(Proverbs 27:12) The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. NIV

(Psalms 27:1)  The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of what should I be afraid? NIV

More years ago than I care to remember, I had some high school students working for me that were part of a vocational mentoring program.  At the end of the year, the school had a banquet for all involved. It was held at a large hotel in downtown Dallas.  The room was set up in such a way that a group of glass doors was immediately behind the head table.

I do not remember who the speaker was, but I do remember his opening remarks.  He said he was still somewhat unsure how to begin.  As he approached the glass doors to get to his table, he saw a sign on the door.   (It said “Push”).  He told the group, he was looking for a word that could sum up what a young person would need to get ahead in this world.  And then he said, “I discovered that word as I walked up to this door,” as he gestured behind him.  “It is right here…”

He turned and pointed at the glass door.  The sign said: “Pull”.

Two different instructions for going two different ways.

My favorite verse in the Bible is found in Psalm 27.  Looking for encouragement in such times, I turned to the Bible and accidently turned to Proverbs 27.

What does all that mean?  I believe that we should not fear the things of this world (Including COVID-19).  However, God has given us the good sense to be prudent.  Do not be swayed by every ever changing philosophy or doctrine or headline, but rather use the sense that God has given you.  If you don’t know: Pray.  If you believe you do know: Pray.  God’s Word says: pray in all things.  That’s the only way I know to figure out which direction I’m going.

It is written that no toilet paper hoarder will enter the kingdom of heaven.

OK, that’s my interpretation.  The Bible does say (Ephesians 5: 5-6): For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. (NASB)

The Greek word for “covetous man” used here is pleonektes.  Pleonektes means a covertous or avaricious person; one desirous of having more; a defrauder, trampling on the rights of others.

Just a note: the Bible also tells us to not store up for ourselves. (See Matthew 6:19).

I know.  I know the Bible tells us to be prepared. See the parables in Matthew 24.  However, those are truly about being prepared for the coming of Jesus. (Toilet paper ain’t gonna help you).

Something has gripped our society.  It is not just the coronavirus. What it is isn’t Godly. This is a test on many levels.  Can we pass it?

Jonah 3:10-4:1 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it. But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. (NIV)

Most of us know the story of Jonah.  God tells him to go to the evil city of Nineveh and tell the people there that God will destroy them because of their wickedness.  Jonah refuses.  He hates the Ninevites and wants them to be destroyed, but he fears God will show mercy on them.

Jonah runs away.  He catches the first ship out of town.  He should have known God would still get him.  A storm comes.  Jonah gets tossed into the sea.  A huge fish swallows him and spits him up on land when he repents and prays.

Jonah goes to Nineveh and tells them the Word of the Lord.  The Ninevites repent.  God does not destroy the city.  Jonah doesn’t like that.  He fusses and goes out on a hill by himself and sits down, mad at God.

That is pretty much how the reader is left at the end of the book of Jonah.  Perhaps my favorite retelling of this story is the Veggie Tales version.  (That’s correct – Veggie Tales).  In the Veggie Tales movie, the Pirates that Don’t Do Anything tell Junior the story of Jonah.  Junior can’t believe how the story ends.  Junior asks some obvious questions: What happened next?  What did Jonah learn?

In reply he is told, “The important thing is not what Jonah learned, but rather what did you learn?”

What should we learn from this story?

We should always have a heart for those that have done wrong to sincerely turn back to God.  We ourselves should be open to do the commandments and promptings of our Lord even when we don’t completely understand them.  God wishes none to perish.  He forgives us when we don’t deserve it.  That’s exactly what grace is.  None of us deserve it, but God is always ready to receive us back to Himself with open arms when our heart changes.

John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. (KJV)
Can we hear from God?
Absolutely!
We hear from God through His written Word. We hear from the Counselor, the Holy Spirit. We can hear through dreams, visions, life experience, and anytime the Spirit of God speaks to our heart. This is not discounting hearing the audible voice of God. However, whatever we hear should always (let me say that again… Always) align with His written word and its overall message. (The Word of God stands forever… Isaiah 40:8)
If we are hearing the voice of Jesus, it should cause us to follow Him more closely.
Jesus said His sheep hear His voice. If we are His sheep and not hearing His voice, it may be something to think about.

