B.C. Bolt's Blog, page 18
September 9, 2013
Higher Math
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased. Proverbs 9:10-11
As a child, I laughed at my father's complaints about the "new math" being taught in school. He didn't see a need to change the fundamentals since they worked just fine for him. In reality, it was nothing new, just a different way of presenting the fundamentals of math. However, the verses above have caused me to wonder about a "different" math since it is not new but definitely different than anything I had ever been taught. Taken out of context, the verses above imply that we should see Christians outliving sinners by years. Sadly, that is not the case but we see Christian lives snuffed out at an unseemly early age. Was the math wrong or was I missing something? Yep, you guessed it - I was missing something. God's math and my math were not the same.
Jesus enlightens us in John 10:9-11. A key phrase is "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." By having Christ in our life, we have abundant or an increased life not necessarily a longer life but a better life. I will try to explain - while Christians are still faced with the challenges of life, there is a difference in their outlook and disposition. While they may be going through some tough times, they know on whom they trust. Paul sums it up best in Romans 8:35-39:
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Paul defines the higher math achieved by believing in Christ. As a believer, I am always invigorated to face the challenges of life knowing that the love of Jesus Christ is with me through it all. He has multiplied the peace and contentment within me that goes beyond any mathematical equation!
As a child, I laughed at my father's complaints about the "new math" being taught in school. He didn't see a need to change the fundamentals since they worked just fine for him. In reality, it was nothing new, just a different way of presenting the fundamentals of math. However, the verses above have caused me to wonder about a "different" math since it is not new but definitely different than anything I had ever been taught. Taken out of context, the verses above imply that we should see Christians outliving sinners by years. Sadly, that is not the case but we see Christian lives snuffed out at an unseemly early age. Was the math wrong or was I missing something? Yep, you guessed it - I was missing something. God's math and my math were not the same.
Jesus enlightens us in John 10:9-11. A key phrase is "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." By having Christ in our life, we have abundant or an increased life not necessarily a longer life but a better life. I will try to explain - while Christians are still faced with the challenges of life, there is a difference in their outlook and disposition. While they may be going through some tough times, they know on whom they trust. Paul sums it up best in Romans 8:35-39:
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Paul defines the higher math achieved by believing in Christ. As a believer, I am always invigorated to face the challenges of life knowing that the love of Jesus Christ is with me through it all. He has multiplied the peace and contentment within me that goes beyond any mathematical equation!
September 8, 2013
Teacher's Pet
For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the Lord.Proverbs 8:35
In school we envied the teacher's pet. They always got special privileges and were given the benefit of doubt when they were on the border line in making the next higher grade. It was obvious the special relationship that the student enjoyed based upon their favor with the teacher.
We have the same opportunity with the Lord. Talking about the opportunity for special privileges! Solomon promises these favors to those who seek wisdom. Solomon spends many chapters in Proverbs discussing the merits of seeking wisdom and the benefits bestowed upon those who do. But this one takes the cake - favor of the Lord! What a strong relationship we will enjoy through Christ when we commit our lives to seeking Him. The closeness achieved through active seeking far exceeds anything on earth.
Quit worrying about your past and your failures. Rather focus on seeking God and he will reward you with a special relationship that will make others envious. Just like the little girl in fifth grade who always got head-of-the-line privileges. God will place us first in his blessing as well!
In school we envied the teacher's pet. They always got special privileges and were given the benefit of doubt when they were on the border line in making the next higher grade. It was obvious the special relationship that the student enjoyed based upon their favor with the teacher.
We have the same opportunity with the Lord. Talking about the opportunity for special privileges! Solomon promises these favors to those who seek wisdom. Solomon spends many chapters in Proverbs discussing the merits of seeking wisdom and the benefits bestowed upon those who do. But this one takes the cake - favor of the Lord! What a strong relationship we will enjoy through Christ when we commit our lives to seeking Him. The closeness achieved through active seeking far exceeds anything on earth.
Quit worrying about your past and your failures. Rather focus on seeking God and he will reward you with a special relationship that will make others envious. Just like the little girl in fifth grade who always got head-of-the-line privileges. God will place us first in his blessing as well!
