Proverbs 29:13 One leg at a time

I can remember my "favorite" grandpa very fondly . . . sometimes we kids would be carping and complaining about another kid who (in our opinion) had it better than we did. We would extol the benefits of his or her life in contrast to our own -- I'm sure we made it sound as if the other child was somehow better than we were, as a result. Our grandpa's eyes would twinkle through the pipe smoke as he exhaled and drawled, "Well, you know, they're not really any different than anybody else. They put on their pants...." and we would say in unison, "one - leg - at - a - time!"  In his own way, he was reminding us that, especially in God's eyes, there is a great deal of "same-ness" among the members of the human race.

 The poor and the oppressor have this in common--the LORD gives sight to the eyes of both.

I wanted to add this verse that we studied before . . .

Proverbs 22:2 The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.

I wonder if sometimes the opulence and splendor of his palace made Solomon repeat this concept in his proverbs? I'm sure that as he went out of the palace and moved among his people, that the stark contrast between the way some of them lived, and the way that he lived, was very obvious, and perhaps gave him pause to consider.

Again in this verse, he has reminded us of the "sameness" of the human race --- it does not matter if we are rich or poor, powerful or weak, we are all in need of God's love, and His touch in our hearts and lives. Once He has touched us, we will open our hearts to others.

We can see around us people who have not yet realized this. Just as the writer of Ecclesiastes did:

"Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.  -Ecclesiastes 5:10

Paul reminds us of this, in the New Testament:

"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."  I Timothy 6:17-19

The life that is truly life . . .

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have."
-Hebrews 13:5

And it's not just about the money, either.

Matthew 25:35-40 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.

Are we focused on living our lives for Christ? (Not focused on other people, and the differences in our blessings?) Are we using what He gives us as good stewards? Laying up treasures? Which kind?

Proverbs 29:12 Good counsel

If a ruler pays attention to liars, all his advisers will be wicked. (NIV)

When a ruler is listening to lies, all of his officials tend to become wicked.  (ISV)

A prince that gladly heareth lying words, hath all his servants wicked. (Douay-Rheims)

I studied for a while before the Spirit revealed a little something that we'd not touched on before. Sometimes it is difficult in Proverbs, for Solomon often says the same thing in slightly different words, and I wanted to bring something new from the verse that would help all of us.

When I laid these translations of the verse side-by-side, I realized what the application was for us. Do you recall when we have studied the importance of good and wise counsel? How the people from whom we seek advice, need to be godly folk who will put our good ahead of the feelings and emotions of the moment?
It's important to be able to rely on those special friends. We need to be able to count on them to be honest, to be faithful to God, and to tell us what we need to know --- not what we want to know, or what will make us feel better for the moment, right?

I put the words that we will focus on into bold type up there. Check it out again.

This puts the burden squarely on us. Do we listen just as intently to the truth, even when it hurts? Or would we rather hear some sugar-coated facts that spare our feelings?
Are we showing by our body language and our words, that we value and appreciate the constructive criticism that our mentors give us? Or are we looking despondent, or worse, being defensive about what they tell us?
Our body language and our spoken words can cause those whose advice is so needful, to soft-pedal what they tell us. They may water down their counsel because we don't seem to be ready to accept and implement the changes we might need to make. It's difficult, yes, but part of growing into the wise Christian that we want to be is to have the ability to encourage those who counsel us. To accept and even be grateful for those who will help us.
Do we show that we want their good counsel?

Proverbs 29:11 A "pop-off" valve

A fool utters all his mind: but a wise man keeps it in till afterwards.


If you are like our family, many of the household repairs are an exercise in do-it-yourself skills. We try to manage our money wisely, and do maintenance and repairs that we can, on our own. You may do this, too.

Have you ever worked on a water heater? On the side of the water heater is a special piece of equipment, that is extremely important. Plumbers call it the "pop off" valve, or "blow off" valve, or "pressure relief." When the water is heated, it expands, and the pressure inside the heater increases. If things are not proceeding normally (namely, the elements cycling on and off and regulating the temperature and hence, pressure, in the tank) then the water can get too hot and pressure can go too high. The valve will open and let a little water out, in order to keep you, the homeowner, safe.

