Richland Creek Articles

Parenting In Biblical Community

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 22:05:19 GMT

We want to encourage you, as a parent, to be a part of a biblical community outside of the worship service. Throughout scripture, we see God pointing us toward fellowship with other believers. In Hebrews 10:24-25, Paul asks the church to “consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together.” Our worship service attendance is the first step in obedience to this command. However, in order to be able to grow in fellowship with other believers, we need to know other Christians and let them know us. When you grow in Christ, you will be better equipped to help your children grow in their faith.

We need to be in a community where we can know others' struggles and triumphs. When we know each other in this way, we are able to care for each other’s needs, whether they be spiritual or tangible. Romans 12:15 tells us, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” One of the deepest loves you can have for a fellow believer is to be there for them in times of joy and struggle. We often do not get to these things in our quick passing conversation but rather in times of smaller settings with more intentionality to care for each other.

We need to be in a community where we can be known by others. James 5:16 tells us to, “confess your sins to one another and pray for one another.” We all struggle with sins and are called to fight against evil. The Bible commands that we do this together as a community. It is important to find like minded Christians that you can live life with and be honest and open about the positive and negative things in your life.

At Richland Creek, we have two main ways to build community with other believers. First, we can do this through Life Groups. Life Groups give us that chance to read the Bible and pray together regularly, and anyone can join — there’s no entrance exam, no cost, and no pressure. All groups currently meet on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights here at the Creek. Secondly, we accomplish community through Grow Groups. Grow Groups are small, gender-specific groups of three to six believers who gather weekly to encourage and challenge one another in discipleship and engage daily with Christ through His Word and prayer. Either, or both of these options give great opportunities to connect and be in community with other believers. The more you grow together with God’s people, the better you will be equipped to answer questions and guide your child to a relationship with Christ.

We echo Paul’s words from Romans 1-11-12, “For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you- that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.” As Creek Kids Leader, we deeply care about your discipleship and long to see each one of you growing in a biblical community with your church family. Please let us know if you have questions about joining one of these groups to cultivate community.

Drip it

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 19:02:11 GMT

Having a vision and passing it along.

This article is part of our Resource series for Grow Group facilitators at the Creek, but is posted here for everyone to profit from.

We are less than two months into meeting as Grow Groups, and believe it or not—it’s not too soon to plan for next May. If you recall, one goal of Grow Groups is that you would be strengthened in your commitment to God and other believers. We pray continually “that according to the riches of his glory, he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith--that you, being rooted and grounded in love…” (Eph. 3:16-17).

The other goal of Grow Groups is that these groups are to be a place where ongoing disciple-making is planned for and accomplished . While there is no finish line to discipling within Grow Groups, each person can make other disciples through Grow Groups.

Notice the words “planned for.” Since early to mid-2023, Pastor Jason and I have been planning for Grow Groups. In other words, the September Grow Group launch didn’t just “happen.” We consistently and persistently planned for it. For the last 18 months, we have prayed, thought, discussed, researched, written, evaluated, beta-tested, consulted, rethought, re-discussed, and so on.

The Grow Group launch was the culmination of “planned for.”

My question is: how are you planning to make disciples in your groups? I especially like one approach our communications team implemented this past year. In early spring 2024, the Comms team initiated a “drip campaign.” A drip campaign is a marketing strategy using strategically timed communications to nurture an awareness or response. It warms up the recipient to whatever you’re communicating. The term "drip marketing" is said to come from the gardening technique of drip irrigation, where plants are fed small amounts of water over a long period of time.

The Comms team “dripped” Grow Groups steadily over a long period of time. By August 2024, the ground beneath our congregation was squishy with Grow Group vision. People were so warmed up to Grow Groups that we saw a mind-boggling number of registrations—420 of them! To God be all the glory.

What does this have to do with you? Keep. Your. Eyes. On. The. Goal. Always keep the long view in front of you. If you want to reach the goal of “ongoing disciple-making that is planned for and accomplished,” what must you do now to prepare for later? My answer is to continually hold the vision before your group.

Drip it. Feed small amounts of “water” (vision) over a long period of time. Start now. Since day one of my “beta” Grow Group, I’ve told them we are not going to meet indefinitely. I tried to “drip” vision to them consistently and persistently. What vision? That they, too, could participate in “ongoing disciple-making that is planned for and accomplished.”

How do I drip vision? Antoine de Saint-Exupery said If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood; don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.

Facilitators, you are not wood collectors. You are ambassadors—authorized messengers or representatives of the living God. Magnify the endless immensity of God and pray He would create a longing in them to join in on His mission.

Drip the vision, people. Drip the vision.

Thinking Biblically About Fear

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:26:00 GMT

In his first inaugural address, Franklin D. Roosevelt said “…the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” While this was a great rallying cry for Americans to courageously fight back against the effects of the Great Depression, it is hardly a universal truth. It has not been our experience. We all fear with some regularity. Yet, the Bible frequently says that we should not fear. How do we process this when fear seems so natural and unavoidable?

A simple approach to this complex question is to consider another question – Is fear a good thing or a bad thing? The answer is yes! It can be both. Fear is our reaction when something that we value is threatened, whether the threat is real or perceived. When there is a real and present danger, the fear response prompts us to action. This kind of fear is beneficial, and it is a temporary condition. Another healthy fear is our right response to an all-knowing, all-powerful, and holy God.

Just as God has emotions, we have been created in His image and we have emotions. Emotions, including fear, are part of our personhood. Like everything else, our emotions have been impacted by sin and that means that fear can also be a bad thing. Fear that is chronic, ongoing, and irrational is sinful and harmful. The problem is not that we experience fear, the problem is that we fear the wrong things. We let fear become a ruling force in our lives. We are prone to make choices based on our feelings rather than the truth of God’s Word, and our choices often lead to further sin and damaged relationships. While not an exhaustive list, here are some thoughts on how fear can be sinful so that we can better understand why God commands us not to fear.

Examining and evaluating your fears are positive steps forward. Fear reveals what is truly important to you. Fear is often a result of unbelief. Fear can indicate that your worship is misplaced. Like the red light that appears on your dashboard, our emotions can be an indicator that something is wrong and needs to be addressed. Seize the opportunity.

When we find ourselves in a state of fear, the obvious question becomes what do we do? The popular t-shirt slogan “Let Go, Let God” is not exactly biblical. God calls us to an active faith, not just giving up and putting our heads in the sand. Here are some practical steps to deal with chronic, ongoing, and irrational fear:

Some people suffer greatly from fear rooted in past trauma. While these fears are irrational in the present, they are still very, very real to the person experiencing them. Typically, there was a normal reaction to a traumatic event, but the fear continues even years later. To avoid being hurt again, some people never learn how to trust. While the principles in this article apply, this is a topic that requires further discussion, perhaps in a future article. I do not make light of anyone’s suffering nor do I suggest there is a simplistic answer, but I can assure you that there is hope.

In the Psalms, King David often wrote about his fears. Where David speaks of his enemies, we could take out the word “enemies” and fill in the blank with whatever we fear at the moment. Fear takes over when God is too small in our eyes. We may not always face a physical threat, but the same result occurs when we worry more about what people think than what God says. The Psalms paint an accurate picture of the real-life struggles that we have. But consider David’s response:

“When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. In God, whose Word I praise, in God, I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me?” (Ps. 56:3-4, NASB)

What would life look like if we believed this? What would our church look like if we believed this? Think about these things…

“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” (Deut. 31:6)

Respectable Sins: A Book Review

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:05:00 GMT

Have you ever felt disrespected? Disregarded perhaps? In Respectable Sins , Jerry Bridges sends a reminder that God Himself feels those in response to our sins. Using everyday language, author Jerry Bridges gives the timeless truth that any and every sin committed, disrespects and disregards God’s holiness.

The stated and noble purpose of Respectable Sins is “to help saints honestly confront the subtle sins that are tolerated in our lives so that we will tend to walk more humbly before God and with respect to the unbelievers toward whom we may be judgmental.”

Prior to detailing specific sins, Bridges clearly and boldly addresses “saints,” or believers, on the weight and influence of sin and salvation. In fact, the first three chapters are dedicated to this emphasis. These chapters may be discouraging, especially for the saint who does not regularly ponder and confess the effects of his or her sin on God and on his or her own life.

However, Bridges ends what could be a discouraging section, with a hopeful gospel truth: “God forgives our sin because of the shed blood of Christ, but He does not tolerate it. Instead, every sin that we commit, even the subtle sin that we don’t even think about, was laid upon Christ as He bore the curse of God in our place.”

In this vein, before addressing specific sin, Bridges offers "preaching the gospel” to oneself as the remedy for any sin in a believer’s life. This redefines what “most Christians tend to think of the gospel,” that it is “only for non-Christians who need to be ‘saved’.” “Preaching the gospel” to oneself, according to Bridges, is acknowledging known and unknown sins and using certain Scriptures to be reminded of God’s forgiveness.

Following this remedy is an important, often neglected truth about God’s forgiveness which is vital for the saint “preaching the gospel” to themselves: forgiveness has a purpose and that purpose can only be achieved with the power of the Holy Spirit. This is described as the “principle of dependent responsibility ; we are responsible before God to obey His Word, to put to death the sins in our lives, both the so-called acceptable sins and the obviously not acceptable ones. At the same time, we do not have the ability within ourselves to carry out this responsibility. We are in fact totally dependent upon the enabling power of the Holy Spirit.”

Chapter six is a review of sorts, but needs to be “thoroughly digested before moving any further” within the book. It is an introspective bridge from the concepts and realities of sin and forgiveness to the seemingly acceptable sins Believers keep in their lives. Here, more specific yet still general directions are listed for dealing with expected and unexpected “respectable” sins.

Several expected “respectable” sins, selfishness, pride, anger, envy, and jealousy are all addressed. These expected sins are spoken of in expected ways with clear definitions and correct Scripture references. Yet, they are explored in depth. For example, to explore the depths of anger, a chapter is devoted to “the weeds of anger: resentment, bitterness, hostility, strife, and holding grudges.” This is an eye-opening exploration of how deep the sin of anger may truly run in the heart of a saint.

Another expected sin that runs deep in most believers is pride. Though pride is typically taught as the root of all sin, Bridges identifies ungodliness as the sin from which all others spring; and does a wonderful, Scripture-filled job explaining his position. Indeed, ungodliness is visible in the rest of the sins discussed.

Within the unexpected “respectable” sins is anxiety. Bridges uses the expected passages, Matthew 6:25-24; Philippians 4:6; and 1 Peter 5:7, to define and address anxiety; but goes on to explain from Matthew 10:31 and Luke 12:7, that Jesus, used the phrases, “Fear not” or “do not be afraid,” in reference to anxiety. This explanation, however, is not directly apparent within the original context of those verses.

Though the purpose of the book is “to help saints honestly confront the subtle sins that are tolerated in our lives so that we will tend to walk more humbly before God and with respect to the unbelievers toward whom we may be judgmental,” anxiety is a truth upon which one ought to lightly tread.

So, stating anxiety is a sin because it “is a distrust of God” and “a lack of acceptance of God’s providence in one’s life” as a blanket statement, without offering a designation of being ongoing or situational, does not tread well through this truth. However, at the close of the chapter, godly instruction is offered through specific Scriptures for saints struggling with anxiety.

Another unexpected “respectable” sin is unthankfulness, defined as “failing to give thanks to God as a habit of life.” Within this discussion, Bridges does a wonderful job addressing various age groups and facets of unthankfulness; but, his train of thought is difficult to follow, and, at times, lacking in depth.

Respectable Sins ignites a time of deep personal introspection, causing subtle sins to surface; therefore, I recommend the included study guide be used only in groups of trusted, well-known brothers or sisters in Christ.

God, through Jerry Bridges, used Respectable Sins to reveal the daily disrespect and disregard for God in my life, brought about a change in my behavior, and equipped me with a new lens through which to see sin. Any Christian desiring to grow in spiritual maturity and seeking to improve their witness to the watching world (which ought to be every Christian) would greatly benefit, perhaps even experience a life change from taking the time to read this book.

Why Should I learn to read the Bible?

Mon, 01 May 2023 00:15:00 GMT

Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. (1 Corinthians 2:12–13)

At Richland Creek, we believe in keeping with the church’s sound doctrine over the past 2,000 years, that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer at their conversion, and the Spirit’s presence in their lives gives them direction, guidance, and comfort. This much we know from Paul’s words to the Corinthian church, among other Scriptures.

The question is, how does this happen? Paul mentions at least one way here in 1 Corinthians 2, with that little phrase in verse 13: “…we impart this in words… .” The Spirit of God inspired men like Paul to speak and write actual words with spiritual value and power to God’s people. The church collected those writings into a book that we call the Bible.

The point of this brief article is to remind you that Bible reading, while unspeakably valuable, won’t come easy. I believe God’s Word has eternal value, and the Holy Spirit can use it to bless your life in untold ways. But, in God’s providence, this doesn’t usually happen automatically. Reading the Bible is a supernatural encounter with God, but it’s not a magical one. Why not? Why must we study and learn how to read our Bibles well? I offer four simple reasons.

First, we are sinners. This sinful nature, or old self, limits our understanding as we tend toward error and self-righteousness. The process of learning to read the Bible is an admission of this tendency, slowing us down and allowing the Spirit time and opportunity to work on our hearts and minds.

All of us sometimes fall into the error of hearing what we want to hear or, in the case of Scripture, reading what we want to read. We come to the Bible filled with a need to defend sinful behavior. If we’re not careful, we’ll read the Bible in such a way as to justify our desires rather than seeing the Scripture for the correcting word that it brings.

Learning to read the Bible in its context, to understand what the original author wanted us to see about God and ourselves, brings us to a place of humility and teachability.

Second, there are gaps in our understanding. The Bible is an astoundingly unified book, even though it was written over several thousand years, across multiple continents, and amid various languages and cultures. Even the most recent New Testament writing is, at this point, nearly 2,000 years old.

These differences in language, culture, and time sometimes make the Bible confusing or hard to understand. On top of that, we are, humanly speaking, not the intended recipients of the text. These letters and books were initially written to Jewish people in Palestine, Gentile people in Ephesus, both Jews and Gentiles in Rome, and so forth. So how does this ancient text relate to us?

Learning to read the Bible helps us bridge that cultural and language gap, understand the timeless principles – the “spiritual truths” Paul speaks of in 1 Corinthians – embedded in these ancient texts, and draw them out faithfully.

Third, we can learn from history. We are not the first generation of Christians to read the Bible or the first followers to wrestle with its truth. Those who have gone before had wisdom; we do well to learn from their example. We cannot assume we are the first to have questions about the Bible or study it deeply.

Learning to read the Bible means listening to voices from the past, whether they be fathers of the church, influential theologians, godly pastors, or insightful church folk. Pick up a good (old) book about the Christian life written by someone who was dead long before you were born but whose writing has stood the test of time. You will not only learn a bit about following Jesus, but you might learn something about how they read and understood the Bible.

Finally, we learn to read the Bible because we can learn from each other. The Bible says in Ephesians 4 that pastors and teachers were given to the church family to equip them for ministry, a service that includes the teaching of Scripture. This could easily be extended to include professors and those who translate Scripture. We should all be willing to learn.

Commentaries, study Bibles, and other Bible-reading aids bless our hearts and sharpen our minds. Our classes at Richland Creek teach you the principles and tools for good Bible reading. Life Group leaders and mature Christian friends are a fount of wisdom and sound counsel. As you learn to read, learn to read in community.

You might not have needed convincing that learning to read the Bible is a worthy goal, or maybe something in this article jarred you, giving you a fresh perspective on understanding Scripture. Either way, I pray you will dedicate time and energy to learning how to read, enjoy and meditate on God’s Word.

We all need it.

Struggling with those New Year's resolutions?

Sat, 01 Apr 2023 00:17:00 GMT

New Year’s Resolutions? I can’t even remember what they were.

Several months have passed in 2023. The time has gone quickly and now is when thoughts turn to summer, vacations, pools, and time off from school. Reflecting on the year—and the resolutions or goals you made—may seem like a far-off memory. Perhaps most didn’t even make it through the first few weeks. Instead of giving up on all those well-intentioned thoughts for the future, here are four helpful suggestions for moving forward.

Remember the purpose of a resolution.

What is the point of a resolution in the first place? Resolutions help provide motivation and discernment for what’s important. They draw us to remember the past year and see what personal changes need to be made for the next one. So even if none of your goals are close to completion, striving for them is still good. Why? Because as 1 Corinthians 10:31 talks about, we can do everything for the glory of God.

Remember, It’s not always about keeping your goals perfectly. Sometimes it’s about working toward them that’s helpful. The most important purpose for a resolution should be growing in godliness. That doesn’t mean goals apart from Bible reading and prayer aren’t helpful because godliness and sanctification touch every area of life. Helpful goals push us to grow and change to be more like Jesus and bring Him more glory.

Reevaluate your goals and renew your commitment to the most important things.

It’s good to look back at past goals and assess if they are still worth pursuing. Are they things that push you toward godliness, such as Scripture memory and prayer? These things are worth multiple energetic attempts. Are they related to things like exercise, eating, or finances that allow you to steward your God-given resources in a way that brings Him more glory? Those are worthwhile pursuits as well.

As you reassess the goals it is possible that you will find some not worth pursuing anymore because they’re not a priority. Are they things you wanted for the moment, but those desires faded? Are they things that would take too much time and energy away from more important things? Ask yourself if these goals are still important and if they’re important for the right reasons.

Another question to ask about your goals is if they’re reasonable. Impossible goals are discouraging. Did you set goals so far from your reach that you knew you couldn’t succeed before you even tried? Setting goals that allow you to grow slowly over time is often more helpful because they bring more sustainable change. As you evaluate your resolutions in light of these questions, are there any goals you may need to let go of because they are unimportant or unreasonable?

Remember how God looks at us when we fail.

Failure in achieving a goal can tempt us to give up and allow that failure to define our identity. Failure in one area can lead to thoughts of overall failure. Is this how Jesus handles our failures? Of course not. God knows that every person is broken and sinful, choosing to rebel against Him. God sent His son Jesus to die for humanity, even with the knowledge of our failures. He loves people and has good plans for them. He is patient and kind and gives us identity and salvation that isn’t rooted in our successes but in His own. There is rest, peace, and security without the need for performance. So as you look at your failures, do you let them define and discourage you? Or are you finding your peace and security in Christ, which gives you the stability to continue pushing and taking risks for God’s glory and sanctification?

Ask God for help and consistency.

Lack of success sometimes brings renewed efforts. This is a good thing, but it can also be bad when you fully depend on your efforts to make progress. This is a helpful reminder that God must be present and working for any change to occur. If the goal of our resolutions is lasting change, ask the Holy Spirit to work in your heart to bring it about. He is the One who must do it. Pray that God will give you strength, motivation, self-control, and endurance. Ask that He would root out sin and replace it with His righteousness. Consistently spend time in His Word, allowing it to wash and cleanse your heart and mind. Just like in salvation, He has to do the work of sanctification and enduring progress.

At the beginning of each year, it is good to put thought into areas where you can aspire to greater holiness and bring the Lord more glory. Don’t let perceived failure in those areas stop you from those aspirations.

Don’t give up on your goals from January. Pull them back out and look again at how God could use them in your life for His greater glory.

Spiritual Gifts: A Blessing to the Local Church

Sat, 01 Apr 2023 00:05:00 GMT

Spiritual Gifts: A Blessing to the Local Church

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”

– 1 Corinthians 12:4-7

God, in His kindness and mercy, empowers the child of God with unique gifts to be used in the local church. The local church is a gathering of people who have received salvation by grace through faith and regularly assemble to worship the Lord, grow in their faith, and serve one another.

