Light My Way

Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe. Proverbs 28:26

Imagine that I take a trip and woefully forget to fill the car with gasoline. As I drive, my mind is so distracted, I fail to check the gauge to see how empty the tank is. Eventually, my car dies, I am left on the freeway to call home for someone to come rescue me.

Six months later, I prepare for another trip. Do you think it would be wise to use the same judgment as before? If I keep using the same wisdom, what other necessities might I fail to recall and pack for my journey?

As we travel through life, something is missing when we move away from the deep understanding of God and the counsel of His people (who lean on God’s wisdom). Instead we turn to our own faulty and weak knowledge. Today’s Proverb says such ways are foolish.

Solomon is an example of someone who failed to fill his gas tank (so to speak) most of his life as he followed his own way. He later revealed to his readers in Ecclesiastes his absolute folly and regret over his choices. Somehow, he persuaded himself, saying, “Since my preferences feel good they must be right.” Yet, in the end, they were his utter downfall, moving him further from God than ever before. In chapter 12 verse 13, after his story is miserably told, Solomon says, “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.” In other words, don’t do what I’ve done all my days. Instead, walk courageously in God’s wisdom!

Hopefully we can learn every moment of our lives that we need wisdom in order to live to the fullest. Trusting in ourselves is not only folly, it is impossible to finish well; for “The heart is deceitful above all else.” Jeremiah 17:9.

The wise man seeks guidance for which way to take. He seeks wisdom from someone other than himself. He listens to instruction from godly people and from God’s word and then prayerfully thinks through his decisions, choosing the best route to take. His good choices are fed by an upright conscience that he has fanned into flame for many years.

Once a man has gone forward in his faulty thinking and has failed, he will hopefully learn to gain insight from those wiser than himself. Sometimes, the dark has to happen in order to benefit from the light. The consequences of the dark are necessary to desire the light.

Making a good decision after placing wise counselors around us, not only gives us a better life, the sensible choices also give us a happy life. It is the happy people who are easiest to love and guide. And the cycle of wisdom continues.  

But what about unwanted or faulty advice from well-meaning people? Also, there are times when the majority can be convincing, yet wrong. I cannot trust myself to know what is right. So, I petition God’s throne and ask Him to help me form a wise stance. I ask Him to send me discerning sources to aid my understanding.

In the end, I still, at times, make mistakes, even when I’ve gathered the best advisors I know and even when I’ve prayed. God is always there to pick me up and lead me onwards.

Father, thank you for being my greatest guide. Lead me to the straight and narrow paths of your will. Show me your ways. Keep my feet from stumbling in the dark and light my way. In Jesus name, Amen.

I Trust You, Father

To show partiality isn’t good, yet for a piece of bread the valiant will transgress. Prov. 28:21

Several places in Psalms there is the use of the phrase, “Lord, teach me your decrees or laws or statutes.”

Lord, teach me!

A person is taught these things through his upbringing, school lessons, Bible classes and all of life. Parents and teachers instruct him, as do any situation he experiences. When one wants to gain a better understanding, he sits in a class or in front of a book to take notes. He listens and becomes alert to things around him. He studies and learns as for an examine. He meditates and takes it all in. He practices entering into the lessons and actually living out what he is learning. He does what he is taught.

So it is with today’s Bible verse. What can I learn from it? How might the Lord teach me more about Himself through this verse? Writing my blog helps me to process and better comprehend its value in my life.

First of all, an esteemed judge typically stands in that place of deciding a person’s fate. He may either speak up or keep silent in order to save or condemn him. However, at times, he may be tempted to use his authority to show favor to one and bias against another, even for as low a bribe as “a piece of bread.”

Judicial decisions may be based on partiality towards a friend or to those who are smart or powerful, to benefactors, or to those who are politically or religiously like-minded to his beliefs. On the other hand, the judge may unfairly rule against the poor, against his enemy or someone who holds a different view from himself. This partiality does not please God…who shows no favoritism (Acts 10).

After accepting a bribe the first time, the judge finds it easier to use his office to accept even a small piece of bread for an unfair judgment. The action no longer pricks his conscience. He is motivated by even a petty offer.

Second, go back to my earlier question: what can I learn from today’s verse? How might I allow it to teach me more about God…and about me?

