Archive for August, 2009
August 31, 2009 at 5:32 am · Filed under FCA, First Baptist Ocala
Words of Wisdom #155: In Our Dark Closet Lies the Monster in Us
One who isolates himself pursues [selfish] desires; he rebels against all sound judgment. A fool does not delight in understanding, but only wants to show off his opinions. When a wicked man comes, shame does also, and along with dishonor, disgrace. The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters, a flowing river, a fountain of wisdom. It is not good to show partiality to the guilty by perverting the justice due the innocent. A fool’s lips lead to strife, and his mouth provokes a beating. A fool’s mouth is his devastation, and his lips are a trap for his life. A gossip’s words are like choice food that goes down to one’s innermost being. Prov 18:1-8 (HCSB)
Unless we truly have surrendered ALL that we are to our Lord, and allowed Him to make a clean sweep of our heart, no matter how good we try to become we will always have the monster we can become lurking in the darkness of the closet inside our heart. That monster is an ugly, lonely monster that thrives upon our weakest moments. He is fed by our deepest fears and stirs within us waiting to be let out. Only our Creator knows how to check the monster within us and totally remove him from that dark closet in our heart, yet so many of us are afraid of the pain that will be required to exorcise the demon that resides in us. Most of us would rather just try to keep him contained in the closet and pretend we are good by doing as much good as we can. However, we are reminded of his presence whenever we have fears about our finances, relationships, security or self-confidence. It is then the monster stirs and we are at risk of losing our control of him, because once he is back out, we become the person we fear the most!
This monster in us is easy to recognize, he brings with him rebellion, arrogance, shame, dishonor, disgrace, perversion of the truth, strife, and devastation. His arrival back in control of our lives begins with words that damage friendships and relationships that mean so much to us. Once the monster works his way out of the closet he will isolate you, as you had tried to isolate him, and he will stir the selfishness that is within you to tear you away from all the good that is around you. You will begin to want to hide in the darkness and avoid the light that may reveal the real you. The more you fear what you are, the stronger the monster becomes and he begins to control your selfish desires, and everything that you were trying to do that was good is cast away. The façade is revealed.
How can we avoid this monster in our life from gaining control? If you will admit you are living with the monster (which is your “unchecked self” and “sin” is the result) and acknowledge despite your best efforts on your own you can never remove your “self” from being in control of your life, then there is hope. Then and only then admitting that reality to God begins the process. At that point, all you have to do is ask God to enter your heart and take up residence there. You see, God cannot reside where anyone else is competing with Him, and thus He will make a clean sweep of your heart to make room for Him. But remember this fact, God can do anything, but He will not do something in you that you do not want to happen. He wants you to come freely, surrendering your will to His will. Then His power can do miracles against even the biggest and ugliest of monsters within us. No monster is too big or too well-entrenched for God’s cleaning service. And, God does a complete and thorough clean-out because it is where He wants to live within you.
Are you ready to get rid of the monster within you? If so, approach God today without any fear (remember, the monster loves fear!) and surrender your “self” to God’s will, God’s ways, and God’s wisdom according to God’s Word, and God will give you a clean start with Him. With the monsters gone so will be the horrible memories and fears of the monster that was within you.
