Morning Devotion - Prov. 25

Read Proverbs 25

This chapter has two sections. The first ten verses contain wisdom concerning kings and courts. The rest of the chapter (continuing through most of chapter 26) uses vivid analogies to present important truths about wisdom and relationships between people near and far.

Concerning Kings and Courts
"The heart of a king is unsearchable" (3). A wise king has special gifts of discernment. As with God himself, you will not know everything about Him, but do not be surprised when He knows everything about you. It is a fearful thing to hastily push yourself into the presence of such a king. How will you stand when the secrets of your hearts are laid bare?

We think of the teaching of Scripture elsewhere on a due caution in worship (Eccl 5:1-7), but we are also encouraged that we have bold access to God through a royal Mediator who knows us and loves us. Yet this does not change the fact that we need to come to God with complete reverence and sincerity through the blood of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10:19-27).

Vivid Analogies Concerning Wisdom and Relationships
God communicates important lessons of life to us through illustrations that captivate our imagination. Through this method the truths of the greatest King are communicated to the hearts of His subjects, and we are further convinced of the glory of this King of kings, who knows what is in the heart of a man, and who even knit us together in our mother's womb.

Morning Devotion - Prov. 24

Read Proverbs 24

1. The stability and fruitfulness of the wise man is admired (3-6, 13-14, 27).

2. Notice the variety of ways that a man can bring about his own destruction through problems of character:
a) The envious man (1-2)
b) The fool (7)
c) The schemer (8)
d) The scoffer (9)
e) The fainter (10)
f) The willfully ignorant (11)
g) The violent (15-16)
h) The unsympathetic (17-18)
i) The worrier (19-20)
j) The despiser (21-22)
k) The partial judge (23-26)
l) The spiteful (28-29)
m) The sluggard (30-34)

In such a sea of flawed humanity, how refreshing it is to meet a man of integrity. He takes in wisdom eagerly, his plans are for good things, he is diligent about achieving them, and he builds his good house.

Our Lord is a great Master Builder. Perfect in wisdom, He has laid the foundation stone of His house with His own well-considered integrity of life and sacrificial substitutionary death. He was surrounded by enemies who despised and rejected him. But the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone (Psalm 118:22).

Morning Devotion - Prov. 23

Read Proverbs 23

This chapter wonderfully expresses the longing of a godly father that His son will reject the pitfalls that accompany base pleasure-seeking (15-18).

He urges his son to love the knowledge of the Redeemer who brings words of instruction (12) more than the food of the rich (3), the wine of drunkards (20), and the sexual enticements of prostitutes and adulteresses (27).

The end of the worldly hedonist is not the highest pleasure at all, but addiction, confusion, and misery (29-35).

The end of the one who seeks the most true and lasting pleasures is a future and a hope that will not be cut off (18).

Only the man who lays hold of such wisdom in Jesus and particularly in his death and resurrection will be able to run the race that is set before him, a race that has as one of its stations the enduring of the cross on the pathway to higher and eternal pleasures.

Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

We need to receive this great wisdom of Jesus and the fruits of it which are our salvation. We need to embrace this wisdom as the model of our own life and follow it. We also need to teach this wisdom to our children and see that they follow it beyond the foolishness of childhood and into the wisdom and maturity of adulthood.

Morning Devotion - Prov. 22

Read Proverbs 22

The desirability of a good name
1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.

How does one get a bad name? How can we have a good name?
Excellence in Training - The Means or Process
good instruction (6), companions with upright and true speech (10), chaste companions (14), parental discipline (15), attention to the words of the wise (17-21), peaceful companions (24-25), respect for one's good heritage (28)

Perfection in Character - The End or Result
Prudence (3), humility and the fear of the Lord (4), soul caution in a world full of soul dangers (5), financial self-discipline (7), justice (8), generosity (9), pure affections and gracious speech (11), knowledge and appropriate loyalty (12), hard work (13), a heart for the oppressed (16), sympathy and mercy (22-23), personal financial caution (26-27), excellence in all things (29)

Consider the excellence of Jesus Christ, the perfect Son of the Father.

How can we have the best name?
2 The rich and the poor meet together; the LORD is the maker of them all.
God is our maker and the source of every good gift. Our failure in both means and ends is evident, particularly when we consider that we must one day answer to our perfect maker, who demands that we be perfect as He is perfect. The way to have a perfect name, must come through His Son. Our hope is that we have been given His name, and that through His great love the unsearchable riches of Christ have been credited to us.

1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Morning Devotion - Prov. 21

Read Proverbs 21

The sovereignty of the Lord in sanctification.

What He wants (3) – righteousness and justice

What He knows (2) – the depths of our hearts

What He gets (1, 30) – all His holy will, even among the powerful and the proud

Do our neighbors see mercy in us? (10)

Justification is when, by grace, we find God’s mercy.

