Tag Archives: Foolishness

What Sexual Health Looks Like

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It’s Not What You Think

Unfortunately, marriage and parenting are the butt of many jokes in our society. We sing countless sad songs about lost love, and it seems that’s one way we manage the pain. Take, for example, the story of a woman whose husband lay dying in bed, drifting in and out of a coma. One day, he briefly awoke and reached out to his wife, drawing her close. As she sat beside him, he began whispering his memories to her: “Honey, you’ve been right there beside me through all the rough times. You were there when I got fired. You were there when my business failed. You were there when we lost the house. And you’ve been right here— by my side the whole time— even as my health declined and I lay dying.” He paused briefly and asked, “You know what?” “What, dearest?” she asked, wiping a tear from her eye. “I think you’re bad luck,” he said—and then slipped back into a coma!

Flawless Marriage Counseling

I’m confident that everyone enters into marriage longing for a partnership that remains strong and healthy! I hope it doesn’t surprise you when I say that God’s Word provides the only flawless counsel for building healthy marriages and raising godly children. If you’re a relatively new follower of Jesus, you may be surprised to discover how much the Bible says about marriage, sex, and family! But think about it—God created marriage! He created sex! He created the family, too! So it only makes sense that we would go to the ultimate source for wisdom and counsel in these areas.

A Foundational Bible Text

A foundational text on the subject of marriage, sex, and family is 1 Corinthians 7:1-9. It’s incredibly practical, and if you commit to obeying the words of Scripture— rather than listening to the foolish, so-called “wisdom” of the world— you will have the strong and happy marriage that everyone longs for. It’s an intriguing passage! What the Apostle Paul says to the church in Corinth— words inspired by God’s Holy Spirit— are completely out of step with the world’s wisdom and societal norms regarding family and human sexuality. So, choose whom you’re going to listen to!

Where Healthy Sex Happens

If you search “A Healthy Sex Life” on Google, you’ll find results like “10 Signs You Have a Healthy Sex Life”— but not one of them is connected to marriage between a man and a woman! Your search results will also include articles on sexual dysfunction and how to maintain an active sex life, yet again, with no reference to marriage. However, according to God, “healthy sex” only happens within a marriage relationship between a man and a woman. Over and over, the Word of God warns us about the consequences of sexual activity outside of marriage. All other sexual practices are spiritually unhealthy, as they reflect disobedience to God’s Word. But they can also prove to be physically and emotionally harmful—creating a ripple effect that negatively impacts others down the line. Next week:  We’ll explore 1 Corinthians 7.

Is Your God Too Small?

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Are You Too Big?

40 years ago, J.B. Phillips wrote what became a Christian classic, Your God Is Too Small. It’s a great book— I highly recommend it! Phillips does a fantastic job of capturing the struggle that we humans have in seeing how big God really is. We tend to see God as much smaller and less awesome than He truly is, while seeing ourselves as much bigger and more significant than we really are.

Superman Don’t Need No Airplane

I love the story about former heavyweight boxing champ Muhammad Ali, who loved to boast—mostly in jest—about being the greatest! It was part of his shtick and showmanship. Once, while flying on a commercial flight, the stewardess told him to fasten his seatbelt just before takeoff. “Superman don’t need no seatbelt,” Ali replied. The stewardess shot back, “Superman don’t need no airplane, either.” That exchange perfectly epitomizes the attitude spawned by the health, wealth, and prosperity FALSE gospel in the Western church! The image of God has been distorted.

He’s No “Genie In A Bottle”

Much of the Church has reduced God to a wimpy “genie in a bottle”—a God who grants our wishes and somehow needs us in order to feel significant. But God is not like that at all! He is the self-sufficient, self-sustaining Sovereign God who needs nothing. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords! I love how Paul addresses this subject in his letter to the Roman believers: “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments and untraceable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor? Or who has ever first given to Him, and has to be repaid? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” — Romans 11:33-36

Glory In God’s Wisdom

This is another one of those rich passages of Scripture that magnifies and lifts up our awesome God! Paul seems caught up in the wonder and mystery of who God is. He emphasizes that—good or bad, big or small, whatever comes our way—we should give God glory in all things! Notice that Paul specifically calls believers to glorify God for His wisdom and knowledge: “Whatever comes, give God glory because of His wisdom and knowledge. He knows what He’s doing!”