In a way, we become ‘authorities’ or ‘judges’ when we sell our souls at a price for the things we value most.

In the Bible, Judas betrayed Jesus for only 30 pieces of silver. King Saul promised David the marriage of his daughter if he would go out and fight the Philistines (secretly thinking the Philistines would kill him). Joseph’s brother sold him for 20 shekels of silver to get rid of him.

To bring it home, let’s say that one day, my husband and I are irritating each other. Each of us is frustrated, and we have a choice to let it move us further into anger and division. Our tendency is to defend our own stance and allow pride to build up our side.

I put myself in the place of a judge by saying, “He is irritating me. Therefore, I ‘rule’ that he is guilty and should be punished.”

I become the watchman of wrongs, and when I spot sin, I give myself the right to shake my head at the sinner in disgust, or walk away in cold silence.

When our Lord Jesus had fasted for 40 days, the enemy whispered (Matt. 4), “I know you’re hungry. Just take this stone and turn it into a piece of bread. Bow down to me and I will show you real life!”

Yet, Jesus knew that love and trust in His Father and the sustenance of His Father’s word was more valuable to Him than His need for bread (even though he hadn’t eaten in 40 days).

I am NOT the ruler of another person, whether in marriage or any other relationship or circumstance. Humility says to understand the bigger picture of both sides of an issue. I can try to grasp the wrong of my own heart. What am I doing to exacerbate the turmoil? How can I be honest about things, yet still keep the peace?  

I step down from my judge’s seat. I take off my judge’s robe and choose to ask how might I become like Jesus and put my love and trust in the Father rather than bargaining with Satan for only a piece of bread (which, in the above example, would equate to the goal of simply winning the argument).

Bread, in this blog, represents anything one uses as a bargaining chip to get what one wants. It sustains the body for a moment. Yet, obedience to the Father moves one into the spiritual realm of eternity.

Father, you are the Great Judge and you never judge unfairly. Move me to be obedient to your will. Help me to put my trust in you and to love you with all my heart, soul and mind. Fill me with Jesus, the bread of life and sustainer of my soul. Teach me better ways to clothe myself in humility and peace. In Jesus name, Amen.

From Death to Breath

Anyone tormented by the guilt of murder will seek refuge in the grave; let no one hold him back. Prov. 28:17

In the Old Testament, the law required “an eye for eye and tooth for tooth (perhaps not necessarily an actual eye, but receiving a fair compensation for one’s losses).” It was right to let the full consequence happen to the offender so that remorse could set in and grace could take its place in his life. Witnesses of the crime would learn from his mistakes, as well, to see first hand that no good comes from doing wrong. No one was to talk another person out of a guilty conscience.

Specifically, concerning the crime of murder, the criminal’s own life was required of him. The Israelites were not to interrupt this due process. No one was to rescue him from his punishment, or the rescuer would be guilty of murder as well.

Sadly, taking someone else’s life had its own set of problems. Terrible memories of the magnitude and guilt of robbing the victim of his years on earth would haunt the murderer all of his days. One who killed another person brought ‘death’ to himself until finally his wrecked and tired body and his mind were laid to rest in the grave. Perhaps, even if one tried to save such a criminal from his punishment, the awful pile of disturbing thoughts would still plague his mind.

Today’s proverb feels like there is no hope for these offenders of society. Yet, what about Saul in the New Testament, who not only sought to kill, but his victims were Christians! Jesus, himself, came to him, changed his name and called him to a higher place. He found amazing grace in the Lord.

In Matthew 5:38-42, Jesus spoke about the old law concerning an eye for an eye, but He emphasized the need for forgiveness and mercy for those who brought others harm or hurt.

Certainly, murder is not something that is simply physical. Jesus tells us that murder can happen in the heart through our anger and harsh words. We can cause death to others and ourselves through our hurtful ways.

After considering all we know about scripture, we realize we must have balance in our Biblical approach concerning crimes. We do receive punishment that is due if any among us is a murderer (and all of us apparently hold that title in one way or another). There are natural consequences for our tirades and raging words, and rightfully so. Sometimes, relationships are severed or changed forever. Let us remember that sin must seriously be addressed in our lives.

In the end, how blessed we are to have access to Jesus’ blood and righteousness. We all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). Yet, we who put our trust and faith in Him have received His wondrous grace.