If the valve were not there, the pressure could build up and the heater could explode. Kind of like the foolish person that Solomon mentions in this verse. He has so much to say (he thinks) and he lets it all pop out at once. Good or bad. Positive or negative. Correct or incorrect.

The wise person, in contrast, keeps it in till "afterwards." Hmmm, after the person that wanted to debate a trivial Bible question has left. Or after the person who was picking a fight over a matter of opinion, not doctrine, has found someone else to talk to. Or after the angry person who just wanted to vent has wound down and become himself or herself again.

Do each of us have our own pop off valves? Our pressure relief mechanisms?

Whether hitting a pillow, counting to ten, or uttering a silent prayer for wisdom, having a pressure relief is an excellent way to keep our temper, and our testimony!

If you feel like leaving a comment and telling us what you do in times like these, please do! Your comment just may help someone who needs a "pop off" valve of their own!

Proverbs 29:10 But we still need to pray for them

The bloodthirsty hate blameless people, but the upright seek to help them.

There are two ways to interpret this verse, according to the commentaries . . . first, the wicked and bloodthirsty people hate the blameless ones, but in contrast, the upright people want to help those blameless people.
Like this:

Second, the bloodthirsty hate the blameless, but the blameless (because they are upright) seek to help the bloodthirsty, wicked people.

Personally, from studying this, I think that the second way to interpret it is the correct one. But you know, it really doesn't matter, because it is an important principle either way!

If Solomon was saying that the blameless people would come under fire from the wicked, or bloodthirsty, and the upright and righteous should come to their aid --- I have to agree that this is something we should do, don't you think? We've studied verses before that told us to defend the righteous, and stand up for them.

On the other hand, we've also studied verses that have exhorted us to think positive thoughts, do good things, and pray for the people who would persecute and oppress us.

Matthew 5:10-12 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11″Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me. 12″Rejoice, and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

And . . .

Matthew 5:44 “But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.

So, no matter which way we interpret this verse, there are good instructions here for us, if we will listen and obey!

Firday Slowdown

He giveth more grace as the burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength as the labors increase,
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials His multiplied peace.

His Love has no limit; His grace has no measure.
His pow'r has no boundary known unto men.
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus,
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again!

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,
Our Father's full giving is only begun.




This song was written by Annie Johnson Flint who has written some of the most inspiring
poems dealing with faith and triumph in times of trial and suffering. She was born in
Vineland, NJ and lost both parents before she was six years old. Adopted by a childless
couple, she became afflicted with arthritis as a teen and soon thereafter became unable to
walk. She aspired to be a composer and concert pianist but when illness deprived her of
her ability to play the piano she resorted to writing poetry. Some of her poetry she set to
music. Later in life, being unable to open her hands, she wrote many of her poems on the
typewriter, using but her knuckles.
The song "He Giveth More Grace" was based on three Bible promises "He giveth more
grace" (James 4:6); "He increaseth strength" (Isaiah 40:29); and "Mercy unto you, and
peace, and love, be multiplied" (Jude 2).
There is a grace and strength from God that is not given in the everyday routine of life. But
God gives it to us in our hour of need when our trust is in Him. When troubles and trials
come upon us, may we know His added grace, His increased strength, and His multiplied
peace.

(I'm indebted today to the Hymn Story Net site for this story.)

Proverbs 29:9 Till we're blue in the face

If a wise man goes to court with a fool, the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace.

Once again, I'd like to add the King James version to the mix here, for I think the last part of the verse is important:

If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest.

Is there any good that can be accomplished by arguing with a foolish person? They are so convinced that their way is the right way . . . is there anything that you can do or say that will change their mind? Is it worthwhile to even try? 

Well, Solomon is telling us here, the answer is "no."

There are certain core beliefs that form the foundation of our faith in God the Father, and in the saving work of Jesus Christ, His son.  These are things that there can be no doubt about. Some people recite the Apostle's Creed, others have similar things that they use to remember the important tenets of our faith.

