Tag: Jesus

False Teachers

Listening to some Christian radio the other day, the person being interviewed happened to mention the name of a fairly well-known speaker who I listen to quite often. They suggested this person was a “false teacher,” and make a passing remark about why they thought that.

I then did what I probably should not have done… (check out my series on Proverbs for advice on wise choices!). I googled! A few simple key words led me straight to a web site which laid out in detail why this particular preacher was a false teacher. Naturally, they had links to other Bible teachers I am familiar with, and foolishly, I clicked.

Before long, I had a whole list of so-called “false teachers” to deal with. This was, of course, just one opinion, but I personally find it difficult once seeds of doubt have been sown.

We should be wary of false teachers:

But false prophets also arose among the people, as false teachers will also be among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master who bought them, bringing on themselves swift destruction. 2 Many will follow their immoral[a] ways, and as a result, the way of the truth will be maligned. 3 In covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words: whose sentence now from of old doesn’t linger, and their destruction will not slumber.

2 Peter 2:1-3 (WEB)

There are clearly false teachers in the world and in the church, proclaiming a distorted gospel which is no Gospel at all. Some deny Christ, and others deny the truth of the Bible. We must be on the look out for such people, and defend the faith against those who would malign it (to borrow from Peter’s words above).

There are clearly false teachers in the world and in the church, proclaiming a distorted gospel which is no Gospel at all. #Bible #truth #Christianity

This is a very difficult issue however, and the problem with being deceived is that you do not know about it, otherwise you would not be deceived at all. How do we guard against such things? I will give you my thoughts shortly.

Before I do, I want to point out that there is no ministry of criticism. The website I stumbled across yesterday listed many preachers and their faults, but gave little or no alternatives. It is no one’s job or calling to simply point out what everyone else is doing wrong. We should be alert to false teaching, and address it appropriately when we encounter it, but that is very different to setting yourself up as the Gospel police.

So how do we defend against false teaching? Here are a few thoughts.

Know your Bible

You cannot hope to detect falsities if you do not know the truth. Set about knowing the Scriptures for yourself. If someone makes a claim which is clearly contrary to what the Bible says, you know you can safely dismiss it.

When travelling on a journey, you need to know your route. If you know the destination and how to reach it, then you will soon know if you take a wrong turn. If you know now the destination nor the path to get there, every road looks the same.

Systematically study the Word of God. Let Scripture speak for itself. Let it be its own defence. One verse out of context does not a doctrine make. Scripture must be interpreted in the light of other Scripture.

Know the teacher

Get to know the Bible teacher you are listening to, and I do not mean personally (although that is always helpful!). Find out a bit more about them. Anyone who’s anyone can get a website, write a blog or publish a book these days (including me) and unfortunately that does not always qualify them to speak into your life.

Jesus said:

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

Matthew 7:15-20 (NKJV)

If the teacher is bearing bad fruit, then I would suggest not listening to them, even if they are charismatic, interesting or exciting – or if everyone else listens to them.

If they are bearing good fruit, then it gives you confidence that they are at least attempting to follow Jesus.

Listening to the radio or watching Christian TV makes it very difficult to be a fruit inspector however. What someone portrays on screen may be very different to what they are like behind closed doors. Be discerning, do your research (bearing in mind it is easier to criticise than anything else) and measure what you hear against the Bible.

Know the Truth Giver

If you have made every effort to get to know the teachers you are following, and based that against your hopefully good knowledge of the Bible, then the last and most important point I can make is this – know the Bringer of Truth.

However when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak from himself; but whatever he hears, he will speak. He will declare to you things that are coming.

John 16:13 (WEB)

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. He will guide you. Do not attempt to follow the Spirit without first knowing your Bible, as it can be all too easy to be deceived if you do. But, the Spirit, hand in hand with the Bible, will lead you into all truth.

Avoiding false teachers is not as easy as it might seem. If you search for anyone on the web, you will find something wrong with them. We are all imperfect, and not one of us has complete understanding. All we can do is be mindful of false teaching around us, take the steps above and ensure we are following Christ and bearing fruit.