Spiritually, there is a type of death in which we WANT to participate once we understand its dynamic. The death is the murder of self. I’m not talking about suicide. I’m talking about putting to death our evil ways.

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.

Romans 6:6-7…knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin.

When a person dies to self, he matures in the Lord. Every day, he wants, more than anything else, to be like Jesus. He walks away from agitation and irritableness. Worry and fear are changed to trust and faith. The stripping of all he clings to is released into the hands of God and traded for peace and joy. The numbness and fog life brings from illness and loss is turned into pure clarity from meditating on God’s word and praising His Holy name (which lead the person to a good and successful life). Prayer is always seen as answered because of his trust in God’s ways that are higher than his own ways.

Physical possessions bring him happiness but not compared to the joy that comes from conquering his flesh and becoming wiser in the duration of his trials. The one who denies himself, no longer lives for ‘happy.’ He sees that Christ was ‘crushed’ for our iniquities (Isaiah 53:5), and he sees his own needs and wants that feel crushed by his trials as being part of the fellowshipping in Christ’s sufferings (Phil 3:10).

He knows his body is not his own (I Cor. 6:19-20) but God’s. He knows that as a Christian everything feels upside down from the way the world views things. He knows that being last, smallest, humiliated or rejected is normal as a disciple of Jesus. His reputation (wanting others to think he is perfect) is often on the line. His sins are constantly exposed to his face as he comes to know more about a perfect God. His life feels backwards. “I thought Christianity was supposed to be a fairy-tale-life, smiling all the time like the image we have of the early Christians who shared everything, every day.”

Yet, that image is false. THEY lived difficult lives and were hunted down and tortured. Nothing belonged to them, except the intangible gift of joy, unity with the Father and a sure salvation. Their joy was actually a little weird. It was unnatural to find joy in the intense trials they experienced, yet to do so was also supernatural!

Whereas the taking of one’s life leads to forever destroying one’s family, God’s idea of death-to-self brings blessings and life. Backwards blessings (the consequences that come from this death-to-self) are the strangest phenomena about such a life lived for Christ. The enemy brings in pain to torment and threaten to undo us through our hardships. But God, breathes LIFE into what Satan meant for evil. The hell we live in because of Satan becomes the catalyst to save our souls.

When good happens to us, we clap our hands, jump up and down and accept it as being from the Lord. We also accept evil in humility of heart, knowing that the good of it will be even better than the physical blessings. ‘Evil’ circumstances teach and train us that there’s more out there than this earth can provide. We are ‘happy’ because the ROCK and FORTRESS of our lives never lets us down like people and things.

Sometimes we will witness God’s physical gifts as huge miracles! But even more are the miracles that come after we experience the crushing weight through which pain can bring us. Pain leads us to the valley where dead (dry) bones are scattered all around. Our not-so-happy, stripped-of-flesh dead-bones cry out, but God breathes into them (Ezekiel 37). Our new LIFE becomes no longer about things of this earth, but about Him. We’re on this earth, fully engaged, but our hearts are stayed upon Him.

The hand of the Lord is on all who choose to climb up on the altar of pain and death, to offer our tied-up hands and feet and allow our trials to make us into living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to Him (Rom. 12:1).

He helps us to BE STILL in the terror of the most awful circumstances from which we would rather flee (or die), for He makes and molds us there. We give up, not on life, but OF our life, to be and do what Christ wants us to be and do. And daily, we ask, WHAT DO YOU WANT, DEAR GOD. WHAT IS YOUR WILL?

 Assuredly, He may lead us to more pain! WE beg Him to kill the cancer and losses that keep coming and never stop. We also beg Him to kill the part of us that tries to rule Him (inside our losses).

We beg Him to kill that part of us that depends on ourselves, that depends on our personal views of what gives life.

Our prayers are honest, but often having them answered our way is not what will place us where we need to be. God’s opposite answers to those prayers, and even His silence, are always marvelous to behold and create a humbling attitude within us.

