Opening Prayer

Lord thank you for a great day and for blessing us with the opportunity to do your will. For those times today when we sinned and came short of the glory of God, we lift up those moments and confess them before you. We receive the forgiveness offered through the shed blood of your son, Jesus Christ. Holy is your name father, and we ask for you to bless our minds through your Spirit so that we may reap wisdom from your words.

Wisdom from the Creator - Proverbs, Chapter 17 (ESV)

Pro 17:1 Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.
Pro 17:2 A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
Pro 17:3 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tests hearts.
Pro 17:4 An evildoer listens to wicked lips, and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
Pro 17:5 Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker; he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
Pro 17:6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.
Pro 17:7 Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a prince.
Pro 17:8 A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of the one who gives it; wherever he turns he prospers.
Pro 17:9 Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.
Pro 17:10 A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool.
Pro 17:11 An evil man seeks only rebellion, and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
Pro 17:12 Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs rather than a fool in his folly.
Pro 17:13 If anyone returns evil for good, evil will not depart from his house.
Pro 17:14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out.
Pro 17:15 He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the LORD.
Pro 17:16 Why should a fool have money in his hand to buy wisdom when he has no sense?
Pro 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Pro 17:18 One who lacks sense gives a pledge and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.
Pro 17:19 Whoever loves transgression loves strife; he who makes his door high seeks destruction.
Pro 17:20 A man of crooked heart does not discover good, and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.
Pro 17:21 He who sires a fool gets himself sorrow, and the father of a fool has no joy.
Pro 17:22 A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
Pro 17:23 The wicked accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the ways of justice.
Pro 17:24 The discerning sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
Pro 17:25 A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.
Pro 17:26 To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good, nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
Pro 17:27 Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
Pro 17:28 Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

Notes on Proverbs, Chapter 17

Some may be wondering why I share so many personal stories in this blog. The main reason is that we all need to be more transparent to other believers.

When I first started seeking God with passion, I felt at an immediate disadvantage. I was older than many of my peers, had “many more mistakes” to overcome, and did not seem to be having the same struggles as the rest of my church.

This was just my opinion, of course. This was based on surface-level conversations with other brothers and sisters and through general observation. I spent the first year greatly hampered by feelings of spiritual inadequacy.

My wife and I eventually joined a small group. We also started to participate in some of the other spiritual education opportunities such as a marriage retreat, the Alpha Course, and Cleansing Stream, among others (these two I listed are taught worldwide and may be offered at your home church or one nearby).

When we began to communicate on a more regular basis we realized that other Christians have the same struggles - even in an extremely spiritually-alive church where everyone seems to “have it together”. We all mask our struggles. Part of this is pride, but most of it is just because we don’t want to burden anyone else with our troubles.

That is exactly the opposite of what God intended. He did not mean for man to be alone. God intended for us to operate in community. Lifting up each other, comforting one another, and helping each other to grow stronger in the Lord.

Ecc 4:10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up

Get connected - that’s the best recommendation. Find a church where the Holy Spirit is operating. I don’t necessarily mean a charismatic church - find where the Lord asks you to go. Pray about it. Visit a few. If you sincerely seek the Lord about this, he will get you there. Just be willing to be led.

3) The Lord will test our heart. Where I live in Charleston, South Carolina, they just finished constructing a huge bridge across the harbor. The company that was responsible for the project spent considerable time and money testing the bridge before they even started building. This was not just to save money, but to save lives of the thousands who would cross it each day.

God does similar things with our heart. He teaches us something. We are then tested to learn how to practically operate in it. God does not want us to be “professional students” where we learn and learn, but never apply. God is not being unfair by testing us - he warns us that it will come. God is wonderful though, in that he tells us what the outcome will be if we follow him - guaranteed victory.

1Co 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

and…

Rom 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

2) Seems to allude to the Jewish people. God sent his word to the Gentiles who accepted his son. They are now reaping much benefit from a relationship with the Lord. The Jewish people are still blessed and protected, but are enduring the hardship for their disobedience to the Lord.

