When people mistreat me I earnestly pray for them. I pray that Your love would permeate their hearts. I am not afraid, nor concerned about anything others do to me, but I am concerned about them. Use me as an intercessor, to pray for them, to release Your best in them, to be the channel through which You initiate change in their lives. Just as You have released me of all the evil I did, I release them, I forgive them, and I love them with Your unconditional love. I enter this day full of Your love and ready to forgive! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Money and Favor

(Prov 17:8 NIrV) Money buys favors for those who give it. No matter where they turn, they succeed.

Solomon was rich. That's not hyperbole; it is a statement of fact. He knew quite a bit about money management. He ran a nation with a billion dollar surplus. He is more than qualified to teach us about money and he says that there is a level of favor connected with giving. The words "blessed" and "prosperity" are not limited to money; let's make that clear. You can have lots of money and NOT be blessed or prosperous. However, these words do not exclude money either. There has been so much non-Biblical teaching in the church about money that many believers don't even know how they should feel about it. Some over emphasize it and make it the primary focus of their lives. Others think it's evil so they run from it and quickly associate godless living with anyone who has it.

The truth is that money is NOT evil, and NO, that is NOT what the Bible says. When mentoring his spiritual son, Paul said, "For the love of money is a source of all kinds of evil. Some have been so eager to have it that they have wandered away from the faith and have broken their hearts with many sorrows" (1st Timothy 6:10). There is nothing wrong with having money, just as long as money does NOT have you. Money makes an excellent servant, but a poor master. Solomon was not opposed to money and he had a great deal to say about it.

The often quotes Proverbs 18:16, in the traditional King James Version, reads: "A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men." Many read this to mean that the gifts that you have - like singing, dancing, performing, etc. - will open doors for you. While that may be true, the type of gift Solomon speaks of in this verse is external (or tangible). Other translations make this clear. For example, the God's Word translation reads: "A gift opens doors for the one who gives it and brings him into the presence of great people."

In Solomon's time it was customary for someone to bring a gift when attempting to see someone of prominence. Depending on the size of the gift, the doors could open more quickly and grant you access to the highest levels. For example, when Naaman went to see the king of Israel, looking for healing, he took a letter from his king AND 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and ten sets of clothing (2nd Kings 5:5). When the queen of Sheba went to visit king Solomon, she knew that she could not come empty handed. She brought an exceptional gift, to make sure she was granted an audience with the king quickly. Her gift is recorded in 1st Kings 10:

"Then she gave the king a gift of 9,000 pounds of gold, great quantities of spices, and precious jewels. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon" (v.10).

So what does this mean to you? While it DOES NOT mean that you should try to use your money to get your way, it DOES mean that you should be a giver. There is a certain level of favor associated with those who practice giving. Simply put, the Father blesses those who give.

Are you blessed financially? Great, but remember that you are blessed TO BE a blessing. The gospel of the kingdom must be preached to the entire world before the end will come (Mat 24:14), and ministry requires resources. God gives pastors vision, but He is counting on you (believers) for the provision. Support your local church and it's vision. Give to the less fortunate. Give to those who are making a difference.

Believe me, your giving will unlock favor and success!

Father, I thank You for helping me to establish a healthy attitude about money. Money is my servant, not my master. I use money as a tool TO BE a blessing to others. I support my local church. I give to the less fortunate. I support organizations that are making a difference. I honor You with my finances and I finance ministry! Since You know You can trust
me with money - to be a conduit through which provision can flow - I know You will bless me abundantly SO THAT I can BE a blessing to others. In Jesus' name. Amen!

Does Your Audio Match Your Video?

(Prov 17:7 MSG) We don't expect eloquence from fools, nor do we expect lies from our leaders.

In the original language (Hebrew) the word used for fool here refers to one who lacks spiritual perception and sensitivity. This person does not or simply cannot hear from God and he has a track record of making thoughtless decisions. The word used for leader is a reference to a noble man, a man of position and prominence. Other translations use the word “prince” here. The contrast is between a man who is connected to God (who with divine insight is able to make wise decisions) and a man who is disconnected from God (who left to his own devices makes poor choices).

