Next week on the blog, I want to think about the Great Commission as given to us by the Lord Himself in Matthew 28.
Here’s the text:
But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had sent them. 17 When they saw him, they bowed down to him; but some doubted. 18 Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go[b] and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Matthew 28:16-20 (WEB)
Do spend some time reading it through and thinking about what it says. On the whole, how well do you feel like you are fulfilling it in your life? I hope that as we study the passage together over the coming days, we will all be encouraged and challenged to share our faith more and more.
Lord,
As we study this Great Commission which you gave us, please open our eyes to its truth and power. Show us how we can fulfil it in our corner of the world. Give us the desire, the discipline, the faith and the tools we need to do the job for and with You.
We thank You that You are with us, and that no one comes to the Father except through You. May we present all that You are to a world which needs You so much.
In my younger days, I was never much of a fan of country music. In more recent times though, I must admit to enjoying it much more. Not all of it is particularly edifying of course, so I’d advise you be selective (as with all things) if you tune in to country radio.
I heard a song the other day called “Buy Dirt” by Jordan Davis and featuring Luke Bryan. I will put a link below in case you are not familiar with it.
The song is about a younger man sitting down and sharing a coffee with an older gentleman, perhaps a grandfather. Over the course of their beverage, the older man shares some wisdom with the younger, and I thought I’d examine the wisdom given in light of Scripture with you today.
Chasing the dollar
When the older man asks the younger what he’s been up to, the younger replies that he’s been “chasing the dollar.” This is what prompts the wisdom sharing.
We cannot deny that all of us need money, and earning it takes up no small amount of our lives. Chasing after it though is a dangerous thing.
The Bible says:
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some have been led astray from the faith in their greed, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
1 Timothy 6:10 (WEB)
This does not say that money is evil, but that loving it is a root of all kinds of evil. Having too much or too little money can lead us into temptation. Loving money can even lead us away from our faith, so let each of us have a proper relationship with it.
Some devote their lives to earning and having more. To do this, they can sacrifice their health, their families, their friends and even their relationship with God. The thing is, when you are on your death bed, you are unlikely to ask for your accountant. Instead, you will be wanting the comfort of family and faith.
Do What You Love, But Call It Work
The older man advises the younger to do what you love, and call it work. This is a great nugget of wisdom in my view. It has been said that if you love what you do, you will never have to work a day in your life. This is so true!
There have been times in my life where I really did not enjoy my job, and those days were hard indeed! In more recent times, I have loved doing my job, and when that is the case, it does not feel like work at all.
We must remember it is a privilege to enjoy one’s job, as there are many who work to pay their bills and support their family, and “enjoyment” does not even come in to it.
As with all things, it is a balance. If you are doing a job you hate, then prayerfully consider a change. If you have little choice because of financial demands or to support those you love, then clearly I am not telling you to quit, do a job you love and face bankruptcy. Do what you need to do of course, but also do not feel trapped where you are. And look for opportunities to move towards a job that you love.
Throw a Little Money
At one point in the song, the advice is given to throw a little money in the church offering. While I do not want to overthink such a line, as it is clearly not a theological song, it does give you pause to think.
It is good advice to give, no question about that. The Bible is full of instruction for us to give to God’s work. Throwing a little money in the collection plate though is not the way we ought to be giving. That smacks of someone who is unprepared and just grabbing whatever they have in their pocket at the time. Our giving should be more purposeful than that.
Paul says:
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I commanded the assemblies of Galatia, you do likewise. 2 On the first day of every week, let each one of you save, as he may prosper, that no collections are made when I come.
1 Corinthians 16:1-2 (WEB)
This instruction suggests planning on our part, and deliberate giving. Notice it is on the first day of the week, so that God is given to first and does not end up with whatever we have left over at the end.
Giving is also connected to the points above about working. We work, not for our own pleasure, but rather so that we might have something to share with the church.
In Ephesians, Paul states:
Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
Ephesians 4:28 (NIV)
We work to support ourselves and our families yes, but we work primarily that we might have something to give to the family of believers.
Send Your Prayers Up and Your Roots Down
This gem of wisdom needs little explaining. Indeed, we ought to be sending up our prayers regularly. In fact, not just regularly, but at all times.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word[a] of God; 18 with all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the Spirit, and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and requests for all the saints:
Ephesians 6:17-18 (WEB)
Likewise, putting down roots, in the context of the song at least, is about building your family in the community. As I write, I cannot think of a specific verse to quote here, but believe it is biblical for us to be a positive force in the place where we live. You could point to the Great Commission for instance on that one. I also feel that Christians should have a good level of commitment to the place where they live.