Coach
www.coachbrown.org
Out of the crowd, one man answered Him, “Teacher, I brought my son to You. He has a spirit that makes him unable to speak. 18 Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I asked Your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn’t.” He replied to them, “You unbelieving generation! How long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to Me.” So they brought him to Him. When the spirit saw Him, it immediately convulsed the boy. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. “How long has this been happening to him?” Jesus asked his father. “From childhood,” he said. “And many times it has thrown him into fire or water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Then Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’ Everything is possible to the one who believes.” Immediately the father of the boy cried out, “I do believe! Help my unbelief.” When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly coming together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you: come out of him and never enter him again!” Then it came out, shrieking and convulsing him violently. The boy became like a corpse, so that many said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus, taking him by the hand, raised him, and he stood up. Mark 9:17-27 (HCSB)
August 29, 2009 at 7:42 am · Filed under FCA, First Baptist Ocala
Words of Wisdom #154: Heated, Hasty Words are Harmful
It is certainly not good to fine an innocent person, or to beat a noble for his honesty. The intelligent person restrains his words, and one who keeps a cool head is a man of understanding. Even a fool is considered wise when he keeps silent, discerning, when he seals his lips. Prov 17:26-28 (HCSB)
At the end of this chapter in Proverbs there is a quick but striking message to remind us of what almost all of us are guilty of doing: jumping to conclusions, passing judgments without all the facts, speaking out before considering the truth of the matter, being controlled by your temper, and allowing your mouth to outpace your mind and your heart. I am fairly confident that all of us would not want such behavior to happen to us by others. There are times someone will witness something about us that could lead them to come to the wrong judgment about you. Consider the harm that can come when they run off sharing what they think they witnessed, even if it is not the truth of the matter. What harm follows as you have to explain and justify the truth versus the perception of the truth by others? You do not like it done to you, and thus as the Lord has clearly stated on more than one occasion – “show acts of love and compassion towards others as you would want them to show love and compassion to you.”
How much better would our relationships be like and much more lasting, of we stopped and had a timeout before ever speaking about someone. As we have learned in reading the Proverbs together, only “fools” rush in making heated, hasty and harmful judgments before they understand the truth. “Fools” also love to be heard and thus are the gossipers with the most to say about everyone else. However, it is very foolish to usurp the truth and pass judgment, because God is the author of truth, and He will hold even the “fool” accountable for all the heated, hasty, and harmful words that come from one’s mouth.
As the sailors would say, “loose lips sink ships”, and that ship most likely would be the one they were sailing on. Think before you speak. Think before you draw any conclusions about what you think you saw. Seek the truth and you will free from causing harm to others and yourself.
Coach
www.coachbrown.org
“I give you a new commandment: love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35 (HCSB)
August 28, 2009 at 5:42 am · Filed under FCA, First Baptist Ocala
Words of Wisdom #153: Foolishness begets Foolishness, but Not Hopelessness!
A man fathers a fool to his own sorrow; the father of a fool has no joy. A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. A wicked man secretly takes a bribe to subvert the course of justice. Wisdom is the focus of the perceptive, but a fool’s eyes roam to the ends of the earth. A foolish son is grief to his father and bitterness to the one who bore him. Prov 17:21-25 (HCSB)
We are not born to be the fool, but are nurtured in foolishness to become a fool. So when as this passage proclaims so bluntly, it is the father of the fool who is sorry and has no joy, then we can realize the truth: the nut does not fall far from the tree! When the father sees the foolishness of the son he experiences grief and certainly is bitter to the one who bore him: himself, the father. Why? When our children grow and mature we are overjoyed that even in our youthful foolishness we were able to bear a child, and all is well until we begin to see the foolishness that sprouts from our children. In our own foolishness, we never stopped to clearly realize that the son reflects what the son see as he grows up, and from a foolish father, the son learns to act foolishly until he becomes the fool like his father. At that point the father’s joy turns in sadness because the father gains enough wisdom in his life to realize that his foolishness has been passed on to his son.
Now, is all this a doom and gloom scenario? No! God provides hope to all, especially the fools that are in contrast to the wise people of the world. The foolish father in realizing his own foolishness can turn from his broken spirit state and find there is hope, but he must first accept he is at the end of his own rope. When the father opens his heart to something other than his own understanding, and seeks to change his foolishness into wisdom, his eyes gain a new focus. He focuses his life upon God’s will, God’s ways, and God’s wisdom according to God’s Word, and a new life begins and the foolishness ends. Upon that transformation, the father becomes a model for the son of wisdom not foolishness. The father can clearly see now the joy of sharing with his son and helping his son to discover God’s will, God’s ways, and God’s wisdom according to God’s Word. The joy that can result is when the father sees his son bear a child, and realizes his grandchild will see a wise father and wise grandfather direct and guide him on the right paths, according to God’s plan and purpose.