In painting this picture Solomon basically says that there are two things that can be very absurd: 1) A fool who attempts to speak as a wise and Godly man and 2) A Godly man that speaks as a lying fool.

The fool is pretending to be something that he is not and the prince (or leader) is acting in a way that is unbecoming of his position.

The Psalmist, said, “But God says to the wicked: “Why bother reciting My decrees and pretending to obey My covenant? For you refuse My discipline and treat My words like trash. When you see thieves, you approve of them, and you spend your time with adulterers. Your mouth is filled with wickedness, and your tongue is full of lies” (Ps 50:16-19).

God does not expect (and neither should we) the unbeliever to act like the believer. Jehovah expects the mouth of the wicked to be full of wickedness. When an unbeliever speaks lies it is no surprise to God and it should not be a surprise to us. However, when a person we all know to be wicked attempts to speak Godly things it does not come across well because his audio does not match his video. In other words, what he is saying and what we all know he is doing are not lining up.

God says, “Why bother reciting My decrees and pretending to obey My covenant?” In other words, “Don’t even try it.” Empty words mean nothing to God. When Jesus encountered people who were doing this He said, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me” (Mat 15:7,8).

I believe Jesus said it best in Luke when He said, “A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. You can tell what a tree is like by the fruit it produces… Good people do good things because of the good in their hearts. Bad people do bad things because of the evil in their hearts. Your words show what is in your heart” (Luke 6:43-45).

Sooner or later your words are going to tell on you. What is in you abundantly will come out of your eventually. So, you may be able to ‘fake the funk’ for a little while, but eventually your words will expose your true character.

So what does this mean to you ? It means different things to different people:

To the person without Christ it means: The Father is not looking for empty words from you. Your words don’t impress Him. Jehovah does not want your words He wants your heart. Don’t wait another minute. Submit to God and receive Jesus as Your Lord today!

To the person with Christ it means: The Father wants your audio and video to line up. If you are righteous (and you are), then you should not allow corrupt communication to proceed from your lips. Don’t lie, gossip, backbite, cuss, and etc. Speak like who you are: the righteousness of God in Christ!

Father, I declare, right now, that I will fill my heart with good things. I get Your Word down in my heart so strong that I can’t help but speak good things. I refuse to allow corrupt communication to proceed from out of my mouth. I speak things that edify, uplift, and minister grace to the hearers. My audio shall match my video, because I abstain from anything that is not becoming of You, Your character, and Your nature. Use me today Father to speak life over my family, over myself, and into others! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Enjoying Family

(Prov 17:6 NLT) Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged; parents are the pride of their children.

Here Solomon sheds some light on how we should think about our children’s children and our parents. Let’s talk about the children first. It may be hard for the average Christian today to realize how important having a child was to the women of Biblical times.

In Solomon’s day most women did not have prominent positions in society. The average woman did not work outside the home, she did not have an education, and she did not deal with men in public.

Furthermore, since many men had more than one wife – guy’s, don’t get any ideas (you are struggling to keep your ONE WIFE happy) – she had to deal with the internal politics and pressures of the home. Each wife strived to have as many children as she possibly could for her husband, especially male children, so that her husband’s name and legacy could live on. When a woman was barren (could not have children), it was a terrible thing and she was often ostracized for it.

So unlike today where the words “I’m pregnant” send chills down the spines of many men and where pregnancy (in general) has a negative stigma associated with it, in Biblical times pregnancy was cause for celebration.

In one of the Psalms Solomon wrote he said, “Don't you see that children are GOD's best gift? the fruit of the womb his generous legacy? Like a warrior's fistful of arrows are the children of a vigorous youth. Oh, how blessed are you parents, with your quivers full of children!” (127:3-5).

Children were viewed as a true blessing. And consequently, this should still be our view today. There is no reason why we should allow society’s influence to cause us to miss the reality of the blessing that children really are. I have three children and while raising children can be challenging at times, I would not give them up for anything in the world.

