Word To The Wise: Make Your Plans With God In Mind!

We make all kinds of plans in life.  A plan for lunch.  A plan for the weekend.  Summer plans.  A plan for our future.  A game plan.  Short term plans.  Long term plans.  Strategic plans.  Our culture is obsessed with the idea that, “if we fail to plan, we plan to fail.”  Having a plan is closely tied to our “goals” and the things we want to accomplish in life.  A plan defines what we are going to be doing and the details of how we are going to do it at any given time.  A plan steers us in the direction we want to go in our lives.  A plan often expresses our priorities, what we value, and the things that are most important to us in life.  There is nothing wrong with making a plan in life, but our plan must include something greater than our own personal wants, desires, interests, ideas or agenda.

READ:  Proverbs 16:9

Here’s our WORD TO THE WISE for the week from the book of Proverbs:  Make Your PLANS With God In Mind!  God has given us the freedom to make our own plans.  All the plans of our lives come from a simple desire which originates in our heart.  Freedom to make plans is exactly what we want because we want to control the direction of our own lives.  We cherish the freedom to make plans because we want to be the ruler of our own existence.  And yet, our plans are woefully inadequate because they are always tainted by selfishness and sin.  The only way for our plans to be redeemed is to allow God to make our plans for us!  In our hearts, we must want God’s plan for our lives.  We must trust that whatever God’s plan is for our lives is the best possible option.  How do we keep God in mind while we are making our plans?

The Lord is intimately AWARE of our plans (Proverbs 5:21) – God knows everything about our plans.  As we go about making plans for our day, our week, our month, our life, God is watching and He sees and knows exactly what we are doing.  Our plans are not hidden or a mystery to Him.  Not only does God know our plans, but more importantly He knows our selfish and sinful motivation for why we a making those plans.  This knowledge should encourage us to make plans that we would not be ashamed of Him knowing about and would be pleasing to Him (Romans 8:5-8).  In order to avoid the shame of the fact that “God knows”, it would be wise to make plans that He not merely agrees with, but pursue plans that He’s already made for us!

The Lord has a PURPOSE in His plans for us that NEVER CHANGES (Proverbs 19:21) – Our plans are like a piece of trash being blown around in the wind, constantly shifting and changing directions.  The chaos and confusion of our life’s circumstances cause us to continually change our plans.  In contrast, God’s plans for our life are like a mountain, grounded firmly on an immovable eternal purpose that He has for us.  No matter how much the circumstances of our lives change, God’s plans for us will “stand” firm.  Our plans may change or fail, but God’s purpose will remain the same and always be accomplished.  Therefore, we must never put confidence in our own plans, but rather, in the glorious plans that have been revealed to us by God (Jeremiah 29:11).

The Lord will ESTABLISH our plans if we COMMIT them to Him (Proverbs 16:3) – It’s easy to identify someone who’s making plans with God in mind.  When they talk about “their” plans, they speak in terms like, “I feel like God is leading me to . . .”, or “I sense that it is God’s will that I . . .”  This language signals a desire to make plans with God’s plan and purpose for our life in mind and not just our own.  Jesus expressed it best in Luke 22:42 when praying about enduring His Father’s wrath on the cross by saying, “not my will, but yours, be done.”  Making plans starts with the question, “Lord, what are YOUR plans for my life?”  The motivation of our heart must be to “commit” everything we do to the Lord and allow God to “establish” the plans for our life (Eph. 6:7; Col. 3:17, 23).

CONCLUSION:

James 4:13-17 says, “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit’-yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring.  What is your life?  For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.  Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that”.  We must trust the Lord with the plans of our lives and humbly give Him the authority to guide and direct us according to His good, acceptable, and perfect will (Romans 12:2).  Ultimately, making plans with God in mind means wanting nothing less than God’s plans to be our plans!

Word To The Wise: Be a Faithful Friend

Facebook has blurred our understanding of a friend.  According to Facebook, friendship with someone is obtained by a mere click of a blue “confirm” button.  We can have hundreds or thousands of “friends” with little or no commitment to a real relationship!  The number of Facebook friends that we have has become a social competition to display our superior likability.  According to Facebook I currently have 1,059 “friends”.  Don’t get me wrong, I have actually met and personally know all of the individuals I am Facebook friends with, but only a small few do I share a close personal connection with.  In our fast paced and superficial culture, we have lost the meaning, significance, and hard work that are required to experience true friendship.  Proverbs provides us with a reminder of the weight of true friendship.

READ:  Proverbs 17:17, 18:24

Here’s our WORD TO THE WISE for the week from the book of Proverbs:  Be a Faithful FRIEND!  Friendship is more than a superficial association with someone.  Friendship is more than feeling comfortable saying, “hey” as we pass someone in the hallway.  Friendship is more than sharing similar interests/hobbies, personality, or sense of humor with someone.  According to Proverbs, a true friend is someone who, “loves at all times”, and “sticks closer than a brother”.  The word “love” (אָהַב = ahab) means to have a, “deep genuine feeling of care or concern” for someone.  The phrase “sticks closer” means to, “remain in close relation by being faithful and loyal”.  Therefore, friendship is an inseparable companionship between individuals who share a deep affection for one another.  What are some ways Proverbs suggests we can be a faithful friend? 

A faithful friend is GENEROUS (Prov. 19:6) – Giving a gift is a voluntary act of kindness where we give something that we possess to someone else.  Giving a gift to someone communicates that they are valuable or important to us!  There are lots of ways we can be generous in our friendships.  We can be generous with our TIME by offering the free hours of our day to be with someone.  We can be generous with our TALENTS by offering our unique skill or ability to help accomplish a task or project with someone.  We can be generous with our TREASURE by giving our money or possessions to someone who is in need.  Generosity should not be used as means of manipulation, but as a way to display our genuine care and concern for others (Matt. 7:11; Luke 11:13).  Remember, friendship is more about what we give in relationship than what we get in return!

A faithful friend offers HONEST CRITICISM (Proverbs 27:6) – Most of us would not consider someone a friend if they were constantly reminding us of our imperfections.  But it would be cruel if a friend only flattered us with praise and never warned us about doing things that were embarrassing or self-destructive.  Nobody likes criticism, but we should all have someone in our lives who is not afraid to evaluate our attitudes, actions, and words with honesty and kindness.  An “enemy” may appear to be friendly by their abundant praise and “kisses” (Mt. 26:49), while a “faithful friend” may appear to be an enemy by the verbal “wounds” they inflict (Mt 23:11-28).  There are times when honest criticism is a more genuine expression of friendship than flattering words.

A faithful friend provides wise ADVICE (Proverbs 27:9) – Have you ever been near someone with body odor?  It is not an enjoyable experience.  Most of us would prefer to be around someone who uses deodorant or perfume and smells good.  A friend who provides “earnest counsel” is as sweet as a beautiful fragrance emanating from “oil and perfume”.  No one possesses all wisdom and so we need counsel and advice from friends to make godly decisions.  In other words, don’t make decisions independent of others, the decision, and therefore you, will stink!

CONCLUSION:

In John 15:12-13 Jesus said, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends”.  There is no greater display of friendship than laying our lives down for the sake of a friend . . . which is exactly what Jesus did for his disciples and for us . . . making Him the only one worthy of being considered our best friend!

Word to the Wise: Watch Your Mouth!

If our eyes are a “window” to our soul, then our mouth (where words come from) is the “front door” standing wide open inviting everyone to come on in and see what’s inside.  The content of our words (the actual words we use) and the tone of our words (the attitude we use) communicate volumes about who we are and what is in our hearts.  There are times in our home when one of us will speak in a way that is selfish, manipulative, rude, argumentative, unkind, or cruel.  In moments when I have heard enough, and my effort to get them to speak differently failed, I have attempted to video record their words.   I literally want them to “watch their mouth” so that they can SEE with their own eyes what they are saying and how they are saying it.  Almost every time I have tried, as soon as I hit the record button they stop talking or put a smile on their face.  They don’t want their words to be recorded.  Do the words that come out of our mouths’ reveal what is deep down inside our heart?