May the Lord protect you from all falsehood and deception, and may the Spirit of Truth bless you with insight and understanding. In the name of Jesus! Amen

The Story So Far… (Proverbs 1-2)

As we reach the end of Proverbs 2, it is a good point at which to review what we have covered so far.

These first two chapters are essentially building a case for choosing wisdom. Similar themes have arisen throughout, namely justice, insight, the benefits of wisdom and the risks of foolishness. Solomon is trying to hammer home the idea that wisdom is the only sensible choice for us, and that wisdom’s only true source is from God.

Chapter two ends as follows:

20 So you may walk in the way of good men,

    and keep the paths of the righteous.

21 For the upright will dwell in the land.

    The perfect will remain in it.

22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land.

    The treacherous will be rooted out of it.

Proverbs 2:20-22 (WEB)

At first glance, these verses may not add anything new that we have not already seen so far. Verse 20 begins with a “So” and connects to previous verses. It loops in the idea that if we choose wisdom, and avoid evil, we will walk in the way of good men and follow the path of the righteous. Put simply, wisdom leads to righteous living.

In the Land

Verse 21 and 22 however introduce something new. They mention the idea of dwelling “in the land”, and the converse, to be “rooted out of it”. At the very basic level, this refers to life and death. To be alive is to live in the land, and to die is to be removed from it. In that sense, it is a restatement of the idea from earlier in the chapter where we see that sin leads to death.

When I see a reference to “the land” I often ponder if it refers to land generically speaking, or if it is a specific reference to the land of Israel. Some today believe that the physical land upon which Israel currently sits is no longer important, and yet others believe the land itself is part of God’s promise.

For instance, Genesis 17 states:

Abram fell on his face. God talked with him, saying, 4 “As for me, behold, my covenant is with you. You will be the father of a multitude of nations. 5 Your name will no more be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you. Kings will come out of you. 7 I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you and to your offspring after you. 8 I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are traveling, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. I will be their God.”

Genesis 17:3-8 (WEB)

This appears to be an everlasting covenant between God and the descendants of Abraham, and verse 8 specifically mentions “the land”.

Many disagree on this point, so I will leave it to you to determine if you think the land itself is important or not, but if it is, then this point from Proverbs may link in.

As I say, verse 22 points out that the wicked or treacherous will be cut off from the land. If the land is specific to Israel as I ponder above, then this also may refer to the danger of ignoring God’s ways. We know that as the nation of Israel forsook the Lord in the generations that followed Solomon, not following the Law and worshipping other gods. This resulted in them being taken into captivity and the subsequent exile.

However you read these verses, the conclusion is clear. Following God’s ways and making wise choices will lead to good things, and not doing so will lead to bad. Insightful huh?

Perfect

Proverbs 2:21 says “The perfect will remain in it.” i.e. the land. This little word “perfect” leapt out at me, for I know I am far from it!

It reminds me of what Jesus said here:

You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 5:48 (ESV)

Most translations do use the word perfect, which is a tough pill to swallow. Some say “will be perfect,” but I am not certain if the Greek implies a future perfection here.

How can we hope to be perfect?

We could infer that perfect does not mean perfect, but rather just good. Even so, can we dare to hope to be “good”? I am often uneasy about taking a word or phrase from the Bible and trying to argue that it does not mean what it says. Clearly, there are poetic or metaphorical examples which are not meant to be taken literally. We must handle the text appropriately therefore, and be sure not to allegorise something that was intended to be literal.

The truth is, I do not know for sure how best to interpret this. My suggestion is that it is a call to live uprightly of course, but also a distinction between who we are and what we do. While we may not act perfectly all of the time, we are righteous because of our position in Christ. Perhaps Jesus is directing us to live well, but to recognise our behaviour will never be perfect while on the earth, and instead to rely on His perfection. I will leave you to consider that for yourself.

Catching Up

If you have missed any of the previous posts on Proverbs, then here is a list for you to catch up on.

Thanks for your ongoing support by reading these posts. I hope they bless you.