September 7, 2013
Steer Clear
And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding, Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house, Proverbs 7:7-8
Solomon spends the majority of chapter 7 describing in detail the downfall of a man who surrenders to the temptation of a woman (Proverbs 7:6-27). He goes in great detail of the evil that besets the young man based upon his gullible acceptance of her temptations.
When I read of the description, I go back to the opening verses above. How did the young man fall into such temptation? It all starts with him passing by her house. And we do the same today. We are well aware of the evils that we should avoid. But we reason that we are capable of resisting them and it won't harm us just to "pass by" or be in the vicinity of such activities. However, the longer we are around them, the less evil they seem. And soon enough, we are justifying our actions by saying that "everyone does it" or "it's not a big deal". Before we know it, we are knee deep in the filth of the world.
The best defense against falling victim to such temptation is to stay away. Paul warns us in 1 Thes 5:22 to "Abstain from the appearance of all evil". He didn't say to not partake in evil but even the appearance of evil. So I encourage you to steer clear of evil lest the temptation over comes our good intentions.
Solomon spends the majority of chapter 7 describing in detail the downfall of a man who surrenders to the temptation of a woman (Proverbs 7:6-27). He goes in great detail of the evil that besets the young man based upon his gullible acceptance of her temptations.
When I read of the description, I go back to the opening verses above. How did the young man fall into such temptation? It all starts with him passing by her house. And we do the same today. We are well aware of the evils that we should avoid. But we reason that we are capable of resisting them and it won't harm us just to "pass by" or be in the vicinity of such activities. However, the longer we are around them, the less evil they seem. And soon enough, we are justifying our actions by saying that "everyone does it" or "it's not a big deal". Before we know it, we are knee deep in the filth of the world.
The best defense against falling victim to such temptation is to stay away. Paul warns us in 1 Thes 5:22 to "Abstain from the appearance of all evil". He didn't say to not partake in evil but even the appearance of evil. So I encourage you to steer clear of evil lest the temptation over comes our good intentions.
September 6, 2013
Never Alone
When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thous sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. Proverbs 6:22
Have you ever felt alone? While I am surrounded by people all day long, I have had occasions where I have felt totally alone: no one that supports or cares for me. While we all have loved ones that care for us, they can not physically be with us all the time. It is during those times that feeling homesick, forsaken, lonely, not understood and a ton of other emotions gather in your mind. It can become frightening when you are trying to make a stand for a just cause and you see no support around you. It is enough to break down the strongest individual - unless you stop and remember.
Solomon describes above the support that we get. It is not situational, periodic or conditional. It is all the time, even when we sleep! When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we are never alone. This is what I was referring to above in that we need to stop and remember. No matter how lonely or dark the situation may be, we always have the Holy Spirit with us. Paul says it much better than I in Hebrews 13:5-6, "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."
What a comfort! To know that he will never leave or forsake us. While we may be miles away from supportive loved ones, He is always there. We are never alone again in this world.
Have you ever felt alone? While I am surrounded by people all day long, I have had occasions where I have felt totally alone: no one that supports or cares for me. While we all have loved ones that care for us, they can not physically be with us all the time. It is during those times that feeling homesick, forsaken, lonely, not understood and a ton of other emotions gather in your mind. It can become frightening when you are trying to make a stand for a just cause and you see no support around you. It is enough to break down the strongest individual - unless you stop and remember.
Solomon describes above the support that we get. It is not situational, periodic or conditional. It is all the time, even when we sleep! When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we are never alone. This is what I was referring to above in that we need to stop and remember. No matter how lonely or dark the situation may be, we always have the Holy Spirit with us. Paul says it much better than I in Hebrews 13:5-6, "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."
What a comfort! To know that he will never leave or forsake us. While we may be miles away from supportive loved ones, He is always there. We are never alone again in this world.
September 5, 2013
No Fear Of Secrecy
For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings. Proverbs 5:21
The Lord sees all that we do and nothing can be done in secrecy. Since we are repeatedly told this throughout Proverbs and Jesus affirms it in all four Gospels, why do we continue to struggle with secrecy? Why not take a more spiritual approach to our daily life?
If we will truly commit our efforts to the Lord, what a difference it will make! David states in Psalms 37:5, "Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass." What a blessing to know that when we commit and trust, it will happen! Too often, we try to force situations into achieving our desired results. But if we will commit our efforts and trust in him, it will happen. Does it mean that it will happen as we want it to? Not necessarily, but if we seek him, He will lead us to accept His will, not ours.
Let's give up the double-life of secrecy and commit ourselves to His will. We will no longer live in fear of being "caught" but rather in confidence of success!
The Lord sees all that we do and nothing can be done in secrecy. Since we are repeatedly told this throughout Proverbs and Jesus affirms it in all four Gospels, why do we continue to struggle with secrecy? Why not take a more spiritual approach to our daily life?
If we will truly commit our efforts to the Lord, what a difference it will make! David states in Psalms 37:5, "Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass." What a blessing to know that when we commit and trust, it will happen! Too often, we try to force situations into achieving our desired results. But if we will commit our efforts and trust in him, it will happen. Does it mean that it will happen as we want it to? Not necessarily, but if we seek him, He will lead us to accept His will, not ours.
Let's give up the double-life of secrecy and commit ourselves to His will. We will no longer live in fear of being "caught" but rather in confidence of success!
September 4, 2013
Straight And Narrow Path
Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil. Proverbs 4:26-27
We often laugh at characters in the cartoons who are wondering aimlessly and suddenly get a surprising jolt back into reality. Likewise, we cringe during horror movies when the victim is seemingly unaware of the dangers until it is too late. Our own lives are similar. We often wonder aimlessly through life without a focus or mission with each day. Then we are surprised when we have failed to follow God's teachings. We often say, "How did I get so far from God?". Often it is a gradual loss of focus.
Solomon advises us to stay focused on our path - no deviations to the right or left! When something is a priority, we tend to keep it on our mind continuously. However, as we become distracted with the challenges of day-to-day life, we tend to loose focus on Christ. He must be a part of our daily lives, not just during church services. When he is a part of our daily decisions, we won't wander from his guidance. It is the assumption that we can perform small tasks without his supreme guidance that tends to build confidence in our own abilities. As our confidence grows, our dependence on Christ diminishes. Then, before you know it, you are far away from the path of righteousness and wondering how you got there!
Let's keep our dependence upon him for all decisions - no matter how small. If he is involved in the simple decisions, he will be around for the hard ones! David clearly understood and expressed it well in Psalms 5:8, "Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face." David knew the value of walking the straight path. And he knew the only way to achieve this feat was for the Lord to lead him. Let's make the same commitment to be lead by the one who is never surprised!
We often laugh at characters in the cartoons who are wondering aimlessly and suddenly get a surprising jolt back into reality. Likewise, we cringe during horror movies when the victim is seemingly unaware of the dangers until it is too late. Our own lives are similar. We often wonder aimlessly through life without a focus or mission with each day. Then we are surprised when we have failed to follow God's teachings. We often say, "How did I get so far from God?". Often it is a gradual loss of focus.
Solomon advises us to stay focused on our path - no deviations to the right or left! When something is a priority, we tend to keep it on our mind continuously. However, as we become distracted with the challenges of day-to-day life, we tend to loose focus on Christ. He must be a part of our daily lives, not just during church services. When he is a part of our daily decisions, we won't wander from his guidance. It is the assumption that we can perform small tasks without his supreme guidance that tends to build confidence in our own abilities. As our confidence grows, our dependence on Christ diminishes. Then, before you know it, you are far away from the path of righteousness and wondering how you got there!
Let's keep our dependence upon him for all decisions - no matter how small. If he is involved in the simple decisions, he will be around for the hard ones! David clearly understood and expressed it well in Psalms 5:8, "Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face." David knew the value of walking the straight path. And he knew the only way to achieve this feat was for the Lord to lead him. Let's make the same commitment to be lead by the one who is never surprised!
September 3, 2013
I Can Do It By Myself
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:6
As parents, we are thrilled when our toddlers perform a feat for the first time. As teenagers, we felt independence when we could do things on our own and the sense of accomplishment continues as we grew older and started our families. As a man, nothing is more humiliating than having to ask for help.
Solomon has a totally different approach above - acknowledging Christ in everything we do. I must admit he is correct. There have been numerous occasions where I have tried to do things my way, only to get to the point where I had everything in such a mess that it was impossible to proceed. Only when I have exhausted my efforts do I call upon God to help. It would have been so much easier if I had started by calling upon Him prior to starting the endeavor! And the results would not have been such a disaster! It would seem that we have enough experience to know the right way to approach decisions - seeking His will first. But we continue to re-learn the same fact.