It All Goes By Real Quick
It sure does! Need I emphasise this point to you? Life is short, and goes by very quickly indeed! We must make the most of it, and never forget it is the preparation for all eternity.
In the psalms, we read:
You have made my days a mere handbreadth;
the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Everyone is but a breath,
even those who seem secure
Psalm 39:5 (NIV)
It may seem negative to point out the shortness of life, but I do not mean it to be. Even a life of 100+ years is short in comparison to all eternity. God is Eternal, unending and beyond time itself. Our handful of decades here is a mere blip next to the infinite life to come. Ensure you make the most of it while you are here, and be ready for the next!
Buy Dirt and Thank the Good Lord For It
The song is titled “Buy Dirt,” and says although you cannot buy happiness, you can buy a home and build a good life for yourself and your family. This is true, and while a nice house does not make a home, we can all do the best with what we have and make our lives worth living.
Throughout it all, when times are both good and bad, we thank the good Lord for it all. He has given us life, and our very breath is dependent upon Him.
Join me in thanking Him today for all the good things in our lives, and for what we have learned from the bad.
Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
You will be aware from my previous posts on – Word Count – that I am endeavouring to complete several book projects this year. In a recent flurry of writing, I was thinking about the topic of biblical meditation. I always make sure I define this term, as meditation can mean different things to different people. By meditation, I mean the constant study and review of God’s Word.
I share below a brief extract of the chapter I have been working on. I hope that it blesses you, and ideally, what’s your appetite for the entire book when it is ready!
There are some references to points I make earlier in the chapter, not here given, but I hope that will not detract from the post.
I am reminded of these verses from Joshua:
Be strong and courageous; for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous. Be careful to observe to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded you. Don’t turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it; for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success.
Joshua 1:6-8 (WEB)
This is God speaking to Joshua after the death of Moses, and just prior to him (Joshua) leading the people of Israel to capture the land.
Having emphasised Joshua’s need to be strong and courageous (more than once), the Lord tells him to be careful to observe all the commands that Moses gave them. This, known as the “Law” is never to depart from Joshua’s mouth.
The idea of the Law not departing from Joshua’s mouth implies a constant; to “not depart” means it is ever present. God’s Word must be at the centre of our lives at all times. We cannot hope to observe all that it commands us to do unless we keep it before us.
In our human weakness, if we do not maintain a persistent effort to keep the Bible at the forefront of what we do, it will easily slip in priority to second, third or subsequent place – behind other less important matters.
The book of the Law must not depart from where? From Joshua’s mouth. This can only mean that he is to speak it out loud time and again. As we discussed above, one meaning of “meditation” is to mutter or utter, and so here we see another instruction to keep the Word on our lips.
The phrase in verse 8 – “shall meditate on it day and night” – is almost word-for-word the same as that of Psalm 1:2. There is no time outside of day or night, and we always find ourselves living in either the day light or the night hours. To meditate day and night is another way of saying all the time. Occasionally is not enough; neither is most of our time. Success and blessing come from day and night meditation on the Scriptures.
The Lord reminds Joshua that if he is careful to do all that is commanded of him, then his way will be prosperous and he will enjoy good success. Psalm 1 tells us we will be blessed if we delight in God’s Word, meditating on it day and night. To be blessed in this way is to enjoy good success, and not the world’s kind, but God’s kind of success.
I read the Bible regularly, but I cannot admit to frequent nor constant meditation. Too often do I use tiredness as an excuse, or pick up the TV remote. I will never have biblical success filling my mind with the world’s entertainment.
Day and night, I must meditate on God’s Word, and must speak it freely from my mouth. Instead of complaining and grumbling, I ought rather to speak out the Word of life.
Studying this subject has been a real conviction to me. I share some of it here with you, and hope you too will step more deeply into the Bible. Let it not depart from your lips, and let your way be prosperous. In Jesus’ Name! Amen
I was thinking about apologising this week, not that there was a particular incident which I needed to say sorry for, but instead I was reflecting on how bad we are at it – generally speaking! Is that through lack of practise I wonder?
