Walking in Faith

God is the only true judge.  There are men who have been appointed to be judges, or rules, over the lands.  Often times, the power and the position go to their head and they become corrupt.   They do not rule with a just heart.  The author says that they “walk about in darkness”.  The LORD Most High knows how to rule perfectly.  He never makes a mistake.

The first verse strikes me as curious — “God has taken His place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods He holds judgment…”  God is with the men whom have been appointed to the role of ruler.  He is watching over them closely.  They will be held accountable for their actions.  God will judge them for their judgments.  This is a sobering thought.  If they ruled because of politics instead of what was just and fair, there was a price to be paid for that sin.  God knows every decision made and the reason for that decision.  Again, it is humbling and at the same time frightening to know that God knows my every thought and underlying reason.

Impact Verse:

Arise, O God, judge the earth;
for you shall inherit all the nations!

There is certainly foreshadowing in this concluding verse.  All the nations.  Would the author have any reason to believe that God would want to save anyone besides the Jews?  Why would he think that God would want to bring all the nations into His home?  Jesus Christ fulfilled this prophecy.  There is no question in my mind.

Jason Worthen Christianity, Personal, Proverbs, Psalms, Religion

reading: Proverbs 14
personal thoughts:

This proverb is a contrast of the upright and the wicked. And how I wish I could say that with each comparison, I would naturally consider myself on the side of the upright. But, alas, a broken and sinful human am I – with tendencies to be righteous at times, and nothing but wicked at others. It is in reading this proverb that I thank God each and every day – no, each and every moment that He sent His son, Jesus Christ, to the cross to shed his blood and bring us back to righteous. Without His sacrifice, there is nothing that I could have done to make myself anything but purely wicked. It is only by accepting that gift that He gave us that I am able to consider myself righteous again. But, even during those times when I find my path leading toward the ways of the wicked, that forgiveness is still there for me; there to lead me back down the patch of righteousness. What an amazing gift!!

There were a few specific comparisons within the Proverb that really struck me, and actually made me sit for a while longer, reading them a few times through. Proverbs 14:4 compares the keeping of oxen – when one doesn’t actually have any, you’ll keep a clean manger. But, where the oxen are kept, thus comes the revenue because of the oxen’s’ strength. Now, mind you, we have no oxen here (I think that’s against our HOA!), but I see this as so much more than just the keeping of oxen, or cattle or any kind of animal like that. I see it as more of just a state of being – those who don’t do anything useful, who just spend their idle time wandering aimlessly, never thinking of others – they keep their life “clean”. Their hands aren’t going to get dirty from a real day’s labor. But the righteous man? He’s going to spend his days working hard, getting “dirty” with those who do not have as much as him, taking care of his home, his family, etc. That’s hard work. And it’s not something that you’re going to see the wicked man do. He’ll have someone else do the work that is beneath him.

Proverbs 14:7 really struck me personally. This is actually an area that Jason and I have skirted around in the past in a situation that we’re currently in. I really don’t want to go into it in a blog (only because it’s personal and those reading this don’t need to know those kinds of details), but what I really struggle with is how, when trying to be righteous, do you leave the presence of someone who you feel could be teaching knowledge that isn’t exactly wrong, but just isn’t quite right, either. For me, at this time, I just continue to pray for them. I really don’t know what else to do, but after reading this proverb, it actually scares me to think that I could potentially affect my own discernment because of it. This is something that God, Jason and I will have to have a conversation about tonight, I think.

Proverbs 14:26 really made me happy. To think that because of my own fear of the LORD that my children will have refuge in Him – that is such an amazing comfort to me as a parent. Now, I don’t think that just because I might fear the LORD that my girls already have a ticket to Heaven, but I think that because of it, the LORD will look favorably upon them. He’ll hear them, He’ll be there for him when they call. My girls will find refuge in Him. There is no greater shelter from a storm than in a life dedicated to Him!!

Larissa Proverbs, Quiet Time

reading: Proverbs 8
personal thoughts:

At least I’ve moved past adultery now! I found this proverb very fascinating, because while the pursuit of wisdom has always been a part of my life, I have never really thought about:

1. How God created wisdom “at the very beginning” (Proverbs 8:23) and
2. How much more complex true wisdom really is.

Wisdom almost seems like the ultimate attribute of God… the all encompassing idea. It calls out to us, waiting for our answer, just as God calls us to a life served for Him on earth and an eternity spent with Him in Heaven. Wisdom speaks only the truth – just like the LORD. We are told to choose wisdom over silver and gold – just as we are commanded by God to be in this world, but not of this world (John 17:16).

There are so many other parallels within this Proverb. It is just something that had never occurred to me before! Perhaps I had never truly known wisdom before I knew Jesus Christ as my Lord and salvation. I found life as I found Christ – just as the proverb says that “Those who find me (wisdom) find life.” (Proverbs 8:35)

Thank you, LORD, for giving me wisdom!!