Join me in committing our decisions to Him. He will never steer us wrong!
As parents, we are thrilled when our toddlers perform a feat for the first time. As teenagers, we felt independence when we could do things on our own and the sense of accomplishment continues as we grew older and started our families. As a man, nothing is more humiliating than having to ask for help.
Solomon has a totally different approach above - acknowledging Christ in everything we do. I must admit he is correct. There have been numerous occasions where I have tried to do things my way, only to get to the point where I had everything in such a mess that it was impossible to proceed. Only when I have exhausted my efforts do I call upon God to help. It would have been so much easier if I had started by calling upon Him prior to starting the endeavor! And the results would not have been such a disaster! It would seem that we have enough experience to know the right way to approach decisions - seeking His will first. But we continue to re-learn the same fact.
Join me in committing our decisions to Him. He will never steer us wrong!
September 2, 2013
Hear And Believe
So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding. Proverbs 2:2
Have you ever talked to some one that is not paying attention? It is so frustrating! Even more so if you are trying to explain the process of performing a task. And afterwards, they look at you blankly and ask simple questions that are indicative that they did not pay attention. A strong resemblance to my children sometimes. Sadly, a strong resemblance of me when it comes to living a Christian life.
Solomon describes a two part process above: hearing wisdom and applying to your heart. The first phase of the process is listening for the right things - not everything that comes along but those nuggets of wisdom scattered among background noise of everyday life. We often tune out everything vice selectively listening to those things that strengthen our walk with Christ. (Kind of like planning your upcoming week vice listening to the sermon). We need to actively seek out those items associated with strengthening our Christian life and discard the chatter of the world.
The second phase is applying it to our heart so that we understand it. We can attend the most inspirational service, hear the most invigorating sermon and walk out the door. If we do not apply it to our heart, come Monday morning, it was a waste of time. We have to apply what we learn to our hearts so that it changes our perspective and modifies our behavior. Otherwise, the pastor's effort was for naught. The same applies to daily reading of the Bible. If we only read and do not apply it to our heart, it will provide minimal results.
I encourage you to seek out those nuggets of wisdom and apply them to your life. The results will be physical, spiritual and emotional change. The results are proportional to your effort. Join me today in not only hearing but applying God's word to your life.
Have you ever talked to some one that is not paying attention? It is so frustrating! Even more so if you are trying to explain the process of performing a task. And afterwards, they look at you blankly and ask simple questions that are indicative that they did not pay attention. A strong resemblance to my children sometimes. Sadly, a strong resemblance of me when it comes to living a Christian life.
Solomon describes a two part process above: hearing wisdom and applying to your heart. The first phase of the process is listening for the right things - not everything that comes along but those nuggets of wisdom scattered among background noise of everyday life. We often tune out everything vice selectively listening to those things that strengthen our walk with Christ. (Kind of like planning your upcoming week vice listening to the sermon). We need to actively seek out those items associated with strengthening our Christian life and discard the chatter of the world.
The second phase is applying it to our heart so that we understand it. We can attend the most inspirational service, hear the most invigorating sermon and walk out the door. If we do not apply it to our heart, come Monday morning, it was a waste of time. We have to apply what we learn to our hearts so that it changes our perspective and modifies our behavior. Otherwise, the pastor's effort was for naught. The same applies to daily reading of the Bible. If we only read and do not apply it to our heart, it will provide minimal results.
I encourage you to seek out those nuggets of wisdom and apply them to your life. The results will be physical, spiritual and emotional change. The results are proportional to your effort. Join me today in not only hearing but applying God's word to your life.
September 1, 2013
Active Rejection
My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. Proverbs 1:10
As children, my boys were adept at providing an excuse for why they had done wrong. While to an adult the reasoning was sometimes comical, it was always obvious they knew better. The same is true for us as Christians. We love to use the term "peer pressure" to justify our actions. But Jesus knows our heart and he knows better. We may try to convince ourselves but we know that the Spirit convicts us of our actions.
Solomon directs us to refuse. Not try to reason or justify our actions, simply refuse. In chapter 4, James provides us strict warnings regarding our attempts to please our worldly desires while trying to be a Christian. The key verse is James 4:7, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Both verses require action from us; refuse and resist. We can not remain true to Christ in a passive mode.
