I was reading Proverbs chapter 16 this mornings. I noticed four different verses in the chapter that spoke of Gods sovereign control over our lives, but these verses also spoke of the necessity for us to make our plans.
Proverbs 16:1~The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
Proverbs 16:3~Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.
Proverbs 16:9~The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.
Proverbs 16:33~The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.
PEOPLE:
1. Plan what you are to do in your heart.
2. Move that plan out of your mind, and plan the way you are going to do it.
3. If you have searched the scriptures to make sure your plans are good and righteousness, have prayed, sought godly council, and still are unsure of direction; then cast lots (casting lots is akin to a coin toss today, it was a way for a person to lay two decisions before the Lord, and ask God to make clear what decision is His by casting lots).
4. Commit your work to the Lord, then act.
GOD:
1. God will establish the plans.
2. God will establish the steps of the plan, and the answer of the tongue, not only your tongue, but the tongue of others that you sought godly council from.
3. God will ordain the outcome of the casting lot decision.
4. God will establish the action of the plan.
When I have to make a decision about something, I sometimes fail to get to the bottom of the list, and actually act. I can be passive in the decisions I make for my family, and I do not like this quality about myself. My mind is such that I like to get all the information I can before I make a decision, and many times there isn't enough time to get all the info I would like. Or, I am not diligent to think the decision through long enough to make a decision. It takes lots of work (at times) to make decisions. I can not multi-task at all. I can do, and think of one thing at a time. These things may come rapid fire at me, and can come rapid fire out of me. So it may look like I am multi-tasking, but I am really single tasking; and doing that very fast.
I am helped by the four verses in chapter 16 this morning. God wants me and you to ponder, get council, search the scriptures, pray, make a plan, and act. Gods sovereign reign over creation will ensure that He will establish the plans we make for His glory. Amen!
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
A Morning with Caffeine
Monday, February 27, 2012
Doing Whatever We Please
Psalm 115:3
Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.
OUR GOD
The God of the scriptures is personal. He is our God. This speaks of Gods immanence, His nearness, His closeness.
IS IN THE HEAVENS
This speaks of the transcendence of God. He is set apart from His creation. He is not dependent upon His creation for anything. He reigns, rules, governs, and is sovereign over His creation.
HE DOES ALL THAT HE PLEASES
God is active in creation. All that He does, He does because it pleases Him.
Have you ever thought that it would be nice to be able to do whatever you pleased? God does whatever He pleases. The difference between God doing whatever he pleases, and me doing whatever I please, is that everything that God does is good. That wouldn't be the case with me. I would probably do everything that appeared good for me, but it would most likely come at the cost of being bad for someone else.
Doing whatever we please is normally called selfishness. Doing what I want to do, because I want to do it. But is that the case with God. Is God selfish? In one sense I could understand someone thinking this, because like I said, if I only did what pleased me, it wouldn't be for the common good of society, it would be good for me. My motives are such that I would seek to do whatever brought me the most amount of pleasure. But when God does this, He does it with pure holiness, pure righteousness, pure goodness. When we do not do what pleases us the most, but what pleases God the most, God knows that this WILL in the long run bring us the most pleasure. So that if we do what pleases God, in time, our desires will become conformed to Gods desires, and we will then be doing what pleases both God and us.
Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.
OUR GOD
The God of the scriptures is personal. He is our God. This speaks of Gods immanence, His nearness, His closeness.
IS IN THE HEAVENS
This speaks of the transcendence of God. He is set apart from His creation. He is not dependent upon His creation for anything. He reigns, rules, governs, and is sovereign over His creation.
HE DOES ALL THAT HE PLEASES
God is active in creation. All that He does, He does because it pleases Him.
Have you ever thought that it would be nice to be able to do whatever you pleased? God does whatever He pleases. The difference between God doing whatever he pleases, and me doing whatever I please, is that everything that God does is good. That wouldn't be the case with me. I would probably do everything that appeared good for me, but it would most likely come at the cost of being bad for someone else.
Doing whatever we please is normally called selfishness. Doing what I want to do, because I want to do it. But is that the case with God. Is God selfish? In one sense I could understand someone thinking this, because like I said, if I only did what pleased me, it wouldn't be for the common good of society, it would be good for me. My motives are such that I would seek to do whatever brought me the most amount of pleasure. But when God does this, He does it with pure holiness, pure righteousness, pure goodness. When we do not do what pleases us the most, but what pleases God the most, God knows that this WILL in the long run bring us the most pleasure. So that if we do what pleases God, in time, our desires will become conformed to Gods desires, and we will then be doing what pleases both God and us.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Pondering How To Answer
Proverbs 15:28
The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
I hated every time my parents had to go to parent-teacher conferences at school. I was about a strait C student. My parents would always come home and tell me the same thing year after year, "Son, all of your teachers told us the same thing, 'Scott has so much potential, but he talks too much'".