Strange Women & Bad Men (Proverbs 2:9-19)

As I prepared for today’s post, I realised that I probably should have included Proverbs 2:9 in with the article called – When Wisdom. It fits better with the earlier parts of chapter two, but one of the keys to Proverbs is to review, review and review again! Some parts are repetitive for good reason, helping us to remember what we have learned.

So let’s use verse 9-10 as a refresher from our earlier studies on chapter two.

Then you will understand righteousness and justice,

    equity and every good path.

10 For wisdom will enter into your heart.

    Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.

Proverbs 2:9-10 (WEB)

The “Then” kicking off verse 9 reminds us that this is part of a continuing thought. The first part of chapter two presents us with a series of “if” statements directing us to choose wisdom or not.

Verses 5-8, and now 9 also, tell us the “then” – i.e. if we choose wisdom, then what?

Verse 9 summarises that we if we choose wisdom, we will understand righteousness and justice. We understood from previous texts that righteousness is not merely doing right, but being in right standing with God. Proverbs 1:3 rings familiar, speaking also of justice and equity, as verse 9 above does.

to receive instruction in wise dealing,

    in righteousness, justice, and equity;

Proverbs 1:3 (WEB)

In some ways, Solomon is continuing to build his case for wisdom, making these points time and again, hoping they will, as verse 10 says, enter into our hearts. Our hearts can be hard at times, and it may take many thrusts of wisdom’s piercing to break through. When it does though, finally we may take pleasure in the knowledge of these things in our inner man or soul.

Bad Men

11 Discretion will watch over you.

    Understanding will keep you,

12 to deliver you from the way of evil,

    from the men who speak perverse things,

Proverbs 2:11-12 (WEB)

Verses 11-15 can be summed up in two phrases: 1) Discretion and understanding will keep and protect you, from what? From… 2) Men of evil who speak perversity.

The author piles word upon word about the depths of such men’s depravity, speaking of:

  • Their evil ways – v12
  • Their perverse speech – v12
  • Their ways of darkness – v13
  • Their rejoicing in evil – v14
  • And so on…

We might describe them simply as “bad men!”

Such descriptions might make you feel somewhat uneasy. In my mind, I picture a very dark alley in a not so nice part of town where such men might lurk in wait for me. The imagery is powerful, and is intended to send a shiver down our spine!

You may live in relative safety. A nice home, a friendly neighbourhood, and little if any crime to speak of. Yet we ought not to be fooled by the depths of sinfulness in the human heart. Very few of us would consider ourselves as “evil” but equally few would volunteer their inmost thoughts or secret sins. We have all fallen short, and ultimately anything that is not holy is evil to some extent.

Wisdom guards us though. Good judgement tells me not to walk down a dark alley at night, nor to drink heavily or take drugs before driving. Good sense, derived by wisdom, helps me to make sensible choices that do not risk my own life or that of others.

While wisdom cannot prevent all and every eventuality, it can drastically reduce the likelihood of falling prey to evil (be it others’ or our own).

While #wisdom cannot prevent all and every eventuality, it can drastically reduce the likelihood of falling prey to #evil (be it others’ or our own). #Bible #Christianity

The Strange Woman

16 to deliver you from the strange woman,

    even from the foreigner who flatters with her words,

Proverbs 2:16 (WEB)

Having warned us of the dangers of evil men, the chapter turns to warnings about a “strange woman.” This word “strange” is translated as “forbidden,” “immoral,” and “adulterous” in other versions of the Bible, and are perhaps more helpful adjectives.

We find ourselves, for the first time in Proverbs, dealing with a subject which will come up again and again in this book – adultery.

The strange woman here depicted in these verses is an image of temptation. She flatters and seduces, exploiting our fleshly desires. We may think adultery risks our marriage and family, and of course it does, but to start down this path leads to destruction (see verses 18 and 19).

To dabble in adultery, and even to indulge any form of sin, risks our very lives. That is how serious we should treat it. Proverbs 6:27 asks if a man can embrace fire and not have his clothes burned? The obvious answer is no!

I cannot emphasise enough the dangers of sin. We may think it’s just a little lie, or I’m only stealing a pen, or we’re just going out for coffee… and before you know it, you are trapped in sin’s clutches.

