Rhetorical Suicide

Proverbs 18:20-21 A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled. Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

The Bible has much to say about our words, and I have long considered familiar with its teaching. But in today's reading I happened across Proverbs 18:20, which states, "A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled." Specifically, this verse may be understood to teach that our words have a direct impact on whether or not we eat. As the man said, "T'was a revelation to me."

I have long appreciated the power of words. They are the revealers of the heart, and poorly chosen words are extremely destructive. But the Scriptures go even farther. Is it possible that our words are keeping us from experiencing success and fulfillment? Apparently so.

Think of the people you know who are struggling to find their way in life. Nothing seems to work for them. They fight and scrap to pay the bills, frequently relying on others for their very bread. Now consider their conversation. Are they talking themselves into a hole? Read their Facebook postings. Are they ungrateful, critical, judgmental, harsh?  If so, they are living illustrations of the truth of Proverbs 18:20.

And as if verse 20 were not enough, God chose to reinforce the thought in verse 21. "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." I always considered this verse to be talking about the effects of our words on others. Now I understand that is not the case, but it rather concerns the effects of our words on ourselves.

Choosing Our Words Carefully

Proverbs 17:27 " He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit."

The Bible has much to say to us about the power of and the misuses of the tongue. James 3 gives us a thorough understanding of just how difficult it is to control our words, and Jesus was very clear about the source of our words, and how ultimately they reveal us.

Given these things, it is not surprising to find that Solomon, exercising his God-given wisdom, also mentions the tongue on numerous occasions. We find one of those mentions here, in Proverbs 17:27. Digging through the two parts of the passage, we find that, typical of Hebrew poetry, they are really one thought expressed in two ways. First, "He that hath knowledge spareth his words". When studied out, we understand that the man who has knowledge is one who is aware of the time and circumstances, who has discernment concerning how words affect not only the hearers but others, and whose wisdom allows him to apply biblical principles to the situation. Given this "knowledge", he speaks little and carefully chooses his words. The second part, "a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit" reinforces the first part by telling us that such a man, one that is aware, discerning and wise, is also of an excellent spirit. His spirit is such that it remains calm under every circumstance. Such a man can be relied on for sound godly counsel, producing light and peace rather than upset and discord.

My mind makes an instant connection between this verse and Proverbs 22:3 and 27:12, "A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished." A prudent man, one with knowledge and understanding, will keep his spirit under control and choose his words carefully. In what situation will you find yourself today where the Lord wants you to be such a man?

Blessed of the Greater

Gen 47:7-10  And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou? And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.

Whenever I read this passage, I always remember an accompanying passage from the New Testament, Hebrews 7:7 “And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.” In Hebrews, the reference is to the incident following the defeat of the five kings in Genesis 14. Abraham, returning from the battle, had been blessed by Melchizedek, Priest of Salem.

The argument from Hebrews is long and complex, but the statement in verse 7 is clear and simple. “Without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.” The one giving the blessing is superior to the one receiving the blessing. That this is a heavenly perspective is immediately evident in the case of Jacob and Pharaoh. In this passage, a Bedouin Arab of obscure origin has taken upon himself to pronounce a blessing on the Pharaoh of Egypt. He walks into the presence of the most powerful ruler of his time, places his hand on his head, and calls God’s blessing upon him. It is the same as it some backwoods country preacher walked up to the president of the United States and pronounced, “May the Lord richly bless you. May He give you wisdom and understanding, good health and riches. May He meet every need in your life, and bless those who follow after you.”

I imagine that the Pharaoh’s reaction was much the same as the president’s might be, tolerant amusement. I’m sure he smiled at Jacob, and his question, “How old are you?”, indicates that he might have attributed Abraham’s boldness to advanced age. But the Scriptures are accurate in their portrayal of the two men. Although arguably the most powerful man of his time, Pharaoh carried within himself a fatal flaw. This flaw made it certain that Jacob, the old Bedouin, was the better man. You see, Pharaoh did not know Jacob’s God. And that difference alone was enough to set Jacob in the higher position. So, like Melchizedek had blessed Abraham so many years ago, now Jacob, meeting Pharaoh for the first time, blessed the one who had shown favor to his son.

The Christian finds himself in both positions here. As a Christian, we know Jacob’s God, and from that relationship we draw a worth that allows us to bless others, just as Jacob did. And like Pharaoh, we find ourselves blessed; blessed by a Father because we have shown favor to His Son.

