Should I Follow Any People??? – PROVERBS 2:20-22 [5 of 5]

January 2, 2015January 27, 2015buildafoundation Leave a comment

You are a person of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance (continue doing something even though it may be difficult), and gentleness. – 1 Timothy 6:11

20 Follow the steps of good men instead,
    and stay on the paths of the righteous.
21 For only the godly will live in the land,
    and those with integrity will remain in it.
22 But the wicked will be removed from the land,
    and the treacherous will be uprooted. – Proverbs 2:20-22

The title for Proverbs Chapter 2, as seen in many Bible translations, is the Benefits of Wisdom.

Wisdom’s purpose is to guide and teach us. As mentioned in the introduction of Proverbs, http://wp.me/p5nZpi-1j, Proverbs are principles, not promises.

A principle is a statement telling someone of a likely/probable outcome. Example = “if you play with fire you’re going to get burned.”

A promise is a statement telling someone of a definite outcome. Example = “if you put your bare hand into the fire, your skin will be burned.”

Thankfully, God has given us the ultimate travel guide, The Bible. And additionally, He has given us godly/wise people to help us along our journey. Following their steps, verse 20 – Follow the steps of good men instead, and stay on the paths of the righteous, can help us avoid the bumps and “potholes” of life. They might offer wise advice saying, “when I was younger, I thought it was ok to tell my friend just what I felt about them. But then I realized I didn’t have all the pieces of the puzzle when I spouted off. I felt so dumb at that point, and wished I could have taken back the nasty words I said, but it was too late. I tried speaking my mind, and I should have remember the saying, we have one mouth and two ears, so listen twice as much as you talk.”

Advice given to us by a godly, trusted, life-experienced person –

Let wisdom enter your heart. Let knowledge fill you with joy. Allow wise choices to watch over you, and understanding to keep you safe. – Proverbs 2:10-1, http://wp.me/p5nZpi-6P

Wisdom in Available to You, RIGHT NOW, TODAY!!! – PROVERBS 2:7-11 [2]

December 26, 2014January 27, 2015buildafoundation Leave a comment

For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield. – Psalm 5:12

7 He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.
8 He guards the paths of the just
and protects those who are faithful to him.
9 Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair,
and you will find the right way to go.
10 For wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will fill you with joy.
11 Wise choices will watch over you.
Understanding will keep you safe.

Wisdom is unique. It not only gives everyone have the opportunity to receive it, but it’s benefits are far-reaching. With wisdom we get God’s protection, see words in bold print.

We get understanding, making the “wise” path clear to us. No more confusion.

We’ll have direction, and know which path to choose among the various options.

Here’s the key — Although we’ll know which path to take, it will be up to us, as we exercise our free will, to choose the “wise”/God directed path. Don’t just listen to God’s Word, DO what it says. – James 1:22

Verses 10-11, tell us that when wisdom enters our heart, the knowledge we’ll receive will —

Fill us with joy
Watch over us, and
Keep us safe.

Wisdom is not something I hope for sometime in the future. It is a gift that is available to me right now. A gift, should I choose to accept and open it, will yield abundant blessings.

Can Anyone Have Wisdom?? – PROVERBS 2:1-7 [1]

December 23, 2014January 27, 2015buildafoundation Leave a comment

The Lord shows no partiality to princes, nor regards the rich more than the poor, for they are all the work of his hands? – Job 34:19

1 My child, listen to what I say,
    and treasure my commands.
2 Tune your ears to wisdom,
    and concentrate on understanding.
3 Cry out for insight,
    and ask for understanding.
4 Search for them as you would for silver;
    seek them like hidden treasures.
5 THEN you will understand what it means to fear the Lord,
    and you will gain knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord grants wisdom!
    From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.

Solomon again reminds us of the importance of wisdom in these first verses of Proverbs 2. They remind me of a parent talking to their child saying, “look at me, I have something extremely important to tell you. Are you listening? Do you hear me? These things I’m going to tell you are “life savers”/”joy givers”. Remember/apply what I am telling you!!!

Notice that these verses encourage people to be proactive.
Look at the words in bold print above. They are all action words.

It is through an individual’s desire to have wisdom, that they will find it.
Verse 5 tells us, as does Matthew 7:7 – that if you ask it will be given to you; if you seek you will find; if you knock the door will be opened to you. God wants everyone to have wisdom. He wants everyone to gain understanding of His Ways. He is the giver of wisdom.

But wait, there’s more…

Can I Find Hope, Healing, Restoration??? – ZEPHANIAH – 3h – [16]

December 15, 2014December 15, 2014buildafoundation Leave a comment

He brought me up out of the pit of destruction and confusion, out of the muddy clay, And He set my feet upon a rock making my steps secure. – Psalm 40:2

As we begin to wrap up the Book of Zephaniah, let’s look at a common pattern seen throughout the Bible, as well as, our own lives.

