Archive for December, 2009
December 31, 2009 at 8:23 am · Filed under FCA, First Baptist Ocala
Words of Wisdom #251: Don’t Follow the Folly of the Fool’s Advice
The words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him. The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly, but the end of his speaking is evil madness. Yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what will happen, and who can tell anyone what will happen after him? The struggles of fools weary them, for they don’t know how to go to the city. Eccl 10:12-15 (HCSB)
Confusion and chaos are the destiny of those who listen and fall onto the path of the fool. Yet, so many people are susceptible to the tickling and tantalizing words that the fool seems capable of espousing. It seems most people have the struggle within them of selfishness and that leads them to seek shortcuts and believe that there are easier ways to get ahead in life, thus even when they know better, they want to believe the lies and folly of the fool who paints a picture of the better life. Do we blame the fool and his folly, or should we brand ourselves as the fool whose folly is following the advice of the fool?
So how can we filter the words that flow from the lips of the fool versus the wisdom that come from the wise? Well the Bible clearly puts it this way: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His instructions have good insight. Psalms 111:10 (HCSB) This fear is utmost reverence and awe for the priority and perfection of the Lord’s guidance to mankind. Where can we get that guidance for all our life decisions? It begins by committing daily to seeking God’s will, God’s ways, and God’s wisdom according to God’s Word. When you invest in hearing and meditating upon what perfection is, then your ears and eyes become more sensitive to the folly of fools. No matter how convincing the initial message sounds like, the fool’s mistake is he cannot help but to keep talking trying to reinforce and convince everyone of his perceived truth. However, when you invest in God’s Word, the message is real, relevant and reliable. God’s Word is to the point and is truth without compromise. It points the way to go, and how one is to go. When you trust the Lord, you find He is with you all along the path He takes you. However, the fool’s folly never entails the fool’s investment in his plans. He will gladly tell you how awesome his way is to go, and challenges you to go with him, but he does not go with you. The fool’s ways are lonely ways, and it is far too easy to find out that you wind up lost with the directions you are given. Even the sacred GPS system man created has its faults and shortcomings, and it is possible to get lost relying upon your Google map or your Garmin device. Only God is absolutely reliable, and when He leads there is no getting lost unless you stop listening and trusting in the Lord’s reliability.
What are you relying upon to guide through the days that lie ahead in your life? The choice is yours.
Coach
www.coachbrown.org
“Your heart must not be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if not, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you. If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also. You know the way where I am going.” “Lord,” Thomas said, “we don’t know where You’re going. How can we know the way?” Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:1-6 (HCSB)
December 30, 2009 at 8:27 am · Filed under FCA, First Baptist Ocala
Words of Wisdom #250: Signs of Evil Ways – Things Are Upside Down
There is an evil I have seen under the sun, an error proceeding from the presence of the ruler: The fool is appointed to great heights, but the rich remain in lowly positions. I have seen slaves on horses, but princes walking on the ground like slaves. The one who digs a pit may fall into it, and the one who breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake. The one who quarries stones may be hurt by them; the one who splits trees may be endangered by them. If the axe is dull, and one does not sharpen its edge, then one must exert more strength; however, the advantage of wisdom is that it brings success. If the snake bites before it is charmed, then there is no advantage for the charmer. Eccl 10:5-11 (HCSB)
When do we realize that we are in the midst of evil days? Consider the fact that the people have been blinded for the sake of change and fools have found their way into leadership positions and appointed other fools replacing qualified civil servants who have been previously successful. Then the government tries to turn society upside down with the poor and disadvantaged over the rich and successful people, and the wealth is redistributed to win the hearts of the people. In these situations, the days of evil are in place because social order has been overturned by the fools who do not understand the consequences of their folly.