Someone reading this may say, there is no hope, I am too far gone in my own foolishness, or you just do not understand, my son or daughter is hopelessly lost in their foolishness – however, I will tell you because God says so, we all have fallen short in our foolishness at one time or another, but God is patient and unyielding in His desire for all to be restored to their rightful relationship with Him! As a father, never, never, never quit, never give up trying to change your own life, because it will save not only yours, but be used by God to save your children’s lives as well. The Bible is full of a lot of stories of fools and their folly, but most reveal there is hope that realize their folly and find their way onto God’s ways. These proverbs are meant to encourage not discourage us to seeking God’s will, God’s ways, and God’s wisdom according to God’s Word. Enjoy them by opening your heart and mind and allowing God to work out in you what He desires and you will find the joy and peace you have been seeking for your and your family.
Coach
www.coachbrown.org
What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have observed, and have touched with our hands, concerning the Word of life—that life was revealed, and we have seen it and we testify and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us— what we have seen and heard we also declare to you, so that you may have fellowship along with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:1-3 (HCSB)
August 27, 2009 at 5:49 am · Filed under FCA, First Baptist Ocala
Words of Wisdom #152: When We Are Numb to the Pain, We Get Hurt
Why does a fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom? A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a difficult time. One without sense enters an agreement and puts up security for his friend. One who loves to offend loves strife; one who builds a high threshold invites injury. One with a twisted mind will not succeed, and one with deceitful speech will fall into ruin. Prov 17:16-20 (HCSB)
Many times I have said I did not do something because I either did not have the money or if I had the money, I did not have the time. For years I did not pursue the next stages of my education using that excuse. It became a convenient excuse because I would certainly find other uses for my time and my money. Thankfully, I did finally go back to school, and not only finish my degree work, but I feel like I would like to go even further. However, the reality is the benefit of the higher degrees would be more for my self satisfaction than would be beneficial in my life at this stage. This fool waited too long to do what he should of done long ago so that the benefit would have been spread onto my family and I could have impacted others than I have in my life. But, I am thankful I have enjoyed what I have been able to do in the last few years because I quit the excuses and have done what I needed to do. What did I learn from that: wisdom comes with a price of time and money. The money you can earn back with interest through more wisdom, but the time can never be replaced, only appreciated more with wisdom.
I find life’s relationships also interesting in that we take for granted our family, and our brothers and sisters we are proud of and enjoy being around as we are growing up, but as we grow up we also tend to grow apart. Our lives take on their own directions and focus. We begin to build friendships that we tend to focus upon more and more. However, when tragedy hits a family member, the family rallies: the bloodline becomes a lifeline! Friends are more likely in our inner social circle day-by-day, but strife and hardship can drive friends away, however strife and hardships bring families together. Never take lightly the relationships you have – friendships help and encourage you everyday, but family members have a bond that cannot be broken, only strengthened in the test of time. It is for that reason also, however the good friend is to you, you are the better friend when do not encourage their unwise actions, such as borrowing what they should not borrow. It may seem like a friendly thing to agree to be his or her partner in the venture, but all you have done is make the risk he or she should have born alone, more tolerable, and easier to walk away from in tough times, because sadly all friendships have a price. Never put yourself in the position of learning the cost of that friendship. Encourage and love one another as a true friend, because only a brother or sister can survive the really tough times in life.
Finally, do not grow weary or numb to doing what is right and good! Because, as long as you are sensitive to doing right; you will be equally sensitive when you are at risk of doing wrong. When we grow weary and numb to our choice making, we also grow weary and numb to the consequences, and thus we are at great risk of injury before we feel the pain. Enjoy life and enjoy being sensitive to all the choices you get to make, and you can avoid the painful consequences and discover the real blessings of life when you choose wisely between right and wrong choices. How good you will feel when you can always recognize the twisted and deceitful choices that life can throw at you! That sensitivity comes from growing in the knowledge of God’s will, God’s ways, and God’s wisdom according to God’s Word. Remember, pain is like a road sign. God allows you to feel pain so that when you feel the discomfort of pain, you should realize that you should consider stopping whatever you are doing that is causing you pain. Wisdom also knows the difference also between pain and injury! Sometimes we have to experience a little pain to move forward in life, but be sensitive to avoid real injury in those difficult and trying times.
Coach
www.coachbrown.org
He replied to them, “Who are My mother and My brothers?” And looking about at those who were sitting in a circle around Him, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! Whoever does the will of God is My brother and sister and mother.” Mark 3:33-35 (HCSB)
August 26, 2009 at 5:47 am · Filed under FCA, First Baptist Ocala
Words of Wisdom #151: Beware of the Fool, and avoid the Folly!
Excessive speech is not appropriate on a fool’s lips; how much worse are lies for a ruler. A bribe seems like a magic stone to its owner; wherever he turns, he succeeds. Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but whoever gossips about it separates friends. A rebuke cuts into a perceptive person more than a hundred lashes into a fool. An evil man seeks only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him. Better for a man to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his foolishness. If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never depart from his house. To start a conflict is to release a flood; stop the dispute before it breaks out. Acquitting the guilty and condemning the just— both are detestable to the Lord. Prov 17:7-15 (HCSB)
Here is a great passage that speaks of the foolishness that we all witness in life and recognize as wrong, but often find ourselves being drawn into doing as well, when we let our guard down. We all are susceptible to foolish behavior because of our natural behavior if we do not check ourselves. There many who fall prey to following the crowd because they want to fit in and not be viewed as “not cool?” However, once you have been drawn into their foolishness, you have been infected by a contagious disease far more deadly then any strain of the flu!
There is a proverb that declares that it is better to be assumed that you are a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt! Well, the first obvious trait of the fool is their propensity to tell you that they are a fool, because of their gift to brag and gab, and to do so often. The longer you listen the sooner you realize the words are coming from a fool’s selfish heart, and they are enticing you to join in their folly. Likewise, a fool will use whatever tactic works for him or her to gain your enlistment into their folly, because a fool seeks company because, well quite honestly, they cannot stand themselves so they need lots of people around them to gossip about and criticize to make them feel better. So, if a bribe will get what they want they will offer some form enticement that gains your attention. But, when you are perceptive enough to recognize the foolishness and you rebuke his or her advances upon you, they are greatly offended! The fool can never understand why you will not join into their folly, and they will be obviously angry just because you saw through their schemes and motives.
Mischief is seldom done alone, mischief most often seeks company to gain the courage to succeed in their eyes. Mischief is the deed of the fool looking for applause for their deeds. However, the mischief has a consequence and people get hurt. The fool cares not about the feelings of others, and even their apology is an insensitive response that certainly does not excuse their behavior. They seek to get a laugh at the expense of an innocent person’s embarrassment or even their injury. But woe to the fool who exchanges evil for the good of the innocent person who they cross path with, because their folly will be revealed in due time, and their evil will come back upon them as their just reward. When conflict breaks out, and it will – it will be traced back to the source and the last laugh will fall back upon the fool and his folly!
The Lord detests those who seek to take advantage of others, and do harm to others just because it makes them feel somehow more important and in control. So do not try to exchange evil for evil with the fool, the greatest injury you can do to the fool is to recognize him for what he is and then walk away. The only way the fool recognizes his or her state is when they find themselves all alone, because everyone recognizes him or her for what they are and walks away their harmful ways.
How do you recognize the fool and their folly? Let God show you as you grow closer to Him by seeking God’s will, God’s ways and God’s wisdom according to God’s Word, and He will grant you the gift of discernment to keep you from the folly of the fool.
Coach
www.coachbrown.org
For to those who are perishing the message of the cross is foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is God’s power. 1 Cor 1:18 (HCSB)
August 25, 2009 at 5:35 am · Filed under FCA, First Baptist Ocala
Words of Wisdom #150: Look at Your Children to Find Who You Are
Better a dry crust with peace than a house full of feasting with strife. A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share an inheritance among brothers. A crucible is for silver and a smelter for gold, but the Lord is a tester of hearts. A wicked person listens to malicious talk; a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue. The one who mocks the poor insults his Maker, and one who rejoices over disaster will not go unpunished. Grandchildren are the crown of the elderly, and the pride of sons is their fathers. Prov 17:1-6 (HCSB)
It is easier to understand from the distance of being a grandparent, however it is so true: Our children are a reflection of who we are as parents. Children are like an empty sponge ready to sop up what they see and hear. A child always looks to their parents as the guide for their life, even when the model of behavior is questionable.
As a parent it is hard to see and be able to understand the responsibility we have while raising our children, but oh my how it is obvious to us as grandparents. When someone comes up to you and says that you are a “spitting image” of your father or mother, they are often saying the image is not always just in appearance, but in mannerisms and habits, and in attitudes. How we as parents behave in front of our children matters for their sake.
When our children begin to exhibit traits that we get upset about, why are we so upset? Is it because we see our “self” reflected back at us, and we are not pleased at what we see sometimes. I wonder if God allows this to happen to help us to change so that we may be able to correct our wrong attitudes and actions, and then provide a positive influence on our children. Listen carefully, not only does God test our hearts, so do our children. God does it to try to reach us where we have the greatest need to change, however our children test our hearts because they want to understand how they are to behave and to think about matters in this world. Even a wicked child rejoices and takes pride in being like his wicked father if that is all he sees his father to be.
Grandparents do have a positive role in this cycle because they can reflect to their grandchildren right choices and try to offer advice their sons and daughters out of love. So when, as parents, we get annoyed at our parents for seemingly stepping in and giving us advice, understand their motivation in many cases: they do it out of love and are trying to fix what they may have mistakenly done to you, but know can see the affect on your children. God is our Maker, and in His wisdom we have been wonderfully made for His glory and purposes, but that does not mean we always have done it right, but He is also the author of change so that we can be restored to what He intended, and He utilizes the family to accomplish that in many cases. Do not be angry when family comes to you because they may see something that needs to be changed. It is usually out of love!
Take time to look at your children carefully and see if you find yourself in them, and then ask: is everything I see pleasing to my heavenly Father. Am I truly seeking God’s will, God’s ways, and God’s wisdom according to God’s Word? If so, my children should affirm that by their actions and attitudes.
Coach
www.coachbrown.org
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, because this is right. Honor your father and mother—which is the first commandment with a promise— that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life in the land. And fathers, don’t stir up anger in your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Eph 6:1-4 (HCSB)
August 24, 2009 at 5:48 am · Filed under FCA, First Baptist Ocala
Words of Wisdom #149: We All Have Choices, But the Consequences are God’s Choice
There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it is the way of death. A worker’s appetite works for him because his hunger urges him on. A worthless man digs up evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire. A contrary man spreads conflict, and a gossip separates friends. A violent man lures his neighbor, leading him in a way that is not good. The one who narrows his eyes is planning deceptions; the one who compresses his lips brings about evil. Gray hair is a glorious crown; it is found in the way of righteousness. Patience is better than power, and controlling one’s temper, than capturing a city. The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. Prov 16:25-33 (HCSB)
From the beginning of time, God created humans in His image to be able to choose the way he or she may go. The very concept of a choice is an intentional, deliberate and conscious process that is uniquely human. We are not designed to choose our way by instinct, like the animals. In fact, we have very poor instincts when it comes to survival. A recent study says that those who are lost in the deep woods wander in circles. Animals can use their natural senses and instincts and find their way, but humans are reliant upon their intellectual senses to decide the right way to go, however as the passage states and research demonstrates, when lost, we usually find death on the path we follow without help.