James says:

Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

James 1:15 (ESV)

It all starts with desire. As that desire grows, it leads to sin. And sin, once fully developed brings forth death! We think we can “play” with desires, but one thing leads to another and before long, we are drowning in iniquity.

Don’t let that be you dear reader! Don’t dabble with desire, don’t go near the strange woman nor the evil men. Let wisdom guard your ways, and employ common sense! In the heat of the moment you may want to give in to temptation, but wisdom asks if you will want to live with the consequences later.

Let wisdom enter your heart today, and steer well clear of any wrongdoing!

God’s Glory or Your Comfort?

Pearls of Wisdom

God’s number one goal is NOT to make you comfortable

Some Christian TV channels are great, but not all of their content lines up with Scripture. You do have to be discerning. If you tune in to the wrong show or preacher, you might be misled into thinking that God’s number one priority is to make your life comfortable, easy and problem free. Not to burst your bubble, but this is not so!

God’s primary concern is His own glory.

God’s primary concern is His own glory. #Christianity #Bible #Jesus

If it were anyone else, that would be considered self-indulgent and self-centred. For God though, it is not. He is the only One truly deserving of all praise, honour and glory.

That is not to say that God is uninterested in you, or in what is happening in your life. Far from it! He wants good things for His children, as any Father does. Yet God does not run the universe on the basis of your comfort. The choices God makes are driven by what will bring Him the most glory. And rightly so!

For us, whatever we do or do not do, let it be done for the glory of God!

Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 (WEB) #Bible #Glory #Jesus #Christianity

Let us all focus less on what we might want, and more on what will bring Jesus glory. We can tolerate a little discomfort in this life, with the promise eternal heaven to come!

Then Wisdom (Proverbs 2:5-8)

In yesterday’s post – If Wisdom – we saw and understood that wisdom required certain things from us. A choice was given to us, and we could opt to follow the path of insight or to tread the way of foolishness.

What are the benefits of wisdom though? We posed the question yesterday, if I do this, then what? Our passage today seeks to answer that very point.

Recall that I likened it to a computer program. If… then… If you do A, then B will happen. If we opt for Wisdom, then what is the result?

5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord

    and find the knowledge of God.

6 For the Lord gives wisdom;

    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

7 He holds success in store for the upright,

    he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,

8 for he guards the course of the just

    and protects the way of his faithful ones.

Proverbs 2:5-8 (NIV)

The Fear of the Lord

It is hard to get past verse five. It promises something of a “big ticket” item as the first benefit of seeking wisdom’s way. If you choose wisdom, then you will understand the fear of the Lord.

This is no small promise. It all begins and ends with the fear of our Great God. Just so that it is said, “fear” here is not to be afraid, but rather to revere and respect – though those two words seem inadequate somehow.

Many people describe themselves as agnostic, meaning that they are uncertain if there is a God at all. They are not so adamant as atheists, but have questions they are yet to find the answers for. Some people believe in some form of god or higher being, others think there is some kind of universal energy but would hesitate to describe this as a conscious being.

Wisdom reveals the truth to us. There is a God, and He is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Choosing wisdom leads to understanding the fear of the Lord, and to knowledge of Him.

Perhaps the entire point of my series, or rather the entire thrust of the book of Proverbs is this; that wisdom leads to God. We do not seek wisdom for its own ends. We do not pursue it simply to be known as “wise.” While it may bring success in different areas of our lives, that is not the point either.

#Wisdom leads to the knowledge of #God #Bible #Christianity #Jesus

If there were no other benefits to the way of wisdom, gaining understanding of the fear of God is more than enough.

The Source of Wisdom

Verse six could not be more clear about the source of wisdom.

For the Lord gives #wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. #Proverbs 2:6 #Bible #Christianity

Wisdom – true wisdom – comes only from God. He gives it gladly to those who would follow after Him.

From His mouth comes understanding… and what comes from a person’s mouth? Their word of course. God’s Word, which we know as the Bible, is the only place to find wisdom more valuable than gold.