Is God Foolish?

There’s another powerful verse that Paul includes in his letter to the church in Corinth: “God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.” — 1 Corinthians 1:25. Don’t you just love that? Mind you, Paul is NOT saying that God has a foolish side. On the contrary, he is pointing out how foolish we are when we think we’re wise and smart. IF God had a foolish side— and He doesn’t— He would still be wiser than you and me! He is omniscient, meaning He knows everything. Anything that is knowable, He already knows it, and He has known it for all eternity. He knows everything you and I have forgotten—yet He still remembers it! And He knows everything that you and I will never know. Only God understands why He allows wickedness in the world to experience temporary victories. Trust His wisdom!

Stealing God’s Glory

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That’s What Pride Does

At the top of God’s “hate” list is PRIDE: “These six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him…” (Proverbs 6:16-19). Care to guess what’s #1 on the list? It’s “…a proud look.” God hates pride because it’s humanity’s attempt to steal glory that belongs only to Him! Only God is due glory because all glory was His from the beginning of creation. Remember that! All that exists is “GOD” and “everything He has created.” That’s it! There is nothing else! So, when we speak about the “glory of a sunset,” the sun didn’t create that glory! God created it! The sun is just borrowing it until God wants it back. The “glory” of the 28 Olympic medals that Michael Phelps won is not his glory— it’s God’s! Creator God gave him those abilities. He’s just borrowing a glory that belongs to God until God decides He wants it back.

American Pride Is Deadly

In Isaiah 42:8, God says: “I am Yahweh, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another or My praise to idols.” The Apostle Paul ends the book of Romans with these words: “To the only wise God, through Jesus Christ— to Him be the glory forever! Amen!” (Romans 16:27). We face deadly consequences when we lift ourselves up in pride and steal God’s glory. That’s a hard message to preach here in the good old U.S. of A. We talk about being “proud Americans.” We’re proud of our rugged individualism. We put up billboards and sing songs about it. But if you’re a child of God, don’t go there! Don’t wear your “American patriotism” first. This place is not where you hold your citizenship, as Scripture says (Philippians 3:20).

Aliens & Temporary Residents

We are called by God to live our lives here as aliens and temporary residents (1 Peter 1:17; 2:11-12). When we lift ourselves up in pride and deny God the glory due His name, it negatively impacts the way we think. The Apostle Paul speaks of certain men and women: “…though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became nonsense, and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools” (Romans 1:21-22). Pride can really mess you up badly!

Thinking Nonsense

We lose our ability to look at the world and draw accurate conclusions when we reject the glory of God. Our reasoning becomes skewed when we fail to acknowledge the “fingerprints” of God on everything. Paul adds, “Claiming to be wise, they became fools.” We actually see this when we look at the people of the world! Normally intelligent people—denying God’s existence and denying that the glory of creation belongs to Him—come up with some of the most bizarre theories about our existence, even believing it more plausible that aliens from another solar system brought humanity here. That’s some of the foolish ideas scientists propose when they deny and dismiss God the glory He is due for creation. We exchange the glory of an Immortal Creator for the “glory” of created things. We accept cheap substitutes.
 

What Do You Love More Than God?

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He Had Many Possessions

When Jesus told the rich young ruler to, “Go, sell your belongings and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven…” he confronted him with the one thing in his life that was competing for a relationship with God— his wealth! The text continues, “…but when the young man heard that command, he went away grieving, because he had many possessions” Mark 10:17-27.  Let’s be clear— Jesus didn’t tell everyone to sell all their possessions and give them to the poor. Only to those who made their possessions an idol, does He tell them to get rid of it! And, it’s not just about HAVING riches!

