Category: Good Life Journal

Journal Proverbs 30 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: “The man declares, ‘I am weary, O God; I am weary, O God, and worn out.  Surely, I am too stupid to be a man.

 

I have not the understanding of a man.

I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.

 

Who has ascended to heaven and come down?  Who has gathered the winds in his fists?  Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment?  Who has established all the ends of the earth?

 

What is his name, and what is his son’s name?  Surely you know!  Prov 30:1-4

 

Observation:  Despondency.  Desperation.  Weariness.  These are three words that come to mind thinking about this section of Proverbs.  The “man” could be me…

Analysis: Every so often I succumb to being despondent.

As much as I try to pursue God, putting my foot one before the other, sometimes I just get weary.  Tired.  “Why am I doing this?  Why do I keep trying?”

I believe the above addresses the necessity of perseverance to the end.  But it also addresses the inevitability of internal conflict and temporary hopelessness that a person can experience.

David reflected on the need of his soul to be comforted, encouraged, exhorted in many Psalms, like 42: “Why are you downcast O my soul…”  Job talks about the anguish of his soul and that he will not keep his mouth shut (Job 7:11).  Paul writes to the church at Corinth about himself and his posse:  “But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus…” (2 Cor 7:6)

The point is that being downcast, despondent, desperate, weary does happen to those who call on the Name of Jesus.  Always?  Maybe not, but the biblical record shows a consistency of testimony.

Agur is not Solomon.  I don’t know who he is.  But the 30^th chapter of Proverbs is part of the Canon for a reason.  He testifies of his own heart and countenance in a way that can resonate with people like me.

Remedy?  Two or three things come to mind: 1) Draw near to God.  Easy to write, sometimes hard to do.  2) Phone a friend and be transparent.  Don’t despise reproof.  Don’t ignore the arm around the shoulders either.  3) Praise God.  Scripture doesn’t refer to it as a “sacrifice of praise” for nothing….

Prayer: Father, I often reflect on the statement that David makes, “Why are you downcast, O my soul?  Hope again in God for I shall indeed praise Him…”  The image is David pulling his heart out of his chest and shaking it in front of him and telling it off.  And then, engaging his head in the objective truth of the Scriptures and refusing a place for his feelings.

I wish I could do that more often.  It seems like it gets more difficult the older I get.  So much conspires against growing in maturity these days, especially with the quarantine.  What is the answer, O Lord?  AMEN.

Journal Proverbs 28 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: “Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.”  Prov 28:26

 

Observation: Remember about how counter cultural Christianity is?  It is also counter intuitive to the natural mind.

 

Analysis: “Of course I trust myself!  How could I not?  It is on my own that I stand or fall.  I am dependent on no one.”

This thought permeates our culture.  It is a mark of American independence and it comes as naturally as breathing.  It is especially descriptive of our thinking.

Here is what the Bible says about my mind: “The whole head is sick.” (Is 1:5b)

If, then, my head is sick, is it conceivable that my mind and thoughts are likewise impaired?

Why is it that the scriptures say, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind—that by testing you may discern what is the will of God: What is good, and acceptable, and perfect.” (Ro 12:2)

Looking up in the Microsoft synonym reference, renewal is listed with these synonyms: regeneration, restitution, rekindling, revitalization, and rejuvenation—all these words have a common theme: Change to something preferable from a current state which is not-preferable.

I think that if “common sense” is based upon a sick head, with ill thoughts, then it is necessary and right to pursue wisdom, even if that means chucking away some attitudes that now have no place before my Lord.

This is hard writing this.  I write it to remind myself that as I surrender to Jesus, my mind and thoughts are part of that surrender.  That is difficult because “How do I know?”

Pursuing wisdom isn’t easy in the best of times and difficult indeed in the worst of times.  Chasing after the Lord and His Word, submitting to being changed daily, is best done when a person is not in the crucible.  I would rather learn in the classroom of ease than in a whirlwind of difficulty.

