Tuesday, January 20,
2015, 6:25 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “To Be Like Him.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Proverbs 3 (selected vs. NASB).
Let Your Heart
My
son, do not forget my teaching,
But
let your heart keep my commandments;
For
length of days and years of life
And
peace they will add to you.
Do
not let kindness and truth leave you;
Bind
them around your neck,
Write
them on the tablet of your heart.
So
you will find favor and good repute
In
the sight of God and man. ~ vv. 1-4
When I was a child and a youth, we spent much time in church
learning how to memorize scripture verses. I still remember many of the verses
I learned as a child, which is good. They have come back to mind numerous times
when that is just what I needed to hear. I would encourage young children to
memorize as much as they can while they are still young, because they will more
easily retain it for when they are old. It is much harder to memorize when you
are old. And, we don’t retain things as well at this age. For me, it really
helps me that the Lord Jesus saw fit to give me so many songs which were all
based off scripture, because I remember words better when they are put to
music. He often speaks to me through these songs. When I am going about my day,
or when something is troubling me, or if I have a decision to make about
something, I will hear a song playing in my mind, and when I listen for the
words, they are just what I need to hear. God is so good!
Yet, we can memorize with our minds and it be nothing more
than knowledge retained in our brains. What is most important is when the
knowledge is then kept in our hearts, and through application it results in
wisdom. Our hearts are the seat of emotion, compassion, kindness, affection,
concern, courage, love, personality and will. So, when the Word of God (Christ’s
teachings and instructions) is written on our hearts, it becomes applied
knowledge, and it is acted out in our lives in how we treat God and others. As
well, we can write about his word on physical tablets (electronic or paper),
and we can sound all knowledgeable, but if his word is not written on “the
tablet of our hearts,” then it is just knowledge, and it serves no valuable
purpose other than to be there for when the Lord speaks and we are receptive to
his voice, and we are willing to put his word into practice in our lives.
Trust the Lord
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 your paths straight.
Do
not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear
the Lord and turn away from evil.
It
will be healing to your body
And
refreshment to your bones. ~ vv. 5-8
Human wisdom is not what we should value or seek after or
rely upon. As humans, we are subject to failure. Not all humans have the mind
of God on matters of the heart. We think in terms of this world only when we
think with human understanding. What makes sense to us is not always in line
with God’s ways. We tend to respond to what is seen (outward), and we don’t
realize sometimes that God is working in ways that are unseen in our
circumstances, and that he has greater purposes in mind for us than what our
natural minds would ever imagine. So, rather than relying upon our own thinking
and reasoning, we should trust the Lord, that he knows best, that he is
completely sovereign over all things in our lives, and that he has it all worked
out for his purposes and for his glory.
A huge problem exists within the modern church of today. It
relies way too heavily upon human thinking and reasoning, and upon the counsel
of humans for how to grow, conduct, and nurture the church. Books written by
mere humans have replaced the Word of God or have superseded God’s instructions
to us, in many instances. Rather than submitting to Jesus Christ as the head of
the church, many church leaders are, instead, submitting themselves to
humanistic philosophy and are following after business marketing schemes for
how to grow their businesses, which they call “church.” Rather than the Spirit
of God assigning body parts and giving gifts, humans determine who does what
and where and when. Rather than the Spirit leading in worship, it is all human
orchestrated in many of today’s modern churches. We need to get back to
trusting in God, and relying upon the Holy Spirit, and to teaching the
unadulterated Word of Truth!
Honor the Lord
Honor
the Lord from your wealth
And
from the first of all your produce;
So
your barns will be filled with plenty
And
your vats will overflow with new wine.
