This is part thirty in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of this study is to learn wisdom and discernment from God's Word. Yesterday I learned that I need to keep my mouth and emotions under control lest I be proven foolish by my words or actions. I also saw the importance of maintaining moral purity when in a position of leadership, where political, church or family leadership.

Chapter 30 is one of just two chapters in this book that records the wisdom of someone other than Solomon. The proverbs in this chapter were written by Agur, a man we know nothing about, except that he was probably a foreigner (and the son of Jakeh, as mentioned in the first verse). He begins this passage in a strange way: "Surely I am more stupid than any man, and do not have the understanding of a man. I neither learned wisdom nor have knowledge of the Holy One." He begins with a statement that seems to deny his own wisdom. Looking deeper, though, we see that he acknowledges the wisdom of God and these words are merely a comparison of his wisdom with God's. He is aware that his wisdom is bound and can never be as complete and wondrous as God's wisdom.

He continues to express God's wisdom verse four. "Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son’s name, if you know?" His purpose is this verse is to show that we cannot attain knowledge of God merely by observing the world around us. God is so much bigger than His creation, for He controls the winds and the waters. He exists in both the heavens and on the earth, for He is present everywhere.

Verses 5 and 6 express the beauty and power of God's Word. "Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar." In words that recall (and actually quote) the Psalms of David, the author provides the answer to the questions he asked in the previous verse. We cannot depend on creation to tell us about God, but must rely on His revelation through Scripture. God's Word is pure, uncorrupted where creation has suffered so greatly through the fall. He also warns against judging Scripture by our flawed, human standards, saying that if we do so God will rebuke us for our pride.

If there is any single thing I have been learning through the past weeks and months, it is the power of God's Word. As I come to a deeper understanding of this, my love and respect for the Scriptures increases as well. I am coming to a deeper appreciation of the priceless treasure God has given us in the Bible.

There are four things which are little on the earth,
But they are exceedingly wise:
The ants are a people not strong,
Yet they prepare their food in the summer;
The rock badgers are a feeble folk,
Yet they make their homes in the crags;
The locusts have no king,
Yet they all advance in ranks;
The spider skillfully grasps with its hands,
And it is in kings’ palaces.

This passage speaks on two levels. On one hand it shows that God has created the world with a certain order. Ants, though tiny animals, fulfill God's purposes for them by working hard and with order. Locusts also live in an orderly manner, despite the fact that they have no king.

At a deeper level, though, we can see that the author speaks about a weakness inherent in each of these animals. Ants, badgers, locusts and spiders are all small, weak animals, yet they are able to fulfill the function God has created them for. They are able to overcome their weaknesses and glorify God. The gifts each of them has is a gift from a wise God.

The application of this passage is clear. Each of us has both gifts and weaknesses. God gives each of us gifts in order to honor Him with them. As one seeking to honor God with my life, I need to trust that the strengths He gives me will be able to overcome whatever weaknesses I may have or perceive in myself.

The objective for this study is to learn godly wisdom and discernment. Based on the thirty chapter of Proverbs, here is what I have learned:

• My wisdom can never compare with the perfect wisdom of God.
• Though God provides information about Himself in creation, He can only really be known through special revelation in His Word.
• God is able to use His strength to overcome any of my weaknesses.

This is part twenty nine in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of this study is to learn wisdom and discernment from God's Word. Yesterday I learned that confession is a critical aspect of having a deep, intimate relationship with God. Failing to confess sin to Him will build barriers in our fellowship. I also saw the value of trusting God to guide me through life rather than depending on myself.

Chapter twenty nine is the final chapter containing Solomon's proverbs, for chapter thirty was written by Agur and the final chapter by Lemuel. Today's passage repeats many of the themes we have seen in previous days, so I will try to focus on a couple of other key messages.

Verse nine reads "If a wise man contends with a foolish man, whether the fool rages or laughs, there is no peace." It is generally not wise to have a dispute with a foolish man, for he is incapable of allowing himself to be chastened. He will react either with rage or with scorn, but never with humility. As one seeking wisdom, I need to choose carefully when I will take a stand. If I perceive foolishness in someone who has wronged me or in someone exhibiting foolish behavior, it may be better simply to let the matter pass than to make that person my enemy.

The eleventh verse tells us "A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back." The principle exhibited here is that those who are wise will know the value of maintaining control of their emotions. To speak whatever comes to my mind at an emotional moment violates much of the wisdom I have learned through the first twenty eight days of this study. For example, I have learned time and again that often the best display of wisdom is silence, for in some situations anything I say or do will be foolish. I have learned the importance of keeping my emotions in check, whether it be refraining from fighting with fools or from saying something jovial at a moment of sadness.

Similar wisdom is found in verse twenty. "Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him." In this case we see that not only do I need to keep my emotions in check, but my words as well. If I speak hastily without first applying wisdom to my words, I have less hope in life than a fool. I need to control both my emotions and words.

Verse 24 speaks of the predicament I may find myself in if I am an accomplice in a crime. "Whoever is a partner with a thief hates his own life; He swears to tell the truth, but reveals nothing." If I help someone commit an evil deed and am found out, I will be forced to testify, but anything I say against him will serve to implicate myself as well. The lesson is clear: avoid putting myself in such situations. I need to live a life of moral purity, adhering to God's laws.

I will close today with the twelfth verse. It says "If a ruler pays attention to lies, all his servants become wicked." Societal corruption tends to begin at the top. When the rulers forsake wisdom it seems that it will not be long before their evil begins to pervade society. Certainly there are many examples of this in the Old Testament, for often a king would turn his back on God and begin to honor false gods. Very soon the whole nation would have turned their backs on God. As a modern-day application I thought of Bill Clinton and the way his evil, adulterous deeds came to light. Suddenly the whole nation was using words and phrases that before had been considered taboo. Society immediately began to change its view on what acts and deeds actually constitute sexual relations. Truly corruption at the highest levels affects everyone.

To take this proverb further, we can apply the lessons to any authority structure. Just as God has determined that society demands rulers, so He has placed authority structures into the family and the church. If there is corruption in the leadership of the family or the church, we can expect similar corruption throughout. As a father I need to maintain moral purity so that I may pass purity to my children rather than evil. If my children exhibit folly I need to examine myself to see if I have been corrupted and allowed my corruption to affect them. In a church setting, a pastor must maintain doctrinal purity, for if he turns to false teachings, his church will surely follow.

The objective for this study is to learn godly wisdom and discernment. Based on the twenty eighth chapter of Proverbs, here is what I have learned:

• I need to keep both my words and emotions under control, for losing control is a mark of foolishness.
• It is often better to let a matter pass than to contend with a fool.
• Any time I am in a position of leadership I have greater responsibility to maintain moral purity.

This is part twenty eight in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of this study is to learn wisdom and discernment from God's Word. Because today is Sunday this will be an abbreviated look at the chapter. Yesterday I learned that since God is in full control of the future I need to ensure I am not presumptuous about what is to come. I also read powerful words that described the heart as being like a mirror that reflects who I really am.

"Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but such as keep the law contend with them." Several days ago a similar proverb made me think about the people of Hollywood and this verse did the same. When I read it I thought of the celebrities in Hollywood who love to use their fame to spread folly. They continually spread godless philosophies and incredibly our society looks up to these people as role models, praising them for their wickedness. Christians meanwhile find themselves contending with these beliefs, trying desperately to hang on to some sort of orthodoxy. Those who espouse the world's wicked "wisdom" will always contend with believers who hold dearly to God's true wisdom.

Verse 13 contains wisdom that is absolutely crucial to the Christian life. "He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy." To live a life that pleases God, I must draw intimately near to Him. To do this, I first need to confess the sin that has dug an insurmountable pit between a holy God and a sinning man. Until I confess my sin I can have no part of a relationship with God, but after confession I can look forward to knowing Him deeply and intimately. Even after I have become a believer, unconfessed sin will devastate my relationship with Him. Solomon must have been well aware of this for his father learned this lesson many times. I am sure Solomon spent many hours on his father's knee learning this very lesson. Consider Psalm 32:3-5 which reads:

When I kept silent, my bones grew old
Through my groaning all the day long.
For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was turned into the drought of summer.
I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I have not hidden.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,”
And You forgave the iniquity of my sin

Sin is not a minor problem and is not something to be downplayed, for it is the one thing that can and will destroy my fellowship with God.

The application from this verse is clear. I need to continually examine my life to see where sin has taken hold. I need to pray that God will reveal the sin in me that may be hidden to my clouded eyes. I also need to surround myself with wise and trusted friends who will love me enough to rebuke me for the sin they may see in me.

I will end today with the twenty sixth verse which reads "He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered." To trust in my own heart is foolish, for I know that my heart is wicked and untrustworthy. The path to wisdom is in trusting in God and walking in the paths of His perfect wisdom. All the way back in the third chapter of this book we read "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths." In all I do I need to seek and trust His will, for He alone can guide me in wisdom's ways.