Without the kind of help we need in selecting the right ways in life, our natural desires control our decision making process. We will create strife and fight to survive, and we will seek to do whatever is necessary to protect, preserve and prosper our “self”. We are by God’s design a selfish creature for the sake of survival. Just look at any infant for any length of time. However, as we grow older and reach the age of accountability – the time in our life when we can begin to reason – then we realize we have a choice in life. We can seek the counsel of others or struggle on our own. Then eventually we learn there is something we need more than human counsel to choose the right ways in life, and that’s when we begin to seek after God. However, for many of us, “self” sufficiency is our goal, even when we realize it is a lonely and destructive path. Deception, violence, gossip, conflict, desperation are evidence of the lonely, separate pathway that many prefer to follow. However, what price does one pay to survive in this world? This path is such a temporal way, and there is certainly a dead-end waiting for all who continue on it.
However, if one is patient and seeks the wisdom that comes from a relationship with God, our Creator, there is a different pathway that one chooses. Upon this way there is a guide, and the peace that comes from seeking His help along the way allows you to enjoy not only the present moment, but also the knowledge that this pathway is eternal.
Life is all about learning to make choices wisely, because our consequences in life are directly connected to the choices we make. However, realize that we have no control over the consequences – they have been divinely decided to help us find His way. Those who realize this truth discover the joy of the right ways in life, and those who stubbornly choose their own ways discover the price of their choices.
The Lord desires all to find His will, His ways, and His wisdom according to His Word, but the Lord also loves us enough to realize we must choose to come to Him by choice. We must trust Him, place our hope in Him, have faith in Him, and learn to love Him, as He has demonstrated His love for us. But, if you would rather choose your own way, He loves you enough to say sadly: “Okay, have it your way, but when you are tired of that way, I will be here waiting for you, and will lead you to my way, the way of life.”
Coach
www.coachbrown.org
Summoning the crowd along with His disciples, He said to them, “If anyone wants to be My follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me and the gospel will save it. For what does it benefit a man to gain the whole world yet lose his life? What can a man give in exchange for his life? For whoever is ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” Mark 8:34-38 (HCSB)
August 23, 2009 at 6:58 am · Filed under FCA, First Baptist Ocala
Words of Wisdom #148: Pride Never Uses Maps, Instructions or Advice
The highway of the upright avoids evil; the one who guards his way protects his life. Pride comes before destruction; and an arrogant spirit before a fall. Better to be lowly of spirit with the humble than to divide plunder with the proud. The one who understands a matter finds success, and the one who trusts in the Lord will be happy. Anyone with a wise heart is called discerning, and pleasant speech increases learning. Insight is a fountain of life for its possessor, but folly is the instruction of fools. A wise heart instructs its mouth and increases learning with its speech. Pleasant words are a honeycomb: sweet to the taste and health to the body. There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it is the way of death. Prov 16:17-25 (HCSB)
There are a lot of parodies that have been produced on television shows and in the movies about men who just are too proud to seek help and admit they do not know how to do something, yet they inevitably end up being lost, unable to put something together correctly, or act inappropriately among people. Pride is such a huge stumbling block that it can cause us to stumble and fall, or crush us. However, there is some good news! We are not alone: the men in this world are often joined by the women on a journey guided by Pride. Men for some reason just are more visible with their pride issues, and women in general are more subtle about it.
