"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT TRUTH AND WISDOM"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT TRUTH AND WISDOM"

Proverbs 23:23 “Buy the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.”

(Taken from today's reading in the One Year Bible 9/20/14)

Some explanatory thoughts, questions, application and a prayer:

Proverbs, God's Book of wisdom for His children. God's Word from Heaven to man here below, teaching us how to live.
What to avoid, what to pursue, answering many of the "why's" of life.
In this simple verse, there is just teaching about what to acquire and what to hold on to.
The implication here is that this is good for us, good for our souls.
It will please our Father, and keep us from those things that will hurt us, and make us more useful to our God.

1. We can, and ought to buy or get the the truth.

Proverbs 23:23 “Buy the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.”

The truth is free, we don't have to buy it.
But we are being instructed by God to “get" the truth.
The truth is something we can have.
The Lord is the truth.
Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
Jesus invites us to come to Him.
Jesus wants to give Himself to us.
Thus we can get the truth.
We get it everyday as we open the Word of God.

2. We ought never to sell it, or get rid of the truth.

Proverbs 23:23 “Buy the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.”

There is nothing more valuable than the truth.
Thus we ought never to let it go from us.
We ought to treasure the truth.
And, we ought to nurture the truth in our lives.
In other words we can grow in the grace and the knowledge of the Lord.

We might be tempted to think that the lies of the devil are true and important.
Satan would love for you to abandon the truth and buy into his deceit.
In that sense you could sell the truth.

3. We ought also to get three other valuable things. Wisdom instruction and understanding

Proverbs 23:23 “Buy the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.”

Along with the truth, there are three other important blessings God has for us and He wants us to have them, and to keep them.
Wisdom.
Instruction.
Understanding.

In a sense, these three come right out of having the truth.
Through Christ who is the truth we gain God's wisdom, His instruction, and His understanding.

The NLT says it this way:
Proverbs 23:23 “Get the truth and don’t ever sell it; also get wisdom, discipline, and discernment.”

Notice it says here discipline and discernment.
Discipline is also translated correction, doctrine, chastening.

Discernment means understanding, knowledge, and wisdom.

Some Questions:

1. Isn't it a blessing that God makes these important things available to us?

2. And don't you know that if the Lord directs us to do something, than He also makes it possible for us to do it.

3. Jesus is all of these things for us. Truth, wisdom, understanding, instruction, and discernment.

4. In a simple sense, God is saying "Get Jesus, and don't let go of Him”.

A Prayer:

Father, thank You for the Book of Proverbs. Thank You for the clear specific instruction and promises, the encouragement, the warnings that You give us through this book. This is the book of life. This is how to navigate through life not on our own wisdom, but with God's Wisdom. May we be humble, aware of our need, and earnest in our pursuit of Your will for our lives. Please forgive us for the times when we live as if You are not there. And thank You for the times by Your grace that we draw near to You and so enjoy learning about You, and growing in Your grace. You call us friends, and You tell us that we are valuable to us. Those truths are such a blessing to us.
May we not take You for granted, Lord. But follow hard after You. Day by day.
In Jesus’ name, amen.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT GOD'S PATIENT FAITHFUL COMPASSION TOWARDS HIS PEOPLE"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT GOD'S PATIENT FAITHFUL COMPASSION TOWARDS HIS PEOPLE"

Isaiah 30:18 “But the LORD still waits for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for him to help them.”

(Taken from today's reading in the One Year Bible, 9/19/14)

Some explanatory thoughts, explanations, questions and a prayer:

Isaiah had been sent by the Lord to minister to the southern kingdom of Judah. He was sent to call the people to God and to warn them of what would happen if they persisted in their sin and rebellion towards God. He was God's messenger of grace, love, forgiveness, restoration and hope. By the way, each of us as believers are called to a similar ministry. We have been given the ministry of reconciliation, to help bring people to faith. May we be good and faithful ministers of Jesus Christ.
This particular verse is an expression of God's heart. It's a very, very beautiful truth about God and His love for His people.

1. God will wait for His people.

Isaiah 30:18 “But the LORD still waits for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for him to help them.”

This was spoken by Isaiah from God to God's people.
The message was, "the LORD still waits for you”.
Imagine that in the midst of sin and rebellion, God was waiting for His people.
Our God is a "waiting" God.

