Shoulder To Shoulder #1305 -- 8/15/22 ---- "Seeking The Ancient Paths (Pt 12: Another Look at the Compass -- Who Do You Follow?" E)
Posted by: rtolliver49 <rtolliver49@...>
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER is a weekly letter of encouragement Bob has written since 1997, covering many topics selected to
motivate people to be strong students of the Word and courageous witnesses of Jesus Christ. It is a personal letter of
encouragement to you, written solely to help "lift up hands that hang down".
"The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything." -- Albert Einstein
“There is a common, worldly kind of Christianity in this day, which many have, and think they have -- a cheap Christianity which offends nobody,
and requires no sacrifice, which costs nothing, -- and is worth nothing.” – J. C. Ryle
Shoulder To Shoulder #1305 -- 8/15/22
Title: "Seeking The Ancient Paths (Pt 12: Another Look at the Compass -- Who Do You Follow?" E)
My Dear Friend and Co-Laborer with Christ:
Now we are back in Greer after a quick six-day run to Yuma for a doctor's appointment with my Dermatologist and a few other matters we needed to take care of. This has been a most unusual season both for Greer Chapel and also for the two of us. Not only are at least half of our regular Chapel families back and forth like a ping pong ball in a tournament, but so have we been. I think we have made three trips thus far in two and one-half months back to Yuma, but we have at least one more scheduled next week -- and perhaps another in September. So, while today I write from Greer, next week I'll write again from Yuma.
Today I want to try to dissect two more of Solomon's eight things he admonished to us as we seek direction from our "Compass", God's Word. The beloved Ancient Paths are much too precious and far too adventurous to try to navigate them without such a good direction finder and direction giver.
So, instead of distracting you further with "This 'n' That" and "Quotes For The Week", let's instead jump right into the study.
RECAPPING THE COMPASS' MANUAL:
If I remember correctly, this is the twelfth consecutive letter on "Seeking the Ancient Paths", and the fifth on the "Compass" by which we can navigate those paths safely, successfully, and joyfully. The series has been based on the admonition God gave to ancient Judah through the prophet Jeremiah in pleading with them that they return to those ancient paths God had set forth for them centuries earlier when He had given them what we call "the Mosaic Law".
"Thus says the LORD, 'Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is, and walk in it; And you will find rest for your souls.' But they said, 'We will not walk in it'. And I set watchmen over you, saying, 'Listen to the sound of the trumpet!' But they said, 'We will not listen'." (Jer 6:16-17)
". . . For My people have forgotten Me, They burn incense to worthless gods And they have stumbled from their ways, From the ancient paths, To walk in bypaths, Not on a highway, To make their land a desolation, An object of perpetual hissing; Everyone who passes by it will be astonished And shake his head. Like an east wind I will scatter them Before the enemy; I will show them My back and not My face In the day of their calamity.'" (Jer 18:15-17).
Thus far we've considered . . .
1. "Seeking The Ancient Paths (Pt 1) -- Take Me Back" (June 1, #1293)
2. "Seeking The Ancient Paths (Pt 2) -- Desperate For Ancient Paths" (June 8, #1294)
3. "Seeking The Ancient Paths (Pt 3) -- First Step, First Fork" (June 15, #1295)
4. "Seeking The Ancient Paths (Pt 4) -- Their Fundamentals" (June 22, #1296)
5. "Seeking The Ancient Paths (Pt 5) -- Derailed by Five Sins" (June 29, #1297)
6. "Seeking The Ancient Paths (Pt 6) -- Roadmap For A Nation" A (July 4, #1298)
7. "Seeking The Ancient Paths (Pt 7) -- Roadmap For A Nation, B" (July 11, #1299)
8. "Seeking The Ancient Paths (Pt 8) -- Compass For the Journey" A (July 18, #1300) (Prov 3:1-12)
9. "Seeking The Ancient Paths (Pt 9) -- Another Look at the Compass B -- Consistent Morality" (July 23, #1301) (Prov 3:1-2)
10. "Seeking The Ancient Paths (Pt 10) -- Another Look at the Compass C -- Kindness and Truth" (July 30, #1302) (Prov 3:3-3)
11. "Seeking The Ancient Paths (Pt 11) -- Another Look at the Compass D -- Who Do You Trust?)" (August 1, 1303) (Prov 3:5)
I had wanted to cover verses five and six together, but with all the other extra items plus the exploration of the issue of trusting God fully, the letter would have simply been far, far, far to long. The three issues found in those two verses -- trusting God completely, acknowledging His presence and power in every situation, and obediently walking the pathways He has set out for us -- are so interconnected with each other that it is impossible to understand one without the light and presence of the other two.