Lord, thank you for our blessed trials! Thank you, but we still cry. We still hurt. We embrace our hardships as we cry out for them to be removed. We kiss your feet and know without a doubt that you are answering our prayers IN the stripping of all fleshly things we cling to. We give attention to your word in the insanity of the pit. Your word and your presence are the oxygen we need in the drowning torrents of the darkest waters. You work in mighty ways in the silence, breathing true life back into our bones. You are our only hope. Come quickly, Lord. Save us. We die to ourselves and all we try to possess and that possesses us. When we sin, we accept the consequences. Yet we welcome and thrive inside of your amazing grace. In Jesus name, Amen.

Tempted, Yet Stronger

Whoever leads the upright along an evil path will fall into their own trap, but the blameless will receive a good inheritance. Prov. 28:10

When I read these proverbs, my mind automatically thinks of extreme examples: a wicked man schemes against an innocent godly man. He intentionally designs and sets a trap, hoping to lure the innocent man to come over to the dark side (by suggesting doubts in God or His Holy word). But God looks out for His people and eventually the evil man falls into his own trap or deep pit. The godly man is rewarded with good, which I’m sure enrages the wicked man as he watches his prey become better off than before he attempted to take him down.

However, this scenario isn’t so cut and dry in my world. I don’t know of anyone who would purposefully draw me into evil. Yet, I am familiar with temptation.

I am tempted to get jealous of other people’s way of life. I am tempted when a peer’s foolishness rubs off on me (likewise my bad can rub off on others and tempt them into sin as well).

We all are led into temptation (into evil or peril) by the examples of those around us: temper tantrums, silent treatment, bragging on how busy we are, listening to how poorly we respond to a spouse when they make a mistake.

The sinner (in all of us) falls into his own trap (experiencing the results of his wayward heart) without even knowing he has set that same trap for others. There is no true LIFE inside the choice to sin. In fact, if left unchecked, the sinner falls even deeper into his folly.

The desire not to fall into a pit is a good reason to refuse friendship with those who rage or excessively drink or complain. It is also a good reason to refrain from developing these things within ourselves. It is enticing to others. It is also a path to self-ruin.

When the godly man takes the right path, versus the wrong one, he clings to Christ throughout life’s temptations and becomes strengthened in the process. His faith becomes broader. His mind is fixed on the Lord. His conscience is clean. God covers him with peace and grace and guards his life from evil.

We are led into temptation by others, but we can also be led into temptation within ourselves. A good side and a bad side exists in our hearts: our spirit versus our flesh, our whiney cries versus a more mature, longsuffering attitude.

Who will we listen to when the day of trouble comes?

For example, in hurtful situations, we could rightly express our honest hurt and forgive OR we could wrongfully blame others for our own part in it, overreact in angry tirades, hide the pain and so on.

To give full disclosure, this week I heeded my fleshly side more than my spiritual side. I fell into traps set by God’s enemy. He is the one who lures me the most. My good side told me to wisely express my hurt (my feelings of offense), but the enemy whispered in my ear to be harsh and whiney about it.

Certainly, there is a wrong and right way to stand your ground when you are offended. The wrong way is something I’ve addressed for a very long time, but sin is still so engrained in my habits. When I am weary, I don’t recognize it until after the fact. Such habits (that creep up in my worst moments), no doubt, are hard to break.

Wrong responses are usually arrogant, angry, unkind, belittling and loud as if you need to prove yourself to the offender and the listeners who happen to be standing there. you may even experience foolish guilt for your own honest spoken words, so much so that your annoyance begins to compensate for unhealthy self-doubt. Yet, remember, no one has to see you loudly ‘win,’ or really it becomes a loss.

A right response is to maturely face the offender, kind and soft, yet firm. I’ve even had success in the past through honest responses that made the other person laugh instead of cringe.

There is typically no need for long explanations in the attempt to express oneself. I am finding that simple statements hit the mark and each party can move on with better knowledge. Communication is necessary and good.

“That hurt my feelings.”
“No, you can’t have that. I need it.”
“I’m having a hard day. Let’s talk about that tomorrow.”

These thoughts were so good for me to journal and remind myself as the week came to a close. I want to follow the good path of God and not the evil road that leads to the dark pit.

Father, thank you for your grace that covers me and makes me clean. Thank you for your son who makes me righteous because of His pure life, because of His death on a cross and marvelous resurrection. Keep me from wicked ways and purify my attitude deep within. Give me right responses to the hard times in this life. Help my temptations make me stronger. I love you, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.