READ:  Proverbs 18:4

Here’s our WORD TO THE WISE for the week from the book of Proverbs:  Watch your MOUTH!  The words that come out of our mouths reveal the deep inner nature of who we really are (Mt. 12:33-37; Lk. 6:43-45).  It is important for us to realize the power of the words that come out of our mouths.  Every word that comes out of our mouth has the potential to heal or injure, to encourage or ridicule, to lift up or tear down, to honor or disrespect, to build trust or to breed doubt, and ultimately to bring life or death.  When we speak, what words should be coming out of our mouths? 

When we speak, speak WISDOM (Prov. 10:13, 31-32, 15:2, 15:7, 20:15, 22:17-18) – I’ve already defined wisdom as, “knowing and living according to God’s ways”.  Those who are wise are to speak words of this wisdom to others.  In Colossians 1:9-10 Paul prays for Colossian believers, that they would be filled with, “all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, . . . increasing in the knowledge of God.”  When we speak, the content and tone of our words should bring others to a greater understanding of, 1) who God is and 2) what it means to live according to God’s ways!  If we’ve got wisdom, then wisdom will always be on our lips!

When we speak, speak TRUTH (Proverbs 12:19, 20:17, 24:26) – Honesty is a top 10 priority for God.  The ninth commandment says, “you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor (Ex. 20:16, Dt. 5:20).”  Just like our words come from our deep inner nature, God speaks out of His deep inner nature as well.  Titus 1:2 says that, “God never lies”, while Hebrews 6:18 says that it is, “impossible for (Him) to lie.”  It is hard at times, but being honest and speaking the truth is ALWAYS the right thing.  A lie may temporarily cover up our mistakes or shortcomings, but it will also steal any peace and contentment we possess.  Our words must be true!

When we speak, speak with RESTRAINT (Proverbs 10:19, 13:3, 15:28, 17:28, 21:23) – If there is one cliché that I remember my father saying growing up it was, “If you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything at all”.  Whether my dad realized it or not, that is wisdom paraphrased straight out of the book of Proverbs.  James 1:19 says, “let every person be quick to hear, (and) slow to speak.”  Before we speak, we must pause and give careful thought to what we allow to come out of our mouths.  Ephesians 4:29 says, “let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as it fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”  If the words our heart is telling our mouth to speak are not going to build another person up we would be wise to restrain ourselves and remain silent. 

CONCLUSION:

Every written author uses an editor to help correct their grammar, spelling, punctuation, and content before it is printed and viewed by the public.  Just like a written author needs an editor, all of us are desperately in need of an “editor” who can help us correct the content and the tone of the words we speak before they come out of our mouths.  The editor of our spoken words is the Holy Spirit!  He is available to “watch our mouth” for us and help us speak with wisdom, honesty, and restraint when necessary.  

Word To The Wise: Pay Attention To Your Parents!

What are some of the things that we get tired of hearing our parents’ say?  “Do your homework!”, “Clean your room!”, “Get out of bed, it’s noon!”  Parents are always interfering in our plans, right? “You need to be home by 10pm!”, “You can’t hang out with friends tonight, you’ve already been out 2 times this week!” As we get older our parents’ voice gets even more annoying, right?  As our attitude toward our parents deteriorates we start thinking, “They’re always telling me what to do!”, “I wish they would leave me alone and let me make my own decisions!”  Although these thoughts and feelings are relatively normal and somewhat natural, that does not make them right.  Throughout our lives, we need remain teachable to our parents’ guidance and instruction.  As a child (and we ALL are), how are we supposed to respond to what our parents are trying to teach us?

READ:  Proverbs 1:8, 6:20, 23:22

Here’s our WORD TO THE WISE for the week from the book of Proverbs:  Pay attention to your PARENTS!  Whether we realize it, understand it, accept it, and even whether they deserve it or not, our parent’s teaching and instruction are God’s “Plan A” for passing on His commands to us (Dt. 6:1-9).  Being a parent is an extraordinary responsibility and God has given children a pretty clear “job description” when it comes to our relationship with our them . . . Children, 1)  HONOR your father and your mother (Ex. 20:12; Dt. 5:16), 2)  OBEY your father and your mother (Eph. 6:1; Col. 3:20).  What are some practical ways we can fulfill this “job description” as a child? 

Make your father and mother GLAD and not SORROWFUL (Prov. 10:1, 15:20, 23:25) – I recently illustrated my role as a parent to our son Zachary as a series of road signs which give instructions of where and how to drive his car of life.  Sometimes my instruction is like a sign with a big “thumbs up” which means, “you’re going down the right path, good decision, keep going”.  Other times my instruction is like a sign with a skull and cross bones which means, “don’t go that direction, danger, stop”.  God has given us parents to help us navigate through life and we should deeply value our parents’ “thumbs up” or their “skull and crossbones” instruction.  One simple way to identify if our parents instruction is a “thumbs up” or a “skull and crossbones” is whether or not they have smile on their face or not.  It would be wise of us to read the “signs” of what will make our father and mother happy and do it!

BLESS your father and mother and do not CURSE them (Proverbs 20:20, 30:11) – As young children, we look up to our parents immensely and speak positively about them.  As we get older and witness our parents’ imperfections, we begin to look down on our parents and speak negatively about them.  Blessing our parents means looking up to them with admiration and highly valuing their input in our lives.  Cursing our parents means looking down on them with dislike and devaluing their input in our lives.  We express a blessing or a curse toward our parents by our attitudes, words, and actions.  Cursing parents is a serious issue, in the Old Testament a child who, “curses his father or his mother shall be put to death (Ex. 21:17).”  We may be aware of our parents’ imperfections, that doesn’t give us the right to curse them.  Instead, it would be wise for us to bless them with what God demands that they receive from us . . . genuine honor and obedience. 

RESPECT your father and mother and do not MOCK or SCORN them (Proverbs 30:17) – We’ve probably all heard our parents say, “don’t roll your eyes at me”.  “Rolling” our eyes outwardly expresses an inner attitude of disgust or dislike.  Our eyes also communicate attitudes of mockery (“you’re so stupid”) and scorn (“I’m not going to do that”).  Attitudes of ridicule or rebellion toward our parents are a serious warning signs of a dishonoring and disobedient heart. The consequence of these attitudes is indicative of what needs to happen to the attitudes themselves, they need to be violently removed and replaced with a reverent respect!

CONCLUSION:

Throughout our lives we would be wise to pay attention to our parents.  God expects them to teach and instruct us for a purpose.  Maybe, just maybe, if we are willing to honor and obey our earthly parents’ teaching and instruction we will be willing to honor and obey our heavenly Father’s teaching and instruction!

Word to the Wise: Your Heart Reflects Who You Are!

I am not a big fan of mirrors.  I try to spend as little time in front of a mirror as possible.  I may spend 4 minutes in front of the mirror combing my hair and brushing my teeth, but that is about it.  Whether we like what we see in or not, the mirror gives a perfectly accurate reflection of our physical appearance.  If there are sleep lines on our face, imperfections on our skin, or our hair is out of place, a mirror is going to let us know.  The more time we spend in front of a mirror the more imperfection we see in ourselves (maybe that’s why I don’t spend much time in front of the mirror, I want to remain as ignorant as possible of my imperfections). In the same way that we use a mirror to reflect back to us the physical condition of our face, there is a place we can look into our lives where we can see the spiritual condition of our entire being!

Where in our lives can we look to have our spiritual condition reflected back to us? 

READ:  Proverbs 27:19

Here’s our WORD TO THE WISE for the week from the book of Proverbs:  Your HEART reflects who you are!  What is our heart?  How does our heart work? Why is our heart important?  Here are a few important things to understand about what our heart is, how it works, and why it is important . . . 1)  Our heart is the SOURCE of our ACTIONS and our BEING (Mt. 12:34-35, 15:19, 6:21; Mk 7:21-23; Lk. 6:45), 2)  Our heart is where God LOOKS into our lives (1 Samuel 16:7), 3)  Our hearts CHANGE when we allow God to lead us (Ps. 139:23-24).  Whatever is in your heart is who you are, . . . and that is where God wants to relate with us!

The wise TRUST in the Lord with all their heart (Prov. 3:5-6) – Where does your confidence or security lie?  For some it lies in a relationship (eg, friend, boy/girlfriend).  For some it lies in our abilities or talents (eg sports, music).  For some it lies in their appearance.  Sadly, for most all of us our trust, security, and confidence lies somewhere within ourselves.  Trust in ourselves might work temporarily but it will not give us any long-term confidence or security.  The Lord God is the only one who is worthy of our 100% “trust”, security, or confidence.  Relationships will fail us, our abilities and talents will come up short, our appearance will fade, but trusting in the Lord with ALL of our heart will make our path we are walking in life straight.

The wise are TESTED by the Lord in their heart (Proverbs 17:3) – A crucible or a furnace is used to heat gold or silver in order to remove “dross”.  Dross is a useless impurity within gold or silver that is removed when it is refined or purified with intense heat.  Dross is worthless and its presence in gold or silver diminishes its value.  You and I have worthless impurity in our hearts that needs to be removed.  Just like a crucible or furnace is used to refine gold and silver, God tests our hearts by applying “heat” to our lives in order to remove impurity so that only what is valuable remains.  God’s testing of our lives may be painful, but the end result is something more beautiful than gold and more valuable than silver!

The wise are to KEEP their heart (Proverbs 4:23) – There are many things that we will defend or protect with our lives . . . our family, our possessions, our reputation, our country, our rights.  We will physically and emotionally fight to protect these things because we do not want them to be exposed to danger.  In the NIV Prov. 4:23 says, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."  If there is one thing that is worthy of shielding in order to keep safe, guarded, and protected, it is our heart!  We must “keep our heart” because God knows that any evil that we intentionally or casually allow into our lives can take our hearts hostage and make a permanent impression inside of us.

CONCLUSION:

What place does Jesus Christ have in your heart?  1 Peter 3:15 says, “in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord”.  Jesus Christ must FILL our hearts, He must be given 100% rule and reign over our hearts which will result in a transformation of our thoughts, attitudes, words, and actions. If Jesus Christ is the Lord of our lives and He is living in and through us . . . the reflection of our hearts will be beautiful!!!

Word to the Wise: Fear The Lord First

First things first!  There is always a proper order in which things should be done.  A prerequisite (pre-requirement) is something that is required as a prior condition in order for something else to happen.  Very simply, a prerequisite is something that must be done first at the beginning of a process.  We experience a number of prerequisites in life.  After school, finishing our homework is a prerequisite before getting to watch TV or play on the computer.  At supper, eating vegetables is a prerequisite before getting dessert.  In school, completing certain classes is a prerequisite before moving on to the next subject.  If we do not fulfill a prerequisite, we are not allowed enjoy or experience whatever follows.  Prerequisites are not optional, they cannot be skipped over, they must be done first!

So, when it comes to obtaining wisdom, are there any prerequisites? What comes first? 

READ:  Proverbs 1:7, 9:10

Here’s our WORD TO THE WISE for the week from the book of Proverbs:  FEAR the LORD First!  What is the fear of the Lord?  The “fear of the Lord” is a deeply profound REVERENCE and RESPECT for God.  The fear of the Lord is THE mandatory prerequisite before obtaining wisdom!  In the process of obtaining wisdom, the necessary place to begin is with the proper reverence and respect for God.  Before we try to apply any individual proverb to our lives we must fear the Lord.  Fearing the Lord is essential in our pursuit of wisdom, it is the required starting place if we are going to obtain and live a life of wisdom.  Thus, the opposite is true, if we do no fear the Lord, our lives will be void of any godly wisdom.

The fear of the Lord is our MOTIVATION to turn away from EVIL (Prov. 3:7, 8:13, 16:6) – I want my children to have a healthy fear of me . . . not just the possibility of discipline.  I want my integrity and character to influence what good my children decide to do and what evil they decide to avoid.   I want my children to have such a deep reverence and respect for the way I conduct my life that it motivates them to imitate me.  God is the only one who is deserving of reverence and respect, He is holy and His character is perfect.  A healthy fear of the Lord will help us to “turn away from evil”.  What we know and understand about the character of God will be a holy incentive to say “no” to the things that contradict with what we admire about His character.

The fear of the Lord provides CONFIDENCE (Proverbs 14:26) – Our culture teaches us that our confidence (or lack thereof) comes from our self-esteem . . . either our positive or negative view of ourselves.  This way of thinking says that we will experience as much (or as little) confidence as we trust in our own talents and abilities.  The problem is talents and abilities are extremely limited.  We will continually lose confidence because we will continually fail ourselves.  The only way to maintain an unfluctuating, unswerving “strong confidence” is by fearing the Lord.  When we fear the Lord we are not trusting in ourselves, but the One who is able to provide us with whatever confidence we need in any and every situation.

The fear of the Lord brings BLESSING and REWARD (Proverbs 22:4, 28:14) – In our house, allowance is a reward for doing chores and keeping rooms clean.  I’m pretty confident that most weeks allowance is the only reason any work gets done at all!  We are motivated by reward and blessing.  God “rewards” those who fear Him with riches, honor, and life, and He “blesses” those who always revere and respect Him.  Pursing the reward or blessing cannot be what is first, but it is a benefit for those who have feared the Lord first.

CONCLUSION:

Make no mistake about what should be first in our lives . . . the fear of the Lord.  HE is to be our prerequisite before everything else.  In answering a lawyer’s question about what the most important commandment in the Old Testament Jesus answered in Matthew 22:37, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all of your soul and with all of your mind.”  According to Jesus, loving the Lord is the prerequisite before a single one of His commandments.  It’s pretty clear, God requires HIMSELF to be first in our lives!

Word To The Wise: Avoid The Way of Wickedness!

Popular culture is a barometer of the moral values of our society.  The most recent public display of popular culture was provided for us by Miley Cyrus’ performance at the MTV VMA’s.   From some of what I’ve seen and read, it would be an understatement to say that her performance was extremely inappropriate.  According to an article written just 5 years ago by CPYU when Miley was 15, she grew up in a Christian home and that she was a, “grounded, authentic, humble kid who has not let fame and fortune get the best of her”, and that she is, “one of the best role models out there for the emerging generations and is a shining light on a dark industry.”  It appears that Miley, when she came to the fork in the road, chose not to pursue the path of righteousness.

Rather than criticize the path Miley Cyrus’ has chosen, instead we must give serious consideration to whether WE have and are walking down that path with her!  We must take seriously the wickedness in our own lives.

READ:  Proverbs 4:14

Here’s our WORD TO THE WISE for the week from the book of Proverbs:  Avoid the way of WICKEDNESS!  What is the way of wickedness?  The “way of wickedness” is living life as a willing participant in evil and sin.  Wickedness is living life and making choices that are contrary to God’s perfect design for all things in life.

The way of the wicked is DEEP DARKNESS (Prov. 4:19) – One of the highlights of our annual student ministry fall retreat is the night walk.  During the night walk our group walks on a path through the woods at night in the pitch dark.  No flashlights or anything to illuminate our path.  Without light, students yell and scream at the unexpected sounds and terrain that they experience along the way.  It is a relief at the end of the walk when we get closer to the main camp and our path begins to be illuminated by the lights of the camp.  The way of the wicked is “deep darkness”.  By participating in evil and sin we flip off the light switch of God and His truth in our lives. Without the light of God and His truth we will stumble around in the darkness, oblivious to the dangerous consequences of our wicked words, attitudes and actions.