My
son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord
Or
loathe His reproof,
For
whom the Lord loves He reproves,
Even
as a father corrects the son in whom he delights. ~ vv. 9-12
In the Old Testament, it was taught that the people of God
should tithe 10% of their income, and it was to be taken off the top, i.e. it
was to be given first, and then the rest was to be what the people lived off
of. This type of tithing is not taught in the New Testament specifically, from
what I know, but many still follow this, and I do believe it is a good
principle to follow. The New Testament still teaches giving, though, and to do
so generously and sacrificially, as unto the Lord, and not grudgingly or under
compulsion, but with willing hearts, desirous to obey the Lord Jesus in this
matter of giving, and to meet the needs of the people. Many people believe this
type of giving is on top of the tithe. As far as I am concerned, the Lord owns
it all, and we should be good stewards of whatever he gives us, and we should
always be generous and willing to obey him whenever he says to give.
I will express some concern here, though, in light of what
this says when it says to honor the Lord with our wealth. So many people who
tithe follow the Old Testament model of giving the tithe to the temple for the
temple leaders to distribute as was customary. I know many people give to
institutional churches which are nothing more than big business, and they
believe they are giving to the Lord, but so much of that money is not being
spent at all on what honors the Lord and on what spreads his gospel and
ministers to the needs of the people, but so much goes to big edifices and
expensive furnishings and to stage productions which are intended to draw in
large crowds of people from the world. So, is this honoring God with our
wealth? As well, we, as individuals, can be guilty of wasting money on junk
that is intended only for our own entertainment and pleasure, and yet we give
little to help others in need or to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Then You Will Walk
…Keep
sound wisdom and discretion,
So
they will be life to your soul
And
adornment to your neck.
Then
you will walk in your way securely
And
your foot will not stumble.
When
you lie down, you will not be afraid;
When
you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
Do
not be afraid of sudden fear
Nor
of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes;
For
the Lord will be your confidence
And
will keep your foot from being caught. ~ vv. 21-26
In all that we do and say and are, we should continually
exercise sound discernment and judgment, not being too quick to make rash or impetuous
judgments or decisions. We should carefully examine such situations for which
we need to make judgments, and to do so in prayer before our Lord, asking him
for wisdom and inquiring of him as to what we should do or not do, with regard
to areas that are not clearly spelled out for us in scripture. We should inquire
of the Lord before spending money on anything not critical to the necessities
of daily living, to make sure our purchases are what are honoring to him, and
that are not just to gratify our own desires for pleasure. Now, he does give us
all things to enjoy (all that comes from him), so he is not against us finding
enjoyment in things, but he is against us seeking after self-pleasure and he is
against whatever is contrary to his Word, and he does want us to honor him with
our wealth, so we should ask him before spending.
Yet, obviously sound judgment and discernment is not to be
confined to merely the subject of our finances. That is just one area where we
need to exercise wisdom. We need to be careful about everything we do, think and
say, to consider whether or not it honors and glorifies the Lord, or whether or
not it dishonors him and defeats his will and purposes for our lives. I know I
don’t always inquire of the Lord as I should, so God is speaking to me about
this, too. I need to remember always that my life is not my own, and to put
that into practice in all that I do. I sometimes still rely on my own judgment,
and I can be impulsive, at times, and I need to not do that. That is rarely a
good thing. I know that when I completely trust in the Lord in all that I do,
that my mind is at rest, I am at peace, and I have complete confidence that God
will work out all things in my life for my good. Yet, I am thankful that my God
is forgiving, restoring, and that he gives much grace in time of need.
To
Be Like Him / An Original Work
March 16, 2014 / Based off Scripture
Crucified
you are with Jesus.
To
be like Him, oh, you’ll be,
Because
He died at Calv’ry,
So
from sin you’d be free.
Oh,
what joy He brings into your life,
Giving
life with Him endlessly.
Oh,
what plans He has for your life.
Share
the gospel faithfully.
Show
the people He loves them.
Now
His witness you’ll be.
Tell
the world of sin about Jesus,
How
He died for them on a tree.
Purifying
hearts, He saves them,
Who
believe on Christ, God’s Son.
Turning
now from their idols,
New
lives they have begun.
Jesus
saves from sin; we’re forgiven.
Over
sin, the vict’ry He won!
When
He comes again to take us
To
be with Him evermore,
There
will be no more crying.
Gladness
will be in store.
Heavens
joys will now overtake us:
We’ll
be with our Lord evermore.
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