Daily Word: Don't Quit

Proverbs 23:19-21 says: Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your mind in the way. Be not among winebibbers, or among gluttonous eaters of meat; for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe a man with rags. (RSV) These verses provide guidance that can lead to abundance or poverty. We are to hear the words of wisdom and apply them to our lives. Whereas drunkenness will lead to poverty, wisdom will enable you to be successful in the way. We are to be thankful to God that He has given us the ability to understand His wisdom and the free will and ability to practice it in our lives.

Recently, my wife and I went through some very deep waters financially. We were at a point where in the natural things looked hopeless. However, we did not quit. We continued to press forward with the words of wisdom from Scripture. After a while, there was a breakthrough, a big one. One day we remarked about how wonderful it was that God had brought us all the new business and success. Then we considered what happened again. God would not interfere with the free will of others to do business with us, but He would give us the ability, drive, and desire to be a success. Therefore, instead of thanking God for the new business, we thanked Him for giving us minds and bodies to follow His words of wisdom. We thanked Him that He made us with a will that chose not to give up. Our thankfulness to God did not change; however, what we thanked Him for did. We gave Him greater glory for making us in His image that would not accept defeat.

Today, regardless of where you are on your journey, thank God for His making you in His image. If you find yourself in difficulty, don't quit. If your life is smooth, thank Him for His wisdom that has guided you. The main point is to be thankful to God for your life and your next breath.

Daily Word: Community Involvement

Proverbs 23:15-16 say: My son, if your heart is wise, my heart too will be glad. My soul will rejoice when your lips speak what is right. (RSV) Hebraic thought focuses on community and not our individual successes. Greek thought promotes individual thinking and achievement. To the Hebrew, it was all about community. The covenant at Mount Sinai was with the entire nation of Israel, not individual members. Christianity focuses on our personal relationship with God, whereas the Hebrew saw the relationship as your being part of a community that had a relationship with God. It is not a subtle distinction. You can't be right with God if you are not right with the other members of the community. Perhaps Jesus' words make more sense now: Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Matthew 5:23-24 (KJV) Community had to be in right relationship before approaching the altar with a gift for the Lord.

Consider the modern church; people can sit in the pews holding grudges against each other and think nothing about it. We need to restore the concept of community to our walk with God. Actually without it, you can't walk with Him. There are no "Lone Rangers" in God's kingdom. Look at the words of the Lord's Prayer. Did you notice that the pronouns are plural, e.g. Our, us, those, us. There is no individuality in that prayer. If you pray it, you are praying on behalf of a group, i.e. a community.

Today, ask yourself about your relationship with your community of faith. Don't think that you can be right with God and at odds with your church family. Seek peace with all men. Follow peace with all men. These verses should mean more to you now. They are about community and community is important with God.

Daily Word: Speaking with Fools

Proverbs 23:9 says: Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words. (RSV) The JPS Study Bible comments: "Some people just cannot learn." Have you ever tried to speak to someone and no matter what you said, they disagreed with you? They just refuse to listen. I have learned the hard way the truth of this verse. In some situations, it is just better to remain silent. This seems to go against our Greek thinking that insists that we impart our superior knowledge to everyone in our path. The Hebraic approach recognizes that some people just don't want to learn. Our response should be to not speak to them just like the verse suggests.

What about evangelizing? Should we not continue to batter the one with the truth of our words for their own good? It all depends on what you are trying to accomplish. If you are just trying to get them to agree with your church doctrine on salvation, then go ahead. However, if you are seeking to "make disciples," then you should desist from speaking to the resistant one as the verse instructs, and live your life by loving God and your neighbor. The best program for evangelism is not the passing of a tract that describes the four spiritual laws. Instead, it is living an obedient life before the world. People notice when you live according to God's laws. As the old expression goes, "You may be the only Bible someone reads today."

Today, don't use the verse to ignore people that refuse to learn. Instead, use the verse today to change your tactics around one that is resistant to truth. This is not a call to disregard. It is a challenge to be persistent and consistent in our walk before the Lord. Remember, you are always in His presence.

Daily Word: Learning From Sages

Proverbs 22:17-18 say: Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your mind to my knowledge; for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips. (RSV) The JPS translation uses the word "sages" for "wise." It is very common for Jews to listen to the words of the wise sages from the past. Today, too many think that they can take the words of Scripture, not knowing the original languages, the grammar, the syntax, the historical setting, or the culture and determine what something means because they, "prayed about it." It is that kind of "thinking" that teaches women that they can't put on a pair of pants because Deuteronomy 22:5 says: A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman's garment; for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God. (RSV) Example after example could be given of man misunderstanding Scripture and making a nonsense rule for people to follow. It is vital that proper study be made that includes the historical setting to proper interpretation of Scripture. The Bible was written primarily by Jews to Jews. An understanding of who the Jewish people were is essential.