The way of the wicked is an ABOMINATION to the Lord (Proverbs 15:8, *9, 26, 21:27) – God loves everybody, right?  Yes, true, but at the same time God is a harsh opponent of evil and sin.  God has a holy hatred for sin and a righteous indignation for wrong.  Wickedness, evil, and sin are an “abomination” to the Lord.  Habakkuk 1:13 says that God’s eyes are too pure to “see evil” or to even “look at wrong”.  And it is not just the evil and sin itself that is an abomination, but the person who willingly participates in it.  With evil and wickedness in our lives, WE are the abomination! 

The way of the wicked leads to DESTRUCTION (Prov. 10:27, *14:11, 21:12) – Every action movie has a scene where the evil villain is defeated or destroyed.  Whether it’s Loki being defeated by the Avengers or Emperor Palpatine being destroyed by Darth Vader, we cheer and experience relief when the wicked are defeated and justice is executed.  Why would we expect any less of a response from a holy and righteous God toward the wicked!?!  We want a just response from God, we just don’t like to think of ourselves as the ones who are wicked and deserving of destruction.  And yet, without Christ, we are enemies of God and will receive just punishment for living our lives on the way of wickedness (Romans 5:10; Ephesians 2:1-4).  

CONCLUSION:

Proverbs warns us to stay away from the way of wickedness.  In Matthew 7:13 in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said that, “the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction.”  According to Jesus there are two ways you can identify the way of wickedness . . . it is wide and it is easy!  The way of wickedness will be attractive because it popular, well-traveled, and free of resistance, suffering or difficulty, but at the end of the path there is destruction.  No matter how attractive the way of wickedness might appear, we would all be wise to avoid it and instead enter the path or righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ!

Word To The Wise: Pursue The Path of Righteousness

In August 2013 my wife Marianne and I went on a vacation in Fort Payne, Alabama.  We had no money, so we spent our days together enjoying the beauty of God’s creation at a few state parks in the area.  The first day we went on a hike through the Little River Canyon National Preserve.  We hiked on paths along the river canyon with waterfalls and whitewater.  Throughout the hike there were forks in the path and we had to decide which way to go.  Often, the paths looked similar, if not identical, making the decision which path to take difficult.

The book of Proverbs describes life as a walk on a path.  There will be one specific fork in the path and a choice must be made which path we will take.  Proverbs reduces the paths we can choose from in life to two options . . . the path of righteousness or the path of wickedness.  The “righteous” and the “wicked” are contrasted in 49 different verses in Proverbs.  It’s pretty clear from Proverbs that the paths of righteousness and wickedness go in completely opposite directions and ultimately end up in two completely different destinations.  They are both clearly marked throughout Scripture, but it’s easy to get deceived into making the wrong choice.  Which path do you think that wisdom would have us choose?

READ:  Proverbs 12:28

Here’s our WORD TO THE WISE for the week from the book of Proverbs:  Pursue the path of RIGHTEOUSNESS!  What is the path of righteousness?  The “path of righteousness” is living life in right relationship with GOD and right relationship with OTHERS.  Righteousness is living life and making choices according to God’s perfect design for all things in life.

The path of righteousness is WELL LIT (Prov. 4:18) – A sunrise is beautiful!  I don’t see them very often, but it is beautiful to see the world gradually transition from the darkness of night to the full light of day.  Living life is much easier with the light of the sun because we can see clearly and we are not hindered by the darkness.  Walking on the path of righteousness in life is like walking in the light of “full day”.  It’s bright and we can see clearly what we are doing in life.  What is the source of light that illuminates the path of righteousness?  A righteous life is illuminated by the truth of God and His Word (Ps. 119:105).  God’s truth and His Word are the like the light of the sun guiding our steps and leading us on the path of righteousness.

The path of righteousness is SAFE (Prov. 18:10) – Medieval civilizations built huge castles and towers in order to protect themselves from attacking enemies.  The stone walls were built deep into the ground, tall in the air, and thick so that no one could go under, over, or through them.  The immense walls kept them safe.  There are a multitude of dangerous enemies on the path of life, but the righteous are kept safe by the “name of the Lord”.  It is the Lord Himself who is our strong protector who keeps us safe in life.  Choosing the path of righteousness provides a God-sized shield of invincibility (Ps 118:19-20)!

The path of righteousness leads to LIFE (Proverbs 11:19, 12:28, *21:21) – What is the meaning of life?  That is a question that everyone is looking to answer.  Answering that question gives us a framework from which to live our lives and find the joy and happiness we are looking for.  There are those who would say that “whatever” path we choose to walk in life is the right one, . . . whatever makes us happy.  According to the book of Proverbs, true life can only be found on the path of righteousness.  True life is found when we pursue righteousness and live in right relationship with God and others, there is no other path that will truly satisfy.

CONCLUSION:

How do we get on the path of righteousness? Do we obtain righteousness simply by making right choices?  NO!  Romans 3:10-23 says, “none is righteous, no, not one”, but instead we gain, “the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.” Getting on the path of righteousness begins with a choice to acknowledge our wickedness and put faith in Jesus Christ for salvation.  Word to the Wise . . . Pursue the path of righteousness by believing in Jesus Christ!

Word To The Wise: Don't Be A Fool!

Do you remember Mr. T?  Mr. T is an American actor known for his roles as B.A. Baracus in the 1980s TV series The A-Team, boxer Clubber Lang in the 1982 film Rocky III, and his appearances as a professional wrestler in the WWF.  If there is one thing that Mr. T was famous for it was one phrase, “I pity the fool”!  Mr. T would say, “I pity the fool” to anyone who said or did anything that he thought was deserving of a whoopin’.  When Mr. T said, “I pity the fool” it was a warning to them that he was coming to punch their lights out.

The book of Proverbs expresses pity for the fool as well.  Foolishness is referred to 73 times in the book of Proverbs as a warning of the kind of person we do not want to be.  Foolishness is the opposite of wisdom.  Another term used to describe the foolish in Proverbs are the  “simple”. So, if wisdom is knowing and living life according to God’s way, what does it mean to be a fool?  A fool is someone who lives life INDEPENDENT of God’s way and arrogantly ignores wisdom.  God “pities the fool” who lives life in such a way!

READ:  Proverbs 1:7, 22

Here’s our WORD TO THE WISE for the week from the book of Proverbs (and Mr. T):  Don’t be a FOOL!  The wise pursue wisdom and instruction whereas fools “despise it”.  The wise pursue knowledge, whereas fools “hate it”.  Fools are characterized by a few things that we need to be aware of . . .

Fools are right in their OWN EYES (Prov. *12:15, 18:2, *28:26) – Do you find it easy or hard to admit when you are wrong?  HARD!  Having difficulty admitting we are wrong is a sign of foolishness in our lives because fools are always “right in their own eyes”.  A fool selfishly finds “wisdom” in their own personal thoughts and ideas.  A fool arrogantly denies the possibility that anyone else could have a wise thought or idea outside of themselves.  We will avoid foolishness when we can honestly admit that we are helplessly wrong and God is always right.

Fools are RECKLESS and CARELESS thinkers (Prov. 14:16) – As a parent, the question, “what were you thinking?” enters into my mind a lot.  When I find writing on a wall (or the side of our van) with permanent marker I have to ask, “what were you thinking?”  My mom asked me what I was thinking in college when I decided to jump off a train bridge into river for fun.  A fool is someone who does not put careful thought into their words or actions.  A fool will say and do whatever comes into their minds giving no thought to how reckless or destructive it might be.  We will avoid foolishness when we give first consideration to what God would have us say or do in any and every situation.