At the same time, there are some things that are not so vital, and that many people disagree on. Ever heard someone arguing about theistic evolution? Personally, I don't agree with them, but they think that God could have used evolutionary processes to create the world, and they will argue until they are blue in the face that it's so. I think there's less than a snowball's chance of lasting a minute in Satan's neighborhood, that some proteins got together in a puddle and a flash of lightning sparked them into the first life form, etc etc.  But some people think that the theory called evolution has real merit.

How about the way some people jump up and down and shout about which version of the Bible they want us to use? You can argue long and convincingly and point out Scriptures that support your position, but they won't yield. There is no rest for you there. 
Others have pet arguments like whether hell and the lake of fire are the same thing, or whether vegetarianism is something the Bible encourages, or some other idea that is not. all. that. important.

These people are so caught up in their arguments that they have forgotten that we agree on the "big" things. That on the important things of our faith, we are one; we are together.
Whether they mock and laugh at us, or whether they get angry and call us fools, we will get no rest. We must give it up. 
We must simply do what we know to be right --- search the Bible, and do our own research. If we follow God in faith, and are hungry to see what He will do next, we will be able to kindly (and without wrath) give them a reasonable defense of our position -- and then get some rest.

We need to remember that no one has ever come to Christ by the merits of a human argument alone . . there must be a work of the Holy Spirit in opening their heart and mind to the Gospel. We aren't the Holy Spirit! We are simply messengers, and we are bringing them something that they need to hear. Pray for them.
God will do the rest!

Proverbs 29:8 Why the other shoe has not dropped

Mockers stir up a city, but wise men turn away anger. Proverbs 29:8


The King James version translates this verse in this way:

Scornful men bring a city into a snare: but wise men turn away wrath.

Remember when we have studied verses that mention scorners? Let's refresh for a moment:
If we go all the way back to chapter 9 of Proverbs, the scorner is linked to the totally wicked man in verse 7, and he's the opposite of a wise man in verse 8. In Proverbs 13:1 he refuses to listen to rebuke, and in 14:6, he can't find wisdom even when he looks for it!
Mr. Scorner won't go the the wise man for advise, and he doesn't like people who correct him, in Proverbs 15:12.  Character?  Let's see, in chapter 21, he's described as proud, haughty, arrogant, and constantly angry and proud.  Blechh.  Not a person that I want to be around, how about you?

Well, the reason for all of those details was to get to this: when scorners rule a nation or a city, that place is in deep trouble. We truly need a wise man or wise leaders to run our nation, instead of scornful, wicked ones. Scornful rulers will impose their own will and views on their citizens, and wicked leaders will allow or even contribute to the moral decay of their nation.

Some people will look around with their rose-colored glasses on, and ignore the things that they should see, the things that are wrong and against God's loving guidance. They want to pretend that the world is a lovely place full of lovely things and lovely people. God sees the sin --- he loves the sinners, remember that -- and the wickedness of the world. Our world can't help the decay it is in, I guess, with the people that we hold up as ones to admire and emulate. We keep putting the same kinds of people in power, and then wonder why we have to try so hard to pull our nation back to its senses and try to restore some sanity.
Ever wonder why God's wrath has not come down yet on us? I think the answer is in the second half of the verse . . . wise men turn away wrath.  There is a remnant, a minority, a small number of wise and holy people in this world, and they are prayer warriors. I truly believe that is why the "shoe has not dropped" and judgement come down. The wise men and women of America are praying for God to have mercy; they are asking for time to reach out and invite more to experience God's love.
Are we some of the wise men and women, who are turning away His wrath?

Proverbs 29:7 The more things change - Part II

The righteous care about justice for the poor,
    but the wicked have no such concern.

 It was a common sight in the days of FDR's presidency (I've been told this, OK? I'm not this old!) for a formerly-well-paid executive to be seen still wearing his business suit, diligently sweeping a city sidewalk, or picking up stray sheets of newsprint in the city park.

FDR's "relief" programs sounded a lot like those of Israel, that we studied yesterday. The Hebrew people were to leave the corners of their fields for the poor to glean and use for food --- notice that they were not told to harvest it and drop it on the poor peoples' doorsteps. You could get help then, and in FDR's America, but you had to work for it.

Somewhere along the line, things have changed. Today there is no distinction made between those who cannot provide for themselves, and those who will not. Personally, I think this is wrong.