Waits here, means to wait, tarry, await, to wait for, to long for.

2. God waits for His people to come to Him.

Isaiah 30:18 “But the LORD still waits for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for him to help them.”

God's people had turned their backs upon Him.
But God had not turned His heart away from them.
God was longing for them to come back to Him.

God was waiting for them.

3. God waits for His people to come to Him so he can show them His love and compassion.

Isaiah 30:18 “But the LORD still waits for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for him to help them.”

God was waiting for His people to come to Him
God was not waiting for His people to come to Him so He could punish them.
God was waiting for His people to come to Him so that He could show them two things.

(1) God wanted to show them His love.

(2) God wanted to show them His compassion.

4. Our God is a faithful God.

Isaiah 30:18 “But the LORD still waits for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for him to help them.”

God not only is a waiting God, but He is a faithful God.
God is dependable.
You can count on God to do what He says He will do.
That's just the way He is.

He not only is faithful, but He never changes.
He is always faithful.

5. Blessed are those who wait for Him to help them.

Isaiah 30:18 “But the LORD still waits for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for him to help them.”

God's people are blessed as they wait upon God,
God will help those who wait upon Him.

Wait here means, the same as above, to long for.
So, the person who longs for God to help them will be blessed.
That is a promise from God to those who wait for Him.

Some Questions:

1. Would you say God is waiting for you right now, or you are waiting for God?

2. If you find yourself today away from God, please know that He is waiting for You to come back to Him.

3. Guess what God is waiting to show you? HIs love and compassion.

4. Are you waiting for the Lord at this time in your life?

5. Please know that as you wait, God promises to bring a blessing to you.

6. May you be encouraged by the many truths in this one simple verse

A Prayer:

Father, this verse is perhaps one of the most lovely verses in the entire Bible. It's filled with grace, love, compassion and faithfulness.
Thank You for being who You are towards us. We are not always what we ought to be towards You, but You never cease being towards us who You are. You remain the same, You do not change, You are faithful. Lord, if we are away from You, we want to declare this day, we want to come back to You and receive Your love and compassion. And, Lord, if we are in a situation where You have us waiting on You, then we thank You in advance for the blessing that is ours, or that is coming. You wait and we wait. The center point of it all is our being with You and You being with us. Walking and living together as friends who value and appreciate each other. Thank You, Lord, for being so incredible. We do not have the words to express what is in our hearts. Would you help us to have hearts that can write out or speak out our thoughts to You. Blessed be the name of the Lord, forever and ever. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT GUIDING YOUR HEART WITH WISDOM FROM GOD"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT GUIDING YOUR HEART WITH WISDOM FROM GOD"

Proverbs 23:19 “Hear, my son, and be wise; And guide your heart in the way.”

Proverbs 23:20 “Do not mix with winebibbers, Or with gluttonous eaters of meat.”

Proverbs 23:21 “For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.”

(Taken from today's reading in the One Year Bible 9/18/14)

Some explanatory thoughts, application, questions, and a prayer:

We know that the book of Proverbs is God's book of wisdom for us. Through Proverbs the Lord teaches us how to have His wisdom, and how to put it into practice in our lives. Sometimes, as in this case, there are two main thoughts, along with an explanation.
Let's look at God's guidance, and God's explanation for His guidance.

1. We can hear God speak to us.

Proverbs 23:19 “Hear, my son, and be wise; And guide your heart in the way.”

God tells us here,”hear my son”.
He speaks.
He is asking us to listen.
He is our Father, and we are His children.
He wants to give us wisdom.

2. We can be wise by receiving God's instruction.

Proverbs 23:19 “Hear, my son, and be wise; And guide your heart in the way.”

God tells us "and be wise”.
That wisdom of heart comes by listening, believing, and applying what God says to us.
God would never guide us into foolishness and destruction.
Quite the opposite.

3. We can, through God's wisdom, guide our heart in the way (God's way).

Proverbs 23:19 “Hear, my son, and be wise; And guide your heart in the way.”

So, three things are said here.
Hear my son.
And be wise.
And guide your heart in the way.

This last one, "guide your heart in the way" has to do with our response to what God says.
It's comforting to know that God only asks us what we are able to do.
He is speaking here to our minds, and to our decision making processes.

