Tag Archives: Wisdom

November 20, 2020 · 7:15 am

PROVERBS 30:5-6

Proverbs Greatest Hits

A Five Minute Devotional

The video shown below is the devotional from November 20th, 2020. The full text of the devotional follows the video.

Calvary Chapel Rosarito – English Devotional by Gary Wiram

WELCOME

Good morning! My name is Gary Wiram and it’s my pleasure to welcome you to Today’s Good News.

INTRODUCTION

As we continue the Today’s Good News series on The Greatest Hits From Proverbs, we’re getting pretty close to the end. Today, we will be in Proverbs Chapter 30 which is, in fact, the next-to-last chapter in the book. Proverbs has been referred to as a workshop in wisdom. So, not surprisingly, Chapter 30 continues with wisdom as its theme. What really draws it apart from the rest of the book, though, is that it is not presented as human wisdom, gained through life experience but as prophecy, given by the Holy Spirit.

As we prepare to dive into this very interesting Scripture, let me share a non-Scriptural story with you that may aid us in keeping open minds about what is and what isn’t true wisdom.

A young woman brings her fiancé home to meet her parents. After dinner, the father invites the fiancé to his study for a chat. “So what are your plans?” the father asks. “I am a bible scholar.” replies the fiancé. “Hmmm,” the father says. “But what will you do to provide a nice house for my daughter to live in?” “I will study and God will provide for us”, the young man replies. “And how will you buy her a beautiful engagement ring?” asks the father. “I will concentrate on my studies,” the young man replies. “God will provide for us.” “And children?” asks the father. “How will you support children?” “Don’t worry, sir, God will provide,” replies the fiancé. With each of the father’s questions, the young man continues to insist that God will provide. Afterwards, the mother asks, “How did it go, honey?” The father answers, “The bad news is, he has no job and no plans. The good news is he thinks I’m God.”

HUMILITY

Agur, the author of Proverbs 30, starts out with humility when he says, “Surely I am more stupid than any man, And do not have the understanding of a man. I neither learned wisdom Nor have knowledge of the Holy One.”

Then he points out the need for humility by asking, “Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son’s name, If you know?”

ADMONITIONS

Then, he goes on to provide a series of admonitions.

The ability to address Agur’s opening statement of humility, to answer his follow-up question revealing our need for humility and to comply with his admonitions are all wrapped up in verses 5 and 6. Please turn with me now in your Bibles to Proverbs Chapter 30, Verses 5 and 6 and we will read them together.

“Every word of God is pure;

He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.

Do not add to His words,

Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.”

GOD’S WORD IS PURE

“Every word of God is pure;” – When we read God’s word, we can take comfort in the fact that we don’t have to pick and choose what’s good and what’s not. The Bible is not a book filled with mostly true information mixed with some false information, leaving it up to us to distinguish which is which. The Bible isn’t that way because God isn’t that way! He is 100% pure. We can fully depend on getting the perfect and complete truth from Him and His Word.

GOD IS A SHIELD

“He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.” – This statement is a reminder that God will always be there to stand in the way of dangers that come to His followers. This doesn’t mean we should take this for granted but it should give us confidence where God wants us to have confidence. Though overconfidence is dangerous, under-confidence can be destructive.

DO NOT ADD TO GOD’S WORD

“Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.” – Every Word of God is pure but man’s word is not. Thus the importance of not adding to or taking away from it. Mark Twain famously said, “It ain’t the parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it’s the parts that I do understand.” Can you identify with that? Have you encountered Scripture that you wished you could change because it convicted you of your own shortcomings? I certainly have. But, Agur tells us that those who choose to do so are liars. To say we trust God and then try to change His Word is lying, proving that we don’t actually trust Him. Unfortunately, much of the religious world seems to think that changing God’s Word is not only “OK” but necessary in order to accommodate changing social standards. But that’s not the way the Bible is to be read or followed. It is timeless. It is a perfect and complete book that is only spoiled when man chooses to change or add to or take away from its instruction. We should spend our time following God’s Word, not looking for opportunities to change it!