The fact that Jehovah would trust me to love, nurture, care for, look after, teach, train, and guide other human beings is both awesome and humbling.

I have grandchildren being a grandparent is even more awesome that being a parent. I always say “If I had known how wonderful grandchildren can be, I would have had them before I had my children!” It blesses me to see grandparents out and about with their grandchildren. Grandparents proudly show off their grandkids and talk about them with endless enthusiasm.

Solomon also mentions the fact that children should be proud of their parents. In other words, the admiration and love should go both ways. Paul said, “Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. "Honor your father and mother." This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, "things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth” (Eph 6:1-3). As believers, we should honor the parents the Father has blessed us to have and as we honor them, He will honor us.

So what does this mean to you ? It means that you should slow down long enough to thank God for your family. I know you are busy and I know you don’t think about it much, but do you realize how blessed you are? Think of your parents and think of your children (and grandchildren if you have them) and simply say, “Thank you LORD!”

Father, I simply want to thank You today for my family. I honor my parents and I thank you for entrusting me to them. I love them and I will honor them all the days of my life. I also thank You for my children (born and unborn). I take the responsibly of parenting them very seriously. I will make the impartations in their lives that You desire for me to make and when they have children, I will love on my grandchildren with all my might. I love and enjoy my family. THANK YOU LORD for blessing me with a wonderful family and I will do all that I can to honor You and them today and every day! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

The Poor and Less Fortunate

(Prov 17:5 NLT) Those who mock the poor insult their Maker; those who rejoice at the misfortune of others will be punished.

Solomon is pretty stern here when discussing those that have the audacity to make fun of the poor and the unmitigated gall to celebrate the calamity of others. Remember, God is love! (1st John 4:8). As believers, we are called to walk in love every day of our lives. There is never a moment that Jehovah does not expect us to operate in His love and He expects us to share it with everyone, regardless of race, age and socio-economic status.

James said, “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you” (1:27). It pleases the Father when we seek to be a blessing to the less fortunate, not when we ridicule them.

Back in chapter 14 Solomon said something similar, saying, “You insult your Maker when you exploit the powerless; when you're kind to the poor, you honor God” (14:31). Later on Solomon said: “Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed” (17:22) and “Don't take advantage of the poor or cheat them in court. The LORD is their defender, and what you do to them, he will do to you” (22:22,23).

In Solomon’s teachings he is encouraging us to be a blessing to the poor; reminding us that we will be rewarded for it and warning us against mistreating them, because God Himself will come to their defense. But receiving a reward or avoiding God’s wrath should not be our motivation. I should not have to bribe you to do good, by promising a blessing and I should not have to scare you into doing right, by telling you that God is going to get you if you don’t. When you walk in love you seek to be a blessing simply because you love God and others.

Jesus Himself acknowledged the fact that there would always be poor people in the world (Mat 26:11). For a myriad of reasons (self-inflicted and otherwise) we will always have poor among us. And I am thankful that Jesus came as a poor man. I am convinced that Jesus could have been born rich if He wanted to. He could have operated as the richest man on the planet, but had He done that He would not have been able to relate to the average person. I believe that part of the reason why He came as an average man, was so that He could relate to and reach the marginalized.
Jesus always reached out to those whom society had written off.

Jesus paid attention to those that no one else paid attention to. Jesus spent His time with whoremongers, tax collectors (who were notoriously known as crooks), adulterers, and all sorts of other sinners. Why? Because He came to reach ALL people: rich and poor, Jew and gentile, male and female, Black and White, Hispanic and Asian… He was all things to all men!

So what does this mean to you ? It is a terrible sin to mock the less fortunate. It pleases God when we are kind to the poor and it insults Him when we exploit them. I have met many who put others down, just so they can feel better about themselves, but as a believer, you should never need to ridicule someone else in a twisted attempt at self-gratification. You are called to be salt, light, and love. You will not reach whom you cannot related to and you will never relate to anyone you look down on.

