Today's Reading: Proverbs 15

Abomination!

Abomination! What a harsh and strong word. It means: a repugnant and despicable thing; a thing so despicable and disgraceful that it causes revulsion and disgust. There aren’t many things that the Lord is disgusted by, but here in Proverbs 15:8, He reveals one of those things – “the sacrifice of the wicked.” There is nothing more offensive to God than the pious actions of those whose hearts are far from Him.

One reason that the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination is that their action “flies in the face” of God’s revealed truth about righteousness and salvation. The Bible is very clear on this matter – salvation can NEVER be earned or merited by one’s external actions. Anyone who tries to “earn” their acceptance by God through their religion is pridefully disputing with God, Himself. They oppose His truth that our righteousness comes as a free gift from Him, not by works, but by grace through faith.

Even the person who diligently applies him/herself to following the commands and ordinances of God and performs the ceremonies and formalities of religion is an abomination to the Lord if his/her heart is not right with Him. No religious acts will do in place of true holiness to the Lord. God will not allow himself to be `bought off' by gifts and sacrifices of the unrepentant and unbelieving person. Not only is God not interested in any sacrifices that the wicked might offer to Him, He finds them to be repulsive. 

But the glorious truth found in the second half of this verse is that “the prayer of the upright is acceptable to Him!” But who is the upright? This is the person who has repented of their sin and self-centered religion and sincerely desires God’s true salvation. When a person admits their own inability to do - or be - anything remotely close to righteous by their own efforts and who - by faith - accepts Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for their sin they are declared “righteous” and “upright” in the sight of God.

From that point on, the upright person seeks the Lord and desires to follow in His ways – not to earn their right standing with God – but because He has graciously declared them upright and they love and worship Him for it. Oh, how God loves to hear the prayers of that person! Pray to Him now. Your heartfelt prayers will be acceptable to Him! It is an amazing truth that God loves to hear from His children.

 

Today's Reading: Proverbs 14

A Serious Miscalculation

Today’s key verse speaks to us about the danger of self-deception. It tells us that something can “seem” to be right, while being all wrong. There’s a way of life that looks harmless enough, but look again, it could be leading you away from eternal life. Tragically, people on the “way to death” have made a serious miscalculation. They have chosen to do what is right in their own eyes without realizing their own vulnerability to self-deception.

Is it possible for us to deceive ourselves into believing what is false? God says it is! People can delude themselves into believing whatever they want. Self-deception is a common thing that happens in some way or another to all of us. The chilling thing about self-deception is that you don’t realize when it is happening to you. Tragically, for many, they may never realize it.

For the unbeliever, unrealized self-deception will culminate in “the way of death.” They may believe that getting into heaven is a matter of “living a good life.” Or following some religious creed or new-age mantra. Or being charitable. Or even “going to church.” Or, they may not believe in the existence of a “heaven” at all. They may say, “It doesn’t really matter what you believe, as long as you believe something.” Sadly, people can become complacent in these self-deceptions and not even see a need for an alternative path. They have made a severe miscalculation that will end in eternal separation from God and the life that is in Him.

For the follower of Christ, self-deception is a serious matter to consider as well. Christians may be believing doctrines or following a way of life that is not consistent with the truth of God. It has been said that “Discernment is more than knowing right from wrong. It is knowing right from almost right.” As a follower of Christ, it is so critical that we discover any ways we are going that are “almost right,” and turn to back to God’s “right” way. To be a “little bit off” can take you severely off course on a long journey.

Perhaps you are compromising with sin, or getting into false doctrine, or teachings that are “nearly right.” You may not even realize it. This is why the Bible repeatedly urges us to check ourselves to make sure that God’s word is the standard for what we believe and how we live. Paul the Apostle exhorted us to, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith." (2 Corinthians 13:5) Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence that Jesus Christ is in you and that you are following His way of life. If you discover an area where you’re not quite right and true to God’s word, do something about it.

 

Today's Reading: 1 Kings 8

God's Radiant Outshining

Here we read about the cloud, the symbol of the Divine glory and presence. At the inauguration of the Temple and the first service there, the cloud appears to have filled not only the Holy of Holies, but the whole Temple, courtyard, porch and all. It was visible and was evident to all the people who had gathered for this sacred event. By this, Solomon knew that God had honored the place with His presence, and had taken up residence therein.

This was the cloud of glory, seen often in the Old and New Testaments, sometimes called the cloud of “Shekinah” glory. Shekinah Glory is a visible manifestation of God on earth. The word Shekinah is a Hebrew name meaning “dwelling” or “one who dwells.” Shekinah Glory means “He caused to dwell,” referring to the divine presence of God.

This Shekinah is the cloud that: stood by Israel in the wilderness (Exodus 13:21-22); the cloud from which God met with Moses and others (Exodus 19:9); the cloud that stood by the door of the Tabernacle (Exodus 33:9-10); the cloud from which God appeared to the High Priest in the Holy Place inside the veil (Leviticus 16:2); the cloud of Ezekiel’s vision, filling the temple of God with the brightness of His glory (Ezekiel 10:4); the cloud of glory that overshadowed Mary when she conceived Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35); the cloud present at the transfiguration of Jesus (Luke 9:34-35); the cloud of glory that received Jesus into heaven at His ascension (Acts 1:9); and this is the cloud that will display the glory of Jesus Christ when He returns in triumph to this earth (Luke 21:27).

What an amazing spectacle! Think of it! A cloud filled the house of the Lord with His glory. “For the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.” (V11). The word “glory” in this verse means honor, splendor, glory, magnificence, brilliance, grandness. It is a word that expresses the impressiveness of God and His holy presence. It is hard to define the glory of God, but we could call it the “radiant outshining” of His character and presence.

In this incidence, the cloud’s presence was so overwhelming that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud. The extreme presence of the glory of God made normal service impossible. The sense of the presence of God was so intense that the priests felt it was impossible to continue in their ministry.

The Lord your God is living and powerful and He wants to show you His Shekinah Glory. Perhaps not as a visible spectacle or an overwhelming cloud, but if you prayerfully seek Him, He will reveal His extreme presence and radiant outshining in your life.

 

Today's Reading - 2 Chronicles 4

 

A Place for God's Presence

Construction went on for seven years until the Temple, its furniture, its courtyard, and all other articles and decorations connected with it were completed according to plan. Solomon’s Temple (as it has come to be known) was a more permanent form of the Tabernacle (Tent of Meeting) which had been constructed under Moses’ leadership in the wilderness. It would become the new center of worship for the Israelite people.

It would be hard to overemphasize the importance to the Jews and to Judaism of the ceremony, the symbolism and the sacrifices involved in worship at the Temple in Jerusalem.  The Temple was the place where God dwelt among his people.  The Temple was the place where forgiveness for sins was obtained.  The Temple was the heart of what made a Jew a Jew.  The pilgrimage to the Temple at Jerusalem on the Day of Atonement or one of the other festivals was the highlight of the religious year - indeed it would become the highlight of the entire religious life of the Jew. The purpose all along for the building of the Temple was so that God could dwell amongst his people. 

As great a significance as these ceremonies carried for the Jews, their depth of meaning to those of us under the New Covenant is still greater.  Every aspect of the physical worship at the Temple was a foreshadow of a greater spiritual reality which finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ.  For fourteen centuries, the Levitical priests carried out both daily ceremony and yearly sacrifice in the Temple and Tabernacle, oblivious to the fact that the whole time they were acting out a foreshadow play of the greater reality found in Jesus Christ and the New Covenant which was sealed by his blood.

The purpose all along for the building of the Temple was so that God could dwell amongst his people without them seeing him directly. If the Temple was the place where God dwelt among his people, then one could argue that the entire focus of the Old Covenant worship was to establish a way to be in fellowship with God and to come into his presence.  This, too, is the focus of the New Covenant. 

Once the  sacrifice of Jesus’ blood has been applied to us, we can come into the sanctuary - into the very place where God dwells.  As we spend time in quiet prayer, let us in our minds visualize entering into the Holy Place.  What do we find there?  There we find intimacy in our relationship with God. There we obtain forgiveness for our sins. There we find fellowship with our Creator. There we find the purpose for our existence - to dwell with our God.

Today's Reading - Proverbs 13:20

Rubbing Off On You

With whom do you spend your time? Think about this carefully because the people you choose to hang out with can have a dramatic effect on your spiritual health, your relationship with God, and your future. It has been said, “Show me a person’s company, and I will show you the person.” Let me know the company he keeps, and I shall easily guess his moral character.

Choose your companions wisely. Here in Proverbs 13, we are told that “Whoever walks with the wise, becomes wise.” If you keep company with others who fear the Lord, and you spend time talking with them about spiritual things, and walk together with them in the ways of the Lord, then their good qualities will begin to “rub off on you.” Your spiritual life will improve by keeping wise company. Hang out with spiritually mature people, and you will begin to mature spiritually.

The opposite is also true, as we read in the second half of this verse, “The companion of fools will suffer harm.” The Apostle Paul confirmed this truth in 1 Corinthians 15:33, "Be not deceived. Evil communications corrupt good morals." If you spend time with those who are not walking in the fear of the Lord, but rather follow worldly and fleshly pursuits, watch out! Your spiritual life will decline by keeping foolish company. Their values and morals will begin to “rub off on you,” and you run the risk of becoming like them. The end result of being a companion of fools is you will “suffer harm.” The King James Version puts this much more bluntly – “a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” And, that is the reality - following unwise and carnal people will ultimately lead you away from God and bring eternal harm to your soul.

This doesn’t mean you should disown your unsaved friends and family. After all, how will they call on the Lord if they haven’t heard of Him? And how are they to hear if you don’t tell them? You should be intent on preaching Christ to them and influencing them for God’s kingdom. Who knows, perhaps by God’s grace you will “rub off" on them?

Just make sure that your “companions” are those who follow Christ and walk in His ways.  Their spirituality and wisdom will rub off on you. 

 

Today's Reading: Proverbs 12

The Blessing Of Work

The Biblical work ethic is one of hard work and diligence. Colossians 3:23-25 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Here, we are commanded to put forth our best efforts, to work from our heart and soul at whatever we do. 

Interestingly, it was God who instituted work at the beginning of creation (prior to the Fall). Genesis 2:15 says, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” Work is not a burden or an inconvenience in life (as some consider it), it is part of the overall scope of God’s creative genius. The promise here is that working hard will result in “plenty of bread.”

Solomon’s writings contain many wise sayings regarding work. Proverbs 14:23 says, “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.” Proverbs 6:6-11 says, “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.” Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.”

The New Testament contains another important principle regarding work: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” (2 Thessalonians 3:10) The refusal of an able-bodied person to work should have the consequence that he lacks food. Paul also says that an “idle” man who refuses to work should not be part of the church (verse 6). Solomon here calls it “following worthless pursuits.” The person who spends their time being idle or slothful, or trying to get out of working simply “lacks sense.”

It is important to note that the Bible does not condone workaholism. We do not work merely to amass worldly wealth (in fact, Matthew 6:19-34 warns about this). We work to bring glory to God. We also do not work ourselves into the ground or to the extent that our health is damaged or our families suffer.

Christians should work hard. Work is integral to life, and approaching work as God-given will give us more pleasure in it. We can work cheerfully and without complaint because we are working for the Lord who loves us and has redeemed us. A good work ethic can also be a witness to others (Matthew 5:16). The world takes notice of our efforts and wonders why we do what we do. Accordingly, the follower of Christ should stand out as the hardest worker in the firm; demonstrating the highest work ethic of all.

Today's Reading: Proverbs 11

The Paradox of Giving

The Bible is packed full of unconventional wisdom and paradoxes of truth. For example, we must go “down” in order to go “up” (“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” - James 4:10) Another example is that when we are “weak” then we are “strong” (“For when I am weak, then I am strong.” - 2 Corinthians 12:10) Another, we must “lose” our life to “find” it ("Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for My sake will find it" - Matthew 10:39) Another, to be “great” we must be a “servant” (“But whoever would be great among you must be your servant.” - Matthew 20:26)

When Jesus walked this earth, He shocked the world with His unconventional teaching. He would often take a commonly accepted cultural belief and flip it completely upside down by using the leading phrase, “You have heard that it has been said…” and then rocking their belief by saying, “But I say to you…”.

In our culture today, there is a commonly accepted belief regarding riches and wealth. This is the belief that to be happy and satisfied, you must get rich by paying yourself first and holding tightly to the assets you’ve accumulated. The “path to financial freedom” is to invest in your personal future. On this topic, like so many others, the Bible is very unconventional. It may seem paradoxical, but according to Scripture, the way to enrich yourself is to open your hand and use your assets to bless and enrich others.

One of the striking truths of Scripture is that you cannot outgive God. The more we give, the more we receive. Here in Proverbs 11:25, we are told that the path to enrichment is to open our penny-pinching fingers and use our assets to bring blessing to others. God’s promise is that “the liberal soul shall be made fat” (KJV). — He who gives to those in need, in the true spirit of charity, shall get a hundredfold from God's mercy. How wonderful is the Lord! He gives us the property, gives the heart to use it correctly, and rewards us for doing so - even though all the fruit was found from Himself!

You have heard that it has been said, “Hold on to all that you have, you never know when you may need it,” but I say to you, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over.” (Luke 6:38) Unconventional wisdom - If you want your life to be enriched, then make it your aim to bless others. You will be soaked with blessings from Heaven when you do.