Praying for a Wife (Proverbs 19:14)

There are many different things that one may inherit from his parents, however, a wife is not one of those things. She comes directly from the Lord.

"Houses and riches are the inheritance from fathers, but a wise, understanding and prudent wife is from the Lord." Proverbs 19:14, Amplified

There is not much to say about this verse because it is so self explanatory. Our parents may leave us with the wealth of this world or even a wealth of knowledge. But the Lord is the only one who can give us the wife of our desires. This can even be said of women and their husbands.

My mother prayed for my wife since I was in the fourth grade. At first I thought it kind of weird, but after thinking about it, I realize that she was praying for my wife long before I met her, long before she knew who I was. It is because of prayer that I met my wife. The Lord led me on a fantastic journey of meeting my wife. Every relationship failed because she was not the one for me. Relationships ended abruptly and I have no idea why. But if my mother had not prayed for Rhiannon, would I have ever met her? Who knows. But what I do know is this: my wife came from the Lord.

Wives and Sons (Proverbs 19:13)

Though family is important, it can also be the undoing of a person.

"A self-confident and foolish son is the [multiplied] calamity of his father, and the contentions of a wife are as continual dropping [of water through a chink in the roof]." Proverbs 19:13, Amplified

A foolish son is the undoing of his father. The father is supposed to take the role of teacher in the relationship. But when the son becomes self confident and foolish, does that reflect on the father? Yes. Every father wants to brag on their child when he is a success. However, when that child acts foolishly, there is nothing more to brag about, for everyone is focused on the bad within the child ad not the good that might possibly be left over.

As for a wife, if she is contentious, she is a continual dripping. I remember when we had some pretty severe rain this last winter, there was a leak in my roof. Some interesting things went on inside myself when that leak appeared. First I became stressed at the fact there was a leak in my roof. Next was the uncomfortablity of having to navigate my around the leak and the puddle it left. Finally there was the irritation of the leak when the whole house went silent. As we tried to relax there was the steady sound of dripping that seemed to be more of a sonic boom than anything. I do not know if having a contentious wife would make me feel this way, but if it did, I would understand why the Bible speaks of her so. All I know is that I would not want one.

The Hands of the Living God (Proverbs 19:12)

In literature, as well as history, kings are known for either their generosity or the fierceness of their temper.

"The king's wrath is as terrifying as the roaring of a lion, but his favor is as [refreshing as] dew upon the grass." Proverbs 19:12, Amplified

As I stated at the beginning, kings are known for either aspect of demeanor, however they can also be known for both. Our Lord is terrifying since He has power over our souls. But He is also a gracious and loving God.

When it comes to man, though, the king's wrath is as terrifying as a lion because the impending doom seems to be inevitable. I imagine someone locked in a cage with a hungry lion, or even go back tot he story of Daniel in the lion's den. When dealing with a giant animal such as this, any defense that we have will almost prove to be fruitless. The same can be said of our King; there is no defense, whether verbal or physical, that can protect us against His wrath. "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Hebrews 10:31, NKJV) Even Jesus stated, "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell." (Matthew 10:28, NKJV)

Just as He is able to judge and destroy, our God is also a God of love. God desires for everyone to come to a saving knowledge of His Son. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes on Him might not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16, NKJV) Paul even writes the Roman church concerning the goodness of God. "Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance." (Romans 2:4, NKJV) The verse in Proverbs that we are looking at this morning speaks of the goodness and kindness of the king being as the dew on the ground. The dew on the ground is not only refreshing, but it is abundant. When the Lord sent manna to the children of Israel, it described it as being abundant as the dew on the ground.

It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God if indeed we are not one of His. His wrath and judgement is to be feared if we are not saved. His grace and loving kindness is plentiful when we surrender. The hands of the living God are warm and gentle to those who are called by His name.

Love on Them (Proverbs 19:11)

There is something about having the ability to overlook a matter. When a sin is committed against ourselves, do we have the ability to forgive?