The objective for this study is to learn godly wisdom and discernment. Based on the twenty eighth chapter of Proverbs, here is what I have learned.

• Confession leads to a deep, intimate relationship with God. Failing to confess will destroy my fellowship with Him.
• I need to trust in God as my guide rather than depending on my own abilities.

This is part twenty seven in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of this study is to learn wisdom and discernment from God's Word. Yesterday I learned that no proverb will apply to each and every situation, so I need to be careful in their application. I also saw that I need to be wary around foolish men for they are, because of their foolishness, untrustworthy. Finally I saw examples of how folly breeds delusion so that foolish men are unable to see or understand their own folly.

Chapter 27 begins with these words: "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth." There is evidently wisdom in knowing that as humans, it is folly to believe that we have any control over what tomorrow will bring. I grew up as part of a Christian culture that believed one should never make presumptions about the future. As a matter of fact, it was so ingrained in people's consciousness, that anytime they spoke about the future they would say "Lord willing." At the end of a church service, for example, the pastor would say "we will meet again, Lord willing, next Sunday." I found that it became almost a superstition, so it seemed that if they spoke of the future with any sort of confidence, they felt they were making presumptions about God's sovereignty. I do not believe we need to go to such lengths to heed the wisdom of this verse. However, it is wise to remember that God is in full control and His ways are not always our ways. We are wise to know that His plans may at any time trump our plans.

Verses 5 and 6 are similar to each other. "Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful." The first verse shows us that it is better for me to lovingly, respectfully rebuke a friend than to withhold necessary correction, thinking that this is an expression of love. If my friend desires to be wise, I owe it to him to correct him where I see him deviating from God's will. This theme carries to the next verse, for there I see that hurts inflicted by a friend are faithful. If a friend corrects me out of love and in order to help me stay on the path of wisdom, the pain is valuable, for it has helped me stay close to God. An enemy, on the other hand, may say nice things, but what he says will be laced with his folly and will serve only to guide me away from God.

"A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; the simple pass on and are punished." This proverb reminds me of the words "he who does not learn from history is doomed to repeat it." A mark of wisdom is that I will have discernment to show right from wrong. I will learn from what I have done wrong in the past and from what others have done wrong in the past and will be able to see when those events begin to repeat themselves. Wisdom will allow me to see and avoid evil before it overtakes me, rather than being blind to it and having it destroy me.

Any person who seeks to be wise must read the words of verse nineteen with fear. It says "As in water face reflects face, so a man’s heart reveals the man." Just as a clear pool of water provides an accurate representation of my face, so my heart provides an accurate representation of who I am. My heart - my thoughts, feelings, desires - provides an accurate depiction of my character.If that is true, it should make me, as one seeking to be wise, to stop and consider my heart. What do I think about? What do I desire? What images do I continually pour into my mind? Are my thoughts focused on God and on obedience to Him, or are my thoughts filled with sin and rebellion? I need to examine my thoughts, for by these I will be able to learn much about my character. Where I find my thoughts are evil I must repent and seek to fill my heart with goodness, knowing that a godly heart is a reflection of godly character.

The objective for this study is to learn godly wisdom and discernment. Based on the twenty seventh chapter of Proverbs, here is what I have learned:

• God is in full control of the future and I need to ensure I am not presumptuous about what will come.
• Rebuke, when done lovingly and for proper motives, is often a better display of love than is silence.
• My heart is like a mirror that shows who I really am; it provides an accurate representation of my character.

This is part twenty six in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of this study is to learn what God has to say in this book about wisdom and discernment. Yesterday I learned the value of being humble. It is far better to begin humble and be exalted than to begin proud and be brought to shame. I also saw that wisdom will teach moderation.

There is so much wisdom in today's chapter that I hardly know where to begin!

Verses 3 through 12 all speak about fools and the consequences their folly will bring to them. I found verses 4 and 5 particularly interesting for they seem to directly contradict each other. "Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you also be like him. Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes." How is it that these two verses can both display wisdom even though they seem to express opposite viewpoints? I believe the answer lies in the fact that no proverb will apply to every situation in life. While proverbs are pearls of wisdom, they are not always absolute statements. So when examining proverbs we must be careful to apply them properly. In this case we see that while we need to avoid falling into the trap of becoming foolish by answering foolishly, and thus becoming like the fool, at the same time we sometimes have to expose the fool's folly so he is seen for what he is.

The next 4 verses speak of the character of foolish men. "He who sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence." Foolish men are untrustworthy. To entrust an important task to a foolish man is not wise, for it will damage me in the end. I am begging for trouble if I do this. "Like the legs of the lame that hang limp is a proverb in the mouth of fools." A foolish man simply cannot grasp wisdom. As the legs of a man who is lame hang limply, so a proverb is useless to a fool. He will not and cannot understand wisdom. "Like one who binds a stone in a sling is he who gives honor to a fool." The absurd notion of tying a stone in a sling, rendering it completely useless, illustrates the folly of giving honor to a fool. It would be ridiculous for me to pay homage to a foolish person. Strangely, as soon as I read this verse I thought of Hollywood and the way celebrities love to laud each other. They love to display their own folly and celebrate the folly of others. "Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of fools." In this verse we see the illustration of a man who is so drunk that he does not even realize that he has pushed a thorn deep into his hand. Similarly, wisdom will have no effect on a man who is drunk with his folly. In early verses we have read that wisdom pierces a wise man to his soul, yet wisdom merits a foolish man nothing.

In verse 11 we read a passage that Peter later repeats in one of his epistles. "As a dog returns to his own vomit, so a fool repeats his folly." These are such powerful (and disgusting) words! All of us sin, so all of us can think of times that we, like a dog returning to its vomit, have returned to our sin. Rather than learning from our past mistakes, we return to them time and again. And isn't that just the cycle of sin…

The thirteenth to sixteenth verses speak of lazy men, repeating several proverbs that have appeared earlier. "As a door turns on its hinges, so does the lazy man on his bed." As I read this verse I could picture an old, rusty hinge lazily turning back and forth, groaning in protest with each movement. That is exactly the picture the author wished to portray to describe lazy men. The next verse is similar. "The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl; It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth." This proverb reminded me of the children's movie Toy Story 2. In that story there is a fat, obnoxious villain who steals a valuable toy. In one scene he falls asleep on his couch while eating a bowl of cheezies (don't you call them cheese doodles in the US of A?). His hand, covered in that vile orange cheese power rests in the bowl as he sleeps. So the lazy man may make the effort to put his hand to the bowl, but will be too lazy to bring it back to his mouth. His laziness is so complete that it will keep him from even taking care of his basic needs.

"The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly." This verse shows the delusions of foolish men. They are so convinced of their wisdom that they will not heed the advice of any number of people who disagree with them. I do not think there is any particular significance in using the number seven in this instance, except to show a significant number. The point is this: folly breeds delusion.

I know a man who is delusional in his folly. He is so sure of his beliefs that he will fight and argue endlessly to defend them. He has an overwhelming self-confidence and at the same time displays a terrible lack of humility. Most rational people have long since stopped even trying to speak with him, for his folly has consumed him. It is a terrible testament to the power of foolishness.

The objective for this study is to learn godly wisdom and discernment. Based on the twenty sixth chapter of Proverbs, here is what I have learned:

• Proverbs do not apply to every situation, so I need to be careful in my application.
• I need to be careful around foolish men, for they are untrustworthy and simply unable to understand wisdom.
• Laziness is a proof of foolishness.
• Folly breeds delusion.

A friend recently asked me for my thoughts on spiritual gifts and particulary, on spiritual gift assessments. I had taken these assessments in the past and, though I found them interesting, found they had little impact on my life. I found that they just discovered the obvious (yes, I like to teach and no, I generally do not visit the elderly and widows). I had to admit, to my shame, that I had never taken time to study spiritual gifts and form a belief on what they are, how they are dispensed, and so on. In my defense, I had never even heard the term “spiritual gifts” until a couple of years ago because the Reformed churches I grew up in placed no emphasis on them.

As I began to research them I found one strange thing: it seems no one can agree about these gifts. It seems everyone has a different list of the gifts and even a different idea of how and when they are dispensed. One thing they all agree on is that these gifts are given by the Holy Spirit to believers after they become Christians. Some argue the gifts are given immediately and others believe they are given at baptism. The Bible lists only a few gifts (see 1 Corinthians 1:4-9 and 12:1-11) and some assessments list far more. The following is a typical list:

Administration: the gift that enables a believer to formulate, direct, and carry out plans necessary to fulfill a purpose. Biblical References: I Corinthians 12:28, Acts 14:23.