However, pride in itself is not a bad thing. Pride in being a part of a good thing is a right thing if it encourages others and builds rather than destroys. However, when Pride is joined by arrogance, boastfulness, and selfishness, then Pride become deadly. Full blown Pride separates and segregates people by position, property, prestige and power. What a dangerous matter it is for us to become the judge of others and to criticize others because we believe we know better than anyone else. However, the sad reality about Pride is that it blinds us to where we are traveling and causes us to stumble off the right paths onto our own paths which lead only to destruction and foolishness.
There is but one safeguard to Pride in your life, and it is Humility. Humility is a gift that comes from God to protect us from the temptations that come from Pride in our lives. Humility says even when I am sure I know the way or how to deal with a matter, it is a good idea to read the map, use the instructions, or ask advice. Humility admits that though I know, there may be a key component about the matter I may forget or overlook that will make a huge difference.
In life the beginning of a right relationship with the Lord is recognizing our need to seek God’s will, God’s ways, and God’s wisdom according to God’s Word everyday. Every time you read what seems like familiar passages there is new and relevant truth that is revealed that can make a difference in your life. The right way to go becomes clearer, right relationships are now made more visible to you, and right words come to your heart because you have the Lord as your guide and Pride has been surrendered.
Enjoy the accomplishments in your life, but never let what you can do blind you to what you need to learn regarding your need to love others as you love yourself.
Coach
www.coachbrown.org
Do not love the world or the things that belong to the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. Because everything that belongs to the world— the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s lifestyle—is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does God’s will remains forever. 1 John 2:15-17 (HCSB)
August 22, 2009 at 7:42 am · Filed under FCA, First Baptist Ocala
Words of Wisdom #147: Divine Authority is the Divine Mandate for Leaders
Honest balances and scales are the Lord’s; all the weights in the bag are His concern. Wicked behavior is detestable to kings, since a throne is established through righteousness. Righteous lips are a king’s delight, and he loves one who speaks honestly. A king’s fury is a messenger of death, but a wise man appeases it. When a king’s face lights up, there is life; his favor is like a cloud with spring rain. Acquire wisdom—how much better it is than gold! And acquire understanding it is preferable to silver. Prov 16:11-16 (HCSB)
The opening line and closing line define the expectations that the Lord has for all those who come into positions of authority over nations. The Lord clearly says first of all that he expects that all decisions made by the ones in authority should be completely honest. Often this verse seems to apply to merchants who charge by the weight of the goods they sell, however think beyond that obvious message. In this passage it refers to the decisions or judgments that a righteous ruler must make. A ruler is not to filter his decisions or judgments based upon his own biases or the influence of others that could profit him. The Lord expects the rulers of the people to be equally fair in all his or her decisions or judgments, and ultimately it is the Lord who will exercise His divine authority to judge the ruler’s actions and attitudes that influence his or her decisions and judgments.
Now there is another side to this issue of divine authority: the ruler must not allow anything but what is approved by the Lord to be his or her standard of fair and right, even if taking a poll or census of the people allows a popular mandate to supersede the divine mandate! There are times that the ruler must set aside what seems to be the popular belief on a matter to make the right decision. An example of this is the Civil Rights Acts and Laws put into place in America during the latter 50s and 60s. At that time, if the Supreme Court Justices, President and Congress had taken a poll to guide their decisions and judgments, Civil Rights would never have gotten off the ground. However, it was the right thing to do, and certainly a clear divine mandate that overrode the popular mandate of the people. Righteous rulers or people placed into positions of authority are those who clearly seeks God’s will, God’s ways, and God’s wisdom according to God’s Word, and thus have a clear standard of truth, recognizing what is good and right according to the Lord’s standards, not the floating and conflicting standards of people.