Sanctification is when, by grace, we grow in God’s mercy.

Glorification is when, by grace, we are perfected in God’s mercy.

This should not entirely escape the notice of those around us.

The one who does not show mercy will find no mercy. (13)

The way of death (16, 25-26, 27)

The way of life (21)

The Point: What an amazing fact of salvation history that it was the will of God to justify, sanctify, and glorify the ungodly through Jesus Christ.

Romans 4:5 And to the one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,

Philippians 1:6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Morning Devotion - Prov. 20

Read Proverbs 20

There are some occasions where secrecy is righteous and where revealing a matter is sin (18, 19), but this chapter has much to say about devious secrecy and the need for a true and faithful steadfast love.

1. The problem of people saying one thing but being and doing another (6, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17, 25)

2. The role of a wise king to sort out such falsehood (5, 8, 26)

3. The necessity and great blessing of true integrity in the king (7, 28)

The Point: Christ is the true King of righteousness. He knows our hearts and has loved us with an everlasting love. How can we be followers of Him if we will not truly do what He says (Matthew 7:24-27)?

Morning Devotion - Prov. 19

Read Proverbs 19

This chapter begins with an observation about a person living in poverty, and contains many verses that explicitly refer to the poor man. Other verses contain truths that apply more broadly to everyone, but many of these can easily be considered as they relate to poverty.

1. A life of poverty is a life of difficulty. This is not only because of the lack of necessary and desired things. The poor man is deserted by friends and relatives (4, 7).

2. To be poor is not the worst of afflictions. It is much worse to lack integrity (1, 22).

3. There are many causes of poverty. These include lack of discipline at a young age (18), ignoring or rejecting good instruction (20, 27), anger (11, 19), rash behavior (2), a foolish spouse (14), laziness (15, 24), and stubborn cynicism (25, 29). Beyond all of these important considerations, it is worth considering the importance of the fear of the Lord (23), since it is the purpose of the Lord which will stand (21).

4. In light of this, consider verse 17 and think of the One who became poor, that we might be rich.

Morning Devotion - Prov. 18

Read Proverbs 18

It is not always an easy matter to determine the Lord's will. To put it another way, how can one find and stay on the way of sound judgment? Proverbs 18 provides some important basic guidance on this matter.

1. The way of sound judgment is not necessarily the way of private opinion or desire.
Proverbs 18:1-2 1 Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment. 2 A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.

2. In contrast to a haughty appreciation for one's own counsel, the way of sound judgment begins with humility, and follows through with the acquisition of knowledge through the consideration of a variety of counselors.
Proverbs 18:12-13 12 Before destruction a man's heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor. 13 If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.
Proverbs 18:15, 17 15 An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge. 17 The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.

3. This gaining of knowledge is not detached from the strong bonds of the nearest and best relationships, which are a gift from God.
Proverbs 18:22, 24 22 He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD. 24 A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

4. Ultimately, the closest brother and the only certain and perfect adviser is the Lord who calls us His friends and who has demonstrated His love through His death.
Proverbs 18:10 10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.
This we cling to though the specifics of sound judgment may for a moment seem difficult to discern.

The Point: The way of wisdom is not the way of arrogance, but the way of humility, where the name of the Lord is rightly considered a strong tower.

Morning Devotion - Prov. 17

Read Proverbs 17

1. The virtues of a quiet life (1, 27-28). Note also Paul's instruction to the Thessalonian church (1 Thes. 4:11).
2. The variety and ugliness of "normal" sin (5, 9, 11, 13-15, 19).
3. The value of a Redeemer in a world of misery (2, 17, 22).

The Point: The Son of God came as the Servant of the Lord, and a friend of sinners. He has covered over us in our iniquity and adversity, and has granted to us joy unspeakable even on this potholed pilgrim journey.

1 Peter 1:8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,

May the Lord increase your joy in Christ today.

Morning Devotion - Prov. 16

Read Proverbs 16

I remember being first impressed by this chapter when I was working in Strategic Planning for a corporation. There is much here on the topic of the plans of man... and on the plans of God.

v. 27: "A worthless man plots evil..." Not all planning is good. Some people are scheming plotters, who seek only themselves and end up working their own destruction through their schemes. Does this mean that all planning is evil? Of course not...

v. 3: "Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established." This means that the righteous man has a plan - not an evil scheme, but a plan for good.

Some people have more power to establish their plans, power given to them by God. The chapter reflects upon this with several verses about the seemingly absolute power that kings possess. Yet the ultimate power of a plan is in the hands of the Master Planner.

v. 4: "The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble." Christ, the Good Man, came according to the express plan and foreknowledge of God, and "by (His) steadfast love and faithfulness (our) iniquity is atoned for." (v. 6)

Now, in response to His great works, (more v.6) "by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil." May you make good plans in light of the perfect plan of the King of kings. v.9 "The heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps."

The Point: God by His decrees rules all things for great good. In this confidence the righteous man plans and acts.

Morning Devotion - Prov. 15

Read Proverbs 15

1. There is a wonderful integrity designed by God into the human being, where the good and humble heart that fears the Lord (v. 33) causes the ear to listen to His wisdom (v. 5, 31) and the mouth to speak judiciously (v. 7) yielding consequential life from the Lord (v. 29) or death to those who forsake the way (v. 10).

2. This is not a mechanistic or impersonal system of mere natural consequences but is based upon the exhaustive knowledge of the Lord who knows and governs all his creatures and all their actions (v. 3, 11).

3. The most wonderful fulfillment of these two principles (the requirement of complete human integrity, and the perfect knowledge and power of God) comes as the Lord hears the prayer of the righteous (v. 29). Consider the prayer of Jesus in John 17, and think of how all the prayers of Christ, the Man of Perfect Righteousness, have been fully heard by God, and are in perfect accord with the holy will of God. They will come to pass. The Son will be glorified in the church. The church will be kept in the name of Christ. We will be sanctified through the Word of God. We will be with Him forever and will see Him in His glory.

The Point: Christ is the man of perfect integrity. His prayer has been heard.

Morning Devotion - Prov. 14

Read Proverbs 14

I was struck this morning with a number of proverbs in this chapter (and I am sure throughout this book) that deal with the issue of TIME. Some thoughts:

1. The pleasure-seeking fool seems to know only the immediacy of the present.

2. There is a patience to godly wisdom that will be richly rewarded. See also the Beatitudes (Matthew 5).

3. In the words of the hymn, "Solid joys and lasting treasures none but Zion's children knows."

The Point: The accomplishment of our salvation was not according to the way that might immediately seem right to a man, but according to the wise purpose and plan of God, which leads to a secure and everlasting joy.

Peace

Morning Devotion - Prov. 13

Read Proverbs 13

There is much in proverbs (including in this chapter) about the tongue and about diligence, but notice this morning the instruction in verse one about the ear of the righteous man. "A wise son hears his father's instruction."

John 6:38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.

John 12:23-28 23 And Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. 27 Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven: "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again."

The Lord Jesus Christ had a perfect ear for the will of His Father and a perfectly obedient and powerful heart that was eager to will and to do according to the voice of His Father. This is the ground of our salvation. We are called today to hear God's voice in the Scriptures and to obey.

John 10:27-28 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

The Point: The ear of the Righteous One is ready to hear the Father's voice, though it bid Him come and die.

May God's grace and peace be with you this day. Amen.

Morning Devotion - Prov. 12

Read Proverbs 12

Again we see the contrast between the wicked and the righteous. This morning I reread the chapter a second time and noted what God is saying about the wicked...

He is one of evil devices. His words lie in wait for blood. He is eventually overthrown.
He has a twisted mind. He is ensnared by the transgression of his lips. His evil work comes back to him.
He is right in his own eyes. He has rash words like sword thrusts. He is filled with trouble.

Do you see the pattern? Out of a wicked heart proceeds rash and deadly words and actions that will ultimately bring only ruin.

But then we can read the chapter a third time from the standpoint of the Righteous One. Just a few details... He has regard even for the life of His beast. He has truthful lips that endure forever. He brings healing and his path is life.

Now consider Romans 4:4-5. "Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness."

Finally return to Proverbs 12:1, receive the perfect righteousness of the One Righteous Man, and also receive His discipline, for He disciplines those He loves. (Hebrews 12:6)

The Point: It will not be by your own good heart, good words, or lasting fruit that you will find life, but through Christ. Receive His kind discipline and reproof as one who by His grace has been moved to love and even to follow in the way of His wisdom.

Morning Devotion - Prov. 11

Read Proverbs 11

Note the following:
1. God cares about things that we may think of as small matters of righteousness (a just weight 11:1), and
2. Righteousness is powerful beyond one person - to a whole city (11:10) and unto the deliverance of our children (11:21), and
3. The fruit of righteousness is a tree of life (11:30).

Further note: Thanks be to God for Jesus the Righteous One who has captured our souls and saved our lives. Heaven will be a place of great rejoicing for those who are sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ. See Galatians 3:26.

The Point: God loves all righteousness. By the perfect righteousness and death of His Son, the sons of God will be delivered from destruction.