Prayer:  Father, you see my heart and mind this morning.  You are fully aware of my turmoil.  I am probably overstating the situation, but it feels yuck to me.  Help me keep my mind fully on You today.  Cry when I need to, praise and thanksgiving always.  AMEN.

Journal Proverbs 27 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture:  A quartet on Friendship:

 

“Better is open rebuke than hidden love.” (Prov 27:5)

“Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.” (v 6)

“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” (v 17)

“Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.” (v 9)

 

Observation: After all the emphasis on obtaining wisdom, controlling the tongue, recognizing fools from not-fools, developing and exercising discernment of another’s ability to accept instruction, it looks like the Holy Spirit supplies a probable target of His Instruction: Developing Biblical Friendship.

 

Analysis: I think one of the most difficult leaps that we have is Developing Biblical Friendships.

I have often wondered why that is.  It would seem that church folks should have a Center, a Focal point to celebrate and that is Jesus.

And yet….to celebrate Jesus I have observed in me (at least) that I must “shift into Christian gear” to go into “fellowship.”  Way easier to talk about stuff and not involve Christ.  I know about sharing life and it is Right.  And Good.  It develops candid behavior and transparency.  Even better, it is the road to developing Humility.

Here is something I developed several years ago: “Be honest, open, candid with honorable concern, merciful practice, and with fierce personal transparency.”  I came up with this during a particular time noticing how “accountablity” was being practiced—and how “accountability” became “management”.

From my perspective, the difficulty in the practice of “accountability” is the possible lack of developing deep and abiding friendships.  Deep and abiding friendships are a function of time invested and mutual experiences.  I think it is hard to have deep friendships that do not have blood, sweat, and tears participation involved.  My tag line describes that kind of friendship.

My Christianity should flow from my everyday being…and be noticeable by others.  I should not be one way as a businessman, one way as a husband/father, another way as a neighbor, and still another as a churchgoer.  And, if I want to drill it down even more, an example could be: one way as a writer of this stuff and another kind of guy when I am driving.

Don’t let the “shift” into Christian gear be evident…let it be non-existent.

We all need a friend.  That kind of friend that is closer than a brother.  A friend that takes years and years to develop.  That kind of guy that can stand beside, arms on my shoulders and not have to say a word to show the Love of Christ.

That person is a special gift of Grace.

Prayer:  Lord, I appreciate you showing me how Prov 27 could be talking about friendships.  If I thought about it more, Prov 27 could be showing me something about child rearing or something else.  Still, it is neat how these thoughts came together.

Thank you for the men in my life.  They are a gift.

Thank you for my wife.  She is really a gift to me, a gift of Grace whom You artfully pulled the wool over her eyes when she said, “I do.”  She is still blinded and loves me.  I am grateful.

AMEN

Journal Proverbs 26 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: “For lack of wood the fire goes out and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.  As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.  The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels—they go down into the inner parts of the body.

 

Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?  There is more hope for a fool than for him.” Excerpts from Prov 26:20-22, and v12

 

Observation:  More about talking out of turn.  Proverbs is good for that and pounding, pounding, pounding the subject matter home.  Maybe because the things that Proverbs says are needed in so many ways?

 

Analysis: I remember James talks about the tongue being a roaring flame, a fire that sets forests ablaze.

Sounds familiar here.

A fire needs fuel, oxygen, and an igniter to start.  So does contention.  So does gossip.  So does a quarrel.   Take any of the three pieces out and fire does not start.

Where and how does this start?  Perhaps because I think that I am wiser than others—therefore my perception of an issue must dominate understanding?  Could be—been there, done that before.

Reviewing, “whisperer” could mean a desire to stir up stuff.  It could mean being a gossip.  Whatever it is, I note from my own experience it is “delicious.”  It can bring fire and excitement into blandness—gets the juices flowing.  According to the Word, it is the vocal equivalent of being “foolish.”

I am going through a time in my life where I am very quiet.  Speak when spoken to, generally.  I try to avoid rants and complaints.  I am not always successful on that.