"Good sense makes a man restrain his anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression or an offense." Proverbs 19:11, Amplified

How are we to restrain our anger? Jesus is our greatest example. Even on the cross He did not lash out in anger as humanity jeered at Him. If it were me on the cross, I may have taken myself off and called down fire from heaven. But this is not what we are looking at here today. It is the restraint of anger and the overlooking of transgression.

Please do not mistake the restraint of anger as tolerance, however. It is our goal in the youth ministry at my church to love on the kids. We even want to open our hearts to the homosexual population of the Morongo Basin. To brow beat a child and tell him he is going to Hell is no way to reach him. Jesus hung out with whores and thieves. It was the love that He had for them that made Him desirable. He did not condone their behavior but as He touched lives, they could not stay the same, they had to change. Speaking the truth in love causes the truth to kindle within the heart of the sinner until it is fanned to flame.

It is not our job to bring judgement on anyone, rather to speak the truth in love. Though the lifestyle of homosexuality is not condoned, love still needs to be the main focus of ministry. What I think is unrealized by most ministries, is that first there is a sealing of the individual then comes the change. When God was numbering the children of Israel for the building of the Tabernacle, every man had to give a half shekel of silver. This money was referred to as either a ransom or atonement money in two verses. The ransom refers to "pitch" which Noah used to seal the ark. The atonement money is actually the word used for "henna" as in tattoos. Changed cannot come before sealing for that would conclude that we have the power to enter heaven on our own. Rather we are sealed by Jesus first, and because of that sealing, we are moved to change.

This belief system is not just for homosexuality, but any type of sin. the kid who is sleeping around with the opposite sex, the one who is stealing, the one who is drinking or using drugs. We need to love on everyone. Because of the lack of judgment, we can bring them closer to Jesus. It is our job to love, it is the job of the Bible to convict the heart of man.

Luxury of the Fool (Proverbs 19:10)

There are certain things in this life that are reserved for certain persons. And when we see others partaking in these things, they seem to be out of place.

"Luxury is not fitting for a [self-confident] fool, much less for a slave to rule over princes." Proverbs 19:10, Amplified

In the original King James, the word luxury is actually "delight". What this verse is doing is taking something that is possible in society (at the time) and comparing it with something that was not possible.

So, in essence, just as it is not correct for a servant to rule over a prince, so a fool should not live in luxury. In his commentary on the Old Testament, Unger writes, concerning this verse, "Luxurious living turns wise men to fools, but it turns fools to self-destroying idiots." This is not to say that a fool cannot live luxuriously. What the verse is laying out is how ridiculous it is just as if a slave should rule over a prince. Could it happen? Sure. The Bible is not discounting the possibility, rather it is stating the impracticality of these two situations. A fool is not suited for luxury just as a slave is not suited to rule. Each one has his place.

Pray for wisdom.

We are Representatives (Proverbs 19:9)

Repetition is the key to memorization, and when the Lord repeat Himself, He wants us to remember.

"A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he who breathes forth lies will perish." Proverbs 19:9, Amplified

Verse nine reads almost identical to verse five. So there is something about being a false witness that the Lord wants us to remember. Sandwiched between verses five and nine we find verses six and seven which speak about riches and the lack thereof. There we find verse eight as well which speaks of wisdom and understanding.

The fact that the Lord chooses to repeat Himself concerning being a false witness is interesting. Though certain truths are repeated throughout the book of Proverbs, the Lord chooses to repeat Himself about our witness in only five verses. We have to remember that we are His representatives. We are His reflection.

Wisdom and Understanding (Proverbs 19:8)

The Bible encourages to do things that are beneficial for our well being.

"He who gains Wisdom loves his own life; he who keeps understanding shall prosper and find good." Proverbs 19:8, Amplified

The getting of wisdom is never going to be detrimental to our well being. Wisdom is basically a application of acquired knowledge. Notice the transition, though. first there is the gaining of wisdom then there is the keeping of understanding. We must first gain wisdom in order to keep the understanding brought forth through that wisdom.

Humanity at its Base (Proverbs 19:6-7)

It seems as though there is a theme in the book of Proverbs that focuses on the nature of man. That nature being the desire to get more of what others have and forsake those who have not.

"Many will entreat the favor of the liberal man, and everyone is a friend to him who gives gifts." Proverbs 19:6, Amplified

Every relationship needs to be symbiotic. One needs to give to the other and vice versa. But in humanity (in its natural sinful state) is about looking out for oneself and what one may get. It is true that the one who shells out the dough or gives gifts has more friends. But that friendship that he establishes is strictly on the surface. There is nothing at the heart that draws others in. Who care about the personality of a man when he can give gifts?

"All the brothers of the poor detest him; how much more do his friends go far from him! He pursues them with words, but they are gone." Proverbs 19:7, Amplified

Remember, this is speaking of humanity at its base self. A life without Jesus or God is as empty as a used candy wrapper. The sweetness is gone, therefore it is good for nothing more than the landfill. If we base our relationships on whatever anyone else can give us, then the poor man is doomed; I am doomed. If this is true, then I should have no friends. But what I do have is Jesus Christ and Him crucified as well as my friends. Though I am poor and do not have much to give others, what we do have in common is salvation.

False Witnesses and Liars (Proverbs 19:5)

There are those out there who seem to have no problem spewing lies on a daily basis. Rest assured, however, that they will have their day.

"A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he who breathes out lies shall not escape." Proverbs 19:5, Amplified

There are two different implications to this verse. One can read this verse and see the obvious one. But the other is read in the subtext.

Taking a look at the more obvious text in the verse, one sees that a false witness and a liar will be punished. There are even laws established in the Old Testament for the Jew to follow when dealing with a false witness and liar. "If a false witness rises against any man to testify against him of wrongdoing, then both men in the controversy shall stand before the Lord, before the priest and the judges who serve in those days, and the judges shall make careful inquiry, and indeed, if the witness is false, who has testified falsely against his brother, then you shall do to him as he thought to do to his brother; so you shall put away evil from among you." (Deuteronomy 19:16-19, NKJV) Now the funny thing about false witnesses is that they have to be called out, or even just found out. But how are we to know who the false witness is if we are not ourselves submersed in the truth?

The second and more elusive subtext is this: the false witness can be the one going to church and living like hell in his heart. In other words, one has the appearance of being holy, but he himself has not submitted to the Lord. I can only speak for myself in this, but there have bee times when I was the epitome of this verse. SureI served in the church, but my heart was given over to the flesh. I had all the appearances of being a man of God, but my heart was black as night. I realize that if I continue to walk in an unrighteous manner, I will be found out and punished. Not necessarily by man, but the Lord already knows my heart. I do not want what I say about the Lord to be a pack of lies because of the state of my heart. Is the truth really the truth if you yourself do not believe it? I Jesus really a Savior if I have not allowed myself to be saved? I am reminded right now about the Hair Club for Men and the infomercials that used to run on late night television. The spokesperson always that he was "also a client". How can I sell the idea that Jesus is the way if my witness is false? How can I relay the benefits of Christ if I am lying?

Thank you Jesus for being my Savior even when I am not deserving.

Spongebob is a Teaching Tool? (Proverbs 19:4)

There are many different verses in the book of Proverbs that happen to deal with money. I think I have made myself perfectly clear on where I stand with money. I like money. I wish I had more of it. However, need can quickly turn to want and that desire for more can corrupt the heart.

"Wealth makes many friends, but the poor is avoided by his neighbor." Proverbs 19:4, Amplified

The concept of wealth making many friends is something that is easily understood by many different types of persons. Even children understand this concept. I remember watching a Spongebob episode where he had sold a large pearl to a jeweler. Eventually, he had so much money he was just giving it away. New faces emerged as dedicated friends. But as soon as the money ran out, the new friends were gone. But Patrick still remained.

Forgive me for using Spongebob as a teaching tool, but I felt the spirit of the episode fit so neatly within the confines of the subject of the verse. Even watching shows on E! about people who have won the lottery and the new friends they received from the new found fortune.

There is a friendship however, that goes deeper than wealth and actually finds the wealth of the soul. Jesus knows the real person of who I am. No amount of money will change that. My wife would not love me more if I had more money, nor would my children. There are friends who would not be affected by money. But I know right now I have great friends for I have nothing to give but myself.

Two Paths to Travel (Proverbs 19:3)

It is so easy to get ourselves twisted up in the things pertaining to sin. However, the Lord's path will always be straight.

"The foolishness of man subverts his way [ruins his affairs]; then his heart is resentful and frets against the Lord." Proverbs 19:3, Amplified

When we allow foolishness to overtake our lives, our path is twisted and goes in a different direction than what we were before. In the New King James, instead of the path of the man being subverted, it speaks of a twisting of his path. Whenever I think of twisting, the game Twister always comes to mind. Spin the dial to a body part and a color, and begin contorting your body. It starts out fun (and even ends fun because it is after all a game) but the game gets harder and harder as you have to stretch in ways that you haven't done in a while or were not even meant to. It is a bit like sin. It starts out fun, but then we are having to stretch ourselves in ways that we were not meant to.

As we are stretched (because there is a difference when the Lord stretches us and when we subject ourselves to the immoral stretching of sin) our hearts begin to fret and get anxious. Who would be the most obvious target of that anxiousness than the Lord. It is called displacement; it is a psychological term that means angst and anger is removed from the intended target and placed on an innocent party. Take for instance the man who has an altercation at work. For the rest of the day he feels so angry, but he does not lash out at the one he is mad at. Rather he waits until he gets home to take it out on his wife.

In truth, our anxiousness should be turned inward for we are the cause of our own misery. "Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am tempted by God'; for God Himself cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed." (James 1:13-14, KJV) That desire is already within the soil of our hearts as a seed. That twisting path is already ahead of us. We have to make the conscious effort to choose the higher road, the straighter path. It is within our ability to "just say no". We cannot blame God for the path we took the first step on.

Presumptuous Desire and Hastiness (Proverbs 19:2)

Solomon now covers two different things about knowledge and hastiness.

"Desire without knowledge is not good, and to be over-hasty is to sin and miss the mark." Proverbs 19:2, Amplified

Both are actually a little similar to each other. Let me explain. Both have to do with greed.

To desire something and not understand and know about it is just silly. Every child sits in front of the television and tells mom and dad that they want every toy in every commercial. They have no idea about the cost of the toy, or even if they will really like it, but they know that they want it. We can also do this this as adults, only we have the power and the money to act on such impulses. These impulses can lead to horrible investment decisions. So it would be better to lift everything up in prayer and take in as much knowledge about what it is that you desire. It could be the gas mileage on that car you want, or the foundation of the house that you want.

Hastiness is a sister of greed. It makes us hurry to get to a certain point because we are afraid that someone else might get there first. Hastiness turns everything into a race.

We can liken these two parts of the verse to each other in that if we are hasty we are not bathing anything in prayer and were are in danger of missing the mark. An archer does not hasten to release his arrow. Rather he sits patiently waiting for his aim to be precise because he does not want to miss the mark.

In our lives, presumptuous desire and hastiness might just be our down fall.

Integrity (Proverbs 19:1)

Integrity is a quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. It was the very backbone of our nation. Notice I refer to it in the past tense.

"Better is the poor who walks in his integrity, than the rich who is perverse in his speech and is a [self-confident] fool." Proverbs 19:1, Amplified

There is only one thing that a man can possess within himself that no one else can take. That is integrity. No one has the power to remove it from the grasp of anyone else. Integrity, however, can be given up.

What the Bible is stating here is that it is much better to be a man, or woman, of integrity than it is to be rich. Can a man of integrity have riches? Sure. Job was such a man. He was extremely rich and blessed on this earth until the Lord allowed for Satan to remove his possessions, then his family, then Job himself. Though Job came dangerously close to blasphemy, he kept his integrity and remained faithful to the Lord.

Nicodemus, being a Pharisee, was a man of means. He was also a man of integrity. At first he came under the cover of night to discuss the spiritual things with Jesus. Later he chose to stand against his peers. "Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them0 said to them, 'Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?'" (John 7:50-51, NKJV) Later he also took part in the burying of Jesus.

You see, nothing external can define who I am. But integrity exposes who I am. When faced with the opportunity to sin, my integrity (or lack of it) exposes who I am. Do you have integrity?

Friends (Proverbs 18:24)

I think friendship is one of the greatest societal inventions. Without friendship, we would all be lonely.

"The man of many friends [a friend to all the world] will prove himself a bad friend, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24, Amplified

The Lord allows us to take things that we understand and translate them over into a relationship with Him. Take for instance friendship. Though it is a societal invention, we can consider our Savior as a friend. If it were not so, the Bible would not say.

The Amplified Version differs slightly from the New King James. If you are following along in the latter, then you would have read, "A man who has friends must himself be friendly." There is really no difference between the two translations. What the New King James is trying to say, the Amplified Version proves. Our earthly friends will always prove themselves bad friends. What I mean to say is that as human beings, we constantly fall. We are prone to sin and let down. If we are like this with our Father, how much more would we be like this with our friends. To let down our friends is inevitable, if it has not happened yet, it will happen eventually. But Jesus is that Friend who will never let us down. He is incapable of letting us down. He will not lie to us or take advantage of us. He will be there when He says He will.

I feel that the main heart of this verse is to state that if we are to place our faith into anything, let it be Jesus and not our earthly friends.

Something and Nothing (Proverbs 18:23)

It is interesting to see the different social dynamics of a society. Given the same set of circumstances, the rich and the poor approach the matter differently.

"The poor uses entreaties, but the rich answers roughly." Proverbs 18:23, Amplified

There isn't much to be said about this verse. But as I stated earlier, the rich and the poor act differently given the same set of circumstances.

An entreaty is an "earnest and humble request". The poor has no power, it seems, to act on his own therefore he uses entreaties to come to his end. In other words he begs. The rich do not have it in them to beg. At their disposal is wealth and resource.

Notice, however, that the Bible condemns neither of the two. Jesus ministered to everyone, the rich and the poor alike. Though the two are on polar opposites of the spectrum, those boundaries never kept Him from ministering. It was those boundaries that kept men and women from receiving. The Bible never condemns either because people are people, no matter the social order. All of us use what is at our disposal.

I am a poor man. There have been times when I have used entreaties to exact money to help with different things. Am I condemned? No. Do I have a lack of faith? No. I feel a lack of faith is sitting and doing nothing, while waiting for something to happen.

Realize one thing, something is never derived out of nothing and nothing doesn't come from something.

Rhiannon (Proverbs 18:22)

This next verse has to be one of my most favorite out of all of the Proverbs. I hung my heart on this verse for so long because I wanted to be married.

"He who finds a [true] wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord." Proverbs 18:22, Amplified

There is a fact about me that some of you may not know. In fact I will bear myself to you and expose two things that may not be known.

First, I remained a virgin until the age of 21. My heart was so intent on being able to give that to my wife. Many of my friends did not understand why I wouldn't have sex and I suffered much ridicule. Unfortunately I gave up my virginity to a girl who was not my wife. You see, I was so focused on the fact of loving and being loved, that the Lord became a close second in my life. No longer did my quest include the Lord, rather I had given it over to my libido. I was so sure that Roberta was going to be my wife, that I gave my heart and soul over to her. In that there was a pregnancy scare. What I did not know, is that she was already pregnant and was trying to find a suitable husband and father. Thanks to science and the County of Riverside, I found that the baby was not mine. If I had remained on my quest of virginity, all this would have never transpired.

Second, I was so in love with being in love, that I was engaged several times. Rhiannon (my wife now) was not my first attempt at happiness. I had asked five girls to marry me. The problem with this whole scenario is that someone ends up getting hurt. It has been so long, I cannot remember everyone I had asked to marry me. What I do remember, because of my impatience I hurt people and I was hurt.

Rhiannon and I were together for a long time. We even broke up for a while. But our relationship stood the test and trials of life. We knew each other as friends before we knew each other as lovers. When I found Rhiannon, I found a good thing and I obtained much favor from the Lord. My advice to anyone who is itching to get married is to be patient and wait.

"Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." (Genesis 2:24, NKJV)

A Harvest of Words (Proverbs 18:21)

The produce of the mouth can either lead to life or death. What kind of produce are others harvesting from you lips?

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]. Proverbs 18:21, Amplified

I asked the question at the top of the page of what others would be harvesting from our lips. However, this verse is about what we ourselves are harvesting from our own lips. This verse os totally me centered.

As I speak, I have the power within myself to either allow my heart to continue to rot from sin, or to exhort my soul. Jesus Himself said, "But I say to you for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgement. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." (Matthew 12:36-27, NKJV)

There is not much more to say on this verse. So then the question arises, are you harvesting life or death within yourself?

Satisfaction (Proverbs 18:20)

It is interesting that the Bible not only identifies physical sustenance, but it also identifies spiritual sustenance.

"A man's moral self shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth, and with the consequence of his words he must be satisfied [whether good or evil]." Proverbs 18:20, Amplified

The New King James version differs greatly from the Amplified translation. In the New King James we find that a man's stomach will be satisfied, but in this version it speaks of the moral self. Now the moral self seems to be the most logical way to go since it is more parallel to the spiritual aspects of our lives.

We are not only fed and nourished by what we take into ourselves either physically or spiritually, but we are nourished by what comes out of us. Think of it like a business. When a business is first established, it is at its weakest point of existence. But as it continues to produce product, the company expands and becomes stronger in its existence. It is the process of supply and demand at work. Believe it or not, there is a spiritual supply and demand as well. The human spirit needs to be filled with something and as we produce fruit, not only do we benefit others, but we in turn nourish ourselves.

We are told, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9, NKJV) Jesus, Himself said, "What comes out of a man, the defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All evil things come from within and defile a man." (Mark 7:20-23, NKJV) Now it seems a little counter productive to look at the verse of today and to look at these two other verses. But there is a point to these two verses.

It is within the nature of man to be evil and do evil. We naturally produce bad, but as we exercise our freedom in the Lord, we begin to produce fruit. It is process that we grow in and become stronger at. Think of it like exercising. My body is in the shape of a sphere; I am lumpy and frumpy. But I know if I took the time to exercise, my body would come back into shape and I would have more energy, all around it would be more beneficial for me.

It is our job to produce the fruit of the spirit which is "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23) So how does one produce such fruit? The answer is found in the next chapter of Galatians. "For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life." (Galatians 6:8, NKJV) If we are to nourish our sprits, we must then operate in the realm of the Spirit. Let the consequence of your words be everlasting life.

Offenses (Proverbs 18:19)

I will be the first to admit that I can easily be offended, and there are times when it is harder to win my love back than others.

"A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city, and their contentions separate them like the bars of a castle." Proverbs 18:19, Amplified

There is something about offending family; it is like a line has been crossed that should have never been ventured toward. This verse, however, can be more applicable to our Christian family than even our biological family.

With a brotherhood comes a certain respect and trust. When those are violated, respect and trust must be reestablished. I have offended my Christian brothers with certain things I have said or done. It hurts, because the relationship that we once had has been altered for the worse all because of me.

Think of a person who just bought a brand new house. The neighborhood is nice and clean. But over the years, the quality of the neighborhood goes down. Soon the house is being broken into. Wouldn't it be stupid of the person who owns the house not to put some sort of security into the house like an alarm or security door or even bars? Of course it would be stupid. He now knows the dangers and he must protect himself. The same can be said of human nature. If we become offended, that offense often involves hurt as well. Walls and fences are erected as friendships and bonds are tested. If you decide that you need to make a decision that may jeopardize your brotherhood, be ready for a fight to win your brother back.

Casting Lots (Proverbs 18:18)

Casting lots is a practice no longer performed, but it did settle disputes in Jesus' time and before.

"To cast lots puts an end to disputes, and decides between powerful contenders." Proverbs 18:18, Amplified

It was common practice to cast lots to understand who was at fault or to whom something belonged. The book that I always think about when talking about lots is the book of Jonah. In stead of the men blaming each other, they cast lots to decide who was at fault for the angering of the gods. You see, Jonah was given a specific message to give to a specific people and he decided to go in the opposite direction. He had hired a crew to take him far away, to the edge of the known earth. Because of his transgression, he placed the crew of the ship in great danger. This storm was so intense, it frightened these experienced sailors. In order to find who was at fault, because of course Jonah did not offer up any confession, the said, "Come, let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this trouble has come upon us." (Jonah 1:7, New King James) When the lot fell to Jonah, he finally opened up about what was going on.

Lots were even cast for the clothing of Jesus and for the land the children of Israel would possess as they went into the promised land. The Urim and the Thumim may have even been a type of lot system put in place for the High Priest. In other words, lots were a way to settle disputes. It was believe that their outcome was divinely inspired, whether it be from the gods or the One God.

Two Sides for Every Story (Proverbs 18:17)

It always seems that the first side of the story told seems to be the right one, but what of the other side?

"He who states his case first seems right, until his rival comes and cross-examines him." Proverbs 18:17, Amplified

There are always two sides to every story. Though the first side told may seem to be right, we always need to hear the other side as well. This comes down to a verse we covered not too long ago about answering a matter before we had heard everything was folly.

I do not like the rendering of this verse in the Amplified Version. Cross examination is a very biased procedure in which one individual is trying to sway an outcome in his favor. In the New King James, the verse simply states that the first side of a story seems right until the other side is heard. I think that this is a much better rendering in that you and I are both most likely to experience this on a daily basis for we are not in court rooms everyday.

Gifts (Proverbs 18:16)

In life, we are all given gifts. How are you going to use yours?

"A man's gift makes room for him and brings him before great men." Proverbs 18:16, Amplified

When I read this verse, I am first overcome with the idea of spiritual gifts. However, this could cover either the physical or the spiritual, but leaning more toward the spiritual.

As for the physical aspects of this verse, I would have to say that I feel everyone loves to receive gifts. I do not know that I brought a gift to Barak Obama ( I know this is a really poor choice of person) that it would necessarily bring me before his presence. I suppose the magnitude of the gift would play a tremendous part. Jacob understood this concept. After years of fleeing from his brother Esau because of the deception and the stealing of the first born blessing, he was about to meet Esau. He had decided to placate him with many gifts before they actually met again.

Concerning the spiritual side of things, I have read and heard many different stories about the gifts of God bringing Christians before great men. Even before there was Christianity, the Lord was bringing His children before great men. All you have to do is flip through your Old Testament. Remember the story of Daniel and the lion's den. The knowledge that the Lord had bestowed upon him was the gift (as well as prophecy) that he brought before the king since he was an advisor. Even long before that I am reminded of Joseph. He was given the gift of dream interpretation. Though his gift landed him in severe trouble, he was still faithful to the Lord and kept using his gift. It landed him before the Pharoh, saved a nation and made him the second in command of a nation.

Whatever gift you possess, be faithful in it. Use it the way the Lord intended. There may come a day when it lands you before great men.