hide and seek

I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me.

- Proverbs 8:17 (NKJV)

 

Proverbs 8 has 36 verses, which seems a little long for my daily chat, but I encourage you to read it because there are some real thought-provoking statements and gems to find.

My interpretation of Proverbs 8 is “wisdom” as a feminine being (verse 2 She takes her stand at the top of the high hill) talking about the good and wonderful things you have when you have wisdom.

As we arrive at verse 22, wisdom says, “the Lord possessed me at the beginning”, which indicates to me that in today’s verse, “I love those who love me”  the word “me” is synonymous with God.

Those who love God and seek Him diligently will find Him.

Knowing God is wisdom.

For those who find God, find life.

Go read Proverbs 8, you won’t be sad that you did.

 

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it’s what you do

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.

- Psalm 1:1 (NKJV)

 

At first this verse was confusing for me, so I did a little research on it.

I love the fact that we can see other translations as well as using Google to determine what God’s word means (just remember that things you read on the internet are not always true, and if you genuinely don’t understand something you should speak to a pastor).

The book of Psalms begins with letting us know that God knows us, He sees us and when we live according to His word, things will be good for us, but not so good for those who don’t live righteously.
Look at the Expanded Bible (EXB) translation: Happy are those who don’t listen to the wicked, who don’t go where sinners go, who don’t do what evil people do. 
That seems a little clearer than some other versions I read. 
Basically, we have two choices in life – we can live peaceful lives where we follow the law and the word of God and we reap the benefits of being good or we can ignore goodness and take the path of evil, rebelling against God and everything He has set up for us. 

In my opinion that is not a difficult decision, personally I would much rather do good and be happy.

But there are others that are enticed by things of this world, easy living, getting something for nothing and being angry all the time.

I don’t want to live angry. 
The horrible things happening around us are better handled by God than by mankind, you hear in the media every day about people just going crazy. 
Sin and ungodly lifestyles are portrayed as glamorous in movies and books, people are entertained by making a spectacle of themselves then defending their right to live outside the lines. 
But ask them if they are truly happy and they will likely respond that they are not.
That they are bullied or held in contempt and often ostracized for the way they choose to live. 
The Bible tells us that to be happy and blessed we should live right, and living right is holding tight to God’s word.

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don’t take them out

I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.

- John 17:15 (NKJV)

 

Did you know that after the last supper, Jesus spent time with His disciples, explaining to them what the future would look like for them as His followers and how they should plan to spend their remaining time on earth. 
He told them that He would be betrayed by one of them, that another would deny Him. 
He instructed them to tell others of the Father and that He would send them a Helper (the Holy Spirit) when He was gone.  
He warned them that they would be hated and rejected, and some would die, but because of what was to come they would have eternal life through Him. 
Then He prayed for them. 

He asked God to protect them as they faced the rest of their lives being chased, jailed, tortured and for some of them, killed for telling people about His life and the sacrifices He made for them. 
Jesus could have asked God to bring the twelve directly to Heaven after His death and resurrection, rather than have them face a life of persecution. 
But knowing what the future held, Jesus prayed for their protection. 
He prayed that the Father would give them the strength to follow through with His divine plan, no matter the circumstances they found themselves in.

Do you believe that Jesus prays the same prayer for us? 
He wants us to spread His love and peace to those who do not know Him, and He prays that the Father protects us from evil while we fulfill His great commission.

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only one

One Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

- Ephesians 4:5-6 (NKJV)

 

In 1986 a film was released called “Highlander”, which ended up being the first of a series of sequels and the basis of a subsequent television spinoff. 
The plot of both the movies and the television series was of a centuries old war between immortal warriors, with the tagline “There can be only one”. 
While the fantasy action-adventure story is riveting if you like that sort of genre, the part that rings true is that there really can be only one. 
Growing up, I was fascinated with mythology from all regions and all the gods that each culture has. 
They all have good and bad gods but it seems that even in mythology the gods were always in battle to determine who was the best. 
But our God says there can be only one (I am the Lord your God, you shall have no other gods before me). 
In his letters to the church of Ephesus, Paul was encouraging the early church, instructing the people to not be divided by their previous beliefs as Gentiles or Jews. 
This included of course the direction to walk in unity with one another following the teaching of the one true God. 
We are truly blessed that God lives within each of us, that He guides us.

By adhering to our faith and honoring our baptism we are honoring God, who will provide for our every need. 
He is the one amazing and awesome Father of all. 