He is calling us to engage with His Word and to "guide our heart in the way”.
What is the "way”?
It's His way.
And Jesus called Himself the “way the, truth, and the life”.
God is asking us to guide ourselves into, and with, Jesus and what Jesus has for us.

4. We are wise to take God warnings about what is stated here.

Proverbs 23:20 “Do not mix with winebibbers, Or with gluttonous eaters of meat”

Proverbs 23:21 “For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.”

Here's what God says to us.
It's put in the “do not" category.
Avoid these things.
Don't participate in these things.
And, it's put in the "here's why I don't want you to do this” category also.

Don't get involved with drinking, gluttons, which means to flow down, to be worthless, to make light of, to squander.

Here's how it reads in the NLT:
Proverbs 23:20 “Do not carouse with drunkards and gluttons,”
Proverbs 23:21 “for they are on their way to poverty. Too much sleep clothes a person with rags.”

Notice where these people are headed.
And notice what will happen to them.

God does not want this to happen to you.
And it won't if you guide your heart into His wisdom.

Some Questions:

1. Isn't it a blessing that God considers you, as a believer, His son or daughter, His child?

2. How kind and caring of Him to want to guide you into blessing and keep you from harm.

3. Can you see clearly what He is directing you to, and away from, and why?

4. Will you take a moment to thank Him for his guidance, and ask Him to help you put His wisdom into practice in your life?

A Prayer:

Father, what a blessing the Book of Proverbs is. In these 31 chapters, You say so much about life. You seem to touch on every area of life where we need wisdom. We cannot go back and make a "do over of our lives”, but we can receive Your wisdom and be doers as we move forward in this life. You never force us, but You certainly lay out the way of blessing for us to choose. If we are inclined to take lightly Your counsel, would You please change our hearts so that we take Your counsels very seriously. And we pray for friends and family who may be caught up in their own wisdom and are suffering at this very time for choices they have made in the past. We pray that You might deliver them into the peace of God. Show them Your way, Lord, and lead them in Your way. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia.

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT THE HOPE GOD HAS GIVEN YOU"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT THE HOPE GOD HAS GIVEN YOU"

Proverbs 23:17 “Do not let your heart envy sinners, But be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day.”

Proverbs 23:18 “For surely there is a hereafter, And your hope will not be cut off.”

(Taken from today's reading in The One Year Bible 9/17/14)

Some explanatory thoughts, application, questions and a prayer:

There are many things in life that can distract God's child and disturb the peace God has for them.
And in this Proverb Solomon gives us simple, sound wisdom as to the hope God has for us.
This is a favorite passage of mine, and I pray that God brings true and lasting blessing into your soul through it.

1. We are instructed by God not have to envy sinners.

Proverbs 23:17 “Do not let your heart envy sinners, But be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day”

Envying sinners is something that can happen to us.
Envy means to become jealous, and angry.

Isn't it odd that the very person we used to be, and are glad that we are no longer that person can become the persons we are jealous of?
Why is this?

I think it's simply when we get our eyes off the Lord and start looking at people, and it's easy to become jealous of them.
Those sinners may look as if all is well with them, and that they are having a grand time.
They may in fact enjoy pleasure, as sin is a pleasure, but only for a season.

So, God tells us not to be jealous of them.

2. We can be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day.

Proverbs 23:17 “Do not let your heart envy sinners, But be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day.”

Here we are told what to do.
This is God's direction for us.
Instead of being jealous of sinners, we are told to do something else.

We are to be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day.
What does this mean, and why ought we do to it?

It simply means to always continue in the fear of the LORD.
The fear of the LORD is the starting point day by day for wisdom and knowledge.

Now that we are christians this is how we can live, and enjoy the blessings of having our hearts towards God.
God is who we are going to see face to face one day.

Sinners whom we might be jealous of now, will sadly never see God's face.
They will remain in outer darkness forever.
We will be in Glory forever.

3. We are certain of the hereafter.

Proverbs 23:18 “For surely there is a hereafter, And your hope will not be cut off.”

Here God takes us beyond the present into the "hereafter" or the reality after this life.
The what comes after this life if you will.
It's called the "hereafter”.

The hereafter means the future we have ahead of us.
And we are told that we can be certain that we have a glorious future ahead of us.

4. We are also certain that our hope will not be cut off.

Proverbs 23:18 “For surely there is a hereafter, And your hope will not be cut off.”