When in America, and many countries around the world, our leaders stop seeking to take advantage of special interest groups to increase their own personal interests while in power, only then will we return to the original image that we claimed from the beginning of our nation, that America is to be One Nation Under God! Under God means simply that every person from Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C. to Main Street U.S.A. acknowledges that the Lord’s Divine Authority clearly reveals that His Divine Mandate is to be the only mandate that guides all our leaders in power. When that happens, our government will not be a sanctuary for greedy, power seekers. Under the Lord’s guidance all who seek and receive leadership positions will know what servant-leadership really means. As the final line states, when our government leaders take office to get richer, the people suffer and they will be held accountable by the Lord. However, for those who find their way into office with a servant’s heart, the Lord will bless with the wisdom that will be far more valued than the wealth the greedy pursue. Who do you desire to elect into office, someone who continues the same power struggles that are existing, or someone who trusts in the Lord for his or her ability to be a true servant-leader?
Coach
www.coachbrown.org
Everyone must submit to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist are instituted by God. So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do good and you will have its approval. For government is God’s servant to you for good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For government is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong. Romans 13:1-4 (HCSB)
August 21, 2009 at 6:09 am · Filed under FCA, First Baptist Ocala
Words of Wisdom #146: Who is the focal point of your life?
The reflections of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All a man’s ways seem right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the motives. Commit your activities to the Lord and your plans will be achieved. The Lord has prepared everything for His purpose— even the wicked for the day of disaster. Everyone with a proud heart is detestable to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished. Wickedness is atoned for by loyalty and faithfulness, and one turns from evil by the fear of the Lord. When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. Better a little with righteousness than great income with injustice. A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps. God’s verdict is on the lips of a king; his mouth should not err in judgment. Prov 16:1-1(HCSB)
In our self-centered society the focal point is most often “me, myself and I;” a collective body of advisors that blinds us from seeing the truth about ourselves. When they speak, no one else can be heard. The only counsel we listen too is them, and the results reveal the source. What kind of society would we live in if everyone was like “me, myself, and I”? If everyone only cared about their own interests, and everyone wanted the best we felt we deserved? What kind of competition would there be amongst all the “me, myself, and I” people of the world? Fortunately, even the earliest human understood that weighing the common good over the personal good was best for every “me, myself, and I” participant. However, who was going to determine the common good issues? Then the Lord stepped in and said, “I am glad you realized that doing things your ways has not worked real well, and now let’s try it the Lord’s way.” God touched the hearts of men from the beginning, such as Abraham, Moses, David, Elijah and many others to show the right ways that the Lord desired of man to go. However, there have always been and there continue to be “me, myself and I” people who deny the Lord’s will, ways and wisdom of His Word. These self-centered individuals are those who take advantage of those seeking the common good of their neighbors. Unlike others who live right according to the Lord, they invert the ladder of authority and their actions and attitudes declare that they love themselves first and foremost with all their heart, mind, strength and soul, and only consider their neighbor’s well-being if it suits their good purposes to do so. And, if there is any good that come from being associated to the Lord, it is for their good purposes.
Unlike the attitude of the “me, myself and I” people, the Lord is the only one who can see the common good for all people as He intended from the beginning, and real security, real peace among men, real life begins when we surrender the “me, myself, and I” within us to the Lord! When we begin to look to Him to not only save us from ourselves, then we can enjoy the fruits of a true loving relationship whereby the Lord will guide us in the right ways, with the right motives that benefit all.
There is a huge burden when we are our own counsel. We grow weary of the responsibility, and sooner or later we realize we are not as wise as we think we are. Consider this fact: if you are your own source of wisdom and advice, how wise can you become? However, if you humble yourself and seek the wisdom of the omniscient Lord of the universe, and submit to His will, His ways, and His wisdom, according to His Word, what limits are there on the wisdom you can achieve from seeking His counsel?
Stop and think about that! A great philosopher once stated the following: our personal interests are best served when we serve the common good interests first, and in doing so we realize the individual freedoms we so sorely desire the most. What do you think? Who should be the focus of your life: “me, myself and I” or the Lord?
Coach
www.coachbrown.org
Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent His One and Only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another. No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God remains in us and His love is perfected in us. 1 John 4:7-12 (HCSB) (Note: when God or the Lord is our focal point, love resides within us.)
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