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ya’all listen now

You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.

- Deuteronomy 4:2 (NKJV)

 

Humans are weird. 
You won’t see a cat that suddenly decides that he doesn’t want to cat anymore and start walking upright like a human. 
You won’t see a dog that has determined that that she isn’t interested in barking but will meow instead. 
But you will see humans that pick out two or three words from the Bible and expand on it in crazy ways. 
A prime example is all the memes that say, “if money is the root of all evil, why do churches ask for it”? when the actual verse in 1 Timothy 6 reads “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” 
Or how about Romans 8:28 which reads “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” but popular theory is “In all things God works for the [material] good of everybody.” 

It’s amazing what you can do to Scripture when you form it to your own thoughts. 
Perhaps a favorite is Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ Jesus, who strengthens me.” And seeing this inspirational verse with a hashtag philippians413fitness and pictures of people working out because this verse must be about exercise.  
By the way, Philippians 4:13 is not about our potential, but about our contentment.
While the world influencers tell us we can do anything we set our minds to, God tells us we are to be content where we are, and that it’s possible through His strength!

Stop taking words in the Bible out of context, you can’t just read one verse and assume what it is about, you have to read more. 
I believe it is very clear in Deuteronomy that we are not to add or take words from His commandments, I also believe that it includes the whole Bible. 
Don’t twist things up to match what you want to say. 
You didn’t say it first and you certainly didn’t say it best.  

 

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many generations

Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments.

- Deuteronomy 7:9 (NKJV)

 

This past weekend most of my family gathered in Iowa to celebrate my father-in-law’s 80^th birthday (happy birthday again, Dad!). 
Seeing three generations together laughing, playing, praying, and loving each other is good for the soul, especially when it is your family. 
It was a weekend that will stay in my cherished memories for a long time to come.  
God has loved us and kept his promises for over a thousand generations, having three together this weekend was just the topping on the ice cream.

There is yet another great song by Bethel Music called Be Enthroned that fits this verse: 
We've come to join the song

Sung long before our lives

To raise our voice along

Heaven and earth alike

We've seen Your faithful hand

Your mercy without end

A King who bled and died

A God who sacrificed

Be enthroned upon the praises

Of a thousand generations

You are worthy. Lord of all

Unto You, the slain and risen King

We lift our voice with heaven singing

Worthy, Lord of all

All through this life we lead

And on to eternity

Our endless praise will cry

Jesus be glorified

All through this life we lead

And on to eternity

Our endless praise will cry

Jesus be glorified

…

God is faithful, has been faithful and will continue to be faithful. 
I am thankful for generations of family that knows His faithfulness and teaches it to each new generation.

 

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rock solid

There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.

- 2 Samuel 2:2 (NIV)

 

I truly believe there is music in my soul, I can find a song to reference almost everything in my life.

I listen to all types of music, and I find beauty in most of the songs, but I especially appreciate the songs that have lyrics that speak to me. 
In 1834 Edward Mote, a pastor at Rehoboth Baptist Church in West Sussex, England wrote a hymn that was put to music by William Batchelder Bradbury in 1963: 
My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus Christ, my righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;

All other ground is sinking sand,

All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness veils His lovely face,

I rest on His unchanging grace;

In every high and stormy gale,

My anchor holds within the veil.

...

His oath, His covenant, His blood,

Support me in the whelming flood;

When all around my soul gives way,

He then is all my hope and stay.

...

When He shall come with trumpet sound,

Oh, may I then in Him be found;

In Him, my righteousness, alone,

Faultless to stand before the throne.

...
There is no rock like God. 

Several bands have recorded this next song snippet written by Paul Baloche called Rock of Ages: 
There Is No Rock,

There Is No God Like Our God,

No Other Name

Worthy Of All Our Praise.

The Rock Of Salvation

That Cannot Be Moved,

He’s Proven Himself

To Be Faithful And True.

There Is No Rock,

There Is No God Like Ours.

There Is No Rock,

There Is No God Like Our God,

No Other Name

Worthy Of All Our Praise.

...

Rock Of Ages, Jesus Is The Rock.

Rock Of Ages, Jesus Is The Rock.

Rock Of Ages, Jesus Is The Rock.

There Is No Rock,

There Is No God Like Ours.

...
Ya’all.  
There really is only one. 
He is the Rock, the Rock of Salvation, the Rock where we can build our house and be safe forever. 
Rock on! 

 

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