The hope we have of being with Christ is not going to be cut off by anyone or by anything.
Our hope will not be disappointed.

God has promised eternity with Him to all who come to Him through faith in Christ.
The sad truth for sinners is that they also have a future ahead of them.
And it's true that they will certainly be separated from God forever.
Oh how terrible the thought.

5. The point God is making in these verses.

It's a simple one.
And, it's this.
It's worth living for God now because it's going to pay off.
Don't be tricked by what you see around you.
But keep your eyes on the Lord.
He is going to see you all the way to heaven
You will meet God face to face in the hereafter, in the next life
It's worth it in this life to live for the next life.

Some Questions:

1. Do you ever find yourself looking at unbelievers and thinking they have it so good, I'd like to have what they have?

2. Isn't it interesting that once our eyes are off the Lord, we can fall prey to deception and lies?

3. Can you remember how glad you were to be saved, and think of it now, that you might look at the unsaved and be jealous of them.

4. The remedy, the way to live is simply laid out here for us isn't it?

5. We are in this life now, but do you know that the next life is coming, and you will see God and He will welcome You into glory.

6. Will you take a moment to really think through how true it is, that it's worth living for God now in light of where you are going in the end?

A Prayer:

Father, You have been so good to us, words fail to express it. Thank You that we can be delivered from our own sinfulness and get our eyes and life right with You. Lord, You know that in our right minds it's foolish to envy those who have no hope. But we must admit it does happen to us from time to time. Father, You are living right now in the "hereafter”. We are in the "here" at this time. But Your plan for us is to bring us from "here" to the "hereafter" with You. Thank You for the hope we have. And thank You for the promise that our hope will not be cut off. You will see to that. You promise to keep us till we are in safe and sound in heaven. Oh what a glorious hope we have.
May we enjoy the truth of it day by day, and all through the day, Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT GOD HELPING YOU ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE IN TROUBLE"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT GOD HELPING YOU ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE IN TROUBLE"

Psalm 60:10 “Is it not You, O God, who cast us off? And You, O God, who did not go out with our armies?”

Psalm 60:11 “Give us help from trouble, For the help of man is useless.”

Psalm 60:12 “Through God we will do valiantly, For it is He who shall tread down our enemies.”

(Taken from today's reading in the “One Year Bible" September 16th, 2014)

Some explanatory thoughts, applications, questions and a prayer:

David's armies had been meeting stiff opposition and resistance, and were experiencing some defeat. They were surrounded by the enemy.
Enemies were on the east, south, and west of David's armies. And during the time this Psalm was written David was fighting the Syrian army to the north. So, he was indeed surrounded.

However, even though surrounded by enemies, David believed that God would help him triumph. May this devotional help you if you happen to find yourself in a similar situation.

1. God had cast off the children of Israel, and had not gone out with their armies.

Psalm 60:10 “Is it not You, O God, who cast us off? And You, O God, who did not go out with our armies?”

The children of Israel experienced being cast off by God and not having God with them as they went out in battle.
We don't know the circumstances that led to this consequence.
But, they were right in the middle of it.
God does not leave us.
But we can certainly leave God.
Or God can let us see what it's like to be without His help.

2. David was asking God to help him from trouble.

Psalm 60:11 “Give us help from trouble, For the help of man is useless.”

Even though they were in this position, and were in grave trouble, David was asking the Lord to help him.
It was a simple prayer, “give us help from trouble”.

David knew that help could, and would, come from God.
Thus he had faith that God would help him in this trouble.
And so can you.

3. David realized the help of man was useless.

Psalm 60:11 “Give us help from trouble, For the help of man is useless.”

David had lived long enough to know that man's help is useless.
We need God's help to get through our battles and difficulties.

David was not speaking ill of man, but just saying what is true.
Man may want to help us, but it's God who can really help.

So, David was asking God to help, instead of man.

4. David was confident that through God they would do valiantly. Because God would tread down their enemies.

Psalm 60:12 “Through God we will do valiantly, For it is He who shall tread down our enemies.”

In asking God, David was very confident that God would act in such a way as to bring them through the battle in a victorious manner.
David understood that it was God who would tread down, or destroy, their enemies.