Artistry:  the gift that gives the believer the skill of creating artistic expressions that produce a spiritual response of strength and inspiration. Biblical References: Exodus 31:1-11, Psalm 149:3a.

Discernment:  the gift that motivates a believer to seek God’s will and purpose and apply that understanding to individual and congregational situations. Biblical References: John 16:6-15, Romans 9:1, I Corinthians 2:9-16.

Evangelism:  the gift that moves believers to reach nonbelievers in such a way that they are baptized and become active members of the Christian community. Biblical References: Matthew 28:16-20, Ephesians 4:11- 16, Acts 2:36-40.

Exhortation:  the gift that moves the believer to reach out with Christian love and presence to people in personal conflict of facing a spiritual void. Biblical References: John 14:1, II Timothy 1:16-18, III John 5-8.

Faith:  the gift that gives a believer the eyes to see the Spirit at work and the ability to trust the Spirit’s leading without indication of where it all might lead. Biblical References: Genesis 12:1-4a, Mark 5:25-34, I Thessalonians 1:8-10.

Giving: the gift that enables a believer to recognize God’s blessings and to respond to those blessings by generously and sacrificially giving of one’s resources (time, talent, and treasure). Biblical References: II Corinthians 9:6-15, Luke 21:1-4.

Hospitality: the gift that causes a believer to joyfully welcome and receive guests and those in need of food and lodging. Biblical References: Romans 12:13, Romans 16:23a, Luke 10:38.

Intercession:  the gift that enables a believer to pray with the certainty that prayer is heard and when requests are made, answers will come. Biblical References: Matthew 6:6-15, Luke 11:1-10, Ephesians 6:18.

Knowledge: the gift that drives a person to learn, analyze and uncover new insights with regard to the Bible and faith. Biblical References: I Corinthians 12:8; I Corinthians 14:6, Romans 12:2.

Leadership:  the gift that gives a believer the confidence to step forward, give direction and provide motivation to fulfill a dream or complete a task. Biblical References: Romans 12:8, John 21:15-17, II Timothy 4:1-5.

Mercy:  the gift that motivates a believer to feel deeply for those in physical, spiritual, or emotional need and then act to meet that need. Biblical References: Luke 7:12-15, Luke 10:30-37, Matthew 25:34-36. 

Music—Vocal:  the gift that gives a believer the capability and opportunity to present personal witness and inspiration to others through singing. Biblical References: Psalm 96:1-9, Psalm 100:1-2, Psalm 149:1-2.

Music—Instrumental:  the gift that inspires a believer to express personal faith and provide inspiration and comfort through the playing of a musical instrument. Biblical References: Psalm 33:1-5, Psalm 150, I Samuel 16:14-23.

Pastoring (Shepherding):   the gift that gives a believer the confidence, capability and compassion to provide spiritual leadership and direction for individuals or groups of believers. Biblical References: I Timothy 4:12-16, I Timothy 3:1-13, II Timothy 4:1-2.

Service (Helps):  the gift that enables a believer to work gladly behind the scenes in order that God’s work is fulfilled. Biblical References: Luke 23:50-54, Romans 16:1-16, Philippians 2:19-23.

Skilled Craft:   the gift that enables a believer to create, build, maintain or repair items used within the church. Biblical References: Exodus 30:1-6, Exodus 31:3-5, Ezekiel 27:4-11.

Teaching:   the gift that enables a believer to communicate a personal understanding of the Bible and faith in such a way that it becomes clear and understood by others. Biblical References: I Corinthians 12:28, Matthew 5:1-12, Acts 18:24-48.

Wisdom:   the gift that allows the believer to sort through opinions, facts and thoughts in order to determine what solution would be best for the individual believer or the community of believers. Biblical References: I Corinthians 2:6-13, James 3:13-18, II Chronicles 1:7-11.

Writing:   the gift that gives a believer the ability to express truth in a written form; a form that can edify, instruct and strengthen the community of believers. Biblical References: I John 2:1-6, 12-14, I Timothy 3:14-15,
Jude 3.

This list was taken from this assessment. I found it interesting that several of the gifts are only proof-texted by the Old Testament which was written before the Spirit was given to believers.

I took a couple of the surveys that are available online and found them quite similar to ones I have taken in the past. The general format is between 30 to 50 multiple choice questions, most of which can be answered on a scale of 1 to 4 (1 meaning the description does not fit me at all and 4 meaning it is exactly like me). For example, I took this test which tells me my primary spiritual gift is knowledge which it describes as follows:

The gift of knowledge allows people to automatically convert facts, data, and information into useful and important knowledge. People possessing this gift can learn in a variety of ways, retain what they learn, and understand how learning can be applied in meaningful and productive ways. Those gifted with knowledge have a voracious and insatiable desire to learn more, and they seek multiple avenues for deepening their understanding of God's world, God's will, and God's people.

[For an example of this gift in popular media] See the good, the bad, and the ugly side of knowledge in Matt Damon's character in the film Good Will Hunting.

Though I digress, I would like to point out an obvious conflict between gifts of the spirit and a movie like Good Will Hunting which, being full of swearing and sex, is hardly compatible with the Spirit.

A question I had to ask myself is this: Is there any Biblical model for searching for spiritual gifts? James Sundquist researched this and discovered the following:

I can’t find one single Scripture that says finding our gift was EVER a problem for the Church.

I can’t find one single Scripture that instructs us how to find our gift.

I can’t find any historical account that finding our gift was a problem for the Church.

I can’t find any historical account that finding our gift was a problem for Church Fathers.

Anything we do in Christ is not through our strengths, but is perfected in weakness.

I can’t find one single Scripture which uses a subjective balance of weighing our strengths and weaknesses to determine our Gift(s) of the Holy Spirit.

I can’t find one single Scripture that uses personality or personality theory to determine our course in Christ or in the Church.

I can’t find one single Scripture that instructs us to come up with a numerical value or rating system for the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

He also found that the vast majority of spiritual surveys are drawn from the teachings of Carl Jung who was about as anti-Christian as a person can be. This in itself should be cause for concern. Combined with the lack of Biblical model, this should be sufficient to raise a warning flag.

In the end, though, I think my greatest worry is that these tests can be completed successfully by both believers and unbelievers. If a spiritual gift assessment is truly assessing gifts given by the Holy Spirit, someone who is not a Christian should necessarily achieve a score of 0. However, this is simply not the case. There may be questions related to spiritual matters that an unbeliever can not answer, but many of the questions are generic in nature. For example “I enjoy pitching in on service projects in the church” could be as easily answered by an unbeliever as a believer. The same holds true for “People seem to respect me and follow my lead.” We need to ask, then, if these tests are truly measuring spiritual gifts or if they are simply examining personality. Or perhaps we are only given spiritual gifts that compliment our personalities so personality and gifts are one in the same. That would be completely unsatisfying, because I believe God can work through gifts that may contradict our personalities. Think of Moses and how God used him despite his obvious shyness and lack of eloquence. Had God only used Moses’ existing talents and personality He would not have had much to work with!

Am I ready to write-off spiritual gift assessments as a waste of time? No, I think that would be a kneejerk reaction. I see little basis, though, to believe that these truly measure the gifts of the Spirit. I am sure these tests can be valuable in assessing my talents and personality traits and can cause people to look more thoroughly at where they should use their talents to honor God. But unless gifts and personality are one and the same, I do not understand how these tests measure spiritual gifts.

This is part twenty five in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of this study is to learn wisdom and discernment from God's Word. Yesterday I learned that wise people surround themselves with trusted, godly counselors and then heed the counsel of these people during tough times. I also saw that I am to show equal love to both friends and enemies and never rejoice in anyone's trouble.

Chapter twenty five is prefaced with the words "These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied." Hezekiah was a godly king who lived long after Solomon. During his reign there was a return to the Law of Moses and it seems that there was also a return to emphasis on wisdom. The proverbs were copied, either from existing documents or from oral tradition, so they could be widely distributed.

Verses 6 to 7 read "Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, And do not stand in the place of the great; For it is better that he say to you, “Come up here,” Than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, Whom your eyes have seen." The meaning of these verses is clear and speaks of a continual theme in Proverbs. I am to be humble, lest I bring myself to shame. If I artificially assume a position of great honor but am not worthy of that position, I will have to suffer the humiliation of being rebuked and brought down to my rightful place. However, if I act with humility and place myself in a fitting position, I may receive a promotion to a greater place. It is far better to be exalted than demoted.

"Do not go hastily to court; For what will you do in the end, When your neighbor has put you to shame? Debate your case with your neighbor, And do not disclose the secret to another; Lest he who hears it expose your shame, And your reputation be ruined." I am almost ashamed to admit it, but I enjoy those "real-life court shows" such as Judge Judy. I am continually amazed at the cases that get brought before the courts and I'm sure this goes a long way to explaining why the judges are always so grouchy. I cannot imagine going to court over a small, almost insignificant debt that a member of my family owes me, yet people continue to present their cases before these judges who then draw out the shameful stories that led to a the injury or accident for which plaintiff now wants restitution. As this proverb says, their secrets are disclosed to the masses, families are torn apart, and their shame is exposed, all for the sake of a few hundred dollars. How much better it is to settle things quietly with wisdom and humility!

Verse 14 speaks of the importance of following through with promises. "Whoever falsely boasts of giving is like clouds and wind without rain." This verse made me think of a time when my father was without work and a friend stepped forward and offered him a job. When my father showed up at the man's business he explained that he no longer had any work for him. Just as clouds that bring rain to water the ground and bring relief from heat provide promise, yet often blow right on by, so this man's job offer just left my father disappointed and disheartened. Humans love to boast about what they can and might do, but to boast about giving without actually committing to giving is folly.

"Have you found honey? Eat only as much as you need, Lest you be filled with it and vomit. Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house, Lest he become weary of you and hate you." Though different proverbs, these two follow the same theme: know your limits. Know when to stop. Even something as good as honey can be nauseating when eaten in large quantities. Having friendly relationships with neighbours is wonderful, but continually abusing their hospitality will make them turn on me. A wise person will be able to avoid excess.

Some people always know what to do and say in difficult times while others do not seem to have this ability. I believe I fall squarely into the latter category. Verse 20 speaks about this. "Like one who takes away a garment in cold weather, And like vinegar on soda, Is one who sings songs to a heavy heart." Making light of someone else's pain is often an embarrassed reaction people make when they do not know how to react in times of trouble. Yet this passage shows that to do that is like taking away someone's garment when it is cold. It is like mixing soda and vinegar (which does two things - it makes a neat chemical reaction that fizzes up for a few moments, but it also renders the soda and vinegar useless). As one seeking to be wise, I need to be careful in times of sorrow, remembering that it is better to say nothing at all and have people believe I'm a fool than to open my mouth and prove it.

The objective for this study is to learn godly wisdom and discernment. Based on the twenty fifth chapter of Proverbs, here is what I have learned:

• It is better to start humble and be exalted than to start proud and be brought to shame.
• It is better to settle disputes quietly than to take matters to court where they will become public knowledge.
• Moderation is a fruit of wisdom. I need to know when to stop.
• Thoughtlessly expressing joy during times of sorrow is foolish and only serves to hurt the sorrowful.

This is part twenty four in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of this study is to learn wisdom and discernment from God's Word. Yesterday I learned that riches are fleeting, so to work myself to exhaustion in order to acquire them is foolish. I also learned that sin is addictive and though initially it provides joy, it always ends up bringing sorrowful consequences. I should avoid sin, trusting that with God's power I can overcome it.

Verses 5 and 6 raise a theme that we have seen before in Proverbs. "A wise man is strong, Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength; For by wise counsel you will wage your own war, And in a multitude of counselors there is safety." Several times the author has stressed the value of heeding the wise counsel of friends or advisors. As I read this today I was reminded of a story Bill Perkins relates in his book "Six Battles Every Man Must Win." He says that when he speaks at men's conferences he always calls the four biggest men in the audience up to the stage. He'll walk up to these huge men one-by-one and give them a soft shove on the chest. Each one of them will stumble backwards, for it takes only a small push on the chest to knock a man off-balance. But then he will instruct the men to form a circle and link arms. When they do this he can push them as hard as he wants and they will not budge. There is strength in numbers and security in "linking arms." I need to surround myself with trusted, wise people with whom I can link arms, trusting them to support me when I need their counsel.

Verse 7 reads "Wisdom is too lofty for a fool; He does not open his mouth in the gate." A foolish man is out of his league when around wise men. When wise men gather (as they used to gather at the city gate) the foolish man will have nothing to offer, for anything he says will only prove his folly. Evidently the opposite must be a true - a wise man will be trusted for his wise counsel.

"He who plots to do evil will be called a schemer. The devising of foolishness is sin, and the scoffer is an abomination to men." When I read these verses I thought of a friend of mine, who derived great pleasure from "plotting evil." Though he never intended to carry out any of his schemes, he used to enjoy figuring out how he could rob casinos without getting caught or how he could avoid having to pay taxes. One day he realized that all of his plotting was just giving his mind over to evil thoughts and he made a conscious effort to avoid thinking about such things. I did not really think much about it, but after reading these verses I can see that he showed wisdom in doing so. This passage also made me ponder television and movies. If I am not to ponder evil schemes, why should I watch them unfold on the screen?