I recall a time as a young man when I spoke to a Christian Union meeting at the nearby university. I waved my Bible at them and almost yelled “Read your Bibles!” I was perhaps a little less subtle in those days! I hope they remembered it though, I know I did! I knew then as I do now that knowing your Bible is the key to success in this life. The Word speaks of Christ, and only by knowing Him can we make this life worth living.

(side note: success does not equate to wealth, fame or a high profile job title… but it does not exclude these either.)

Please, dear reader, study the Scriptures! In them you will find life. They speak of Jesus. They bestow wisdom.

Interchangeable Wisdom

Verses seven and eight switch gears slightly, as the author pauses to reflect on the benefits of knowing the Lord (rather than wisdom itself).

We see that God has stored up success for the righteous, and for those us bathed in the cleansing blood of the Lamb, we take a different view of what righteousness really is. It is not behaving well, but rather being in a position of good standing with God. We are not righteous because we are good, but because He is!

The Lord is a shield, and He guards the path of the just. And He protects the way of the faithful. Such benefits the Lord offers are reminiscent of those that come from wisdom herself. This touches on something I have always pondered about Proverbs. Knowledge of God and knowledge of wisdom appear largely interchangeable.

I will leave you this thought to meditate on. Is knowing wisdom the same as knowing God? Or rather, is knowing God the same as knowing wisdom?

One last thing, as it is in my mind. I do not know all there is to know about Proverbs (or the Bible as a whole for that matter). I hope that what I write is helpful and encouraging. I cannot however answer all questions you are likely to have. There are passages later in Proverbs which I will struggle with, no doubt, and as we reach them I will try to be open and honest with you.

I recall a preacher I respect reading a passage once and asking “What does this mean?” His answer was as follows: “I have no idea!” I may have to hold up my hands and admit the same as some point. And likely, so will you.

Let each of us pray for wisdom, and a deeper knowledge of God and His Word. May the Holy Spirit reveal to us all we need to know, and help us to understand those passages and points we struggle with.

Remember, if you follow the path of wisdom, you will find Jesus.

Follow Andy on Twitter @andrewbrown100

Find him on Facebook, search for Andy-Brown.org

“A Prayer Of Preparation”

A short but beautiful prayer to share with you this evening. Hope you can join with me in saying amen to this!

Father, it’s my desire to have the same mindset as William Featherstone who, following his conversion at the young age of 16, penned these words of …

“A Prayer Of Preparation”

Did you know you can find me on Twitter? Search for Andy Brown @andrewbrown100

If Wisdom (Proverbs 2:1-4)

As we begin chapter two of Proverbs, we note that once again the author is addressing their child. Chapter one ended with words from Wisdom herself, challenging us to heed her call. Chapter two begins to point out some more of the benefits of finding wisdom, and we would do well to build this foundation in our hearts prior to tackling the more familiar short and punchy proverbs.

If…

My son, if you accept my words

    and store up my commands within you,

2 turning your ear to wisdom

    and applying your heart to understanding—

3 indeed, if you call out for insight

    and cry aloud for understanding,

4 and if you look for it as for silver

    and search for it as for hidden treasure,

Proverbs 2:1-4 (NIV)

Count how many times “if” appears in those four verses… go on, go ahead…

Three times. And three times does it suggest that we have a choice about whether we take on wisdom or not.

I mentioned in my post on Saturday – Is it worth it? – that in my day job I am a statistician. Part of my work involves computer programming, and anyone familiar with that will be aware of the “If statement.” This is a way of telling a computer that if this happens, then do that. It is a basic building block of many programs.

In a similar way, these verses tell us that if we do certain things, we will get particular results.

We are to accept the words of the teacher of wisdom, and that extends to all the Word of God in my view. We must accept what we are taught from Scripture, taking it on board and making definite decisions to put it into practice in our lives.

Having accepted the words of wisdom, we must then store them up in our hearts. This is more than just remembering, although that is certainly part of it. To store God’s Word in our hearts is to be so saturated in it, that it becomes our true nature.

