Hunger and Thirst

"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people." Proverbs 14:34

I just finished reading a presidential biography written by a man who walked this politico through several campaigns for state and national office. If half of what written is true, we have had a country in moral meltdown for decades. The level of personal and corporate rebellion revealed in this book staggered me. The spirit of lawlessness that is held by those who hold our highest offices is appalling. The willingness of people to serve the interests of such people and then transition themselves to be highly paid spokespersons of insight and wisdom to our nation on national cable shows is troubling. Have they no shame? I am haunted by the statement, "What the leader does in moderation, the people will do in excess."

The Pharisees believed prayer, giving, and fasting were the three vital signs of righteousness. They agreed among themselves that doing these things not only made them right with God, but better than every one else. Jesus did not condemn their choice of righteous acts. He judged their hearts. He knew they may have been doing what was right, but they still had a rebellious attitude towards God. They resented having to jump through hoops, and believed God owed them health, wealth, power and prestige for doing so. They killed Jesus for exposing them as posers and hypocrites for doing the right things with the wrong heart or attitude.

Miss Sheldon was my third grade teacher at O.M. Roberts elementary school in Dallas, Texas. She was the first person who challenged me to believe one person can make a difference in the world. She saw a problem with littering and challenged us all to spend the rest of our lives resisting the urge to be a litterbug. She led us in a pledge that made us part of a club, and handed out membership cards. I kept the card in my Roy Rogers plastic wallet until it became so ragged that it had the texture of gauze. The symbol decayed, but I have kept the pledge for half a century. To this day, I still want to slam my car into a senseless jerk who can't keep his flaming cigarette butt in his car. Why does he have to throw his cans and fastfood debris out the window while speeding 15 miles over the posted limit. So glad he wants a smoke free, litter free environment in his truck. Guess his garbage is too heavy for his four wheel drive to carry. Bless his heart. Note: God knows I mean something else.

"Righteousness exalts a nation." So how does one person make a big difference? How does one person's right thinking and right living exalt an entire nation. Simple answer: One person at a time. Simply put, right is the opposite of wrong. That is the easy part. Now the real problem is for a nation to agree on what is right and what is wrong. "The Sixties" produced alot of insipid and insidious statements that became ingrained in a generation people now leading our nation. One of the most dangerous ones was, "It does not matter what you believe as long as you are sincere." I guess in the drug fogged haze of that decade this appeared to be a postive politically correct sense of direction. Guess they missed, "There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." (Proverbs 14:12) Their stinking thinking, and foggy logic paved the way for good Christian people to agree that a baby did not have any rights in need of protection. The death toll is in the millions and rising. What seems right is not always what is right.

"Sin is a disgrace to any people." O, really? Recent events in our country lead me to believe that on a national level there has been the death of shame in America. We love our celebrities. Pastors can put aside their wives and still carry on national TV programs as if nothing happened. Politicians can hire a word smith to parse phrases needed to say just enough to bounce opinion polls in favorable direction. Watch an episode of "Cops," "Speeders", "Cheaters," "Dr. Phil," and you see an attitude of rebellion that reaches every level of our culture.

Sin begins with a wrong attitude and leads to wrong behavior. The message of Proverbs bases sin on a person's frame of mind towards what God has to say to them. Any defiance of God's commandments begins with a hatred in the heart for God's Word. The post-modern thought of recent years has removed the authority of God from the national arena. "What is true for you is not true for me." is their contribution to the debate on right and wrong.

So what can be done? Admit today that you are the only person in this world that you have any control over. You can whine all you want about the behavior of people in high places and the ruin posed by politically correct thinking. Stop cursing the darkness and light the way. If you are one of the few that see that our nation is in trouble it is because God is creating a new hunger and a new thirst in the hearts of a group of people who are weary of swallowing the swill of sin.

Jesus established the constitution of His Kingdom with the preamble, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness." (Matthew 5:6) Your hunger and thirst are vital signs of a fresh work God is doing in your life. Don't settle for a quick snack of Christian Lite. Start savoring the smell of the feast God is preparing for people who will drop their greasy sack of politically correct or culturally compromised bologna sandwiches and come to His banquet table.

Don't substitute doing the right thing for becoming the right person. God knows you heart and will accept you just as you are, but He loves you too much to leave you the way He found you. Jesus said, "Except your righteousness surpasses that of the Scribes and Pharisees you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:20) Jesus stamps in blood, "Born Again," on the passports of the citizens of His Kingdom.

You are responsible to God for your attitude towards God and His Word. A lawyer practices law. A doctor practices medicine. A musician practices his music. A child of God practices Christianity. Each discipline has a set of guidelines that when followed will lead to the right result. Christians are declared right by Sovereign God when they place their trust in Jesus as their Savior and Lord. Citizens of Christ's Kingdom are part of the family of God. They are not immune from the temptation of sin, but they react to it differently. It shames them to bring embarrassment on the family. They may stumble and fall. They may fail to make the right choices. They may not always have the right heart attitude even when they do the right thing. The difference is a willingness of heart to agree with their Father that they are on the wrong path. They step our of the dark and ask God for His light. They follow His directions to get back on course. They respect their Father's counsel, and reject their own rebellious attitude.

This is called practicing Christianity. To do less is to practice sin, and God says that is a disgrace to any people. "No one who is born of God practices sin...By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious; anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, not the one who does not love his brother." (I John 3:9-10) Got to go. God has called a special practice session just for me to get me ready for the big game tomorrow.

God's Rod

"He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently." Proverbs 13:24

The operative word in this proverb is "discipline." Too often it is lost in the rush to reach for the "rod." It was never meant to be a tool for tyrants and rage-a-holics posing as parents.

I saw the rod used sparingly, but effectively while serving in East Africa from 1972-1974. One day a group of children gathered around us while we were field dressing a Zebra after a hunt outside of Arusha. This was a big deal for them, and like children everywhere they began to get rambunctious and were close to becoming a hazard as they pushed and played around the kill zone. In the distance an old man wrapped in a red cloak carrying a walking stick could be seen approaching. The children began to disperse slowly until only one persistent, and particularly annoying child was left. We began to converse with the man after he arrived, and he announced he was the elder, or chief of this area. We offered him a portion of the kill, and continued our work. I heard a "whack" sound and looked up and the kid that had been in the way, was walking away from the Zebra rubbing his head. With lightning speed, and not a word spoken the elder had delivered a disciplined blow to the hard-headed child. Nothing abusive, just quick and to the point. The word was out on the old man, and the others had gotten the message on some other occasion. This last kid had stayed after school and learned not to embarrass the village. I'm not sellin', just sayin'...

The Americanized version of Samuel Butler's 1682 satirical poem is usually confused with Scripture: "Spare the rod and spoil the child." This is often repeated under-the-breath style by observers of the never-ending "kids rule" temper tantrums thrown in public. Before cell phone cams, security cameras and a public ban on spanking, it was once spoken by parents before, during and immediately after whacking their wayward child in public. Now it is the least quoted proverb in America. It has been replaced by PCC...Politically Correct Countdown. You have heard it in movie theatres, stores and churches all over the land. It goes something like this, "Now________(Fill in the blank with Trevor, Buffy, Scotty, Sky, Star, Willow, Wiccan, Precious, Princess, or a host of other new age namesakes), I'm going to count to three." Then parents expose the extent of their parenting skills with an extended "WWWWWWWUUUNNN, TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOO,..Don't make me count to three, (breath) THREEEEEEEEEEEEEE....(Still countng.) Meanwhile, everyone within the sound of the ear-piercing screams of another child gone wild is looking for an exit or a big stick. Makes me long for East African discipline.

I recenlty discovered that National Spank Out Day is held each year on my birthday, April 30th.
My parents didn't celebrate this in our home, not even on my birthday. Sounds like a great plan if spanking is replaced by sound discipline. More likely it will be replaced by the deafening sound of silence.

Paul Burleson, once shared with me that parents make the greatest mistake when they treat their children the same. I was a young father at the time and this caught my attention. He said that he had men come to him over the years with the lament, "I don't know what happened to my kids, I treated them all the same." His response was priceless. He would remind them that they know enough about hunting not to treat their dogs the same. They get a good hunting dog by getting them to do what they want done, but going about it a different way depending on the personality traits of the dog. Wise man that Paul Burleson.

Oscar Thompson, my evangelism professor in seminary gave me the best definition of "disciple" I have ever heard. I find it interesting that you can hardly write the word "discipline" without spelling the word "disciple." Dr. Thompson described a disciple as a life long learner who has

1. A personal relationship with the teacher
2. Allows the teacher to exercise authority and jurisdiction over their lives
3. A willingness to face persecution for what they believe

Another one of my heroes, Bill Stafford, taught me, "God's purpose for you is to knock you out of you, so He can fill you with Himself. So get over yourself and accept what God is up to in your life." Sounds remarkably close to what we read in the Word of God. Way to go "Wild Bill."

"For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines." Hebrews 12:6

"Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?" Hebrews 12:9

"All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness." Hebrews 12:11

Ok, got to wrap this up. Proverbs is not about giving us permission to knock the stuffing out of our kids. Nor does it rule out the use of the rod in a restrictive and constructive way. It challenges and encourages parents that they will get the desired results when they "seek him diligently with discipline." Parenting is not for the faint of heart or the weak of knees. Get with God in prayer and find out what He has planned for your child. Pray for and with your child to find God's direction and correction. Cooperate with Him to bring about His best in your child. Note: Before our girls would leave our home for date, slumber party, school or whatever, we would pray with them and let them hear us ask God to let them get caught when they did something wrong. They hated it then, but they love to remind us of it now. God answers prayer. Case closed. 'Nuff said.

It is also a reminder to every Christ follower of God's diligence to discipline His kids no matter who they are or how old they are. God knows us so well. We sometimes envy how He works in another person's life. They are having a party in their life and God wants us to take out the garbage in ours.

Ever hear a kid say,"Snot fair!" You have probably said it yourself recently. The truth of the matter is that same pruning process that you envy would not bring about the best fruit in you. This lesson is hard to learn and even harder to accept. When God desires to bring about a change in you, He will do whatever it takes to knock you out of you. His process results in your progress. Don't hang around the zebra too long. You'll need a helmet and alot of ice. Whack! Whew, that's gonna leave a mark!

Good News for AWF-ful Thoughts

"Anxiety in the heart of a man weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad." Proverbs 12:25

For nine months we have been trying to get a final reconstructive surgery scheduled for my wife. She had radical surgery for breast cancer in February of this year, and was to have her final surgery completed in May. There has been delay after delay stacked on postponement and postponement. What started out as a matter of concern grew heavier and heavier every time word came that the surgery would have to be done later. In October we were weighed down by the constant delivery of bad news. There was no physical weight that had been put on us to carry, but it was a very heavy feeling nonetheless.

The Bible warns about letting Anxiety, Worry, or Fear take control of your life. A.W.F.-ful thoughts are like flashing lights on the dashboard of a car. They are not meant to light the way, but are meant to bring us to a stop in order to correct a problem.

Dana and I admitted that we had fallen into a trap of talking about the problem more than praying about it. The cure for anxiety is very clear. TALK LESS AND PRAY MORE. "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

Sometimes people refer to the concept of talking something to death. That has seldom been my experience. When I talk about something more than I pray about it, it does not die. It grows larger and larger until it takes on a life all its own. It becomes all consuming. It is so intimidating and so in my face that it blocks my view of God. When I pray about something more than I talk about it, the reverse happens. It shrinks. When I place it in God's hands instead of trying to wrestle with it in my own strength, it takes on smaller dimensions. My perspective on A.W.F.-ful thoughts changes when they have God's hand prints on them. When they have my perspiration on them they are magnified.

Several years ago, I decided to search the Internet to see if the rest of the world had any A.W.F-ful thoughts or if I was alone in this matter. What I discovered humored me and sobered me at the same time. Google fear and you will discover an ever-expanding list of phobias that have taken over people's lives. They can be clinically diagnosed with massive amounts of fear from all directions. When you search for anxiety there are all kinds of sites that give people a forum to list their angst. My favorite was a website for worry. It gave people a place to comment on what they were worried about the most. It ran the gamut, as the saying goes, from the ridiculous to the sublime. My favorite was a from a fellow who wrote. "I worry that someday I might forget how to spel...Oh noooooooooooo...Its happening!" This guy didn't have enough to do, or he wasn't taking other people's pain very seriously. Thank God He does.

Jesus said, "Come unto Me all who are weary, and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart: and YOU SHALL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light." Matt. 11:28-30
This beautiful passage provides us a way out from under the burden of anxiety that weighs a heart down. When we lean into the yoke, we are leaning on Jesus. The weight is rolled from our shoulders over on to His. The question is, "How long do I need to lean on Him." The answer is, "For the REST of your life."

Prideful people have A.W.F-ful thoughts take control of their lives and rob them from relief that is just a prayer away. "Humble yourselves under the mighty had of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you." I Peter 5:6-7

A.W.F.-ful thoughts will continue to weigh the heart down unless they are replaced with good news. Answered prayer is the best news that anyone can ever receive. The first week of October my wife and I admitted to one another and to our church family that we had been guilty of talking more and praying less about the scheduling of her surgery. We saw the flashing lights on our dashboard and we stopped moving in the wrong direction. We took the corrective steps of enlisting 500 people in 25 states to assist us with rolling this off of our shoulders and getting it over on to Christ's shoulders. We admitted we had no control over the issue. With no small amount of humiliation we admitted to God that we were sweating over something in our own effort that we should have placed into His hands months ago. Within 72 hours prayers began to be answered.

By the first week of November we received the official good news that Dana's surgery is scheduled for December 10th at 8 AM in Washington Regional Hospital in Fayetteville, Arkansas. We also have received word from a friend in the area that he wants to assist us with housing while we are there. He later surprised us with more good news that his daughter is the head nurse for the surgeon that will be operating on Dana. We didn't know our friend was in the area when we began to pray for relief. God knew. He just wanted us to pray to Him for relief from anxiety and let Him take care of the details.

Anxiety weighs down the heart, but answered prayer is the best news in the world. It makes the heart glad to get rid of A.W.F.-ful thoughts. TALK LESS AND PRAY MORE. It will do your heart some good. BTW: You look like you could use some good news today.
 

The Way of the Lord

"The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the upright, but ruin to the workers of iniquity." Proverbs 10:29

In August 0f 1973 I was privileged to be a part of a team who climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, East Africa. Suzi and Char Martin, two MKs (missionary kids) from Arusha had put the trip together, and did most of the planning and assembling of gear. The climb was a five day, 85 mile round trip journey that took us from 7,000 ft. elevation to Uhuru Peak at 19,500 ft. We were accompanied by guides for the entire trip, but did not take much notice of them until the last night of the climb. After all, the snow capped peak was pretty easy to see. We knew we were heading in the right direction.

The first night we spent at 10,000 ft. elevation, the second night at 15,000 feet, and the third day in the late afternoon we arrived at a small cabin at the base of the scree at 17,000 feet elevation. This is where the prolonged effects of altitude sickness began to impact us. We had started out with 14 climbers, and now we were down to 13. One of our most athletic members of the team had dropped out somewhere between 10,000-15,000 feet. He was from the seacoast city of Mombasa and the intensifying change in elevation was too much for his body to accommodate. One of our guides had to take him down the mountain, and we were left with one to help us finish the climb. If anyone else had trouble, the climb would be over and we would all have to head down the mountain. Suddenly the guide took on new importance to us.

The guide gathered us at midnight for the final ascent. We all gathered together and pledged that we would all make it to the top. This began a seven hour ordeal of three steps forward and two steps back on the sandy soil called the scree. The guide traversed us back and forth up the mountain. He began with baby steps that left us frustrated. Taking three steps and resting over and over again for the first hour was frustrating. We were climbing under a full moon, and we could see clearly where we wanted to go, but he would not let us get ahead of him. He knew more than we knew. He was letting our bodies slowly adjust to the ever increasing altitude. After the first hour, we were begging him to slow down. The pace was grueling. It was still only three steps, but now we would collapse in exhaustion and then get up and take three more. The cold was intense. Water froze in our canteens, and the dust from the scree coated our tongues. We would break off ice from the mountain to try and get moisture, but it refused to melt in our mouths. A couple members of the team began to weaken, and that meant we had to carry them on our backs or abandon the climb. One of the team members began to hallucinate and started back down the mountain. I tackled him, and then carried him back up to the rest of the team. It was a very long night.

The guide said very little to us, but he stayed with us every step of the way. If we followed him and the sound of his voice we would make it to the top. If we lost contact with him, we were in trouble. No words can describe the joy we felt at reaching the lower summit at dawn. The bright morning sun rising up out of the clouds on the horizon was spectacular. The guide said he would take us farther if we wanted to go to Uhuru peak. It was only another 500 feet high. Six of us went with him, but we discovered the next few hundred feet would take us over five hours. The path took us across the glacier, and with the warming of the snow cap, we would collapse up to our waists and have to dig out of the ice over and over and over again. Finally, we reached the highest point in Africa. We rested a few minutes and headed back down to the valley below. Interestingly, once we had been to the top of the mountain, the relatively low elevation that had bothered us the night before was not a factor. That story will have to wait.

Isaiah prophesied (Isaiah 30:21)that a time would come when God would personally guide and direct their paths: "And your ears will hear a word behind you, 'This is the way, walk in it.' " Acts 9: 2 records one of the earliest references to Christ-followers as people of "The Way." This word for way can be translated journey, manner, path, or road. Proverbs describes the way of the Lord as a path leading to a mountain stronghold.

The first three chapters of Revelation reveal what Jesus spoke to His churches. He told them that the way would be rough. Seven times He warned His churches that they would have to overcome obstacles. There would be different challenges for each church. He promised each one that He knew exactly what they were going through, and offered them the overcoming power of His Spirit.

Upright reminds me of what Solomon said in his last will and testament. "God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices." Ecclesiastes 7:29 This word is often contrasted with the word "crooked." An upright person walks a straight, and honest road. A morally erect person is not constantly seeking a detour that will lead to destruction. Paul puts it in great company, "devoutly, and uprightly and blamelessly." I Thess. 2:10

David, Solomon's father, used the word "stronghold" (fortress or refuge) as a favorite theme. "For God is my stronghold." Psalm 59:9,17 David was driven more than once to the high ground that God wanted him to take in order to find victory over his enemies.

Only the foolish person would disregard the voice of God guiding them to a place of strength and security. With God as our guide, there is no need to get ahead of Him or to drag our feet behind Him. His pace for the race is always right for us. What may seem like a delay is meant to prepare us to receive His best. Listen to His voice today and let the sun rise on a new adventure in your walk with Him.

In God We Trust

"He who trusts in his riches will fall, but but the righteous will flourish like the green leaf." Proverbs 11:29

"In God We Trust." What a great statement. What other nation in the world would have it placed on the coinage and currency of the land. America, still the world's standard for national wealth and personal consumption has it as a constant reminder of the wisdom of trusting God more than the money that passes through the hands of her citizens. Gotta love it!

Question:If money talks then what does it say? Answer: "Goodbye!" Pastoring in the "oil patch" in Houston, Tulsa, Borger, and Runaway Bay has made me pretty confident in the answer to the question. After watching booms go bust, and picking up the pieces of debris in people's lives, I couldn't agree more. From Houston Chic to Panhandle French it sounds the same note of finality as it takes off on its fickle flight. Like the saying goes, "Here today and gone tomorrow."

In 1980 I met a seminary classmate named Simon Sirchar. He was a pastor-evangelist from Bangladesh. One day between classes he was asked by another student, "What do your people enjoy hearing you preach about the most?" I thought it was a great question, so I leaned in E.F. Hutton style to hear the answer. Simon said without a hint of hesitation,"The second coming." Well, then the eschatological rodeo began. He was peppered by one seminarian, "Do you preach the pre-millenrial, post-millenial, or a-millenial position?" Someone else asked if he preached the pre-trib rapture or the post-trip rapture of the church. On and on it went, until every position known to man on the subject of the last days was presented as a possible preaching topic. I have never forgotten his response. He smiled gently and with the patience of Job addressed us as if he was speaking to small children. He said, "They just want to know the answer to one question, 'Is Jesus coming back?' "

That is all he said. In other words, between the waves of religious persecution, famine, drought and flood they don't care how Jesus comes back. They just want to be reminded that He can be trusted to keep His promise. As Americans, we have the luxury of living in Disney World while we discuss our options for departing for Heaven. While we experience the occasional economic downturn or inconvenient cash crunch, we whine while we wait for God to finish building our final ride to Heaven. Life is just so hard when you have to choose between Starbuck's and Folgers. I love the bumper stickers that emerge in Texas during these downturns. "God send us another BOOM and we promise not to BLOW it this time."

For the Christian in Bangladesh, and for the persecuted church in many other parts of the world the tribulation has already started. Don't crumple up your charts about the end times. I am not using a capital "T" for tribulation. There are Christians in the world today who are experiencing what other Christians are only debating. Their trust in God is not going to be inflated by an accumulation of worldly goods. They know the cost of trusting in God may be the loss of their jobs or the death of their families. Their concept of downsizing is different from most Americans. it is not a matter of accepting a condo, but choosing a coffin. Their idea of flourishing like a green leaf is more about finding Heaven at last than building Heaven on earth.

I am intrigued by the fascination of young people today with things "70-ish." They have discovered bell bottoms, longer hair, peace symbols, and earth tones. Wow. Thought that was gone forever. Still, I hope that they don't miss the real message of the "The Seventies." This was the last great breakthrough of the Spirit of God on our nation. It was the Jesus Revolution that brought in waves of new converts, and sounds of new music. One of the prophetic voices of the day was Keith Green. I miss his no nonsense words that challenged a new generation of believers to get right with God and make things right in this world. I am encouraged by new voices of men like Francis Chan who set a new standard of trust in God with his book, 'Crazy Love." Maybe, just maybe God is challenging His people in this country to trust in Him more than they trust in their riches.

I don't want to be like one of the old fogies that missed out on what God was up to in 1970's. They didn't stop God, they just missed Him. So, I think I will just trust God that while He is shaking the foundations of this country financially, He just might be getting ready to unleash another Great Awakening. To take hold of God we have to let go of anything that we have held closer than Him. There is nothing like cold cash to cool one's heart for God. Money may not be able to buy happiness, but anyone who has had some before knows that money can rent it for a while. The real test of our trust in God will not be if we get more of what we had, but if we receive from God what we need the most...Him. The real answer to our need is not that we need more of Him. God is not holding out on us. He needs more of us.

Let's give God some elbow room in our lives and trust him to bring about a new kind of "green" in our lives...the fresh growth of righteousness that will attract others to the oasis of His love.
 

Real Men Fear God

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." Proverbs 9:10

The most dangerous place in the world is between me and a book store. I've earned the reputation. My wife knows that a second hand book store is a place where she can leave me and know I will be there when she gets back. I don't know if I love books or I love the smell of books.

Today when I enter a Barnes & Noble it takes me back to my childhood as a small boy growing up in Dallas. My parents introduced me to the wonderful world of books at one of the old Carnegie libraries. It was a beautiful building located in one of the village shopping centers in a well manicured neighborhood of the city. They did this for two reasons. They wanted me to develop an appreciation for life-long learning, and it allowed me a chance to cool down from the summer heat in an air conditioned building. I was intrigued by the place. There was a distinct smell from the stacks of books carried on row after row of shelves. It was so quiet. It was restful, and did I mention it was cool? It was an oasis on a summer afternoon when the temperatures soared into the hundreds, and our parsonage was so hot that time stood still. There was only one intimidating presence in the place; the no nonsense librarian seated at the front desk. She held court over the library with an odd mixture of hospitality and hostility. She was more than willing to let me in, but I was on a short leash. This lady was not going to put up with any foolishness from me or anyone else. If I could prove to her that I was there for the right reason, I was offered the run of the place. If I did not listen to her warnings to maintain silence and decorum, I would be banned from the building. Did I mention the heat? She ran a tight ship, and I was proud to be on board. I couldn't believe it when this lady offered and than issued me a card that allowed me to walk out with whatever I wanted to take home to read. It was a great deal. I could keep them until I finished reading them, and then I could return the books to her and get some more.

I don't think any degree I have ever earned has given me the satisfaction of my first library card. I am pretty sure that I have rarely been motivated to please someone more than my first librarian. When I brought my stack of books to her, she would open them and stamp the date for their return, and then comment on my choice of reading material. She would say a word to me about each book as she closed it and handed it to me. She noticed I was interested in history and biographies. She would commission me to keep reading in that area because I could learn how to live today from those who lived in the past. I remember feeling smarter just because I was told I was on the right track by someone who knew more than I did. The way you come on is the way you go on.

The Chinese have been attributed with the proverbial statement, a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. The message of Proverbs 9 points us to the starting blocks for the beginning of the race of our lives. Everything of significance is rooted in a firm respect and honored reverence for the counsel of God. To know Him is to obey Him. To come into His presence and ignore what He has to say would be foolishness. To listen to His wisdom is to discover more about His character; to understand who He is. This is the result of years of hearing the right counsel and moving in the right direction. God's Word is filled with all we need to know about Him and the life that He has offered us through Jesus Christ. In the short 66 books of the Bible is a library of wisdom. The Holy Spirit sits as a librarian offering to help a genuine student of the word know and understand more about who God is and what He can do through them. It would be foolish indeed to ignore the opportunity to come in from the heat of the world and sit down for refreshing encounter with God in His word.

There was a day when the best thing that could be said about a man was, "He is a God-fearing man." Today the goal of too many men is to hear, "He is such a nice guy." God save us from nice guys who finish last, and give us a new generation of men who will set their feet firmly in the starting blocks, and begin their race with a fear of God. Runners take their mark! Get set! Go!

The Personification of Wisdom

"Now therefore, O sons, listen to me, for blessed are they who keep my ways. Heed instruction and be wise and do not neglect it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at may gates, waiting at my doorposts." Proverbs 8:32-34

When I was serving as a missionary Journeyman in East Africa, I met many interesting people. One of my most memorable evenings was spent having dinner and an extended conversation with a Catholic priest serving the area around Lake Nyasa. He travelled on a small motor scooter that the nationals referred to in Swahili as a "piki, piki." You have to say it out loud to catch their play on words. The little scooter could be heard laboring down the mountain roads with a steady "piki, piki, piki, piki" sound coming from the engine. The Swahili language was always so adaptable and in this case a word was created that made such a practical application for the sound of a motor scooter engine.

Over coffee the "Piki Piki Priest" and I talked a great deal about Jesus. I asked him how he kept his walk with Jesus a very warm relationship and avoided the trap of Christianity becoming a cold religion. He gave me a great insight by telling me that he had grown accustomed to reading through Proverbs every morning. I told him that I wasn't familiar with Proverbs as a source for discovering more about the Person of Jesus Christ. He smiled and suggested to me that Proverbs would take on a more profound meaning about the life of Christ if I began to use the name of Jesus in place of the word wisdom. I had heard my father, Don Miller, recommend that to me years earlier, but that was before I turned 21. As I grew older Dad got smarter, but in 1974 I was still not applying all the wisdom he had passed on to me. It is amazing how young people will be open to the same advice if it has a different return address. This is very frustrating to parents, but it is something that every generation of parents has discovered to be painful, but true.

Proverbs 8 definitely comes alive when the name of Jesus is introduced in place of the word for wisdom. Jesus is seen as the greatest blessing the Lord can give to a person. He is pictured as the master workman standing alongside God at creation. He is the one who is the source of life and favor from God. When I read this chapter, I am reminded that wisdom is not a concept or a philosophy of life. Wisdom is the result of a relationship that is cultivated on a daily basis with the one who is the source of wisdom. To know the right thing to do, and when to do it, I must spend time with the right person and follow His lead.

Lloyd-John Ogilvie was the long time pastor of The First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, California. He later became the Chaplain to the U.S. Senate. One of his books has been a source of encouragement to me, "Discovering God's Will in Your Life." He states, "Discovering God's will in your life (in specifics) comes out of consistent companionship with God." There is not much to be gained from the panic search for truth. He encourages the truth seeker to get with God on a regular basis and draw from a deep reservoir of His wisdom for the choices that must be made every day. That made sense to me in December 1986 and it has passed the test of time in my life for almost a quarter century. More importantly, it has stood the test of time for 3,000 years. Proverbs 8 underscores the benefits and blessings of developing the daily habit of listening and then applying the wise counsel offered by Jesus.

If this suggestion makes you feel a bit uncomfortable then I wouldn't recommend you do it. What works for me is not meant to be a mandate for you. However, doesn't Proverbs 8 read like a bio sheet for Jesus? Jesus was interested in His followers recognizing Him as the guide for the right path to take, the only word to trust, and the only life to live. Jesus has always been Plan A, and God does not have a Plan B. When Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father, but by Me." (John 14:6), He was identifying Himself as the source of and the personification of wisdom.

"For he who finds me finds life, and obtains favor from the Lord." Proverbs 8:36

Applying the Truth

"My son, keep my words, and treasure my commandments within you. Keep my commandments within you. Keep my commandments and live, and my teaching as the apple of your eye." Proverbs 7:1-2

"Because I said so, that's why?" What kid hasn't heard those words sputtering out of the mouth of a frustrated parent. Then and there, they vowed that they would never say them to their own children. What kid who became a parent hasn't been surprised at hearing those same words come spewing out of their mouth in a moment of desperation. As the sayings go

• "Easier said than done."
• "Practice what you preach!"
• "Don't just talk the talk. Walk the walk."
• "Talk is cheap."
• "I hear you cluckin' Cleo, but I don't see no egg." (This is my personal favorite. It comes from my father-in-law Bill Clements. He has been in Heaven since November of 2005. I smiled when I wrote these words. I miss him alot.

Solomon's words of wisdom are a great source of protection if they are applied. They would have helped him too. Seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines turned his heart away from God. I have a feeling Solomon played the blame game alot. It is not enough to know how much good they can do. They must be kept. To be kept, they must be kept close until they do some good.

When Dana and I were dating, she used to come and watch me play softball. I was forever trying to stretch a single into a double. Week after week, I was making hard slides on a harder surface. The red clay playing fields of Texas rival the roughness of concrete during the month of August. The result was a huge strawberry on my right calf. It just couldn't heal because of the constant repetition of ripping it open game after game. As you can imagine, it was very painful and when Dana took a look at it she gasped. One night after the game, she invited me to her house, and she said she had something to put on my leg. I was desperate to apply her solution. She had a small bathroom. I could put my right leg in the tub and hold on to the sink with both hands to balance myself. She took out of her medicine cabinet, hydrogen peroxide, iodine, and gauze. She said this might hurt. I wasn't about to let her know it if it did. The next thing I know, I was hit with a blinding pain in my right leg, and the jolt went through me like a bolt of lightning. I almost ripped the sink out of the wall. She kept pouring peroxide and rubbing in iodine with the gauze. I was sweating, biting my tongue and losing my resolve about not letting her know it hurt. IT HURT. IT HURT ALOT! She kept saying, that it won't do any good unless the medicine got in deep enough to get rid of the infection. If it stayed on the surface then it wouldn't do any good.

We survived that first encounter with first aid, but I have never put my leg in a tub since. I have thought about that night for the past 34 years. If Dana had taken me to her medicine cabinet and told me all about the treasure trove of healing elements it contained, my leg would have not been impacted by the knowledge I obtained. If she had taken out the healing agents, and had handed them to me for in depth study and analysis, I would have not been helped. Researching the English names, and delving into the scientific, or Latin derivatives would not have touched the infection. If I had memorized the label, or meditated on the virtues of the directions there would have been no change in my condition. If I had sung a song to the cabinet, and all it contained, and faithfully returned to do the same thing week after week, there would still be no change in my leg. The point of the story and the message of Proverbs 7: Apply what God supplies.

Proverbs 7 describes application of the truth as keeping, treasuring, and writing, and compares wise teaching as the source of sight. Application of the truth may be painful to our own pride and personal preferences. Desperate people are those who have come to the end of themselves, and delivered people are those who come to the beginning of God. Solomon was a man filled with good advice, but he also became full of himself. The wise will learn from his mistakes and not repeat them. Today, keep his truth close enough to walk in His light and avoid "descending into the chambers of death." Prov. 7:27

Life-Changing Values

"There are six things which the Lord hates. Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers." Proverbs 6;16-19

Years ago, I read of a store owner who discovered there had been a break-in at his clothing business. He was relieved to discover that the inventory was apparently all in place. No items had been stolen. It was not until later that he discovered that the break-in allowed the thieves the opportunity to change the price tags on certain items. The theft of his property had been going on all day long during the business hours. First the thieves devalued what was important to him, and then they claimed it as their own at a cheaper price. Proverbs 6:16-19 introduces what God values most by what He hates the most. Only a fool would change the price tags on God's value system.

The only person you have control over is you. The blame game may bring a certain amount of self-satisfaction, but it never produces a winner. These seven items listed on God's hate list are all self-contained in the body of a Christ follower. Three of them have to do with the tongue, and the other four deal with the use of the eyes, hands, feet, and heart.

God is interested in changing our value system within our smallest realm of influence. The two square feet that surround us contain the person and the place God intends to plant His value system. There is no need to wallow in the bottomless pit of condemning the waywardness of the world. The hope of the world is based upon what a believer is willing to allow God to do in their lives, up close and personal. Changing the world still happens one life at a time. Making a difference in the culture is a result of God's value system being valued for what it cost Him to provide.

To expect a person to embrace God's value system, without valuing God's love is a futile exercise of mental gymnastics. T0 ask a lost man for directions is equally pointless. Put another way, churches are to be fishers of men. You don't clean the fish before you catch them. You certainly don't expect the fish to jump in the boat and clean themselves.

When Peter returned to Jesus after he denied Him three times, Jesus commissioned him for service. Peter was always on a long learning curve. He asked Jesus, "What about him?" referring to John. Jesus said, "What is that to you? You follow Me!" (John 20:19-22)

Looking for change? Looking for a spiritual awakening to impact the culture in which you live?Don't change the price tags and devalue what God holds dear. Take control of the real world. Draw a circle around your feet, and ask God to give you a new appreciation of what it cost Him to bring His Son from Heaven to live in your life. Ask Jesus to take over the driver's seat of your life. Being full of yourself is a form of pride. Pride will not allow His Spirit to control your tongue, guide your feet, guard your heart, humble your eyes, and restrain your hands. Don't be too proud to receive what Jesus has already purchased for you to receive. Don't settle for God's grace sold on the cheap. Hold on to His values, and allow God to make a difference in this world with your life.

Observe and Reserve

"My son, give attention to my wisdom, incline your ear to my understanding; that you may observe discretion, and your lips may reserve knowledge." Proverbs 5:1-2

My first love was Miss Hamm, my first grade teacher. It was her first year to teach school and my first year to go to school, a match made in Heaven. She had that 1950's "Sarah Palin look" goin' on; pony tail, glasses, and penny loafers. She was pretty and I was smitten. It was a case of terminal puppy love. Don't ever underestimate it. It is real to the puppy.

Reflection on my baby steps into halls of academia leads me to believe she had a thing for me too. I recall I was in her class for less than a week, and Miss Hamm had me move my desk up front right next to hers. There I was sitting to the right of the new teacher, in front of the class and feeling pretty good about myself. At lunch, the same thing, Miss Hamm would pull me away from my buds, and invite me to sit next to her at her table to eat with her until recess. When she divided the class into Red Bird and Blue Bird reading groups, I was seated right next to her for both sessions. This happened every day.

Only a cynic would think that Miss Hamm was doing this because I had a learning disorder. I do remember my mother telling me when I went off to school for the first day of class that I was going to have to pay attention. I asked her how much it was going to cost. What she said next was ominous, "You're about to find out!" Now that I think about it, I'm becoming a little conflicted about my first love.

The message of Proverbs 5 is filled with ominous words for the person who is chronically inattentive. Wisdom is knowing the right thing to do and having the courage to do it at the right time. Those who do not pay attention to words of wisdom are destined to pay an even higher price when they get the bill for the consequences.

Giving attention is described as an act of inclining one's ear to gain understanding. It is an act of humility. The willingness to lean in close to hear a hushed voice speak something precious is evidence of a relationship that is treasured as much as the advice. The old TV commercial will remind some of you what this looks like. Two men are talking about personal finances in a crowded room. One man says to the other, "My broker is E.F.Hutton, and E.F. Hutton says...." The next shot is a view of the room with everyone leaning anxiously towards the sound of his voice, ready to seize on the next words to come out of his mouth.

"Rules without relationship always breed rebellion." I do not know the source of the quote, but I do believe in the truth of it. Wisdom is not gained by memorizing a list of rules. It is obtained by gaining understanding that the rules were meant to help not to harm. If there is no relationship that has been cultivated between the giver and the receiver of the rules, then the rules do not lead to wisdom. They become fuel for the fires of a relentless rebellion. The rule breaker will try to destroy the very thing that was meant to help.

To "observe discretion" requires an elevated perspective on life. My wife and I recently ascended a 21 story observation tower to gain the lay of the land around Hot Springs, Arkansas. We could easily see where we had been, and where we needed to go to reach our next destination. The journey was not just a series of right and left turns into the unknown. As we got back in our car, the higher elevation had given us a deeper appreciation of the directions people had given us to get from one point of the city to another. Proverbs 5 is a reminder that unless you get a higher view of what God has in store for you, then you will become the victim of your own poor choices.

The challenge to "reserve knowledge" can be described by rebooting our memory to recall one of the earliest computer proverbs, "Garbage in. Garbage out." A computer can only provide what it has been given. What has been steadily dripped into a person will eventually spew out of their mouth. Hearing, reading, studying, memorizing and meditating on the Word of God has been described as five fingers of the same hand. The more fingers placed on the wisdom of God, the greater the grip on it. Some people have a one finger touch on wisdom. They need to get a grip.

Proverbs 5 issues a call to "Observe and Reserve." Observing discretion, is a matter of applying God's wisdom to daily living. It is built upon the knowledge that 'God is love." The response from the lips of an obedient child to the ears of The Father will be, "Yes, Lord." To say, "No!" is a rebellious rejection of the relationship not just the rules. Take time today to observe and reserve the words of wisdom that will lead you away from poisoned wells disguised as fresh water.