Larissa Proverbs, Quiet Time

reading: Proverbs 7
personal thoughts:

More advice about adultery in today’s quiet time. I know my heart certainly hasn’t strayed, but now I’m trying to figure out exactly what God has been telling me these past few days (in Proverbs 5, 6 and now again in 7). Just as I had realized in my quiet times before, I feel that – for me – this Proverb isn’t speaking to me about adultery, but rather to a love of the world. Materials, possessions, time idly spent, etc. Everything that this world has to offer me, and nothing that I need when I keep an eternal perspective.

At church today, we had a sermon about following God’s will (stick with me, I’ll tie them together!). Lately, I’ve felt pulled in the opposite direction… that God is preparing me for something potentially big, and I don’t know how to respond/prepare myself. I want to know God’s will and have been praying for discernment for a few months now about a potential move to Hutto and a commitment to be a part of a church plant. And then, at the same time, I’ve been feeling a pull toward something bigger than that – something that would change the dynamics of our family in a huge way. There have just been so many pulls lately that I haven’t been able to tell what God is telling me, and what the enemy might be trying to put into my head. I think that one of my problems when I am trying to discern God’s will for me is that I want to see the Big Picture. What, exactly, does God have planned for me? Then I’ll know how to start His work, right?? But, there’s ever so much more to that. Imagine what Peter would have thought if Jesus had told him about his Big Picture. The Holy Spirit is going to come upon you after I leave, you’re going to speak in languages you have no idea how to speak, and you’re going to convert 3,000 people. Oh, and you’re also going to start the whole church. Oh, yea… one more thing. Did I mention the persecution? And your eventual crucifixion? Do you really think that Peter would have wanted to know all the details of the Big Picture before he was ready? I certainly don’t. But, I know that, at the end of his life, he knows that he had done God’s work. That he had fulfilled God’s will. And, what an incredible feeling that has to be.

Which, for me, ties into my view of Proverbs 7, and the pull of a worldly view as opposed to having an eternal perspective. I’m so often afraid to take that step of faith if I feel like God is calling me, because I want to know exactly what God is planning for me. A year from now, my life may be at a dramatically different place (perhaps literally!) than where I’m at right now. Maybe we’ll be planting a new church in a different city. Maybe Jason’s job will take us to a new place? I can’t know where God is taking us, I can only trust that He is in control and trust that He will take care of us. I want to step out in faith and let God know that I’m willing to go where He leads me. It’s just that sometimes, my eyes aren’t on Him. I don’t want to be seduced by the smooth talk of the world (Proverbs 7:21). I don’t want my unwillingness to trust him cost me my life – or rather, the chance to use my life for Him.

What if God were to tell me that I was going to be martyred for Him? Today, I would panic and run for the hills if I knew that. But, if that’s His will, then I pray that he will give me the strength to never deter from that path. I’m ready to walk off the map (thanks for that idea, Bo), and I’m ready to trust you, even if you won’t tell me about the Big Picture. Just don’t let my eyes be deterred back into the world, Lord. Help me keep my eyes fixed on you, so that I can follow your path.

Jason Worthen Proverbs, Quiet Time

reading: Proverbs 5
personal thoughts:

I don’t really have any specific verses that stood out to me this time, but more of a general feel for the entire Proverb. It seems to me to be a common sense slap in the face; it has a “you know better than this, and you know what will happen” kind of feeling. But still there are so many souls in the world who fall into the traps warned against in Proverbs 5.

But here’s what I think. Even though my Bible prefaces this Proverb with “Warning Against Adultery”, I really think that it refers to so much more than that. I think it also reflects the love that man has for the world, rather than the love he has for the LORD. It’s like we commit adultery against Him when we turn to our own desires and our own judgment rather than His.

Proverbs 5:5-6
5 Her feet go down to death;
her steps lead straight to the grave.
6 She gives no thought to the way of life;
her paths are crooked, but she knows not.

When we are lovers of the world and not of the Word, our path goes astray. She (the world) leads us to the grave – to an eternal separation from our creator. Her paths are crooked, as opposed to the way of the LORD, who will make our paths straight (Proverbs 3:6). Proverbs 5:11-14 reminds me of how I’ve so often heard of people who, at the end of their lives, regret the way that they’ve lived and wasted the time that God gave them. I don’t want to be one of those people. I want to be the kind that looks back and sees much fruit from my vine. Prune me as necessary to make sure that I continue to bear fruit, Lord!

…And then I have to admit, I really liked this passage:

Proverbs 5:18-19
18 Let your fountain be blessed,
And rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19 As a loving hind and a graceful doe,
Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;
Be exhilarated always with her love.

…I know that I still feel that way about my husband (well, in a female to male way, not vice versa as described in the Proverb, of course!). I can’t even imagine the desire of wanting anything but him. God truly blessed me when He put us together!!

Jason Worthen Proverbs, Quiet Time