If you have placed your faith in Christ and are actively attending a local church, you should seek ways to demonstrate your love for Christ. One primary way is to commit to your local church by becoming a church body member. We should be looking for ways to glorify God as we tangibly serve those in the church family, knowing that the body of Christ is also our spiritual family.

Spiritual gifts are God-given gifts for the purpose of edifying, instructing, equipping, and encouraging the body of Christ. Paul tells us in our passage above that the Spirit is the one who gives us gifts. Those gifts have different varieties of purpose/function, and God alone empowers all those gifts. We don’t do anything to earn them. Each believer is given spiritual gifts for the common good of the local church (1 Cor. 12:7).

We see spiritual gifts revealed within the Scriptures in three ways: personally, corporately, and worshipfully.

Because of Christ’s sacrifice, He is worthy of all we have and are. To be sure, following Christ requires us to serve others. Our prayer at Richland Creek is that you would glorify God through your serving as you participate in ministry and bless one another through your gifts. In every ministry of the church, there is an opportunity for you to use your spiritual gifts. If you need help identifying your spiritual gifts or where you can begin using them, speak with any of our pastors or deacons. The best way to start serving is to jump in where you see a need and meet that need. The ultimate goal of using our spiritual gifts is the glory of God and the strengthening of His church.

“ Serving the church is not the privilege of the few. It is the call of every Christian’s life .” – Nate Palmer, Servanthood as Worship: The Privilege of Life a Local Church (Minneapolis, Cruciform Press, 2010).

Resources on Gender and Sexuality

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:28:00 GMT

After our recent two-week series called Who Am I? Gender and Sexual Identity , we put together a short list of reliable resources to help encourage further thinking and study on this topic. We have included resources that are widely available on the Internet (as of the posting of this article) as well as some faithful books. We'll update this list occasionally as new resources surface.

Books

Carl Trueman, Strange New World: How Thinkers and Activists Redefined Identity and Sparked the Sexual Revolution (Wheaton: Crossway, 2022).

Rosaria Butterfield, Openness Unhindered: Further Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert on Sexual Identity and Union with Christ (Pittsburgh: Crown & Covenant Publications, 2015).

Christopher Yuan, Holy Sexuality and the Gospel (New York: Multnomah, 2018).

Sam Allberry, Is God Anti-Gay? And Other Questions About Jesus, the Bible, and Same-Sex Sexuality (London: The Good Book Company, 2023).

Rachel Gilson, Sam Allberry, Born (Again) This Way: Coming Out, Coming to Faith and What Comes Next (Denmark: The Good Book Company, 2020).

Heimbach, Daniel, T rue Sexual Morality: Recovering Biblical Standards for a Culture in Crisis (Wheaton: Crossway, 2004).

Denny Burk. What Is the Meaning of Sex? (Wheaton: Crossway, 2013).

Yarhouse, Mark, Understanding Gender Dysphoria: Navigating Transgender Issues in a Changing Culture (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2015).

Walker, Andrew, God and the Transgender Debate: What Does the Bible Actually Say about Gender Identity? (The Good Book Company, 2022).

Sprinkle, Preston, Embodied: Transgender Identities and the Church (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2021).

Articles

CCEF: 4 Principles for Talking to Your Kids about Sex . Julie Lowe. https://www.ccef.org/4-principles-for-talking-to-your-kids-about-sex/

Tim Challies: How Everything Became About Race, Gender, and Identity . https://www.challies.com/book-reviews/how-everything-became-about-race-gender-and-identity/

Ligonier: What Is Transgenderism? https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/transgenderism

ERLC: Who Cares If You’re a Boy Or a Girl? https://erlc.com/resource-library/articles/who-cares-if-youre-a-boy-or-a-girl/

Desiring God: When Homosexuality Comes Home . https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/when-homosexuality-comes-home

CCEF: Sex and Christ Crucified . https://www.ccef.org/sex-and-christ-crucified/

Podcasts

Crossway: We’re in a Strange New World. Now What? Carl Trueman. https://www.crossway.org/articles/podcast-were-in-a-strange-new-world-now-what-carl-trueman/

Gospel Coalition: Gen Z’s Questions About Christianity: Sexuality and Gender Identity . Rachel Gilson. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/podcasts/q-a-podcast/rachel-gilson-sexuality-gender-identity/

Gospel Coalition: Identity, Sex, and Gender. Sam Allberry and Ray Ortlund. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/podcasts/q-a-podcast/identity-sex-and-gender/

The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: The CBMW Podcast is dedicated to conversations on issues related to gender, sexuality, and biblical anthropology. Check out their podcast here: https://cbmw.org/podcast/

Crossway: Thinking Biblically about Transgenderism . Denny Burke. https://www.crossway.org/articles/podcast-thinking-biblically-about-transgenderism-denny-burk/

CCEF: Gender Identity . Alasdair Groves and David Powlison. https://www.ccef.org/podcast/gender-identity/

Marks of a Godly Man

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:24:00 GMT

What are the genuine marks of godliness in a man? Not just in a human generally, but in a man particularly? Our culture is filled with false and misleading ideas about the nature of genuine masculinity, but none of them offer lasting hope. Because God created men, God defines, in His Word, what godly manhood looks like. I would offer nine marks from the Scripture for how to define a godly man.

First, a godly man is a man of the Gospel. Godly manhood begins not with strength but with weakness. Physical strength is one of man’s gifts from the Lord, but godliness starts with admitting our spiritual weakness apart from God. In 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, Paul writes, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” A man who leads well leads from a place of grace-filled service. Consider our Lord Jesus, the manliest man ever, whose whole life was marked by submission to the Father.

Second, a godly man is a man of repentance. If we understand the Gospel and thus our weakness, we know that we often fail and fall short of God’s ideal for us. Godly men know how to repent and how to turn from sin. Here’s a simple way to gauge whether or not you are practicing repentance: Take a moment and name a sin you committed in the past day or even the past week. If you can’t do that, then maybe you aren’t taking time to walk in repentance.

Third, a godly man is a man of prayer. Godly men pray out loud with others, we pray quietly by ourselves, we pray with our families, and we pray with our wives. If, as Paul says, our strength is found in our weakness, then let your weakness be expressed through your dependence on prayer. Many of you may know that I lost my dad about a year ago. He was a massive influence in my life. He became a Christian about the time I was born, so as I grew up, he grew in his faith. My dad wasn’t one to talk about his emotions, but he was quick to pray. Some of my sweetest memories of my dad were hearing him pray out loud for my family and me.

A godly man is a man of the Bible. Real men love the Word and know the Word. It is more manly to quote Scripture than to know the big game's point spread or to memorize your favorite ballplayer's batting average. I detest a culture that assigns the primary responsibility of teaching children the Word to mom while the father is distant, off working, playing golf, or whatever. Distance from the Word does not define manhood; closeness to the Word does.

A godly man is a man of the church. Real men are active in church, not just at men’s gatherings, but in worship services, Life Groups, and classes. Men should be leading, teaching, serving, and loving when the church gathers.

A godly man is a man of worship; in this case, I particularly mean worship by singing. No, not all men sing well, but all men who love Jesus should gather with the church and sing. Again, my dad stands out as an example to me in this way. He was a very reserved man, even in church. But he sang with his whole heart. You don’t have to be waving your hands around – honestly, I often don’t raise my hands in worship during the church service. But I am in the service every week, and when I look out at the congregation, I see many men who look like they had practically been dragged to church that morning. It would radically change our church if every man sang out this Sunday in worship.

A godly man is a man of purity. Our culture has made sexual perversion a manly thing, such that masculinity is often equated with being a sexual predator. Real men protect and honor women; they don’t objectify and abuse them. Consider Ephesians 5:3–4: “But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.” Be a godly man by being pure.

A godly man is a man of leadership. The Bible calls for men to lead in the home and at church. To be clear, women lead in many ways as well. But you and I, as men, must be ready and willing to lead. And as we follow our greatest leader, the Lord Jesus, we recall that authentic leadership requires service and sacrifice. Not everyone is an out-front, take-charge kind of leader. Some lead quietly by example, by service. But real men lead joyfully and do so in a Jesus-modeling way.

And let me highlight another aspect of leadership by saying that a godly man is a man of sacrifice. In John 15:13, Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” Godly men follow the example of Jesus by laying down our lives. Let me close this article with another memory of my dad, whom I’ve mentioned several times already. My dad was always the last to serve himself at a meal. He was the type who wanted everyone else to have their fill and insisted on taking less for himself. He wasn’t perfect, but I was blessed to have a man in my life who exemplified sacrifice and pursued Jesus.

I will close with a reminder of the passage I quoted earlier in 2 Corinthians. The essence of genuine manhood is found in the reality of dependence, not in a myth of independence. We pursue His strength by trusting God, looking to Jesus, and admitting our weakness.

But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

Everyone Learns and Everyone Teaches

Sun, 01 Aug 2021 00:19:00 GMT

The fall season brings change. Kids head back to school, and adults return from summer leisure while new routines begin. The focus tends to be on children being good learners. But we sometimes forget the biblical reality that youth and grown-ups alike never stop being a student.

There are nearly 8 billion people on earth. Every one of them, including you and I, is a disciple. I know you are already questioning, "Aren't there only 12 disciples?" Let us explain.

By definition, a disciple is a follower, learner, or student. We all follow something or someone; we learn how to live by watching and imitating. We observed our parents or siblings and learned to do the things they did. We followed their lead. Adults learn from friends or co-workers because they want to better themselves. Even culture is a teacher. Consider the social media influencers. What happens? People start to talk like them, dress like them. Why? They want to be like them.

Whether we realize it or not, people are watching us, too; learning from us, even trying to imitate us. We built our first home ourselves. Our son had a tool belt complete with rainbow suspenders, a hammer, and nails. At two years old, he wanted to do and be just like dad. He watched closely. He tried to mimic everything, including climbing the roof ladder, almost giving his mama a heart attack. Little did we know at the time, our son was being discipled in the construction trades. Dad was the teacher; our son, the student.

The reality is we were all created to be disciples, followers, imitators, and image-bearers of God. Genesis 1:26a tells us, "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.'" And, again in verse 27, "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." After creation, sin entered the world through our disobedience (Romans 5:12). Sin corrupts our relationships and draws us away from the One we should follow. It separates us from God and leaves us longing for that perfect relationship. To fill the void, we create our own idols.

Amid our idolatry, God the Father sent the perfect example for us to imitate, His Son Jesus. As fully God and fully man (John 1:1), Jesus lived a sinless life, died on a gruesome cross for our sin, and rose victoriously from death. If we confess and turn away from our sin, believing in what Jesus did in our place, He restores our relationship. Jesus Christ enables us to be His disciples who follow, obey, and imitate Him through the power of the Holy Spirit. Our restored relationship with God gives purpose to all other relationships.

Every one of us influences through relationships. There's always someone younger or less spiritually mature around us. We affect our friends, co-workers, spouse, children, neighbors, and church family. Our choice is, will positively encourage them toward obedience to God and His Word, or negatively toward worldly idols? We either point toward God's glory or away from it. As believers, we are disciples of Christ, and, as His obedient followers, we use our influence to shape others.

Jesus was the most remarkable and perfect example of how we ought to live for other's sake (Phil. 2:1-11). The two greatest commands He gave were to love God and love others (Matt. 22:37-39). Neither command points toward us. Although they transform us, these commands are others-focused. As Christians, we are to stop asking, "What's in it for me?" and instead, ask, "How do I love and obey God today?" and, "How might I influence others' relationship with Jesus today?" As we love God and love others, we are disciples and imitators of Christ.

The apostle Paul understood this as he poured into others for the sake of the Gospel of Christ. In 1 Cor. 10:31, Paul tells believers to "do all for the glory of God." He then immediately follows that command with, "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ" (1 Cor. 11:1). As Paul learned, those around him learned. Paul's directed his life toward using his gifts and influence to teach and train others.

Like Paul, all Christians must be students of Jesus through His Word and teachers of others, obedient disciples who make disciples. Jesus left us with a final commission, the fulfillment of which we should whole-heartedly pursue.

He didn't just tell us to share the Gospel, although that is part of it. He told us to teach others to obey all He commanded. Jesus said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:18-20).

As continual learners from Jesus, Christians follow the Bible. As we read it, we ask ourselves if we are genuinely doers of the Word (James 1:22). We humbly hold up the biblical mirror. Ask challenging questions, so God is glorified. Who impacts me most? Where do I use my influence to point to or away from God? How have I been passive, a disobedient hearer only, a bystander of God's mission? How will I actively involve myself with discipleship – in learning and teaching relationships – so I and others grow in Christlikeness?

Remember, God graciously transforms us into the image of Christ as we learn and teach.

Book Recommendation: The Church: The Gospel Made Visible

Thu, 01 Jul 2021 00:28:00 GMT

Editor's note: This is the first in a series of book recommendations from our Pastoral Body to the church family, so you can not only see what we've been reading but discern if it is a good option for your own reading. Enjoy!

Who's the author?

Mark Dever has been the senior pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., for more than 25 years. He founded and leads 9Marks, a ministry dedicated to providing resources for healthy churches. His many books, including Nine Marks of a Healthy Church , generally focus on ecclesiology, the doctrine of the church.

What's it about?

The Church: The Gospel Made Visible grew out of a chapter Dever wrote in a systematic theology book, A Theology for the Church (B&H Academic, 2007). Dever hopes that The Church will be a popular primer on the doctrine of the church for all believers, but especially for Baptists. He observes that many evangelicals believe that the Bible doesn't have much to say about how the church should gather and do life together. He argues that the Bible does, in fact, teach believers about how the church should assemble for corporate worship and how to organize their corporate life together. He intends to introduce the reader to what the Bible says about the nature and purpose of the Church. The book is divided into three parts.

In Part 1, Dever explains what the Scriptures teach about the Church, discussing its nature, marks, membership, polity, purpose, and so forth. Using the Nicene Creed as a general guide, he argues through the Scriptures that the church is one, holy, universal (or catholic), and apostolic. He then argues for the two marks that define a local church—the right preaching of the Word and the proper administration of ordinances, i.e., baptism (by immersion) and the Lord's Supper. Dever makes the case from Scripture for two offices in the local church, plural elder oversight, and congregational responsibility. He summarizes that the purpose of the local church is to worship God, edify one another, and reach the world with the gospel.

Dever provides a brief historical survey on the doctrine of the church in Part 2, looking at historical views of the idea of the church and the ordinances and various approaches to church organization. This section touches on the rise of denominations, baptism, the Lord's Supper, membership, church covenants, polity, and church discipline.

In Part 3, Dever discusses how these doctrines practically work themselves out in a local congregation. He first argues that a biblically faithful church is a Protestant church, where the Word is preached, and the two ordinances (baptism and the Lord's Supper) are regularly observed. Second, a biblically faithful church is a gathered church made up of regenerate members who submit to the teachings and discipline of that local church. He then argues that a biblically faithful church is a congregational church. He fleshes this out as a local church that is elder-led and congregationally governed. Among the elders, there could be one elder in a senior position responsible for the ministry of the Word and who provides leadership to the church's vision and direction. Dever then discusses the importance of baptism. Dever strongly believes that only baptized believers should participate in the Lord's Supper.

Should you read it?

Dever wrote The Church for Baptists and other believers who hold the Bible alone as our final authority. On that front, he doesn't disappoint. The book is written in non-technical language, making it easy to read and follow his arguments.

Dever also does a good job demonstrating how proper theology leads to the right practice. He starts by taking us through Scriptures on what the Bible teaches on the doctrine of the church. He then comes up with beliefs or teachings based on the Word of God. We should always start in the Word and let the Bible guide our ideas and practice.

The last year and a half has been tough for all due to the coronavirus pandemic. The church was not spared — there was a time when we couldn't gather physically at all, and I know it is still a challenge for some to come back to campus due to health challenges and concerns. However, others are questioning the need to come back at all— I can attend virtually via live stream! Dever's book does an excellent job of instructing us why the church should gather physically and emphasizing the importance of every member's contribution to the local body through their gifting. I found Dever's teaching on physical gathering to be very timely, especially for those questioning the need to get back to regular physical church attendance.

The doctrine of the church is easily overlooked as less important—maybe because it is not necessary for salvation? But it is essential for believers. Dever reminds us that the church is the bride of Christ—he loves her and died for her. Christ entrusted the church with the gospel, not only to proclaim it but also to live it out before the world. The Church challenges believers on the importance of ecclesiology. Dever leaves the reader with an appetite for studying the doctrine of the church even more.

Radical "One Anothering"

Sun, 01 Nov 2020 00:24:00 GMT

The Bible contains some 20 to 30 "one another" commands, depending on how you count them. Some are similar and overlap. These commands form the bedrock of our discipleship ministries as they put gospel transformation into simple and practical terms. "One anothering" describes how we are to live everyday life as Christians. The most important "one another" command, love one another, links them all together. If you are in Christ, the command to love one another is not optional, and there are no conditions. Today, we will look at an often overlooked or misunderstood command: the command to bear one another's burdens.

"Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. For each one will bear his own load." (Gal. 6:1-5)

The Apostle Paul seems to be expounding on the teaching of Jesus from Matthew 7:1-5. While believers are to be discerning, Jesus made the point that it is not our job to punish others for their sins. But Jesus did not stop with "do not judge." He carried it a step further, saying that we should first deal with our own sin and then help others with their struggles. Jesus said, in Matthew 7, "… first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye ." Too many people miss that last part. Paul gives us a practical example of what Jesus taught.

It is important to note that Paul is speaking to believers. Lost people will act like lost people. He refers to "you who are spiritual." We are sometimes too casual about what it means to be spiritual, but Paul certainly is not. He spends most of Galatians 5 explaining what it means to walk in the Spirit. [STUDY TIP: Always read some before and after the text you are studying to get the context and let Scripture define the terms.] We cannot consistently love one another unless the Spirit leads us. Without the Holy Spirit, our motives in bearing one another's burdens are questionable.

So, how do you react when someone close to you sins? How about when they sin against you? Do you get angry? Do you reject them? Do you try to punish them? Before you answer that, consider that reactions like anger, not speaking, ignoring, and withholding affection are forms of punishment. Anger, by definition, is a negative moral judgment. Consider what might happen if you took a different approach. Instead of judging and punishing others when they sin, suppose that you helped them, restoring them to right relationships with Christ and others. Suppose that you loved them and helped them instead of kicking them while they're down. That's radical one anothering! This will revolutionize friendships! This will revolutionize marriages! This will revolutionize families! This will revolutionize the church! The lost people around us will see what gospel transformation looks like!

Paul does not just bark a command. He explains how and why we should do it, and he sets some boundaries. This works when we are led by the Spirit. Being led by the Spirit implies being surrendered to God. Many people live without power in their lives because they have not fully surrendered their lives to the Lord. Restoration is to be done with gentleness, just as a doctor might gently reset a broken bone so it will heal properly. Paul also warns that we should be careful not to be tempted ourselves, recognizing that we are just as prone to sin as the person we are helping.

Paul uses the Greek word for "burden" in verse 2 that carries the idea of "overburden," a load that is too heavy to bear. The command to love one another requires that we help others when their burden is too much for them. To carry the load that others should carry for themselves (verse 5) may not be the most loving thing to do.

So, why must we bear one another's burdens? Why must we gently restore the brother or sister who has sinned? Paul clearly states that it fulfills the law of Christ, which is to love one another. Choosing to love, choosing to forgive, and choosing to bear one another's burdens honor our Savior because that's what He did for us. Obeying the one another commands is loving Jesus more than self.