I can get to speaking expansively about the Scriptures, Doctrine, applications and the like.  My wife is my main audience.  I am getting pretty good about noticing when to stop—it is when her eyes are rolling back into her head.

So, between “whispering/gossip”, vocal quarreling and the Scriptures—which is the most exciting?  Which one brings the fire?  It brings strife as well.  It is number 1 in this list.  But why?

The peaceable Word of Truth.  Why is this less exciting than whispers, gossip, sports, news, opinions, etc.?  I wonder…

Prayer: Lord, I don’t know why Your Word isn’t the most exciting thing going.  I wish I did.  There was a time where wanting to be “a doorkeeper in your house” was the epitome of ambition. (Ps 84:10) Now, it seems I slog through the mud of the day just to keep going forward.  Open my eyes, O Lord.  Let me see Your beauty once again.  AMEN.

Scripture

 

6 Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence

or stand in the place of the great,

7 for it is better to be told, “Come up here,”

than to be put lower in the presence of a noble

 

11 A word fitly spoken

is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.

12 Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold

is a wise reprover to a listening ear.

 

13 Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest

is a faithful messenger to those who send him;

he refreshes the soul of his masters

 

Observation

 

Solomon has a string a thoughts that may be seemingly unconnected, but this morning I’m seeing a theme of

 

• “Trust God’s timing”

 

Apllication

 

What does it take to trust God’s timing?

Fist , Humiltiy ….

don’t put myself forward, it’s better to be told by someone else in authority when to come forward …

Advice from the king from the Kings perspective …

This is the same advice from Jesus to his disciples …

 

Second, to trust Gid’s timing,

It takes faithfulness …

What’s refreshed the soul of His master? A faithful messenger!

Of course, humility is connected again in this …

If I’m faithful, … faithful to what?

A master! … the one who has sent me!

 

But at some point I must be willing to speak … to actually speak the message …

To give the “fitly spoken word” … to be the “wise reproved” …

 

And do this when God provides the opportunity to do so …

This is when it’s “fit” …

 

So, I must remain humble, remain faithful, and trust God’s timing

 

Prayer

 

Thank you again god for your Word

 

Help me carry it out today

 

Help me takin faithful to you

And you’ve me the courage to act in your timing

 

Amen

Prov 24

Scripture:

[5] A wise man is full of strength,
and a man of knowledge enhances his might,
[6]for by wise guidance you can wage your war,
and in abundance of counselors there is victory.

Observation:

Solomon fully recognized the power and strength of wisdom and knowledge. Further, as he expresses that in these verses, he also knows that you should not stand against the enemy alone. Look to other wise people for guidance.

Application:

If we pray for it and look to the Lord, he will impart wisdom upon us. Of course we need to pay attention – looking to the Lord, and then listening, learning. I think this is a part that many of us may skip. We pray for wisdom but then we don’t find quiet time to open our hearts and minds before we open the bible. We don’t quiet our hearts and listen for God’s replies. We are not still enough to notice the signs he may give us.

Then, on top of that, here are some questions that may hit home. Do we look to other wise, godly people for console and guidance? When? Always, sometimes, not so much? Do we look to wise godly people for true guidance, or only when we want someone to agree with what we’ve already decided? Do we only want to impart our wisdom on them when we talk, or do we actually open up and listen?

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for choosing me.  Give me wisdom as you know I need it. Help me to settle my heart and mind in order to listen and hear from you. Help me surround myself with people to whom you have imparted wisdom and let me listen to them even when their counsel doesn’t agree with what I may think. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Journal Proverbs 23 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: “My son, if your heart is wise, my heart too will be glad.  My inmost being will exult when your lips speak what is right.  Let not your heart envy sinners but continue in the fear of the Lord all the day…

 

My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways…” excerpts from Prov 23:15-17, and v26

 

Observation: What makes the Father glad?  It is when His children learn wisdom; their heart is His and their eyes are upon His ways.  Why?  So that His ways are observed (imitated) by His children.

Analysis:  Language can get in the way of understanding.