(Obadiah 3,4) The pride of your heart has deceived you, You who dwell in the clefts of the rock, Whose habitation is high; You who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’ Though you ascend as high as the eagle, And though you set your nest among the stars, From there I will bring you down,” says the Lord.

The book of Obadiah is a prophecy of the destruction of the nation of Edom.  The Lord makes it clear that Edom will be destroyed because of its sin.

What sin is that?  In a word: pride.  It was this pride that caused the Edomites to think more highly of themselves than they ought.  They had become narcissistic, egocentric, concerned more with themselves and self-absorbed.  This thinking of themselves higher than they should seemed to have led to violence against their brethren (God’s people in Judah).

Part of the prophecy in this very short book tells us that the “wise men” and those of understanding out of Edom will be destroyed.  This, in turn, brings down Edom.

I believe the Bible clearly makes a difference between wisdom and knowledge.  When Solomon went before the Lord, he asked for both wisdom and knowledge.  I don’t think it is hard to grasp that knowledge is an accumulation of information and wisdom would be how to use the information one has.

I may be off base, but this seems to be a problem today.  As a society, we have all kinds of information at our fingertips.  We are in the Information Age.  Using this information has developed all kinds of technology at an amazing rate.  (One tiny example: That smart phone you bought last year is antiquated already).

However, knowledge without the wisdom on what to do with that knowledge can produce disastrous results.  Pride runs unchecked.   Entitlement, arrogance, and a myriad of wickedness can easily ensue and still be justified in the minds of those affected.

Edom was warned.  The people ignored the warnings.  Soon that nation was brought low.  Certainly we can avoid such a fate.  Can’t we?

Psalm 119:165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. (KJV)

We live in a time when it seems every utterance or depiction runs the risk of offending someone. The reason for that seems plain. There is little peace in this world. Society is filled with unrest. Our beliefs seem ripe with confusion. Our morals are challenged. Disorder, chaos, mayhem, and pandemonium appear to be the order of the day. The church is in disarray. All that once seemed bright is being dimmed and disparaged.

This is in stark contrast to the message of Jesus Christ. “Peace I leave you: my peace I give you.” (John 14:27). Jesus said that He came to fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17). When it came to commandments, Jesus told us that the greatest is to love God and then to love others. All the law and the Prophets hang on those two commandments. (Matthew 22).

It’s a simple equation: No love equals no peace. Then offence abounds. Chaos, confusion, and all their friends take up residency in the lives of individuals and in the churches, schools, societies, communities, and world where offense reigns.

Matthew 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. (KJV)

According to Strong’s Concordance, “Raca” means empty, worthless, empty-headed, good-for-nothing, or senseless. It was a term of reproach used in the time of Christ. In the TDNT (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament), it is stated that the word was used to express contempt for a man’s head, viewing him as stupid (without sense) – such as “numbskull” or someone who acts presumptuously and thoughtlessly.
I write this not because I am doing a linguistic study of the Bible, but because I’m trying to make a point. Our society, as a whole, seems to be quick to judge. Not only that, so many of us act down right hateful, completely filled with rage and name calling to anyone who does not agree with how that person wants to see the world.
Worse still, is that that behavior sometimes lies squarely on the backs of people who call themselves Christian. That not only seems not Christ-like, it puts someone “in danger of hell fire.” (That is NOT my words).
We cannot say that this is just one particular translations twist on a verse. I looked it up in 26 different Bible translations. They very closely say the same thing.
So… the next time someone cuts me off in traffic, or I don’t like the politics going on, or I’m at odds with the call the referee makes during March Madness, I really need to think twice about what I think… maybe three times by what I say.

Amos 5:13 Times are so evil that anyone with good sense will keep quiet. (CEV)

When Jesus was brought before Herod, he was questioned with many words. However, Jesus said nothing, nor did He answer charges against Him in front of Pilate. There are many theories why this was so.  Plain and simple, Jesus followed what the scripture said hundreds of years before.

Mark Twain is said to have stated that a lie can travel around the world and back while the truth is still lacing up its boots.

Today, we live in what many would call a perilous if not evil time. Nearly whatever is spoken can be taken out of context or picked apart to the degree where the original meaning becomes completely obscured.