That being said, then, I made the following observations in my last letter regarding the issue of truly trusting God -- not just believing IN Him, or even believing What He says because He is God -- rather, actually "rolling over" upon Him, "prostate and face down" in humility and submission to Him. It is possible to believe IN God, and even believe that what He says is really true but not actually trusting Him.
But that's not where Solomon's counsel actually concluded. Two other necessary elements remain that give legitimacy to our trusting God, and our trusting God calls us to two very important elements that enable our trusting Him to bear fruit -- results -- in our lives.
They are Discernment and Obedience. So, we examine today principles five and six.
V. The Compass of God's Word Always Leads us to Seek His Will. (6)
“In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”
Solomon made a strong case in this simple sentence. Sometimes we miss it unless we take time to study some of the specific words. For example, . . .
+ In All Our Ways: -- In our language, the simple word, "ways", can mean two different things -- 1) mannerisms or 2) directions. It can mean, "Well, that's the way he is", and it can also mean, "That's the direction he should go." Solomon is referring specifically to the latter. The Hebrew word is דֶּרֶךְ, pronounced "derek" in English. Defined, it clearly means, "way, road, distance, journey."
Solomon's admonition is that as you go throughout life, make sure the direction you take as a lifestyle is one in which you constantly "acknowledge" Him as the primary influence in everything you do, everywhere you go, everything you have, and everything you are. That's a tall order, but it must constantly be our goal.
If we are to acknowledge God in every pathway of life we might take, what, then, does it mean to actually "acknowledge" Him? Do we just wave, say "hello!" or tip our hats to Him? Or is the meaning more significant?
I noted this in a letter or two back, but need to repeat it. It is the Hebrew word יָדַע and pronounced "yada" in English. Few words in the Bible have as comprehensive application as does this one. Within its use we find contained the ideas of . . .
1. Recognition that He exists and is present in our "ways" -- our journeys, our directions, our activities, our course of life.
2. Recognition that He has a role in our "ways" -- He is not to be a bystander, but a personal participant.
3. Recognition that He has authority over and control of our "ways" -- He is the "shot caller" in our lives.
In other words, God is not just Present in the pathways of our lives -- following, or perhaps walking alongside -- but He is actually the number one Priority in our lives, and the Preeminent One ruling, controlling, and regulating our lives.
+ Acknowledge Him: -- Again, Solomon was making no small exhortation. Rather, it is a life-changing one. If we are indeed going to truly "acknowledge" God in our journey in the way Solomon is telling us, then it is a revolutionary moment. It will be a "burn the bridge behind me" event.
Jesus was clear in the matter -- "Unless you forsake all -- including father, mother, son, daughter, -- you cannot be My disciple." (Lk 14:26-27). "Acknowledging" God in all your ways is neither an attitude of "shoulder-shrugging fatalism" nor one of "everybody knows that academia". It is a deliberate act of the will -- much like I described in my last letter of "rolling over on" or putting yourself "face down" before your sovereign God.
When one "acknowledges" God, he is, in a sense, "confessing" that God is exactly Who He is -- God. He is "El"; He is "El-Shaddai"; He is "El-Ohim"; He is Yaweh"; He is "Jehovah Jireh"; He is "Jehovah Rophe"; He is "Jehovah Shalom". In other words, He is Who He is -- and we are not Him!