Take the phrase above: “…and let your eyes observe My ways…”  That doesn’t mean, “Oh look!  See what God is doing…” as if the act of seeing is all there is to observing.  In this case, “to observe” means to imitate, to do, to embrace as something worthy to copy.

I forget that.  I can read the words and let them flow right over me, appreciating their beauty and depth….and then close the book, put it back on the shelf and turn on the TV.

I don’t think about what I read and more importantly, what it means…and really: what am I going to do about it?

Seriously, how easy is it to consider the Scriptures for somebody else?  To read the Word and say to myself “that was then, this is now.”  When do I say, “I gotta do something about what I just read…” and pick up a pencil, grab a piece of paper and start making a plan?

More than likely I don’t consider, really consider the Scripture at all.

That little phrase I use (“man in the mirror”) is a tool.  It is meant to take what I read and look myself in the eye, with the help of the Holy Spirit, and check my soul.

Being transformed into the image of the Son (Rom 8:29) is not a game that is played in total relaxation.  Being changed is not a process of osmosis.  That has taken so long to understand it isn’t funny.  I wish that someone would have given me the skinny on it when I was first walking in the Lord.

“Son.  Give me your heart.  I will care for it in ways that are unimaginable.  Consider Me and observe my Ways all your days.”

Prayer: Father, more and more I want to walk in Your ways. It is more than mere obedience; it is being transformed so that wisdom is the light of my life.  AMEN

Ezra 8:23– So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.

Observation-

Ezra is leading a group of Israelites out of exile back into Judah.  Ezra, stops at the river Ahava for three days and humbles himself before the Lord.  Ezra fasted and appealed to God for safe travel in route back to Judah.  God listened to the humble prayers of Ezra for protection.

Application –

I can’t rely on my own wisdom or plans to provide safe passage. Rather, I must humbly submit before God and appeal to God who listens to our prayers to Him.  Trust God in prayer and He will have his hand on me and deliver me from situations I didn’t know even know were present or that I would encounter.

Prayer –

Father,

Let me humbly submit before you in prayer that you would guide our steps and keep your protective hands on your servants in Jesus name.

Journal Proverbs 21 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: “Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.” Prov 21:23

 

Observation:  Proverbs can be soooo blunt, right?

 

Analysis:  Proverbs is a challenging book.  Sometimes it is talking about me; other times it is talking about someone close or that I know; still other times it is talking about “people” in general.

I continually shift between the pronouns to figure out what or who God is referring to.

In the above scripture there is no doubt: It is talking about me…or you.  It is a universal statement for any who read it.

A few chapters ago was this verse: “A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.” (Prov 18:2) I can be a person just like this.

Why is this important to me?  Because I have found myself in positions where I am waiting for an opening in a conversation to “reveal my own mind” and not listening at all—either to the person(s) in front of me NOR to the Holy Spirit that I desperately want to guide my words and control my mouth.

Before I was married, I spoke to my wife that my desire is for my words to be as the Scripture says: “Apples of gold in settings of silver.” (re: Prov 25:11) My mental picture is one that my words could be considered valuable.  All too often they are the opposite: misunderstood meddling, puffing up of my self-importance, broad strokes of pride and demonstrating foolishness.  A Proverb coming up: “Like a lame man’s legs, which hang useless, is a proverb in the mouth of fools.” (Prov 26:7) Even if I am reciting (not speaking but reciting) the Word of God, unless there are ears to hear, can hang useless and reveal myself as a fool.

I have caused so much trouble speaking out of turn it isn’t funny.  This is not to say that silence is better than sound (talking)—it isn’t.  However, how much more desirable is a “word fitly spoken to a listening ear.”

That is my longing, to be that kind of mouth for others.  I suppose that is why I write more than talk these days….

Prayer:  Father, keep me in wisdom and away from foolishness.  Allow me to look deep into Your Word and extract useful jewels; not just pretty, little baubles of sparkling attractiveness, but Jewels that are worthy of the King.  AMEN

Journal Proverbs 20 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: “Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?  …A king who sits on the throne of judgement winnows (sorts through) all evil with his eyes…

 

Who can say, “I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin?”  Unequal weight and unequal measures are both alike an abomination to the Lord.  Even a child makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright.”  Prov 20:6-11

 

Observation: Where does maturity begin?  I think it begins knowing what the Atonement of Jesus really brought and my response (or the lack of response) would be like.

 

Analysis:  A lot of responses by folks would say talking about Salvation and personal application might be exercises in doubt.  Adamant responses of “Of course I am saved”, or, “of course so and so is saved” would be said.

This subject is what occurred to me reading this.  It was after a discussion that my wife and I had during devotions this AM.

A scenario: Adam and Eve are married.  Adam and Eve proclaim themselves to be Saved.  Adam decides to separate and proceeds to divorce his wife (reasons unknown).  Both proclaim personal salvation in Christ. Question: Is Adam saved?  Is Eve saved?

Outside observers may have opinions, but only the King knows.  That’s his function—judgement, evaluation, examination, decision, and subsequent proclamation.  That is the statement of the first verse above.

Continuing: Can I say I have made my heart pure?  Emphatically not.  I know that I have not made my heart pure.  There is no process available to me to purify myself by my own actions.  Whatever “purity” I have is a sovereign gift from God, through faith in the Atoning Work of Christ.

Is that a “one and done” exercise?  I would like to think it is but the more I read into the Scriptures I conclude it is not: Salvation is an everyday surrender to the Cross—I must proclaim my dependency to Jesus daily; no days off.  If I try to explain why I don’t have to, then I am using a different scale other than the full Word of God.

How can an observer determine a Christian from a non-Christian?  I can’t: Only God sees the heart.  However, the last scripture says it all, and that simply: Even a child makes himself known by his acts.  Paul echoes this sensible truth to Timothy: “Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.” (1 Tim 4:15)

It is the daily review of the Gospel: Justification and Sanctification.  Both different, both are the same coin.  While Justification is all the Trinity’s decision and action, both Justification and Sanctification requires daily response (read: surrender) from me.

Prayer:  Lord, why did this empress me this morning?  I needed the reminder, I know.  I forget being dependent upon You and think I can coast on some past accomplishment.  I am remembering “Work out your salvation in fear and trembling” and realize that this is coordinated with surrendering—the Scripture is not contrary to itself in any way.

Help me to continue to daily surrender to the Cross.  I want to please you in everything I do.  AMEN.

Journal Proverbs 19 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)
Scripture: “Whoever gets sense loves his own soul; he who keeps understanding will discover good.

Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.”

Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.”
Prov 19:8, 11, and 2

Observation: Good sense as opposed to common sense. I think the Scriptures compare that quite a bit.

Analysis: Is there such a thing as common sense? I think so. But “common” sense isn’t necessarily good. Some “sense” that is called “common” may not even be godly.
Two traits of godly sense are the above: 1) Getting godly sense is good for me, it contributes to a godly understanding of what is around me, and; 2) It keeps my head and perceptions in perspective so that I don’t fly off the handle and I can overlook offenses.
I think in other words that pursuing after godly sense makes sense. But why and how?
Too often what is termed “common sense” is based upon nothing but logic. That’s not bad and I wouldn’t denigrate that, but logic is based upon postulates or particular assumptions. Therefore, pick the assumptions and I can build a logic around it. That is exactly what Adam did with the questions given by the serpent. What we got was religion and dead works and not life.
Key to getting “sense” is getting Understanding. Getting Understanding comes from what? The fear of the Lord, the love of the Word of God; in another way of saying “Pursue God.” There are a ton of verses in the previous chapters of Proverbs that are blunt about getting Understanding, wisdom, knowledge, etc. There are verses isolated to the practical outworking of what Understanding looks like.
In a bunch of these cases, that practical outworking of Understanding boils down to “run from evil, run towards good.”
In all cases, Understanding comes from Knowledge. Do I want to know about God, his lovingkindness, his beauty, his purposes? Then the primary way past the common grace of all creation is to learn His Word.
When I rely on the teaching of my experience, my parents, schooling, reading, etc., I will gain a certain “sense.” When it is shared by many other folks, it is called “common sense.” As a follower of Christ, I am called to pursue an extraordinary sense, a supernatural sense, a godly sense…a sense that is based on His Word.
It is a sense that is definitely not common.
Prayer: Lord, renewing my mind is tough. I have well worn grooves of thought that have served me well—and other grooves that are comfortable but are definitely not dependent upon You. My mind doesn’t renew in You because the comfortable is easy and change is hard—especially when all my life is reflexive away from depending upon You.
Renewing my mind takes determination. It is forcing Your Thoughts into and replacing the comfortable. But, as this happens, I see better. Understanding the world around me (and the face in the mirror), I know why I can overlook offenses purposefully and not resort to having an apathetic attitude.
Help me not to lose my drive to know You better, O God. I want to increase in my understanding of You as much as this created life can…AMEN.