Fools ruin their lives with their MOUTH (Prov. *10:14, 15:2, 14, *18:6-7) – Most of us would never consider physically hurting ourselves (although there are those who cut or attempt suicide).  And yet, a fool is guilty of bringing harm upon themselves with some of the words that come out of their mouths.  Cutting and suicide are intentional efforts to cause ourselves pain or death, whereas a fool unintentionally “ruins” their life by using hurtful and destructive words they say to others.  James 3:6 says, “the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness.  The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life.”  We will avoid the destructive consequences of foolishness if we guard the words of our mouths’ closely and speak only with the words and wisdom given to us by God.

CONCLUSION:

No one would want to be pitied by Mr. T!  No one wants to foolish.  And yet, if we are living life independent of God and arrogantly ignoring the godly wisdom of others, according to Proverbs, we are a fool.  A word to the wise, . . . DON’T BE A FOOL!   Let go of your selfish pride and humbly submit your life to knowing and living according to God’s way.

Word To the Wise

Have you ever heard of the phrase, “a word to the wise?”  “Word to the wise” is a phrase referring to advice or information given from one person to another by means of a subtle hint and yet clearly communicates the message.  For example, if I want to communicate to a friend that the zipper of their jeans is down I might or simply say the word, “zipper” or give them the zipper hand signal.  A word to the wise is one simple gesture or word which is sufficient to communicate an important message to another person.  If the message is heeded the recipient will avoid unnecessary suffering and embarrassment.

The book of Proverbs is God’s “word to the wise” to us.  Most of the book of Proverbs is written by King Solomon whom God had given a, “wise and discerning mind”.  When asked by God in a dream, “what shall I give you?”, rather than ask for long life, riches, or victory of his enemies, Solomon asked for wisdom and God gave it to him abundantly.  Solomon was so wise that people and kings traveled from all nations to hear his wisdom (1 Kings 3:3-14, 4:29-34).  Solomon’s wisdom came from God and in the book of Proverbs Solomon shares God’s wisdom with us!  Those who hear and listen to the wisdom in the book of Proverbs will gain practical insight into how to successfully live life.  I am going to give 10 words of wisdom in the next several weeks from the book of Proverbs, the first one is a major theme that runs throughout the book and is summarized best in . . .

READ:  Proverbs 4:7

Did you catch it?  WORD TO THE WISE:  Get WISDOM!  Doesn’t get a whole lot more straight forward than that!  In fact, so straight forward it seems kind of silly.  If Solomon could have said it in another way he probably would have said, “you need it”, “you have to have it”, “you cannot live without it!”  According to Solomon, there are NO OTHER priorities in life in front of gaining possession of wisdom.  So, what’s the big deal with wisdom?  Why do we need it?  Before we can answer those questions we have to answer the question, “What is it?”  Wisdom = Knowing and living life according to God’s ways (formula).

The Lord has made wisdom public KNOWLEDGE (Prov. 1:20-23) – For over 125 years the Coca-Cola Company has possessed knowledge that they DO NOT want anyone else to have.  What is it?  The secret formula for their world famous soda pop!  Coca-Cola has gone to extensive measures to make sure that knowledge of their secret formula does not become public knowledge.  Have you ever considered that there is a “secret formula” for how to live life?  What if someone possessed this “secret formula” and they kept it to themselves?  God possesses the “secret formula” for living life which the book of Proverbs calls WISDOM.  God is the creator of life and so he knows exactly how He intended it to be lived.  God does not want to withhold His “secret formula” of how to live life.  In fact, Proverbs is pretty clear that God’s wisdom is public knowledge (cf Deut. 30:11-20).  So, how come more of us do not possess God’s wisdom?

The Lord GIVES wisdom to all who PURSUE it (Prov. 2:1-10) – The secret formula of Coca-Cola is in a locked vault in Atlanta, Georgia.  If we wanted to obtain the secret formula of Coca-Cola we would need to know the code to unlock the vault.  God has a similar “code” if we are going to be given His wisdom.  According to Prov. 2:1-4 the “code” to possessing God’s wisdom is our pursuit of it, our desire to have it, our seeking after it!  God alone is the possessor of wisdom and He gives to anyone and everyone who recognizes its value and pursues it with a genuine heart (James 1:5).  

CONCLUSION:

We all need wisdom in order to live life in a way that is honoring and pleasing to God. Through King Solomon, God has made known His wisdom that will guide us down the right path in life.  Are you pursuing God’s wisdom in your life right now?  If not, a word to the wise, . . . GET WISDOM!

I've Lost My Unaccountable Mind!

Our culture is obsessed with reality television (although it is debatable whether any of reality television is really real).  The most popular reality show on television right now is “Duck Dynasty”.  Reality television allows us to observe the daily routine of life from the memorable to the mundane.  We even get to enjoy brief moments when individuals share the thoughts that are on their mind.  What if our entire life, the good and the bad, was lived in the watchful eye of a camera and publicly displayed for others to watch?  That would be embarrassing enough, but can you imagine having what goes through your mind scrutinized in the same way? 

Condemning the church in Thyatira for their sexual immorality Jesus says in Revelation 2:23, “I am He who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.”  God is constantly “tuned in” to the unseen reality of our lives and we will be held ACCOUNTABLE for what God finds in our MINDS!  God is searching deep into our minds to find thoughts of evil and sin.  In Ezekiel chapters 8-11God gives the prophet Ezekiel a view of “reality” in the house of Judah.  The cameras of God’s omniscience were rolling, and in a vision (not a tele-vision), God shows Ezekiel a “lowlight” film of sin that was going on in Jerusalem.

READ:  Ezekiel 8:1-3a

God searches with JEALOUSY over our sin (Ez. 8:3b-6) – Jealousy is a pretty familiar storyline in reality television, most evident in “The Bachelor”.  26 women compete for the affection of 1 man.  If that is not a recipe for some pretty intense jealousy I don’t know what is!  We experience jealousy when time, attention, and affection that is intended for us is given to another!  God desires the first and best of who we are and when it is given to someone or something else He is jealous (Exodus 20:1-5).  The Bible calls anything that we give more time, attention and affection to than God an idol.  When we worship idols it is an abomination to God and He is rightfully upset as a result of our unfaithfulness to Him. 

God searches and SEES the sin we commit in the DARK (Ez. 8:7-12) – “Survivor” is a reality show where contestants are isolated in the wild and try to survive while trying to avoid getting voted off.  It is common for participants to secretly scheme and plot in an attempt to eliminate others.  Because the cameras a rolling, we get to see the evil that is being planned with whispering in “the dark”.  When we act in secret and try to keep certain actions hidden we are living in darkness.  We think we are getting away with it because others don’t see us and we avoid getting caught.  But don’t be mistaken, God is ever-present and He sees our actions just as clearly in the dark.  We must not love places of darkness, instead we must come to the light where there is forgiveness.  Make no mistake, if we do not admit our own sin, it WILL be exposed by Jesus Christ (Luke 12:2-3; John 3:19-21; Rom. 2:16; 1 Cor. 4:5)!

God searches for those who SIGH and GROAN over sin (Ez. 9:1-6) – We don’t see too much sorrow and sadness over sin in reality television, and yet this is exactly the quality that God is searching our minds for.  God is merciful toward those who mourn over their sin (Mt. 5:4).  It is important to realize that God is NOT just looking for someone to destroy!  He is just as passionate about defending and upholding those who express sorrow over their sin as He is aggressively opposed to those who tolerate and willingly participate in sin.

God searches and KNOWS the things that come into our MINDS (Ez. 11:5-6) – “Big Brother” is a reality show which follows house guests living together 24 hours a day, isolated from the outside world but under constant surveillance with no privacy for three months. House guests go to a “Diary Room” and talk to the camera and explain what is on their mind to the viewers.  God does not need surveillance cameras to know what is going on in our life or inside our head.  Our lives are like an unedited, uncensored reality television show continually before our holy God.  God is fully aware of every thought, intention, and motivation that goes through our mind.  We may think that our mind is off limits, but in reality, . . . God knows!