To "Confess" or "acknowledge" is nothing short of simply agreeing with God. "Con" means "with" -- "Confess" means to "say the same thing" or "to agree with". In other words, acknowledge.
The ramifications of our simply acknowledging God in all aspects of our lives are enormous. Even as I write these words, I cannot get my mind around the idea. It's not that you and I "allow" God to be Who He is in our lives; rather, it is that He already is Who He is, and we just need to get around to acknowledging it, submitting to it, and living it in real time.
+ Make Paths Straight -- The use of the word "paths" indicates a "well-trodden" or "well-traveled" road. It refers to something far more than a one-time road trip -- as if you're taking a vacation or moving to another city. It specifically refers to a familiar journey that has been taken repeatedly over a long period of time. It's a "been there, done that" road of great familiarity.
Solomon is stating something very profound here. He is telling us that, if we will acknowledge -- "agree with God" -- that He is Who He is throughout all our lives, He will make our journey straight.
But the word means far more still than just that. Oddly, the word is also used to describe "child birth" and "multiple generations". That just doesn't seem to fit the picture here -- UNLESS we understand that Solomon is telling us something extraordinarily profound -- it is both an inheritance and a legacy. In other words, when we choose to acknowledge that God is Who He is in our lives, we can leave a
priceless legacy for following generations to inherit -- and hopefully practice themselves.Also, as I noted in my previous letter, the Hebrew word for "Make" and "Straight" are the same word. The word, interestingly, does NOT refer to straightening out the curves, corners, and switchbacks of our pathways of life. NEITHER does it refers to leveling out the mountains and valleys we face. Rather it means, to "make smooth" to "smooth out" or to "make agreeable" or "make pleasant".
I don't know what that says to you, but for me personally, it tells me that God knows I need those sharp corners, switchbacks, deep gorges, and craggy peaks -- because it is in those times that I learn to trust Him most. They strengthen my trust in Him, and they increase my endurance to keep going. In light of that, then, it tells me that, as I travel life's journey, if I will submissively acknowledge that He is Who He is, He will make certain that there is a "smoothness" -- a steadiness -- a stability -- a consistency -- that I will enjoy as I make the journey.
+ His Way, His Will -- Think about this: "God's Way Is His Will." Mistakes do not exist with God. It is His task to "smooth out" or "pave" the way AND to reveal His will. It is ours to acknowledge that He is Who He is -- specifically in our lives. The Apostle Paul declared this to be the case to the Athens intellects on Mars Hill that day when he exclaimed, "For it is in Him that we live, we move, and we exist." (Acts 17:28). He spoke similarly to almost all the churches to whom he wrote. For example, to the Philippian Christians he wrote, . . .
". . .for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." (Phil 2:13)
God's way must be our way. There are many reasons, but from the simple perspective of joy, energy, endurance, confidence, and courage, it will be a smooth one -- still with gullies and gorges, valleys and vistas, twists and turns, BUT smooth!
When I was a Sophomore at Grand Canyon College (now prestigious University) in Phoenix, AZ, the school had an annual "campus revival". It was there that I first heard a song written by Dick and Bo Baker -- "His Way, Mine". Written in 1954 for a youth camp group, it swept across the nation's youth culture and was first published in 1955.
That year at GCC was a very difficult one for me -- more difficult than realized until many years later. I had felt God's call to vocational Christian ministry the year before at a tiny Christian junior college in Bolivar, MO, and had immediately moved to Tucson, AZ the day after classes ended. I left my many high school and church friends back in Springfield, IL, without saying good-bye, and was the last of a handful of students to leave the nearly empty campus in Bolivar -- heading into a totally unknown future.
It was a very lonely time for me, and it left me somewhat aloof and hesitant to make new friends on this new campus stuck in the middle of a very dry desert. I had barely had time to make friends with the youth in the new church where my father had recently become their first pastor in Tucson. So, when the "campus revival" came around, my heart was hungry for fellowship -- and a sense of direction.
I can still hear in the ears of my memories Walter George's beautiful lyric tenor voice sing the theme song of that year's gathering:
"God has a place for every planned creation,
A path for every star to go.
He drew the course for every river's journey;
Now I know He has a way for me.
CHORUS
I place my life in the hands of God,
Those hands so scarred outstretched for me.
Wherever it may be over land, over sea,
May thy will sublime, O thou God divine, be mine.
Now in His will my soul finds life worth living,
Each day new blessings from above.
Tho' shadows come and valley's seem unending,
Still I know He makes a way for me .
CHORUS
I place my life in the hands of God,
Those hands so scarred outstretched for me.
Wherever it may be over land, over sea,
May thy will sublime, O thou God divine, be mine.
My heart melted as tears streamed down my face. Yes, I had committed my life as an 18 year old college freshman sitting under a huge oak tree in front of the old administration building the previous October. But it was in hearing and then singing, "His Way, Mine", that I truly acknowledged -- agreed with -- God, and understood that I had chosen to follow a well-trodden pathway of serving God the rest of my life.
The idea of acknowledging God in such a way is not reserved only for those of us who have been called into vocational Christian service. Rather, it is to be the path of every follower of Christ. Scripture repeatedly bears that out:
"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." (Rom 12:2)
"For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised." (Heb 1036).
"For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men." (I Pet 2:15).
". . . so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God." (I Pet 4:2).
"Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right." (I Pet 4:19).
"The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever." (I Jn 2:17).
“For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you . . . that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will . . . increasing in the knowledge of God;” (Col 1:9-10).
When, then, we have acknowledged God's reign over us and have seen repeated evidences of His purpose and plans, then we should be quick to recognize that . . .
VI. The Compass of God's Word Will Point us to Obedience. (7)
“Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil."
I never cease to marvel at how God's Word seems to systematically follow certain patterns. Often it is found in the use of "couplets" or "triplets" of thoughts or even single words. We see it in verse six, and here it is again in verse seven -- "Don't be too self-confident, be in awe, and reject evil."
+ 1. Don't be too self-confident -- Paul warned the Christians in Rome about a serious trap that we are so prone to enter:
"For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith." (Rom 12:3).
This is the idea Solomon is addressing -- human wisdom without God's wisdom. The Hebrew language here is NOT telling us we shouldn't be wise. To the contrary. Such a thought would be entirely out of context to the entire book where the issue of wisdom is a primary theme. The words "wisdom" and "wise" are found a stunning 110 times in the Book of Proverbs, not counting the 51 times in his book, Ecclesiastes and countless other times in the Psalms Solomon wrote. No, Solomon is Not telling us to never depend on wisdom, but rather telling us to not to depend on our own human wisdom alone. Traveling the "ancient paths" God prescribed for man long ago requires more than human wisdom.
It was this thought that triggered Paul's comments in I Corinthians about human wisdom as opposed to "wisdom from above". He wrote, . . .
"For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1Co 1:19 For it is written, "I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE."
"Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
"For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
"Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." (I Cor 1:18-25).
A few verses later in the next chapter, he reiterated, . . .
"And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.
"I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God." (I Cor 2:1-5).
+ 2. Be In Awe -- The idea of being "afraid" of God -- of living terrorized by Him, is not what "Fearing God" is really all about. The only people who should fear Him in such a way are those who have not trusted Christ and have rejected Him. They are the ones who should truly be terrorized by His wrath and judgment.
Those of us who know Him and have been redeemed by His Son, on the other hand, should have no such fear or terror of Him because we are no longer under any such condemnation.
" Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death." (Rom 8:1-2).
Nonetheless, we must never lower our view of God to see Him merely as "the man upstairs", as more than one famous entertainer has called Him. Solomon, rather, tells us to “Fear” God. We must not only refuse to depend on our own wisdom and knowledge when dealing with life's issues, but we must also put God in His rightful place in our thinking by giving Him the Honor, Reverence, and Awe of which He is fully worthy.
This is what the Hebrew word, "fear", actually means. We are to have such "awe-filled reverence" that we want to gaze in wonder, yet knowing we dare not touch or approach Him. Perhaps a picture that best describes this type of fear is what you see over and over in the life of Moses and the Children of Israel as they went through the 40-year long journey from Egypt to Canaan. Moses knew from experience that, even though he saw and knew God, he also knew his own place.
It is something of a mystery to realize that your God is untouchable and yet immediately accessible at the same time. Take time to study those occasions when Moses met with God during those years. The numerous conversations between the two are well worth studying -- closely studying. They were so power-filled that God would allow Moses to see only His back, and yet so intimate that Moses was able to ask God to understand His ways and see His works, and even ask God to blot him out of God's plans for Israel instead of destroying Israel.
That's the kind of fear you and I must have as we take our own journeys along those Ancient Paths. It is indeed a difficult balance. On the one hand, we know God is our heavenly father Who loves us passionately and longs to treat us as His children, but on the other, we also know He is the one and only frightful, powerful, untouchable God of all creation Who does things simply by speaking.
A number of years ago the Christian musician, Chris Tomlin, wrote a song that beautifully depicts those dual sides of God. It may well be one of a rare few Gospel songs and hymns that seem to capture in language what Solomon admonished us to grasp about God. It reads, . . .
You Are Beautiful Beyond Description
Too Marvelous For Words
Too Wonderful For Comprehension
Like Nothing Ever Seen Or Heard
Who Can Grasp Your Infinite Wisdom
Who Can Fathom The Depth Of Your Love
You Are Beautiful Beyond Description
Majesty Enthroned Above
And I Stand I Stand In Awe Of You
I Stand I Stand In Awe Of You
Holy God To Whom All Praise Is Due
I Stand In Awe Of You
You Are Beautiful Beyond Description,
Yet God Crushed You For My Sin,
In Agony And Deep Affliction,
Cut Off That I Might Enter In.
Who Can Grasp Such Tender Compassion?
Who Can Fathom This Mercy So Free?
You Are Beautiful Beyond Description,
Lamb Of God Who Died For Me!
And I Stand, I Stand In Awe Of You!
I Stand, I Stand In Awe Of You!
Holy God, To Whom All Praise Is Due,
I Stand In Awe Of You!
All glory, all honor,
All worship and all praise,
All blessing, all power,
How worthy is Your name!
Yes, not only must we reject all temptation to depend on our own wisdom and self-confidence apart from the provision of God's wisdom, but we must also comprehend the incomprehensible -- the majesty, glory, and compassion of our God. And to that, we must respond appropriately; we must, finally, . . .
+ 3. Reject Evil -- Now, if we fully grasp the implications of those first two elements necessary to understand and follow God's will, then it should be a no-brainer to reject evil in all of its devious forms. The Hebrew word for “Turn away” again has multiple applications.
1. First, it means that we are to Avoid evil. Every time we are confronted by it, we should "not go near it" and "go another direction leading away" from it. There is never a time when we should risk even pausing for a glance at it or to "investigate" it to see what it is made of or what it looks like. Just avoid it! Immediately!
2. Then, we must also Reject evil. Sometimes we stumble onto evil unintentionally, ignorantly, or innocently; and on those occasions, we are to Avoid it. There are other times when evil comes our direction. When that happens, we are to reject it. Refuse to accept it. Deny the offer. James talks about this when he talks about temptation. When evil comes our way, it is for the purpose to tempt us. Temptation is not the sin; giving in to it, though, is.
"Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by God'; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. (James 1:13-16).
This passage is worth dissecting and then digesting -- extensively. Evidently it is impossible to sin unless we first give in to the confrontation of temptation. I propose that rejecting evil in this way is impossible apart from the finished work and constant presence of Christ Himself in the person of the Holy Spirit. In fact, when Jesus taught His disciples the principles of prayer, He directly addressed the matter, saying, . . .