Please understand that this does not mean that we have to put up with patterns of unrepentant sin such as abuse, adultery, or addictive behaviors. These are severe and sometimes dangerous issues that must be addressed. If you are trapped in enslaving sin, or you are a victim of it, please reach out to the Biblical Counseling Ministry or a pastor for help.

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:34-35)

Sticks and Stones to Apples of Gold

Tue, 01 Sep 2020 00:30:00 GMT

You have most likely heard the words “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me!” Perhaps you uttered these words yourself in a playground dispute or a spat among siblings. This is a flimsy retort suggesting that we didn’t really know how to respond to the conflict. At the same time, it is one of the biggest lies ever spoken out loud. We know full well that words can be very hurtful, even devastating. It is common and unfortunate that people who profess to be Christians perceive that they are doing well if they “talk nice.” As long as we don’t cuss or sound too mean in front of certain people, then it’s all good. That line of thinking is exactly how the Pharisees interpreted life and law, and that did not go well for them when Jesus showed up. If you are in Christ and desire to grow in Christ, then it is critical to understand that our words have purpose, and our words are indicators.

Being created in the image of God, we have a unique ability to communicate. Our everyday speech, public and private, ought to reflect the purposes of our Creator. Three overarching commands in Scripture explain why we are still here after we are saved – our purpose is to love God, love people, and make disciples. Our words ought to match our ambition. They are tools to accomplish God’s purposes when we are led by the Spirit, and our words have eternal consequences. We should use them wisely and graciously.

Dr. Paul David Tripp uses the term “speaking redemptively” to describe how our words matter. He defines speaking redemptively as “refusing to let our talk be driven by passion and personal desire but communicating instead with God’s purposes in view.” The words we choose not to say are just as important as the words that we do say. When we say them, how we say them, and why we say them matter just as much as the words themselves. It also includes speaking when something needs to be said. Speaking the truth in love (Eph. 4:15) is a characteristic of the Spirit-led believer.

So, what do redemptive words look like? The Apostle Paul connected speech and grace when he said, “Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person” (Col. 4:6). Paul provides more specifics in his letter to the Ephesians. In Eph. 4:29, we glean that our words should not be “rotten.” They should build others up, not tear them down. Our words should be appropriate for the need of the moment, chosen carefully, spoken at the right time, giving grace to everyone who hears them. If you look at all of Ephesians 4, you will see that speech is a critical component of the Christian’s walk. God’s Word clearly and frequently commands us to love one another. Our words function to express that love and to glorify Christ. Of course, our talk and our walk have to match. “Therefore encourage one another and build up one another…” (1 Thess. 5:11).

Our words have purpose, but they are also an indicator. Just as automotive gauges and warning lights indicate if your car is operating correctly, your speech indicates how your “heart-engine” is running. If your typical speech pattern tears others down, if your words do not show love and grace to others, if they do not sound like the words of a new creature in Christ, then there is a big red light flashing on your dashboard. This is not a communication problem, as many people want to think; it is a heart problem, and it is a worship problem.

“For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.” (Gal. 5:13-15)

We are free to choose our words, but choices have consequences. If you look at the context of this passage by reading all of Galatians 5, you will see that our words are indicators of a decision to walk by the Spirit or a decision to pursue the deeds of the flesh. In Luke 6:45, Jesus made it clear that our words reflect what is really in our hearts.

If your words are destructive rather than constructive, more selfish than loving, there is good news for you. There is hope, and help! First, throw yourself upon the mercy of God in prayer and confession. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Believe and trust in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. Devour His Word and commit to obeying it. Confide in a trusted believing friend, a Life Group leader, or a pastor for encouragement and accountability. If the struggle seems too difficult, consider allowing one of our trained biblical counselors to walk with you in “intense discipleship.” Our relationships are not just meant for our pleasure. They are instruments of the Holy Spirit’s ongoing work of sanctification in our lives.

Our words have purpose. Will your speech serve God’s purpose or your own? Our words are also indicators. Do you have a red light flashing? The regular pattern of our speech reflects our nature. Satan speaks lies because that is his nature. The Lord speaks truth and righteousness because that is His nature. Our words will reflect one realm or the other.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION : The next time you are faced with a difficult conversation, step back and ask yourself, what do I really want to accomplish? Do you want to get your own way or win an argument, or do you want to save and preserve the relationship? Which would bring glory to God?

“Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken in right circumstances.” (Prov. 25:11)

Effective, Fervent Prayer

Tue, 01 Sep 2020 00:28:00 GMT

Prayer is a vital part of every Christian's life. It enables us to communicate with God through our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ. We are privileged as believers to be able to "come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb. 4:16). God tells us, "the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" (James 5:16). Scripture provides many examples of the prayers of those who have gone before us and found our sovereign Lord to be faithful and true to His unchanging, eternal Word (Simcox, Thomas C., "Six Elements of Effective Prayer," Israel My Glory, March/April 2011, 22-21).

Below are five key passages that can help us reflect on a theology of prayer.

2 Kings 19:15-19

"And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD and said, "O LORD, the God of Israel, who are enthroned above the cherubim, You are the God of Israel, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made the heaven and the earth." Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, O Lord, and see; and listen to the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God (16). Truly, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have devastated the nations and their lands (17) and have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods but the work of men's hands, wood and stone. So they have destroyed them (18). Now, O Lord our God, I pray, deliver us from his hand that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, O Lord, are God" (19).

In the fourteenth year of the reign of Hezekiah, king of Judah, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, invaded Judah, threatened Jerusalem, and blasphemed the God of Israel. Sennacherib proclaimed that just like the gods of other nations could not rescue them from his strong hand, so the God of Israel would be unable to rescue Jerusalem (2 Kings 18:28-35; 19:8-13). Sennacherib's claim that the God of Israel was no different from other nations' gods was a verbal attack on God's uniqueness and holiness. When Hezekiah received a letter from Sennacherib's messengers, he read it and went up to the house of the Lord, spread out the message, and prayed to the Lord (2 Kings 19:14-15). Hezekiah looked beyond his throne and the throne of the "great king" Sennacherib and focused his attention on the throne of God, "Who was enthroned between the cherubim" (19:15). King Hezekiah here gives a great example to follow when we pray about life's problems. When we focus on the Lord and see how great He is, it helps put our difficulties in perspective.

The king's chief burden was that the God of Israel be glorified before the nations of the earth. Sennacherib had blasphemed the Lord, and Hezekiah asked God to act on behalf of Judah so that His name would be honored. "Hallowed be thy name" is the first request in the Lord's prayer (Matt. 6:9). Hezekiah knew that the gods of the defeated nations weren't gods at all. He asked the Lord to save Judah's people, not for their sake but for the glory of His great name. Hezekiah was a man who sought the blessing of the Lord on his people. He sought to know the Word of God and the will of God, and this gave him power in prayer. Blessed is the nation whose leaders know how to pray.

Psalms 51:1-4

"Be gracious to me, O God. according to Your lovingkindness; according to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions (1). Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin (2). For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me (3). Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified when You speak and blameless when You judge" (4).

"Be gracious to me, O God" is the prayer of a man who was appealing to God's love and compassion as he petitioned the LORD to forgive him by grace and cleanse him from sin. David asked for mercy according to God's "lovingkindness." This is God's hesed , His unfailingly loyal, covenant love and mercy. The verb "be gracious" was a prayer for God to act with compassion according to His nature. David also recognized that he did not deserve forgiveness. God's forgiveness is by grace alone: "Be gracious to me ("Have mercy upon me") according to Your lovingkindness." When David said, "my sin is ever before me," we need to remember that his confession came about a year after he had sinned with Bathsheba (his young child died about a week after his confession; see 2 Sam. 12:13-18). In verse 4, David openly accepts responsibility and acknowledges his sins and vindicates the Lord (Ps. 51:4; 1 John 1:9-10). Paul quotes verse 4 in Romans 3:4 as part of his argument that the whole world is guilty before God.

Acts 4:24-26

"And when they heard this they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, "O Lord, it is You who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them (24), who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David, Your servant, said, 'Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples devise futile things" (25)? The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ" (26).

When the Sanhedrin had summoned Peter and John and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus, they answered them and said, "We cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20). When Peter and John were released from the Sanhedrin's custody, they returned to the community of believers and told them what happened. What followed was one of the genuinely great prayer meetings recorded in the Bible, and a great example for us to follow today. They were united as "they lifted their voices to God with one accord," acknowledging Him as the sovereign Creator of heaven and earth; and God was pleased to answer their requests. Their prayer was based solidly on the Word of God, in this case Psalm 2. In His Word, God speaks to us and tells us what He wants us to do. In prayer, we talk to Him and make ourselves available to do His will. True prayer is not telling God what to do but asking God to accomplish His will in us and through us (1 John 5:14-15). They did not pray to have God change their circumstances. Instead, they asked God to empower them to make the best use of their circumstances and accomplish what He had already predetermined (Acts 4:28).

Matthew 6:9-13

"Pray then in this way: 'Our Father, who is in heaven, hallowed be Your Name (9). Your Kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven (10). Give us this day our daily bread (11). And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors (12). And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]" (13).

Here Jesus gives us the perfect example of how to pray. We are all familiar with this prayer known as "The Lord's Prayer," but it could just as well be called "The Disciples' Prayer." Jesus did not give us this prayer to be recited over and over again. Reciting this prayer does not take the place of heart-felt conversations with your heavenly Father. We are to use these instructions for prayer as a pattern, not a substitute. The purpose of prayer is to glorify God and accomplish His will on earth. Jesus begins by calling God His Father. If you have put your faith in Christ Jesus for the forgiveness of sin, then you have been adopted into God's family. You, too, have the right to call Him Father. Then Jesus praised His Father's name, and praise is the best way to begin a prayer because it honors God. Next, Jesus prays that His kingdom would come and for His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Then Jesus asked for our daily physical needs to be met, for the forgiveness of sins, for guidance, and protection from evil. "And do not lead us into temptation," does not mean that God tempts us (James 1:13-17). In this petition, we ask God to guide us so that we will not fall out of His will and into temptation (1 John 5:18).

John 14:13-14

"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father (12). And whatever you ask in My Name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son (13). If you ask Me anything in My name I will do it (14).

The phrase of assurance: "whatever you ask in My Name, that I will do," is qualified by all that God has revealed in His Word about prayer, and "that the Father may be glorified in the Son" (John 14:13). The phrase "in My name" is not a magical formula that we attach to our prayer requests as a guarantee that God will answer. It is both a guarantee and a limitation on our requests. He will only grant requests that are consistent with His character and purpose. In prayer, we call on Him to work out His purpose, not merely satisfy our desires. To know God's name is to know His nature, what He is, and what He wants to do. God answers prayer so that His name be glorified. That means prayer must be done in His will: "This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us" (1 John 5:14). The first request in the Lord's Prayer is, "Hallowed be Thy name" (Matt. 6:9). When we pray according to His will, we must pray in faith and obedience. We do not obey the Lord simply because we want our prayers answered. We obey Him because we love Him, and the more we obey Him, the more we experience His love. To keep His commandments means that we value them, treasure them, and do them: "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments" (John 14:15). The main reason we pray is that God has commanded us to pray (Phil. 4:6-7; Col. 4:2; 1 Thess. 5:6-8). If we are obedient to His will, then prayer must be an essential part of our life in Christ.

DEVOTION: Guarding the Virtue of Others

Sat, 01 Aug 2020 00:23:00 GMT

Song of Songs 8:8-9

We have a little sister,
and she has no breasts.
What shall we do for our sister
on the day when she is spoken for?

If she is a wall,
we will build on her a battlement of silver,
but if she is a door,
we will enclose her with boards of cedar.

Members of a family protect and guard each other – there is shared responsibility. Contrary to Cain's cry in Gen. 4:9, we are indeed each other's keepers. This is especially true of God's people, the family of God, the church. Today, our focus verses teach us, amid a love poem, about the virtue of guarding one another's virtue.

Within the poem's context, these two verses are spoken by the "others," or the chorus – the third major character in the Song outside of the man and the woman, whose relationship is at the heart of the poem. The "others" have appeared at key points throughout the Song, often responding to the woman, to provide encouragement. They are referred to in 5:8 as the "daughters of Jerusalem." Here, though, they don't seem to be commenting on the man or woman of the Song, but on another, unnamed young girl. What is their concern?

Their concern seems to be for her chastity, or virginity. The rhetorical question of verse 8 is this: "What shall we do for our sister, on the day when she is spoken for?" In other words, the daughters of Jerusalem wonder what they can do now for their young sister, to be of service to her in the future, when she appears as a bride on her wedding day. The answer of verse 9, spoken in poetic language, is to help her preserve her virginity. The "battlements of silver" and "boards of cedar" refer to expensive, costly materials used to protect, guard, or restrict access. The meaning is clear: Our young sister's purity is precious, and it is our responsibility to protect her.

I would say we have a similar responsibility within the body of Christ. This certainly means to help preserve the purity and holiness of the young people in our midst. Still, more broadly, it implies we have a responsibility to help maintain a culture of holiness and virtue within the body as a whole.

Consider

Are you actively contributing to holiness within the body of Christ? How so? If not, what can change in your life?

Pray

Lord, give me the wisdom to walk with holiness, eyes to see the beauty of holiness, and the humility to help others walk in holiness as well.

DEVOTION: Made for Relationship

Sat, 01 Aug 2020 00:23:00 GMT

Song of Songs 6:3

I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine;

Song of Songs 7:10

I am my beloved's...

Song of Songs is the story of a love relationship. This relationship progresses in chapters 1-3 and results in a wedding in chapter 4. True to life, a lover's quarrel presents itself in chapter 5 with reconciliation following in chapters 6 and 7.

There is a sentiment repeated within chapters 6 and 7: "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine ." The word "beloved" here is used to identify the man. The repeated verse in 6:3 and 7:10 speaks of a committed, exclusive, yet imperfect relationship where both parties have given themselves over to one another for life. Both the man and woman exude love, passion, and longing for each other. Their mutual love consistently brings joy and satisfaction.

To be sure, Song of Songs is speaking of a human relationship between a man and a woman. This book is not an allegory; however, this book's placement in the context of Scripture points to a greater relationship with God. Remember that the Bible's narrative thrust is reconciliation between God and man. Also, recall that marriage is treated as a metaphor for God's relationship to His people throughout Scripture (Isa. 54:5; Jer. 3:8). When the husband/wife relationship is lived out biblically, it puts the Gospel on display in a way that no other human institution can. In other words, a godly marriage reflects the Lord's passionate love for His people (Eph. 5:22-33). Human love relationships are really about the spiritual relationship we have (or need) with Christ.

Just as we see with the man and woman in these verses, built within all of us is a deep desire for a committed, exclusive relationship within marriage. Yet, this isn't the only longing we have, and, as stated earlier, it points to a greater longing — namely, a relationship with our Creator through the relationship with Christ.

Consider

Prayer

DEVOTION: Bifocal Love

Sat, 01 Aug 2020 00:16:00 GMT

Song of Solomon 4:7

“You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you.”

Paintings, photographs, movies, songs, books, or poetry – all of these are poetic ways in which the universal beauty of love is expressed. We usually read with a bifocal view; that is, we watch the immediate scene unfold while considering the story in the distance.

Chapters 4-5 capture the love and attraction between “the man” and “the woman.” Whether betrothed or married, these expressions are within the boundaries of God’s design for marriage. Song 4:3 is the man’s expression of the woman’s physical beauty: “...your lips are like a scarlet thread and your cheeks are like pomegranates.” In turn, Song 5:11 is the woman’s description of the man’s physical attractiveness: “his locks are wavy, black as a raven.”

These mutual portraits portray not just physical, but spiritual attractiveness as well . In Song 4:4, the man describes the woman’s “neck like the tower of David.” Using the name of Israel’s great warrior-king symbolized the dignity and strength of the woman. “Gold, jewels, and ivory” are materials found in important buildings, acknowledging the woman’s respect for and admiration of the man.

These describe a scene unfolding, using one area of our bifocals. We can then turn to the entire story of the Bible. From Adam and Eve at creation, throughout the Old Testament, culminating in the coming of Jesus, and continuing in the church, a love story is found. This is God’s love story — one that transcends our full understanding. His love is flawless and altogether beautiful.

Consider

Pray

DEVOTION: Fill My Soul

Sat, 01 Aug 2020 00:16:00 GMT

Song of Songs 3:1-5

The Bride's Dream

On my bed by night
I sought him whom my soul loves;
I sought him, but found him not.

I will rise now and go about the city,
in the streets and in the squares;
I will seek him whom my soul loves.
I sought him, but found him not.

The watchmen found me
as they went about in the city.
"Have you seen him whom my soul loves?"

Scarcely had I passed them
when I found him whom my soul loves.
I held him, and would not let him go
until I had brought him into my mother's house,
and into the chamber of her who conceived me.

I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
by the gazelles or the does of the field,
that you not stir up or awaken love
until it pleases.

As we journey through this poetic text celebrating the nature of romantic love and the gift God gives man in marriage and intimacy, we encounter a dream in chapter 3.

In this part of the Song, the woman describes her eager anticipation of the approaching marriage between her and her beloved. This dream outlines erotic longings and a tone of desperation, as she is unable to find the one her heart longs for.

As we read, we can feel the panic rising while the woman searches for the man. When she finds him (verse 4) she will not let him go. Following this statement, we see a reference to a Hebrew tradition. When a young Jewish couple would first marry, they lived in the bride's parents' home for the first season of their life together. In saying, "until I had brought him into my mother's house," the woman expresses her deep desire for the time of the marriage to arrive. She is ready for the commitment. She is longing for the marriage.

The poem's dream section ends with caution in verse 5: "Do not stir up or awaken love until it pleases." The woman adjures the daughters not to force her love's progress and avoid these consuming desires. Why is there a caution? Isn't this type of romantic love a gift from the Lord? Absolutely! Yes!

We must also remember the warnings the text brings. While it is most certainly a gift from the Lord, the type of love described is powerful.

Romantic love can easily consume us. We are created to enjoy the love of the marriage relationship. We are also created with a deep yearning for eternal fulfilling love.

The man or woman you marry will never be enough to fill your soul. Your spouse cannot fill those deep longings, no matter how hard he or she tries. Be warned that placing such an expectation upon your spouse can wreak havoc on your marriage, much like ones of the one of the foxes described in Song 2:15, "...the little foxes that spoil the vineyards."

Expecting a spouse or a marriage to fill the deep longings of your soul will invite the fox into your vineyard.

The love of a spouse is a beautiful gift from the Lord. However, when you seek final satisfaction and fulfillment in your spouse instead of God, you will love them in God's place. When they fail (and they will) to meet those lofty expectations, you will find yourself broken and bitter.

The deepest places of our soul were made for God and Him alone. This ultimate, satisfying, eternal love our soul longs for is found in Christ. "For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things." (Psalm 107:9).

Consider

Pray

Introduction to Song of Songs

Sat, 01 Aug 2020 00:16:00 GMT

Song of Songs is the book of the Bible that causes us to blush. It is the book we often avoid. What is erotic love poetry filled with strange metaphors doing in the Bible, and how does it teach us about God? If you have felt this way reading Song of Songs, you are not alone. Many have struggled throughout the ages with these same questions and proposed different interpretations to decipher this often confusing, yet beautiful (and a bit racy!) book of the Bible.