GOD’S WORD IS REWARDING

Here, at Calvary Chapel Rosarito, we point our church to the Word of God, studying it verse-by-verse. In Proverbs 30, Verses 5 & 6, we’re given three foundational reasons for our doing that:

  1. God’s Words are true.
  2. God protects His people through His Word.
  3. He gives us the ability to not be deceived because we can identify when His Word is being misquoted or misused out of context.

And that is TODAY’S GOOD NEWS!

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September 17, 2020 · 7:15 am

PROVERBS 1:29

A Five Minute Devotional

The video shown below is the devotional from September 17th, 2020. The full text of the devotional follows the video.

Calvary Chapel Rosarito – English Devotional by Gary Wiram

WELCOME

Good morning. I am Gary Wiram and it’s my pleasure to welcome you to Today’s Good News!

INTRODUCTION

Currently, we’re teaching through the first chapter of Proverbs. As a reminder, this section of Proverbs is aimed at providing a basic summary contrasting wisdom and foolishness. Today, we will be looking at Proverbs 1:29. Before we do that, let me tell you a non-Scriptural story that may help set the stage for today’s topic.

An 86 year-old man was out in his fishing boat when he heard a voice say, “Pick me up!” The old man looked in the water and there, floating on a lily pad was a frog. The man said, “Are you talking to me?” The frog replied, “Yes, I’m talking to you. Pick me up. Then, kiss me and I’ll turn into the most beautiful woman you have ever seen. I’ll make sure that all your friends are envious and jealous because you will have me as your bride.” The man looked at the frog for a minute then he reached over, picked up the frog carefully, and placed it in his front pocket. The frog screamed, “What, are you nuts? Didn’t you hear what I said?? I said kiss me and I will be your beautiful bride!” The old man opened his pocket, looked at the frog and said, “No thanks! At my age I’d rather have a talking frog.”

THE FEAR OF THE LORD

Whether or not you see the humor in that story, it’s pretty easy to understand. Proverbs 1:29 says, “Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord,” That’s a message I found much more challenging to understand. And once I understood it, I realized, it’s not so humorous.

In order to understand the cryptic message of Proverbs 1:29, I think you have to go back to the key verse for the entire book. That’s Proverbs 1:7 that tells us, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.” 

WISDOM

This section of Chapter 1 has been subtitled “The Call of Wisdom”. It is God calling us to be wise. In the verses leading up to 1:29, it’s obvious that His call is made openly and it’s loud and clear. But, in our sin, we foolishly choose to not listen and even when rebuked by God, we continue to do so. That leaves God no alternative but to allow us to continue down the path we’ve foolishly chosen, a path that leads to a destination of calamity, terror, destruction and anguish. Finally, then, we may call out to God but when that comes too late, He may no longer answer, He may no longer  be there. Proverbs 1:29 tells us that’s due to our choosing not to fear Him and instead, hating His knowledge.

True wisdom is always grounded in a healthy, respectful, reverent “fear” of God. When we choose not to fear the Lord, when we choose not to place Him in His proper place in our lives, we despise knowledge, and refuse to act wisely. Verse 29 emphasizes how this results in catastrophe.

FOOLISHNESS

In my eyes, there is no greater catastrophe than what’s currently going on in the U.S.A. Presently, the ever-deepening division in its population makes it seem to be on the verge of civil war. To explain this, many look to aspects of American life that are nearly the polar-opposite of the way they were in the nation where I grew up. The common thread running through all these aspects is that the vast majority of the population no longer gives priority to things they recognize as being greater than themselves. Weekly attendance at a house of worship once was nearly universal and Judeo-Christian values were the foundational qualities of most individual lives, families, neighborhoods and communities. In other words, today’s American catastrophe has resulted from ignoring true wisdom grounded in a healthy respectful reverent “fear” of God, through not choosing to place Him in His proper place in their lives, through despising knowledge and refusing to act wisely.