Let's look at the work ethic of the Bible. Do you recall what went on in the Garden of Eden? From the very start, mankind (in this case, just Adam and Eve) has had a job. Granted, theirs was a wonderful one --- lovely surroundings and not too much strenuous work to do. Check out Genesis 2:15, if you don't believe me!  So work was a good and positive part of life. (God created us to be active and useful, and that is why we are happiest when we are doing what He intended.)
Now, the "fall" when sin came into the lovely world God created, changed all of that. Work became harder, and more strenuous, and just generally less fun.

There are many verses that explain what our work ethic should be -- in fact, we have studied many of them:

Proverbs 14:23 In all work there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.
Proverbs 10:4 A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.

In the New Testament, too, we find guidelines; Paul commends hard work, and even condemns laziness:

"If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their own work quietly and to earn their own living."  II Thessalonians 3:10-12

Not working because we can't be bothered is not an option:

Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate.  II Thessalonians 3:6-9

It is key for us as Christians to realize who our "Boss" really is --- we work for our Father!

"Slaves obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service as people-pleasers but with sincerity of heart fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward You are serving the Lord Christ."  Colossians 3:22-24

The slave in that passage was probably someone who did the most menial of jobs......think that what you are doing is just so boring and ordinary that it doesn't count for anything?
Think again! We are to do even those jobs as if we did them for Him!
Here's another important verse about our work ethic:

Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.  I Thessalonians 4:9-12

We can all agree that there are people in our country who are poor, and who are working hard. These diligent folks truly deserve our help, and we should keep our eyes open and assist them as God blesses us. We also have those with us who are unable to provide for themselves, either because of sickness, infirmity, or some handicap that stops them from being able to be employed in any way. These, too, deserve our help, and our compassionate care:

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written:

“He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor;

his righteousness endures forever.”

Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! II Corinthians 9:6-15

Yes, the more things change, with new programs and new ideas, the more they stay the same....the poor are still with us, and need our help.
Perhaps it is up to us, to voluntarily give, not just money, but time? Time to teach a young mother how to sew, so that she can use her skills to earn money for her children's needs. Time to teach an unemployed man how to prepare a resume, and how to job-hunt. There are things that we can do, besides grumble about how we think there are too many people on government aid! And I know that I may get some angry comments today, but I truly believe that these are our responsibilities, as much as we are able to do.
Christian giving is not political. It is an act of love.
The wicked don't care about the poor. But we should.
After we have looked to our own needs, we need to look at any in our churches who have needs. Then look in our world. We can give of our money and our time.
And God will take care of us.

Proverbs 29:7 The more things change - Part I

The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern. 

Remember the old saying, "The more things change, the more they stay the same"? Some people today are concerned about the overwhelming numbers of people who are considered "below the poverty line" and need assistance. Some people grumble about the programs in place to help them. I share the concerns of those who feel that many have a sense of entitlement, and do not feel the need to work to provide for themselves and their families.

But let's look at the Biblical view on all of this, shall we? You see, the more things change, the more they stay the same. The poor have always been "with us" and there is a lot to glean from the Bible.

In the ancient world, to be poor was truly calamitous. Let's say that you were recently widowed -- you'd have what your husband had worked for and you had helped him to pull together, right? 
Wrong.
You would have nothing --- a widow did not inherit from her husband.

How about if your mom and dad passed away, leaving you orphaned. You'd inherit from them, right?
Wrong. You have nothing. Zip. Zero. Nada.

That is why God's law provided for the poor. Our Father has always tenderly loved those who truly have no way to provide for themselves. Written into His law were provisions to help:

Economic helps:  

            "Waste not" --- the corners of fields and the grapes dropped by workers were specifically left behind for the poor to gather and use. They could also eat from land that lay idle in the Sabbath years.
             "Protection from loan sharks" --- if someone owed you money, you could not take their garments, which could keep them warm, and you could not take their tools, because then they could not make a living and pay you back.
              "Pay him when he works" --- the poor, especially, were to be paid when they finished a job, because they needed it so desperately.
              "Celebrate!" --- every 50 years, there was a year of jubilee, and debts were canceled, lands were restored, and people were freed from indentured service.
              "He's kin to me" --- kinsman redeemers could help to repurchase their relatives' land, or rescue widows from their plight, as in the case of Naomi, Ruth, and their kinsman, Boaz.