Another way we can look at it: Sometimes we think we will get special treatment from God because we are Christians. Not so - God does not play favorites. He loves us all equally. Now, when we get into God’s will for our lives, we move into positions we never thought we would have or experience. It will not purely come from just being one of God’s children.

4) Who are you listening to? More than just people - what magazines are you reading? TV shows? We have the opportunity to either reject or plant the seed that is in every spoken word. What we plant, will surely harvest. What kind of farmer are you?

5) It is easy to criticize the poor. For most, they are there by a string of bad decisions by either themselves and their relatives. For others, it may not be totally their fault. There are circumstances where people are taken advantage of, or situations overwhelm them. I was never compassionate to the latter group. I felt that “you make your own luck”. While their is considerable truth to that, is it our truth to tell? God tells us not to judge. By showing this lack of compassion, we say that we know better than others. Only God can judge. Any other ideas on the matter are from the evil one.

Some people are honestly happy when others are hurting. Stay away from these people at all costs. They are a danger to you, others, and especially themselves. There is another group who are somewhat pleased at others’ mistakes because they feel like they are the only ones who make mistakes. It is a relief because they see others “screwing up”. This is extremely selfish thinking. I sometimes are at fault for this. We should instead rejoice in others successes and draw strength from that.

Practical application: Find a website with praise reports. Another idea is to go to our prayer request room and pray for others. Yet another “advanced Christianity” principle is to pour out some life into another who will never be able to pay you back.

9) Here’s one for the married couples. When I see my wife making the same mistake for the umpteenth time, do I rub it in her face, hassle her about it, or fix it myself and not mention it again. Surely sometimes we need to say something, but the other 98% of the time, we should let love cover it. Pray for God to help you with that. If you don’t have a problem with that - pray for me : )

10, 12) Fools don’t listen to rebukes. You know what kind of people I am talking about. They just charge through the world figuratively crashing into one thing after another, wondering, “Who put that there? What a &$@(%^”

Pray for these people. There is no point trying to set these people straight. God points this out numerous times in Proverbs. For example, if there is a person tailgating you in traffic, get out of the way instead of slowing down and ticking them off even more. Confrontation (or even being near them) results in our own destruction. They have no wisdom to discern that they are destroying themselves, why would they be aware of us?

21) There is a very serious responsibility of being a parent. The first is to God, because he entrusted us with that life. The second obviously is to the child, because they will have to live with themselves. The third is to all mankind, because they will enjoy the blessing, or endure the curse that our child brings. I am striving for the blessed child, how about you?

27) I screwed this one up today, yelling at a local UPS customer service rep who was not interested in helping me. Sure, their attitude was lousy, but I went one further and acted like a real jerk. I am sure she did not sit down after the phone call and say, “Boy I sure was rude to that customer, I’m glad he got upset at my indifference. Maybe I’ll do better tomorrow.

Her self-conversation was probably more like, “That guy was a jerk. That just further proves why I hate this job.” The next customer is going to get twice as bad treatment. Lord, I repent (again) for running my mouth. After this happened, I finally got around to praying for her. Not a self-righteous prayer, but a genuine one that God would bless her and reveal his love to her. I don’t know how I got through life before I knew God : )

Learning more about the Lord - Gospel of John, Chapter 17

Joh 17:1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,
Joh 17:2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
Joh 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
Joh 17:4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.
Joh 17:5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
Joh 17:6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.
Joh 17:7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you.
Joh 17:8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.
Joh 17:9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.
Joh 17:10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.
Joh 17:11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.
Joh 17:12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
Joh 17:13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
Joh 17:14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
Joh 17:15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.
Joh 17:16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
Joh 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
Joh 17:18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.
Joh 17:19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
Joh 17:20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word,
Joh 17:21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
Joh 17:22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one,
Joh 17:23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
Joh 17:24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
Joh 17:25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me.
Joh 17:26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

Categories: Wisdom
Tags: