Proverbs 23:22-28
(22) Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.
(23) Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
(24) The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.
(25) Let your father and mother be glad; let her who bore you rejoice.
(26) My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.
(27) For a prostitute is a deep pit; an adulteress is a narrow well.
(28) She lies in wait like a robber and increases the traitors among mankind.
This is a timely word for me. Lately I keep having these nightmares that I am dabbling in porn. I know that part of this comes from the times when I see more than I should online. I'm not as careful as I once was. I don't go looking for porn, but I don't need to read the Fox News story about how the two stars of "Peepshow" were hanging out by a pool in Vegas either.
Verse 28 really hit home with me today. Let's face it -- the many of the models today are effectively like the prostitute in these proverbs. She leads men astray. Some of these ladies have been at it for a long time. Obviously they like having the money that comes from the modeling. Maybe their intentions are not to lead more men astray. However, that is invariably what happens.
It is so easy to go down the wrong roads. I pray for a clearer vision of the cross and the freedom that He bought for me there. It's great that I don't have to give in to the flesh anymore no matter how strongly it cries out. I thank God for a renewed vigor in this fight.
Showing posts with label proverbs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label proverbs. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Be Prepared
Proverbs 21:31
(31) The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the LORD.
I think this verse flies in the face of the "let go and let God" mentality. Of course, that old maxim is true to a point. However, this verse also tells us that we need to prepare the horse for the day of battle as well. We can't just sit back and expect that God is going to do all the lifting for us. There seems to be a partnership here.
I think of this in terms of evangelism too. I am certainly committed to praying for folks who don't know Jesus because I know that no one gets argued into the Kingdom. However, I also know that it is my job to preach the gospel to them. The ultimate victory belongs to the Lord.
I also think that this verse puts the glory in the proper place. God gets all the glory for any victories in battle. If we think that it is just because of our own brilliance, determination, or hard work then we will try to take the glory for ourselves. That is always a mistake.
(31) The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the LORD.
I think this verse flies in the face of the "let go and let God" mentality. Of course, that old maxim is true to a point. However, this verse also tells us that we need to prepare the horse for the day of battle as well. We can't just sit back and expect that God is going to do all the lifting for us. There seems to be a partnership here.
I think of this in terms of evangelism too. I am certainly committed to praying for folks who don't know Jesus because I know that no one gets argued into the Kingdom. However, I also know that it is my job to preach the gospel to them. The ultimate victory belongs to the Lord.
I also think that this verse puts the glory in the proper place. God gets all the glory for any victories in battle. If we think that it is just because of our own brilliance, determination, or hard work then we will try to take the glory for ourselves. That is always a mistake.
Thursday, April 02, 2009
The Reason for Education
Proverbs 19:2
(2) Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.
Someone from my small group decided to go out on his own and start his own Internet Congregation. He invited me to join this group, so I'm trying to be a voice for orthodoxy while there. What I'm seeing is a group that is hungry for some kind of spiritual connection to God, but they don't like the authority that comes from a church. Therefore, they're going to try to do it their own way.
This reminds me of Ignorant in Pilgrim's Progress who made his way to the Celestial City on his own by following his own path. However, when he tried to enter he was surprised to find that he was not admitted and was sent into hell. That's a pretty terrifying thought.
Maybe I'm biased about this proverb because I'm finishing my third year of seminary. All I know is that I don't want to be like Ignorant.
(2) Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.
Someone from my small group decided to go out on his own and start his own Internet Congregation. He invited me to join this group, so I'm trying to be a voice for orthodoxy while there. What I'm seeing is a group that is hungry for some kind of spiritual connection to God, but they don't like the authority that comes from a church. Therefore, they're going to try to do it their own way.
This reminds me of Ignorant in Pilgrim's Progress who made his way to the Celestial City on his own by following his own path. However, when he tried to enter he was surprised to find that he was not admitted and was sent into hell. That's a pretty terrifying thought.
Maybe I'm biased about this proverb because I'm finishing my third year of seminary. All I know is that I don't want to be like Ignorant.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Getting Dirty
Proverbs 14:4
(4) Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
Proverbs do not always contain absolute propositional truth. As a genre, they are trustworthy sayings that will typically apply. I think it is possible to hold this position and not lose any sense of inerrancy.
However, I don't think anyone can argue with this proverb. Oxen make a mess. They eat a lot and they poop a lot. Yet without them it was impossible to tend a field effectively. This is something that I think we can apply to a couple of things.
First, I think we need to acknowledge the work that must go into producing things. Nothing happens without some upkeep time. I wish it weren't so as a homeowner and car owner, but it is.
Second, I think of our world's tendency to "go green." It seems to me that this violates this proverb. We want to remain an industrialized world without the messiness of carbon emissions. While we can debate the damage done by carbon emissions, I think the general tendency is to reduce them altogether. Crazy, isn't it?
(4) Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
Proverbs do not always contain absolute propositional truth. As a genre, they are trustworthy sayings that will typically apply. I think it is possible to hold this position and not lose any sense of inerrancy.
However, I don't think anyone can argue with this proverb. Oxen make a mess. They eat a lot and they poop a lot. Yet without them it was impossible to tend a field effectively. This is something that I think we can apply to a couple of things.
First, I think we need to acknowledge the work that must go into producing things. Nothing happens without some upkeep time. I wish it weren't so as a homeowner and car owner, but it is.
Second, I think of our world's tendency to "go green." It seems to me that this violates this proverb. We want to remain an industrialized world without the messiness of carbon emissions. While we can debate the damage done by carbon emissions, I think the general tendency is to reduce them altogether. Crazy, isn't it?
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