September 19, 2012

“A Wise Man’s Heart Directs Him Toward the Right”

Man holding Bible

“A wise man’s heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish man’s heart directs him toward the left” (Ecclesiastes 10:2).

People commonly use the terms “right” and “left” as labels for opposing political ideologies. This verse is sometimes used, jokingly, to say that those who are wise will support conservative candidates on the “right” and if one supports liberal candidates on the “left,” then he must be foolish. However, we understand that this verse is certainly not talking about politics. But the “right” and “left” labels are used for a reason. Notice how this verse is translated in the King James Version:

“A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left.”

Throughout Scripture, the “right hand” is used in a positive way. Solomon was saying more than just that the hearts of the wise and foolish lead them in opposite directions. He was teaching that the pursuit of wisdom is better than following after foolishness.

Let us notice some of the ways in which the “right hand” symbolism is used in the Scriptures and how it applies to wisdom.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: ,
September 13, 2012

Why the Righteous Do Not Beg

Workers

The psalmist had an interesting observation regarding the state of the righteous and how they were blessed by God.

“I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread” (Psalm 37:25).

This is not to be interpreted as an absolute statement. There may be times when godly people are in such dire straits that they have no other option than to beg. Lazarus was one example of this. We know he was righteous because when he died he was “carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom” to enjoy a place of paradise (Luke 16:22). Yet during life, he was “a poor man…covered with sores” who longed “to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table” (Luke 16:20-21). After he died, because he was righteous, he was “comforted” in a place of paradise (Luke 16:25).

Although there are exceptions, generally speaking, those who are righteous will be far less likely to have to beg than others. Even now when God no longer operates miraculously as He did during Bible times, the psalmist’s statement is generally true. Why is that? There are several reasons we can find in the Scriptures that explain why the righteous, in general, do not beg.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: , , , ,
September 12, 2012

"The Prince Shall Not Take from the People’s Inheritance" (9/12)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Ezekiel 46-48.

Though rulers are able to exercise authority over the people, the following verses provide a reminder that God has placed a limit upon the authority to tax in order to preserve the property rights of individuals.

“Thus says the Lord God, ‘If the prince gives a gift out of his inheritance to any of his sons, it shall belong to his sons; it is their possession by inheritance’” (Ezekiel 46:16).

It was perfectly legitimate for a prince to give what belonged to him to his sons. Every father enjoyed this same right. But what if a prince wanted to give more to his sons than what he possessed? What if he simply wanted more for himself? Was he at liberty, as a ruler over the people, to take whatever he wanted? The following verse answers this:
Continue Reading

Filed Under: SERIES: Daily Notes & Observations Tagged With: ,
August 23, 2012

“You Only Live Once”

Man jumping

This phrase is commonly used as a call to do those things we often put off but might later regret leaving undone. It usually involves taking risks, acting unconventionally or impulsively, or fulfilling one’s desires. The activities involved could be good or bad – or might not fit into either category. It is all about using time while we have it so that we do not later regret wasting it.

The statement itself is true. The Hebrew writer expressed it this way: “And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Understanding the fact that we only live once, there are some Biblical admonitions to be made.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: , , ,
August 8, 2012

They Do Not Say, "Let Us Now Fear the Lord" (8/8)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Jeremiah 4-6.

“But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart; they have turned aside and departed. They do not say in their heart, ‘Let us now fear the Lord our God, who gives rain in its season, both the autumn rain and the spring rain, who keeps for us the appointed weeks of the harvest’” (Jeremiah 5:23-24).

As Jeremiah warned the people of the coming judgment from God, they were uninterested and saw no need to repent. They wanted to go their own way, so they departed from the Lord. They did not fear divine punishment for their actions.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: SERIES: Daily Notes & Observations Tagged With: , , ,
July 6, 2012

“Easier for a Camel to Go through the Eye of a Needle”

Camel

“And Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.’ When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, ‘Then who can be saved?’ And looking at them Jesus said to them, ‘With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’” (Matthew 19:23-26).

This is one of the difficult statements of Jesus. It almost seems as though He was discouraging a portion of His followers and future followers (the rich) from coming after Him. Yet His statement was not meant to be discouraging, but a warning of the potential danger that riches can be to one’s spiritual well-being.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: , , , , ,
July 3, 2012

Trampled at the Gate (7/3)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from 2 Kings 5-8.

“Now it came about after this, that Ben-hadad king of Aram gathered all his army and went up and besieged Samaria. There was a great famine in Samaria; and behold, they besieged it, until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and a fourth of a kab of dove’s dung for five shekels of silver” (2 Kings 6:24-25)

Times were desperate in Samaria. With the city under siege, food was scarce, prices were high, and people had even started resorting to cannibalism in order to survive (2 Kings 6:26-29). Elisha prophesied that conditions would soon change.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: SERIES: Daily Notes & Observations Tagged With: , ,