"Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his l
In God's world, we will never run out of new things to learn. Knowledge and wisdom--in the potential--is unlimited. The universe is not stagnant; it is dynamic and promising. The better part of wisdom is to realize this and go on growing in every aspect of life, for long as it lasts.
"Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways" (Proverbs 3:31).
Two gunmen in Paris shoot 12 journalists dead. In the days following, people find strength in the well-known proverb: 'The pen is mightier than the sword.' Is it really? Clearly there are those who do not so believe. Chairman Mao famously wrote: 'Political power comes out of the barrel of a gun.' There is indeed a temptation to violence because it seems to achieve desired outcomes--at least in the short-term. What of the long-term. Will violence ultimately be vindicated.
“In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrong doing” (Job 1:22).
Now that’s remarkable! In one man’s life nothing goes right, everything he has worked for is trashed, the people he holds dear are killed. It would have been the most natural and likely thing in the world for him to indict God, damn his luck or accuse whatever fates in charge of gross unfairness. Such is unbelief in is most familiar dress. So Job’s attitude is exceptional. Does he know something others don’t? Could it really be wrong to charge God with wrong?
"For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation" (Psalm 149
The gladness and felicity of love exists in the awareness within the loved one, that she is pleasing to the lover; and the occasion of his joy. This feature of human experience tells us something of God's love for us. There is one appropriate rejoinder on the part of his people. Reciprocal joy, seasoned with humility.
"He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds" (Psalm 147:3).
Broken-hearted. No two-word statement of our condition more expressly describes the poignancy and pain that so many bear within. A movie was titled: 'What Becomes of The Broken-hearted?' It tracked the let-downs and tears of just one family. A cycle of damage went from generation to generation. If a man breaks his arm; if he is gashed in the abdomen, a physician will probably assist him to get over it. But who can help a wounded soul? Who can heal a bruised and lacerated sp
“Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into the han
Those who perceive that God is far more compassionate than the best of men have cottoned-on to a great truth. Many suppose that God is like most religious people they know; that he is like their priest or their Dad or Mom. Sadly, for some, a God like one of those would be frightening. The religious perspective taught in Scripture dares us to believe that the universe is managed by a mercy of infinite proportions. Ultimately, unless this God exists, we are all in danger of on
“When one rules over men in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God . . . .he is like the br
Few men and women become kings or governors, but every person's decisions and actions bear in some measure on the lives of others. In this sense every individual ‘rules’ over men. No man lives or dies to himself. For this solemn reason we each have a duty of care with respect to our fellow men and women. Our moral choices bear fruit in other lives. We are capable of contributing to society’s flourishing — ‘like the brightness after rain.’
“With your help I can advance against a troop, with my God I can scale a wall” (2 Samuel 22:30).
A difference pertains between a person who thinks that the only thing he can depend on in life is his own wits and his own strength, and another person who trusts in God to back him when he sets out to do right. Doing your best in pursuit of any ideal at all is an empty exercise if you believe that, in the end, the universe couldn’t care less.
“You love those who hate you, and hate those who love you” (2 Samuel 19:6).
In express defiance of the king’s orders, Joab had killed Absalom and put his rebel army to flight. Though David was restored to his throne, he grieved loud and long for Absalom. That is why Joab charged him with confused values. But David was not confused. Joab was. The king wanted to save his quisling son—and retrieve the kingdom. Joab only wanted to cover himself with glory through conquest. Like all human beings, Joab wanted the king to stop loving Absalom and show grat
“Be gentle with the young man Absalom for my sake” (2 Samuel 18:5).
So says David to his three generals as they prepare to make war on the rebel army under the command of Absalom, his son. The words are spoken by a king and a father. Can he retain his kingdom and keep his son? How can he quell the revolt without crushing his own flesh and blood? This is sorrow mingled with unrelenting love. It faintly signals God’s ordeal at Calvary where judgment and mercy meet to produce an amazing result—salvation for all the world’s prodigal sons.