Social helps:

                     "Justice is blind" --- over and over in the Old Testament, God declared that being just to the poor and defending the cause of the needy were dear to His heart. In fact, in Jeremiah 22:16, He said that to do these is the essence of knowing Him.
                     "He was my brother" --- Levirate marriage is a term that means widows could marry their husband's brothers in the hope of securing a male heir; someone to care for them in their old age.

Community worship helps:

                     "The right to rest" --- servants and slaves (and even animals) were to participate in the Sabbath rest commanded by the Lord.
                   "A sliding scale" --- poor people were allowed to purchase less costly sacrifices that they could afford, and still participate in temple worship.
                   "That tenth" --- one of the tithes was specifically for the yearly feast given to the fatherless, widows and other poor people. 

These concepts and others that I haven't touched on, demonstrate God's love and deep concern for the plight of the poor. Ignoring or taking advantage of them would bring His wrath and possibly His judgement. Caring for them was a huge sign of obedience to His law.

Tomorrow, let's look at New Testament attitudes, and what our own should be . . .

Friday Slowdown - The Love of God

The love of God is greater far
  Than tongue or pen can ever tell.
It goes beyond the highest star
  And reaches to the lowest hell.
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
  God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled
  And pardoned from his sin.

• O love of God, how rich and pure!
    How measureless and strong!
  It shall forevermore endure
      The saints’ and angels’ song.

When hoary time shall pass away,
  And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall;
When men who here refuse to pray,
  On rocks and hills and mountains call;
God’s love, so sure, shall still endure,
  All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
  The saints’ and angels’ song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
  And were the skies of parchment made;
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
  And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
  Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
  Though stretched from sky to sky.

Ephesians 3:18-19
^"may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

This clip of George Beverly Shea is a favorite of many. His down-to-earth style was wonderful, and the poem that he spoke in between the verses was so appropriate! Enjoy . . . 

True love

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope that everyone enjoys a happy day today, and that you feel especially warm fuzzies and love from those that you care for.

I hope, too, that we will remember the "greatest love story ever told" and praise God for His love to us!

John 3:16  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God. who loved me and gave himself for me.

Ephesians 2:4-5 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved—

1 John 4:9-11 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

1 John 4:7-8  Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.  Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 Peter 5:6-7  Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,  casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Praise Him today for His wonderful love!

Dreams of Love, Part III

Yesterday we looked at how encouraging our loved one, and comforting him, could help us re-kindle those dreams of love that may have weakened.
Today we'll look at three more concepts that may help us . . .

Here is our verse again:

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 

Next on our list is "sharing in the Spirit" or . . . fellowship. You know, spending time with each other!
I'm sure that we know how to enjoy our hubby's (or date's) company; the important thing is finding time for each other. Spending time with one another.
We need to let each other know that we are a-v-a-i-l-a-b-l-e. That there is nothing more important to us than "being there" for that person. If our significant other wants to be silly, to be solemn, to make a memory, to share a laugh, to cry, to share a secret --- we must be there for them!  Yes, I know that there are lots of things that will steal away our time. And many of them are very worthy, and very important. I have a list a mile long, too, just like you do. But our loved one needs to be number one on that list . . . not number fourteen!

Please look back at the last phrase in our verse, for our next piece of kindling: Be tender and compassionate to one another.  Those dreams of love, those banked embers of passion can be ignited by tenderness and compassion. How to show tenderness and compassion in this busy world that we live in? Well, how about cooking his favorite meal, and serving it with love? If he is pooped after work, why not tell him that you'll bring it to him in his recliner? (Grin) Of course, we are optimistic here that the hubby being pampered will respond gratefully, and not critique the meal too much....that is the compassion part, too!
It's the little kindnesses that we show on the outside that reveal the tenderness and compassion on the inside. It used to be so easy to show that we care --- we need to channel our inner teenager here, and go back to when we used to dream up creative ways to show that we cared!  I know that there are many other things that we can do, other than cooking that meal we mentioned -- we just need to put on our thinking caps and come up with a plan!

What if he does offer a little constructive criticism? Ahh, that is our last concept here, and it may be the most difficult one, for we are human, ya know!

Philippians 2:2
2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.

We also need to make certain that we have a right attitude. See? I told you this one would be the most difficult one . . . being able to accept criticism, to handle irritability, to smooth ruffled feathers, and to still show that tenderness that is so necessary --- whew! Tall order, no?
Every day when we roll out of bed, we make a decision. We decide whether to build up or to tear down that sweet relationship called our marriage. We can enrich it, by "making deposits" and showing our love, or we can deplete it by "making withdrawals" and not showing our love.
Let's make this Valentine's Day a special one --- let's decide to encourage, to comfort, to spend time, to be tender, and to have a right attitude . . . I bet our dreams of love will come true!

Dreams of love, Part II

Hey there! I'm awfully glad that I didn't scare you off with my introduction yesterday!

When the honeymoon is over, and the first few days and weeks turn into months, and then years, the passion that burned fiery hot will sometimes become a weak flame. For some it will die away to an ember.
Some dreams of love will become nightmares. Divorce is becoming more of a "normal" occurrence in this era, and marriages that last for many years are surprising to some people.

My hubby and I have been amused at first, and then concerned about a female "redbird" or cardinal that lives here at our house. She will consistently fly into windows and mirrors --- again and again. Perched on the window of our car, she will attack the "bird" (reflection) in the side mirror; she'll collide with it over and over, never seeming to learn her lesson. And she'll do the same thing at our window.
There may be Christian ladies reading this post today that are tired of "banging their head against the wall" in a marriage that does not bring them joy. There may be others who are tired of trying and trying to find "Mr. Right." We each have a God-given desire to love and be loved.
Can we make our dreams of love come true?

I think we can find some insights to help us re-kindle our dreams of love, in Paul's letter to the Philippians. Let's look at some verses together --- you may think at first that these are just about unity in the church, but these are principles that can help couples too, and also help those who are dating.

Let's look at Chapter 2, and concentrate first on verse 1:

1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ,

Hmmmm.
When was the last time you encouraged your loved one . . . the most recent time that you praised him with encouraging or comforting words?  You see, life itself is difficult. We can all use some pats on the back, praise, and encouragement from time to time --- and the more often we get it, the better!

Hebrews 10:25
not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.

Hebrews 3:13
But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

Now let's look back at that verse, and go a little further:

1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love,

There's another concept to make our flame of love burn a little more brightly; to make our dreams of love come true: to comfort our loved one.
I truly think that to comfort someone is to put our love into action.

1 Thessalonians 4:18
Therefore comfort one another with these words.

and . . .

1 Peter 3:8
Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude.

Comfort truly draws two souls together. Listen to what the novelist George Eliot wrote:

“Oh, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person; having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but to pour them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, knowing that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then, with the breath of kindness, blow the rest away.”

We'll continue our thoughts on dreams of love tomorrow . . . 

Dreams of love, Part I

As we approach Valentine's Day, there is a lot of hype and merchandising bombarding us, isn't there? Everywhere you turn, you are exhorted to buy flowers, chocolate, donuts (yes, I really saw that at Dunkin Donuts!) and presents for the love of our life.

Love is in the air, they say. Ahhh, yes, l 'amour! Lots of romantic couples will get engaged, and many will say "I do" on Valentine's Day. There are so many myths and "old wives' tales" about love and marriage. Don't worry, I'm not going to break out into song, but I bet some of you are hearing Sinatra in your heads right now.....Love and marriage, love and marriage, go together like a horse and carriage.....

One of those myths revolutionized a whole industry in recent years --- the wedding industry, no less. Remember when we switched from throwing rice around, to blowing bubbles after the wedding? That was supposed to be to safeguard the birds, who might eat the rice and have it expand in their tummies. Bad for birds.
But more recently, a Cornell university ornithologist has stated that there is no research to substantiate this. In fact, she says, there are birds that routinely eat rice in the wild with no problems.

A good one for Myth Busters, right? Well, how many other myths are there out there about love and marriage? How many Valentine dreams are revealed to be pipe dreams in the long term?

How many young ladies visualize that day after day they will awaken beside their husband and he'll look just as fresh as a daisy, no beard stubble, no "morning breath" and great hair?
For that matter, do they dream that they'll look tremendously alluring to him, with perfect makeup and flawless hair (and of course, no morning breath)?

Do either of these people, eager to sashay down the aisle, think that the cute little habits they see in their prospective mate will remain cute little habits, instead of turning into irritating flaws?
Do they dream of the makeover they will accomplish with their (un)willing spouse?
Does our young lady daydream of how attentive he will continue to be, and how he will remain generous with the flowers and gifts?
Does our young man daydream of the fabulous meals that he will see placed before him every evening, even though he has an inkling that his intended has no clue about cooking?

Oy.

These dreams of love can cause problems, can't they?

What is a Biblical, Godly basis for love and marriage? Are there any hard-and-fast rules and guidelines that we can glean from the Word?

I would like to explore this over the next few days . . . ready to dive in with me?

Friday Slowdown

We've enjoyed one of Fanny Crosby's hymns before, but this one is especially meaningful to me. I hope that you will enjoy it, and that we will all endeavor to give Him the glory, in all that we do.





Many years later, our contemporary singers have interpreted that thought in this way:

Proverbs 29:6 Everybody Sing!

An evil man is snared by his own sin, but a righteous one can sing and be glad.

Are you blue today? Are you feeling down?

One of the most famous lines in the Disney movie, Pollyanna, and the book by the same name, is that "there are over 800 happy texts in the Bible." Remember that?

Here is a sampling of those:

Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Psalm 13:5
But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 40:16
But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, "The LORD be exalted!"
Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 28:7
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.

Are you smiling yet? I know I am! Let's try today to "make melody in our hearts to the Lord" and to let it come right out in song! Go ahead! Sing right out loud.....you know, it doesn't matter how well we sing -- the Lord is delighted to hear it!

Not only will we feel better, but we may help those around us, too! 

Proverbs 29:4-5 Honesty

By justice a king gives a country stability, but one who is greedy for bribes tears it down.
Whoever flatters his neighbor is spreading a net for his feet.

Is anyone else old enough to remember a great old Billy Joel song? It was called "Honesty" and here are some of the words:

But if you look for truthfulness
You might just as well be blind.
It always seems to be so hard to give.

Honesty is such a lonely word.
Everyone is so untrue.
Honesty is hardly ever heard.
And mostly what I need from you. 

Can't you just hear Solomon singing this? Seriously. He was surrounded by courtiers, wives that wanted to be Numero Uno, other kings who wanted to bribe him, and people who just generally were after what he could give them....

No wonder he talked often in the Proverbs about this:

Proverbs 7:21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.

Proverbs 20:19 He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.

Proverbs 26:28 A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.

Proverbs 28:23 He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue.

And we find in the New Testament that we are told to model honesty, as well. No bribes for doing or saying something, no flattery, just honest talk and actions, right?

Acts 24:16
I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man. 
2 Corinthians 4:1-2
Since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
Colossians 3:9-10
Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.  

We've discussed it before, and we probably need to remind ourselves each day . . . honesty really IS the best policy!

Proverbs 29:3 Searching, or waiting?

A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.

Are you looking at the verse above, and wondering why I have a picture portraying Rebekah and Abraham's servant up there? Ahh, glad you asked!

Well, let's start at the verse, which speaks of a person who sounds a lot like the prodigal son in Luke 15:
Luke 15:11 ¶ And he said, A certain man had two sons: 12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. 13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
 
Now the prodigal son had the same opportunity to read in the proverbs of Solomon that every other young man did, and he should have seen the warnings, right? (Proverbs chapter 7 is a great example.)
But hey! Why should we think that the young man would be any wiser than Solomon, who was without a doubt, the wisest man of his time? And Solomon fell prey to the wiles of his many (go ahead, say "many" several times there) wives, who wanted to mix in their pagan religions with the worship of the true God. These pagan religions had sexual immorality wound tightly around and through their rituals and practices, and that is just one of the reasons why God had admonished Israel to avoid intermarriage with other nations.

God had set forth the ways for the Hebrew people to sacrifice and worship, and they did not include temple prostitutes, the way other religions did. Apparently those practices had persisted, since Paul mentions them in Corinthians.
To bring this to our era, there are many Christian men and women (of all ages) who have abandoned their faith because of the allure of sexual immorality, and the siren song of today, "if it feels good, do it!" Sometimes young Christians fail in this area because of their own sinful hearts. Sometimes they fail because of the failure of adult Christians in their lives to model selfless marriage and the joy that it can bring. Today's media often portrays marriage as a conflict-filled shouting match, instead of the "honorable" and "undefiled" union that God can bless with peace and love. The media also presents the union of male and female as best and most exciting, if it is outside of marriage.

Is it any wonder that so many young people fall into sexual sin? Is it any wonder that many adults do the same?
We need to counsel our young people against that path --- we need to let them know that it will rob them of more than just their "substance" and their money. It will rob them of joy, and make their lives miserable. What can we offer them instead?

Let's tell them to search God's word for the fulfillment of their desires and needs, and find a mate that God has expressly chosen for them -- a Christian who will love the Lord as they do. And let's tell them that the way to find that mate is not to go out and search . . . but to be a Rebekah. Be in the place that God has for you. Be waiting. Be ready. Be the kind of person that you should be for Christ and wait for Him to provide.
If there are any single ladies reading today, I hope that you will feel this is directed to you, as well. Please don't feel that you must go out and search; please don't be in a rush.  Be the Christian that the Bible tells you how to be. Be ready and waiting. God will bring the right person to you.

“Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day. Psalm 25:5

Proverbs 29:2 Again? A nugget worth uncovering

² When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice;
    when the wicked rule, the people groan.

Come on, Solomon, are you going to go over this same plowed field again? Nooooo, there is a nugget here that we need to unearth!

Check out the first part of the verse:

            "when the righteous thrive, the people rejoice.."

Now, how long has it been since you saw a righteous person thriving? And when you did, did you take a moment to rejoice?

There are two prongs to my question -- one is, did you take the time to thank our Father for blessing that righteous person? Whether it was you, yourself who was thriving, or someone else, did the overwhelming feeling of gratitude possess you, and cause you to thank Him for His mercy and grace?

 Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (I Thess. 5:18)

The second prong is this --- if it WAS someone else, did you take the time to rejoice WITH that righteous person? Sometimes it is such a blessing to have another Christian take the time to notice, and to let you know that they noticed!   

It's a wonderful thing to praise God together. It's a wonderful thing to be able to tell your story to an understanding soul, and allow yourself the opportunity to "testify" as the old folks said. It's an opportunity to encourage your hearer to hang on, to keep following a righteous path, and to claim His promises of blessing and His presence. 

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

So many good things in a small nugget!

Friday Slowdown

The hymn that we will listen to today, is an old one, though the song I chose was by a contemporary group. John Wilbur Chapman carried out evangelistic campaigns at the turn of the century, in a manner similar to the Billy Graham crusades many years later. He enlisted the aid of a famous singer to provide music, and preached in many cities -- on an itinerary that would exhaust many a present-day evangelist! He wrote this hymn in 1910, and it is a favorite of many Christians, who see the gospel revealed in its words:

1. One day when heaven was filled with His praises,
     One day when sin was as black as could be,
   Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin—
     Dwelt among men, my example is He!
• Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
    Buried, He carried my sins far away;
  Rising, He justified freely forever:
      One day He’s coming—O glorious day!
2. One day they led Him up Calvary’s mountain,
     One day they nailed Him to die on the tree;
   Suffering anguish, despised and rejected;
     Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He.
3. One day they left Him alone in the garden,
     One day He rested, from suffering free;
   Angels came down o’er His tomb to keep vigil;
     Hope of the hopeless, my Savior is He.
4. One day the grave could conceal Him no longer,
     One day the stone rolled away from the door;
   Then He arose, over death He had conquered;
     Now is ascended, my Lord evermore.
5. One day the trumpet will sound for His coming,
     One day the skies with His glory will shine;
   Wonderful day, my beloved ones bringing;
     Glorious Savior, this Jesus is mine!