CONCLUSION

Through Ezekiel’s experience of seeing into the inner lives of the nation of Israel we can see the importance losing our unaccountable mind.  We are responsible and will one day be held accountable what is on inside of our minds.  And just like the rest of God’s law, it reveals to us our desperate NEED for a Savior (Ps. 26:2).  Are you ready and willing to be held accountable for the “REALITY” of your heart and mind? 

I've Lost My Foolish Mind!

We do lots of things to make ourselves “wise”.  We study in school in order to earn diplomas and degrees to become wise.  We read books in order to educate ourselves on topics we want to be wise about.  We make decisions and come up with practical plans in hopes of solving personal and societal problems.  Do all of our noble efforts to fill our minds with facts and solve problems make us wise?  Intelligent?  Yes, maybe.  Wise?  No!  Most of us would be shocked to know that God considers all the worldly wisdom we obtain foolishness.  God doesn’t want us to be foolish, He wants us to be wise, we just need a different perspective on what wisdom is and how we go about obtaining it!   

READ: 1 Cor. 2:1-16

In order to have true WISDOM we need to obtain the MIND of CHRIST!  In verse 16 the apostle Paul claims that he and other believers have, “the mind of Christ.”  According to Paul, true wisdom is thinking the same thoughts as God.  How do we know if we are wise and have the mind of Christ?

The wise do not speak with LOFTY SPEECH or WORLDLY WISDOM (vss 1-2, 4) – We are all too familiar with persuasive arguments.  We hear “sales pitches” all of the time in commercials, from sales people, scientists, professors, and politicians.  These “wise” individuals offer convincing words that are well calculated in an effort to sway us to buy or believe in something.  Being truly wise reduces our method of persuasion down to one thing, . . . the message of Jesus Christ crucified (1 Cor. 1:17-25)!  A wise person does not feel the necessity to persuade or convince, but to simply speak the truth.  We are to abandon worldly wisdom in order to proclaim the foolish message of the gospel. 

The wise recognize their own WEAKNESS and FEAR (vss 3-5) – Nobody likes to acknowledge or admit their weaknesses or fears.  It’s a little bit shocking to read in verse 3 that Paul was with the Corinthians in, “weakness, fear, and trembling.”  What we see as weakness and fear, God sees as a perfect opportunity for us to rely on the Holy Spirit and His power.  If this is true, then it is foolish to rely on our own worldly wisdom and it is wise to vulnerably allow God to display His power through our weakness and fear.  We should be ready and willing to serve in our areas of weakness or fear so that we do not depend on our own skills/abilities but on God.  Godly conviction and genuineness are what give us wisdom, not our own confidence and gifts.

The wise are aware of the HIDDEN SECRET of Jesus Christ (vss 6-10) – Who doesn’t want to hear a secret?  We all like to be in on information that others are not aware of.  Guess what?  Believers have a secret and we are supposed to share it . . . the secret is the person and message of Jesus Christ.  For all of our friends who are looking for wisdom, it is hidden in the person of Jesus.  We overlook the secret of Jesus when we try to become wise by doing things that are practical and “make sense” according to the world.  The world may consider us foolish, but by believing in and following Jesus Christ we have made ourselves wise (Col. 2:2-3)!

The wise have access into the MIND of GOD (vss 11-16) – If we wanted to get inside the mind of another person how might we do it?  Read their facebook posts, . . . blog entries, . . . journal or diary entries, etc.  As believers, through the Holy Spirit, we have access to the very mind and thoughts of God!  Possessing the Holy Spirit is like having the key to God’s personal journal or diary and being able to read His most intimate thoughts.  What makes God’s thoughts unique is that He is not ashamed of what is in His mind, in fact, He WANTS to share His mind with us!  He shares His mind with us so that we can have the same mind and thoughts that He does . . . therefore, “we have the mind of Christ!”

CONCLUSION:

Losing our foolish mind means letting the mind of the Master be the Master of our mind.  When we allow God’s higher thoughts to be our thoughts and allow His higher ways to be our ways we may appear foolish to the rest of the world, but we will have truly gained the wisdom we are looking for (Isaiah 55:8-9)!

I've Lost My Idle Mind!

A sprinter getting set in the blocks before a race.  A baseball player in the batter’s box waving his bat above home plate before he swings.  A football player getting down in a three point stance before the ball is hiked.  In these moments, athletes have one thing in common . . . they are preparing for action.  In these moments, an athlete is thinking about what they are going to do and how they are going to do it.  In these moments, an athlete is preparing themselves to explode into action.  An athlete does not prepare for nothing . . ., when the gun goes off, when the ball is pitched, or when the ball is hiked, an athlete does not relax and become idle.  They put all of their energy and effort into doing the action that they were preparing to do.  Their preparation is intended for a very specific purpose.  Much like an athlete, a Christian is preparing for specific action as well! 

READ: 1 Pet. 1:13-17

The Christian life is not a life of idleness, but a life of action.  The phrase in verse 13, “preparing your minds for action” literally means to “gird up the loins of your mind”.  Girding your loins means to, “gather up long loose robes around the waist and tuck them into a belt in preparation to run or some other physical action.”  Preparing our minds for action means we are getting ready to DO SOMETHING!  As a believer in Christ we prepare to ACT with our MINDS!  As believers what are we preparing to DO?

Be prepared to conduct your life with OBEDIENCE (vs 14) – In verse 14 Peter compares believers to an “obedient child”.  Without a loving parent present, a child will “ignorantly” do all kinds of wrong and hurtful behavior.  With no authority to teach and guide, a child will follow their selfish desires into whatever conduct they choose.  Children need to learn to obey their parents who can teach and train them to act in ways that are right.  Obedient children do not passively continue follow their selfish desires, but rather submit to a parent that knows what is right and best.  Preparing our minds for action means hearing and doing what God says because we trust with 100% confident that He knows what is good and best for our lives (Mt. 5:17-20; 1 Jn. 2:3-6, 5:3).

Be prepared to conduct your life with HOLINESS (vss 15-16) – The word “holy” in verse 15 means to be “set apart” or “separated”.  Believers are to conduct their lives differently from the rest of the world.  We are to turn from sin and pursue righteousness.  But where do we get our standard of what is right and wrong?  Our standard for right and wrong comes from the character and nature of God Himself who is holy.  We conduct ourselves with honesty in all situations because God is truthful and He does not lie (Tit 1:2; Heb 6:18).  We conduct ourselves with love and kindness because God is loving and kind (1 John 4:7-8, 16).  We treat others with justice because God is just (Dt. 32:4).  As a believer, we must use our minds to prepare to live lives separated from sin and pursuing righteousness.  Preparing our minds for action means knowing and imitating God’s holy character in the conduct of our daily lives (Mt. 5:48).

Be prepared to conduct your life with FEAR (vs 17) – God has good deeds that He wants us to do as we sojourn through this life.  It is not fear of punishment, but our profound respect and awe of God which is the motivation for our good deeds.  We must fearfully monitor our life’s actions against God’s will knowing that He will ultimately judge whether our actions are good or not.  True reverence for God will inevitably express itself in good deeds and not idleness.  A life of idleness cannot produce good deeds and may reveal a lack of genuine relationship with God.  Preparing our minds for action means doing good deeds out of reverence for God (2 Cor. 7:1).

CONCLUSION

The Christian life is not one of idleness.  Believing in Jesus and doing nothing is not an option!  We must continually be prepared to obediently do whatever good that God calls us to do.  God saves us for the grand purpose of using our obedience, our holiness, and our good deeds to illuminate a dark and dying world with the good news of the gospel (Mt. 5:16).  Prepare your mind for ACTION!

I've Lost My Anxious Mind!