People follow their own way, believing they are able to navigate life on their own, without God, His principles and guidance.
Life becomes messy. In relationships, at work, at school, in finances, families, morals and values are compromised, addictive behaviors surface, and destruction/unhealthy choices dominate. We’re LOST!! We’re not sure where to turn, or even what we’re hoping to find. All we know for sure is that something is missing from our lives. But WHAT is it?
People hear about God. In the Bible it was through prophets, and through miracles. In present day, people hear about God through preachers on the radio or TV, through various churches offering an array of worship experiences from quite/reflective to foot stomping/interactive, and everything in between. Miracles may sadly go unnoticed. Thought of as “coincidence”, rather than “providence”.
People choose to make a change in their lives. To repent, acknowledging that the path they have been on is not leading them where they hoped to go. Instead of continuing on their current path, they choose to do a 180 and follow God’s way.
People experience restoration and healing. – It is like the restoration of this painting – The beauty we see in the restoration (right side of the image) was not added or changed, but was cleaned up (refreshed and restored) after years of neglect, sin (an analogy), hurt and pain experienced (an analogy) – (image on the left side).

NOTE: Complete restoration and healing doesn’t often happen in an instant, a week, a month or even a year. But, by making a choice today to say, YES, I want restoration and healing in my life, in my relationships, at my job, with my classmates, teachers, etc. the process can begin. And you will be able to see God’s image restored everyday, while the distorted, marred image that was once so painful to look upon, begins to disappear.

Teamwork?? – ZEPHANIAH – Chapter 3d – [12]

December 4, 2014December 14, 2014buildafoundation Leave a comment

Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. – John 15:5

In the account of the The Tower of Babel from Genesis 11:1-9, http://wp.me/p5nZpi-2d, we were left to answer 3 questions,

What did the people come together to build?
What was the reason the people wanted to build ______, and
What was God’s reaction/response to their plan?

Reading this passage you would have discovered that the people came together to build a great city with a tower that reaches the sky (v.4).

The reason they wanted to build the city and tower was that they believed it would make them famous and keep them from being scattered all over the world. (v.4)

Lastly, seeing what the people are doing, God’s reaction/response is, “the people are united, they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them! Let us go down and confuse the people with different languages. Then they won’t be able to understand each other.” (v.6-7)

God’s reaction/response may seem a bit puzzling. You might be thinking, what is the harm of people coming together, working as a team, and having a common goal? Good question!! Working in harmony with others would seem to be a something God would encourage, not sabotage. So what’s going on here?

Before answering this question, let’s look next at Zephaniah 3:9-13, and see if those verses can give us additional insight.

Does God Laugh and Make Fun of Me When I Goof Up??? – PROVERBS – Chapter 1f – 1:23-28 [9]

May 2, 2014December 18, 2014buildafoundation Leave a comment

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. – Psalm 107:1

23)) Suppose (IF) you had paid attention to (my) warning.
    THEN I would have poured out (my) heart to you.
    (I) would have told you what (I) was thinking.
24)) But you turned away from me when (I) called out to you.
    None of you paid attention when (I) reached out (my) hand.
25)) You turned away from ALL my advice.
    You wouldn’t accept (my) warning.

26)) So I will laugh at you when you are in danger.
    I will make fun of you when hard times come.
27)) I will laugh when hard times hit you like a storm.
    I will laugh when danger comes your way like a windstorm.
    I will make fun of you when suffering and trouble come.
28)) “THEN you will call to me. But I won’t answer.
    You will look for me. But you won’t find me.

Wow!! I don’t know about you, but when I read these verses, they kinda scare me. Does this mean when I goof up and don’t follow God that He will laugh at me and make fun of me? And when I call Him and ask Him for help, He won’t answer me and I won’t find Him?

It is easy to replace the words in ( ) with God because when you read these verses it seems that it is a person who is talking. However, recalling from verse 20, http://wp.me/p5nZpi-5e, Wisdom is the (my) and the (I). Remember that Solomon uses personification, and that can sometimes confuse the reader.

God has given us, in fact all people, truth through His Word. It is a guide-book to help people navigate their earthly life. It is when the nasty sin of pride infiltrates our mind, our choices, etc., that we have the attitude, “Yeah, right – God stuff, I don’t think so, my way is better…”

In verses 26-27, it is Wisdom, not God that is laughing and making fun, so-to-speak. Basically, these are the consequences of our choices. It seems harsh, but it is as though you can hear Wisdom saying, “I told you so…”

Verse 28, you call, but don’t get an answer. Meaning the consequences of our choices have been exacted (accurate to circumstance), they can not be changed. If someone gets pregnant, out-of-wedlock, they can “call” all they want, but the consequence of their choice will not change.

You may have asked yourself these questions at some point in your life,

How did I get into this mess?
Why does everything seem to go bad for me?
Did I do something wrong?

The answer – You turned away from my advice, You wouldn’t accept my warning. – Proverbs 1:25

If I Follow “Wisdom”, Then What?? – PROVERBS – Chapter 1e – 1:20-22 [8]

May 1, 2014December 16, 2014buildafoundation 1 Comment

Your word, Lord, is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. Psalm 119:105

In the last section of Proverbs, Chapter 1, Solomon uses personification (giving human-like characteristics to something non-human).
20)) Out in the open Wisdom calls aloud,
she raises her voice in the public square;
21)) on top of the wall she cries out,
at the city gate she makes her speech:
22)) “How long will you who are simple love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate knowledge?”

The reason for using personification when writing is to make a word come alive for the reader. It is much easier to relate to a person than an inanimate object.

In these verses, Solomon presents a cause/effect relationship. IF people pay attention to the Proverbs, following Wisdom’s direction and guidance, THEN they will become wise (when they apply the knowledge they’ve obtained).

We will also see, throughout the Book of Proverbs, the words simple and fool. These words do not refer to people who are academically challenged, but rather are deficient in their character. The simple/fool are challenged to recognize right from wrong.

In verse 22, Solomon questions, “when are you going to learn that your choices are messing you up?”

It is wisdom (applying knowledge) that helps us recognize that the path we’re on is destructive. And wisdom that confirms the path we’re on is healthy and God-honoring.

Choices, Choices, Choices??? – PROVERBS – Chapter 1d – 1:10-19 (b) [7]

April 30, 2014December 14, 2014buildafoundation Leave a comment

You can hold on to the hope that I, The Lord, will not change what I have promised.
Hebrews 6:17-18

So what does Solomon want us to take away from the confusing verses of Proverbs 1:10-19? http://wp.me/p5nZpi-2I
First, Solomon wants to remind and warn us, that sin can be very attractive. The danger in following unwise choices, vs. the truth, is that they will then become our compass, what directs us in our everyday interactions.

Secondly, acting on sinful choices will not enable us to reach the goals we hope to achieve. What may look “good” at the onset, may end up trapping us in an unhealthy lifestyle. Solomon warns us not to comprise our values and ignore God’s guidance, following what “man” deems as success.

Often times the enticement of promised friendships, the allure of being “part of the group”, moving up in our job, etc. overtakes our better judgment.

Solomon warns not to get caught up in the temptations around us, DON’T follow them. STAY AWAY, verse 15.
Solomon uses an analogy of a bird in verse 17. A bird, which certainly does not have the intelligence of a person, yet instinctively recognizes a trap and STAYS AWAY. Sadly, when we choose to venture out into the world “on our own”, without God and His principles, we set an ambush for ourselves; – v.18, which will end tragically.

Lastly, THE KEY is to think beyond the here and now. To consider the future consequences of our present choices. Short-term choices vs. Long-term effects. We have free will to make choices, but not the freedom to choose our consequences.

Come Join Us …. Ummm, Should I? – PROVERBS – Chapter 1c – 1:10-19 (a) – [6]

April 30, 2014December 14, 2014buildafoundation Leave a comment

… “Let’s feast and drink, for tomorrow we die!” Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.” – 1 Corinthians 15:32-33

10)) My child, IF sinners entice you, THEN
         turn your back on them!
11)) They may say, “Come and join us.
         Let’s hide and kill someone!
         Just for fun, let’s ambush the innocent!
12)) Let’s swallow them alive, like the grave;
         let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down to the pit of death.
13)) Think of the great things we’ll get!
         We’ll fill our houses with all the stuff we take.
14)) Come, throw in your lot with us;
         we’ll all share the loot.”
15)) My child, DON’T go along with them!
         Stay far away from their paths.
16)) They rush to commit evil deeds.
         They hurry to commit murder.
17)) IF a bird sees a trap being set,
        it knows to stay away.
18)) BUT these people set an ambush for themselves;
         they are trying to get themselves killed.
19)) Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money;
         it robs them of life.

Verses 10-19 may seem a bit confusing, even scary. Since we learned in the introduction of Proverbs that we are to discern and apply the principles of the proverbs to our lives, what then, does Solomon want us to take away from these perplexing verses?

What’s Our Source of Direction, Guidance, and Instruction? – PROVERBS – Chapter 1b – 1:8-9 – [5]

April 29, 2014December 14, 2014buildafoundation 1 Comment

The LORD is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. – Psalm 28:7

Proverbs 1:8-9

8)) My child, LISTEN when your father corrects you.
DON’T NEGLECT your mother’s instruction.

9)) WHAT YOU LEARN FROM THEM WILL crown you with grace
and be a chain of honor around your neck.

Verses 8-9 are pretty straight forward. They remind us that our main “earthly” source of direction, guidance, and instruction is from our parents. Following their “godly” teaching will develop godly character in us. God’s character will be reflected, and noticed by others around us.