Thankfully, God has an order in place for society and each time man tries to change the natural order of man chaos and dissent follows. However, God is in control so that when fools take charge they only discover that their pits are traps for themselves, and as they try to act like the thief taking what is not theirs to take they are the victim in the end. Likewise, when one tries to perform skilled work without the needed experience the risk for harm is escalated – such as a stonecutter in a quarry or a lumberjack in a forest, which are two extremely skilled and dangerous occupations. Experience matters and maturity enables a person over time to become a capable worker. If this is true, what about in a more challenging and skilled leadership roles of our government, because failures at this level in judgment affects all the people, and not just the one making the decisions.
When we are looking to place people into high offices we must make sure we have the properly prepared people who are truly qualified to perform in office to the common good of the public, and not for selfish gain or vanity sake. We need to make sure we have a properly prepared or “sharp axe” to accomplish the tasks that the office requires. We need likewise to realize wisdom is a gift from God, and our leaders need to be thus men of God, and ones who daily seek God’s will, God’s ways, and God’s wisdom according to God’s Word. When the leadership and the people are on the same page, society is in proper order and the nation is blessed and God is honored.
As a final thought, God works through His people to hold the leaders in government accountable and responsible. All successful governments have been accountable to the people, and when the government fails to please the people “change” occurs! Communism and socialism has been overthrown because of the people’s reactions to such regimes. Let us all seek God’s will, ways and wisdom when pursuing the change we desire to see. Then and only then will the change for the common good actually take place; and. change for change sake is dangerous, unless we know the change God desires for us.
Coach
www.coachbrown.org
“Listen to another parable: There was a man, a landowner, who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a watchtower. He leased it to tenant farmers and went away. When the grape harvest drew near, he sent his slaves to the farmers to collect his fruit. But the farmers took his slaves, beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. Again, he sent other slaves, more than the first group, and they did the same to them. Finally, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. “But when the tenant farmers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance!’ So they seized him and threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those farmers?” “He will completely destroy those terrible men,” they told Him, “and lease his vineyard to other farmers who will give him his produce at the harvest.” Matt 21:33-41 (HCSB) (Note: God’s plans cannot be usurped or taken away by man)
December 29, 2009 at 8:12 am · Filed under FCA, First Baptist Ocala
Words of Wisdom #249: One Bad Apple Ruins the Bushel
Dead flies make a perfumer’s oil ferment and stink; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. A wise man’s heart [goes] to the right, but a fool’s heart to the left. Even when the fool walks along the road, his heart lacks sense, and he shows everyone he is a fool. If the ruler’s anger rises against you, don’t leave your place, for calmness puts great offenses to rest. Eccl 10:1-4 (HCSB)
When shopping in a farmer’s market for a bushel of apples, it is hard to realize at first glance if the bushel you are looking at has any signs of a bad apple that could impact the goodness of the others. If you do not take the time to inspect all the apples before storing them away, there is the chance one bad apple could turn into many bad apples in no time. The same is true in a group of people – one fool can cause others harm. The fool can disguise himself among the others until he begins to misdirect the others.
Because it is the natural instinct within mankind to be a follower, then there is a constant risk of choosing the wrong leader to follow. However, time always reveals the folly of the fool, and those who have followed him begin to realize they are at risk unless they change leadership and leave the fool behind. So choose wisely the leaders you have the choice to follow, even if you discover the error of the choice at some time, there will be a cost for the time you followed the fool.
What can we do? When you are at the farmer’s market choosing apples experience will help you avoid bushels with bad apples. Experience will inspire you to check the contents of the bushel looking for signs of a bad apple, because there are signs we can be aware of. The same is true in life. The closer we are to God’s will, God’s ways, and God’s wisdom according to God’s Word, the more likely we can recognize those who are opposed to living the right way in life, and only seek their own selfish folly. When one claims to have all the answers, our response should be simple: RUN! Although we may become wiser and more mature, we will never be fully wise or fully mature, as if we are our own god. What the wise man realizes is that the wiser we become the more dependent we become to placing our faith in God and following Him alone with confidence. When we come to that point God will help us to be more alert to the folly of others. Where do you place your trust for your choices in life?
Coach
www.coachbrown.org
Finally, pray for us, brothers, that the Lord’s message may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful; He will strengthen and guard you from the evil one. We have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do what we command. May the Lord direct your hearts to God’s love and Christ’s endurance.
