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Proverbs 15:33, James 3:13, 17-18

Wisdom and Humility

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
February 10, 2024

Wisdom is the “motor oil” of every family dynamic. Without it, your family will freeze up, lock up, or blow up.  When we think of “wisdom,” we often think of knowledge. Einstein was a very “wise” man. We think of experience. The one who has been around a long time and has been through it all has become wise.  Time in and of itself, however, does not bring wisdom.  There is a vast difference between age and wisdom. The late Howard Hendricks told his class about an acquaintance who had one year of experience 25 times. He said, “There’s a difference between having 25 years of experience and having one year of experience 25 times.”  It’s not doing the same things over again that produces wisdom. Also, knowledge is not wisdom. You can learn billions of facts and figures and even understand advanced mathematical formulas, but that does not constitute wisdom. Wisdom is more than experience, and it’s more than knowledge.  In fact, “knowledge” can be totally contradictory to God’s description of wisdom. It simply makes us proud and arrogant (See 1 Corinthians 8:1).

The first chapter of Proverbs teaches us that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 1:7). It’s mostly concerned with our relationship with God and with others, which is the central focus of Biblical Wisdom. It’s not until we recognize our place in the master scheme of things and surrender ourselves to God’s will that we begin to grow wise. The wise person is praised in the Bible, especially in the book of Proverbs. He or she is honored by God. It’s not the arrogant winner, the self-sufficient millionaire, or the prideful successful celebrity that receives the title of “wise.” No, it’s those who surrender to the greatness of God and worship Him. Wisdom and Humility go hand in hand. The wisest man ever to live, Solomon, connects the two in Proverbs 15:33. He writes, “The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord brings instruction in Wisdom, and humility comes before honor.”

Unlike the secular system we live in, to God, one cannot grow wise until he or she grows humble.  James, the author of the Epistle, writes (James 3:13), “If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.” Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord. It then proceeds to produce humility and finally results in thoughts and actions in our relationships with those around us.  When James defines wisdom in some following verses (James 3:17-18), we see that wisdom finds its description in a person’s relationship with God and with others. He says, “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.”

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Matthew 7:21f

No “Hocus Pocus” With God

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
February 9, 2024

Matthew 7:21-8:13

 

Back in the 90s, when I was active in preaching, I would always delight when new translations of the Bible came out. I would always read through them to see if they got it right or not (Ha!). When I read the scholar and pastor Eugene Peterson’s translation called “The Message,” I thoroughly enjoyed it. I could take exception with some passages, but, in my opinion, he made the intent of the passages come to life in the vernacular. I especially liked the way he managed some of the verses from the Gospel of Matthew. I wrote a devotion back then based on his translation. When I quoted Matthew 7:21 and following directly from The Message, I used the abbreviation TM.

Some think that having an “in” with God is like gaining access to a computer program: if you know the right password, you’re “in.” But Jesus corrects that kind of thinking in this passage. He says that there’s no secret formula, no magic words, no hocus pocus that will give anyone a right standing before God. God cannot be manipulated. “What is required is serious obedience” (TM). Many are only interested in going to church and saying prayers so they can get something from me, Jesus says. They hope to win special favors in this life, like winning the lottery, getting out of trouble of some kind, or giving them good luck day after day. They think that they will also be rewarded in the afterlife for using my name in this life to get what they want or to make their lives easier. Boy, will they be surprised in the end when I say, “…you missed the boat!…. You’re out of here!” (TM)

Some read the bible like W.C. Fields did (‘looking for loopholes, my dear! Looking for loopholes.’). God’s Words are “incidental additions . . improvements to their standard of living”(TM). That is to miss the boat completely! God’s Words are not just home improvements, but “they are foundational words, words to build a life on”(TM). Only a life founded & established on God’s Word (the Bible) will be able to withstand the storms of life. If your life is not built out of the bricks of God’s Word, sooner or later, the big bad wolf (Satan) will come along, and he will huff, and he’ll puff, and he’ll blow your house down. “You are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on a sandy beach.”(TM) But if you build it upon God’s unchangeable truths, “you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit – but nothing moved that house.” (TM)

Build your house upon the Rock.

 

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Malachi 2:16, Proverbs 6:16-19

Why God Hates Sin

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
February 8, 2024

God hates a lot of things. Proverbs 6:16-19 gives us seven of them. It reads, “There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.” But no matter how much we preach or how much we might teach, there will always be the sin of pride, those who lie, those who cause discord, and hands that attack the innocent without cause. Malachi teaches us that God also hates divorce (Malachi 2:16), yet regardless of the church’s best efforts, divorces will still take place.