This sin I carried with me all the way until I was 32 years old. My wife and I became Christians during the same period of time, we were both 30. When my wife was saved, she was given a special gift of discernment. She was able to distinguish between good and evil very easily. I, on the other hand was not given this same gift. Any discernment I have now has come slowly over time, through study, and listening and reading discerning people.
Here is how this story is relevant to Proverbs 15:28. At about 32, I was convicted that my mouth was spilling out a constant flow of information. It was a mixture of truth, half truths, and falsehood. My wife, who was slow to speak, and very discerning; started asking me to prove to her some of the things I was claiming were true, when she did not think they were. I was not able to do so, and began to come under conviction for my sin. I went through a stage after this when I hardly spoke to anyone. I despised my mouth, and hated that it was uncontrolled like a wild stallion. My friends noticed and told me that it was wrong for me to not speak. What was wrong, was that I was quick to speak, and what I spoke was a fruit salad mixture of truth and falsehood.
By Gods grace I have begun to learn that a righteous man ponders how to answer. He ponders the thoughts in his mind before they come out of his mouth. I do speak now, but have learned to be quicker to listen, and slower to answer. Praise God for His Spirit who sanctifies, His Word that councils, and His Son who lived, died, and rose to forgive the sin of my mouth.
The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
I hated every time my parents had to go to parent-teacher conferences at school. I was about a strait C student. My parents would always come home and tell me the same thing year after year, "Son, all of your teachers told us the same thing, 'Scott has so much potential, but he talks too much'".
This sin I carried with me all the way until I was 32 years old. My wife and I became Christians during the same period of time, we were both 30. When my wife was saved, she was given a special gift of discernment. She was able to distinguish between good and evil very easily. I, on the other hand was not given this same gift. Any discernment I have now has come slowly over time, through study, and listening and reading discerning people.
Here is how this story is relevant to Proverbs 15:28. At about 32, I was convicted that my mouth was spilling out a constant flow of information. It was a mixture of truth, half truths, and falsehood. My wife, who was slow to speak, and very discerning; started asking me to prove to her some of the things I was claiming were true, when she did not think they were. I was not able to do so, and began to come under conviction for my sin. I went through a stage after this when I hardly spoke to anyone. I despised my mouth, and hated that it was uncontrolled like a wild stallion. My friends noticed and told me that it was wrong for me to not speak. What was wrong, was that I was quick to speak, and what I spoke was a fruit salad mixture of truth and falsehood.
By Gods grace I have begun to learn that a righteous man ponders how to answer. He ponders the thoughts in his mind before they come out of his mouth. I do speak now, but have learned to be quicker to listen, and slower to answer. Praise God for His Spirit who sanctifies, His Word that councils, and His Son who lived, died, and rose to forgive the sin of my mouth.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
The Secret of Contentment
Philippians 4:10-13
I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
We are currently on vacation. We are out of the normal in's and outs of life. I slept in this morning until 6:00 am. I went downstairs to make a pot of coffee. By the time I sat down, and sent off the memory verses to my kids via email, and our meditation verse of the day; my son and wife woke up. In Philippians 4:13, Paul is saying that he can do all things through Christ who strengthens him. And in the context of the "all things," he is speaking of contentment. He has learned the secret of being content in all circumstances. The secret is "through Christ."
As I pondered that verse as I was changing diapers. I was asking myself if I had learned the secret. I had not gotten my normal amount of time to be with the Lord and His Word, and was I content with that?
I am currently sitting in the front seat of our van as my wife nurses our infant in the back (we are parked). 30 minutes has now passed. We went into the mall to buy something for my wife, and now I am sitting in another parking lot as my wife is in Target. Have I learned the secret of being content yet? I believe that I am growing toward that. These moments I have had to type are really the first spare moments of my day this far. Oh, we all need to learn more and more, the secret of contentment.
I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
We are currently on vacation. We are out of the normal in's and outs of life. I slept in this morning until 6:00 am. I went downstairs to make a pot of coffee. By the time I sat down, and sent off the memory verses to my kids via email, and our meditation verse of the day; my son and wife woke up. In Philippians 4:13, Paul is saying that he can do all things through Christ who strengthens him. And in the context of the "all things," he is speaking of contentment. He has learned the secret of being content in all circumstances. The secret is "through Christ."