For example, when Christ was nailed to the cross, He did not say a great deal. Most of what HE said though, cries of anguish and pain, were largely direct quotes from the Scripture. When we find ourselves in times of testing or pain, our true self is revealed. If you hit your thumb with a hammer, what erupts from your mouth is likely what you have stored in your heart. When Jesus was put under the greatest pressure there was, His true self was revealed, and that was the Word of God.

Verse two tells us to turn our ear to wisdom, which is to give it our full attention. Sometimes, when reading my Bible, I guiltily admit that I do not give it my full attention. I read the words, but they do not penetrate my heart. I have not given them my ear, and allowed them into my inner man. Unless I do this, I have little hope of “applying my heart to understanding” as the remainder of the verse says. We first turn our ear to it, then apply our heart by meditating on it.

The next “if” we encounter, in verse three, urges us to call out for wisdom and understanding. In chapter one, we recall wisdom herself shouting out in the streets for us to come to her. Now, we cry in return for her insight. Wisdom is freely given if we diligently seek it.

#Wisdom is freely given if we diligently seek it #Bible #Proverbs #Christianity

What does it mean to cry out or call for wisdom? This is not a literal command of course, but endeavours to urge us to action. We recall James’ letter telling us to ask God for wisdom, and so we do. Let us not ask passively though, just expecting God to do all the work, let us each engage with Him and His teaching to fully obtain understanding.

Hidden Treasure

Closing out this post with verse four, we see the third and final “if.” This is a challenging one too.

We should not seek wisdom half-heartedly, but seek it as if we were looking for “hidden treasure.”

You hear stories of people spending their entire lives searching for some long-lost treasure, giving up their time, money and more to try to find it. They seek the glory of being the one to solve the puzzle, and the wealth that comes from the gems, gold or the rest.

That kind of passion and energy is what we ought to use to seek after wisdom.

I used to say “I want to play the violin…” but I later realised that is not true. I do want to be able to play it, but I do not want to put in the many hours it takes to learn it. The same is true for learning a language; I always said I wanted to learn a language, and yet have never set aside the time or resources to actually fulfil that “want.” If someone would wave a wand over me and it would happen, then great, but I am not actually willing to invest in it to make it so.

We say we want wisdom, and to live in a discerning manner – but do we? Do we mean, like my violin example, I would take wisdom if someone just put it in my heart, or do we instead mean I will put in the time, the prayer, the study and the effort to make it so.

Lastly, when we write an if statement on the computer, we must say what we want the computer to do when it encounters that situation. If we do this, then what will happen? If we seek after wisdom in this wholehearted way, then what will be the result? Find out next time…

Thanks, as ever, for reading!

Sharing Sunday – Sunday Suggestion

For this week’s Sunday Suggestion, I want to encourage you to share.

Paul writes in Galatians:

But let him who is taught in the word share all good things with him who teaches.

Galatians 6:6 (WEB)

In particular, I want to encourage you to share a blog post which has uplifted or informed you in some way. Here on WordPress, there are many wonderful blogs offering Christian exhortation and teaching, and so do share them on so others can reap the benefit.

I am not sure if it is common on all blogs, but my own tends to have slightly less traffic on a Sunday., I suppose this is because many Christians are heading to church, spending time with family or just having a well-earned day of rest. If that is true of all Christian bloggers, then sharing one of their posts today would give them a real boost.

There are two major positives about sharing quality Christian blogs. Firstly, it widens the audience of the blog and so more people can enjoy the writer’s words. Secondly, it acts as a real encouragement to the blogger themselves. I’ve written about success before, and page views are by no means the best or only measure, but they are a tangible way for the author to get feedback on their work.

I hesitate to mention some of my favourite blogs here, as there are so many and I am bound to miss one out! I try to share posts from those favoured authors fairly regularly, and do hope it passes on their work to more people.

Don’t forget though that WordPress (and other sites too) offer search facilities to discover new authors and blogs you might not otherwise have heard of.

Today, share one of your favourites. Others will be grateful. Take a few minutes to scan a new blog you’ve not looked at before. You never know what treasure you might uncover!

Have a great Sunday!