We all make mistakes, and yet we often fail to apologise properly, or even at all. This can only harm our relationships, and in my experience, I only ever think more highly of someone who admits their faults, not less.
I may struggle to point to specific Bible verses here, so please treat this as helpful advice rather than anything else! Experience gained the hard way is the only authority I can claim!
Be specific
When you apologise, be specific.
Sometimes when we discipline our children, they say “sorry” but really they mean “Be quiet Dad!” When I probe a little, asking what they are aplogising for, they cannot always tell me.
When you tell someone you are sorry, be clear about what it is you are sorry for. It not only acknowledges the mistake you made, but shows you understand why they were upset or hurt.
For instance, you could say:
I’m sorry I snapped at you this morning, it wasn’t your fault and I should not have said what I did.
I’m sorry I did not do what I said I would do yesterday, that must have been frustrating and created extra work for you.
While you do not necessarily need to mention when it happened, I think that can help to be clear about what went on.
Keep It Simple and Short
In my experience, it is better to be brief and to keep things simple. When we go on and on, trying to explain or setting the scene, it can come across as making excuses. We will touch on that in a moment, but for now, keep things straightforward.
I am not suggesting that you say something like, “I’m sorry I had an affair, that was inconsiderate of me.” As clearly, such a wrong requires a little more effort on our part!
I’m sorry, but… no excuses
When we apologise, we should offer no excuse along with it. You can hear the tell tale signs when someone says, “I’m sorry, but…” that little word “but” adds the idea that although I was wrong, there were extenuating circumstances which mean it wasn’t totally my fault.
Worse is when we say, “I’m sorry, but you…” turning around a situation like that is never any way to say we are sorry.
The truth is, when we are wrong, we have no excuse for our behaviour. There may be reasons why it happened, such as tiredness, worry, fear or stress, but an excuse does not make a wrong thing right.
I once heard it said that an excuse is a reason stuffed with a lie, and there is much truth to that.
When we are wrong, we should just say so, offering no excuses for the behaviour. It is merely an attempt to lessen the offence. Far better to just hold up one’s hands and and say, “I was wrong, I’m sorry.”
No Defence
In a similar way, when we are wrong, we have no defence any more than we have an excuse.
In a court of law, the accused mounts a defence to prove their innocence. In situations where the defendant admits their guilt, no defence is required.
When we say we are sorry, we are admitting that we have done something wrong. If we defend ourselves in that scenario, do we really believe we are “guilty” therefore? If some part of us believes we are innocent, then our apology lacks integrity.
Don’t apologise like a politician!
I write this at a time when the Prime Minister in the UK has been accused of breaking COVID restrictions which he imposed upon the rest of the nation. His “apologies” to date have not been all that well received by other politicians or the wider public. He has offered excuses; “I didn’t know it broke the rules…” and he has defended himself, saying “It was a work event, and I was only there 10 minutes…”
Often politicians will apologise by saying things like, “I’m sorry that hurt was caused…” thus avoiding any personal responsibility. It is like saying, “I’m sorry you took offence…” again, implying that the fault is not theirs, but yours… you took offence where none was intended.
Apologies must be freely offered, and not given begrudgingly. When politicians, or indeed anyone, apologises this way, we all question the sincerity of it.
Well, I’ve said I was sorry…
I have pointed out many ways not to apologise, and I hope it helps you give more honest and sincere apologies in future. My advice is simply to be open and admit when you’ve done wrong.
I want to close by reminding you that even when you do apologise sincerely, acceptance of that apology and forgiveness must never be demanded.
If someone does not respond positively to your sorrow, then please never say “Well, I’ve apologised, what more do you want?”
Forgiveness must never be demanded. When you offer your apologies, you must leave them with the other person and give them time to respond. It is not for you to remind them that they ought to forgive you, or that your apologies somehow heal hurts that were caused.
We all make mistakes, and as long as we live and interact with other people, there will be times when we need to say we are sorry for a wrong we have done. Let us apologise sincerely, without excuse or defence, and humbly say we are sorry when we need to.
I hope this has been helpful, and trust you won’t need to call upon it too often! Have a great day!
We have spent a good amount of time on Proverbs 3 so far, and I want to try and complete the chapter today. We will then take a little break from Proverbs to think about some other things, and I hope to return to it in the near future. We’ve only covered three chapters out of thirty-one, and barely scratched the surface.