Prov 17

 

Scripture:

 

[24] The discerning sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

 

Observation:

 

A discerning person knows where to look for wisdom and how to focus.

 

Instead of focusing on our best source for all wisdom, the Lord and his Word, a fool will search elsewhere on earth and in this life and never really attain it.

 

Application:

 

We need to keep our eyes focused on the true source of wisdom and not get distracted and wander with too much worldly concern looking for it.

 

Pray for wisdom; Look to the Word.  Learn from the wise men of the bible and look to the wise people around us; those who have wisdom from the Lord.

 

This is not to say that there are not useful sources for knowledge and experience that may not necessarily be biblically based, but we should let the Holy Spirit lead us to gain knowledge, experience, and good judgement based on scripture.

 

Prayer:

 

Lord I love you. Thank you for choosing me and filling me with your Holy Spirit. Lord, give me wisdom that can only come from you. Lead me with your Spirit as I navigate the heights and depths of this life.  In Jesus might name I pray, amen.

Journal Proverbs 16 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: “The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.” Prov 16:4

 

Observation: This is one of the hardest concepts in Christianity to wrap my mind around.

Analysis: When I think of God…what do I think about?  Many times, I have not thought deeply, preferring the shallow to console my mind.

So far in Proverbs I have been confronted with a ton of practical matters—stay away from the lure of illicit sex; open my mouth to be found a fool, keep it shut to portray wisdom; be just in my dealings concerning money and perception of others; raise my children with me fearing the Lord; etc.

Sunday’s Bible reading included this: “…but each one shall die for his own sin…”, or paraphrased, “…each one shall be responsible for the output of his own sin…” 2 Chron 25:4b

If I include Romans 9:17, God says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that My Name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”, then I am presented with a difficulty: God’s purposes in the Gospel includes that He made the wicked for a purpose.

God’s Sovereignty.  Easy to say, hard to get my mind around because I can only imagine what that means.  I get clues from the Scriptures (number of my hairs, feeds the sparrows, captures all my tears, and the like) but I cannot really grasp fully what He does.

What does this mean for my everyday stuff?  At the minimum it makes the statement “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” an action to suspend my own reasoning of circumstances and respond in faith with gratitude. (1 Thes 5:21)

It even puts supposed actions of the devil in perspective—God made the wicked for the day of trouble.

All of this wraps up in the Plan of the Gospel.

Even so, if I can just start my reflex to give thanks and not complain, I am inching my way to maturity.

Prayer:  Jesus, your Word is life.  Mysteries are found and sometimes answers; many times, it takes years of meditation and threading together Scripture to understand.  I think you made it this way to encourage and build reflexes in seeking You.  Help me to mortify complaining, because my complaining is complaining about Your Hand in my life.  AMEN.