God hates divorce for the same reason he hates all the other sins mentioned. They hurt people! He doesn’t hate people! He loves people regardless of what is happening in their lives. He hates the sins of people because sins hurt people, and God loves people. Divorce hurts people! There are many pains associated with divorce. One writer put it this way, “There are many aftershocks to the earthquake of divorce.” One of the most devastating aftershocks is the emotional trauma suffered by all involved. According to Dennis Rainey, “Those who have been through divorce often cannot find adequate words to describe the range of feelings. The following piece, entitled, ‘I Am Divorced,’ gives us a little peek into what a person experiences when the marriage covenant is severed. ‘I have lost my husband, but I’m not supposed to mourn. I have lost my children—they don’t know to whom they belong. I have lost my relatives. They do not approve. I have lost his relatives. They blame me. I have lost my friends. They don’t know how to act. I feel I have lost my church. Do they think I have sinned too much? I’m afraid of the future. I’m ashamed of the past. I’m confused about the present. I’m so alone. I feel so lost. God, please stay by me. You are all I have left.’”

Regardless of the sin that haunts our past, God will never desert us. Paul says, “I am persuaded that not even death or life, angels or rulers, things present or things to come, hostile powers, height or depth, or any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!” You and I are secure in God’s love. It’s His undying love that teaches us how to live in ways that bring the greatest happiness to others as well as ourselves. Divorce brings pain to everyone involved. As a Pastor and simply as a Christian, I join God’s desire that marital oneness be maintained and restored whenever possible. From the Bible and from personal experience, I know that God restores broken people and broken marriages by His grace. Forty-five years ago, I finally professed my personal faith in Jesus Christ at Martin Road Gospel Chapel in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. Thanks to God’s love in taking me back, my wife and I will celebrate 55 years of marriage in November of this year.

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Malachi 2:16, Matthew 19:8

God’s Priority Plan

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
February 7, 2024

As a committed Christian, I’ve learned that when I attempt to live by God’s standards, I’m often in conflict with my culture. I think the general culture we live in today in America is hostile to biblical values. Television shows, movies, school curricula, and even mainline news are something that needs to be evaluated through the eyes of a Christian Ethic. I remember back in the 90s when I used to warn people about certain shows that promoted anti-Christian values. If you do a search today on the media and Christian values, things have been reversed. The general media has so abandoned Christian values, that the focus now is on what you can watch. Almost everything reeks of an anti-biblical view. We must face the fact that we live in a culture that, in general, is hostile to biblical values. They are not only hostile to the values themselves but also to those who would proclaim them.

The family unit was designed by God. After the creation account, God looked around and made comments about the only thing that “wasn’t good.” The only thing that wasn’t good was that the man was alone. That’s not good. He created a woman and brought her to man, and the man said, “This is bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh.” The two shall become one. Jesus also commented that what God “has joined together let no man tear apart.” Then, in Matthew 19:8, Jesus said, “Because of your hardness of heart, Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.” Marriage is designed for a man and woman in a permanent relationship. It is God’s priority plan for man. The culture we live in is so alien to God’s plan for man that it’s impossible for me to preach about it, write about it, or even speak to people singly about it without worrying about offending someone.  Yet, it’s probably one of the most important teachings of God’s word.  Fifty years ago, when the divorce rate in America surpassed 50%, one writer blamed the church.  J. Carl Laney, in “The Divorce Myth,” said, “I am convinced that if a strict view on divorce and remarriage were taught in our churches, there would be fewer divorces among believers. Marriage would be entered into with more caution, and marriage partners would seek to preserve that union at all cost.”

Because of the situation in our culture as well as in our churches, it’s difficult to preach Malachi 2:16, which says, “God hates divorce.” But it shouldn’t be! First of all, God hates divorce, but he doesn’t hate divorced people.  As David Jeremiah says, “He hates divorce because of what it does to people and how it violates His original provision for meeting the needs of men and women for a lifetime.” I know that there are divorced people reading this, and when I quoted this passage in a sermon, I knew there were divorced people listening to me.  Haddon Robinson, a preaching professor, says, “Those of you who are divorced…understand why God hates divorce. Not because he hates divorced people but because of what divorce does to people. You have the scars. Your children have the scars. You can testify to what it does. God hates divorce because he loves you.”