The Marks of the Lord Jesus Christ

Galatians 6:17

I recently had the privilege of attending the Our Generation Summit in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The theme for this year's conference was "Equip for Battle". As part of the decor, the Our Generation team had included a piece of a U.S. Army dress uniform, a jacket. Although the jacket really didn't figure in the program, as a former G.I. it caught my attention. After looking it over for a while, I turned to my wife and told her, "The guy that owns that coat is a man!"

You see, that coat belonged to a soldier. You knew it was a soldier because of the way it was arranged. A civilian would never have gotten the all that stuff right. It took a soldier to put everything in its proper place, and believe me, everything was in its proper place.

Not only was everything in place, the things that were on that coat told you a great deal about the man. First, he was a staff sergeant. That alone is significant. Soldiers don't make staff sergeant on their first enlistment. This guy had been around a little while. Given the opportunity to opt out, having served his time, he chose to go around again, at least one more time and maybe more. The hash marks on his sleeve indicated he had been a soldier for at least twelve years. A man that would re-up in wartime is a man that can be counted on when it gets hard, the kind of guy I want beside me, a man.

Next, the blue cord wrapped around his shoulder and the crossed rifles on the collar belonged to an infantryman. Combat arms, ground pounder, line doggie. The most inglorious position in the whole army, and the most indispensable. No matter how many planes, artillery pieces or tanks you've got, eventually an infantryman is going to have to take the ground. Theirs is the dirty work, house to house and room to room, face to face with an enemy that knows it's kill or be killed, live or die. They call them grunts in derision, but you can't fight a war without them. By the way, our staff sergeant was not only a grunt, he was a good one. On his left pocket he wore an expert marksman badge along with one showing he had finished air assault school.

Our staff sergeant was also a decorated soldier. I've been out too long to recognize all the ribbons, and some of them were unit citations. But not all. On one sleeve, the hash marks witnessed to at least three combat tours. Our boy had certainly seen enough combat to earn a Combat Infantry Badge along with the other ribbons. They give those to soldiers who have served in wartime. This man knows what it means to dodge bullets.

I could go on, but I think you get the picture. I could see enough on the uniform to know I would have been proud to meet this man and shake his hand. His qualifications were written all over him. He was a soldier. In 2 Timothy 2:3-4, the Bible talks of the Christian as chosen to be a soldier. The Holy Spirit wrote those words through the Apostle Paul, one who knew what it meant to be a soldier of Jesus Christ. And it was Paul, the combat weary infantryman, who wrote the words at the beginning of this text, "From henceforth let no man trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus Christ (Gal. 6:17)." Anyone who met Paul could tell he had served his time. The marks on his body, like the uniform on that soldier, told the tale.

Christian friend of mine, do you bear the marks of the Lord Jesus Christ? Is the impact of living for Him clearly recognizable in your life? The thought brings to mind a dear pastor friend who has labored long and hard in the battle for the Lord. He carries his testimony everywhere, a patient and gentle warrior, truly humble, quick to tears. It doesn't require much time in his presence to see that he is a soldier who has spent much in the service of His Lord Jesus. One day, I hope it will be just as evident in me and you.

Just a servant,

Bro. Tom

Worthy is the Lamb

Revelation 4-5

In chapters four and five of the Book of Revelation, the Holy Spirit gives some insight into conditions in heaven. In 4:1, the Bible says “a door was opened in heaven”. What a fascinating and revealing glimpse we receive of heavenly places! First, there is a throne, around which are 24 seats with 24 elders, in white raiment with golden crowns. Then there are the four flying beasts which surround the throne, never resting. As they fly, they cry out “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.” As they worship, the 24 elders fall down before the throne, cast their crowns before it and say, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: For thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”

Chapter five describes the search for one who was worthy to open the seven-sealed book. A search of heaven and earth finds no one who is able to open the book or to read what is written in it. John begins to despair, until “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David”, is able to loose the seals and open the book. At this point, the song of the 24 elders becomes, “Thou are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation: And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on earth.”

Then, as John watched, the voices of “ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands” of the angels were added to the elders, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.”

Imagine the scene as the angels of heaven praise the Lamb! Hear the thunder! And then, to this incredible, glorious spectacle, the Bible says, “And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.”

