Fools Walking Wisely

"He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered."

Proverbs 28:26

In this "politically correct" world in which we live, a verse of scripture like this is a cold bucket of water to a drowsy soul.  Long has Satan whispered the diabolical lie:  "Follow your heart."  The devil knows in man's natural condition, the heart is a wicked and deceitful guide which only leads to destruction.  It is only through the mirror of God's Law that we can perceive the ever-expanding stark outlines of how rotten we truly are.  There is none good in this world, no not one.

Man is deluded to think he is wise apart from God.  The claims of scripture are absolute, unwavering divine truth:  "He who trusts in his own heart is a fool."  This opposes the satanic propaganda of the world's wisdom.  Man prides himself in his skepticism, his denial of God's wisdom exposing his nakedness like the Emperor's new clothes.  Strutting around in unbelief with doubt his only refuge, he is left helpless to wallow according to his own devices.  His steps on the sinking sand of humanism blindly lead to enslavement, bondage, blindness, and death.

The proverb contains an indictment but also a promise:  "...whoever walks wisely will be delivered."  The God who created all things in wisdom founded our earth.  Proverbs 9:10 reads, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."  God, desiring to be known, has revealed His beauty and wisdom in the workings of nature, the Bible, His holy Laws, and in the person of Jesus Christ.  To believers it is written in 1 Corinthians 1:30-31, "But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption-- ³¹ that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD."  Man believes through knowledge he can save himself, but alone he remains in darkness adrift on a treacherous sea.  Jesus Christ is the Light of the World, mankind's only chance for redemption, forgiveness, and salvation.  Those who are born again through repentance and faith in Christ are the truly wise.  From the intellectual elite to the man on the street, those who make Christ their Rock are lightly esteemed by the world's standard, branded as fools, bigots, haters, and ridiculous.

The wisdom of God is past finding out, yet He has made it plain in the person of Christ.  1 Corinthians 1:20-29 reads, "Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? ²¹ For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. ²² For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; ²³ but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, ²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. ²⁶ For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. ²⁷ But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; ²⁸ and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, ²⁹ that no flesh should glory in His presence."

This world and the wisdom of it will pass away, but God's Word will by no means pass away.  Jesus gives to all who will repent and believe deliverance, for that is why He has come.  Galatians 1:3-5 says, "Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁴ who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, ⁵ to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen."  He who walks wisely will be delivered.  Do you need deliverance?  Come to the Light and walk in wisdom!

The DMV Test

After my two week trip to the States, it is good to be back home in Australia.  My ultimate home is in heaven, but Australia works perfectly for the present!  It was a whirlwind of activity:  visiting family, friends, speaking at churches, attend the Calvary Chapel senior pastor's conference, was the best man in a wedding, and everything seemed to involve food.  Fine with me!

Living overseas certainly complicates things.  Thankfully we have the help and support of people in the States to assist.  During this trip, God was so faithful to provide for my needs:  food, housing, transportation, and even some cash to handle incidentals.  A prime example of God's awesome provision took place at the dreaded DMV.

My driver's license was set to expire in a year's time.  Since I could not say for certain when I will be back in the States, it seemed like a wise option to renew my driver's license.  I had to renew in person because my address had changed.  I also was not able to make an appointment in the amount of days I had left.  So 15 minutes before the Department of Motor Vehicles in El Cajon opened last Wednesday, I claimed a spot in line - which was already 60 people deep!  In about half an hour I arrived at the "Start" desk and filled out my application for license renewal.  I took a number and sat down only to hear the announcement:  "Our system is down.  Payment can only be made with cash or check."

Oh no, I thought to myself.  I didn't even think to bring my checkbook (it's been forever since I've written a check!).  I prayed, LORD, help me to have enough money!  When my number was called, thankfully I had enough money to pay the fee - with eight dollars left over!  I was very grateful to those people who had given me cash without even knowing my ATM card was expired and useless.  Then it was off to another line to check my eyesight.  And then to my surprise, I had to take a refresher test of 18 random questions.  If I missed 6, I would have to reschedule on another date in a week's time.  Trouble was, I had a flight booked the next day!  The pressure was on.

Now I had not expected to have to take a test.  It had been over 20 years since I have taken a written test in the DMV, and for over two and a half years I have been driving in Australia!  But how hard could it be, right?  My test must have been comprised of the most obscure, strange questions ever!  There were questions about freezing bridges, time frames concerning notifying the DMV, and parking uphill without a kerb!  As I was taking the test, I saw a woman go up to the counter and was told she needed to reschedule.  I was feeling the stress, I can tell you.  But I continued casting my cares upon Christ as I read and re-read the awkwardly phrased sentences.  The LORD gave me a peace about it, and I turned it in.

Would you believe that I aced the test?  I was ecstatic.  I can affirm with David in 2 Samuel 22:31-33:  "As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. ³² "For who is God, except the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God? ³³ God is my strength and power, and He makes my way perfect." God has not promised that all things will go according to our plans, but He has plans which will certainly come to pass.  He knows when a single sparrow falls, and He will provide for us even when our faith is small.  Even when I was sitting there waiting for my results at the DMV, God's Spirit was there to comfort and strengthen.

No matter where you are, God is there for you.  Try Him!  Whether we pass or fail, we find He bears us up in His everlasting arms of love and grace.  When we walk in faith, we pass the true test.

Take Heart!

"And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way."

Numbers 21:4

How true it is, that God's ways are not our ways!  The way God often uses is the way that is inefficient, long, difficult, and indirect.  Instead of bringing us directly to His desired end, He leads us on the most roundabout course.  The children of Israel were not strangers to this feeling.  They reached the very doorstep of the Promised Land and were turned back because of their unbelief.  Even with the presence of God leading the people, they often had to circumvent land they would have preferred to pass through.  They were continually having to leave the well-worn track and trail blaze.  Having to go the "hard way," the people were discouraged.  Their souls were "much discouraged because of the way."

There is no shortage of trials and difficulties we experience during our lives which give reason for discouragement.  The children of Israel thought that following God would be easy, but it wasn't.  It was hard because it was a walk of faith.  God tested and challenged the faith of His people, leading them through wilderness filled with enemies.  They became disillusioned because their focus was on the difficulty of the path and forming judgments rather than trusting looking to God for sufficiency.  As long as they questioned God's plan and direction, they found no rest or peace.  For those who have been born again, the same thing can be true.  We know in theory that "God is on the throne," but when the way becomes hard we can become discouraged.  Discouragement comes when we recognise our inability, frailty, and failures and do not believe God will redeem our circumstances for good.  Discouragement springs from a selfish perspective.

We can take heart even in disheartening circumstances when we look to God and His promises.  When Paul was tempest tossed, starving after eating nothing for two weeks, with plots of violence upon his life by guards, and no hope for survival in his strength, he took heart in what God told him.  Paul bravely addressed the soldiers, crew, and fellow prisoners in Acts 27:22-26:  "And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. ²³ For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, ²⁴ saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.' ²⁵ Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me. ²⁶ However, we must run aground on a certain island."  God had a plan that involved mortal danger, starvation, storms, huge financial loss, even running aground and being shipwrecked!  In the end, God would deliver all the soldiers, crew, and prisoners from their stricken vessel.  God used this situation to strengthen Paul's faith in the midst of a horrible ordeal and glorify His name.  The word God spoke to Paul came to pass, and the everlasting Word He has spoken to us will no doubt all come to pass.

In Luke 18, Jesus told the Parable of the Unjust Judge to teach people to pray and not lose heart.  This is something we must learn because it is not our natural tendency!  I cannot convey this important lesson better than Paul illustrated in 2 Corinthians 4:7-18:  "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. ⁸ We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed-- ¹⁰ always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. ¹¹ For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. ¹² So then death is working in us, but life in you. ¹³ And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak, ¹⁴ knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. ¹⁵ For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. ¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, ¹⁸ while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

If we look upon our trials or difficulties as man sees, we will lose heart.  Even as Christians filled with the indwelling Spirit of God we will faint and be discouraged unless our inward man is renewed by faith in God's Word day by day.  We are unwise to drift on the undercurrents of discouragement.  This will always cause us to veer far off course and lose sight of God and the ultimate destination He desires for us:  that we would be transformed, refined, and fashioned into the image of Jesus Christ!  Dig in those oars and pull!  PULL!  Invite God's Word to establish your proper course, even your thoughts, attitudes, and desires.  Let the mind which was in Christ be also in you, who humbled Himself and was made of no reputation.  Stay on course, keep the faith, and finish with joy.  God can bring encouragement and strength even from disheartening circumstances.  Won't you trust Him today?

Home With Him

In a few days, I will be taking a flight from Sydney to Los Angeles.  As the day of my departure draws nigh, the occasional sound of a plane in the distance reminds me of that fact.  It has been two years since my last visit to the United States.  It's a strange thing to have lived in the San Diego for most of my life but to feel like a stranger heading back.  Don't get me wrong:  I know most of the streets, freeways, suburbs quite well.  By God's grace I should be able to recognise family and friends, though I probably won't remember all the names I once did.  I am coming back to people who have changed, and I have changed too - hopefully for the better and wiser!

I was born in San Diego, but San Diego is no longer my home.  This was settled even before I left San Diego for Sydney in 2010.  God brought my heart to Australia long before my family came or our stuff arrived in a container.  Sydney is where I currently reside, yet technically it is not my home either.  Though ultimately my home is in heaven, God has provided a way for me to always be home.  Jesus says in John 14:23, "Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him."  Often we think of "home" as a fixed point on the earth, yet God comes to those who love Him and makes His home with us wherever we are!  The Holy Spirit takes up residence in the heart of every believer.  Jesus is called "Immanuel," meaning "God with us."  We will never be "home" - we will never find true rest - until we enter into a relationship built upon the truth of God's Word.

They say "Home is where the heart is" and there is truth in this cliche, though perhaps not in the way intended.  More important than having a house for my body is that God makes His home with me.  Whether I travel far or stay near, if I live or die, God and I will be together forever.  This is a comforting thought not only for me, but for my family that I will be leaving behind.  I will be leaving for a while, but God will never leave or forsake them.  Praise God for the confidence, peace, and rest we find in Him!