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Romans 12:1-2

Ideas Have Consequences

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
February 6, 2024

Hillsdale College Newsletter has an impressive slogan. The newsletter is named “Imprimis,” which means of first importance or maybe of highest priority. The tagline of this newsletter is “Because ideas have consequences.” The first 11 chapters of Romans are full of Christian ideas.  They present us with the importance of the Gospel, followed by explanations of salvation by grace through faith, followed by some of the most profound insights regarding God’s love for man and his purpose and plans for us even through trials and suffering. But when Paul opens chapter 12, he begins with a “therefore….” From there, he introduces the consequences of the doctrines that he explained in the first 11 chapters. The truths of our Christian faith have consequences with respect to our choices of lifestyles. Ideas have consequences!

That one word, “therefore,” links our behavior to our convictions. James M. Boice said it means, “How shall we live in light of the fact that God has redeemed us from sin’s penalty by the death of Jesus Christ and freed us from sin’s tyranny by the power of the Holy Spirit?” Whether we admit it or not, the basis of all our life choices is rooted in concepts and ideas. These ideas form our world views from which our lives proceed.  Boice goes on to quote one of my favorite authors, Francis Schaeffer, “As Christians we are not only to know the right world view, the world view that tells us the truth of what is, but consciously to act upon that world view so as to influence society in all its parts and facets across the whole spectrum of life, as much as we can to the extent of our individual and collective ability.”

Let me look at the “idea” of family values. let me quote Boice once more. He says, “Unless we acknowledge God and God’s saving acts as the source and basis for our values, anyone who thinks clearly may refute our concern with such questions as these: What kind of family values are we talking about? A nuclear family? A single-parent family? A homosexual family? Why should anyone be preferred above another?” It is all just a matter of opinion. One’s idea of family values has no more validity than another’s.  John Calvin wrote over 500 years ago, “This is the main difference between the Gospel and philosophy. Although the philosophers speak on the subject of morals splendidly and with praiseworthy ability, yet all the embellishment which shines forth in their precepts is nothing more than a beautiful superstructure without a foundation…” After explaining the primary doctrines of our faith, Paul expresses how those ideas have consequences regarding our life choices. In Romans 12:1-2, He writes, “Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.  Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”

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Proverbs 3:5-6, Various

Which Way?

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
February 5, 2024

Wisdom isn’t a collection of facts! Wisdom isn’t even an accumulation of days, months, and years. Wisdom involves not just comprehension but behavior.  Actually, our comprehension of things and methods and practices can often be contradictory to each other and what is really the truth. No, it’s not the depth of comprehension or understanding that’s truly the important thing about wisdom. It’s the diligence by which the truths we perceive and understand are applied to our lives.

When I was being trained in the Navy on how to scrub a deck (and I did it a lot!), and how to paint a bulkhead (that’s a wall),  or clean a head (that’s a bathroom), and how to do just about everything else on the ship as a young recruit, I was often told there are three ways of doing things; the right way, the wrong way, and the Navy way. One Master Chief, who was the Master-at-Arms on board the USS WALLER (DD-466), told me he only cared about the Navy way. Don’t confuse me with a discussion of what’s right and wrong. We’re going to do it the Navy way! The ways he promoted, he would argue, were tried and true. He didn’t care what we thought or what we’d like or what we’ve learned in the world. The only acceptable way to do anything, understand it or not, was the Navy way! The interesting thing about this huge, black Master Chief from Detroit was that he was always right. We hated that about him. But as we faced many difficulties on our trip across the Atlantic, many of his ways proved of great value. We learned to avoid many unpleasant experiences by listening to him and obeying. His instructions saved the life of a young torpedo man’s mate during a storm in the North Atlantic. He always settled arguments and prevented fights on the ship also.

This isn’t the place for a bunch of sea stories, so I’ll skip right to the point.  If the Master Chief knew what he was talking about, how much more does God? Solomon says, “Do what I say, and you will live. Be as careful to follow my teaching as you are to protect your eyes” (Proverbs 7:2). Jesus says, “Everyone who hears my words and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24). And Jesus’ brother, James, warns us all “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22). Another most profound piece of wisdom comes from Proverbs 3:5-6. Everyone should memorize this passage. It says,   “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”  According to man’s understanding, there’s a right way and a wrong way. But it’s always the wisest choice to do it God’s way!