As I pondered that verse as I was changing diapers. I was asking myself if I had learned the secret. I had not gotten my normal amount of time to be with the Lord and His Word, and was I content with that?
I am currently sitting in the front seat of our van as my wife nurses our infant in the back (we are parked). 30 minutes has now passed. We went into the mall to buy something for my wife, and now I am sitting in another parking lot as my wife is in Target. Have I learned the secret of being content yet? I believe that I am growing toward that. These moments I have had to type are really the first spare moments of my day this far. Oh, we all need to learn more and more, the secret of contentment.
Friday, February 24, 2012
A Remedy For Anxiety
Proverbs 12:25
Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.
Are you an anxious person? Anxiety is like weights that make it hard to keep running. Anxiety is like a burden on the back. Anxiety weighs us down. But what is the remedy? A good word. And what is the source of the best words? God's Word of course. Our lives can be filled with worry and anxiety of all kinds, but the pure milk of the Word of God will turn our anxiety into gladness.
What are your burdens this morning? Take your thoughts captive. Write them down so you can see what it is that is troubling you. Then search the Bible for a promise from God, a "good word," to turn your sorry into gladness.
Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.
Are you an anxious person? Anxiety is like weights that make it hard to keep running. Anxiety is like a burden on the back. Anxiety weighs us down. But what is the remedy? A good word. And what is the source of the best words? God's Word of course. Our lives can be filled with worry and anxiety of all kinds, but the pure milk of the Word of God will turn our anxiety into gladness.
What are your burdens this morning? Take your thoughts captive. Write them down so you can see what it is that is troubling you. Then search the Bible for a promise from God, a "good word," to turn your sorry into gladness.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Children Need Discipline
Proverbs 13:24
Whoever spares the rod hates his son,
but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
Before my wife and I were Christians, we followed the wisdom of the world in relation to the way we raised our kids. We would watch Dr. Phil, and Oprah, seeking to glean their wisdom. We were also involved with ECFE. None of those sources gave us the wisdom that we needed to parent a child to fear the Lord and walk according to his ways. We were instructed in "time outs," and "counting to three," "groundings," etc. We were told that spanking was wrong, and an old form of instruction that was no longer good or relevant. What I see now is that we were actually hating our children by not spanking them. And you can look out at vast generation of children today that have been raised up in homes who have heeded this worldly wisdom, and see what a moral down grade we as a society have slid down.
Proverbs tells us that love for our child will motivate us to discipline them diligently. When we do not spank them when they are young, we are actually hating them instead of loving them. Spanking drives foolish far from a child. The heart of every child is pointed toward sin and selfishness. Spanking done right, will free the child from their bondage to sin.
If you are not a parent that spanks your children and desire to start. There are many things to know first. I would recommend to you a few sources to get you started.
1. Shepherding a Childs Heart, by Ted Tripp
2. Standing on the Promises, by Douglas Wilson
These are two sources that we have found very helpful. Disciplining your children starts with a heart change in the very core of the parent. Love your children. Be diligent to discipline them.
Whoever spares the rod hates his son,
but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
Before my wife and I were Christians, we followed the wisdom of the world in relation to the way we raised our kids. We would watch Dr. Phil, and Oprah, seeking to glean their wisdom. We were also involved with ECFE. None of those sources gave us the wisdom that we needed to parent a child to fear the Lord and walk according to his ways. We were instructed in "time outs," and "counting to three," "groundings," etc. We were told that spanking was wrong, and an old form of instruction that was no longer good or relevant. What I see now is that we were actually hating our children by not spanking them. And you can look out at vast generation of children today that have been raised up in homes who have heeded this worldly wisdom, and see what a moral down grade we as a society have slid down.
Proverbs tells us that love for our child will motivate us to discipline them diligently. When we do not spank them when they are young, we are actually hating them instead of loving them. Spanking drives foolish far from a child. The heart of every child is pointed toward sin and selfishness. Spanking done right, will free the child from their bondage to sin.
If you are not a parent that spanks your children and desire to start. There are many things to know first. I would recommend to you a few sources to get you started.
1. Shepherding a Childs Heart, by Ted Tripp
2. Standing on the Promises, by Douglas Wilson
These are two sources that we have found very helpful. Disciplining your children starts with a heart change in the very core of the parent. Love your children. Be diligent to discipline them.
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