HUMBLE PRAYER

So, in the face of this tragic sadness, what are we to do? Well, God Himself has given us the answer in His Holy Word. In 2 Chronicles 7:14, he tells us, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” One aspect of this that can still seem intimidating is where God says, “If my people”. It may be natural to think, “What can I do to get an entire people to turn back to God?” Well it’s kind of like answering the question “How do you eat an elephant? That is “One bite at a time.”  So the answer to “What can I do to get an entire people to turn back to God?” is “By setting an example, one person at a time … beginning with you and me.”

And THAT, is Today’s Good News.

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September 3, 2020 · 7:15 am

PROVERBS 1:19

A Five Minute Devotional

The video shown below is the devotional from September 3rd, 2020. The full text of the devotional follows the video.

Calvary Chapel Rosarito – English Devotional by Gary Wiram

WELCOME

Good morning! My name is Gary Wiram and it’s my pleasure to, again, welcome you to Today’s Good News.

INTRODUCTION

Today, as we continue to teach through the first chapter of Proverbs, my assignment is Proverbs 1:19. To set the right tone for what this Scripture has to teach us, let me remind you that this section of Proverbs provides a basic summary contrasting wisdom and foolishness. Actually, the key verse is Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Here’s a non-Scriptural story that may help us in relating to this topic:

A man comes across an old bottle. He pulls out its cork and out pops a genie! The genie says, “In return for freeing me, I will grant you three wishes.” The man says “Great! First, I want one billion dollars in a Swiss bank account.” Poof!” A paper with Swiss bank account numbers appears in his hand! “Next, I want a brand new red Ferrari.” Poof!” A brand new red Ferrari appears right next to him! “Finally, I want to be irresistible to women.” Poof!” He turns into a box of chocolates.

GREED

Proverbs 1:19 tells us, “So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain;

It takes away the life of its owners.” Of course, we all understand that greed won’t actually turn you into a box of chocolates but it can “take away life” in many ways.

When this verse says, “So are the ways…”, it’s referring to ways mentioned in the immediately preceding verses. These are:

  • Their feet run to evil
  • They lie in wait and make haste to shed blood
  • They lurk secretly for the innocent

Those are some pretty dramatic ways, aren’t they? And, I think it’s obvious they’re ways we should avoid. But greed can blind us to the obvious and just as often, they can be pretty subtle. In a way, as a guy who spent the majority of his professional life in Sales, it reminds me of what I  learned early-on about the key motive for buying and for selling. That is, “What’s in it for me?” Actually, that is a legitimate function when the buyer is looking for a solution to a need in his business and the seller has a product or service that meets that need. However, when either party is solely focused on their own greedy gain, that takes away from the legitimacy.

This is well illustrated by a familiar cross reference for Proverbs 1:19. It’s 1 Timothy 6:9-10, that says, “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

I think this, also, illustrates an aspect of the sort of greediness we have to deal with today. It’s not so much the greediness of others that we have to be on guard for. It’s our own greediness and in many ways, often due to peer pressure, it’s so subtle that we don’t recognize it in ourselves. A good example of this, that you’ve probably heard said, is that the American dream has become  striving to buy more things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t like. By itself, that seems sort of amusing. But when you consider its cost, it’s actually pretty sad.

NO EARTHLY SATISFACTION

I recently read an article in MoneyWatch, entitled “The dark reasons so many rich people are miserable human beings”. It put the wisdom of Proverbs 1:19 into focus in today’s terms. A few highlights from that article are:

  • Once a certain household income is reached, more income is actually associated with reduced life satisfaction and a lower level of well-being.
  • The wealthier we get, the less we value social connectedness — and that eats into our overall sense of well-being.
  • Children who come from affluent families are more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety and substance abuse than those who come from less affluent families.

When you scrutinize this, considering wisdom versus foolishness, I think it’s pretty easy to put this in the category of foolishness.