Wonderful Week at ABC Uganda

Getting to e-mail is more difficult this week, so here is something with a few entries…

MONDAY

This is really an impressive institution. The ABC compound is a lovely place to live. The weather is beautiful and the situation is very safe inside the walled campus. The students are great. The sacrifice is something. Many of these students leave their families for this college training. They go back home for one week each semester, and then they go home for the summer. I don't know how they do it.

TUESDAY

Lots of needs here and everywhere. I am struck by that. Enjoying going through 1 Thes and listening to Mike and Andy. There is so much in this book about suffering – an amazing contrast to a health/wealth preacher who is apparently going to draw an enormous crowd at the stadium next weekend. Here we are with this small group of men and a few women going through the first part of this letter with so much emphasis on suffering. Andy preached tonight, and one of the phrases that stuck me is that Paul says that we are destined for afflictions. Kind of interesting that God brought us here, rather than some more successful pastors in the PCA. Yesterday we had a meeting with students who were very surprised to find out that Mike’s wife had to work in order for them to survive in the ministry, and that many pastors in our area find it an economic challenge. Obviously we don’t really understand the level of suffering that the Ugandans (and others) have faced who are here – also the sacrifice of the missionary families.

One of the students from Tanzania received a visit from his wife and young daughter visiting for Spiritual Emphasis week. Cute family. Lots of sacrifice all around.

WEDNESDAY

Just gave a message to some of the workers on campus. This is like a morning devotion that we have been doing every morning. It was my first turn at it. They have a large wooden shed that they sit in and there is a pulpit there. It is very moving. You speak and and one of the workers translates into Luganda, which is the local language. It feels like a plantation in a way here. There is this care for the physical and spiritual needs of the workers that is striking. When you hire someone in Uganda, it is common that you would be expected to take care of emergencies that they have no money for. Almost everyone on campus hires workers to cook and to clean. It is a special responsibility when you do that.

Anyway, there is an arc of African faces listening to a message from the Bible. It is kind of amazing.

The problems here are deep.

I am kind of sweaty and hot after giving the devotion and walking back and forth to the workers’ shed. We are staying at Palmer’s house. I met Abel, the man our church is supporting last night. He was not here on the first day. He went to see his wife in the village to take care of some issues – what precisely I do not know. We are going to talk more later today.

Each day we have a schedule like this:

1. Workers’ devotion

2. Prayer meetings with small groups of students and staff

3. First Preaching Session

4. Tea

5. Second Preaching Session

6. Lunch with a faculty family

7. Study time

8. Question and answer time with students

9. Dinner with a faculty family

10. Third Preaching Session

11. Home to the Robertsons and bed.

LATER…

I had a wonderful meeting with Abel Twine Matsiko. What a great guy! He was a youth worker in an Anglican Church. He came to ABC after only nine months of marriage. His wife became pregnant, but the baby died in the ninth month of pregnancy. She became pregnant later and safely gave birth to a second baby girl who is now three months old.

We had a wonderful question and answer session with the students before dinner tonight. Many of the students got to share something of their stories, and they had lots of questions.

THURSDAY

More sermons – good responses from the students – My last sermon was in the evening. Earlier in the day I gave a message by myself to the workers. They give up a part of their lunch hour every Wednesday in order to receive a message. I was listening to Mike’s sermon when I had to pop up all of a sudden and quickly get down to the pagoda where I delivered the message. I preached on Psalm 22.

FRIDAY

Mike and Andy finished up the messages this morning. Then we went to a town about two hours away and met with a Danish missionary who has been very entrepreneurial in meeting his economic needs and those of his ministry that serves about 1000 orphans in his area. One of his little businesses is a café operating out of their offices with great food for the Muzungus (white people). His “slogan” that he calmly mentioned on several occasions is “raising the standard.” A major project here. His web site is ugandachildcare.org I think. Lots of thoughts for helping to fund operating expenses for ABC. The campus here is really a beautiful enclave on the outskirts of city life. We have been on campus all week, and while there can be some urge to go outside the gates, I like the feeling of coming back to campus.

SATURDAY

We all went to a nature center today where we were able to take some great pictures. Then on to an old hotel from the Colonial era, where we met with an American missionary from San Antonio who is bringing Christian American businessmen to Uganda to help young Christians here conduct themselves in an honorable and profitable way. This was a similar positive encounter like the one we had yesterday with the Danish missionary.

The economic challenges here are substantial everywhere we turn. Over the last three days I have had as many conversations about economics and business as I have had about church life.

Palmer gave us a tour of the ABC campus so that we could see some parts that we had missed so far. We have had some conversations about creative ways to cover operating costs for the school. What a marvelous campus. They have crops for food. Also married student dorms which they plan to build more of. Took plenty of pictures to show everyone. Stepped in a tremendous line of fast-moving ants, but Mike noticed it before it was a real problem. Have a picture of it…

Much Love,

Steve