The title, Song of Songs, is a Hebrew expression telling us this is the ultimate, or greatest, of songs. Like other biblical phrases such as "Holy of Holies," "Lord of Lords," and "King of Kings," Song of Songs relates the significance of this song amongst all other songs. It is number one on the charts! The title also reminds us it is a song, telling us it was meant to be sung, probably at a wedding celebration. Music and poetry appeal to us as art forms and give creative (not necessarily literal) expression to the human heart and imagination. We should remember the power of such words and images when meditating on this portion of Scripture. Scholars debate whether this is a collection of verses or one unified poem; however, the repetition of word pictures, phrases, and themes most likely points to it being one beautiful, yet sophisticated, unit with roughly four to six sections.

The author of this book is often considered Solomon; yet, the reference to him in verse 1 could also mean it was written in Solomon's tradition, written to or for Solomon, or written about Solomon. The Bible does tell us that Solomon was a prolific songwriter who wrote 1,005 songs in his lifetime (1 Kings 4:32); however, scholars remain divided on his authorship of this particular song. Regardless, when reading Song of Songs, one should place it in the context of the other books attributed to or associated with Solomon (Proverbs and Ecclesiastes) as well as the story of his life (1 Kings 2-11; 2 Chronicles 1-9). Song of Songs, although it may or may not be considered wisdom literature like the other books attributed to Solomon, does impart wisdom to its readers. The fact that this book, which celebrates faithful human love and sexuality within the confines of marriage between a man and a woman, is associated with the man who had 700 wives and 300 concubines does not take away the value or validity of its message. When set alongside the other books associated with Solomon, especially Proverbs, one sees many similarities in language, especially in the description of Lady Wisdom in Proverbs 1-9; note well that in the Song, 70% of the 117 lines of poetry are sung in the female voice. This book also cannot be separated from the biblical storyline as a whole. With its vivid natural imagery, Song of Songs hearkens back to Genesis 1-2, before sin entered and marred the relationship between man and woman, particularly their "one flesh" unity.

Historically, there have been three main interpretations for the Song of Songs. The traditional Jewish understanding is one of allegory, in which the man represents God, and the woman represents Israel. In fact, the Song of Songs is traditionally associated with the celebration of Passover as it is interpreted as the love story of God and His people, beginning with the exodus. One can find references to God as Israel's husband throughout the Old Testament: Isaiah 54:4-6 and 62:4-5; Jeremiah 2:2 and 3:1, 20; Ezekiel 16; and Hosea 2:16, 19-20. Like Jewish tradition, the Christian tradition has also employed an allegorical approach, replacing God with Christ as the male figure and the church as the female figure. Again, other biblical passages could be compared to this interpretation as Christ even refers to himself as the bridegroom (Matt 9:14-15, 25:1-13; Mark 2:19-20; Luke 5:34-35). We could also consider passages that teach human marriage itself is a signpost, if you will, of the Gospel: John 3:29 and Eph. 5:23-32 come to mind. Ultimately, the biblical story culminates in the consummation of the Lamb's marriage to His bride (Rev. 19:7-9, 21:2, 9). Finally, some interpret this book as being what it appears to be on the surface — ancient love poetry celebrating and honoring the divine gift of romantic human love within the confines of marriage, particularly as expressed in human sexuality and longing.

It is no mistake that the canon of Scripture includes this beautiful Song. Our theology must and should inform every part of who we are and what we do as humans made in God's image. Marriage, sexual desire, and intimacy are among the most basic universal human experiences. Despite the uncertainty surrounding this book, we can hold a few things as certain. First, we are made in God's image as male and female, for it was not good for Adam to be alone (Gen 2:18). Marriage and the one-flesh sexual union God designed for us is one of the most mysterious and wonderful ways to reflect the divine image. Within the holy relationship of marriage, we echo the love that is the source of all love. This indivisible union is the source of all holy unions, the self-giving, life-creating Trinity that is God. Second, God's physical creation is good, and that includes our physical bodies. When we praise and exalt the goodness of God's creation (including our spouse's bodies) the way He designed and intended us to do it, we honor and exalt the Creator. In addition, this song gives wisdom to both the married and the unmarried. For the unmarried, if marriage is God's will for you, then the love and intimacy within the covenant of marriage is worth the struggle for self-control, the flight from sexual immorality, and the seemingly endless waiting. The woman repeatedly admonishes the unmarried women, "I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem...that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases" (2:7, 3:5, 8:4). For the married, the author encourages them to continue to pursue intimacy with their spouse as the author repeats the sentiment, "My beloved is mine, and I am his" (2:16, 6:3, 7:10).

Finally, you cannot read Song of Songs without noticing the cyclical pattern of seeking and finding, as well as the intensity of desire and longing for another and the celebration and joy that surrounds sexual union within marriage. All of these things are pointers, like all of Scripture, to their ultimate fulfillment in Christ. He is the Son of Man who "came to seek and save the lost" (Luke 19:10). Throughout Scripture, the people of God are told to seek the Lord and His kingdom continually (Deut 4:29, 1 Chron 28:9, Jer 29:12-14, Isa 55:6-7, Psalm 63:1, 105:4, 119:2,10, Matt 6:33, 7:7-8, Luke 11:9-10, 12:31). Jesus Christ is the only one who will completely satisfy all of our longings and desires and the only one who can redeem our sexuality. Immediately after sin entered the world, we see a glimpse of the hideous repercussions of sin in relation to our bodies and our sexuality as Adam and Eve "knew they were naked" and "sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths" (Gen 3:7). Jesus is the one who took on all of our broken sexuality, the shame and, yes, the nakedness, and nailed it to the cross. By grace through faith He joins us in union to Himself, the embodiment of God's wisdom, so that male and female, the imago Dei , can have dominion together in intimacy and love both with their Creator and with each other. The mystery of marriage and the one-flesh unity is ultimately a picture of the gospel of Jesus Christ and His bride, the church (Eph 5:22-33), to be celebrated one day at a glorious wedding feast (Rev 19:6-10). Jesus is the bridegroom, the greater lover, the Lamb to which we will be joined in joyful, holy union for all eternity.

DEVOTION: It’s Not You, It’s Him

Sat, 01 Aug 2020 00:09:00 GMT

Proverbs 30:32-33

"If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil, put your hand on your mouth. For pressing milk produces curds, pressing the nose produces blood, and pressing anger produces strife."

Everyone exalts various things, people, and causes. In our foolish and sinful natures, we rob God of the exaltation due Him. We will promote ourselves, others, or causes as they benefit us. In Proverbs 30:32, we see advice designed to protect us from foolishly exalting ourselves - "put your hand on your mouth."

"Exalt" is defined as "holding in very high regard," "thinking highly of," or "glorifying." You may wonder why holding oneself in high regard would be foolish. After all, having a high regard for oneself or one's passions is necessary for confidence and self-esteem. In verse 33, God quickly shows what self-exaltation produces: anger. Foolish anger drives us to strife. Strife is "discord," "fight," or even "warfare." There have been more than enough happenings in our sinful world to prove this proverb right!

The advice seems extreme and somewhat disheartening, but God, in His mercy, offers a choice. If exalting oneself is foolish, the opposite, promoting God, is wise! Let's consider how verse 32 might read with a different exaltation point of view: "If you are wise, exalting God, you will devise good things, and will open your mouth to proclaim him!" If we press this point of view into verse 33, wisdom will produce delight and, in turn, build peace.

John Piper said, "God is the one being in the universe for whom self-exaltation is the most loving thing. Anyone else who exalts himself distracts us from what we need, namely, God." As Christians, we are not to foolishly distract others from God by exalting ourselves but are to wisely exalt God and champion the Gospel.

Again we see two paths. One is a foolish path, producing anger and strife, drawing the world away from God, and hindering the spread of the Gospel. In contrast, a wise way produces delight and peace, exalting God to the world, advancing the Gospel.

Consider

Pray

DEVOTION: True Love

Sat, 01 Aug 2020 00:09:00 GMT

Song of Songs 1:5-6

I am very dark, but lovely,
O daughters of Jerusalem,
like the tents of Kedar,
like the curtains of Solomon.

Do not gaze at me because I am dark,
because the sun has looked upon me.
My mother’s sons were angry with me;
they made me keeper of the vineyards,
but my own vineyard I have not kept!

The Song of Songs, also known as Song of Solomon, is one of the wisdom literature books of the Hebrew Bible, the Old Testament. It is a poem that celebrates romantic love and its physical expression in marriage in ancient Israel. One of the lessons from Songs is that sexual love should be celebrated and enjoyed within marriage. The book also warns that love is powerful and can easily consume us. Sexual love, even when enjoyed within the marriage relationship, is temporal, leaving a yearning for eternal fulfilling love. This ultimate satisfying eternal love is found in Christ—even death cannot destroy this love.

In this unit, the young girl begins by giving an apology regarding her appearance. She seems to be embarrassed that the other girls look at her in disdain because of her dark skin. This is because her culture, apparently, does not view dark skin as attractive.

The young girl then clearly explains why her skin is dark — she has been outside in the fields, working under the sun in the family vineyard. Unlike modern Caucasian culture, where tanned skin is regarded as attractive, in ancient near eastern agrarian societies, sunburned skin was considered ordinary and a sign that you belong to the peasant class. Tan women in such societies were common and therefore looked down upon as average.

However, the young girl insists that she is beautiful despite her dark skin. She says that the celebration of romantic love — especially appreciation of women — belongs to all social classes, not just the elite. This is also a protest against artificial, culturally-imposed standards of beauty. This should be even more evident among the Christian community, for the Bible teaches that we are all one in Christ (Gal. 3:26-28).

Consider

Pray

The Proverbs 31 Woman

Sat, 01 Aug 2020 00:09:00 GMT

"Who can find her indeed! She doesn't live in this house!"

I have often thought these words to myself as I've read through the familiar verses describing the perfection of the Proverbs 31 woman. This ideal woman is busy, creative, adept at sewing, business savvy, energetic, a morning person and a night person, and does good to her husband. She never fears or worries about the future, and she is always trustworthy, wise, and kind.

My, oh my! If that list hasn't intimidated me one time, it has 100 times! There are days when I can't wait to go to bed. I'm too often tired, cranky, short-tempered, and anxious. I lack kind words, lack kind thoughts, and cry out to God for wisdom because there seems to be no right decision before me. There have been seasons of my life filled with deep sadness, anger, and questioning of God. Never mind that I don't sew our clothes or our bed linens! As I have heard the Proverbs 31 woman held up repeatedly as the ideal Christian woman, doubt and discouragement creep in. I wonder how I could ever reach this standard, or frankly, even come close!

I do not imagine I am alone amongst Christian women who have read this passage and have a few questions. Let me share a few of mine: How does this woman do it all and have a good attitude as well? Why does this passage specifically focus on married women with children? What about single women? Women who have no children? Does this passage apply to men? Do they have a similar list somewhere? Why end the book of Proverbs with this woman? You may have a few of your own to add to this list. I trust God has this passage in His precious Word for a reason – it is for our sanctification (John 17:17), so we have much to learn in asking good questions and digging in. This article will only scratch the surface of all we could study about this passage!

First of all, verses 10-31 are written by King Lemuel, an unknown possibly Israelite king. These verses are in the form of an acrostic poem. Each verse begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The character traits and activities shared are specifically chosen to fit this structure. One of my Bibles titles this section "Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character." An epilogue is the concluding part of the story, often shared after the story is already wrapped up, showing how the pieces finally fit together. Also, of note, is the verb tense in this passage. My Bible has this section written as if this woman is continuously doing all these activities in the present, at the same time. She has ALL the balls in the air; she is an expert juggler! Upon further study, these verbs can be read as past tense, meaning she has done all these things over time. So, depending on the season of her life, she was up late. In another season, she was up early. She worked in the home during one season, out of the house during another. She was not doing all things at all times. These pieces of information (the structure, epilogue, and verb tense) give clues to this poem's purpose. It is not a checklist (or daily planner) for Christian women, but an "ode" to a faithful woman, sharing the beauty of a life well-lived. It records the activities and attitudes she developed over a lifetime of walking with the Lord.

Second, when we look at all of Proverbs, there is an overarching theme of wisdom, with the book written to attain wisdom and discipline (1:2). We know that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (1:7, 9:10). Wisdom is personified as a woman in chapters 1, 3, 4, 8, and 9. When we arrive at the end of the book, we see, "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting: but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." This verse echoes what we have been reading throughout the entire book: The world will focus on the external, the temporal, but those who are wise believers will fear the Lord. So we have wisdom described throughout the book, then we have wisdom enacted in this faithful woman's life. As Proverbs' context makes clear, this poem applies to all believers growing in wisdom, not just married women. It highlights the attitudes and character traits cultivated in the believer over a lifetime of walking with the Lord. We see trustworthiness, acts of service for loved ones, care and concern over the welfare of the poor, diligence and discipline in work, creativity in providing, words that edify… the list could go on. Wise living, beginning with the fear of the Lord, is something we should all strive for throughout our lives – "In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight" (3:6).

Finally, when we talk about wisdom as believers, we will always arrive at Jesus. Christ is our wisdom from God (1 Cor. 1:30), the embodiment of wisdom on earth (Col. 2:3). He lived the perfect life we could not. We will not live up to the ideal outlined in Proverbs 31 in this lifetime, but He has done it in our place. While it is good to have this exemplary model to grow towards, it doesn't need to be discouraging. Instead, the Gospel reframes this poem so we are filled with gratefulness for a Savior who made a way for us. We are a new creation; the old has passed away, and the new has come (2 Cor. 5:17). We are meant to live IN Christ, in the power the Holy Spirit provides, and never in our strength. We will become what He has called us to be, and His grace will train us to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives (Titus 2:11). Praise God!

As I read through the Proverbs 31 woman now, I still think she is quite a lady. Rather than experiencing intimidation, though, I feel admiration. I am grateful to witness the outworking of wisdom through the seasons of her life. I can say of her, "Wisdom, you are my sister" (Prov. 7:4). She fought the good fight, ran the race, kept the faith, and there is in store for her a crown of righteousness (2 Tim 4:7-8). And I rest in knowing the same is true for me because my Savior has gone ahead of me and is preparing a place for me (John 14:3). He has also sent a Helper, the Spirit of Truth (John 15:26), to guide me in this imperfect life. I can trust He will use every circumstance for His glory, every hurt for His honor. I can do the good works He has prepared in advance for me to do (Eph. 2:10), in the strength and hope only He provides.

DEVOTION: Resistance or Rejoicing?

Sat, 01 Aug 2020 00:04:00 GMT

Proverbs 29:1

He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing. (ESV)

Proverbs 29:6

An evil man is ensnared in his transgression, but a righteous man sings and rejoices. (ESV)

Proverbs 29 begins with a firm warning about a lack of rebuke (reproof). Rebuke means to express sharp disapproval or criticism of someone because of their behavior or actions. While the word can stir in us a negative feeling, we see in Proverbs that a lack of receiving rebuke is the greater danger. Often in the Bible, the "hard neck" is used as a figure of speech to point out a stubborn attitude or unwillingness to bend. It characterizes those who resist correction and disobey God. Those around them often rebuke these individuals, yet they fail to recognize the rebuke as a catalyst for repentance and turn away from sin. The author warns that persistence in sinful patterns, without reproach, will undoubtedly bring destruction.

As we continue through the passage, we get a similar warning in verse 6. Again, we see the risks associated with unrepentant sin. His acts of transgressions ruin a man who may be evil in his character. There is not only punishment at the end, but a snare in the act of continual violations. The repeating pattern brings destruction. While these individuals may seem to coast through life celebrating their freedom through transgressions, they have fallen prey to a trap set to ensnare them.

In contrast, the end of verse 6 describes the righteous. The righteous rejoice in freedom from the snares of sin made possible by the blood of Christ. He rejoices in Christ's salvation, that salvation being fully suitable, fully free, and for the full glory of God. The righteous rejoice in the pardon of his sins that the blood of Christ provides. The righteous rejoice.

Consider

Pray

What Proverbs Says about Anger and Patience

Sat, 01 Aug 2020 00:02:00 GMT

Perhaps not surprisingly, the various authors of Proverbs are united in presenting patience as a virtue, in keeping with wisdom, and anger as a vice, in keeping with foolishness. So in Proverbs, the benefits of patience are extolled while anger is universally condemned.

Foolishness and anger often go hand-in-hand. Proverbs 14 has a couple of sayings that demonstrate a strong connection between anger and sinfulness: "A man of quick temper acts foolishly, and a man of evil devices is hated" (Prov. 14:17); "...he who has a hasty temper exalts folly" (Prov. 14:29). Perhaps one of the most apparent truths about anger in Proverbs is that anger rarely, if ever, occurs alone. When left unchecked, human anger erupts into more significant relational problems, and sometimes even leads to violence. See, for example, Prov. 15:18a: "A hot-tempered man stirs up strife..." or Prov. 29:22, "A man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression." The author of Prov. 30:33 draws on a couple of commonplace occurrences to underscore the more dramatic nature of anger's effects: "For pressing milk produces curds, pressing the nose produces blood, and pressing anger produces strife."

Remember that Proverbs often teaches by using contrast. In fact, the contrast between wisdom and foolishness is bound up in the book's major theme and overwhelming emphasis. If anger marks a fool, then patience becomes a wise man. See, for example, Prov. 14:29a, "Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding..." and Prov. 16:32, "Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city." We might observe that to Solomon, controlling one's temper is more difficult than controlling other people or winning a military victory.

Just like giving in to anger often has disastrous consequences, so practicing self-control often leads to great blessings, both in one's own life and others' lives. See, for example, Prov. 15:1, "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger;" Prov. 15:18, "A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention;" and Prov. 19:11, "Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense."

So to sum up the teachings of Proverbs, anger destroys. It destroys individuals, relationships, and even communities as strife increases unchecked. In contrast, patient people live at peace with themselves and others. Perhaps it is not surprising, then, that patience is listed by the Apostle Paul as a trait marking one who is led by the Holy Spirit: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law" (Gal. 5:22-23).

DEVOTION: Do the Right Thing

Sat, 01 Aug 2020 00:02:00 GMT

Proverbs 28:7

The one who keeps the law is a son with understanding, but a companion of gluttons shames his father.

Proverbs 28:7 is actually in the middle of an extended series of proverbial sayings with a common theme: Oppressing the poor for one's own gain and profit will lead to destruction. This series of sayings begins in 28:3 and continues through 28:11. I would encourage you to take a minute and read that series of verses, perhaps even making notes about recurring words, phrases, and teachings that you see.

Like many other societies throughout human history, ancient Israel struggled with taking care of its poor. Themes of oppression, greed, and abuse dominated especially the pre-exilic era of Israelite history, such that injustice was a key reason God cited for sending His people into Assyrian and Babylonian captivity.

The remedy for such widespread societal unfaithfulness was reasonably straightforward: Pay attention to God's law carefully. This is true for us as believers in Jesus as well. If we carefully walk in obedience to the commands of Christ, we'll demonstrate our love for God, and our love for God will show itself in our love for others.

At first glance, the contrast in verse 7 is strange: The son who keeps God's law is set against the one who is a companion of gluttons. But under the surface, this distinction makes sense: The one who ignores the law quite naturally chooses bad friends, and thus brings disgrace to his father. Then, the law is the common theme within the life of one who trusts God, treats others fairly, chooses companions with wisdom, and brings peace and blessing to his family.

Consider

Prayer

DEVOTION: When God Builds a House

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 00:26:00 GMT

Proverbs 24:3-4

"By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures." (NIV)

A house can refer to a physical structure, a family, or even an individual. Who built your house? You might say, "KB Homes built my house." Someone else might say, "Winslow Homes." But the author of Proverbs refers to your spiritual house, your foundation of all that happens in your home.

We get to choose who builds our spiritual house and the materials of its foundation and structure. There are only two choices in each decision that is made. Which builder? Ourselves or God. Which materials? Things of this world or things of God's Kingdom. Jesus makes His desire clear. He wants to prepare your house for you. And when Jesus is allowed to build your house, He declares, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly" (John 10:10).