Don't expect the heavens to open and angels to sing every time we resist temptation. Look at Joseph in Genesis 39 - he resisted temptation by his master's wife. An admirable thing to do but more importantly he knew he would sin if he submitted to the temptation. And the reward for his resistance? Being thrown in prison. He had risen to being the overseer of all that his master owned to being thrown in prison. What a reward for doing the right thing! But look closely at Genesis 39:21-22. "But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. " What a blessing to know that the Lord will be with us and show us mercy when we resist the sins of this world.
And we know how the story goes - Joseph moves onward and upward to be over all of Egypt. Quite a lofty change from being over a household, as a slave. Jesus has great plans for us as well. We need to demonstrate our commitment to him and he will reward our actions in due time.
As children, my boys were adept at providing an excuse for why they had done wrong. While to an adult the reasoning was sometimes comical, it was always obvious they knew better. The same is true for us as Christians. We love to use the term "peer pressure" to justify our actions. But Jesus knows our heart and he knows better. We may try to convince ourselves but we know that the Spirit convicts us of our actions.
Solomon directs us to refuse. Not try to reason or justify our actions, simply refuse. In chapter 4, James provides us strict warnings regarding our attempts to please our worldly desires while trying to be a Christian. The key verse is James 4:7, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Both verses require action from us; refuse and resist. We can not remain true to Christ in a passive mode.
Don't expect the heavens to open and angels to sing every time we resist temptation. Look at Joseph in Genesis 39 - he resisted temptation by his master's wife. An admirable thing to do but more importantly he knew he would sin if he submitted to the temptation. And the reward for his resistance? Being thrown in prison. He had risen to being the overseer of all that his master owned to being thrown in prison. What a reward for doing the right thing! But look closely at Genesis 39:21-22. "But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. " What a blessing to know that the Lord will be with us and show us mercy when we resist the sins of this world.
And we know how the story goes - Joseph moves onward and upward to be over all of Egypt. Quite a lofty change from being over a household, as a slave. Jesus has great plans for us as well. We need to demonstrate our commitment to him and he will reward our actions in due time.
August 31, 2013
Speaking With A Purpose
Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy. Proverbs 31:9
We are often directed in the Bible to guard our tongue and warned of its dangers. But here is a prime example of when we should speak up. While it is human nature to blindly blab about others with juicy gossip and to pass judgment, the opposite is true regarding the defense of others. Often, I have paused in speaking up to defend others. Whether it is from embarrassment or not wanting to go against the tide of current opinion, I have difficulty in speaking in a positive manner about others.
There is a gentleman that I know who I admire greatly. Any time someone starts to gossip about someone we know, he will kindly and gently speak up, in an authoritative voice, to highlight a positive attribute of the individual. Normally, the gossiping ceases. Amazing! I admire his courage and conviction to defend others.
We all want to be viewed as kind Christians but yet we are happy to share the gossip. If we are truly a Christian, we would cease from gossiping and comment on their positive attributes. Isn't that what Christ did? He looked beyond our faults and forgave us of our sins so that we may have eternal life. We should do the same with all that we know - look beyond their faults.
I challenge you to spend one day speaking only positively about others. You will be amazed at the impact it has on your life and others!
We are often directed in the Bible to guard our tongue and warned of its dangers. But here is a prime example of when we should speak up. While it is human nature to blindly blab about others with juicy gossip and to pass judgment, the opposite is true regarding the defense of others. Often, I have paused in speaking up to defend others. Whether it is from embarrassment or not wanting to go against the tide of current opinion, I have difficulty in speaking in a positive manner about others.
There is a gentleman that I know who I admire greatly. Any time someone starts to gossip about someone we know, he will kindly and gently speak up, in an authoritative voice, to highlight a positive attribute of the individual. Normally, the gossiping ceases. Amazing! I admire his courage and conviction to defend others.
We all want to be viewed as kind Christians but yet we are happy to share the gossip. If we are truly a Christian, we would cease from gossiping and comment on their positive attributes. Isn't that what Christ did? He looked beyond our faults and forgave us of our sins so that we may have eternal life. We should do the same with all that we know - look beyond their faults.
I challenge you to spend one day speaking only positively about others. You will be amazed at the impact it has on your life and others!