Do you have any “anxiety enemies”?  An “anxiety enemy” is someone, something, or a circumstance that causes worry or an unsettled state of mind in your life.   An “anxiety enemy” attacks our mind by bombarding us with a thought of the possibility of physical danger or personal misfortune.  An “anxiety enemy” often shows up in the form of the question, “what if”?  “What if I fail my algebra test?” “What if I don’t make the varsity team?”  “What if ___________ doesn’t like me?”  We can experience anxiety from almost every area of our lives and so we must find a way to survive the attacks of this mental enemy!

READ:  Philippians 4:4-7

ANXIETY is a real enemy that God is able to GUARD us from!  The word “guard” in verse 7 is a military term which means to “keep watch” or “protect” against a dangerous enemy!  No wonder so many people experience anxiety “attacks”.  Instead of allowing anxiety and worry to attack, capture, and hurt us, we are to prayerfully trust that God is defending us against whatever we are worried about.  What are some of the “anxiety enemies” that God’s peace is able to guard us from?

God’s peace guards us from the attacks of SATAN (Romans 16:20) – It’s easy to be anxious about Satan.  1 Peter 5:8 describes Satan as a, “roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”  If that’s not a disturbing thought I don’t know what is.  We have an enemy who wants to chew us up and spit us out spiritually.  What’s even more disturbing is that he deceptively disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14).  We don’t have to be anxious about or intimidated by Satan because the God of peace will eventually crush him under our feet!  Our best defense against Satan is not to avoid him but to always be in the presence of the One who is powerful enough to CRUSH him!

God’s peace guards us from feeling LONELY (Phil. 4:9) – All of us get anxious about being ALONE.  My worst memory of being alone was in Jr. High.  My best friend Troy and I were at my house alone when we heard a door close downstairs.  After going out the front door and seeing that not only the garage door but the door into the basement was open we were terrified.  Convinced that someone was in the house we attempted to overtake each room by entering with a scream and a baseball bat.  It ended up being no one (wind probably closed the door), but being alone with no adults was scary.  Loneliness hurts people in many different ways . . . lack/loss of intimate relationship with others, feelings of meaninglessness, nobody needs us or wants us.  The fear of being alone leaves many to suffer with low self-esteem, unhealthy dependence on others, despair, depression and in severe cases suicide.  We don’t have to be anxious when we are lonely because the God of peace is always with us!  With the God of peace we have a place of eternal acceptance and belonging.  When the relational world around you is absent, God promises He is present to guard your life from the anxiety of despair.

God’s peace guards us from feeling UNWORTHY (1 Thess. 5:23) – Upon arrival in heaven a man noticed that all the clocks had names under them.  He asked Peter, “what’s with all the clocks?”  Peter answered, “they are not clocks but sin meters”.  He noticed that Billy Graham’s hardly moved. The Pope’s seemed to be motionless as well.  Other well-known people’s meters moved very little.  The man asked Peter, “do I have a clock?” Peter replied, “it’s in the office, we use it as a fan.”  It’s easy to get anxious wondering if we’ve sinned TOO much in our lives.  Our problem before God is not the amount of our sins, but the fact that we are sinners.  We do not have to be anxious about our sin because God has forgiven us and He is in the process of sanctifying us and making us blameless.  Be encouraged, it is God who sanctifies and keeps us blameless, not us!

God’s peace guards us from feeling UNEQUIPPED to do His will (Hebrews 13:20-21) – We can be anxious if we feel unskilled, unprepared, or unequipped to do God’s will.  I’m sure Noah felt unequipped and anxious about building an ark.  Moses felt unequipped and anxious to speak to Pharoah.  It’s easy to think that if we are not a wonderful speaker, singer, or Bible scholar then we are not useful in the kingdom.  Anxiety can paralyze us and cause us to avoid or miss God’s will.  Whatever God calls us to do, He will equip us with every good thing we need to do it!  Our success in doing God’s will is not based on how well we function but our faithfulness to His calling.  We will be effective when we do God’s will and use what we have to serve Him.

CONCLUSION

Dr A.T. Pierson wrote, “There is what is called the "cushion of the sea”.  Down beneath the surface that is agitated by storms, and driven about with winds, there is a part of the sea that is never stirred. When we dredge the bottom and bring up the remains of animal and vegetable life we find that they give evidence of not having been disturbed in the least, for hundreds and thousands of years. The peace of God is that eternal calm which, like the cushion of the sea, lies far too deep down to be reached by any external trouble and disturbance; and he who enters into the presence of God, becomes partaker of that undisturbed and undisturbable calm.”

The peace of God is an eternal calm like the cushion of the sea.  It lies so deeply within the human heart that no external disturbance can reach it.  ANYONE who enters the presence of God becomes a partaker of that undisturbed and undisturbable calm!  Is. 26:3 says, “God will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.”  To “lose our anxious mind” means to earnestly stay in God’s presence so we can be in a place of calm amidst all the disturbances of life.

I've Lost My Disagreeable Mind

The "Cha Cha Slide" is a song by DJ Casper that is frequently played at dances, parties, and weddings.   When the “Cha Cha Slide” is played a group of individuals dance and move in simultaneous unison.  Individuals listen for directions from the song, and as a result a group of 5, 10, 100, or 1,000,000 individuals can be simultaneously united together doing the same movements.  This song displays the unity a group of individuals can experience if they are all individually listening to a single voice.  Similarly, if a group of individuals are led by Christ, they will experience unity in their thinking, in their beliefs, and in the things they do together!

           

READ: 2 Cor. 13:11

Believers are able to AGREE with one another by being of ONE MIND!  Jesus made it clear when He departed from the earth that He wanted believers to be unified.  John 17:23 says that the desire of Jesus Christ was that we be, “perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”  When Christians are individually willing to “lose their minds” we have the ability to have sameness is thinking.  When we are led by ONE voice, the thoughts and ideas that exist inside our mind will become similar if not identical.  Why is it important for believers to have unity?  How do we get and maintain unity?

Unity results in AGREEMENT and not DIVISION (1 Cor. 1:10) – Have you ever been to a meeting and tried to decide something very simple?  It can take forever because everyone has a different opinion.  But as soon as someone with authority intervenes and makes a decision everyone can be on the same page.  God is our authority concerning all issues in life.  By listening to His voice as individuals we can avoid disagreement as a whole.  We do not need to come to conclusions together but simply obey His direction.  Divisions can only occur among Christians when individuals disagree with God.  It is extremely important that we individually be seeking God’s will so we can be in agreement and united together.

Unity compels people to meet one another’s NEEDS (Acts 4:32-35) – In the U.S. we are not so much in material need as emotional and social need.  We may not be around people lacking in material wealth, but we are surrounded by people who are poor in meaningful relationships.  What an opportunity to meet the needs of those we come in contact with . . . especially other believers.  When we identify a need that someone has we must offer whatever resources we have (money, time, a listening ear) to help meet that need.  To withhold ourselves from someone in need is to break the bond of unity that exists between us as believers.

God GIFTS everyone in order to progress one another toward unity (Eph. 4:11-13) – One of our goals in this life is maturity of faith.  We are each uniquely gifted so that we can mature each other to the same amount of faith. We must use our giftedness to mature others in their faith.  As we each mature together we become more and more united in our thinking and our purposes as a group.  It is much easier to accomplish something as a united whole than a small group of independent individuals.

Perfect unity is bound together by LOVE (Col. 3:14) – The one common thought that unites all believers is LOVE!  There will always be differences in opinion, conflicts are destined to arise, and opposition may never disappear.  The only thing that allows us to remain united and fills in the gaps of disagreement is love.  1 Cor. 3:8 says that, “love never fails”.  What a gracious character quality God has displayed for us so we can remain united.           

Conclusion:

Psalm 133:1 says, “how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!”  It is evident that God loves to see His people live in harmony in accordance with His law.  The only way to gain the unity that is described in the Bible is if we as individuals are willing to “lose our disagreeable mind” and let God lead us individually and corporately.  Are you listening to God’s voice?  If not, you are probably experiencing conflict and division.  But, if you are, you are probably experiencing unity, harmony, and agreement with other believers! 