Some Questions:

1. Have you ever felt as if God has cast you off?

2. Have you ever felt like you are facing life and it's challenges without God's help?

3. Have you ever cried out to God to help you in your time of trouble?

4. Though man can be a friend, compared to God man is useless, would you not agree?

5. Do you have the faith today to believe, and will you believe that God will help you in your present struggle?

A Prayer:

Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Lord, we must confess that so often, and so many times, we have not trusted in You, but have trusted in our own strength. Lord, we must admit that our strength is not enough at all to do what needs to be done.
Lord, there are times when You allow us to experience what it's like to be in the fray without You, as it were. It's not a place we want to be in, Lord. We need Your help in times of trouble, and we ask for it in this hour. Help us, O God. We know that it's through You that we can do valiantly. And we know that it's You, Lord, who will deal with our enemies. We entrust ourselves to You this day, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia.

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT OUR GOD BEING PRAISED BY A MAN AFTER HIS OWN HEART”

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT OUR GOD BEING PRAISED BY A MAN AFTER HIS OWN HEART”

Psalm 59:16 “But I will sing of Your power; Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; For You have been my defense And refuge in the day of my trouble.”

Psalm 59:17 “To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises; For God is my defense, My God of mercy.”

(Taken from today's reading in the One Year Bible for Sept 15th, 2014)

Some explanatory thoughts, applications, questions and a prayer:

This Psalm is explained in it's very opening.
Psalm 59 To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy”. A Michtam of David when Saul sent men, and they watched the the house in order to kill him. Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; Defend me from those who rise up against me.

King Saul was trying to kill David. Saul's men were watching and waiting to kill him. David, knowing of this plan, prayed to God and asked God to defend him from those who had risen up against him.

Here at the end of the Psalm, (as with many of the Psalms) David winds up after his prayer praising God.

1. We can sing of God's power.
Psalm 59:16 “But I will sing of Your power; Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; For You have been my defense And refuge in the day of my trouble.”

Trouble does not preclude us from doing what David did when he was in trouble.
God's power is real and it's accessible to us through faith in Jesus Christ.
His power is what He wants us to live in, rest in, and enjoy.
We can sing this very day of His power.
By the way, His power was demonstrated in rising from the dead, having destroyed the works of Satan.

2. We can sing of God's mercy.
Psalm 59:16 “But I will sing of Your power; Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; For You have been my defense And refuge in the day of my trouble.”

Mercy is when we do not get what we deserve.
That is something to sing about when you consider what we deserve.
God is the God of mercy.
His mercies are both everlasting, and they are new every morning.
Let's thank God today, and sing to Him about His mercy.

3. We can sing of God being our defender and refuge in the day of trouble.
Psalm 59:16 “But I will sing of Your power; Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; For You have been my defense And refuge in the day of my trouble.”

There are so many things that God is to us.
Here's another one.
He is our defender, and our refuge in the day of trouble.
Trouble comes to all of God's children.
And to all of God's children, God become their defender and their refuge.
Thank You, Lord, for being these things for us.

4. We can declare that God is our strength and sing praises to Him for defending us and being merciful to us.
Psalm 59:16 “But I will sing of Your power; Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; For You have been my defense And refuge in the day of my trouble.”

We have our own strength.
But there is a far greater strength at our disposal if we will but turn to God and trust in Him.
He delights in giving us His strength.
His strength is made perfect in our weakness.
So don’t fear if you feel your weakness.
You are a candidate for His strength to finds it's home.

Some Questions:

1. Can you see how trouble becomes a doorway to God for our souls if you will?

2. Can you see that God is so much more than we can imagine?

3. Can you see that all you may need in any challenge can be found in Him through faith in Him?

4. Will you take just a moment, and pause to reflect on what the Lord is for your life, and thank Him for it?

A Prayer:

Father, how wonderfully comforting these Psalms are. I'm certain that David had no idea that billions of people down through history would read of his life, his troubles, and his great experiences of You being so faithful to help him. No doubt we do not know how our lives that trust You will also be of help to others at this time in history. Eventually we will meet David in Heaven, and there will be no more tears, and no more trouble. No more evil, but only sheer Divine, pure holy bliss forever and ever. Lord, sometimes we find it hard to wait to go and be with You. But time will pass, and we will see You face to face. In the meantime may the truths that we have looked at today be found real and life changing and comforting to us in our own souls. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia.