Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law. (Proverbs 29:18, ESV)
The best translation of Proverbs 29:18 is a debatable matter. Recently, the King James of this verse has been so misunderstood and misapplied that an alternative has been sought.
The KJV reads, “Where there is no vision, the people perish….” This is not a bad translation, but it has been badly misapplied. Many preachers have used this translation to support the idea that we must develop a “vision” of what we want to do. That is not the intent of the verse. The focus of the verse is not human plans but divine instruction, as the (frequently ignored) second half of the verse indicates.
Those who heed the prophetic vision and who keep the “law” (the Torah, the instruction) will be blessed. No promise is implied in this verse for those who dream up a vision of their own. The blessing is for those who follow the divine vision.
It may be significant that the first half of the verse speaks in the plural, “people”, but the second half focuses on the individual, “he”. Even if the people cast off restraint and perish, an individual who chooses to resist the trend and remain faithful will be blessed. Even if the nation as a whole, or the church as a whole, ignores the divinely given vision and fails to keep the God-given instruction, the individual who clings to it will be blessed.
We live in an era in which various human visions are being exalted above the divinely revealed instruction. Restraint is being cast off, and people are perishing. But he who keeps to the Divine vision will be blessed.
Friday, May 12, 2017
Tuesday, May 9, 2017
Contemplation or Meditation
Contemplate or meditate, call it what you choose, but do it.
A recent article on the BBC’s business page stated that “the thought of quiet contemplation … is, in today’s world, ridiculous.” People have no desire to contemplate the meaning of life. They want to be entertained. The writer went on to state that our desire to be constantly entertained is killing our creativity and our ability to live meaningful lives.
The presence of constant entertainment fuels the need for constant entertainment. Because entertainment is so available, we live meaningless lives; and because we have lived meaningless lives, we fear to think. We fear to face our emptiness. Instead, we seek more entertainment to keep us from thinking about the pointless nature of our existence. It is a downward spiral.
That the average person’s life is lived this way should not surprise us. But how can Christians live this way? The biblical term is “meditation” rather than “contemplation”, but the task is expected of us, whichever term is used. We are to meditate on God’s word (Jos 1:8; Psalm 1:2; 119:15). We are to meditate on God’s actions (Psalm 119:27; 143:5; 145:5) and on his promises (Psalm 119:148).
If we are too busy to think, we are too busy.
If we have so much ready entertainment that we rarely meditate, we have too much entertainment.
If we know so little of God’s word, deeds, and promises that we find little material for meditation, then we need to reorder our priorities, learn more of him, and apply our minds to the task of meditation on his words, deeds, and promises. Failure to do so will deaden our spirits and increase our emptiness. Doing so will boost our creativity and energize our spirits.
A recent article on the BBC’s business page stated that “the thought of quiet contemplation … is, in today’s world, ridiculous.” People have no desire to contemplate the meaning of life. They want to be entertained. The writer went on to state that our desire to be constantly entertained is killing our creativity and our ability to live meaningful lives.
The presence of constant entertainment fuels the need for constant entertainment. Because entertainment is so available, we live meaningless lives; and because we have lived meaningless lives, we fear to think. We fear to face our emptiness. Instead, we seek more entertainment to keep us from thinking about the pointless nature of our existence. It is a downward spiral.
That the average person’s life is lived this way should not surprise us. But how can Christians live this way? The biblical term is “meditation” rather than “contemplation”, but the task is expected of us, whichever term is used. We are to meditate on God’s word (Jos 1:8; Psalm 1:2; 119:15). We are to meditate on God’s actions (Psalm 119:27; 143:5; 145:5) and on his promises (Psalm 119:148).
If we are too busy to think, we are too busy.
If we have so much ready entertainment that we rarely meditate, we have too much entertainment.
If we know so little of God’s word, deeds, and promises that we find little material for meditation, then we need to reorder our priorities, learn more of him, and apply our minds to the task of meditation on his words, deeds, and promises. Failure to do so will deaden our spirits and increase our emptiness. Doing so will boost our creativity and energize our spirits.
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
Does It Make Sense?
Joe does not believe in holding elections, but instead advocates rule by a hereditary king. Does it make sense for Joe to claim that he is a democrat? Sally advocates war as a means of both settling international differences and as an effective means of limiting population growth. Is she also right to claim that she is a pacifist?
