Tag: bible

Father and son sitting on blanket under tree reading a book

Growing in Wisdom

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“Listen, sons, to a father’s discipline, and pay attention so that you may gain understanding, for I am giving you good instruction. Don’t abandon my teaching. When I was a son with my father, tender and precious to my mother, he taught me and said, ‘Your heart must hold on to my words. Keep my commands and live. Get wisdom, get understanding; don’t forget or turn away from the words from my mouth. Don’t abandon wisdom, and she will watch over you; love her, and she will guard you. Wisdom is supreme—so get wisdom. And whatever else you get, get understanding. Cherish her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you. She will place a garland of favor on your head; she will give you a crown of beauty.’”
‭‭(Proverbs‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭9‬ ‭CSB‬‬ – Read the chapter)

The fourth of God’s ten words to the Israelites that were to serve as the foundation for all their interactions with Him was a call to honor their fathers and mothers. As Paul would later point out, this was the first command with a promise: that they would enjoy a long and fruitful life. The obvious question this command begs is how—how do we honor our moms and dads? Well, one good way is to show them the respect of listening to their counsel. Let’s do a little exercise in that together today as we get into chapter four and the fourth time Solomon has called his children to listen carefully.

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Man in traditional clothing praying on a rug with a cityscape in the background at sunset.

Justice Will Yet Be Served

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“The Lord’s curse is on the household of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous; He mocks those who mock but gives grace to the humble. The wise will inherit honor, but he holds up fools to dishonor.”
‭‭(Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭33‬-‭35‬ ‭CSB‬‬ – Read the chapter)

Think for a minute about the last time you saw somebody get away with something they shouldn’t have gotten away with. Remember for a second the last time you prayed something along the lines of, “God, when are you going to do something about ______________?” We live in a world in which it seems like the wicked prosper all the time. Evil people thrive while good people get punished for their good deeds. Why does God allow all of that? The truth is that He won’t forever, and wise people understand and live in light of that truth. Let’s talk about it.

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Person walking on a gravel path at dusk surrounded by lit lanterns and trees

The Fruits of Wisdom

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“Maintain sound wisdom and discretion. My son, don’t lose sight of them. They will be life for you and adornment for your neck. Then you will go safely on your way; your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; you will lie down, and your sleep will be pleasant. Don’t fear sudden danger or the ruin of the wicked when it comes, for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from a snare.” (Proverbs 3:21-26 CSB – Read the chapter)

Security is a big deal in our world today. Our need for it keeps all sorts of companies in business. We want our homes to feel secure. We want our health to feel secure. We want our finances to feel secure. We want our spiritual lives to feel secure. We want to know that everything is going to be okay, and we’re willing to go to pretty great lengths to make sure that it is. But while a certain amount of feeling secure is related to a variety of physical things we do, a significant portion of it is also a state of mind. It is a state of mind that wisdom can help address. Let’s talk about it.

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Hiker walking on rocky mountain path towards sunrise with trekking poles

The Secret to Happiness

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“Happy is a man who finds wisdom and who acquires understanding, for she is more profitable than silver, and her revenue is better than gold. She is more precious than jewels; nothing you desire can equal her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left, riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant, and all her paths, peaceful. She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and those who hold on to her are happy.” (Proverbs 3:13-18 CSB – Read the chapter)

There are many things we are taught to pursue in this life. Money, celebrity, and power are chief among them. These, we are told, are the kinds of things that will make us happy. When we can afford whatever we want, when everybody likes us, and when we can get our way, all the bad feelings associated with not having those things will disappear. Perhaps…but the greater likelihood is that they will just take a different form. The Scriptures offer something else as the real pathway to happiness. It doesn’t look or work the same as what the world offers, but its success rate at achieving its ends is far higher. Let’s talk about what it is.

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Man running on rural road wearing blue tank top and orange running shoes

When Straight Paths Turn Hard

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“Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first produce of your entire harvest; then your barns will be completely filled, and your vats will overflow with new wine. Do not despise the Lord’s instruction, my son, and do not loathe his discipline; for the Lord disciplines the one he loves, just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights.” (Proverbs 3:9-12 CSB – Read the chapter)

One of the uniquely American contributions to religion around the world is the Prosperity Gospel. This is an insidious, heretical movement that masquerades as a kind of Christianity. The truth, though, is that it has little to do with the Gospel, but instead uses Gospel concepts to inflame greed and envy. Mammon is the real god it worships. It is one of the more cunning deceits the devil ever created to keep people out of God’s kingdom. The challenge is that verses like these exist which seem to give credence to its central claims that God wants us to be happy, healthy, and wealthy. Let’s talk about what we should do with sayings like this in the Bible, and why taking things fully in context matters so much.

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