ETERNAL SATISFACTION

So, what is the best way to contrast this foolishness and replace it with wisdom? Of course, all you have to do to answer that question is to look to the Scriptures. I recommend Matthew 6:19-21, that says, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 

And Scripture, also, tells us where to find the wisdom needed in order to do this. James 1:5 tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

And THAT, is Today’s Good News!

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August 14, 2020 · 7:15 am

PROVERBS 1:10

A Five Minute Devotional

The video shown below is the devotional from August 11th, 2020. The full text of the devotional follows the video.

Calvary Chapel Rosarito – English Devotional by Gary Wiram

WELCOME

Good morning! My name is Gary Wiram. It’s my pleasure to welcome you to TODAY’S GOOD NEWS!

TEMPTATION

Presently, we’re teaching through the book of Proverbs. When you consider that Proverbs was written by the wisest man ever, Solomon, that can make our teaching from it seem a bit daunting. My assignment today is Proverbs 1:10. Its main focus is on not giving in to temptation. To help put this topic into perspective, let me remind you of a story you may have heard about a girl and a snake. 

A young girl was walking along a mountain path when she heard a rustle at her feet. It was a snake. Before she could react, the snake said, “It’s too cold for me up here. I am about to die. Please put me under your coat and take me with you.” The girl said, “I know your kind. If I pick you up, you will bite me and your bite is poisonous.” “No, no,” the snake said. “If you help me, you will be my best friend. I will treat you differently.” The young girl thought, “All living things deserve to be treated with kindness” and he was the most beautiful snake she had ever seen. So, she said, “I believe you. I will save you.” Then she put the snake gently under her coat. Within a moment, she felt a sharp pain in her side. The snake had bitten her! “How could you do this to me?” she cried. “You promised that you would not bite me, and I trusted you!” “You knew what I was when you picked me up,” he hissed as he slithered away.

NOT GIVING IN

Proverbs 1:10 tells us, “My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent.” That’s a pretty good summation of the lesson to be learned from the story of the girl and the snake. But, it may be too obvious for us to take the topic seriously. Another story that we should find easier to relate to is the story of Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife, as detailed in Genesis 39:7-10: 

“And it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.” But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her.

Actually, the short-term result of Joseph’s not giving in to Potiphar’s Wife didn’t seem so worthwhile. She, falsely, accused him of rape and Potiphar had him thrown into prison. But, in the long term, his righteousness fit right into God’s plan for saving Israel.

SHARING WISDOM

In considering how to apply the lesson of Proverbs 1:10 to our lives today, I found it helpful to observe who is teaching the lesson and how well it was applied. Though Solomon is broadly acknowledged as the wisest man ever, he infamously didn’t heed his own wisdom in this regard. In preparing this lesson, I used Google to see how many Scripture verses dealt with temptation. Actually, I didn’t get a definite answer but I was surprised to learn that in a list of the top 100, there were only three from Proverbs. Maybe Solomon’s lack of attention to the topic helps explain why, in Kings 11:3, we’re told, “And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.”

The story of Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife took place long before Solomon was King. One aspect of the story that is reflected in Proverbs 1:10, is where the lesson came from to not consent to the enticement of sinners. The Proverb starts off by saying, “My son”. That makes it clear, this is a lesson from Parent to Son. When Joseph didn’t give in to Potiphar’s Wife, he didn’t justify his resistance based on the effect his giving in would have on Potiphar. He said, “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” Apparently Joseph’s learning to not consent to the enticement of sinners also came from a Parent to Son lesson.

GAINING WISDOM

I think that is the key to our being able to comply with this Proverb … remembering that by not complying, we’re not just risking falling into sin with the one enticing us. As children of God, we are risking sinning against our Father in Heaven. Additionally, it’s very helpful to remember that, simply by complying, as children of God, our Father has the greatest of rewards in store for us. As we’re told in James 1:12:

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”

And that is TODAY’S GOOD NEWS!

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