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Proverbs 2:1-5, Various

Ask For It

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
February 4, 2024

God’s wisdom for living a healthy, happy, and wholesome life is available to all of us. I’m not just referring to the contents of the Scriptures, even though that’s a significant part of it. I’m referring to God’s promise to do for us what he did for Solomon. He asked for wisdom and got it. He promises his son and us in 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 understand; 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.” The desire for wisdom must be the highest priority in our lives. Further, James (the wisdom writer of the New Testament) makes a similar promise. In James 1:5, he says, “if any of you needs wisdom, you should ask God for it. He is generous and enjoys giving to all people so that He will give you wisdom.”

One writer identified four truths about God that should encourage us to ask God for the wisdom we need. He writes, “First, God is a giving God. Giving to those who ask from him is natural for God. Second, God gives generously to all. He has no favorite recipients of his gifts but gives to all classes, races, and types of people. Third, God gave without finding fault. God does not give in such a way as to humiliate us. He does not chastise us for our failures or hold our unworthiness against us. He is always ready to add new blessings to old ones without finding fault in us for our many shortcomings. Finally, God promises to answer those who come seeking wisdom.”

Max Lucado wrote, “Thomas came with doubts. Did Christ turn him away? Moses had his reservations. Did God tell him to go home? Job had his struggles. Did God avoid him? Paul had his hard times. Did God abandon him? No. God never turns away the sincere heart. Tough questions don’t stump God. He invites our probing. Mark it down. God never turns away the honest seeker. Go to God with your questions. You may not find all the answers, but in finding God, you know the One who does.” Jesus’ promise is very comprehensive as well. He says, “And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Luke 11:9). Miller concludes this discussion. He says, “We, too, can ask God for anything. We don’t usually need to be prodded to ask for more money, the power to make our dreams come true, or the health to enjoy it all. But when we ask for wisdom, we’re asking our Father to make us more like him. It must please him to know we love him that much.”[1]

 [1] Miller, Stephen M. 2006. Everyday Relevance: Your Bible Commentary. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

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Proverbs 1:7, 1 Kings 3:9, Various

What Do You Want?

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
February 3, 2024

If God were to ask you what you wanted most, what might that be? If he offered you one wish, what would you wish for?  I can think of a lot of things.  At 77, A new body would be nice!  How cool would it be to win the lottery? I would ask my wife what she wanted, but I’m afraid she’d ask for a new husband.  A lifetime supply of toasted almond fudge ice cream would be great, also. There’s a cute commercial out these days that first aired during the Super Bowl. A Toyota owner rubs the nose of his new car, and a genie appears (strangely enough, holding a Chihuahua). She offers him three wishes, and he asks for his “spare tire” to be gone.  He was referring to the extra 20 pounds around his midsection, but the genie makes the one from the car disappear. Other wishes follow from each member of the family. It was one of the funnier commercials that year.

When Solomon inherited the reigns of the Kingdom of Israel from his father, David, In 1 Kings 3:5, God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you.” Solomon’s options were many. He could have asked for riches, long life, power, prestige, infinite wishes, and anything else you might think of. He was about 20 years old at the time, so it wasn’t a new body. Of all the things he could have asked for,  in 1 Kings 3:9, Solomon says, “Give me the wisdom I need to rule your people…”  In the next chapter, 1 Kings 4:29, we read, “God gave Solomon great wisdom so he could understand many things…His wisdom was greater than any wisdom…He was wiser than anyone on earth.” With his great wisdom came everything else he might have wished for in life. In 1 Kings 3:13, God tells Solomon that he will bless him with great wisdom, but “I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days.”

In his commentary on the book of Proverbs, James Kitchen observes, “Suddenly, the value of wisdom is pressed home and made personal. Nothing you can ‘desire’ will ever compare with the value of wisdom. The human capacity for desire is vast, but the exclusivity of wisdom’s worth sets her apart as unique among all others.” Kitchen nails this truth! Indeed, we desire much! Unfortunately, we don’t desire what we need most. God makes it perfectly clear that we must truly want it, above all else, if we’re ever going to get it. Kitchen goes on to quote three Bible verses related to the proper wish: ‘Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And besides Thee, I desire nothing on earth’ (Ps. 73:25). ‘Delight yourself in the LORD, And He will give you the desires of your heart’ (Ps. 37:4). ‘He satisfies my desires with good things so that my youth is renewed like the eagle’s (Ps. 103:5, NIV).” Wisdom is the greatest thing. Where do I get some! Solomon tells us where we can get started. At the beginning of the book, Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”

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