In most areas of life we recognize that if a person denies the fundamental claims associated with a given name, that person no right to the name they are claiming. But when it comes to the faith, this reasonable assumption is contradicted. According to some people, we should accept anyone and everyone who claims to be a Christian, even if a person denies the fundamental teachings of Christianity. According to these same people, we should accept anyone who went to school and received a degree in science as a scientist, even if he spins theories that demonstrate a clear rejection of the scientific method.
Sorry to be non-PC, but I believe in calling things, and people, what they are. Those who deny the fundamental teachings of Christianity (things like the deity of Christ and his resurrection) are not Christians. Those who spin theories unsupported by actual scientific evidence are not scientists.
As long as these people do not claim to be Christians (in the one case) or scientists (in the other) I do not have a big problem with them. But when someone wants to have it both ways, when someone claims to be a Christian while denying fundamental Christian teachings, or someone wants respect as a scientist while demanding adherence to theories that cannot be proven, it is time to break out different labels. Such people are imposters. They are liars. These are not labels that should be used lightly, but are words that must be used when they clearly apply.
In most areas of life we recognize that if a person denies the fundamental claims associated with a given name, that person no right to the name they are claiming. But when it comes to the faith, this reasonable assumption is contradicted. According to some people, we should accept anyone and everyone who claims to be a Christian, even if a person denies the fundamental teachings of Christianity. According to these same people, we should accept anyone who went to school and received a degree in science as a scientist, even if he spins theories that demonstrate a clear rejection of the scientific method.
Sorry to be non-PC, but I believe in calling things, and people, what they are. Those who deny the fundamental teachings of Christianity (things like the deity of Christ and his resurrection) are not Christians. Those who spin theories unsupported by actual scientific evidence are not scientists.
As long as these people do not claim to be Christians (in the one case) or scientists (in the other) I do not have a big problem with them. But when someone wants to have it both ways, when someone claims to be a Christian while denying fundamental Christian teachings, or someone wants respect as a scientist while demanding adherence to theories that cannot be proven, it is time to break out different labels. Such people are imposters. They are liars. These are not labels that should be used lightly, but are words that must be used when they clearly apply.
Saturday, April 8, 2017
Why Wait?
Why do we wait for God to open the way before us? He has shown us that he opens the way for his people only as they are willing to step out in faith.
He told the Israelites to "go and stand in the river." But when they did so he stopped the flow of the river so that they were standing on a dry riverbed instead of in a river (Jos 3). Jesus told the man with the withered hand, "Stretch out your hand." He did so and it was completely healed (Mk 3:5). We are told "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you" (Eph 5:14).
Of course, we do not have the power to raise ourselves from the dead. Of course, we know that the Lord must empower us to obey this command - but he has empowered us, that is just the point. He has enabled us to step down into the water, to stretch out our hands, to wake up, even to rise from the dead. When we do what he has enabled us to do, then we will see a fuller revealing of his blessing in our lives. But if we sit and wait to see his salvation fully revealed, we will never see it. He expects us to take action. He expects us to step out in faith. He expects us to do what he has enabled us to do. He will not enable us for more until we put to use the power he has already given us.
Is there not something that we could be doing for the Lord this week? Let us do the small thing that he has given us the opportunity to do and next week, very likely, he will give us a greater opportunity to serve. But if we refuse the small task at hand, greater opportunities are unlikely to come our way.
He told the Israelites to "go and stand in the river." But when they did so he stopped the flow of the river so that they were standing on a dry riverbed instead of in a river (Jos 3). Jesus told the man with the withered hand, "Stretch out your hand." He did so and it was completely healed (Mk 3:5). We are told "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you" (Eph 5:14).
Of course, we do not have the power to raise ourselves from the dead. Of course, we know that the Lord must empower us to obey this command - but he has empowered us, that is just the point. He has enabled us to step down into the water, to stretch out our hands, to wake up, even to rise from the dead. When we do what he has enabled us to do, then we will see a fuller revealing of his blessing in our lives. But if we sit and wait to see his salvation fully revealed, we will never see it. He expects us to take action. He expects us to step out in faith. He expects us to do what he has enabled us to do. He will not enable us for more until we put to use the power he has already given us.
Is there not something that we could be doing for the Lord this week? Let us do the small thing that he has given us the opportunity to do and next week, very likely, he will give us a greater opportunity to serve. But if we refuse the small task at hand, greater opportunities are unlikely to come our way.
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Spring Cleaning
Spring cleaning used to be a standard event in most homes. About the same time we took the storm windows down (remember those?), we would clean the house from top to bottom and get rid of some of the less-than-useful stuff that had accumulated. Spring cleaning was always hard work, but when it was over we had a sense of satisfaction. It was easier to get things done, and to feel good about ourselves, once the dust settled.
Is it perhaps about time for some spring cleaning in our lives? Are there some habits, perhaps some time-wasting activities, which we ought to banish from our lives? Is it time to open the windows of our minds and let more of the fresh air of God’s love into our lives?
Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. (2 Timothy 2:20-21, ESV)
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (James 4:7-8, ESV)
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. (Titus 2:11-14, ESV)
Is it perhaps about time for some spring cleaning in our lives? Are there some habits, perhaps some time-wasting activities, which we ought to banish from our lives? Is it time to open the windows of our minds and let more of the fresh air of God’s love into our lives?
Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. (2 Timothy 2:20-21, ESV)
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (James 4:7-8, ESV)
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. (Titus 2:11-14, ESV)
Friday, March 17, 2017
Propaganda or Good News
When the actor in the commercial tells us that the new Whizzbang mowers are 85% more efficient than any previous mower, that claim is likely to be taken as propaganda. When the neighbor tells us that he bought one of the new Whizzbang mowers and that that it works far better than any mower he used before, that is good news.
Sometimes we wonder why people are not interested in the gospel. Sometimes we wonder why so few receive it as good news. There are many reasons, but one reason is the source of the information.
When the preacher proclaims the gospel, his words are taken as propaganda by many listeners. Those who resist the message of Christ tend to assume that the preacher is just saying what he gets paid to say. But when ordinary Christians tell what a difference Christ has made in their lives, that sounds more like good news.
The ordinary Christian may not speak as well as the preacher. The ordinary Christian may not know as much Bible as the preacher. But the ordinary Christian is more likely to get a fair hearing for the gospel than the preacher. Coming from the mouth of a neighbor, a friend, a relative, the message is more likely to be received as good news – especially if a positive difference has been observed in the life of the person speaking.
As the song says, “If you cannot sing like angels, if you cannot preach like Paul, you can tell the love of Jesus, and say ‘He died for all.’” In doing so, you will likely be a more effective evangelist than I would be. What does your neighbor think of the gospel? Does he receive it as propaganda or as good news? The answer depends to a large extent on where he hears the gospel. If he hears it from you, there is a much better chance that it will be heard as good news.
Sometimes we wonder why people are not interested in the gospel. Sometimes we wonder why so few receive it as good news. There are many reasons, but one reason is the source of the information.
When the preacher proclaims the gospel, his words are taken as propaganda by many listeners. Those who resist the message of Christ tend to assume that the preacher is just saying what he gets paid to say. But when ordinary Christians tell what a difference Christ has made in their lives, that sounds more like good news.
The ordinary Christian may not speak as well as the preacher. The ordinary Christian may not know as much Bible as the preacher. But the ordinary Christian is more likely to get a fair hearing for the gospel than the preacher. Coming from the mouth of a neighbor, a friend, a relative, the message is more likely to be received as good news – especially if a positive difference has been observed in the life of the person speaking.
As the song says, “If you cannot sing like angels, if you cannot preach like Paul, you can tell the love of Jesus, and say ‘He died for all.’” In doing so, you will likely be a more effective evangelist than I would be. What does your neighbor think of the gospel? Does he receive it as propaganda or as good news? The answer depends to a large extent on where he hears the gospel. If he hears it from you, there is a much better chance that it will be heard as good news.
Tuesday, March 14, 2017
Which Direction Are We Headed?
How is it with us spiritually?
It is easy to tell ourselves, “I still worship. I still pray. I still obey.” But how do things look if we ask different questions. “What is my direction? Am I praying more or less than in the past? Is my worship more or less fervent? Is my obedience more ready or more hesitant?”
As a truck speeds down the road it is not the person in the middle of the road that is in the greatest danger. Provided that he keeps walking, the person in the road when the truck first appears should be on the opposite sidewalk before the truck arrives. The person in greatest danger is the person headed toward the road, the one who, if he continues, will reach the road just as the truck reaches the point where he is crossing.
Too many of us take comfort that we are not in the devil’s clutches. We fail to realize that, while we are not yet firmly in his grip, it may be the direction we are headed.
Which way are we headed? Is our home more or less of a place of worship? Is our life more or less devoted to the Lord?
Physically, it is difficult to maintain a static level of health. We are normally either getting better or slipping back. Spiritually, change is the only constant. We are always either drawing nearer to God or drifting from him. Which is it? Which direction are we headed?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