As a society, we are undergoing constant name calling, accusations, insults, twisted comments, and outright lies.  Any response seems to magnify the problem and add fuel to the raging fires. 

Couple this with all the various forms of media that can make information and misinformation instantly available for our use and misuse.

More lies do not bring forth hidden truth.  That is even when the motivating behind the falsehood was meant for a perceived good.

Before we retort, tell a story, make an accusation, or retaliate, we probably need to carefully take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5).  It wouldn’t hurt to remember, before His accusers, Jesus was silent.

John 13:35 “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (NASB)

Back in 2004, the movie “Hidalgo” came out. One of the major antagonists in the movie was a character named Lady Davenport. Lady Davenport was a liar, a cheat, a crook, and will pretty much would do anything to get her way. However, she is referred to as “the Christian Lady” by one of the main characters.

In real life, people carrying crosses (or burning them) often purport themselves as “Christian.” Yet, their actions are not in line with such a claim. Hey, they may go to church, they may pay their tithes, they may be the movers and the shakers in the church, they may even preach from the pulpit, but if the love of Christ is not in them, something is amiss.

According to “Global Christianity,” December 2011, the nations with the largest number of people who identify themselves as Christian (rounded to the nearest 10,000) are: (1) the United States with 246,000,000: (2) Brazil with 175,770,000; (3) Mexico with 107,780,000; (4) Russia with 105,220,000. No other nation has over 100 million.

Shouldn’t these nations be filled with the most Christ-like love both within each nation and toward each other? Of course, we can always blame “the other guy” and say that non-Christians or a handful of hypocrites are to blame for the hate, crime, rage, and division.

My Bible says that follows of Christ should love our enemies, bless them that curse us, do good to them that hate us, and pray for those that despitefully use us or persecute us (See Mt. 5:43-47). Jesus said that a tree can be identified by its fruit (Mt 12:33). As far as I know, the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal 5:25-26).

Yikes! It looks like there is a big gap in rhetoric and reality here. Most Christian denominations that I know, say that the Bible, in particular the teachings of Christ, is their final authority. If we are not known by our love for one another, then we need to take a good hard look at ourselves. If our religion is teaching something else, it may be a lot of things, but it would not seem to be “Christian.”

Joel 2:28 “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.” (NIV)
Normally, I’m not someone who will write about my dreams. Though I do keep a dream log. To tell the truth, I rarely write anything in it. However, recently, I’ve had a dream that I’d like to share.
In my dream, I was at the sink in my bathroom brushing my teeth. Suddenly, I saw in the mirror an angel was standing behind me. Being a dream, I was pretty nonchalant about it.
The angel did not say, “Fear not!” nor did he offer any salutations. Instead he said, “Do you remember the gold medal game in basketball at the 1972 Olympics?”
“Uh-huh,” I acknowledged. In real life I do remember the game. It was the first time the United States lost a basketball game at any Olympics. It was also quite controversial.
“Whose fault was it that the United States lost?” the angel asked me.
“Whose fault? It was terrible officiating! The officials gave the Soviets three chances to make a last second shot!”
The angel shook his head. “Actually there was supposed to be time on the clock according to the rules at that time. The officials were just trying to get it right. It just happened to give the Soviets three chances because the timekeeper wasn’t getting it right.”
“Well then,” I said, “It was the time keeper or the people who made the rules.”
“No…” The angel shook his head.
“You think it was the coach’s fault?” I asked doubtfully.
“No.”
“Then whose fault was it?” I really didn’t know what he was getting at.
“It was Bill Walton’s.”
“What?” I couldn’t believe what he said. At that time, Bill Walton was in the midst of being college basketball’s preeminent player. “Bill Walton wasn’t even there!”
“Exactly!”
With that I woke up. Now, let me say, I am not making a comment on the physical aspects of that 1972 game. However, what struck me about that dream was the notion that sometimes things occur that would (or otherwise shouldn’t) occur because we are not where we are supposed to be or doing what we should be doing. (That was a mouthful).
Sometimes less than desirable things happen because we are outright in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Of course, the flip side is true. Sometimes we are exactly where we are supposed to be, even in the most unpleasant and unfavorable situations.
I pray that the Lord give me the wisdom and the courage to follow my appointed path at the appointed time. Lord I thank all those who have chosen to follow the path you have set before them in the way you ordained.