The Simple Life

The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens; by his knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew. Proverbs  3:19-20  (ESV)   The Lord founded the earth by His understanding, not ours. He established the earth and the universe with His knowledge. When man tries to understand the universe and how it came to be based on his or her own understanding, he will fall short, for his understanding is limited.   We can position ourselves to discover truth, but we always get into trouble when we begin to create it, and creating truth usually happens when we base it on our understanding.   No one wants to admit their understanding and knowledge are limited, yet this is vital to grasp any absolute sense.   Knowing how or why the universe was created is unimportant compared to knowing Who created it. We often get lost in the quagmire of thought and ideas that elevate our limited understanding and diminish God’s unl...

Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Proverbs  3:13-15  (ESV)   Seeking wisdom and understanding is more valuable than seeking a good-paying job. However, it seems that seeking a good-paying job and performing at that job is most important to most Americans.   Perhaps this happens because our priorities are messed up. We often pay for what is unimportant and want what is most important for free. We pay a predetermined fee to watch a football game, but give an “offering” at church. We pay to watch a concert, but want free education for our children.   I wonder what a church would charge for admission on a  Sunday morning  if it calculated the expenses and divided them among the people?   When someone cares deeply about something and would do their jo...

Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine. Proverbs 3:9-10 (ESV)   How does one honor God with one’s wealth? We all have wealth, to different degrees. We have resources that are ours to manage, not our own. If we think we own things, we act like owners. If we manage things, we act like managers.   Owners have little accountability, while managers have much. Owners make decisions based on what suits them best, while managers make decisions based on what benefits the owner’s best interest.   When we talk about someone taking ownership, we mean that they act in accordance with ownership, not like the actual owner, for if they did, they would not last long.   All positions of authority on earth are stewardship positions, not ownership positions. Even if you own a business, you do not own it--God does--and one day you will give an account of how you use...

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. Proverbs 3:5-7 (ESV)   If my understanding is not adequate, then I am inadequate. If my understanding is limited, then my decision-making process is limited. If my understanding is based on my perspective, my ability to make the right decision can easily be skewed.   I cannot see the future, I cannot control what happens with the weather, I have little to do with war or peace, and I cannot predict my future health. I would be wise to admit my limitations and seek the presence and guidance of the one with no limitations.   True humility is not degrading. It is being honest when assessing one’s capabilities. Without God, I am only capable of evil. Following God, I am only capable of good.   I honestly have no idea what tomorrow will bring, but I kno...

“Have you listened in the council of God? And do you limit wisdom to yourself? What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that is not clear to us?” Job 15: 8-9 Sometimes, I think that I am the only one listening to God. I am wrong. It is so easy to fall into the pattern of using God's name in vain, or using God's name to add power and authority to what I believe. Miriam, Moses's sister, had this attitude, and God struck her with leprosy. Job and his buddies differed in their understanding. There must have been a reason why God pointed Job out to Satan and not to Eliphaz. It is easy to justify whatever we want and even claim that God has directed us to think this way. It is easy for us to elevate ourselves to "God" status and believe that because we think it, so must God. Reality is not a game, and there are no "house rules." Eliphaz was "sort of" correct, which made him all wrong. How right are you? How do you know?   https://...

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said: "Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind? Should he argue in unprofitable talk, or in words with which he can do no good? But you are doing away with the fear of God and hindering meditation before God. For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the tongue of the crafty. Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; your own lips testify against you." Job 15: 1-6 Eliphaz and his buddies continued to get it wrong because they had messed up the concept of love. They believed that Job must have angered God, when, in reality, He had pleased Him very much. Therefore, Job was placed on the galactic stage for all to observe, and he became the target of a fierce battle. At this juncture, the only hope for anyone is found in knowing God and trusting His character. Nothing has changed through the years. My only hope, and your only hope, is knowing God and trusting His character. We have nothin...