I am actually praying about whether this series should one day become a book… as some of my other posts have said, I am working on a number of projects right now and I am not sure it is “wise” to add another, but I shall see where the Lord leads!
Recap
11 My son, don’t despise Yahweh’s discipline,
neither be weary of his correction;
12 for whom Yahweh loves, he corrects,
even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights.
Proverbs 3:11-12 (WEB)
Much of the rest of this chapter revisits themes we have already looked at, so I will not dwell on them here. At the end of this post, I’ll include a list of the other posts from this series so you can go back and review anything you wish to.
Verses 11 and 12 remind us not to hate the discipline that comes from God. His correction helps us to stay on the right path. He does not enjoy it any more than I enjoy disciplining my own children, but it is a necessary act of love. Love? Yes! Absolutely! As per verse 12, the Lord corrects those He loves because He knows that if we carry on down the wrong path, it can destroy us.
Happy
13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
the man who gets understanding.
14 For her good profit is better than getting silver,
and her return is better than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies.
None of the things you can desire are to be compared to her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand.
In her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness.
All her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her.
Happy is everyone who retains her.
Proverbs 3:13-18 (WEB)
This section reviews themes we have covered before. It cites that wisdom is more precious than gold, and acquiring her is better than getting wealth. Note the change from a masculine pronoun in verse 13, referring to the one gaining wisdom, to the feminine one ins verse 14 referring to wisdom herself. We saw in earlier chapters that wisdom was referred to as feminine.
These verses remind us that:
Happy are those who have wisdom
Wisdom is more valuable than silver, gold or precious jewels
Wisdom can provide length of days, riches and honour
Wisdom leads down the path of peace
We have discussed these things before, but do not simply pass them by here. Review each one in turn, and remind yourself why wisdom is the right choice.
Creation
19 By wisdom Yahweh founded the earth.
By understanding, he established the heavens.
20 By his knowledge, the depths were broken up,
and the skies drop down the dew.
Proverbs 3:19-20 (WEB)
Verses 19 and 20 link God’s wisdom with Creation. They tell us that God used wisdom to establish the earth, and all the complexities of the creation around us. Despite scientific efforts, the origin of life has never been explained and we see such a delicate balance of life in nature. The Earth is the precise distance from the Sun it needs to be. The angle of the planet produces the seasons. Gravity, water cycles, atmosphere, and so on are all in perfect balance so we can thrive in the home that God made for us.
Such complex and finely balanced ecosystems and structures require a depth of wisdom we cannot fathom. All the wonders of creation demonstrate clear design, and to think it is all a cosmic accident is foolhardy.
Don’t Procrastinate
For the sake of brevity, I will skip over verses 21 to 26. This is not because they lack anything of interest, far from it! They recap some of the themes we have already explored, but also the idea of wisdom being an antidote for fear and sleeplessness. Do give them a read.
Closing out the chapter, we read:
27 Don’t withhold good from those to whom it is due,
when it is in the power of your hand to do it.
28 Don’t say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again;
tomorrow I will give it to you,”
when you have it by you.
29 Don’t devise evil against your neighbor,
since he dwells securely by you.
30 Don’t strive with a man without cause,
if he has done you no harm.
31 Don’t envy the man of violence.
Choose none of his ways.
32 For the perverse is an abomination to Yahweh,
but his friendship is with the upright.
33 Yahweh’s curse is in the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the habitation of the righteous.
34 Surely he mocks the mockers,
but he gives grace to the humble.
35 The wise will inherit glory,
but shame will be the promotion of fools.
Proverbs 3:27-35 (WEB)
Verses 27 and 28 warn us not to procrastinate. Do not refuse to do good now, when you have the power to do so. The example of a neighbour in need is given to us. We should not tell that neighbour to come tomorrow if we are able to help them right here and now.
Procrastination is a real danger. Putting off things you know you ought to do is not wisdom. The ultimate example is when we put off getting right with God. Often the young will want to wait until later in life to start to follow Christ. This is so they can have all the “fun” that sin offers now, and set things right later on. “If I follow Jesus now, then I might never get married, or I might miss out on the good things life has to offer…” This is foolishness! We never know what tomorrow will bring, or when our lives will be demanded of us. Do not put off seeking God’s forgiveness until tomorrow, just in case tomorrow never comes!
The subsequent verses give us clear instructions.