The family that centers their lives on God has spiritual blessings in abundance. They may not have gold and silver in this world, but they are indeed wealthy.

This verse also speaks of wisdom. God is the source of all wisdom. The apostle Paul exclaims, "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!" (Romans 11:33). This wisdom comes through knowing God.

Questions

Prayer

DEVOTION: Wise in Our Own Eyes

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 00:26:00 GMT

Proverbs 26:12

Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. (ESV)

Proverb 26 can be split into three sections: the way of a fool in verses 1-12, the way of a sluggard in verses 13-16, and the consequences of a sinful tongue in verses 17-28. Verse 12 is one of three verses (5, 12, 16) that repeats the phrase “ wise in his own eyes .” In verse 12, there are two men in view: a man wise in his own eyes and a fool. One of them is more hopeless than the other. What exactly is a fool? The Bible uses this word some 360 times, describing the person opposed to both wisdom and God. He is thoughtless, self-centered, arrogant, short-sighted, careless, and returns to his foolish ways again and again (verse 11, a dog returning to his vomit). He is stupid, senseless, and lacking honor. Verses 1-11 give quite a detailed picture of what it looks like to be a fool.

Additionally, verse 5 (“ answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes” ) informs us even a fool can be wise in his own eyes (Prov 12:15). The life of a fool is a grievous state of existence. Yet, even the fool is better off than the man wise in his own eyes. It is worse to be wise in your own eyes than it is to be a fool.

A good question to ask here is: Why? Why does the man “wise in his own eyes” have less hope? Because he is stubbornly unteachable. Unteachable conveys pride, dogmatic, bullheaded, mulish, and insecure. This person is virtually impossible to help. What feeds this self-proclaimed wisdom? Pride—and the Bible is replete with commentary about pride. Though the fool can learn (Prov 8:5), the proud and conceited (wise in his own eyes) are taught with more difficulty than the stupid. Therefore, the prideful—wise in his own eyes—person has less hope.

Hope for what? Usually, hope has in view an expectation or belief in the fulfillment of something. Perhaps what is in view here is wisdom, knowledge, or instruction in the fear and admonition of the Lord. All of this is stifled in the person who is wise in his own eyes. They are a walking, talking ignoramus—virtually impenetrable by the wisdom and instruction of those around him. Oh, what a dangerous place to be!

Contrasting the fool and prideful person is Jesus Christ. Indeed, He is the embodiment of wisdom, truth, hope, and humility. Biblical hope sees and is confident in what God will do in the future. At the heart of Christian hope is the person and work of Christ.

Questions

Prayer

What Proverbs Says about Friendships

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 00:26:00 GMT

Teaching about strong friendships pervades the Proverbs, and the authors regularly underscore the importance of good relationships. In speaking of this subject, author Tremper Longman writes, "there is no doubt that to the sage, friends and neighbors form a community that helps a person navigate through the difficulties of life."

There is a particular Hebrew word that Proverbs regularly uses in discussing friendships and relationships. Sometimes it can be translated "friend," and carries with it the sense of emotional intimacy, while at other times it is translated "neighbor," and carries with it the idea of spatial closeness. Often the context is clear which English word should be used, while sometimes the meanings overlap.

Let's begin with a quite obvious but important observation that Proverbs places great emphasis on one's relationships, or who one spends time with. The opening chapter clarifies this, with its warnings about associating with those who plot violence and plan wickedness. If one's companions are important, then surely there is advice about what kind of companions to choose? Indeed there is.

First, reliable and faithful friends are a rarity: "Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?" (20:6, ESV). There could be even more value in a trusted friend than family members, according to 27:9-10: "Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel. Do not forsake your friend and your father's friend, and do not go to your brother's house in the day of your calamity. Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother who is far away" (ESV). The second line of Proverbs 18:24 sums it up like this: "There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (ESV).

Given that genuine friends are such a rarity, then it is no wonder that much of Proverbs' teaching concerning friendships is about how to be a good friend. For example, 3:27 encourages us to build up goodwill with those around us: "Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it" (ESV). Further, 17:9 warns us against judging our friends too quickly when there is conflict: "Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends" (ESV).

There is one area, though, that Proverbs warns about when maintaining friendships: loaning money. Certainly, generosity to the needy is commended throughout Proverbs, but loaning money to friends and family expecting return (with interest!) is roundly condemned. See, for example, 17:18 – "One who lacks sense gives a pledge and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor" (ESV) – and 6:1-5. Part of the reason seems to be that when money becomes involved, it's hard to know if a friend is sincere, as 14:20 seems to indicate: "The poor is disliked even by his neighbor, but the rich has many friends" (ESV).

We'll finish our short study with one of the most well-loved and oft-quoted Proverbs, 27:17. It summarizes the value of friendship by comparing relationships to metalworking. We pursue wisdom and pursue Christ most effectively when we do it together. This idea is at the core of our shared goal, as a church, of loving others in community. When we seek community among the people of God, we do so to encourage, strengthen, and admonish one another: "Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another" (ESV).

DEVOTION: Life and Conduct in Proverbs

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 00:19:00 GMT

Proverbs 22:1-7

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the Maker of them all. The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it. The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life. Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked; whoever guards his soul will keep far from them. Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.

Have you noticed the recurring themes so far in the book of Proverbs? In chapter 22 we see a few of these popular themes repeated as Solomon instructs the reader how to live and conduct oneself. As a reminder, this large section of instruction from Solomon began in Proverbs 10 and ends here in Proverbs 22:16.

Some of the themes we see in these verses that we have heard earlier in the book of Proverbs include a good reputation; humility; education, instruction, and discipleship; the sovereignty of God; and wealth and poverty.

We notice particularly in these verses that Solomon says a good reputation is more valuable than any wealth. A good reputation far exceeds any other blessing in life. He says that regardless of one's status in life, the Lord is the sovereign one. Do you personally understand the value you have before your Creator? Or are you allowing yourself to be influenced and compared to those around you? Maybe you would admit that you struggle with exercising wisdom, and you can identify with verse 3. Perhaps there have been times when you lacked the execution of wisdom or discernment and suffered because of it.

For me, a theme that has been challenging so far in our study of Proverbs is humility. Solomon points out how God will reward the pious life. He lists two spiritual qualifications here – humility and fear – and then follows by explaining three rewards – riches, honor, and life. One pastor explains this verse in this way: "The fear of the Lord is a state of mind in which one's own attitudes, will, feelings, deeds, and goals are exchanged for God's. By rightly fearing the Lord in humility, you gain everything you could ever want and need, everything that your selfish pride could never give you."

Consider

Pray

What Proverbs Says about Work

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 00:19:00 GMT

Scripture teaches that work is not the result of humanity's sinfulness but is part of God's good, divine design for His creation. The fall affected the spiritual and material aspects of human existence. In a basic sense, sin is a denial that we are made in the image of God. Ironically, such a denial can lead us to attempt to remake God in our image. When we sin, we proclaim ourselves to be gods; we deny our divine dependence; and we try to abdicate all that image-bearing entails — often including our duty and privilege to work. Our physical environment, cursed on account of our sin, further complicates our situation. Sin and the curse not only make us less inclined to work, but also make work more difficult. One result of the fall, then, is a radical distortion of work.

In the cursed world in which we live, work frequently becomes toil. Furthermore, sin results in us grappling with a tendency to be lazy. Knowing this inclination, the author of Proverbs 6:10–11 warns, "A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep—so shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, and your need like an armed man." (see Prov. 20:13; 24:30–34). At other times we struggle with overworking, which we can understand as a temptation to place our security in our labor and accumulated resources rather than God. Again, Proverbs admonishes us, "Do not overwork to be rich; because of your own understanding, cease!" (Prov 23:4). Other common distortions of work include the temptation to misrepresent our own work and take credit for others' work.

The book of Proverbs, which is arguably the most practical of all biblical books, has much to say about work and labor. In light of the above citations from Proverbs, it is clear that mankind must work, even in his fallen estate. However, we must be aware of the curse upon the created order and avoid errors relating to work, which—as was noted above—include both underworking and overworking. The Bible teaches that our work is to be creative and productive, but it cannot become idolatrous. As image-bearers of God, we ought not to be surprised by biblical mandates related to work, for God is the Creator, and thus God is a worker. In surveying the scriptural teachings on work in the book of Proverbs, we can place the biblical material into one of two broad categories: passages related to work and wealth, and passages related to laziness and poverty.

First, in considering work and wealth, we can observe that the book of Proverbs frequently teaches that work leads to wealth. For example, we read, "The soul of the diligent shall be made rich. . . . In all labor there is profit . . . He who tills his land will have plenty of bread (Prov. 13:4; 14:23; 28:19; see Prov. 10:4–5; 12:11, 14, 24, 27; 13:11; 15:19). Furthermore, Proverbs teaches that plans, especially those committed to the Lord, will often lead to wealth. Solomon writes, "The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty" (Prov. 21:5; see Prov. 16:3; 24:27; 27:23–27). The tie between well-planned work and wealth is an essential connection, for as an image-bearer of God, man was created to work. Moreover, mankind's material needs ought to prompt him to work (see Prov. 16:26). Interestingly, Proverbs teaches that wealth gained hastily and/or dishonestly—that is, apart from work—will vanish (see Prov. 13:11).

Second, the book of Proverbs repeatedly teaches that a failure to work—that is, a life characterized by laziness and lethargy—leads to poverty. For instance, Prov. 10:4–5 states, "He who has a slack hand becomes poor . . . He who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame." Similarly, Prov. 13:4 reads, "The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing" (see Prov. 12:24, 27; 14:23; 15:19; 19:15; 20:4). In contrast to the wise man who carefully makes plans, Proverbs teaches that the poor man makes hasty and unwise decisions, chasing pleasure and frivolity. Solomon notes, "He who loves pleasure will be a poor man . . . . He who follows frivolity will have poverty enough" (Prov. 21:17; 28:19; see Prov. 12:11; 21:5). Moreover, the man who refuses to work and experiences poverty is prone to make excuses for his condition, believing himself to be wise (see Prov. 22:13; 26:13–16).

In conclusion, then, the book of Proverbs teaches that we must work. As fallen image-bearers of God, living in a cursed creation, sometimes we will be lazy, and our work will not be as productive as it could otherwise be. At other times we will overwork and idolize wealth. Yet, despite these challenges, the secret to contentment is to faithfully bear the image of God by working, as we look forward to the day when, as Rom. 8:18–21 teaches, both ourselves and the created order will be transformed at Jesus' return.

DEVOTION: The Prosperity of the Godless

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 00:19:00 GMT

Proverbs 23:17-18

Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the LORD all day. Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.

As a believer, you will find yourself surrounded by the world and those who are of the world. Remember, Jesus prayed for His followers to be kept away from the evil one, not taken out of the world. These days, with the advent of the Internet and social media, you don't have to leave your pillow to be thrust into a world of comparison with others. People live "curated" lives online – that is, they only post the good accomplishments, happiest events, and highest accolades they've experienced. All this opportunity for comparison gives the human heart a garden rich with good soil to plant, water, and sow the seeds of envy.

The author of Psalm 73 was in a similar situation. He looked around at the prosperity of the wicked and found that he was envious. Maybe you feel that way today. Maybe you see those around you who, despite their rebellion against God, seem to be benefiting and prospering more and more. Perhaps you agree with Psalm 73:16: "When I thought of how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task." But don't stop there! Like the Psalmist in 73:17, go to the sanctuary of God and discern the wicked's end.

Come close to God and allow the truth of His word to speak to your eternal estate. Contemplate the fool's end and see the folly of envying anything that comforts those that are on their way to an eternity separated from God. Let these thoughts drive you toward prayer for them and a desire to share Christ's gospel with them (Ps 73:27-28). Thank God for your restored relationship with Him, which is of true value and more precious than anything this world offers.

For in that, surely there is a future and a hope that will not be cut off.

Consider

Pray

DEVOTION: Lips of Knowledge

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 00:12:00 GMT

Proverbs 20:15
There is gold and a multitude of rubies, but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel (NKJV) .

Like all of Proverbs, this chapter is full of essential and timely principles to apply to our lives. However, verse 15 can remind us to apply this verse to our focus on discipleship specifically. Learning and growing individually in the gospel of Christ is essential; then we can impart that good news using “lips of knowledge” as a precious jewel to share how to grow in Christlikeness.

You might ask, “How exactly are lips of knowledge a precious jewel”? Personally experiencing God’s goodness and grace to condemned sinners compels us to share with others, praying God will open their eyes to the good news of eternal life. Speaking of this Good News gives us a double joy of taking someone down the same path we went on to grow in Christ through Bible study, prayer, and other disciplines. “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

Christians can “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as you teach and admonish one another in all wisdom” (Col 3:16). Every one of us has the “lips of knowledge” on some occasions. God teaches us something for our good and for our neighbor, colleague, friend, roommate, and employee. The prophet Isaiah said, “The Lord God has given me the tongue [or lips] of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him that is weary” (Isa 50:4). The first step a believer has is to listen to the “lips of knowledge.” Once he has knowledge, he then speaks with the “lips of knowledge” to another. Let’s be like Isaiah all the time. Believers should seek the knowledge of God with more excitement than we go after material things. Then we can speak to each other and encourage one another on the phone, in the car, over meals, in the office. Why? Because “there is gold and a multitude of rubies, but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.”

Questions to Consider:

Prayer Prompts:

DEVOTION: The Lord is Sovereign

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 00:12:00 GMT

Proverbs 19:12
Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand (ESV).

The year 2020 is undoubtedly one for the history books. We have just been through six months, yet it already feels like years! COVID-19 brought the whole world to a lockdown for months. More than 530,000 people have so far died worldwide from the virus. Global economies have shuttered, resulting in massive job losses and businesses going bankrupt. And then we have seen the protests and riots all over the world following the killing of George Floyd.

Nobody could have bet at the beginning of the year that it would turn out as it has so far. We were all positive and looking forward to the New Year with high expectations. I read of someone who sarcastically called on prosperity gospel preachers to refund all the ‘seed money’ their followers had given in return for the health and wealth promised in 2020. Prov. 19:21 is a reminder that the Lord is in total control (sovereign) despite all the scientific and technological achievements in the world.

To be clear, it is prudent to make plans and prepare for the future. However, this should be done acknowledging that the Lord is in total control. He knows what is best for us. And therefore, we should make plans prayerfully seeking His will (see James 4:13-15). This proverb is an echo of Prov. 3:5-6, where we are admonished to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and not lean on our own understanding. Then the Lord will make our paths straight.

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Seeing Christ in Proverbs

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 00:12:00 GMT

Wisdom literature in the Old Testament plays an essential role in telling the story of the coming Christ, the Son of God. Unlike narrative texts, where there is a lot of typology, and unlike the Prophets, where there is a lot of predictive prophecy about Christ, wisdom texts are not necessarily straightforward. To see Christ in wisdom literature, and Proverbs in particular, we must first recognize that wisdom is a person, the person of Jesus Christ.

Christians often read the book of Proverbs as a collection of pithy statements about how to live: work hard, be diligent, work the system, and you will succeed in the world. It is easy to find motivational posters with verses from the book of Proverbs on the walls of men and women seeking success in life. Rarely do we read Proverbs as a book primarily about Christ and his way of life.

Rather than seeing Proverbs as “helpful tools for happy living,” we should see them as part of a bigger biblical story about Jesus Christ. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 1:24 that Jesus Christ is “the Wisdom of God.” Wisdom is not merely good advice for succeeding in life; wisdom is the person of Jesus Christ.

So, what does Proverbs tell us about Christ by referring to him as wisdom?

Proverbs tells us that wisdom is from God, just as Jesus is from God. Proverbs tells us in the first chapter, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Wisdom is God’s gift to us for us to know him. Jesus has come that by faith in Him, we would come to the knowledge of God.

Proverbs 8:22-31 explains what it means to be “from God.” The passage begins by telling us wisdom was “begotten” from eternity (your translation may read “possessed from everlasting”). Jesus is the Eternal Son of God, the one who has existed from all eternity with the Father (John 1:1-2). The passage proceeds to tell us that Wisdom was with the Father at creation and was, in fact, the “master craftsman” who formed the universe. Wisdom delighted in human beings. All of this together tells us that Jesus is the one by whom, through whom, and for whom all things were created (Colossians 2). Proverbs tells us we should trust and love wisdom because wisdom is the one who made us and rejoices in us. We are made for a relationship with Jesus Christ. On every page, we see wisdom as the Eternal Son, who brings us into a relationship with God. Christ is from God because he is God.

Proverbs tells us that wisdom calls out to us, just as Jesus calls out to us . Proverbs 8 begins with a rhetorical question, “Does not wisdom cry out?” Wisdom is not something or someone to be sought after. You do not have to go on a journey to find wisdom like it is a hidden treasure, and we are Indiana Jones. Instead, wisdom comes seeking us. Throughout the Gospels, we are reminded that Jesus calls out to us, he seeks after us, he comes to us by his initiative even when we did not know we needed him. In Proverbs, wisdom is the same. We would not naturally know or even desire to know wisdom. So wisdom reaches out to us, calling us to trust God and be saved. We see Christ in the book of Proverbs when we recognize the voice of wisdom as God’s voice, inviting us to know, love, and obey him.

Proverbs tells us that Wisdom shows us the way to live, just as Jesus shows us how to live. Proverbs contrasts wisdom with foolishness. Foolishness seeks to lure us away from our faithfulness to wisdom, making us adulterers. In the Great Commission, Jesus tells us to teach one another as disciples to “obey what I have commanded.” What does he mean by his commands? He tells us: “To love God and love our neighbor.” We must see Jesus as the one calling us to faithfulness, and the life it produces. Proverbs is not meant to give us advice on how to live in this world, but how to live in the Kingdom of God. Jesus is the example we follow in living as a faithful child of God. We learn from Christ how we are meant to live and receive from Christ’s Spirit the means to live that life. Seeing Christ in Proverbs means heeding wisdom’s counsel as a call to follow Jesus faithfully.

Proverbs tells us that Wisdom is the way to eternal life, just as Jesus is the way to eternal life. Proverbs 2:1-5 tells us that when we listen to wisdom, we will come to a knowledge of God. Colossians tells us that Jesus is the wisdom of God, and as we know Him, we increase in the knowledge of God because Jesus is God. In other words, by knowing Christ, we know God. So when Proverbs calls us to listen to wisdom and to heed her voice, because from wisdom comes life and the knowledge of God, we should be reminded that the Christian life is one of faith in Jesus Christ alone for eternal life. Proverbs 4:5 says, “Get wisdom! Get understanding!” The next few verses go on to admonish us not to forsake wisdom because wisdom will give us a crown of glory. What a beautiful reminder of Jesus’ promise to us!

Let’s not forget that the book of Proverbs begins by telling us the proverbs are from Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived but who also learned that all worldly gain is nothing but vanity! We must read Proverbs in the light of Ecclesiastes, where even if you gain what worldly wisdom gets you, it is still for nothing. Learning, hard work, diligence, etc., may each lead, in their own way, to a happy and healthy life here. But God’s promise is to a future inheritance in the new heavens and new earth when Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, ends all injustice, suffering, and sin, and ushers in his Heaven. Until that time, Christians must live in the light of the righteousness found in Jesus Christ, eagerly awaiting that future redemption. Proverbs points us away from vanity and to Jesus Christ, who is truly the Wisdom of God. Wisdom is calling out from God to learn from her what is the way to eternal life. Jesus is calling out to us in Proverbs so we can learn from him about God, about us, and about the Christian life.