". . . do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil." (Mt 6:13).
Two quick thoughts:
> First, His first prayer to to ask that God not allow us to be led into temptation -- not by God, of course (which would NEVER happen), but by others, the world, the flesh, and the devil.
> Second, his concluding prayer is that when we are faced with temptations and attacks, God will rescue us from not only evil, but also "the evil one" (which many translations use).
All of this is in keeping with Solomon's admonition that we must avoid, resist, and reject evil in all its variations and forms.
3. Next, we are actually to oppose evil. In other words, using defensive strategies against evil is not enough. We must also go on the offense -- we must be pro-active against evil in all its forms. When we are confronted by it, we must oppose with all the force and energy we can muster. We must refute it, repel it, come against it, and fight it with all we are worth.
4. Finally, we are to do an about-face. Clearly implied in Solomon's counsel is that when we are confronted by evil, in whatever form it may take, we are absolutely to have nothing to do with it. The about-face is not only the act of turning away from evil, but more importantly, turning TO something -- or someone.
You and I are unfortunately prone to be more passive, permissive, or compromising in our treatment of sin and evil. God is not that way, it does not fit His character, and it is not becoming to His children. When we are confronted by evil in any form, our immediate response is to turn to God for His help, His protection, and His provision. Once we do that, then we will be better prepared to withstand evil when it assaults us or we observe it.
The Apostle James, step-brother to Jesus and first pastor of the Church in Jerusalem understood it well. In addressing an array of issues important to the life of a Christian -- having your faith tested, fully trusting in the Lord, favoritism, service, the use and abuse of our words, seeking wisdom from God, worldliness, excessive planning for the future, the dangers of idolizing wealth, patience, healing, and prayer -- James tells us exactly what to do when addressing evil and its source. He wrote, . . .
"Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." (James 4:7).
Notice the first command -- "Submit to God". Too many Christians try to do the "resisting" before they first do the "submitting". If you resist before you submit, the devil will not flee from you; he won't budge, but will only laugh. Why? Because you're resisting merely in the energy and resources of the flesh.
Clearly we are to resist evil and its initiator with everything we have. But, we must first submit ourselves, everything we have, and everything involved in evil's attack, to God for His control, intervention, and rescue. James' admonition certainly is in harmony not only with what Solomon is admonishing, but also what Paul dealt with to the Christians in Ephesus: ----
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm." (Eph 6:10-13).
It's not smart to go into battle against a superior force while not being properly related and appropriately attired. It doesn't take a lot of "smarts" to know that. And yet, Christians do it all the time.
So, summarizing verse six, our obedience necessitates that we 1) Don't be self-confident in our wisdom only, 2) be in reverential awe of Who God is, what He has, and What He does, and 3) reject evil.
FINALLY:
In looking at the first six of eight or nine things Solomon urges for our use of the "Compass" of the Ancient Paths, we have indicated that the Compass will
1. Lead us into Consistent Morality" (Prov 3:1-2)
2. Draw us toward Kindness (Prov 3:3)
3. Establish a plumb line of Truth (Prov 3:4)
4. Motivate us to a life that Trusts God Explicitly (Prov 3:5)
5. Urge us to seek God's will (Prov 3:6)
6. Point us toward a life of deliberate obedience (Prov 3:7)
It's my hope that having to deal with these matters over a period of several weeks has in no way diminished the impact of Solomon's counsel regarding our "Compass", God's Word. With two topics remaining, which I hope to cover in the next letter, we really need to grasp the vast and flawless tool we have for traveling those Ancient Paths with joy, with patience, with comfort, and with confidence.
So, until next letter, I remain . . .
In His Bond, By His Grace, and for His Kingdom,
Bob Tolliver -- Romans 1:11
"Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness,
examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." -- Dr. Luke (Acts 17:11)
"A fire kept burning on the hearthstone of my heart, and I took up the burden of the day with fresh courage and hope." -- Charles F. McKoy
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