Wanting To Be Rich

The Apostle Paul says, “…those who WANT to BE RICH fall into temptations, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction” 1 Timothy 6:9.  So, it’s not having riches, necessarily, that is the big temptation and trap. No, Jesus said that it’s the WANTING TO BE RICH that’s the big temptation and trap to people! I’ve known individuals who were dirt poor and fell into this trap! It was the “lust” they had to BE RICH that ruled their life! It was the idol they bowed down to— WANTING to BE RICH! Those who love money, whether they have it or not, are easily deceived by it! Paul continued his warning to Timothy, “…the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains” 1 Timothy 6:10. In other words, it’s that covetous love for money that can give rise to all kinds of other deadly sins.

Be Content With These

When the “love of money” is your life’s ambition, you’ll sell out everything to get it— even your relationship with God! You’ll do whatever it takes to gain more money; and, to gain more stuff! But, you’ll never be content! Paul told Timothy that it was “…godliness with contentment that is great gain”; and, “…if we have food and clothing we should be content with these” 1 Timothy 6:6,8.  Our greatest “return on investment” comes from a life that finds contentment in God alone! If we have God! If we know Him! If He is our treasure, then food and clothing are all we really need in this life! Paul tells Timothy that it’s possible to be content with those simple necessities of life because we have all that we need in God! Do you believe that? Do you live that way? Are you content? 

Free From The Love Of Money

God inspired the writer of Hebrews to record these words:  “Keep your life free from the love of money. Be content with what you have. For He has said, ‘I will never fail you nor forsake you.’ Hence we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid; what can man do to me?’” Hebrews 13:5,6.  We can be FREE from the love of money! We can be content with what we have because God will never forsake us! He’ll never fail me! The stock market will fail me; but, God never will! Our IRA or 401K or Social Security will fail us; but, God never will! So, how do you spend your money? Jesus said, “…where your heart is, there your treasure will be…” If you treasure stuff, that’s where your heart will follow! If you treasure God’s work, that’s where your heart will follow!
 

Do I Really Own My Stuff?

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Are You An Owner Or A Steward?

You don’t want to be on the wrong side of that question! If you don’t listen to the Word of God—when it comes to your finances & your stuff—you’ll forfeit something. God will oppose you as long as you live like an “owner” of YOUR stuff rather than a “steward” or a “manager” of HIS. The prophet, Malachi, was inspired by God’s Spirit to write: “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed ME! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse” Malachi 3:8,9.   Clearly, God means for us to understand that our resources are not ours to use however we may wish!

God Owns It All

In my last post, I challenged you with Scripture that makes it clear that God owns ALL of it! He doesn’t just get our tithe & offerings; and, the rest is ours to spend on ourselves! He owns it ALL—Deuteronomy 10:14; Haggai 2:8; 1 Corinthians 10:26. As stewards, we are responsible for managing the portion of HIS “estate”—that He has entrusted to us—the way that HE wants it to be managed! We don’t have the freedom to do what we want with it! Our responsibility is to spend it the way He directs us! We have to get this right, Church! You’re the STEWARD of your stuff, not the OWNER! Repeat that out loud! You need to convince yourself of that! Here’s what you need to do—you need to do an AUDIT of your finances! And, if God’s Spirit shows you that you’ve been living like an owner instead of a steward, you need to “repent.”

Change Your Mind

To “repent” literally means to “change your mind” about something. If you’ve not been obedient, in this area, you need to repent & change your mind about the way you’ve been living! And, I would challenge you to make it a matter of prayer, every day, to release your stuff back to God! Talk to Him every day, about it, and, give it all back to Him. And, how will you know if you’re making progress? Well, you’ll begin to experience freedom from greed, first of all! When it’s part of your mindset that none of your stuff is really yours, you’ll also begin to experience a freedom from the anxiety that a love of money can bring. It all belongs to God anyway; and, He’s promised to take care of you! So, your dependence transfers from your IRA to God, right? 

Don’t Wander From The Faith

The Apostle Paul warned Timothy, his son in the faith, with these words: “But godliness with contentment is a great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out.  But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains” 1 Timothy 6:6-10. Catch the gravity of Paul’s warning to young Timothy? He tells him that the way he looks at his money & his stuff has a direct correlation to his relationship with God! And, if he gets it wrong he’s in danger of “financial apostasy”; or, wandering from the faith! Don’t do that!

The Humility Of Christ

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-We’re Usually So Full Of Ourselves!

For Jesus, to become a man was the most humbling experience God could ever endure! How foolish we are when we lift ourselves in pride as though we were really something! We won’t grasp how insignificant it is to be human unless we see ourselves as God’s image bearers! We are usually so full of ourselves; so self-centered & self-absorbed; and narcissistic, that we just don’t get the reality of our existence. Jesus’ humility, however, went way beyond lowering Himself to become a man! He died the most humiliating death ever devised to kill a criminal— Crucifixion! The pain was excruciating & the public shame beyond comprehension.

-Jesus Humiliated Himself To Serve Us!

It was especially true for this one, Who was God! For, He had created the very tree that was used to crucify Him. He humiliated Himself in order to serve us at our greatest point of need—we desperately needed a Savior because we could not possibly save ourselves! So, as we’ve talked about being Gospel lights over the last several posts, we will shine as we let God’s Holy Spirit change our attitude to the mind of Jesus Christ; even if that means humiliation in the service of others! And, church, that will only happen as we live in search of God’s approval! We will only shine as Gospel lights to our city as we seek the approval of God alone!

-We Were Created To Bring God Glory!

That was Jesus’ attitude—pleasing the Father! “He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death” Philippians 2:8. And, because of His obedience to the Father’s will, “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (vs.9-11). Edward Welch wrote a great little book titled “When People Are Big & God Is Small.” In it, he reflects on how broken & distorted is the image of God that we reflect because of our sin. We were created to bring HIM glory! We were designed with certain “needs” and “desires” that only God can fulfill. But, when we replace that “God-Shaped vacuum” in our life with the created things in this world, we take glory away from God & transfer it to that thing that becomes an idol! And, because of our sinful brokenness, it can be so easy to be caught up in idolatry; and not even be aware!

-We Need Jesus’ Attitude!

We need the attitude of Christ! Because He willingly left His throne in Heaven! Because He took the form of a slave! Because He lived His entire life here solely for our benefit! Because He stopped & lowered Himself even to the humiliating death on a cross to serve our needs! And, because of all of that, God has highly exalted Him & given Him a name above every name! In fact, that word in v.9 literally means “super exalted.” God super exalted Jesus! This is the only place in Scripture that that word is used! Everything Jesus did was for God’s glory! And, our attitude is most like Jesus when we are God-Centered in everything we do! Casting aside our personal agendas! Letting “Christ In Us” restore the image of God that we were created to reflect! God uses the church that is full of people who live their lives like that! He uses them for His glory! We need to pray that way! That God will transform our churches to live like that!

Lessons From The Potter!

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–A Parable From The Lord God!

In the Old Testament book of Jeremiah, God gives the prophet a parable to deliver to Israel’s leaders:  “This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah from the Lord:  ‘Go down at once to the potter’s house; there I will reveal My words to you.’ So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, working away at the wheel. But the jar that he was making from the clay became flawed in the potter’s hand, so he made it into another jar, as it seemed right for him to do” (18:1-4). The concept that God wanted Israel, and us, to grasp— from this parable— is that He is the ultimate Sovereign over every life! That God has the absolute authority to do whatever He wills to do with His creation in the same way that a potter has absolute jurisdiction over the creation he fashions out of the clay!

-A Lump Of Wet Dirt!

Without the potter, the pottery fashioned is nothing more than a lump of wet dirt; and, that’s true of us as well as Israel. Through the prophet Jeremiah, God continues:  “The word of the Lord came to me:  ‘House of Israel, can I not treat you as this potter treats his clay?’—this is the Lord’s declaration. ‘Just like clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, house of Israel’” (vs.5-6). When God is said to be the Potter, it means He has a definite plan for our lives in the same way that a potter has plans for his lump of clay; so, when we fight against God’s will, we’re foolishly hurting ourselves because His design for everything, including our lives, is flawless! We’re foolish to think that our plan, for our lives, is better than His.

-The Greatest Meaning In Life!

He knows ALL! He knows what is BEST! We will never find the greatest meaning, for our lives, by disobeying God! Only when we obey will we find the greatest satisfaction in life.  And, when we repent of our rebellion against His will, He promises to withhold His judgment. Israel had sinned! They had sinned severely! That’s why God had directed Jeremiah to write the words in his book! They had rebelled against God’s Sovereign plan for them; but, God makes it clear that because He is the Potter, He can withhold His right to judge Israel if they just repent and get back in alignment with His Sovereign plan for them:  “At one moment I might announce concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will uproot, tear down, and destroy it. However, if that nation I have made an announcement about turns from its evil, I will relent concerning the disaster I had planned to do to it” (vs.7-8).  He is a gracious and patient God! And, we are different from clay because we have a will! Though we may be resistant to God & unpliable, we have a will to repent & return to Him! If the nation God has pronounced judgment against repents; or, changes their mind about their sin; that, it’s not okay, then God will also change His mind & withhold punishment from them!

-He Makes Us Useable Again!

There’s another principle here; actually, back in v.4 again, that’s related to repentance:  “But the jar that he was making from the clay became flawed in the potter’s hand, so he made it into another jar, as it seemed right for him to do.”  The text doesn’t tell us how the clay became flawed; but, it was not beyond use! So, the potter remolded it and used it in another way. Clay can lose its plasticity and its strength! Plasticity means it’s flexible to the Potter’s hand to mold it the way he wants; but, it has to have the strength to hold itself in the way that the potter molds it. So, sometimes when it lacks plasticity & strength, the potter has to introduce other materials so it once again is flexible enough to hold and shape. That is such a beautiful picture of God’s great desire to use us, despite our flaws! Despite of our sins! Don’t ever think that you’re beyond repair or beyond God’s ability to use you! Repent! He will remold you!

Relationship Humility With God!

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–To Know Him Better!

So, God began to reveal Himself to us in the very beginning, Genesis chapter 1. And, as each page of Scripture is turned, we come to know Him better! It follows that we have to be in the Scriptures if we have any hope of really knowing Him & becoming intimate in a relationship with Him! As we come to the Old Testament of Isaiah, we learn that, for us to have a relationship with God, requires humility on our part! We have to humble ourselves before Him! We need to properly assess ourselves—He is God! I am not! You’re not!

–We’re Not That Awesome!

Through the Prophet Isaiah, God tells us that:  “All humanity is grass, and all its goodness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flowers fade when the breath of the Lord blows on them; indeed, the people are grass. The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the word of our God remains forever” (40:6-8). Huh! That means we’re not as awesome as we think we are! God compares us to grass that withers & blows away! We can deceive ourselves with our sense of personal sovereignty; but, only God is ultimately Sovereign! Only God calls the shots!  “Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord,” Isaiah continues, “or who gave Him His counsel? Who did He consult with? Who gave Him understanding and taught Him the paths of justice? Who taught Him knowledge and showed Him the way of understanding?” (40:13-14). Those are all meant to be read as rhetorical questions. The answer, in other words, is obvious! No one has taught or given God anything!

–No Counsel Needed!

God doesn’t need our counsel! Nor, does He need our permission to do anything! When we lift ourselves in pride we become as insignificant as dry grass to Almighty God! But, when we humble ourselves as Jesus did, we enter into a relationship with the Father. Jesus asked the Father to remove His death, on the cross, from His earthly path. But, He ultimately submitted to the Father’s will in humility! God also gave these words to Isaiah to record:  “I am Yahweh, who made everything; who stretched out the heavens by Myself; who alone spread out the earth; who destroys the omens of the false prophets and makes fools of diviners; who confounds the wise and makes their knowledge foolishness” (44:24-25). We need to humble ourselves before Almighty God! Don’t be so sure of yourself! Rather, be sure of Him; because a relationship with God requires His help. We can’t even relate to God without His help! Our sinfulness & depravity get in the way! We’re hopeless & helpless without Him! Be humble about that!  We can neither save ourselves; nor, can we keep ourselves saved! He is our help! He is our strength when we admit that we are powerless.

-The Everlasting God!

Inspired by God’s Holy Spirit, Isaiah also wrote:  “Do you not know? Have you not heard? Yahweh is the everlasting God, the Creator of the whole earth. He never grows faint or weary; there is no limit to His understanding. He gives strength to the weary and strengthens the powerless. Youths may faint and grow weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint” (40:28-31) God never sleeps nor slumbers! He never takes a day off or goes on vacation! He’s always available to help! He is the Creator and the Sustainer of everything! Why do we insist on living for ourselves; and, trying to fix life’s problems all by ourselves? That’s faithless! God is big enough to carry our load; and, the other 7 billion people circling the sun with us! Throw your weight on Him! He is the everlasting God!

What A Fool Says About God!

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-The “Angry Theist”!

Do you know what a fool says about God? A fool says that God doesn’t exist! That’s the claim of the Old Testament book of Proverbs:  “The fool says in his heart, ‘God does not exist” (Proverbs 14:1). He’s a fool because he doesn’t know what he doesn’t know! And, most often, in my experience, I’ve found that the person who claims to be an atheist is just an “angry theist.” In his heart he knows there’s a God; but, he’s mad at Him over something that happened in his life; and, he blames God for it. So, he refuses to yield to God’s Sovereignty.

-Authentic Wisdom!

Authentic wisdom grows as we learn to fear God! So, the fool, who doesn’t believe God exists, can never become a truly wise person! “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; but, fools despise wisdom and discipline” (Proverbs 1:7). Let’s talk about the fear of the Lord; because, unfortunately, I’ve found that it confuses some people. Keep in mind our word “fear” is translated from the original Hebrew language that the Old Testament was written in. And, sometimes, in translation work, there just isn’t an adequate word in one language to properly express the meaning in another. That’s the case, here, with the word “fear.” This is not the kind of fear we might have of a snake; or, going to the dentist or doctor; or, of some extreme danger. This “fear” is more of awe or reverence of great respect!

–The Fear Of God!

If you play a little basketball, to “fear” LeBron James is to have such awe or respect for who he is & for his incredible abilities that you couldn’t bring yourself to stand beside him on a basketball court.  To “fear” God means you’re awed that He has such power that He could speak the world into existence! To “fear” Him is to honor Him with such respect that you want to know Him! You want to know what He’s said in His word so you can be in proper standing & relationship with Him! When you truly come to understand what it means to fear Him, you’ll no longer fear anything or anyone else! He’s that awesome! The more you humble yourself before Him, the more you’ll desire to learn from Him!  And, in that way, you’ll grow in wisdom according to the book of Proverbs! The authentic wisdom, of God, will expose you, however, if you’re a fool! If you’re an unbeliever! If you deny His existence! Because, remember, that, “…FOOLS despise the wisdom & discipline…” of the Lord, Solomon says (1:7).

–2 Kinds Of Wisdom!

There are only 2 kinds of wisdom! There is God’s wisdom; as recorded in the words of Scripture! And, there is the “wisdom” of sinful man which is always contrary to God’s wisdom. If God’s wisdom says, “don’t cheat, steal, lie or sleep with someone you’re not married to”; the world’s “wisdom” says, “Go ahead and cheat, steal & lie… just don’t get caught.” Oh, and, “sleep with anyone you want to! It’s okay as long as you love them.” The absence of God in the so-called “wisdom” of the world is ultimately its fatal flaw! The world’s “wisdom” is always a moving target! It changes with the times & societal more’s. But, the wisdom of God is immutable; like, He is! It never changes because He never changes! He will always be what He’s always been! Wisdom is not just a “way of life”; it’s the way “to life”— to life everlasting with God! In His wisdom; and, His love for us, He speaks His gospel of peace to us:  “Quit your rebellion,” He says, “confess your sin to Me! Quit fighting & waging war against Me! I offer you peace through the blood of Jesus & His work on the cross for you! Don’t be a FOOL any longer! Come to Me! I give you love, mercy & grace!”

Living Life Wisely!

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-Which Invite Would You Choose?

Imagine you received invitations to eat out at 2 different restaurants. One invitation is to one of the finest dining establishments in your town! Great food! Great atmosphere! Fantastic service! The other invitation is to a greasy spoon kind of place that serves what everyone calls “mystery meat” because no one is quite sure what it is. The locals call it the “Road Kill Grill.” No one is sure how many times it’s nearly been shut down by the health inspector. It’s dirty & the staff is rude! Which invite are you probably going to choose?

-The Wise & Foolish Decisions We Make!

While the choice, between the 2 restaurants, seems rather obvious, we tend not to choose well between wisdom & foolishness! That contrast between the “wise” decisions & the “foolish” ones— along with the consequences of your decision— is really what the Old Testament book of Proverbs is all about! Someone said:  “A proverb is a timeless truth in the form of a simple illustration that exposes a fundamental reality of life.” They’re timeless truths because they’ve been inspired by an All-Wise eternal God who has built them into the very fabric of His creation! So, they’re timeless!

-Wisdom Crosses All Generational Lines!

That means they cross all generational lines—they’re just as true for you Baby Boomers as they are for the Generation X’ers and the Millennials of our world! And, the “wise” among us will read them, take heed & adjust their life accordingly; while, the “fool” rejects the counsel & experiences a pain-filled life! The Book of Proverbs contains themes! Multiple themes about every area of life— the family, marriage, parenting, children; as well as business & work & retirement! There are Proverbs about sex, your thought life, your speech, your conduct in private & your conduct in public! There are Proverbs about how to deal with a loud mouth & gossip; and, how to handle conflict & strife.

-There Is God’s Way & The Foolish Way!

And, for every theme or subject mentioned, there are “foolish” ways to respond and there is the “wise” way to respond. The foolish response is always to learn the hard way; while, the wise respond by reading God’s word & acting in obedience and consort with it! There is God’s way & the foolish way! Those are the only 2 options! Here’s what a wise person told me long ago:  “Experience is a great teacher; and, a fool will learn no other way.” You might say that the wise assimilate God’s word & corrects their course of life! The fool keeps doing the same thing—living life in defiance & disobedience to God’s word—and, they keep expecting different & better results!

-Living Life Proactively!

But it won’t happen! The wise live their lives proactively! They read from the Scriptures, what God— the Creator & Master Designer— has written, as laws, into His Creation; and, they make course corrections BEFORE they step on life’s landmines & blow up their domain! Over the next few posts, I plan to consider some of the themes in the book of Proverbs! And, I hope you’ll consider them with me! Let me just finish up today with one Proverbs theme & hopefully you’ll come back next week for more! Wisdom teaches us to be cautious choosing our friends! This is a really big deal! Your friends will either build you up or tear you down! For example: “Don’t make friends with an angry man & don’t’ be a companion of a hot-tempered man or you will learn his ways” (Prov 22:24-25). Choose friends poorly & you’ll suffer harm!