DEVOTION: The Wellspring of Wisdom

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 00:05:00 GMT

"The words of a man's mouth are deep waters; the wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook" (Proverbs 18:4, NASB).

In this passage, Solomon echoes the teaching of his father David, " Set a watch, O LORD, over my mouth; keep the door of my lips" (Psalm 141:3). It also brings to mind the words of Jesus as He rebuked the Pharisees: "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matt. 12:34). Centuries after Proverbs, James also would write about the power of our words (James 3:1-18). Some things don't change. Our words and actions demonstrate what's going on inside. Our hearts are laid bare by our actions and the words we speak.

Our words have the power to build up or tear down (Eph. 4:29). The mouth and the heart are connected (Matt. 12:34). Before salvation, we lived in spiritual death (Eph. 2:1-3), and our speech was worthless. But as Christians, our speech should change. The apostle Paul certainly knew the difference, for when he was an unsaved rabbi, he was "breathing out threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord" (Acts 9:1); but when he trusted in Christ, a change took place: "And he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God" (Acts 9:20).

Proverbs 18 continues to draw a sharp contrast between the righteous and the wicked. In verses 1-13, Solomon describes the speech of the foolish as bringing strife, ruin, a snare, folly, and shame. To remedy this, we fill our hearts with Christ's love so that our speech is filled with His purity, truth, and blessing. Paul tells us, "Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one" (Col. 4:6).

Consider

Pray

DEVOTION: A Wise and Godly Legacy

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 00:05:00 GMT

"Grandchildren are the crown of the elderly, and the pride of children is their fathers." – Proverbs 17:6

What kind of legacy are we seeking to leave?

One of our most significant earthly responsibilities and achievements is our family. As we consider our family's legacy, our focus shouldn't be on how much wealth we leave behind or how influential our family name is. These are the kinds of values the world says are important, but Proverbs gives us a different goal.

As parents and grandparents, we want our families to value God's wisdom. We take joy when we see our children pursuing God's Word rather than foolishness (17:25). We want to train them in knowledge, understanding, restraint, and discernment (17:27-28). These are the kind of pursuits that build the godly legacy we desire.

But raising this kind of family requires work and intentionality. It takes fostering relationships of peace and not strife (17:1) and eliminating conflict in those relationships (17:14). It means being there for each other in the difficult times (17:17). And it requires that we love each other at all times (17:17).

Building the legacy of a godly family is not a short road. It's not completed by the time our children turn five. This is the kind of patient, long-suffering work that lasts a lifetime. Yet it is a worthy and eternal investment.

And when we see grandchildren who love and fear the Lord and who walk in his wisdom, what joy that will be!

A crown indeed.

Consider

Pray

What Proverbs Says about Speech

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 00:05:00 GMT

Why does the Bible generally, and Proverbs particularly, have so much to say about how I use my words? It's not because of the words themselves, but what they represent, and that is the thoughts and intentions of my heart. God cares about our words because God cares about us, and he wants to see us glorifying Him in everything we do.

The Bible teaches a simple but unavoidable truth: When it comes to your speech, you can't fake it forever. Listen to Jesus' extended explanation in Luke 6:43-45:
"For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks" (ESV).

Words = heart. Straightforward and true. Then, as those who seek to honor Christ, let us listen at the feet of the teachers of Proverbs as they speak to us about our speech.

First, speech itself can be used for good or evil. In 18:21, we read, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits" (ESV). While sometimes words can cause fights that lead to literal death, most often the authors of Proverbs are pointing out that words have consequences, such as for the good of a community: "By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown. (11:11, ESV).

Second, sound speech reflects reality, which is another way of saying that wise people tell the truth: "Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment" (12:19, ESV). Conversely, the foolish will be known for their lies, whether they want to be or not. The end of Proverbs 26 is a commentary on this type of speech:

"Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart; when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart; though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly" (26:24-26, ESV).

Interestingly, though, one of the things that makes words wise in Proverbs is not just their truthfulness, but their timing. Let's pay attention to 15:23, followed by the famous aphorism in 25:11-12 (both from the ESV):

"To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good it is!"

"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold is a wise reprover to a listening ear."

For our speech to honor God, it must be authentic and timely.

This is but a sampling of what Proverbs teaches about how to speak with wisdom. As you continue to read Proverbs this summer, mark those sayings about speech that stand out to you, and consider committing them to memory. Then, call those proverbs to mind the next time you start to open your mouth without considering the impact of your words. See what a difference wisdom can make!

What Proverbs Says about Wealth and Poverty

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 00:28:00 GMT

The book of Proverbs addresses many practical issues in the Christian life, such as marriage, family, labor, government, business, truth-telling, and the like. Yet, of all the topics addressed in Proverbs, apart from wisdom itself, there are more verses about wealth and poverty than about any other topic. There are more than 100 verses in Proverbs on issues related to wealth and poverty. In surveying the passages on wealth and poverty in this book, it is interesting to observe the breadth of teaching. Let’s briefly survey some of the highlights.

Concerning wealth, we learn in Proverbs that wealth can sometimes be a blessing . For instance, Prov. 10:22 teaches, “The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.” Of course, few people would deny that wealth often feels like a blessing; however, Proverbs also notes that wealth can be undesirable, if not a curse . For example, in Prov. 30:8–9 the author prays, “Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food allotted to me lest I be full and deny You, and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.” The author of this passage feared that material abundance, or material lack, might cause him to neglect his Christian growth and tarnish God’s name. In short, wealth is a blessing if it comes to believers from God’s hand; however, wealth can be a curse if it leads one away from God and toward self-sufficiency.

Like its teachings on wealth, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, the book of Proverbs explains that poverty can sometimes be a blessing —or, at least, a desirable estate. To elaborate, Prov. 28:6 reports, “Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich” (see Prov. 19:1, 17; 22:22–23; 23:10–11). In contrast, this book also teaches that poverty can be a curse . For example, Proverbs reveals that poverty can be the just result of immoral activities, such as drunkenness, gluttony, gambling, and sloth, as it teaches, “For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty and drowsiness will clothe a man with rags. . . . He who follows frivolity will have poverty enough!” (Prov. 23:21; 28:19; see Prov. 10:4; 12:11, 24; 14:23; 20:13). So poverty, like wealth, can be either a blessing or a curse. Poverty is a blessing if it prompts us to rely upon God; yet, poverty is a curse if it is the result of sin.

To summarize the above, then, the book of Proverbs does not give preference or favor to a particular material status—either wealth or poverty. As is the case in passages elsewhere in Scripture (see 1 Cor. 4:2; 1 Pet. 4:10), so Proverbs teaches that God is not as concerned with how much or how little we possess, as He is with what led to our given material status, as well as how well we steward our material resources. Rather than always favoring wealth over poverty, which is our predisposition, we must remember that wealth can be the result of thievery and dishonesty, as well as of labor and industry (see Prov. 10:4; 12:11, 24, 27; 13:4, 11; 14:23; 20:13; 21:5; 22:29; 28:19). Similarly, poverty can be the result of sloth and apathy, or generosity and charity (see Prov. 6:6–11; 10:4; 19:15; 21:17).

In conclusion, several mistakes are easy for believers to make when it comes to biblical teachings on wealth and poverty. Some of these assuming that a loving God will make us rich (i.e., the prosperity gospel), believing that poverty is always the result of sin (i.e., Job’s friends), viewing wealth as inherently evil (i.e., materialism), or equating poverty with holiness (i.e., monasticism). The book of Proverbs, though, repeatedly exhorts us to develop a proper and balanced view of wealth and poverty. As with everything else in the material world, so human beings are prone to distort biblical teachings, misunderstand God’s revelation, and misuse God’s good gifts. However, as we grow in Christ, believers can embrace what the book of Proverbs says about wealth and poverty.

DEVOTION: Choosing Humility

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 00:28:00 GMT

Proverbs 15:33

The fear of the Lord is what wisdom teaches, and humility comes before honor. (CSB)

When we start to think too much of ourselves or begin to puff up with pride, we forget who the Lord is. We become fools as we fall into worship of self.

Proverbs 15 points out two areas we often see our pride expressed – our words and openness to correction. Solomon dedicates at least eight verses in this chapter to how we use our tongue. Do we use our words to defend our pride and inflate our sense of self? Do we stir up wrath (15:1), break the spirit (15:4), blurt out foolishness (15:2)? Or do we pursue peace, healing, and broadcast knowledge with our words?

We won’t always succeed in using our words for good. When we fail, we can pursue humility in how we handle correction and discipline. We can be slow to anger (15:18), accepting the counsel of godly advisors who point us to righteousness with life-giving rebukes (15:31). Correction doesn’t have to be threatening when we approach it with humility and a willingness to learn and grow.

The Lord loves those who pursue righteousness (15:9). The prayers of the upright delight him (15:29). As we seek to grow in humility and use our words for life, we learn the fear of the Lord and find our proper place before him. He is God. We are not.

Consider

Pray

DEVOTION: Today Will I Build Up or Tear Down?

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 00:28:00 GMT

Proverbs 14:1-3

The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down. Whoever walks in uprightness fears the LORD, but he who is devious in his ways despises him. By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back, but the lips of the wise will preserve them. (ESV)

Imagine you’re given the option to walk down one of two cereal aisles. Aisle one looks like the one you encounter every time you go shopping, with all its choices available to you. Aisle two, however, is stocked top to bottom with only one option. You’re not told which brand it is, but you must choose which aisle to go down. Which aisle would you choose? When we get right down to it, humans love choice, and the grocery store cereal aisle is a testament to that fact. God’s Word reminds us that we make choices every day that mean much more than the cereal we eat.

We must decide what to do with our actions. Every day, we choose to be someone who uses our hands and efforts to build up or tear down.

Another choice we get to make each day are the words we say. We can choose to be kind, gentle, and loving with our speech or to be harsh, prideful, and rash. Both our actions and our words flow from the seat of our hearts. That’s why Solomon reminds us that we have a choice to walk upright with the Lord or to despise Him.

Christian obedience can’t be manufactured. If we are trusting in our abilities (instead of what Christ has done to make us new) to do and say what is right, we will fail every time.

Consider

Pray

DEVOTION: The Mouth of the Righteous is a Fountain of Life

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 00:21:00 GMT

Read all of Proverbs 10, and Matthew 12:33-37.

Proverbs 10 marks a transition to the second collection of proverbs of Solomon that continues through 22:16. While chapter 10 addresses multiple topics, a significant focus of these verses is the contrast between the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the righteous.

The mouth of the wicked is associated with violence (verses 6, 11), ruin (verses 8, 10, 14), perversion (verses 31-32), and conceals hatred, spreads lies, and slander (verse 18). In contrast, “the mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life” (verse 11), is full of the fruit of wisdom and discernment (verses 13, 31), shows prudence in restraint (verse 19), is like choice silver (verse 20), is nourishing to many (verse 21), and knows what is acceptable (verse 32). In Matthew 12:34, Jesus puts it plainly as he states, “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” The condition of our heart is on full display through our words.

God cares about our words because He cares about our hearts. By our mouths, we are able, by God’s grace, to confess our heart’s belief in the risen Christ as Lord (Romans 10:9-10). It is by our mouths that we give glory and honor and praise to God. It is by our mouths that we build up and encourage one another (1 Thess. 5:11). It is by our mouths that we declare His excellencies (1 Peter 2:9), and it is by our mouths that we proclaim the gospel to the lost (Mark 16:15). As our hearts become more in tune with and obedient to God’s Word, may our mouths become like a fountain of life!

Consider

Pray

DEVOTION: Beauty, Vanity, and Good Sense

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 00:21:00 GMT

Proverbs 11:22

A beautiful woman who rejects good sense is like a gold ring in a pig's snout. (CSB)

Proverbs 11:28

Anyone trusting in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like foliage. (CSB)

What do these two sayings have in common? They both speak to the utter uselessness of earthly acclaim apart from trust in the Lord, and they do so using colorful language drawn from creation.

In Prov. 11:22 we have one of the most enduring images of the whole book. Can't you picture the dirty, bloated pig with a 24k gold ring, coated with mud, sticking out of its nose? If imagining this scene makes you giggle, Solomon is smiling, because that's what he wanted to do.

It seems a waste, does it not, to put a valuable ring in the nose of a pig? Isn't it somewhat useless? Yes, it is, just like earthly beauty is futile unless matched with wisdom.

In Prov. 11:28, the one who pursues wealth apart from righteousness will lose it all – again, vanity – but the righteous will "flourish like foliage." The language takes my mind back to Psalm 1, where the righteous man is compared to a tree that yields fruit in its season, whose leaf does not wither.

In both cases, what the world praises, whether it be beauty or riches, proves to be ultimately empty and even worthy of scorn. Be careful, Solomon says, to pursue the things that last.

Consider

Pray

DEVOTION: Wisdom's Call

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 00:14:00 GMT

Proverbs 8:1-6

“Does not wisdom call, and understanding lift up her voice? On top of the heights beside the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; beside the gates, at the opening to the city, at the entrance of the doors she cries out: “To you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men. O naïve ones understand prudence; and fools, understand wisdom. Listen, for I will speak noble things; and the opening of my lips will reveal right things.” (NASB)

Solomon personifies the voice of wisdom as a virtuous woman; “Lady Wisdom” gives an invitation for all to receive her counsel. In Chater 7, the adulteress went out to seduce the sons of men, but wisdom, like a virtuous woman, called out to those who would listen. Wisdom’s public invitation begins with two rhetorical questions: “Does not wisdom call, and understanding lift up her voice?” (verse 1). Wisdom involves “godly knowledge,” while “understanding” applies such wisdom to life. Unlike the adulteress, wisdom detests wickedness (verse 7). She calls out to all but especially seeks the simple and the foolish, those least likely to respond (verse 5). Her words are noble and pure, and the discerning man or woman will recognize them as right (verse 6).

The lack of virtue that characterized the adulteress contrasts with wisdom’s virtuous attributes. The seductress is secretive and deceptive, but wisdom is open and honest. The one who gives in to the adulteress finds shame and death, but the one who follows wisdom will acquire prudence for wise living.

Consider

Pray

DEVOTION: Wisdom's Invitation

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 00:14:00 GMT

Read all of Proverbs 9, and Luke 14:16-24.

When you receive an invitation in the mail, your reaction to that invitation could be different depending on who you are and the nature of the invitation. If you are an extrovert, you may view all invitations with delight and struggle to choose between them. However, if you are an introvert, some invitations may bring joy, while others carry more of a sense of obligation that threatens to infringe on your quiet time at home. The two invitations we see in chapter 9 could not be more different from one another. One is an invitation to eat and drink the fruits of Wisdom. The other is a summons to sip the stolen secrecies of Folly. One invitation leads to insight and life; the other leads the stubbornly ignorant to the grave. Both calls find their way to the simple, but which invitation will they choose?

We see in Jesus’ parable in Luke 14:16-24 a similar invitation. A man prepared a great banquet. Although he invited many, few came. This parable of Jesus echoes the wisdom of Proverbs 9. What would be the outcome for those who refused the invitation? “For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet” (verse 24). To refuse Jesus’ invitation is to refuse life: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36).

Consider

Prayer

Lady Wisdom or Lady Folly?

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 00:14:00 GMT

Good or evil, wisdom or folly, life or death—which will you pursue? That is the question presented by a father to his son in Proverbs 1-9. One doesn’t have to read very far to realize that these two options are personified as females — Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly. These two women are closely tied to two paths or ways — the path of the wise and the path of the foolish. The young man must choose which woman he will pursue, which path he will follow during his life. But why are wisdom and folly personified as women? Who are these women? What do they do? Where do they lead?

To see why wisdom and folly are personified as women, one must think of the context in which Proverbs was written. This book is addressed to a young man, so it is fitting that his father employs the metaphor of the pursuit of women to make his appeal. We also see in Scripture examples of men whose decision to remain faithful to God or succumb to idolatry is closely tied to the type of women they choose to pursue. Solomon himself fell into idolatry because of his love for many foreign wives (1 Kings 11:1-8). In Deuteronomy 7:3-4, God commands the Israelites not to intermarry with any of the Canaanite women when they come into the Promised Land, because these women would lead them to worship other gods. Sexual fidelity and spiritual fidelity are intimately connected throughout Scripture. Another reason we see this personification as female is that in Hebrew both the words wisdom and folly are grammatically feminine. For a Hebrew reader, it would be instinctive to refer to either as “she.”

Throughout the first nine chapters of Proverbs, we see glimpses of both women; however, chapter 7 fully describes Lady Folly, followed by the portrait of Lady Wisdom in chapter 8. These descriptions culminate in chapter 9 with a final comparison of both women. In chapter 7, Lady Folly is dressed as a prostitute, an adulteress who receives her visitors under the cloak of darkness (verse 9). She is loud, yet lies in wait for her prey, enticing them with flattery and the promise of sensual pleasure (verses 15-18). Her words are “seductive speech” and “smooth talk” (verses 21). In the end, the path of Lady Folly leads to death (verse 27).
In contrast, in chapter 8, Lady Wisdom calls out in plain sight to all who pass by, speaking what is right and true (v. 6-9). By her, kings reign with justice, and what she offers is enduring wealth and honor, better than gold or silver (v. 15-19). But what is most remarkable about Lady Wisdom is found in verses 22-36. In this section, we see her real significance lies in her divine origin. She was brought forth by God before creation; she was present with God at creation; and she was the delight of God, rejoicing in His creation (verse 22-31).

In chapter 9, both women call out from the highest places of the town to those who pass by. The hope is that passers-by might come into their houses and partake of the feasts they have prepared. One chooses to pursue Lady Wisdom by first fearing the Lord, resulting in knowledge of the Holy One (verse 10). This path leads to life, as Lady Wisdom says in 8:35, “whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord.” In contrast, it is by ignorance and lack of sense that one follows Lady Folly, resulting in death, for “her guests are in the depths of Sheol” (verse 18).

The young man could only learn the wisdom of chapters 10-30 by first choosing the pursuit of Lady Wisdom. Yet after having been taught wisdom, in chapter 30:3-4, the text states, “I have not learned wisdom, nor have I the knowledge of the Holy One. Who has ascended to heaven and come down?” Was the pursuit of Lady Wisdom all in vain? To answer this seemingly hopeless cry, one must go to the words of Jesus in John 3:13, “No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.” Lady Wisdom foreshadows Jesus Christ in whom “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3). It is Jesus through whom and for whom all things were created (Col. 1:16). It is Christ who is “the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:24). The fear of the Lord, or faith in Jesus Christ for the New Testament believer, is our only hope of finding wisdom and life for He is “the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6).

As Proverbs begins with a choice between Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly, Proverbs ends with a portrait of Lady Wisdom in action. Likewise, as the book of Proverbs begins with teaching us “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” the book concludes by revealing that the secret behind the idealized life of the woman in chapter 31 is she is “a woman who fears the Lord” (v. 30). Ultimately, the choice between Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly is not only for the son addressed in Proverbs 1-9, but for each one of us. Jesus calls us to repent and turn away from Lady Folly to faith in Him, just as Lady Wisdom cries out to the simple to follow the way of wisdom leading to life. For “this is eternal life, that they know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3).

DEVOTION: From Father to Son

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 00:07:00 GMT

Prov. 5:1-6
My son, pay attention to my wisdom; Lend your ear to my understanding, That you may preserve discretion, and your lips may keep knowledge. For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil; but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death, her steps lay hold of hell. Lest you ponder her path of life – Her ways are unstable; you do not know them. (NKJV)

Solomon, the author of most of the Proverbs, succeeded his father David as king of Israel. God blessed Solomon with great wisdom for ruling His people. In this passage, Solomon gives his own son advice for living a godly life. He wants what’s best for his son, and he wants to protect him from all harm. He pleads with his son to listen and pay attention to his wisdom and understanding of God. He wants his son to discern right from wrong and speak the truth. He warns his son not to follow lustful passions, which are strongly appealing but eventually lead to destruction.