Stuck In The Mire

Crail Harbour, Fife, Scotland. Photo by HeavensAbove7 https://twitter.com/HeavensAbove7?t=LYZXBj_5bjAg9qg1PxCM5w&s=09 He brought me up out of the pit…

Stuck In The Mire

Is it worth it?

Blogging is extremely rewarding, but can also be quite frustrating. You pour your heart into a post, and it gets only single-digit views. When you can lean out of your window, shout your words and reach a larger audience, it is natural to ask yourself… is it worth it?

I have mused about the fickleness of blogging in a previous post called – On (Christian) Blogging.

Sometimes a blog post comes together quickly, while other times it is a real effort and takes much time. On those days when it takes extra exertion, it can be disheartening to look at your stats and realise that hardly anyone has read it.

Just prior to the new year, I hit a new record on my site and exceeded the best views I had received in a single day. Such things are really encouraging, and it has pushed me forward to posting daily once again. On the back of that “success” though, it can feel like a great fall to drop down to low views once again.

I am guilty of being a bit stats obsessed, it has to be said. I do like to check on views and the performance of my post, and spend much time figuring out the algorithm and wondering why one post attracts lots of views while another does not. It comes from my day job – did you know I have a day job? In “real life” I am a statistician, and spend a lot of my life reviewing data and drawing conclusions. It is therefore hardly surprising that I start to do the same thing on my blog.

Taking an interest in your stats is not wrong, but too much can be unhealthy.

So, on the days where a post gets only a few views (or none at all!) – is it worth it?

If the Lord has called you to write, then do it faithfully. It matters not how many people read it, although of course that helps, but the important thing is to do what Jesus has instructed you. I feel led to write, and so I am going to keep doing it. If even one person reads it, then it is worth it.

If the Lord has called you to write, then do it faithfully #Bible #Writing #Blog #Christianity

I recall hearing a preacher once giving their testimony. They felt as though God was calling them to speak, and that the message would reach people all over the world. Naturally, they were extremely excited by this notion. Too soon though, they became obsessed with the idea and tried and tried again to make their ministry grow. It only did when they finally laid it down before the Lord. God asked them if He called them to speak to a handful of people in a small church for the rest of their life, would they do it? Only when they could said yes, and mean it, did their ministry start to increase.

I have no lofty ambition for my words to be read by thousands across the globe – although I would not turn it down you understand! But I also know that the bigger my audience, the bigger my responsibility.

The bigger your audience, the bigger your responsibility #Bible #Ministry #Blog #Christianity

What is God calling you to do? If it is to teach a half dozen children in a Sunday School for forty years, do it gladly. If it is to write a blog and have it read by ten people a day, then do that. Nearly everyone I know has a blog or a website or some form of content, but we can’t all be creators or there would be no one left to consume!

I will leave you with this thought. Every time you write a Christian blog post, it is there for people to find when they are ready. Maybe no one will read it today or tomorrow, but perhaps next year when the time is right, they will click that link and give their lives to Jesus. On that day, you will be able to say – it was  worth it!

We may never know on this side of heaven what our faithfulness to God will achieve. Imagine someone swinging past your place in heaven and saying thank you! Perhaps God used your words, actions or ministry to reach them, and you will be glad you did it.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Galatians 6:9 (NIV)

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9 #Bible #faith #Christianity

Wisdom Shouts Out (Proverbs 1:20-33)

We have been studying Proverbs 1 over the last few days, and today I hope to close out the chapter. There is a fair few verses left, but I will try to group them and talk through the sections.

20 Wisdom shouts in the streets.

    She cries out in the public square.

23 Come and listen to my counsel.

I’ll share my heart with you

    and make you wise.

Proverbs 1:20, 23 (NLT)

Wisdom Cries Out

Wisdom, the thing we have been seeking and the overall purpose of Proverbs, takes on a female persona now and begins to talk to us – the reader.

Wisdom cries out, shouting in the streets and urging us to come and find her. This firstly implies that wisdom will not simply fall in our lap, but rather we must seek after it ourselves. I reflected in an earlier post that it takes effort on our part, and we must engage with the Bible as a whole, and Proverbs in particular, if we want to become wise.