Scripture
2 Chronicles 30:18-20 – Most of those who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not purified themselves.  But King Hezekiah prayed for them, and they were allowed to eat the Passover meal anyway, even though this was contrary to the requirements of the Law.  For Hezekiah said, “May the Lord, who is good, pardon those who decide to follow the Lord, the God of their ancestors, even though they are not properly cleansed for the ceremony.”  And the Lord listened to Hezekiah’s prayer and healed the people.

Observation-

The people from the northern tribes who came to Judah for Passover celebration were not ceremonially clean.  King Hezekiah prayed to God for the people who had decided to turn and follow God to have the Passover meal.  God heard the prayer of King Hezekiah and responded by making the people right with Him.​

Application –

King Hezekiah realized the sin of the people of Judah and Israel and he repented by cleaning the Temple and having a Passover celebration open to all of Israel that would honor God. Hezekiah delayed the celebration by a month in order to be spiritually ready.  Then he prayed for God to open and accept the people who wanted to follow God instead of adhering to the Law.  God heard the prayer and heals the people as God is more concerned about people’s hearts than ritual.  I must follow the path of King Hezekiah and be repentant of sin in my life.  I must prepare myself and be spiritually ready by being in the word and listening to the Spirit to follow God’s time/plan.  Pray to God for people’s hearts and minds to be open and accept Jesus right where they are without any ceremonial cleanup.  Jesus’ sacrifice to cover our sin cleanses us and makes us right with God when we place our faith and trust in the finished work of the Messiah.  As evidenced by Jesus life, we know that he is more concerned about the condition of heart than ritual ceremony.

Prayer –

Father,

Thank you for this example of King Hezekiah and the truth in your word.  Let me repent of the sin in my life, follow you and love people to bring glory to your Kingdom.

Journal Proverbs 14 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

Scripture: (Excerpts and paraphrase from Prov 14:1-9)

 

“The wisest of women builds her house…Whoever walks in uprightness fears the Lord…Knowledge is easy for a man of understanding…The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way…the upright enjoy(s) acceptance (with the guilt offering).”

 

“(the) folly of the hands (of a women) tears down (her house)…(whoever) is devious in their ways despises the Lord…By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back…a scoffer seeks wisdom in vain…the folly of a fool is deceiving and deceives his own way…Fools mock at the guilt offering…”

 

Observation:  I find it instructive to break up the various verses of Proverbs to separate descriptions of the way of righteousness from the way of foolishness.  At times, I need the description of the foolish more than the righteous because when I peer into the mirror, I need to determine whom I am looking at?

Analysis:  The folly of the fool.  What defines being a fool?  Goodness, I should know by now, for I have years of experience in practicing.

One of the ways I have discerned the way of a fool is that it is easy; I go with the flow of life and culture, I don’t buck trends, I find pleasure in what the world around me finds pleasure in.

I have noticed I have become numb to certain ways of the world and even make excuses for them.

When I took my first steps in Christianity, it was during a time and around a sub-culture that “Christians were to live differently; Christians are to be counter to the culture of the world around us.”  I should pull out some of the old publications of the times.  Communes were a big topic.

Should I notice fools in the Church?  Sometimes it is so demonstrative that it cannot be helped but be noticed.  But that isn’t the thrust of the scriptures.

The purpose of the Scriptures is to look into the mirror.  I cannot even end that sentence with “first” because that insinuates that “once I am through looking at myself, others are now fair game, the “hunt for fools” is on.

And that is where I (and perhaps a lot of other folks) tend to fail.  I do not like peering into my own soul.

Paul told the Corinthian church to “examine yourself; see if you are in the faith.”  David figuratively pulled out his own soul and demanded, “Why, soul, are you despondent within me?  Hope again in God…”

Prayer: Father, waiting upon You must be one of the hardest things to do.  Patience with others is difficult enough but exercising patience with You?  Excruciating most times.  I am at war with desiring to walk fully in Your Ways and my compromising self which says to me “that’s good enough today…”

Honor, uprightness, understanding, wisdom: Most folks (including myself) have difficulty in fathoming the fullness of these words, much less invoking them to action.

Help me, O Lord.  AMEN