2 Thess 3:1-5 (HCSB)
December 28, 2009 at 7:32 am · Filed under FCA, First Baptist Ocala
Words of Wisdom #248: Wisdom Saves All But Its Memory
I have observed that this also is wisdom under the sun, and it is significant to me: There was a small city with few men in it. A great king came against it, surrounded it, and built large siege works against it. Now a poor wise man was found in the city, and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man. And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.” The calm words of the wise are heeded more than the shouts of a ruler over fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much good. Eccl 9:13-18 (HCSB)
We call them geeks, nerds, even eggheads, but our lives are better because of those who have the gift of wisdom. We are jealous of their unique gifts and all benefit from their knowledge applied to our lives, but our selfishness causes us to not appreciate them enough to remember them or to acknowledge their accomplishments in our lives. In this passage it is one of those insignificant, behind the scenes wise geek who finds a way to defeat the strong foe who had laid siege to his city. Though the victory went to the small city thanks to this geek, no one acknowledges him for what he did, and he was even quickly forgotten as they went back to their self-focused living. What is also sad is we tend to resent those with such gifts and talents, because they have been given what we do not have or could we even have it even if we wanted to claim it. Wisdom cannot be bought or developed by human endeavor. Either you have the gift of wisdom from God or you rely upon the wisdom of God from others who have the gift. Such reliance causes many to become resentful and jealous. And, it only takes one destructive, ill-timed scheme of a wicked person to destroy the good of the wise.
Why do we envy what God has obviously dispensed for His greater purposes? When we mock or resent those with such talents, are we not mocking and resenting God Himself? When a gifted person crosses our path are we thankful for the opportunity to benefit, or jealous that we cannot do the same? Whenever we look carefully at ourselves and others around us we will see that there is a mosaic of unique talents and gifts that God has endowed upon each of us that complement our shortcomings. No one person is fully capable of having all the gifts and talents to survive in this world alone. We all need to rely upon others to be successful in this lifetime. Do not be jealous of what others have, but discover your own giftedness and give freely of what you have to others, as they should likewise do in return. All of us should search ourselves daily by seeking God’s will, God’s ways, and God’s wisdom according to God’s Word, and discovering how God desires to use us to build His kingdom on earth. Will you choose to participate and collaborate with others, or push them away and stumble on your own?
Coach
www.coachbrown.org
“For it is just like a man going on a journey. He called his own slaves and turned over his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; and to another, one—to each according to his own ability. Then he went on a journey. Immediately the man who had received five talents went, put them to work, and earned five more. In the same way the man with two earned two more. But the man who had received one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money. “After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five talents approached, presented five more talents, and said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. Look, I’ve earned five more talents.’ “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy!’ “Then the man with two talents also approached. He said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. Look, I’ve earned two more talents.’ “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy!’ “Then the man who had received one talent also approached and said, ‘Master, I know you. You’re a difficult man, reaping where you haven’t sown and gathering where you haven’t scattered seed. So I was afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. Look, you have what is yours.’ “But his master replied to him, ‘You evil, lazy slave! If you knew that I reap where I haven’t sown and gather where I haven’t scattered, then you should have deposited my money with the bankers. And when I returned I would have received my money back with interest. “‘So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has 10 talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. And throw this good-for-nothing slave into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ Matt 25:14-30 (HCSB)
December 22, 2009 at 8:13 am · Filed under FCA, First Baptist Ocala
Words of Wisdom #246: Celebrate the Gift of Life
Go, eat your bread with pleasure, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already accepted your works. Let your clothes be white all the time, and never let oil be lacking on your head. Enjoy life with the wife you love all the days of your fleeting life, which has been given to you under the sun, all your fleeting days. For that is your portion in life and in your struggle under the sun. Whatever your hands find to do, do with [all] your strength, because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or wisdom in Sheol where you are going. Eccl 9:7-10 (HCSB)
Sheol to the Hebrews, especially in Solomon’s days, was a common place for the dead – the wicked and the righteous. God was Lord over the dead there as well and bodies could be ransomed out of the desolation of the grave. It was conceived as the holding place for the dead – a place of darkness and nothingness. Therefore in the context of Solomon’s thoughts here, you are encouraged to realize that God knows your heart as well as all of your actions and attitude, and your future destiny has been determined. From that perspective Solomon says rejoice now in this life time. Celebrate in your present days which are few in the prospect of your eternal destiny. You are either celebrating for the joy of being ransomed by God into His paradise – His presence, or condemned to eternal darkness and separation from God. Either way, celebration now of your life has a practical purpose.
