Category: faith

Proverbs 25

Prov 25:2:

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;
to search out a matter is the glory of kings.

There’s a very interesting contrast going on there. It is to God’s glory to conceal things and our glory to seek those things God has concealed.
I want to get frustrated when God doesn’t reveal His plans right away. I want to get impatient – but time and time again He has proven that in His time He will reveal the answers.
I continue to pray for patience and direction but you know what – if God revealed to me today what He has planned for me next year – I’d need no faith in Him. I could just simply go through life living it my own way.
But since there are things He’s hidden – I must increase my trust in Him and choose to walk in His footsteps and not my own.

Our faith makes us

It’s Vertical Day over at MikeHuckabee.com.
Lots of added discussion going on including Mike Huckabee’s thoughts on his faith as a Baptist pastor and the war in Iraq.

Recently, out on the campaign trail, a voter asked if my personal faith informed my decisions. My answer was simple, just as it always has been: my faith is my life – it defines me. My faith doesn’t influence my decisions, it drives them.
Real faith makes us humble and mindful, not of the faults of others, but of our own. Because of our faith, we become less judgmental in that we see others having the same frailties as ourselves. Faith gives us strength in the face of injustice and motivates us to do our best for “the least of us.”
Our forefathers birthed this great nation in a spirit of faith – not a mandate telling us what to believe, but an acknowledgement that divine providence pervades our world.
I firmly believe the greatness of our nation then, does not come from our government or politicians, but lies in the hopeful, optimistic spirit of everyday Americans. Americans who acknowledge that providence has set us apart.
At the beginning of our nation we were ill-equipped for revolution, yet we persevered and gained our independence. Our country was once divided by a costly Civil War, but we survived to heal and build a stronger union. Through the 20th century and into current times we have seen great conflicts and economic upheavals. However, the same spirit that guided the inception of our country continues to lead us out of times of trouble better than we went in. In spite of our trials we remain a people of hope, a people of faith, and we are stronger because of it.

The site shares a message Huckabee gave in Little Rock this past July.
Pretty interesting. Some of it sounds similar to some things Brian and Wayne said last summer (wish we had the podcast back then).
“What we do have to do in our culture is to live in such a way that we don’t try to change the rules so that we can win the game. Many Americans who think that that’s really the goal. If we can’t win the game as it is defined, just change the rules of the game so we can say that we’re winning it.”

And I love this quote from Abraham Lincoln:
“A government that can do everything for you is a government that can take everything from you.”

Get in on the discussion here on on the Huckabee Blog.

Proverbs 24

I’m not sure why – maybe it’s because of the book I’m reading (“Searching for God Knows What” – Don Miller) but I keep being drawn to passages and stories about treating everyone as equal. Treat everyone fairly. Let’s get over this superficial social hierarchy that we’ve developed.
Proverbs 24 is no different.

Prov 24:1 & 2:
Do not envy wicked men,
do not desire their company;
for their hearts plot violence,
and their lips talk about making trouble.

v. 12:
Rescue those being led away to death;
hold back those staggering toward slaughter.

v. 17-18:
Do not gloat when your enemy falls;
when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice,
or the LORD will see and disapprove
and turn his wrath away from him.

I heard today that the city of New York has forbidden the president of Iran to visit Ground Zero during his trip to the city and the UN today. I don’t know why verse 17 & 18 remind me of that story but I wonder what’s going on in everyone’s head. Is the Iranian president truly wanting to pay regards or is he gloating because an enemy fell. I’m sure that’s what Mayor Bloomberg thinks at least.

What should our response as Christians be though? What if someone killed a loved one of mine. Maybe it was intentional. Maybe not. What if after they were prosecuted they wanted to go lay flowers by the grave of my loved one. What should my response be.

Proverbs 24:19 & 29 says:
Do not fret because of evil men
or be envious of the wicked,
for the evil man has no future hope
and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.

Hmm. Sounds like I shouldn’t let it get to me. Sounds like I should lay my pride aside and let God handle my enemies and others around me.

Finally,

Prov 24:23:
These also are sayings of the wise:
To show partiality in judging is not good:

Verse 24 goes on to say that we should not judge a man unfairly because of our preference towards him or against him. I believe this speaks directly to a judge ruling over a trial but I think the same can be directed to each one of us. Don’t show partiality. Believe and live as if every man, woman and child are equal to you – or more better yet – more important than you.

Proverbs 21

“The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.” Prov 21:1

I believe strongly in the sovereignty of the Lord. I believe God works through individual people to achieve His goals and to display His glory. I’d love to think we have some say in the course of our life, but it’s verses like these that make me really stop and wonder – do we really have any freedom in life?
I’m glad to know that whatever freedom we do have – God is still in control of it.
This verse gives me a picture of our life and God like this:
We’re a raging river coming down a mountain side. By nature water will flow towards the area of least resistance. But as that rushing water flows down the mountain side God may see that we’re getting to far off course from His plan. So He may set a huge boulder down right in front of us. Depending on the flow of the river there are several options. We can either slow down and build up enough pressure to push the boulder out of our way. We may slowly chip at it and chip at it till it wears down or falls apart. We may build up enough water to go over the boulder or we may just turn to the left or right and change our course.
I think God knows exactly what boulders we need and where. Luckily as long as we stay in God’s will I don’t believe he punishes us for going through, over or to the left or right of a boulder. He doesn’t punish us for making a right or left decision. But He is keeping His eye on us and is ready to put another dam in or way if necessary to get us back on track.
What do you think? Share your comments and suggestions about this verse. I’d love to hear some more feedback.

Proverbs 20

As I was reading this morning in Proverbs 20, two verses stood out to me.
Prov 20:10 and Prov 20:23

Differing weights and differing measures—
the LORD detests them both.

The LORD detests differing weights,
and dishonest scales do not please him.

The same idea presented twice in one passage of scripture. You think it’s important?
So what does it mean when Solomon writes, “The Lord detests differing weights and dishonest scales?” I’m sure there’s many other interpretations but I picture Lady Justice with a scale held in her hand.

I picture the scale tipping from one side to the other in the courts of our land.
And then I have to picture many of us giving a little more to one person than another – just because we like them.
Maybe they treated us nice so we give them a little larger tip. Maybe they gave us a favor last time so we go the extra mile for them. So the scale tips further in their direction.
But isn’t justice supposed to be fair? Should we really pay a person just because we were treated better?
Shouldn’t we pay a worker or friend or stranger the same that we would pay our own mother, father, sister or brother?
And when I speak on paying someone I don’t necessarily mean with money. It could be time, gifts, talents etc.
If you’d take the time to do something for your best friend – why aren’t you taking the time to do that to your neighbor who complains that your dog whines too much?
Maybe then the scales will even out and we will no longer weigh a person by their deeds and actions but by the love Christ has for them.