The Father sent Jesus to die for ALL people and He expects you to treat ALL of His creation with dignity and respect.

Father, thank You for the reminder this morning. I acknowledge You as my Creator and I refuse to disrespect Your creation. I will treat all people – regardless of socio-economic status, race, color, creed, or gender – with dignity and respect. I am blessed TO BE a blessing and I will seek to be a blessing to all those that You send my way. Send people to me today, Father, so that I can share Your love and light with them, helping them to lift up their heads and to look unto You. I seek to be a blessing to all people, because I walk in love! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Check Your Input

(Prov 17:4 NASB) An evildoer listens to wicked lips; A liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.

Solomon teaches us that people who are evil are predisposed to listen to evil conversation. Scandalous people welcome lies, unfounded rumors, and false accusations. And liars, in turn, enjoy scandalous stories, slander, and endless gossip.

The Contemporary English Version of this verse reads: “Troublemakers listen to troublemakers, and liars listen to liars.” This reminds me of what my mother often told me. She said, “Show me who you hang with and I will tell you who you are” or “show me your friends and I will show you your future.” I know many people don’t think your friends have a major impact on you, but that is far from true. When you surround yourself with the wrong people, you will hear the wrong things – terrible advice, skewed opinions, wicked ideas, etc. – and you run the risk of becoming the wrong person. But then again, are you running the risk of becoming the wrong person by hanging with wicked people, or are you ALREADY there? Are you the person that you are because of the associations you have or do you have the associations because of the person that you are?

The Message Bible paraphrase of this verse reads: “Evil people relish malicious conversation; the ears of liars itch for dirty gossip.” While it is true that your friends will impact who you will become, I believe that your choice of friends is an indication of who you already are. The kind of talk a man feeds on is a barometer of what he is at heart. At the end of the day, people normally listen to (or feed on) things that enhance their characteristics. For example, you will not be able to hang around me for an extended period of time without me mentioning God or His desire to reach and bless people. Furthermore, I am so conditioned to think positive that it literally irritates me to be around negative people. Negative people with negative talk and with a poor self-image turn me off quickly. I can’t help but start to speak life into them. I know that either they are going to bring me down or I am going to bring them up.

Back in chapter 13 Solomon said, “Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces” (13:20). Solomon’s point is that both wisdom and foolishness are transferred by association. If you allow yourself to listen to lies, gossip, and backbiting, then 1) that says something about your character and 2) it will not be long before you start lying, gossiping, and backbiting. What’s in you abundantly will have to come out of your eventually. And since we are what we eat, it behooves us to carefully filter what we allow through our eye and ear gates. Whatever we allow through our eyes and ears eventually gets down inside our hearts.

So what does this mean to you ? It means that you must check your input. If you currently welcome unrighteous input, then what does that say about you? And do you realize that by feeding yourself with wickedness that you are filling your heart with negativity? Don’t be deceived. Who you hang around and what you listen to MATTERS; and it matters a great deal! So, protect your eye and ear gates. Fill your heart with good things. Feed your faith and starve your doubts.

Surround yourself with people that will stretch you positively, that will build you up, and that will transfer wisdom (not foolishness) into your life.

Father, I avoid wickedness and wicked people. I refuse to allow my heart to be filled with the wrong things! I protect my eye and ear gates. I surround myself with people that will help me feed my faith and starve my doubts; people that will help fan the flames of the vision You have birthed inside of me; people that will speak life, love, peace, and goodness. I surround myself with the right people, because I am the right person, and my associations will help me continue to develop into the person You desire for me to be! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Change

How serious are you about wanting change in your life? A lot of us want our lives to change…but we’re not willing to do our part.

If you really want things to change in your life—and experience the fullness of the life Jesus died to give you—here are some things that you need to do.

Spend Time with God
First, examine your priorities and see what needs to change. You can’t think spending 45 minutes or an hour in church on Sunday mornings is all you need to live in victory. Since the devil is alive and well every day, then you need a daily walk with God.

The wonderful thing is, there’s no formula. You can just be with Him. Pray, laugh, cry, talk or sit still and not open your mouth. It’s that easy.

Stand Up on the Inside
Next, you need to get serious about changing your life. Every one of us has an outer life and an inner life. Many of us want our outside circumstance to change while we stay depressed on the inside. But before you can get up on the outside, you have to get up on the inside.

You may have a circumstance in your life right now where you feel like you have no choice but to sit down. If that’s the case, tell yourself you’re going to stay enthusiastic, passionate, stirred up, excited, positive, and full of hope and faith on the inside. Make up your mind that you’re never going to quit.

Get Up and Clean Up!
In John 5 there’s a story about a man who I believe represents a lot of people who refuse to change.

During a Jewish feast in Jerusalem, Jesus visited the Bethesda pool where sick people gathered, hoping to get healed. One of the people waiting to get healed was a man who had been crippled for 38 years. When Jesus saw him, He asked if he wanted to be healed.

To me, the man’s answer tells us why he hadn’t been healed in 38 years. He said, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred.” Bottom line, the man had avoided responsibility.

His second problem was that he blamed others. The man said, “While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

How did Jesus respond? Jesus didn’t feel sorry for him. Instead, Jesus said, rather sternly, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” In other words, stop being lazy and get on with your life.

For change to occur in your life, it’s not only important that you stop being a prisoner of your circumstances. You also have to choose to become a prisoner of hope. This means being a person who cannot get away from hope. If you’ll do this, you’ll receive double of anything that’s taken away from you. That’s a promise from God.

Never Give Up!
It was a special day in my life when I realized I didn’t have to give up; I could have hope in the worst circumstances. Regardless of what the situation looks like, I believe that God can give me a breakthrough.

We all want instantaneous breakthrough, but it’s going to take time. And you may go through long periods, even years, feeling like you haven’t made any progress at all, but you have.

Most of the time change occurs daily in little increments that you don’t even notice. But if you’ll just look back after a year or two, you’ll realize that things in your life have changed.

No matter what your circumstance or situation is, you can choose to change. You can choose to hope. You can choose to never give up. You can choose to experience the life Jesus died to give you. Now get up and go!

A Peaceful Home

A Peaceful Home

(Prov 17:1 NIrV) It is better to eat a dry crust of bread in peace and quiet than to eat a big dinner in a house that is full of fighting.

Any verse that deals with food spikes my interest immediately (smile). Growing up in Hawaii and all food there is so tasty. And as you all know I had my fair share of big meals

Whenever I visit my family in the Hawaii we all get together for feasts full of great food, and most of all, family love. I know a thing or two about enjoying big meals, but as Solomon teaches, what makes those meals enjoyable and special is the love we share as a family. While I love Island food (I could eat it every day), the lesson is that the taste and quantity of the food would not matter if it were served in a house full of strife.

Just like love will sweeten even a dry crust of bread, strife will sour and embitter an overflowing banquet.

This verse reminds me of another that I often quote when speaking on marriage. Twice in Proverbs Solomon said, “Better to live on the roof than share the house with a nagging wife” (21:9 and 25:24). Your home should be a refuge from the outside world; it should be a sanctuary of peace and love. Even if you are struggling to make ends meet or if you are facing countless challenges at work, if you are able to come home to a place of peace you will recover from the stress of the challenges you faced throughout the day.

As a believer, especially a married one, you should never make your spouse dread coming home. When there is no peace at home your marriage will suffer, your children will struggle, and you even run the risk of destroying your health. If you have allowed your home to be a place of constant fighting, then it is definitely time to make some changes. If you don’t stop the fighting you run the risk of losing everything and everyone.

So what does this mean to you? It means that you must strive for peace, especially domestic peace, at all costs. It does not matter how much money you have – food in the cupboards, money in the bank, cars in the garage, and etc. – if you don’t have peace at home. We all face challenges on a daily basis and we need a refuge that we can come home to. Our home should be a place where we can be renewed, restored, revived and regenerated, so that we can be ready for the next day. But when your home is full of strife, you come home after a challenging day only to face nothing more challenges and this never ending process will eventually take a toll on you and all those around you. Don’t underestimate the importance of having a home full of God’s love, peace, and rest!

If it is not already, starting today, strive to make your home the refuge you need to experience God’s rest.

Father, I thank You for Your Word this morning. I needed that reminder and I declare, by faith, right now, that my home is and will always be a place of peace. I open up an altar in my home and I establish it as a sanctuary of Your love. When I come home I am able to enjoy my family and all that You have blessed us with. Even if we face challenges – financial or otherwise – as a family, we will face them together. Nothing will disrupt the peace of my home. Everyday, when I come home, I am renewed, restored, revived, and regenerated, so that I can be ready for the next day. Thank you Father for blessing me with a peaceful home and a peaceful family. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Your Legacy

(Prov 17:2 BBE) A servant who does wisely will have rule over a son causing shame, and will have his part in the heritage among brothers.

In this verse Solomon shares some wisdom that at first glance seems like it is no longer applicable today. But we can always glean from God’s Word and that is what we will do here.

In Solomon’s time having servants (or actually slaves) was commonplace. People did their best, as they do today, to build up an estate that they could pass on to their children. The social norm dictated that a person’s estate would be divided between their sons, with the firstborn often receiving a larger portion. However, if a person did not have a son, then their chief slave (or servant) would receive the inheritance.

This is the situation we see with Abram (later known as Abraham) in Genesis chapter 15. Even though Jehovah had promised to bless Abram richly and to bless the entire earth through him, Abram desperately desired a son. He knew that if he did not have a son, then all that he owned would be transferred over to his chief servant Eliezer. While I am sure he loved Eliezer and appreciated him, he really wanted a son, so that his estate and blessing would pass on through his blood lineage.

What Abram wanted is understandable and I would venture to say that the average person would feel the same way. Most people would prefer for their legacy to live on through their blood children. However, Solomon teaches an interesting proverb here.

Just because your son has your blood, it does not guarantee that he has your heart, your vision, or your legacy in mind.

Yes, there are many accounts of children abusing an inheritance and violating the vision and legacy of the parents who left it for them. Solomon says that in this case – in the event that you have a son who you know will bring shame to your name and all that you have worked so hard to do – it is better to promote one of your servants to your son’s position and to give your servant a portion of the inheritance. While this may sound cruel,

Solomon was choosing legacy over emotions.

It is quite interesting that Solomon wrote this, because he would have been wise to put it in practice himself. Solomon had a son who caused him all sorts of trouble (Rehoboam). Solomon also had a servant (Jeroboam) who was faithful and dedicated. When Solomon died his inheritance went to his blood-son. However, since Rehoboam continued to be hardheaded and cruel, the people of Israel rebelled against him and they chose Jeroboam to be their leader. Only Judah remained with Rehoboam. So, when it was all said and done, Solomon’s servant Jeroboam wound up leading 10 of the 12 tribes Solomon left behind and it was because he was the better man for the job.

In other words, Jeroboam was left with 83% of Solomon’s legacy and one could definitely argue that he did a better job than what Rehoboam would have done.

So what does this mean to you? A few things:

1. It is paramount that we prepare our children for their life’s assignment and to continue to develop the legacy the Father has birthed in us.

2. Just because someone has your blood it is no guarantee that they will have your heart.

3. Whatever the job, it should be given to the best person – emotions aside.

Father, I thank You for my born and unborn children. I declare, by faith, that I leave a legacy of righteousness. What You have birthed in me will NOT DIE when I die. It will continue on in the hearts of my children and also in the hearts of all those that You bless me to pour into. You are too big of a God and my lifespan is too short of a time for You to be just concerned with me. When You look at me You see my legacy and I will do all that I can to ensure it lives on. I impart into those selected few that You have assigned to me that are not my blood. Blood or not, I am determined to pass on all that I can, while I can, for You! In Jesus’ name. Amen!