Take a moment to picture this scene, every created being everywhere simultaneously praising the Creator! The heavens and the earth will be shaking with voices praising God. For that moment, every eye will be on Him, every voice devoted to His glory.
It will happen because God says it will, and it will happen because He is worthy. The Lamb, our Saviour, our King, is worthy of all the praise and attention of every creature. Christian friend of mine, He will not only be worthy then, He is worthy now. He is worthy of everything we can give. Not just our praise, but our lives. We who know Him, who are washed in his blood, can bring Him glory today by our worship and our service on His behalf.

I am confident I will be among those gathered around the throne in heaven. His blood assures me of that. But then I’ll be one among billions. I want to give Him glory today, when there are fewer voices, and mine will be clear and recognizable. O precious Lamb, Brother Tom, bought by your blood and sealed by your Spirit. I am yours. Be glorified in every part of my life today, for you are worthy!

Just a servant,

Bro.Tom

Living in a Sinful Society

Isaiah 59

The first fourteen verses of Isaiah 59 describe a society saturated with sin. In verse 1, God begins by saying His hand is not shortened that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy that it cannot hear. Then in verse 2, the awful conjunction, “But....your iniquities have separated between you and God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that He will not hear.”

Verses 3-14 give a graphic description of the sins of the nation. What a list! God describes this society as bloodthirsty liars who have perverted their ways. They are deceitful and venomous leaches who run to wickedness like a moth to a flame. They dream of their sin, shed innocent blood, and destroy all in their paths. They have no peace, there is no justice, and they walk in darkness. They are blind to the path they walk, they roar and suffer. They have sinned, rejecting God, living lives of rebellion and disobedience. Verse 14 gives the results of their awful condition, “And judgement is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.”

Then, in verse 15, the subject changes from the wicked to “he that departeth from evil.” Even in such a pervasively wicked society, there were a few righteous. The Lord always has his remnant. But they, too, were paying a price for their decadence and sin. They became the prey of the wicked, and there was no one who would defend them or give them justice. The Lord saw there was no intercessor, and so He became their defender. Verses 16-17 say it this way, “therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him. For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.”

Christian, no matter how bad the world becomes, or how much it seems as though God has forgotten, He is aware of His people. He knows those who are His, and He will be their defense in time of trouble. Don’t let being in the minority cause you to falter in your walk with God. You can never be more secure that when you are in His care, though all hell rage around you.

Just a servant,

Bro. Tom

Jesus, our Eternal Priest

Read: Hebrews 7

In Genesis chapter 14 we read of Abraham’s rescue of his nephew Lot from the heathen kings who defeated Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham armed the 318 souls in his household and pursued after Lot, ultimately recovering not only Lot, but all the spoil that had been taken from the kings. Upon his return, he was meant by “Melchizedek king of Salem (Peace)”. Melchizedek, the King of Peace and a “priest of the most High God”, brought bread and wine to the victors. He then blessed Abraham in the name of the Most High God, and Abraham gave Melchizidek tithes of all they recovered. Melchizedek appears on the scene suddenly, and disappears suddenly, never to be show up again. The entire story of Abraham’s encounter with Melchizedek takes three verses, Genesis 14:8-11.

The only other record of Melchizedek in the Old Testament was recorded 600 years later in the messianic Psalm, Psalm 110. Here, the Messiah is described as a “priest forever after the order of Melchizedek,” forever linking the two. Then, over 1000 years later, the author of Hebrews spends almost an entire chapter explaining the cryptic prophecy of Psalm 110.

Essentially, the salient points are these. There existed a priesthood prior to the Levitical which was greater. We know it was greater because Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek. We also recognize this priesthood existed apart from the tribe of Levi. And this priesthood is eternal. By virtue of his mysterious appearance and disappearance in Genesis 14, Melchizedek is described in Hebrews 7:3 as “without father, without mother, withouth descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God, abideth a priest continually.”

Like Melchizedek, the priesthood of Jesus Christ is greater than the Levitical order, separate from it and eternal rather than temporal. This makes Him a “priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” Additionally, rather than bringing sacrifices day after day, He offered one sacrifice of Himself. As a result of His sacrificial work and eternal nature, Jesus, according to Hebrews 7:25, “is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever lieveth to make intercession for them.”

Jesus, our eternal High Priest.

Just a servant,

Bro. Tom