If one wants to really understand Scripture, one should find someone who is wise in the study of the Bible and listen to their words. There are many good study tools available today that do not require you to be a Hebrew or Greek scholar to use. A few clicks of a mouse and you can know the meaning of words in the original language. Listen to verses18-19 that describe the benefit of hearing the sages: For it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips. That your trust may be in the LORD, I have made them known to you today, even to you. (RSV) There is a link between hearing the sages and trusting in the Lord. I encourage you to discover that link.

There can be even a greater issue involved. If you find yourself with no desire to study the Word, you need to discover the cause. Do you have the desire to pray? Or, has that also departed? The journey in this life can be exciting and fulfilling even in the midst of boredom. Have you discovered the joy of listening to the sages? If not, start today and enjoy the journey.

Daily Word: Training Children From a Hebraic Perspective

We will review Proverbs 22:6 in several translations:
(KJV) Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
(ASV) Train up a child in the way he should go, And even when he is old he will not depart from it.
(NKJV) Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.
(RSV) Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
(WEB) Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
(YLT) Give instruction to a youth about his way, Even when he is old he turneth not from it.

The translations are very consistent and seem to indicate that if we will teach our children about God, no matter what happens in their lives, they will eventually return to the Lord. Is this what the verse is really saying? No, and without a proper understanding of the Hebraic meaning, it can look like God's word didn't come true.

My daughter Danielle is home schooled in part by me. In the course of teaching her, I was always trying to figure out the best way to instruct her. Children learn differently, and I needed to discover the best way to teach her. She had been having a difficult time on her vocabulary tests, so I decided to make some note cards for the words. The words on one side and the definitions on the other. She went upstairs and studied the cards. The next day she took the test. She received a perfect score. I had learned the best way to teach her. That is what this verse means in Hebrew, It means to find the best way to teach your child, and when they are old they will not depart from that method. The verse is not about a promise of righteousness for your children. If you want your children to end up righteous, the best approach is to teach our children about God, and also live your lives for God in front of your children. Teach not just with words, but with actions. That is the Hebraic way.

Today, if you have children, find out the best way to instruct them. If you don't have children, remember this lesson as it may come in handy advising others that do have children. Remember to live and speak for God always mindful that you are in His presence.

Daily Word: Guarding Your Mouth

Proverbs 21:23 says: He who guards his mouth and tongue guards himself from trouble. (JPS) The Jewish Study Bible comments: "The importance of controlling one's speech, to avoid blurting out offensive or stupid things." The power of speech is almost beyond our ability to comprehend. Have the words of Jesus loss any of their power today? When you speak His words, do they have a special power? They do, because words have power. If you speak a kind word to someone, do those words have the power to create love or joy? If you speak harshly, can you create anger or frustration? Yes, your words have power, and the writer of this Proverb gives us specific advice concerning our mouths.

When I was a young man, my parents took me to Canada. I remember watching the changing of the guard. The soldiers were dressed in special uniforms with red coats and tall black hats. They looked funny to me, but they were so serious. People would try and get them to laugh or smile, but they would not. They were very somber. They marched carefully and deliberately in front of their assigned post. They would not be deterred or distracted. The writer of Proverbs tells us to guard our mouths. We need to have the same approach in regard to our words that the soldiers had about guarding the building. We need to be diligent, serious, and continual in the watching of our words.

Today, ask your self, do you have a guard over your mouth? Do you watch carefully what you speak? We need to because the verse teaches us that if we will do so, we will guard ourselves from trouble. Notice the obvious, your speech can lead to trouble. We know that, so why don't we do something about it?

When Torah Is Removed

There seems to be a variance between the teachings of Yeshua and James, and Paul. James followed the teaching of his brother Yeshua, including Torah observance. Paul, at a minimum, advanced the cause that the Torah was not required of the Gentiles. What was a result of such a teaching? Consider 1 Corinthians 6:9-10:

"Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." (NIV)

Further, consider Galatians 5:19-21:

"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." (NIV)

I submit that a reason that Paul had to deal with such issues is because his ministry abrogated Torah observance for Gentiles. Both Yeshua and James insisted on Torah observance. What did Paul think about that? Consider 2:4-6:

"This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you. As for those who seemed to be important—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by external appearance—those men added nothing to my message."

Consider the bold part. What does that sound like to you? What attitude is being manifested? I suggest that the ones coming in to spy on Paul's work were sent by James and the Jerusalem assembly. Paul wanted everyone to be free. They were free; free in sin which is why he had to rebuke them to bring to repentance.

Would not it have been better for the followers of the Way just to be told to keep the Torah? I think so.