Treatment of The Poor

(Prov 14:20,21 NIrV) Poor people are avoided even by their neighbors. But rich people have many friends. Anyone who hates his neighbor commits sin. But blessed is the person who is kind to those in need.

This morning we continue our series I have been going verse-by-verse, but I needed to cover two verses this morning, because these two go ‘hand in hand.’ Let’s break this passage down and take a closer look:

Poor people are avoided even by their neighbors: While is sad and it should not be this way, it is true that in the world the poor are often shunned. No seems to want to deal with them, especially not to befriend them. So, in addition to the economic challenges they are already facing (due to their poverty), the poor also suffer socially.

In the 19th chapter Solomon said, “When you're down on your luck, even your family avoids you—yes, even your best friends wish you'd get lost. If they see you coming, they look the other way” (v.7). Solomon is not teaching what God wants us to do, but rather what he sees as the reality of the way of the world.

Many people form so-called “friendships” on the basis of self-interest; seeking only what the can get from the other person. I would submit to you that these relationships are no true friendships at all.

But rich people have many friends: In the 19th chapter Solomon also said, “Wealth attracts friends as honey draws flies, but poor people are avoided like a plague” (v.4). But once again, the people that are drawn by the wealth may be called friends, but are they really? In one sense the rich man has many friends, because his wealth does attract people like honey, but in another sense he never knows how many true friends he has; friends who love him for who he is rather than for what he possesses.

Anyone who hates his neighbor commits sin: In context, this is a reference to a person that hates or despises his neighbor because of their poverty. The Bible calls it is a sin to judge someone solely based upon the size of their bank account. It’s a sad commentary, but even many Christians avoid the poor like the plague. I grew up poor and so did my wife. There was nothing wrong with us; we just did not have much money, that’s all. Poor people are people FIRST and we – especially as believers – should not forget it.

But blessed is the person who is kind to those in need: This is where the question: “So what does this mean to you today?” comes in. The Father promised to bless Abraham and his descendants (which now includes non-Jews, because of Christ) TO BE a blessing (see Gen 12:1,2; Gal 3). Are you blessed financially? Praise God! But remember that you are blessed TO BE a blessing to others.

The Father clearly wants you to be kind to the poor. Later on in this chapter Solomon said, “He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God” (v.31). Solomon also went on to say: “If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD—and He will repay you!” (Prov 19:17); and “Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed” (Prov 28:27).

There are many more Bible verses I could give you, but I trust you get the point by now. The Father does not want you to look down on people, especially the poor, but He rather desires for you to seek ways TO BE a blessing to others, even if it includes money.

Father, I thank You for blessing me TO BE a blessing. I refuse to judge people based upon the size of their bank accounts and I definitely refuse to look down on someone, just because they are facing hard financial times. I am eternally thankful for ALL You have blessed me with and I am always on the lookout for ways TO BE a blessing to others, even if that includes money. Whatever You lead me to do Father, I will do it – BY FAITH. Father, use me today to be a blessing to someone else. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

There Will Come A Time!

(Prov 14:19 NKJV) The evil will bow before the good, And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

This morning we continue our series In this verse Solomon speaks of a future time when the evil will bow down before the good. While he could have been referring to some time or times throughout history, most scholars believe this is a reference to the eventual reign of Christ.

As believers we can often find solace in the challenges of our current world, when we remember that a time is coming when good will reign over evil FOREVER! This is a good reminder for us today. We often face many challenges in the world, because Adam left the world in a fallen state. However, Jesus came to redeem us and He will return to redeem the world. In the interim, we know that we are redeemed, but the world, in its entirety, is still not. That’s why it is so very important for us to shine as light in the midst of darkness.

This past week, in Intercessory Prayer, I prayed for many of the things going on in the world. Let me give you an example of some of the things I pray for and about. I prayed about: the earthquake in Indonesia that left tens of thousands homeless, the tsunami in Samoa and American Samoa that killed at least 170, mud slides in Sicily that killed at least 21 and left many more missing, an attack in Afghanistan that killed eight U.S. soldiers and seven Afghan fighters, a typhoon in the Philippines that killed at least 12 people (2 of which were under 12 years old), an attack in the Philippines that killed two U.S. soldiers (one of which left behind a widow who now has to raise 5 children without their father), and the teenage fighters in Somalia that have taken over Mogadishu.

When you couple that with the financial crisis of the United States, the threat of swine flu and other diseases, and the continual efforts of terrorists and terrorism, the world can seem like a dark place. But remember, there is hope.

Right now we (as believers) have hope in Christ, because we are redeemed, and eventually, the world will be redeemed. Let’s look at some scripture about this.

Daniel Said, “Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be given to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will last forever, and all rulers will serve and obey Him” (Dan 7:27). John the revelator said, “Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices shouting in heaven: The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever” (Rev 11:15). Paul said, “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:9-11).

So what does this mean to you? It means there is hope. There is hope NOW for you, if you are a believer. You should walk in that hope daily, so that others would come to Christ, because of the hope they see in you. And it also means that there is eventual hope for the entire world. There will come a time when righteousness and truth shall reign forever, when every knee in the universe will bow before Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords.

That’s Good News and that’s the type of news that should put a smile on your face and a song in your heart as you prepare to face this day!

Father, I thank You for saving me. I am in the world, but I am not of the world. I have been saved NOW. I have hope NOW. I have joy NOW. I have peace NOW. I shine as light in the midst of darkness NOW. And I know that there will come a time where darkness no longer has dominion, power, or any right to operate in the earth. There will come a time where every knee shall bow to Jesus. The deliverance that I HAVE received and the deliverance the world WILL receive are both motivating factors for me today, as I prepare to face whatever challenges may come my way! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

The Simple and the Prudent

Prov 14:18 GW) The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge
This morning we continue our series,

In this verse Solomon reiterates the fact that we, as believes, should be prudent in our affairs and he compares the life of the prudent with the life of the simple. This emphasis on knowledge or prudence vs. foolishness is a reoccurring theme in the book of Proverbs.
Solomon was the wisest man in the land and he was sought out - even by other kings - for his wisdom. He knew what it was like to operate in Godly wisdom and I am sure he had his fair share of encounters with fools. He often talked about fools in his writings, mainly warning us from becoming one.

I look the liberty of looking up some of the words from this verse in the original Hebrew. Most of them were pretty straight forward, but nevertheless, let me share with you what I found:

Simple: this word is also translated as naïve, silly, and foolish. It basically refers to a person who is easily seduced or one that lacks common sense.

Prudent: this word is also translated as shrewd, crafty, sly and sensible. It refers to a person who is careful, thorough, and thoughtful when making decisions.

Crowned: this word is also translated as encircle, encompass, surround and 'round about.' It refers to the environment a person operates in.

The words inherit and knowledge are pretty straight forward and are primarily translated as such. After looking at all the definitions, after reading this verse from several translations (I have over 30 translations on my computer), and after praying (of course), I believe Solomon is telling us that naïve or gullible people inherit and leave an inheritance foolishness, whereas the prudent operate in an environment of knowledge.

In other words, we normally produce more of the same. If we are gullible and naïve we will invariably surround ourselves with people that are gullible and naïve. We will raise our children to be gullible and naïve. We will leave an inheritance of foolishness, because our ignorance and lack of careful and deliberate thinking/planning will entrap us in a (seemingly) never-ending cycle.

On the other hand, however, the same holds true. If we are prudent and we carefully think through the consequences of every decision, we will find ourselves making good choices and one of those choices will be to surround ourselves with like-minded people. We will be encircled with and environment that is conducive to learning, growing, developing and maximizing our purpose and potential. And while it's not mentioned, we too will leave and inheritance for our children, but it will be an inheritance of intelligence and sharp minds.

So what does this mean to you? It means the Father does not want us to aimlessly wander our way through life like a fool. No, he wants us to carefully and deliberately make decisions that will take us towards His expected end for our lives. Now, some may say: "Wait a minute I thought God wanted us to live by faith." You're right. He does, but living by faith does not mean that you disregard all the knowledge the Father has blessed you to attain. While there are times where the Holy Spirit will lead you to do something that defies logic, for most part, on a daily basis, He will USE your mind, not ignore it.

Father, I thank You for blessing me with intelligence and for giving me the wisdom that enables me to be prudent in all my ways. I refuse to be gullible, naïve or simple. I will not leave and inheritance of foolishness for my children. I declare, right now, by faith, that my mind is alert and sharp, my body is awake and active, and I am ready for this day. I carefully think through the consequences of every decision. I am a thinker and a deliberate planner and I surround myself with like-minded people. I create a creative environment where I can grow and help others to grow as well! Teach me today Father. In Jesus' name. Amen!

The Hotheaded and The Coldhearted

(Prov 14:17 GW) A short-tempered person acts stupidly, and a person who plots evil is hated.

This morning we continue our series, "Unlocking the Power of Proverbs - Walking in the Wisdom of God." In this verse Solomon teaches us about two categories of people, neither of=2 0which we (as believers) should aspire to be. They are: those with a short-temper and those who plot to do evil. The former does things in anger, without considering the consequences, like yelling out insults, screaming out curses, slamming doors, throwing whatever is within arm's reach, breaking things, and being overall 'out of control.'
Is that bad? Absolutely. That's terrible and it clearly shows that a person who is ruled by their emotions. But I believe latter category is even worse. This person has control. Those that devise evil schemes know exactly what they are doing and that's what makes them even scarier.

The Message Bible does a good job of capturing the two categories in modern English. It reads: "The hotheaded do things they'll later regret; the coldhearted get the cold shoulder." That's a good way to describe20these two types of people: hotheaded and coldhearted. The hotheaded does stupid things, things he will later regret, but he does them in a hasty and not well-thought-out manner. While the coldhearted's evil is pre-meditated and carefully thought through.

I know you would probably not want to deal with either or the two, but if you had to choose, would you rather deal with a person who "flies off the handle" and says/does ridiculous things or the person who seems completely in control as they carefully and cold-bloodedly plan out evil? While I agree that neither is attractive, I would prefer to deal with the hotheaded over the coldhearted.
The hotheaded shows (with their actions) that they have no control over their emotions. This is a challenge, but it is definitely not as hard to overcome as the coldblooded. The coldblooded clearly has control and focus, but they are guided in the wrong direction; towards evil and not peace. Teaching someone to control their emotions (for the hotheaded) is one thing, but changing the content of their character (for the coldblooded) is a much harder task. But the good news is that IN CHRIST nothing is impossible.

I believe Solomon's lesson for us is about self-control. We should not strive to be either hotheaded or coldhearted. If you are either one this morning, there is still hope. Let's look at each:

For the hotheaded: If you have the propensity to "fly off the handle" and to lose control of your emotions, then spend time with God and with his people. The more you spend time with God - in prayer, worship, fellowship with others, and in his Word - the more you will develop the love of God in you. Once God's love is developed inside of you, you will learn to control of every negative emotion and in-so-doing, you will be taking control of your life.

For the coldhearted: Your mind must be renewed (see Rom 12:1,2 and Eph 4:23) and that will only come by receiving and applying God's Word. The more Word you get down inside of you, the more you will be transformed into the image and likeness of God. Before you know it, you will find yourself operating in God's love towards others and having thoughts of peace and not of evil.

Father, I thank You for loving me so much. You love me enough to want to see me succeed in every area of my life and for me to do so, I must take control of my self. I declare, right now, by faith, that my spirit, soul, and body are all sanctified for Your purposes. I don't allow my emotions to rule me, I rule over them. I take control of every way ward thought and I bring it into alignment with Your Word. I take control of my mind and I think good things. I make plans of peace and not of evil, I operate in love and not hate, and I have the self-control needed to maximize my purpose and potential while I am in the earth. In Jesus' name. Amen!

Avoid Danger

(Prov 14:16 GW) A wise person is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is careless and overconfident.

This morning we continue our series, In our last verse Solomon told us: “only simpletons believe everything they are told,” obviously warning us from being gullible. Solomon went on to say: “the prudent carefully consider their steps,” carefully giving their decisions due diligence.

In this verse Solomon gives us an example of why that due diligence is necessary. We all know people that fail to properly consider the risks surrounding a decision and we know how dangerous the outcome can be. Solomon warns us from not properly discerning the evil or danger surrounding a situation.

We should never enter into things blindly. The fool, Solomon says, enters into the face of danger with careless overconfidence. There is a big difference between fearlessness and carelessness. I am convinced that the Father does not want us to be bound to fear. Fear is an incapacitating force that can leave even the most committed (to God) immobile. Fear moves satan, faith moves God.

I am not saying that fear is good, but I am saying that while we can (and should) strive to be fearless, we should never make the mistake of being careless.

So what is it that leads many people down the road of carelessness? The latter portion of the text gives us the answer: overconfidence. The Bible in Basic English reads: “The wise man, fearing, keeps himself from evil; but the foolish man goes on in his pride, with no thought of danger.”

Many have allowed their pride to take them where their ability was not able to keep them. Pride will get us in trouble quickly. When we operate in pride we have an inflated opinion of ourselves and of our ability; and our prideful delusion will cause us to miss the many warning signs the Father puts in our path to keep us from making mistakes. He will do His best to warn us, but if at the end of the day we choose to ignore His warnings and carelessly walk into traps, we will have to pay the price.

The Contemporary English Version does not hold back at all; it reads: “Only a stupid fool is never cautious—so be extra careful and stay out of trouble.” That’s about as plain as it could be. None of us WANT to be stupid fools. We want to grow, we want to develop, we want to become the men and women the Father desires for us to be. We want to maximize our purpose and potential in the earth, before we die; and Solomon is teaching us how. He wants us to weigh every decision, to be aware of the inherent risks surrounding every situation, and to walk in humility, because pride will cloud our judgment and cause us to be careless.

So what does this mean to you ? It means you should avoid unnecessary dangers. Be the wise person Solomon urges you to be and cautiously turn away from danger. Don’t allow pride to cause you to be careless. Many in the world see Christians as gullible, naïve, and border-line unintelligent people who blindly believe the Bible. But strong believers are careful, thoughtful, humble, and prudent. They are not blind at all.

Mature believers see danger, they have a sober opinion of their ability, and they seek to please God by only going down the roads the Father desires for them to go. They know that if the Father leads them down a dangerous path, then He will protect them, but they don’t allow prideful overconfidence to cause them to be foolish. Be wise today and carefully consider your ways.

Father, I thank You for helping me to be prudent. I am governed by Your Word and led by Your Spirit. Your Word and Your Spirit keep me from prideful arrogance. I humbly enter this day with a sober opinion of myself, my abilities and Your power. I know Your Spirit will never lead me where You cannot keep me, but I also know that I am capable of getting out of Your will and leading myself down roads that lead to failure. So I declare, right now, by faith, that I will be led of You, I will avoid foolish arrogance, I will consider my ways, I will weigh every decision, I will avoid unnecessary dangers, and I will experience the Life Your Desire for me to Live! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Giving Your Decisions Diligence

(Prov 14:15 NLT) Only simpletons believe everything they are told! The prudent carefully consider their steps.

This morning we continue our series, In this verse Solomon gives us sound counsel. He warns us from being so naïve that we believe everything we are told. Solomon tells us to carefully consider our steps. In other words, we are to give our decisions careful and thoughtful consideration.

When I first move to California I had to learn quickly not to believe everything people said. Being naïve and coming from a small island when I got here I seem to have come in contact with every common-day liars, out there and also connivers, seeking to scheme their way to a quick buck.

When I got here we had no money no job and we lived in a very bad part of town. I found out that in this type of environment produces young adults and adults who are very careful and mostly cautious when dealing with people. You could accuse me of being gullible when I first got here.

I was one of those people that was completely gullible, and could easily be taken advantage of. I trusted everybody and for the most part, which made me susceptible to being taken advantage of. And trust me I was taken advantaged of robbed beaten down and that is just to mention a few thing …Yes Toto we are no longer in OZ

I began to meet people that trusted no one. And after going trough so much I had begun to have my guard up at all times as well. And I became extremely cautious and wary of others, which helped me from being conned, but it also made it hard for me to build true relationships. It was a very dark and lonely place.

After going through this and livening on both ends I have decided that I believe God’s desire for our lives lies somewhere in the middle.

The Message Bible translation of this verse reads: “The gullible believe anything they're told; the prudent sift and weigh every word.” At the end of the day, we are where we are because of the decisions we have made. So it stands to reason that if we desire to live a good life, then we need to make good decisions; we must develop a decision making process that lends itself to Godly success.

Solomon is teaching us about that process and it includes careful, thoughtful and deliberate consideration of all the circumstances and possible consequences surrounding a decision, before the decision is made. He tells us to sift and weigh every word; to carefully think through all the avenues and aspects.

Solomon knew why this was so important. He was running a kingdom. The decisions he made affected millions of people. He definitely knew the value of thorough planning and the importance of collecting all the facts. He was the wisest man of his time and we would do well by applying His wisdom – which is actually God’s wisdom being shared through Him – to our lives.

So what does this mean to you? It means that God expects you to be prudent in the management of your affairs. Don’t believe everything you are told. Collect all the facts surrounding a situation before making a decision. Carefully, thoughtfully, and thoroughly weigh all possible consequences. Also, pray! Get God involved in the situation through prayer. Consider God’s Word and judge the decision you have come up with against the Word. Allow God’s standard to be the ruler and guide for your life.

And then, after you are convinced in your spirit and mind that this is the right decision, then make it and step out with fearless confidence; knowing that you have given the decision due diligence.

Father, I thank You for loving me enough to provide me Your Word and Your Spirit. Your Word instructs me and Your Spirit guides me. With Your Word and Your Spirit I am able to develop into the person You desire for me to be. And that person is not gullible or naïve. While I am a trusting person, I don’t blindly trust, to the point where I become susceptible to being take advantage of. I am prudent in the management of my affairs. I collect all the facts surrounding an issue before making a decision. I weigh all the consequences, I seek to line up my decisions with Your Word, and I also seek Your guidance in prayer. After putting all these checks in place, when I finally do make a decision, I seek to implement it with fearless confidence; totally trust that I am doing the right thing before You! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Backslide


(Prov 14:14 NASB) The backslider in heart will have his fill of his own ways, but a good man will be satisfied with his.rs


This morning we continue our series, Here Solomon continues to contrast the way the Father desires for us to live with ways that are displeasing to Him as he talks to us about the backslider. The Hebrew word used for backslider here is a word that means: to turn back, to go away from, and to depart, especially from God. This word was commonly used to describe anyone or any group of people that had a relationship with Jehovah, that walked with Him, understood His precepts, walked in His ways, and submitted themselves to His law, but then (for whatever reason) turned away.

As a nation Israel had turned away from God several times. If you read the book of Judges you will see how national leadership directly affected the nation. When a righteous ruler was in place the Israel prospered, because they applied God's teaching and they sought to walk in His ways. But when an unrighteous ruler was in place the nation was left without God's protection and Israel suffered for it every time.

This was Solomon's point of reference as he penned these words. He was national leader. He was the righteous ruler. He was sitting on the throne over Israel and he knew that there would be repercussions to walking away from God's law. So Solomon took the lesson of national backsliding and he applied to the individual. He explained that even an individual backslider will reap whatever he sows.

Even as the state of the nation was affected by national policy, the state of the individual will be affected by the decisions he/she makes.

If a person who has walked with God and enjoyed His fellowship decides to willingly walk away from Him, Solomon's words will ring true in their lives; they will have their "fill" of their own ways. If they choose to attempt to live without God, then they are sitting on the throne of their own lives. They become a god to themselves. They attempt to do their own will, not God's, and since it's their will, then it will be their bill.

Meaning that since they are making all the decisions, then they will have to attempt to bring to pass all their efforts on their own. Believe me, I have seen this time and time again, human ability and effort alone is way too limited.

So what does this mean to you? Several things:

1. You can walk away from God, but you don't want to: Many backsliders who have come back to God, only to testify of how hard it was to attempt to live without Him. If your life is all about your will, then it will be your bill. But if you life is all about His will, then it will be His bill. His vision, His provision! Your vision, your provision.

2. If you do walk away, know that He still loves you and loving awaits your return: The Father will never leave you, nor forsake you (Heb 13:5). While He will not overlook sin, He will also never stop loving you. He draws backsliders back with His love.

3. Your life is no longer your own (1st Cor 6:19): You have been bought with a price and that price was the Blood of Jesus. To walk away from Him is to dishonor and disrespect all that Jesus did on the cross for YOU!

4. There is no retirement plan: Once you become a Christian, then you are to be one forever. This is not something you decide to do for 5, 10, 15, or 20 years. Settle the issue in your heart that you are committed to God forever. Don't leave any door open to the enemy, because he will try to get to you take vacations from your walk with God. No vacations, no retirement, you are called to walk with the Father ALL the days of your life! And believe me, it's worth it!

Father, I thank You for Jesus this morning. I thank You for sending Your Son to die in my stead. I thank You for the Blood that cleansed me from all sin. I know I have been bought with a price. I know I am covered by the Blood of Jesus and anointed by the Holy Spirit. I know I am a child of the Most High God and I will NEVER walk away from You. I will never break fellowship with You. I know You are committed to me and I declare, right now, by faith, that I am committed to You - all the days of my life! In Jesus' name. Amen!