Verse 29 tells us not to plan evil against our neighbour, not just because it is wrong, but because they dwell right beside you
Verse 30 warns us against fighting with someone without a just cause
Verse 31 instructs us not to envy those who do evil and violence, with obvious reason.
Verses 32 – 35 contrast the evil and the good. Perverseness is an abomination, yet friendship with God is the reward of the upright. The wicked are cursed, while the righteous are blessed. The mocker is himself mocked, while grace is bestowed on those who are humble. The wise find glory, while the fool only shame.
Which side of this are you on? Make your choice, and follow your chosen path. The path of wisdom leads to God and His goodness, so I suggest you take that road – it’s a no brainer!
If you want to catch up on this series, then here are a few of the previous posts:
There is sufficient wisdom in Proverbs 3:7 alone to keep us going for a lifetime! As you probably do not want to spend the rest of your life reading my blog, I will try to be concise!
7 Don’t be wise in your own eyes.
Fear Yahweh, and depart from evil.
8 It will be health to your body,
and nourishment to your bones.
9 Honor Yahweh with your substance,
with the first fruits of all your increase:
10 so your barns will be filled with plenty,
and your vats will overflow with new wine.
Proverbs 3:7-10 WEB)
Taken out of context, the phrase “Don’t be wise…” does not appear too often in Proverbs! This is heavily qualified though by adding “in your own eyes.”
Our own eyes, when used to look on ourselves, are rarely a good judge. Few people would admit to being unwise, and only by looking at ourselves soberly can we obtain a truer estimate.
Paul, in his letter to the Romans, says this:
For I say through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith.
Romans 12:3 (WEB)
Too often we give ourselves miles of leeway, while giving others none whatsoever. We judge our own intentions, while we criticise others’ performance (irrespective of their intent).
Too often we give ourselves miles of leeway, while giving others none whatsoever. #Bible #Wisdom #Christianity
When we think we are wise, we can be overinflated and that makes us careless and prone to mistakes. Rather, we should know that wisdom comes from dependence on God and on His ways. Each and every moment we must surrender to Him, seeking His guidance and obeying His commands.
Verse 7 ends by telling us to fear God and depart from evil. That is something we must live our lives by!
Verse 8 links the fear of the Lord to our physical health. We have touched on this point before, earlier on in Proverbs 3, and will do so again later on. Being a Christian does not guarantee good health, neither does avoiding evil prevent all and every sickness. The principle here is that if we make wisdom our guide, following Jesus and steering well clear of evil, then we reduce our likelihood of ill-health. As we noted before, this is a natural consequence. It is wise to eat healthily, exercise regularly and avoid excessive stress. I do not think anyone would argue that such things will indeed bring health to our bodies.
Verse 9 and 10 instruct us to honour God with our money and possessions. This is quite right to do, and is essentially an act of our worship. We may pray, sing songs, study the Bible and attend church; all of which are acts of praise. Giving of our money and possessions is every bit as important though.
How so? Because we humans are rather attached to our money and “things.” By offering them freely to the Lord, we are rightly putting Him above all such material items. We invest much of our life trying to earn money, and so, by giving it to God, we are reminding ourselves of His rightful place in our life.
God has given us so very much! And by offering back to Him a portion of our income, we are honouring Him. Notice it uses the phrase “first fruits” indicating that we do not give God whatever we have left at the end of the month, rather we give Him the first part of our income because He is first in our lives.
Verse 10 begins with the word “So” indicating that what it says is the result of our giving in verse 9. Because we have given God first place in our lives, even with our income (verse 9), we will have barns filled with plenty and vats overflowing with wine (verse 10).
I want to tread carefully here, as many who buy into the prosperity gospel might teach this rather simply as “Give to God, and He’ll give back to you.” God is not an ATM or better still, fruit machine. We do not simply throw in a coin, crank the handle and out comes a jackpot. God is not a machine, nor a set of rules for us to decipher and “crack the code.” He is a Person, and a Father, and He is keen for us to learn a healthy relationship to money.
Like any good Father does, God wants us to use money wisely; He was us to have possessions, but does not want them to have us! By putting Him first in our finances, and indeed in every area, we are ensuring that God is number one and that nothing is competing for His place.
So do not be wise in your own eyes. Do not think you can get away with evil, ignore God and live a healthy and abundant life. God wants us to be healthy, and I believe He wants us to have good things too, but more than either of those, He wants us to be devoted to Him and His glory. We do not seek after money, nor do we consider ourselves to be God’s gift to humanity.