Our heavenly Father desires that we grow in wisdom and understanding of His Word and His ways. Our heavenly Father wants us to avoid sin and its consequences. God’s Word is our source of wisdom and understanding, which stands in stark contrast with seductive worldly passions.

Consider

Pray

DEVOTION: Get Wisdom!

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 00:07:00 GMT

Proverbs 4:1-9
Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight, for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching.

When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother, he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments and live.

Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you.

The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight. Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her. She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.” (ESV)

The subtitle printed above these verses varies according to the Bible translation you’re reading. The English Standard Version has “A Father’s Wise Instruction,” whereas the New King James Version titles it “Security in Wisdom.” This second title points to the fundamental teaching of this passage, as expressed in verse 7: “Wisdom is the principal thing” (NKJV), or also “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom…” (ESV). The father in this passage vehemently instructs his son: “Get wisdom! Get understanding!” (verse 5).

Wisdom is referred to as a woman, as she is throughout the book of Proverbs. She will “keep you,” “preserve you” and “guard you” (verse 6). This passage ends with the seeker of wisdom receiving an ornament of grace and a crown of glory (verse 9).

So the question for the reader is, “How? How do I get wisdom?” We desire to live lives of wisdom, to have this guarding. Where can we find this wisdom that ensures us of grace? We must remember where wisdom originates: “The fear of the Lord is beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 9:10). We must also not forget who embodies all of God’s wisdom - Jesus Christ, “who became for us the wisdom of God…” (1 Cor 1:30). Therefore the answer to the questions we ask is not a place or a set of rules, but a person, the person of Jesus. When we are in Christ, we have access to every spiritual blessing through him (Eph. 1:3). He walks “in the way of righteousness… granting an inheritance” to those who love him (Prov. 8:20-21). We are a people adorned in His saving grace, crowned with His righteousness. Only when we are in Him is it possible to get wisdom.

Consider

Do I seek Christ first as my source of wisdom and guidance? Or am I searching for wisdom in other places?

Prayer

Lord, you are the source of all wisdom. Apart from you, I have no good thing. I am guilty of not seeking you first in all my choices and decisions. “Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me” (Prov. 19:12-13). Thank you for providing a way for me to walk in wisdom through Christ. Lead me in paths of righteousness for your name’s sake (Ps. 23:3).

How to Read Wisdom Literature

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 00:07:00 GMT

In the Bible, the books typically classified as “Wisdom Literature” include Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and James. Wisdom can take on different meanings, for example, by having exceptional skills physically or mentally to having the proper worldview to conducting one’s life fittingly and appropriately. Biblical wisdom contrasts with worldly wisdom by revealing to believers how they can orient their lives to God’s will in every aspect of life.

In addition to the Wisdom books in the Bible, other major sections of the Bible fit into the Wisdom genre. Psalms such as 32, 33, 36, 37, 119, 125, 128, and several others are wisdom literature. The story of Joseph in Genesis is wisdom, as are the first six chapters of Daniel.

Biblical wisdom has two significant characteristics. First, the text appeals to practical experience to instruct the believer in godly living . The author can demonstrate right living by appealing to a figure who, when faced with the choice of wisdom or foolishness, chooses God’s way over the world’s way. In Proverbs, for example, the author appeals to common sense by pointing out that the hard worker achieves its purpose. This encourages the believer to work diligently in the world. This is not a promise that hard work will always result in prosperity, but a message that conformity to God’s will in the world includes persistence and hard work. We could probably point out exceptions to this rule, but the purpose of the statement is not to make a truth claim about hard work but to instruct the believer on right living. We know this, for example, because the entire book of Ecclesiastes points out the uselessness of pursuing the things of the world like wealth, worldly wisdom, and pleasure. The purpose of life is to “worship God and keep His commands” (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

A second characteristic of Wisdom Literature is an unwavering appeal to dependence on the God of the Bible. Here the Wisdom Literature of the Bible contrasts human wisdom (which it determines to be foolishness) with Divine Wisdom. Human beings can be ingenious creatures, making significant discoveries and solving many problems. But human wisdom is limited to the human mind. God’s wisdom, on the other hand, knows no limits. Wisdom Literature calls on the reader to trust wholly and entirely in the word of God. When reading these texts, the author is warning the reader against trusting himself or herself. Instead, he or she should heed “every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Biblical wisdom is a divine gift that is not rooted in creation or the mind of created humans. The reader asks, “What areas of my life are not conformed to God’s wisdom?”

Reading Wisdom Literature as a Christian requires us to recognize that the text can take the form of a “wise saying” or a traditional “proverb,” but the purpose is still to call the believer to godliness and the true worship of God, not to make pronouncements about the world and its ways. By using a memorable statement, the text informs both understanding and behavior. Even more, the text calls the reader to conform his or her life to that wisdom. An example is, “Wealth makes many friends, but the poor is separated from his friend” (Proverbs 19:4). Everyone knows that rich people have a lot of friends (or Instagram followers). This is common sense, as people hope to get in on some of the wealth. But in the Bible this takes on a different meaning: Don’t trust in wealth because your phony friends will leave you when the money is gone. The point of the text is not to communicate something about human behavior, but to call the believer to locate their loyalty in God rather than wealth or people. These are generalized statements, so do not read too much into them.

Wisdom Literature comprises a large portion of the Bible. As Christian readers, we should look for the message about God’s work in Jesus Christ and the transformation of our life because of it. Because we look to conform our lives to the will and ways of God, we should read these texts as God’s revelation of what God's will and His ways look like. We learn to practice biblical wisdom, in opposition to worldly wisdom, by listening to these texts.

DEVOTION: Learning to Trust

Fri, 01 May 2020 00:31:00 GMT

Proverbs 3:5-8
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones.” (NKJV)

When I was a kid, we went on some great family vacation trips. My dad always planned out every detail. Several weeks before a trip, he would get out the map box, pull out a map of each state through which we would travel, and then pick and highlight a route on each map that led to our destination.

When we hit the road, my dad would periodically pass a map back to me and ask me to find where we were on the map and tell him what the next landmark would be. For a third-grader, reading a road map wasn’t always easy. Half the time I had no clue where we were on the map. But my dad, who had a lot of travel experience, had memorized the route and had everything under control. He knew my understanding of maps was limited. He was teaching me to read a map, but more than that he showed me how to trust the one who knew where we were going.

I didn’t worry then about my poor map-reading abilities. All I had to do was trust my dad and enjoy the vacation. My dad had everything else handled.

Consider

Pray

DEVOTION: Receive, treasure, seek, find

Fri, 01 May 2020 00:31:00 GMT

Proverbs 2:1–5
My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. (ESV)

Wisdom is a choice.

No one can force us to receive good counsel or sage advice. We can be hard-headed sometimes, slow to listen and quick to judgment. Pay attention, though, to some of the verbs used or referenced in these verses:

Receive.

Treasure.

Pay attention.

Incline.

Call out.

Seek.

Search.

All of the actions referenced above require intentional effort. Wisdom is offered to us, but we also must take it. We cannot manufacture it ourselves, but we must make room for it in our lives and hearts. Only after we have received, paid attention, and sought will the commands of God shape our minds and hearts to be more like His.

Notice the important "if, then" statement that brackets the whole of these verses. Begin reading in verse 1, and you see it quickly: "My son, if..." If we receive (1), treasure (1), call out (3), seek (4) and search (4), we come to verse 5: "then..." Then what? Then we understand the fear of the Lord (5) and find the knowledge of God (5).

I'll sum it up like this: Pursuing wisdom is active, not passive, and we must pursue it where it can be found: The Word of God.

Wisdom is a choice.

Consider

Pray

Introduction to Proverbs

Fri, 01 May 2020 00:31:00 GMT

There is a saying when studying the Bible: Context is king. This saying highlights the principle that one must consider the circumstances surrounding the original text to interpret the Bible correctly. The lens through which we read a particular Bible book will change based on the historical and cultural background. The book of Proverbs is unusual in that it is almost contextless. One author put it this way, “The actual events of Hebrew history play almost no role in the book of Proverbs.” Why would this be the case? It has much to do with the content of the book.

Proverbs falls in the category of wisdom literature in the Bible. This type of writing imparts biblical instruction, shaping the hearer’s character and virtue. The book primarily consists of, well, proverbs; these are short, pithy sayings summarizing practical truth, using comparison and contrasts. These sayings involve observations and reflections on human life and guide the reader toward skillful godly living. In other words, the Proverbs are the wisdom of God, imparted through human experience. As God’s people, we are commanded to live wisely in every circumstance of life, no matter the time, people, or place; therefore, Proverbs transcends all contexts. What a unique and necessary book for God’s people to know well!

All this said, there is still needed work to read and understand this book rightly. As mentioned above, Proverbs is classified as wisdom literature by scholars, along with Job and Ecclesiastes. The book divides nicely into three major sections: discourse material (chapters 1-9), the collection of proverbs (chapters 10-29), and the Massaite appendices (chapters 30-31). Solomon authored much of it, as one verse reads, “The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel.” He is also credited with 3,000 additional sayings (1 Kings 4:32) not recorded in this book! We read in 1 Kings 4:29, “God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure...so that Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was far wiser than all other men.” There are also two other authors noted in Proverbs: Agur, the son of Jakeh, and King Lemuel. We know little of these men. Proverbs 25:1 notes, “the men of Hezekiah king of Judah” collected these wise sayings into one book. There is no unified agreement on when the book was compiled, with dates ranging from the tenth century to the sixth century BC, though many scholars lean toward the latter period.

Throughout the ancient Near East, there was a tradition of having wise men as counselors to the king. Many of these cultures also collected wise sayings that passed down through generations. In the Israelite society, these wise men held positions of leadership in the royal court, alongside priests and prophets. They would use these collections of wisdom to train the young male royal officials in the ways of leadership.

While Proverbs follows within this wisdom tradition, it has a few distinguishing features. First and most importantly, what sets the wisdom literature of the Bible apart is with whom wisdom originates. In the opening lines of the book, we learn the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (verse 7). Though Proverbs is a collection of men’s sayings, its real source is God. These inspired words are profitable for teaching and training in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16). As readers of this book, we have an even more significant advantage than the original audience- we know the risen Savior, Christ! He is the living embodiment of wisdom: “Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col.2:3) Now when we, as Christians, Proverbs 8, we know it is an incredible, in-depth description of Jesus and the blessings of life in Him! Another distinguishing feature of this book is the domestic, familial nature of the instruction given, referencing both father and mother. The phrase “my son” is used 21 times in this book. The reader can imagine parents pleading with their son or daughter to pursue wisdom as they leave home to live on their own for the first time. We, too, benefit greatly from reading these words of guidance as God’s children sent out into a lost world.

Finally, as we wade into the deep waters of Proverbs, we must keep in mind this is not a book of promises. It is a book of principles for wise, godly living. We experience the heartache and disappointment of life in this sinful world, but we know our hope is firmly in Christ. We can seek to glorify and honor Him in this life by walking “in the way of good” and keeping “to the paths of the righteous” (2:20).

Equipping Evangelism

Fri, 01 May 2020 00:08:00 GMT

[The following is an excerpt from the training booklet, Equipping Evangelism]

Download the Equipping Evangelism booklet

Tell The Truth

The first and most important step in sharing the Gospel is to tell the truth.

For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. - Romans 1:16

The Gospel is a statement of the truth. It is not a sales pitch or an idea that we must convince people to believe. We do not need to defend it; we are only commanded to present it. Sometimes we make things more complicated than they really are. The Gospel can be summed up in a simple statement of what the Bible says is true.

Here is a summary of what we believe:

This is the Gospel, the power of God unto salvation for all who believe (Romans 1:16). Evangelism is just telling people the truth and that truth is enough; we don’t need anything else.

What Evangelism is Not

So, if evangelism is telling the truth then a good topic to tackle next might be considering what evangelism is not.

Evangelism is not Apologetics

We have not been commanded to ask and answer questions about theology or cultural events, or to disprove a worldview. We have been commanded to proclaim His Gospel. Sometimes instead of just talking with someone we try and prove how the Bible is true and what he or she believes is wrong. This almost always brings the conversation to a point of unnecessary conflict. We do not need to know what people believe, or even why they believe what they believe, to share truth. We only need to know what we believe and then present that to them in the most loving way possible without compromise.

One of the greatest fears for most people in presenting the Gospel is that they will be asked a question to which they do not know the answer. Evangelism is not about knowing everything; it is about knowing someone, Jesus.

Evangelism is not Silent

Sometimes we can tell ourselves that all we need to do is invite people to church or live the Christian life in front of them. Both of these things are great and biblical, but they are not evangelism. Evangelism is presenting the truth of the Gospel to others in order for them to either receive or reject Jesus as their Savior.

Evangelism is not Complicated

The truth of the Bible is something you have personally experienced. You know the Gospel because you have experienced it in your life. As we live our lives we find ourselves in conversations all the time, from everyday superficial meetings to talking with friends and coworkers or deep conversations with family and loved ones. All of these conversations are opportunities to bring God glory and praise by telling them the truth about Jesus.

Some Bible Passages About Evangelism

Fri, 01 May 2020 00:07:00 GMT

For Richland Creek, one of our goals as we grow in our witness is to "identify evangelism as a command of Scripture, both of the church corporately and of each believer personally." Does the Bible tell believers to share their faith with others?

It does. Below are a few verses to meditate on, and perhaps memorize, as you consider your own personal obedience to the command to share the Gospel, and our church's obedience as well.

Verses are taken from the English Standard Version.

Matthew 9:35–38

And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Matthew 28:18–20

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

2 Corinthians 5:18–20

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

1 Peter 3:15–16

but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

Romans 10:14–15

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

Praying the Bible

Fri, 01 May 2020 00:03:00 GMT

Donald Whitney has written a little book called Praying the Bible that I have found remarkably helpful in my own prayer life. It is simple, straightforward and unpretentious. While Whitney is certainly not the first to write about letting Scripture shape your prayers, his book is easy to understand and put into practice.

Praying the Bible allows our prayers to be shaped by the Word of God, and it is especially helpful in avoiding repetition in our prayers. All of us can get into a prayer rut, so to speak, such that we’re mindlessly praying the same things we prayed yesterday.

So how to pray the Bible? Here’s what Whitney recommends:

Notice there are not a lot of rules here, and that’s OK. Allow room for the Holy Spirit of God to work in your heart. Whitney writes, “I have enough confidence in the Word and Spirit of God to believe that if people will pray in this way, in the long run their prayers will be far more biblical than if they just make up their own prayers.”

More info about the book

Some Gospel Passages to Memorize

Fri, 01 May 2020 00:01:00 GMT

One of the best ways to cultivate Christlikeness is to commit the Bible to memory. And one of the best ways to particularly cultivate humility in our hearts is to memorize those passage which, in the space of a few verses, begin to encapsulate the incalculable riches of the Gospel.

[For a more full explanation and even more verse recommendations, click here to read the article , written by the executive editor of desiringGod.org, of which this is a short summary.]

My encouragement to you is to purpose in your heart to memorize these passages, find someone memorize alongside you, and walk together in the joy of meditating on the Gospel every day.

(All Scripture quotations below are from the English Standard Version. Feel free to memorize in your preferred translation.)

Isaiah 53:4–6

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Romans 3:23–25a

... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

1 Corinthians 15:3–4

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures...

Philippians 2:5–8

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Titus 3:4–7

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Pandemic in Paradise

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 00:27:00 GMT

An upside to the stay-at-home order is that we have opportunities to spend more time together, to grow in love for each other, to worship together, and to spend more time making disciples at home. That is not to say that the COVID-19 situation has not caused stress and many troubles, and it has affected everyone. The Bible tells us that there will always be trials and tribulations in this life, and they will get progressively worse; however, the important thing is how we respond to them. The same stay-at-home order that has blessed us with so much family time has also opened the door for the C-word – CONFLICT! How will you respond when there is trouble in paradise?

Conflicts happen, they just do. But conflict should not be a pattern in the lives of believers. The first step in learning to deal with conflict biblically, is to understand what the Bible says about conflict and the heart issues that cause it. While we cannot do an exhaustive study here, it is instructive to know that conflict is sinful, conflict is inevitable, and conflict is an opportunity.

Conflict is sinful in that at least one party has violated God’s command to love one another. Truth be told, when someone sins against us, we are prone to respond in a sinful manner. Jesus described loving one another as the sign that you are truly one of His disciples. Loving others is the penultimate command, second only to loving God. By the way, you cannot love God without loving others (see 1 John 4:20). Be reminded, as we discussed in the recent article on marriage, love is a choice and not a feeling.

A second violation that makes conflict sinful is one that you might not have thought about. If you are in Christ, you are called to be a peacemaker. Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matt. 5:9). In Romans 12:18, Paul expounds on this idea and puts it in practical terms saying, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.” You are not responsible for the outcome, but you are responsible for the effort to actively pursue peace when there is conflict.

Conflict is inevitable . We live in a fallen world where everything is impacted by sin. When sinners live together, conflict should be expected. We often expect too much from fellow sinners. Why are you so surprised when others, especially your spouse and children, behave sinfully? That’s not to say that you should ignore it, but you should expect it. The good news is that God has made provision for sin, not just a payment, but the power and wisdom to live beyond our old nature.

Conflict is an opportunity . God has promised to cause “all things to work together for good to those who love God…” with the good being defined as making us more like Jesus (Rom. 8:28-29). Trusting God in a conflict means that we choose to obey God’s commands to love and to pursue peace, leaving the outcome to Him. Conflict is an opportunity to love and serve others even when they are unlovable. Sound familiar? Conflict is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate Christ-likeness (Eph. 5:1-2), to show grace even as you have received much more grace, to forgive even as you have been forgiven.

With this biblical foundation in place, let’s look at some personal reflections and practical steps for dealing with conflict:

For the Christian, conflicts are sinful, they are inevitable, and they are opportunities. When we address conflict biblically, we can restore relationships and be ambassadors for Christ, even in our own homes. We are prone to either flee from conflicts or to fight. Neither of these are biblical and they are slippery slopes that lead to further damage. The Bible gives us wisdom and the Holy Spirit gives us power, and we have the ultimate example in Him who gave Himself for us. As we journey through this COVID-19 situation together (really together!), the Prince of Peace is on your side.

CHALLENGE: read Matthew 7:1-5, and then in light of that, read Galatians 6:1-5. What does the text say? How is the Lord speaking to you? How would this heart attitude impact your relationships?

Click to Download Additional Resource

Adapted from “Resolving Conflict Christ’s Way” by Robert D. Jones. Journal of Biblical Counseling , Fall 2000.

A Basic Bible Study Plan

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 00:26:00 GMT

The following is an excerpt from Richland Creek's booklet Equipping Bible Study:

Study One Book at a Time

current Life Group study in Romans

What Do I Do First?

Once you have chosen a book to study, remember to move through it slowly. Bible study is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. Sometimes our goal turns into getting a certain amount finished, when our goal should be understanding and applying what we have read.

In choosing what to study in a given day or week, concentrate on the paragraphs or, if you prefer, the headings in your Bible. That way you have enough to study to give you some context, but not so much that you get lost.

What Do I Do Next?

After reading carefully over your chosen text a few times, take time to look up any words or phrases you do not know. Many times as we read the Bible, we encounter words and phrases we don’t know. Since the words of Scripture are inspired, we must do the work to study them and understand them. Do not assume you know what a word or phrase means just because you have heard it or read it many times.