Why does she shout in the street and cry out in the public square? Simply because that is where the people are gathered. Wisdom is on offer to all of us, not just a select few. In fact, and in some of the verses we skipped over, wisdom calls out to “simpletons!” Not so politically correct of course, but again, the point is that no one is excluded. Proverbs aims to help the unwise become wise.

Come and listen to my counsel. I’ll share my heart with you and make you wise. Prov 1:23 #Bible #Wisdom

Don’t Ignore

24 “I called you so often, but you wouldn’t come.

    I reached out to you, but you paid no attention.

25 You ignored my advice

    and rejected the correction I offered.

27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,

    when disaster engulfs you like a cyclone,

    and anguish and distress overwhelm you.

Proverbs 1:24-25, 27 (NLT)

The message of this section is clear – do not ignore the call to wisdom!

Wisdom is trying to get our attention, and so often we choose the foolish path. We make our choices based on our feelings, our gut or what others want us to do, and yet those are worldly ways. Our choices must be Bible-based and Spirit-led, for that is the only way to ensure success.

Look at what befalls those who ignore wisdom. They end up in calamity and disaster, with anguish overtaking them. When we go our own way, or follow the world, we will end up in a place we do not want to be. The world offers us no satisfaction, and we will only ever be truly fulfilled by our relationship with God. Remember that the beginning of wisdom is to fear the Lord, and nothing works without that.

Avoid calamity. Avoid distress. Stay well away from the path that leads to disaster. Embrace the wisdom of God, and submerge yourself in His teachings. The bible is the manual for life, and nothing works quite right if we do not follow the user’s guide!

Harsh Words

Wisdom becomes rather harsh in the latter part of our passage. Having offered her help time and time again, and being snubbed by those who think they know better, Wisdom now refuses to answer. The foolish begin to search for her, but it is too late and they can no longer find her.

28 “When they cry for help, I will not answer.

    Though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me.

29 For they hated knowledge

    and chose not to fear the Lord.

30 They rejected my advice

    and paid no attention when I corrected them.

31 Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way,

   choking on their own schemes.

32 For simpletons turn away from me—to death.

    Fools are destroyed by their own complacency.

Proverbs 1:28-32 (NLT)

They have hated knowledge and wisdom’s free gift. They have refused her guiding hand and the correction she offers. Verse 29 tells us that they have refused to fear the Lord.

Harsh as it may seem, we only have so many chances to reject God and His ways. A time will come when it will be too late to turn to Him. I do not want that for you! If you have not turned to God, then now is the time. None of us know how long we have, or when it will be too late, so take that critical step right this second!

Fall on your knees before the Lord and cry out to Him for His forgiveness. Ask Jesus to be the Lord of your life, and to save you from your sin. He will not refuse you. While you are at it, ask Him to fill you with wisdom, so that you might live a successful life in service to God.

Live in Peace

33 But all who listen to me will live in peace,

    untroubled by fear of harm.”

Proverbs 1:33 (NLT)

The chapter closes with these words – those who listen will live in peace.

Peace is something we all crave. Like wisdom, peace will not just happen to you, but must be sought. We have the fruit of peace in our hearts (see Galatians 5:22-23), and Jesus left us His peace as part of our inheritance (see John 14:27). Yet, this fruit must be cultivated so that it grows in our lives.

If you seek wisdom, you will find peace also #Bible #Peace #Wisdom

There are many benefits to living wisely, but for me at least, finding peace is enough to convince me.

Wisdom is calling you today, so do not ignore her plea. God, likewise, is knocking at your door, and hoping you will answer. Set your mind and heart towards Him today, and learn of His wisdom. This first chapter of Proverbs is there to convince us of our need for wisdom, and it certainly has me! How about you?

Let Me Love You, Lord (A Poem)

Last week I published a post on a poem based on Psalm 150. if you enjoyed that, then I hope you will enjoy reading this to.

I might look at poverty in the eye,Suffer lack with a hopeful sigh,I may feel down and ready to cry,But Lord let me love you without asking why!I …

Let Me Love You, Lord (A Poem)

And here is a link to my poem published last week in case you missed it…

Psalm 150 Poetry