I've Lost My Old Mind

In our culture it is a high value to be informed of the latest information and gadgets.  Things come in and out of style in light speed.  It is social suicide to be “out of date” or be uninformed of the latest trend or fad.  I am at a stage in life when I feel like I just barely stay “in the know”.  I think I was hearing about “Gangnam Style” just about the time it was declining in popularity, and even then my wife is the one who made me aware of this new (and now old) phenomenon.  Most recently I have discovered the “Harlem Shake” which from my perception is already becoming “old news”.  What’s new and trendy enters on the scene quickly and what has become “old news” even faster.  Living the Christian life is definitely not about being trendy, but there is a way of living that, in light of eternity, is new and will always be trendy and never go out of style in God’s economy! 

READ:  Romans 12:1-2

Being a LIVING SACRIFICE is the NEW way that God wants us to live our lives!   We are NOT to conform (“pattern our behavior”) ourselves to the ever-changing trends and fads of this world.  Instead, we are to be transformed (metamorphosis = “to change natures”) and become something completely new and different . . . and it all starts by renewing our mind.  How do we renew our minds in order to live as a living sacrifice?

Our mind is renewed by KNOWLEDGE of our Creator (Col. 3:10) – Our minds have the ability to “know” lots of things.  Over the years we have learned and know many different bits and pieces of information . . . the alphabet, multiplication tables, dates when things happened in history, etc.  The information we can know with our minds is basically limitless.  But even those who do not believe in God would say that just knowing information is not enough.  Knowing God is like looking into a mirror.  A renewed mind does not just sit and observe God and obtain information, a renewed mind observes God and imitates Him!  When we look at the image of our Creator we are getting a glimpse into the mystery of who God originally created us to be (Gen. 1:27).  Every time we gain knowledge about who God is, we gain knowledge about the transformed and new person we are supposed to be!

Our mind is renewed DAILY from the INSIDE (2 Cor. 4:16) – The second law of thermodynamics states that everything in the physical universe is in a constant state of (entropy) degeneration . . . moving from a state of order to disorder.  The energy required to make our universe function cannot sustain itself forever!  Our physical bodies are a perfect example of physical matter wasting away over time and eventually dying.  Although our universe and our physical existence are wasting away, our inner-self has the potential of being made NEW each and every day.  Our inner-self does not degenerate or deteriorate.  In fact, our inner-self can improve!  Our inner-self cannot improve ITSELF but it can be improved with the intervention of God.  God created us with an inner-self that can become more and more like Him.  Each and every day of our lives we can become more and more like God intended us to be (ie living sacrifice).  Although our physical existence is destined for destruction, our spiritual life has eternal potential to be renewed into the image of the Creator!

Our mind is renewed by the HOLY SPIRIT (Tit. 3:4-7) – There is nothing like getting rid of something old and getting something NEW.  Tossing out old smelly socks for brand new clean ones. Getting rid of an old broken down car and getting a new one.  New always means an upgrade . . . cleaner, bigger, better, faster.  New wouldn’t be new if it wasn’t an improvement over something older.  When we are mercifully saved by Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit enters into our lives and makes us into a new human being!  The Holy Spirit gives us an “upgraded” ability to think and live our lives in a NEW way.  The Spirit gives us fruit of godly character (Gal. 5:22-23).  The Spirit gives us assurance that we are children of God (Rom. 8:16).  The Spirit gives us the ability to understand God and His Word (1 Cor. 2:12-16).  The Spirit gives us assistance in prayer (Rom. 8:26).  The Spirit will convict us in regard to sin, righteousness, and judgment (Jn. 16:8)  The Spirit will also guide us in all truth (Jn. 16:13).  These are not new things that we can produce on our own, they are things that will be made new in us as a result of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us!

CONCLUSION

Someday ALL THINGS are going to be renewed (Mt. 19:28-30, Acts 3:21). Until that day we must allow God (by deciding in our mind) to transform us from our old sinful selves into something new each and every day.  If you’re going to do it you have to “lose” your old way of thinking.  Being a living sacrifice only happens with God’s miraculous intervention and it starts with a decision of the mind.

I've Lost My Sensuous Mind

There are lots of tangible (practical, real, physical) ways that we measure ourselves and others.  A teacher uses test results in school as a tangible measurement of our mental comprehension of information.  An employer conducts an annual review as a tangible measurement of our productivity and work.  A coach conducts a tryout as a tangible measurement to determine whether we are “good enough” to be on the team.  We evaluate the way people dress and act as a tangible measurement of whether someone is cool or popular or can be a part of our social group.  We love tangible measurements because, in our minds, they provide “proof” of whether someone is living up to a standard that we have created.

Is there a tangible way to measure our spirituality?  Are there outward things that we do that allow others to determine whether we get an ‘A’, ‘C’, or ‘F’ as a Christian?  Believe it or not, there are some people who think so.  Even more surprisingly, many of us measure our own spirituality based on a list of external behaviors.

READ:  Colossians 2:16-23

Verse 18 says that there are those who possess a sensuous mind.  A sensuous mind is characterized by gratifying itself through things which can be experienced with our physical senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch).  Other ways Scripture describes a sensuous mind is a mind of flesh or a carnal mind.  Throughout Scripture our sensuous (fleshly/carnal) nature is contrasted with our spiritual nature (Rom. 8:1-11).  A sensuous mind is in direct conflict with a mind that is led by the Holy Spirit.  According to Scripture our relationship with God is not based on our SENSUOUS OBEDIENCE but on our receiving of JESUS CHRIST (Col. 2:6)!  What are the characteristics of a sensuous mind?

A sensuous mind makes JUDGMENTS based on external religious behavior (vss 16-17) – What are some tangible things we feel like we must do if we are going to be a good Christian?  Whether going to church on Sunday morning, attending Sunday School, or reading our Bible, we often do “religious” things because we feel judged negatively by others if we don’t do them.  Instead of God’s leading, other people’s judgment becomes our motive for why we do the things we do as a Christian.  Paul says in verse 16 not to let anyone pass judgment on you in the ways you outwardly express your faith.  The substance of our religion is not in how well we live up to others’ (or our own) outward expectations, but whether we are walking intimately and obediently with our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ! 

A sensuous mind considers DISQUALIFIED those who don’t live up to a (measureable) legalistic standard (vs 18) – How we outwardly express our faith can be extremely confusing.  Some will insist that we speak in tongues in order to be a “true” Christian.  Others might insist that we confess our sins to a priest in order to be forgiven.  Still others might insist that we use the KJV because it is the only accurate translation of the Bible.  Those with a sensuous mind will insist that we live up to a long list measurable legalistic standards.  Paul says in verse 18 not to let any disqualify you because of their insistence that you conform to a specific criteria of behavior.  Instead of trying to live up to a list of rules placed on us by others or ourselves, we must  simply remain connected to the Head who is Jesus Christ.  We are only as qualified as a Christian as we hold fast to Jesus Christ.  As we abide in Christ, He will qualify us by growing us with the growth that is from God.

Why is a sensuous mind so dangerous?

READ: Romans 8:6-8

Paul says in verses 6 through 8 that a sensuous mind is, 1) is HOSTILE to God, 2) does not SUBMIT to God’s law, and 3) cannot PLEASE God.  Ironically, in our attempts to qualify ourselves by living up to a measurable outward legalistic standard of behavior we actually disqualify ourselves from a righteous relationship with God.

CONCLUSION

We must be careful not to live out our faith with a sensuous mind which measures itself and others according to an empty list of external legalistic behaviors.  Our outward behavior is only a shadow of who we are in Christ.  The true measure of our faith is whether we have received Christ and are walking obediently according to the Spirit!