Remember that the most important thing in determining what a word means is context, or the words, phrases and sentences around it. With that said, a Bible dictinoary and a study Bible are very helpful tools to help understand words or concepts we are unfamiliar with, especially for those just beginning in Bible study.

After I Understand the Words, What is the Next Step?

Once you feel comfortable with what the words mean, you should ask additional questions. Some examples of questions to ask are in the appendix of this study guide, but they generally fall into basic categories: who, what, when, where, why and how?

And finally, you should take some time to see where key words or concepts used in the text you are studying are mentioned in other parts of the Bible. The Bible speaks as a whole, and nothing is more valuable in understanding one part of the Bible, than other parts of the Bible. To help you in this, make sure your Bible has cross references (those columns in the middle or outside edge of your Bible text that have the small superscript letters). You can also use a concordance or a Bible search engine.

Discover the Author’s Intended Meaning

The goal of personal Bible study is to discover the author’s intended meaning, not just what we want the Bible to say. Because of this, a great final step is to write down, in your own words, the basic meaning of the verse or paragraph you are studying.

Links to Online Tools

Personal Bible Study Worksheet

Free Online Study Tools

Full Equipping Bible Study booklet

VIDEO: Romans 10

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 00:24:00 GMT

Pastor Steve McKinion teaches Romans 10 for our Life Group study in Romans.

VIDEO: Romans 8

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 00:16:00 GMT

Pastor Jason teaches through Romans 8 for our Life Group study in Romans.

Thoughts on Prayer

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 00:15:00 GMT

One of the greatest things (of so many great things) we have from God through the finished work of Jesus is the ability to talk with God in prayer. Not only has Christ purchased this for us through His redemptive work (Hebrews 4:14-16) but He desires us to pray constantly (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Here are a few thoughts toward prayer that can help you have a more meaningful prayer life which leads to a deeper love of the Lord.

Have a focused prayer time without distractions.

In our world, it seems everything is go, go, go from the minute we get up until the time we lay down. But no matter how busy we get; we should never be so busy that we can’t stop and do nothing else but talk to the Father. Jesus is our example; even with His almost impossible schedule He took time alone to pray (Luke 5:15-16). I agree that all times are good times to pray. You can pray while driving (eyes open please) or while working or doing any activity. But let’s set aside some time when nothing else has our focus except the Lord.

Remember God already knows everything.

This is a very freeing thing to remember. God already knows everything going on in your life (Psalm 139:1-13). This means we can talk to Him about anything and everything. There is no feeling, desire or fear – nothing at all – we need to try to hide form our loving Father. He already knows and desires to talk to us about it.

God wants to talk to you about you.

Many times, we talk to God about everything and everyone but never get to the point of ourselves; that is, the real issues going on in our own lives. We may include ourselves in prayer but avoid talking about ourselves in prayer. Let me give you an (admittedly extreme) example. You find out you have cancer and that you may die. So, you pray to God that he would heal you of the cancer. Why? Why do you want healed? You think it’s a dumb question, but you haven’t really spoken to God about it. You want to be healed so you don’t die. Why? Because you are afraid to die. That’s the answer! Your prayer is, God, I have cancer and I desire for you to heal me because I am afraid to die. Now God can respond to your prayer because you shouldn’t be afraid (I John 4:18). Why are you afraid? Why are you mad, why are you sad, why are you convicted? God wants to talk to YOU about YOU. He is a good Father, the best, a perfect Father, and He wants to talk with you and for you to share with Him all that you are going through. He already knows (see #2) and wants to replace your anxiety with His peace.

God answers through His Word.

The Word of God is perfect, infallible and all-sufficient. The Word of the Lord is complete and all that is necessary. The more of the Bible we know the more answers we have in our prayer lives. Anytime we pray, God will speak to us through His Holy Spirit by bringing to mind the Word of God. Study the Bible, memorize Scripture, and meditate on its teaching and your prayer life will absolutely become vibrant and alive.

God loves you enough to deal with sin.

If there is any unrepentant sin in your life, one of the first things you will see is that your prayer life will begin to suffer. You will either avoid it, which is foolish, because God already knows (see #2 again) or it will seem as if God is not responding to your prayers at all. This isn’t true. God does wish to respond to your prayers, but the first thing must be your sin. Sin hurts us, destroys our fellowship and damages our witness. As a loving Father, God will not tolerate this kind of destruction in the lives of His children. God want to talk about everything in our lives, but some things are of utmost importance and one of those is sin. He desires for us to remove it because it can hurt us so badly. Here is another extreme example, but I think it’s necessary to make the point. Suppose you were walking down the hallway of your home and as you walked by your son’s room, you realized he is sitting on his bed pointing a gun at himself. You go in and start talking. He is very upset. He may want to talk about the car he wrecked, or the girlfriend that broke up with him. What do you want to talk about? The gun. You want him to give you the gun. Everything else can be dealt with; everything else can be discussed and fixed. But if that gun goes off, he is going to get very, very hurt. We sometimes go to God and want to talk about a crisis, or our work, or our relationships. What does He want to talk about? The sin. He will deal with the rest of the things in our lives, but He wants us to confess and repent of our sin before it hurts us.

Plan

A great plan is to set some time aside every day to confess our sin, pray about everything, and then study His Word. Getting into a regular schedule makes this so much easier. I begin by taking time to really think about my sin and what biblical repentance would be. Then I pray to God and confess my sin knowing He loves me so much He sent His Son Jesus to die for that sin so that we can have this prayer time. I talk to God about what I am truly going through in my life; I pray for others, and I spend time thanking God for all He has done and will do. Then I spend time in Bible study that I may know God better and obey Him more.

Getting Over the Fear of Evangelism

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 00:09:00 GMT

Sharing your faith is scary. I’m not going to lie, most people find it a little frightening and uncomfortable -- myself included. I think that is the reason behind a lot of evangelism "programs.” The idea is to have some kind of polished presentation, mostly memorized, that may take a bit of the fear out of evangelism. Some of these programs do lesson that fear, but but none remove it. That's why you may have learned several ways to share your faith, you may have heard multiple messages on sharing your faith, and even memorized Bible verses on sharing your faith.

The question is, are you sharing your faith? If not, here are a few steps that I believe will help you change that. It looks like a program, but really it isn’t. It’s the Word in action in your life.

Step One: Love

Love Jesus more than anyone, including yourself (Luke 14:26-27). Love casts out all fear. Evangelism is an act of love, but sometimes we misplace the priority of that love. It's not that we need to love people to tell them the gospel. That love is a person- focused love. The Word doesn’t tell us to evangelize primarily because of our love for others, but because of our love for God.

Loving God with all of our being is first, THEN loving our neighbors is next. Without the first, you will certainly fail on the second. We don’t need a person-focused love but a Jesus-focused love. Stated another way: It's not that you are too afraid to present the gospel to people, it's that you don’t love Jesus enough to present the gospel to people. The Word says in 1 Peter 2:9 that we are "a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a nation unto God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." This is a command. What is our motivation to obey any command of God? Love.

In John 14:15, Jesus says, "if you love me you will obey me." Our obedience to the Word of God is the overflow of our love for God. A great way to say it is that because of who Jesus is, what He has done and what He is doing, He is worthy to obey. This doesn’t just remove our discomfort. It overcomes it.

I love Jesus more than i'm afraid of what people think. I love Jesus more then I love being comfortable. Jesus is worthy of my life. Jesus is worthy of my discomfort. Jesus is worthy of His Gospel be told to everyone. Love refocuses us from the person in front of us and how they may react and causes us to focus on Jesus and How He will be pleased with our obedience to His Word.

Step Two: Truth

We are not trying to sell something to someone. We are not trying to convince them that we have a better “product” than some other belief system. We are simply telling people the truth. We are sinners, and Jesus is our Savior.

This is important, so read carefully: Our main goal is to glorify God, and to honor Jesus by telling people the truth of the gospel. The ultimate goal is NOT their salvation. Certainly we rejoice with those who place their faith in Christ. So does all of heaven. Of course if we love people we want to see them place their faith in Christ, but that isn’t OUR work. That is the work of the Holy Spirit. He brings men and women to salvation through the presentation of the gospel. Our work is to tell people the gospel of Jesus, that God may be glorified, that Jesus would be honored, because we LOVE Him and He is worthy of all glory and honor and praise. God is glorified and we are obedient if the person receives the gospel or not. So we do not need to focus on being perfect, polished or "Did I get every little thing right?" All we need to know is the truth, and all we need to say is the truth. A personal testimony is just the truth of the gospel in your own life.

Handling Anxiety When the World Has Gone Nuts

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 00:07:00 GMT

In a crisis, we are prone to overestimate the threat, underestimate our resources, and forget God’s power and sovereignty. The COVID-19 virus situation and the impact it is having on our families certainly present some real reasons to be concerned, even fearful. You know that God has commanded you not to fear, not to worry, and to be anxious for nothing, but maybe you still feel anxious. You might even have anxiety because you’re not supposed to be anxious! Let’s take a deep breath and just talk through this together. You are most likely more normal than you think, and there really is hope.

First of all, you are not the only one. If we are honest, we all experience feelings of anxiety sometimes. Jesus reminds us that we will always have trouble in this world (John 16:33). We have some good reasons to be concerned these days, and God knows exactly what you are going through. God created you with emotions, that’s part of what makes you human. Your anxiety is a sign that you are alive and that you care. But what do you do when it starts to feel bad, when it impacts your relationships, and when it gets in the way of normal life?

Let’s begin by looking at what anxiety is. Fear, worry and anxiety are all closely related. Anxiety is fear that has moved in to stay. It is fear of what might happen in the future, and it doesn’t feel any different whether the threat is real or perceived. Anxiety can range from mild agitation to a full-blown panic attack. Chronic worry and anxiety reflect a fear and obsession with future events that may or may not happen. How many things that you worried about yesterday actually happened today?

At best, anxiety and worry can identify what is really important to us and remind us that only God is really in control. Anxiety and worry can reveal our need for God, or it can take us into a godless state of self-absorption. You probably did not choose to be anxious, you probably did not choose the circumstances that you are in, but you can change how you look at things. You can’t just stop being fearful, but you can change what you fear. When you fear God, who loves you and is sovereign over all things, everything else gets smaller. It is natural to be anxious sometimes, but chronic anxiety is detrimental and sinful.

Now let’s talk about what you can do with anxiety. You must resist the temptation to separate yourself from your best sources of support: God Himself, God’s Word, your church family, and the spiritual leaders and other mature believers that God has put in your life. Chronic anxiety truly is a spiritual battle. You cannot fight that battle alone, nor were you ever expected to. Along those same lines, it is important to develop and maintain your spiritual disciplines: Prayer, worship, Bible study, evangelism, giving, fellowship and service. Since all of our problematic emotions involve an unhealthy self-focus, you must resolve to do these whether you feel like it or not. However, you must be careful to not let these become rituals only. You need to spend personal time with God and align yourself with His Word, that is, believe it! As he was dying, John Wesley said this about Gods Word, “These promises are all fine, but the best is God-with-us.” Jesus promised to never leave you or forsake you. He is with you even if it does not feel like it. The psalmist says “When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, your consolations delight my soul” (Psalm 94:19).

As you seek the Lord and you seek godly counsel, here are some critical questions to ask yourself, to pray about, and to research in God’s Word:

While the only cure for anxiety is complete surrender to God and trusting fully in Him, there are some other things you can do that will at least help you to feel better. We have discovered in our counseling ministry that people struggling with problematic emotions almost always feel a little better when they practice these things, and as they begin to feel better, their spiritual disciplines begin to be more effective. This is not an exhaustive list, but listed below are some practical things that anyone can do. If the list seems intimidating to you, try one this week, then another, and then another.

If your emotional struggles have gotten bigger than your faith, then please know that your Life Group leader, your pastors, and the Biblical Counseling Ministry are all here to help. You can learn more about the Biblical Counseling Ministry and request counseling online at www.richlandcreek.com/counseling . There is no shame in asking for help, and that is what we’re here for. You are not alone in your struggles; we are all in this together, and the Lord is with us.

Getting Started with Family Devotions

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 00:02:00 GMT

I know “Family Devotions” sounds scary, but it is really very easy and extremely rewarding. Hopefully, this short article and the links in it will be helpful for you to get started.

First, it's biblical. Deuteronomy 6:7, Ephesians 6:4, both teach us that God desires parents to be the primary spiritual teachers of their families. The local church doesn’t have the responsibility to raise your children in spiritual maturity, but instead the church is called to assist you as you lead and guide your family in the instruction and discipline of the Lord.

Second, it’s not difficult. Having a short time each week to lead your family in Bible study and prayer doesn’t take an advanced degree in theology. It is for every parent, and God has provided everything you will need to accomplish it - His Word, the guidance of the Holy Spirit and some study tools written by godly men to help us.

Third, we are here to help. Below are links to websites and articles that we hope will be helpful as you get started.

When, how often, how long?

What is included in a family devotion time?

You could include several things. Bible study, prayer, worship, service to each other and other Christians, evangelism, giving are all examples of things to try. For this article, we are going to focus on Bible study and prayer. Hopefully we will get to some of the others in the next few weeks.

How do I lead in Bible Study?

There are two things to do:

Just reading one book, one chapter a week, and teaching one word from each chapter will lead and guide your family in biblical truth. In 16 weeks, you and your entire family will have a deeper understanding of God’s Word. You will be able to add more quickly but if you have never done this before or if it’s been a long time just start here: 1-1-1.

How do I lead in prayer?

Saying a short prayer before the Bible study helps to get your family focused on the Lord. Just asking the Lord to bless this time with your family and for the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you in His Word. Take this time to shake off the day, anything that has happened, and focus on the love and grace of God and the Gospel of His Son. At the end of the devotion, ask if anyone has questions; if you do not know the answer write it down and you can revisit it after you have discovered the answer (remember your church is here to help). After questions, take prayer requests. When praying for people or yourself, there are really two things to consider. What are they praying for and what does God want to do in their life?

Here are a couple of examples:

Five-year-old Jimmy asks, “please pray it snows tomorrow so I don’t have to go to school.”

Fifteen-year-old Jimmy asks, “please pray for grandma that she recovers from her sickness.”

When do I do this?

So, a family devotion time could be Thursday night after dinner. The whole family is reading Romans and they gather in the living room. You pray for focus and wisdom and then teach them what word the Holy Spirit led you too in that chapter. Answer any questions, even if the answer is, "I don’t know but will find out," then ask for prayer requests. Pray for your family.

What if I have questions?

Please read the attached books for Bible study and prayer and follow the links to the free online resources that are helpful tools to discover what words mean. If you have any questions email us at RCCC.

Download Prayer booklet

Download Bible Study booklet

Can Sharing Your Faith Make You Feel Better?

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 00:01:00 GMT

We have certainly had a great deal to be concerned about lately, and rightfully so. No doubt that you will hear and read many things about how to deal with your physical, emotional and spiritual health in these unprecedented and uncertain times. Don’t forget that the Bible speaks to all these things and it should be your primary source for help. However, there is a question that I seldom see in the barrage of social media and electronic communications that we are depending on so much these days: Can sharing your faith make you feel better? If you are in Christ, the Lord has commanded you to share the gospel with others, and bringing glory to Him must always be our primary motivation for personal evangelism; but there might be a secondary benefit that you may not have thought about. During these times of trouble, can sharing your faith with others make you feel better? Let’s explore two possible answers.

First, we generally do better when we are busy doing what God created us to do. First and foremost, we are created to worship God. But what does that look like in more practical terms? There are three overarching commands in Scripture – followers of Christ are commanded to love God, to love people and to make disciples . Ever wonder why God left you here after He saved you? Well, there’s your answer! Sharing the hope you have in Christ is the greatest love you can show to another person. Sharing your faith shows love to God because it is an act of obedience. Sharing the gospel is the first step in making a disciple. We tend to feel better when we are focused on what God has called us to do, and less focused on the troubles of the world.

Secondly, we tend to feel better when our focus is on others. Philippians 2 reminds us that being Christ-like and looking out for others are one and the same. In our humanity, we are prone to fear and worry and anxiety and depression. We call these “problematic emotions.” When these emotions become a pattern in our lives, a common trait is excessive self-focus. While it is not the cure in itself, being intentional about serving someone else usually makes us feel better. Sharing the love of Christ and the hope of the gospel with someone else is a great way to turn our focus from inward to outward.

Perhaps you are nervous about sharing your faith or you don’t know how. You are not the only one. Perhaps the crises we are facing these days have distracted you from personal evangelism. The answer is, start now. Be intentional. The first step is always prayer. Be very specific in your prayers. The Father will answer prayers that glorify His Son. Ask someone to do it with you, perhaps someone in your Life Group or your family. It has never been said that sharing the gospel is something you have to do by yourself. Consult with one of our pastors, ministry leaders, Life Group leaders or counselors; they will be glad to help you. Make use of the many materials and training for evangelism that our church provides. And finally, keep up with your spiritual disciplines so that you are always prepared “to give an account for the hope that is in you…”

You may have guessed by now that this is really not so much about how you feel. However, being obedient to God’s calling and being intentional about caring for others will make our problems less intimidating. Consider this, how many people do you know who are facing today’s crises without hope?

Our Worshipful Responsibility

Sun, 01 Mar 2020 00:18:00 GMT

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Psalm 127:4

When read with verses 3-5, in Psalm 127:4 we see the value God places on children. Children are not simply arrows to be shot off into the world, with the hope they live godly lives. They are a gift or heritage from God and guiding them to God through a right understanding of the Bible is the greatest act of love you give them.

More than anything, your children need to know and walk in the truth – a truth that the world will tell them is a lie. This truth is revealed to us through God’s written word and has the power to make them wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 3:15). A truth that all-satisfying and abundant joy is found in Him alone and where saving faith is evidenced through a submission to the Savior.

Our desire to partner with you is not reserved for Sunday or Wednesday. We wish to maximize your child’s spiritual instruction by encouraging and equipping you, the parent, to pursue a God-glorifying vision for your children. This goal and aim is reflected in the Creek Kids vision statement of partnering with parents in the Biblical Discipleship of their children (Deuteronomy 6:4- 9).

“I don’t think there’s a mandate to be found in sacred Scripture that is more solemn than this one. That we are to teach our children the truth of God’s Word is a sacred, holy responsibility that God gives to His people. And it’s not something that is to be done only one day a week in Sunday school. We can’t abdicate the responsibility to the church. The primary responsibility for the education of children according to Scripture is the family, the parents.” - R.C. Sproul

Family Devotions

A fundamental definition of family devotions is simple. It involves setting aside a time together where the family will be devoted to God. This time includes reading and interacting with the Bible as well as a time of prayer and personal application. If desired, a time of worship (singing) can be included.

For parents who are starting, there is no need to feel intimidated or stressed. Don’t forget that you have already taught you children a variety of items from how to use a fork to the alphabet song. There are multiple things you can do in order to make your family devotions more productive and profitable:

“...the husband should feel a special responsibility to lead the family in a pattern of prayer and Bible reading and worship...He can still take initiatives to see that the family is a prayer-saturated, Bible-saturated family, working it out with his wife so that she uses her gifts (which may exceed his own) in Bible reading and Bible explaining.” - John Piper

Abundant Life

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10

Parents be alert and encouraged. There are various avenues in which our enemy will try to seduce your children away from the life changing truths of the Bible. Trusting in Christ’s sinless life, substitutionary death, and physical resurrection is the only way that your child can have an abundant life. You are more than equipped to teach God’s Word. Start today and fulfill God’s command on your life to diligently disciple your children.