Rather, we should be sober minded, honest about our own wisdom, and utterly dependant on God for our physical and financial needs.
While the phrase is weeping and gnashing of teeth are not entirely encouraging, they are important biblical concepts. this blog post offers some interesting insights into their meaning, and some more general thoughts on this particular parable which I will encourage you to read.
I do not like to share posts too often, as I do not want to weary my readership! But there are some truly amazing writers on WordPress, so do explore for yourselves and find them!
Weddings are awesome, but sometimes full of tension and surprises. To plan a wedding is one of the more complex projects I have been involved with. …
This Sunday, when you go to church, don’t just keep the seat warm but try to fully engage with your pastor’s message. It took them time to prepare and study, so rather than just listen to what they say, make some decent notes which you can review throughout this week.
Each day, or even more often than that, pull out your notes and go over them. Remind yourself what the key points were, and re-read the Bible passages.
Turn the notes into some actions which you can do. What steps will you take to act on what you’ve heard? How can you put this particular message into practice in your life?
Even better, pair up with someone from church and review the notes together. See what actions you can take together and encourage each other as you do.
James says:
But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.
James 1:22 (NLT)
But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. #Bible #Jesus #Christianity
Finally, when you see your pastor next week, tell them what you have done with the message they taught. It will truly bless and encourage them to hear that you have taken their words and acted on them. Tell them what you enjoyed and how it has challenged you to live more fully for Christ.
How many Christians sit and listen to every word their pastor has said, yet has forgotten every one by the time they reach the parking lot/car park? Don’t let that be you!
Spiritual growth is not automatic, and takes effort on our part. Engage with the Bible, learn from your pastor, and let the Holy Spirit be your guide.
is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
delighting in the Lord’s perfections
and meditating in his Temple.
Psalm 27:4 (WEB)
I recall a time when I was speaking to a group of students about what heaven might be like. One of them thought it would be like a perpetual praise service, with unending worship, music and dancing. Another student thought that sounded more like torture than paradise!
In this verse from the Psalms, King David is making a request. He does not ask for gold or silver, victory in battle nor wives and children. Instead, he requests that he might live in the house of the Lord all the days of his life.
Does that sound like something you would want?
Sometimes we are guilty of wanting the gifts more than the Giver, and for seeking God’s presents instead of His presence. The Lord Himself is our reward though, and far greater than any gift we could want.
The psalm points out two things we might do in His presence.
The first is to delight! Delight is a wonderful word, and means to have a “high degree of pleasure or enjoyment.” That sounds like something we want to do more of! Delighting in what though? In the Lord’s perfections. We might think of this as delighting in God’s character or attributes.
God is an infinite God, with wonders beyond measure. A day dwelling on who He is and enjoying His character is a day well spent in my book. How often do you set aside time to do nothing else but simply enjoy the Lord?
The second thing is meditation. Meditation is not emptying one’s mind of thought, but instead it is filling it with the wonders of God and His Word. It is said that meditation is like rumination, which is the action of a cow chewing the grass over and over again. When we meditate on God, we are deploying our thinking on all the goodness of His character and ways.
To meditate on the Lord is, I believe, to begin to delight in Him also. One leads to the other. The more we meditate, the more delighted we become, and the more delighted we are, the more we want to dwell on who He is.
Paul says, in Philippians:
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Philippians 4:8 (NIV)
You need not think about everything that pops into your head, but can direct your thoughts on to Jesus.
You need not #think about everything that pops into your head, but can direct your thoughts on to #Jesus. #Bible
Set aside some time when you can, even if it is just fifteen minutes, and delight yourself in the Lord. Make a list of all the good things He has done for you, and note down the aspects of His character which most excite you. It will be time well spent indeed!
For more thoughts on Philippians 4:8, check out my post – Pure vs OK
I would highly recommend the writing of both Alan and Bruce in their two separate blogs. if you are looking for something new, then please do check them out.
I am pleased to introduce a guest post by brother Bruce Cooper, one the brethren filling in for me while I am busy preparing for a family wedding. …
In our study of the book of Proverbs, we reach a set of rather well-known verses. At some point in my life, I committed these to memory and they have never faded. There are many people who would recognise these, but I wonder how many actually put them into practice?
Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
6 Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)
Trust
It seems obvious that Christians should trust the Lord, and if you asked them, then I guess most would say they do. Sometimes though, our actions betray that we do not really trust Him. Worry, for example, is a clear indication that we are not fully trusting in the Lord. When we worry, we are not acting in faith but rehearsing all the things that might go wrong. If we cannot trust God enough not to worry about a minor problem we have, then how can we trust Him for eternal salvation?
If we cannot #trust #God enough not to #worry about a minor problem we have, then how can we trust Him for eternal #salvation? #Bible #Wisdom #Jesus
A few days ago, some Christian friends and I were discussing persecution and even martyrdom. There are Christians in this world who face death simply for acknowledging Jesus as Lord. Yet we crumble if someone makes fun of us for our faith, or merely laughs at us.
If we really trust Him, then we must trust Him even unto death itself. That is surely the point of our faith?
All Your Heart
As we trust in God, we do not do so in a small way. We cannot partially trust Him! Instead, we must trust Him fully and completely, with all of our heart.
Our hearts must not be divided. We should not say we trust in God, but then have a backup plan.
In what ways do you find it difficult to trust God? Is it with your health, your family, your career or something else? Whatever it may be, you can rely on God. The Bible is full of promises which you can build your trust upon. Dig into that Word and strengthen your faith by storing those promises deep within your heart. Not every promise is for the here and now, but a day will come when every Word God has spoken will be fulfilled – in this life or the next.
God is not a man that He should lie, and every single thing He has said will be proved true.
God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Num 23:19 #Bible
Leave any doubts behind, and follow Him with all of your heart. You can fully rely on Him and what He has promised.
Lean Not On Your Own Understanding
Verse five tells us not just to trust God, but to lean not on our own understanding. To put it another way, we must not reason or use our own thinking to determine our path. I do want to be careful here, as clearly we have a brain and God intended us to use it. The difference is though that we are not to pursue it if it contradicts what God is telling us.
Take giving for an example. Our brains would tell us that to give is to have less. The Bible, and therefore God, tells us that if we give, it will be given back to us – a good measure, pressed down and shaken together (Luke 6:37). If we think and our understanding says, do not give, then we should dismiss it and instead follow the command of the Lord.
Our understanding will always be limited, because we are limited and sinful beings. God’s understanding is complete, because He knows the end from the beginning, and we would do well to defer to His judgement instead of our own.
Seek and Acknowledge
6 Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.
Proverbs 3:6 (NLT(
Verse six, rendered here from the New Living Translation, advises us to seek God’s will. In the New International Version, it is instead telling us to acknowledge God. These two translations paint slightly different pictures, and yet both are extremely helpful and powerful advice.
Seek God’s will in your life, and not your own. Do not simply live your life in whatever way you see fit, but instead, put God in charge and follow Him. Do not merely follow Him in word only, but let your deeds show that you are directed by God, not your feelings, dreams or wants.
Acknowledging God is to consider Him in all that you do. It means when you go to work, you recognise that God goes with you. When you go shopping, you do so aware of the Lord’s presence. It is really about doing life with God. We do not simply call on Him on a Sunday morning, but live with Him throughout the week.
All You Do
Verse six says to acknowledge God, or to seek Him, in all that we do. As above, this means that whatever it is you do, do it all unto the Lord. God is not reserved for only the spiritual aspects of life, but for the entire thing. God wants to be involved in your every day, no matter if you are doing DIY, running errands or watching TV.
In fact, acknowledging God is all you do means that it will be far more difficult for you to step into sin. Imagine walking down the street with the physical Jesus by your side. If temptation came your way, it would be far easier to avoid it with Jesus stood right there. Even though the physical Jesus is not walking alongside us, the Holy Spirit is. He is every bit as real and present as a physical being, but He is easier for us to ignore. Let us not ignore Him! Let each of us constantly remind ourselves of His presence with us, and we will say no to sin when it comes our way.
The Result
Trusting in the Lord with all of our hearts, and leaning not on our understanding. Acknowledging Him in all we do, and seeking His will for our lives will result in what exactly? In God showing us which path to take!
This is no small outcome. Each and every day we face choices, and to the best of our abilities we try to make right ones. Imagine how different our lives would be if we knew for sure which road to choose. God, if we trust Him fully and completely, will guide us. That will lead to success (God’s kind, not the world’s kind).
If you want to succeed in this life and the next, then there is only one way to achieve it. Trust. Trust in the Lord this day, and forever more!
Andy Brown 