Solomon says to take joy in your marriage, your family, and even in your career. Take nothing for granted and embrace every opportunity to enjoy life’s pleasures. This is not a hedonistic pleasure principle but a principle of not wasting the gift of life in the present because no one knows when life will come to an end. Likewise, your destiny is in God’s hands, whether for good or bad.
Of course, there is now hope for our eternal destination that Solomon did not understand. Solomon’s advice today would suit anyone not believing in Christ’s message of hope. Since the days of Jesus mankind has learned that God’s love is so great that He has revealed that God’s will, God’s ways, and God’s wisdom according to God’s Word offers eternal life in His heaven to all who surrender their present lives to Christ’s lordship. We now have a Savior – the Messiah promised in scriptures that Solomon did not understand has been revealed – and He was born as a baby in a manger in Bethlehem and grew among us and then lived the ideal life and taught us that God desires all to be saved. This same Jesus even paid the debt for our sin that allows all to claim His sacrifice on the Cross as the ransom for their soul beyond the grave. Sheol in the present tense has no hold on us any longer, we have immediate presence before God the Father through the works and word of Christ, the Son of God.
With Christ as our Savior, as Solomon suggested we certainly do have a good reason to celebrate life now to the fullest, enjoying it to the fullest in the light of His ways, truth and life that we can understand in His Word. Was Solomon saved? I don’t know, but you can know about your destiny… it can be secured in Christ. Just call upon Him and make a commitment to live your life in the light of His Word.
Coach
www.coachbrown.org
“This [Jesus] is The stone despised by you builders, who has become the cornerstone. There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:11-12 (HCSB)
December 21, 2009 at 8:34 am · Filed under FCA, First Baptist Ocala
Words of Wisdom #245: Different Routes, Same Destination, Not Same Destiny!
Indeed, I took all this to heart and explained it all: the righteous, the wise, and their works are in God’s hands. People don’t know whether [to expect] love or hate. Everything lies ahead of them. Everything is the same for everyone: there is one fate for the righteous and the wicked, for the good and the bad, for the clean and the unclean, for the one who sacrifices and the one who does not sacrifice. As it is for the good, so it is for the sinner, as for the one who takes an oath, so for the one who fears an oath. This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: there is one fate for everyone. In addition, the hearts of people are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live—after that they go to the dead. But there is hope for whoever is joined with all the living, since a live dog is better than a dead lion. For the living know that they will die, but the dead don’t know anything. There is no longer a reward for them because the memory of them is forgotten. Their love, their hate, and their envy have already disappeared, and there is no longer a portion for them in all that is done under the sun. Eccl 9:1-6 (HCSB)
In this lifetime there will be both love and hate in our lives, and we cannot control when or why either will cross our path. God has a purpose through both love and hate to shape and mold, to enlighten and to guide our lives. And in the end of things, no matter how we have dealt with the challenges of this lifetime, we all have a common destination regardless of the various routes we have chosen to follow in life, for good or for bad, for love or for hate, for obedience or for non-obedience, for fulfillment of promises made or for rejection of promises. We all will find our paths will arrive at the same destination – the same finish line. Death waits all without exclusion!
Our lifetime is meant to be a time of preparation for understanding what is good versus bad; love versus hate; clean versus unclean; obedience versus disobedience; truth versus ignorance; faith versus foolishness. God gives no one an advantage in this lifetime, because He loves all equally and perseveres with our folly – as all have hearts that are full of evil. God wants all to be saved from their selfish disobedience. Until we reach the finish line of this lifetime, God is encouraging and influencing everyone to discover His love and the truth that lies in seeking after God’s will, God’s ways, and God’s wisdom according to God’s Word. Through the pursuit of them lies the reward of eternal life that is promised for all who arrive at the finish line truly alive and not “dead on arrival.”
Yes we all have the right to choose our own different routes in this life, but we all have the same destination, but God says not the same destiny. Think carefully upon the choices we are allowed to make, because there are consequences to those choices.
Coach
www.coachbrown.org
Then He said to [them] all, “If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will save it. What is a man benefited if he gains the whole world, yet loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and that of the Father and the holy angels. I tell you the truth: there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:23-27 (HCSB)
December 19, 2009 at 8:29 am · Filed under FCA, First Baptist Ocala
Words of Wisdom #244: It is all a Matter of Personal Perspective!
There is a futility that is done on the earth: there are righteous people who get what the actions of the wicked deserve, and there are wicked people who get what the actions of the righteous deserve. I say that this too is futile. So I commended enjoyment, because there is nothing better for man under the sun except to eat, drink, and enjoy himself, for this will accompany him in his labor during the years of his days that God gives him under the sun. When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe the activity that is done on the earth (even though one’s eyes do not close in sleep day or night), I observed all the work of God [and concluded] that man is unable to discover the work that is done under the sun. Even though a man labors hard to explore it, he cannot find it; even if the wise man claims to know it, he is unable to discover it. Eccl 8:14-17 (HCSB)
Why do bad things happen to seemingly good people, innocent people? Why are seemingly bad people allowed to have what appear to be good things happen to them? Why does it seem the world is turned upside down with the way rewards are distributed? Of course, are any of us able to discern God’s motives for how His blessings are dispensed? Do we understand the mind of God and understand His purposes and plans?
Solomon’s advice does make a lot of sense when he declares: there is nothing better for man under the sun except to eat, drink, and enjoy himself. I believe what we must learn about life is that we must accept what we are responsible for and not fret over the lives of others. Godly humility applauds those who are seemingly rewarded with blessings even when such rewards do not seem appropriate in our eyes. Why? Because, we must not be jealous for what happens to others. If we believe in God’s justice and mercy, should there be any reason for our envy or criticism? There is so much in this lifetime we are never meant to understand, and though we may pray for understanding, there is much that is beyond our grasp. The only ultimate wisdom we can attain in this lifetime is the wisdom to know and accept we can never know all there is to know, and in that simple fact resides the most valuable piece of wisdom we can learn, and godly humility resides.
Remember, in the end of all things we will only be held accountable to God, our Judge, for what we did with what He allowed us to experience in this life. We will not be held accountable for what others did, only how we responded to what they did. Therefore, our attitude must be that of Christ’s: as one seeking God’s will, God’s ways, and God’s wisdom according to God’s Word. Our prayers must be not to try to find justice in the lives of others, but to understand how we must respond to such matters, especially when we clearly do not understand. God has such a broader and deeper perspective on the comings and goings in life that is well beyond our ability to see and understand, and ultimately our faith should declare God’s good and perfect purpose will prevail through even the events that seem unjust to us. What we should pray for is God’s perspective on these matters so that we may humbly reside in peace with everyone, then we can walk through life focused on what matters the most: our personal relationship with God, and leave the rest up to Him.
Coach
www.coachbrown.org
If you do [what is] good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do [what is] good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is gracious to the ungrateful and evil. Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. Luke 6:33-36 (HCSB)
December 18, 2009 at 9:21 am · Filed under FCA, First Baptist Ocala
Words of Wisdom #243: Wisdom Frees the Chains of Ignorance
Who is like the wise person, and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom brightens his face, and the sternness of his face is changed.
Keep the king’s command. Concerning an oath by God, do not be in a hurry. Leave his presence, and don’t persist in a bad cause, since he will do whatever he wants. For the king’s word is authoritative, and who can say to him, “What are you doing?” The one who keeps a command will not experience anything harmful, and a wise heart knows the right time and procedure. For every activity there is a right time and procedure, even though man’s troubles are heavy on him. Yet no one knows what will happen, because who can tell him what will happen? No one has authority over the wind to restrain it, and there is no authority over the day of death; there is no furlough in battle, and wickedness will not allow those who practice it to escape. All this I have seen, applying my mind to all the work that is done under the sun, at a time when one man has authority over another to his harm. In such circumstances, I saw the wicked buried. They came and went from the holy place, and they were praised in the city where they did so. This too is futile. Because the sentence against a criminal act is not carried out quickly, therefore the heart of people is filled [with the desire] to commit crime. Although a sinner commits crime a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I also know that it will go well with God-fearing people, for they are reverent before Him. However, it will not go well with the wicked, and they will not lengthen their days like a shadow, for they are not reverent before God. Eccl 8:1-13 (HCSB)
We will never know all the reasons under the sun for why certain things happen or even why some people can get away with the things that they do, but we are blessed with sufficient wisdom to learn to be patient, to persevere even when it seems futile, and to persist in seeking to understand. However, wisdom is not dispensed like candy from a vending machine or doled out like in a cafeteria buffet line. Only God knows all things, and He alone has the sovereign authority over wisdom and the sharing of it with man. And, I believe there are times when God holds back wisdom to protect man in certain circumstances. Why? Because, man cannot fully comprehend all the reasons why certain things happen and for what greater purpose God allows them to occur.
Yes, there are arrogant and wrong-doing authority figures that rule over us. However, God has allowed them to rule for a reason and for only a season so that His purpose will be realized later. However, while such a person flaunts their power and position upon others, we are told to prayerfully persevere under their yoke of tyranny because in the proper time we will see the blessing that will come from remaining faithful. This is also true of the wicked that walk among us and even enter our churches; there too we are told to not be jealous that they seemingly are getting off scot-free from their lifestyle choices and evil deeds. Though they flaunt their superiority and invincibility, there is coming a time when they will be held accountable and justice will not be delayed or softened.
In the end, God-fearing people are the faithful ones who pursue God’s will, God’s ways, and God’s wisdom according to God’s Word on a daily basis. The faithful are given the wisdom to recognize wrong but also the patience and understanding to persevere through times that they cannot change. Christian courage is given to those who are willing to walk in this world realizing evil exists and bad things do happen to good people, and bad people seem to get away with their schemes. However, in the midst of that God shines His light of truth upon the truly courageous and faithful, and they are given the wisdom to break the chains of ignorance that causes us to fear. Just as if there is no darkness how would you know what the light is, so too with evil and goodness! That is the beginning of Godly wisdom. This is how we learn to live with a purpose in this imperfect world, making a difference for God’s glory and greater purposes by faith.
Coach
www.coachbrown.org
“You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matt 5:43-48 (HCSB)
December 17, 2009 at 6:47 am · Filed under FCA, First Baptist Ocala
Words of Wisdom #242: Do Women Tempt Men, Where Does the Fault Lie?
I have tested all this by wisdom. I resolved, “I will be wise,” but it was beyond me. What exists is beyond [reach] and very deep. Who can discover it? I turned my thoughts to know, explore, and seek wisdom and an explanation [for things], and to know that wickedness is stupidity and folly is madness. And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a trap, her heart a net, and her hands chains. The one who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner will be captured by her. “Look,” says the Teacher, “this I have discovered, by adding one thing to another to find out the explanation, which my soul continually searches for but does not find: among a thousand [people] I have found one [true] man, but among all these I have not found a true woman. Only see this: I have discovered that God made people upright, but they pursued many schemes.” Eccl 7:23-29 (HCSB)
The pursuit of wisdom is an ongoing journey, and the more we grasp the more we realize that we are short of what we really need to discover that is still beyond our reach. If only we could grasp the knowledge we need, then and likely only then will we avoid the wickedness that leads us to stupidity, and the folly that identifies us as mad men.
The ultimate test for a man that claims to be wise, that has become the envy of others, is how that person handles his relationships with women. When man pursues out of lust a woman then that pursuit, not the woman herself, becomes a trap, a net, and it will chain us in that lust. A wise counselor who was a professor in college told me that when a man and woman establish an intimate relationship there is a chemical connection that lasts a lifetime long after the two have traveled separate paths. A man will remember vividly each woman he has been with given the right circumstances. That is an interesting trait that marks our life of relationships, however often many of those memories come with regrets and consequences.
So are women wicked? Are they to blame for man’s stupidity and folly? Why do proverbs identify sin with the temptress? Well, most of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes were likely written by a man who knew wisdom and wealth, but still felt the need to lust after what he could never own – the love of the women he pursued in life. No, women are not wicked and certainly not to blame for man’s lustful desires. The only temptress is man’s own sinful, lustful heart that stirs man’s stupidity and foolish ways. Just as wisdom is never fully attainable, neither is the satisfaction of man’s lust for women. However, we become wise when we realize that fact and learn to be satisfied with where we are in life and not allow the pursuit of wisdom, wealth or women to blind us into falling prey to the lust of any three.
Our only hope is found in our faith in pursuing God’s will, God’s ways, and God’s wisdom according to God’s Word so that we can learn to love rightly all that we have, and to free ourselves from the lust that resides within us. Lust is the seed of sin that tempts us. Men beware, and do not blame women for our sinful distractions that are left unchecked will destroy the relationships we hold most dear to us.
Coach
www.coachbrown.org
“You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery. But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to go into hell! Matt 5:27-30 (HCSB)
December 16, 2009 at 6:40 am · Filed under FCA, First Baptist Ocala
Words of Wisdom #241: Strength in Humility and Honesty
Wisdom makes the wise man stronger than ten rulers of a city. There is certainly no righteous man on the earth who does “good” and never sins. Don’t pay attention to everything people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you; for you know that many times you yourself have cursed others. Eccl 7:19-22 (HCSB)
Wisdom is more than knowledge of stuff. Wisdom is applying common sense to life’s situations and knowing your limits and the limits of others as well. Wisdom is learning when to be quiet and when to speak. Wisdom is knowing what is truth and what is just people talking for the sake of talking. Wisdom is recognizing your own imperfections and shortcomings.
Wisdom is a powerful gift that God provides to those who are willing to invest in it and who will actively pursue it. Yet, wisdom from God can never be fully acquired or discovered in one’s lifetime. In some way or another, we all have some degree of wisdom. Even the fool has stumbled across some wisdom, just not enough to recognize what he still lacks, but enough to think he has found it.
A person who has pursued wisdom grows in humility and honesty each day, and interacts with others in a manner that pleases the author of wisdom. The more wisdom one realizes, the more that person realizes how much wisdom he or she lacks. The person that invests in wisdom also realizes that goodness and sin exist together to expose the other. And, a wise person has experienced both in their life and acknowledges the fact that without God’s forgiveness there is no one righteous on their own.
Have you invested enough time in pursuing God’s will, God’s ways, and God’s wisdom according to God’s Word to walk through life with the strength and confidence of knowing what godly wisdom is and that it is worth pursuing? How can you know if you are becoming wiser? Well, do the words and actions of others not affect you like they used to? And, are you seeing the strength of living more humbly and honestly with others? Finally, are you still seeking approval from others, because the truly wise person knows the only opinion that matters is from the Author of Wisdom, Truth and Life? Only our relationship with God matters in the end, but remember how we relate to others does matter to Him! We cannot be responsible to how others relate to us, but we are responsible to how we relate to others, and God offers us the wisdom in even the most difficult relationships. It is there we find real strength, true humility and honesty…
Coach
www.coachbrown.org
If then there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, sharing the same feelings, focusing on one goal. Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not [only] for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Phil 2:1-4 (HCSB)
Next entries »
2010. Powered by