Loving Jesus Style

  Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV) 5      Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. 6      In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.   Devotion:                The proverb we are considering today is perhaps familiar to most believers. However, we should not let familiarity prevent us from seeing the Scripture with fresh eyes. I have deliberately chosen the Old King James version, a unique perspective that offers a fresh interpretation, to aid us in examining this proverb in new and intriguing ways. This translation of the familiar passage will slow us down, inviting us to consider each word and the thoughts the writer wants us to catch.   The first line of the passage starkly contrasts our culture's demands with the Lord's command. It encourages us to depend on the Lord’s words and ways without reservation, in dire...

Scripture: Proverbs 17:17 (NIV) 17  A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity. Devotion             This profound proverb holds a universal truth that resonates with all of us. It encapsulates the essence of true love and loyalty, which are not just desirable but essential for our survival and growth as human beings. As social creatures, we thrive in loving, trusting relationships. When we are deprived of these connections, whether by choice or circumstance, we often find ourselves making unwise decisions. In times of adversity, it is this love and support that can provide us with the reassurance and comfort we need.             An essential but unstated truth of this proverb is that just as we need to be loved even in personal crises and adversity, we must be available to love and accompany others in their distress. This require...

Scripture: Proverbs 21:30 (ESV)          No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel  can avail against the Lord. Devotion:             This proverb speaks loudly to the spirit of this age in America. Our cultural moment is full of the plans of mere mortals that directly contradict God's will as revealed in His inerrant, infallible Word. The Lord decreed in Genesis that humankind was to be fruitful and multiply. The culture promotes death from womb to tomb. People of goodwill seeking only to honor God by obeying the clear commands written for us in scripture are ignored, silenced, or worse in today’s culture. Here are some of the ways the culture promotes death.             Let us begin in the womb. Our culture promotes abortion as a positive good. Since Roe v Wade was overturned and the matter has returned to the states to decide if and when ...

Scripture: Proverbs 18:10 (ESV) 10           The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe. Devotion:             The towers humankind has erected in the modern era are genuinely impressive. They stand so tall and strong. Yet, as we were shown on September 11, 2001, they are vulnerable to sudden destruction. I remember watching the news that day, feeling the shock and disbelief. So, it is with all towers of human invention, whether concrete and steel or ideas and plans. Our towers are weaker than we imagine. Today’s proverb underscores this weakness and urges us to run to the Lord for safety in times of trouble or danger.             Let us reflect on the story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis in the Old Testament. Humans sought to make a name for themselves, and because of God’s direct...

Scripture: Proverbs 16:18-19 (ESV) 18           Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.             19           It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud.   Devotion:             The meaning of the word pride has changed dramatically in our present age. To the author of the book of Proverbs, pride was a sin. Today, pride is almost always used in a positive sense. What has changed and why? The answer can be found in today’s pair of proverbs. The usage in verse 18 is purely negative. The opposite of pride is “lowly spirit,” which is found in verse 19. This pair of proverbs not only defines pride but also underscores the importance of humility in the Christian faith.     ...

Scripture: Proverbs 22:1-4 (NIV) A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. 2  Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all. 3  The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. 4  Humility is the fear of the Lord ; its wages are riches and honor and life.   Devotion:                         The proverbs gathered above seemingly are disjointed. However, verse four sums up the other three nicely. As I have written before, it bears repeating here. Pride is the sin of the age. Certain kinds of pride are acceptable. Pride in a job well done, for example, is perfectly legitimate. However, this kind of pride is scarce these days. And the humility advocated in verse four is often looked down upon as a sign of weakness.  ...

  Scripture: Proverbs 4:23 (ESV) 23           Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Devotion:             Today’s scripture calls us to guard our hearts. The first question that comes into our mind may be what the writer means when writing the word “heart.” While we can never be sure, we can look for clues elsewhere in scripture. A quick survey of proverbs yields many uses of the word. It also can be found on the lips of Jesus in John 7:28, “ 38  Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ” These words of Jesus point us to our hearts as the source of life.             It is a short proverb, probably directly the summation of the less famous verses that precede it. Verses 20-22: 20  My son, be attentive to...

Scripture: Proverbs 9:9-10 (ESV) 9            Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.              10           The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.   Devotion             Today, let us consider a proverb. These sayings form an important part of our scriptures. However, they are often overlooked by modern readers because they are seen as meant for a different age. When we look closely at them, we find that their meaning is not dated but strikingly applicable to our current times. In the scriptures God promises that he will give wisdom to all who ask for it, and He will give wisdom generously to those who ask. Therefore, let us take a few minut...

  Scripture: Proverbs 14:31 (NIV) 31  Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God. Devotion:             My Father-in-Law asked me out of the clear blue sky one day, “Why does God favor the poor?” I had a head full of knowledge that told me that he probably was right to assume God did indeed favor the poor, but I was unprepared to answer the why question.             Here in this quick verse from Proverbs we are given at least a hint as to why God seems to favor the poor. That mistreating the poor is an insult to their maker. (i.e., God) This flows from God’s Hebrew Scriptures that declare that we are to love others as we love ourselves. (Leviticus 19:18) The question we need to be asking is does God actually favor the poor or does he simply wish that they would be treated no differently than a rich...

Scripture: Proverbs 4:23 (NIV) 23  Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.   Devotion:             Today, we look at an important piece of wisdom from the book of Proverbs in the Hebrew scriptures. The importance of this word from God is often overlooked in every generation. In our era this word is almost entirely forgotten and utterly lost. Before we think about what this passage is saying to us. Let us look at what the Hebrew behind our translations actually means.             First, “above all else” translates a single Hebrew word ‘kol’. This word means everything, everyone, all, total. The author puts the reader on notice that what is coming he or she considers to be of upmost importance. ‘Mishmar’ is the Hebrew for guard, and it means guard or lookout, watch carefully. Finally, the word for heart is ‘leb’ in Hebrew. It ...

  Pride Will Bring You Low Scripture: Proverbs 29:23 (ESV) 23           One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.   Meditation:             We have just finished the month of June. Which is for better or worse known as pride month. You may be aware of the fact that pride was not celebrated in the West until the last five minutes ago culturally. Pride, in fact, was thought of as the vilest of sins. The Greek/Hebrew equivalents of the word pride occurs 52 times and never as a positive trait. So how did the vilest sin come to be an attitude of ultimate celebration and veneration in such a few short years? Well, I cannot give a detailed explanation in these 500 to 600 words, but I hope I can get across a few main points as I try to wrap this up for us.             First, we begin with the c...