God tests our faith through times of adversity. After reading the tenth verse, it seems wisdom is also proven during times of trial. "If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small." Though I may display wisdom during times of "smooth-sailing" it is when facing difficulty that I will really see whether I not only have wisdom but can apply it as well.

Verses 11 and 12 say "Deliver those who are drawn toward death, And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, “Surely we did not know this,” Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?" These verses seem to say that God regards helping other people as one of my foremost responsibilities. He places such emphasis on this that even ignorance on my part is not a valid excuse. I may say "surely I did not know this" but God may still hold me responsible. Now evidently God will not punish me for not helping in matters I could not possibly know about, but the point is clear - I need to not just wait for opportunities to serve others, but actively seek them out. This clearly foreshadows Jesus' teaching that I am to love my neighbor as myself.

I will close with verses 17 and 18. They read "Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; Lest the LORD see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him." Though my natural reaction is to rejoice at the afflictions of my enemy, God tells me not to do this. If I truly am to love others as myself then I should never derive pleasure from another man's pain. I can never entirely remove compassion from him. God looks at this with such disfavor that it may cause Him to turn from punishing my enemy and instead chasten me. Truly God's standards are so different from our flawed, human standards! When I read this passage I am reminded of Jesus' words. As His was nailed to the cross He asked for His Father to forgive those who were causing Him such pain. What an example of the way we ought to treat our enemies!

The objective for this study is to learn godly wisdom and discernment. Based on the twenty fourth chapter of Proverbs, here is what I have learned:

• If I am to be wise I need to surround myself with other wise people who can provide me with godly counsel.
• Just as I should not commit evil acts, so I should not waste my time pondering evils acts, even if I have no intention of carrying them out.
• I am to exhibit love and concern for all men and actively seek out those I can help. I am to show concern for my enemy as much as my friend.

This is part twenty three in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of this study is to learn wisdom and discernment from God's Word. Yesterday I learned that God makes no partiality based on wealth - all men are equal in His eyes and will be judged by the same standards, regardless of their riches in this world. I also saw that if I train my children in the way of wisdom, they will learn to love it and not turn from it when they grow older.

"Do not overwork to be rich; Because of your own understanding, cease! Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; They fly away like an eagle toward heaven." This passage shows the folly of working myself to death for the sake of wealth. If I am wise I will realize that riches are only fleeting and seem to have a way of disappearing. To work myself to the point of exhaustion or illness simply to acquire wealth is a ridiculous waste. As I have noted several times in previous chapters, this passage passes no judgment on wealth, except to say that it is not work overworking for.

Many times through this book I have seen that fools are foolish by their own choice. Verse 9 speaks to this saying "Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, For he will despise the wisdom of your words." Foolish men hate wisdom, so when they hear it they will turn against the one who speaks it. It is better to share wisdom with those who are seeking to be wise than those who are content with their folly.

There are several verses in this chapter that speak of a parent's pride in having a child who proceeds down the path of wisdom. Verses 15 to 16 read "My son, if your heart is wise, My heart will rejoice—indeed, I myself; Yes, my inmost being will rejoice When your lips speak right things." As a parent, I know that my heart will rejoice when I see my children choosing wisdom over folly. I know there will be many times in life where they will forsake wisdom and choose evil, but I trust that generally they will proceed in the way of wisdom. When I hear wisdom from their lips I trust that "my inmost being will rejoice." Verses 24 and 25 continue "The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who begets a wise child will delight in him. Let your father and your mother be glad, And let her who bore you rejoice." When my children were born I was as proud as any father could be, rejoicing in the wonderful gift God had seen fit to grant myself and my wife. I trust that as they grow older I will be able to rejoice in their wisdom when they make right choices as much as I did in their birth. I know I will weep with joy when they show their intention to follow the One who gave them life.

What a challenge this is to raise children that love wisdom! If I raise my children poorly and send them down folly's path, I will be laying up sorrows for myself. Rather, I need to teach them wisdom so they can bless, encourage and cheer me throughout their lives.

The overwhelming theme of chapter 23 is drunkenness. The final seven verses contain an extended instruction regarding the love of drink. The author begins by showing some of the effects of alcoholism: "Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes?" Certainly these are the foremost results of living a life of drunkenness. The author answers his own questions by stating that these symptoms afflict "Those who linger long at the wine, Those who go in search of mixed wine." Though alcohol may taste wonderful and provide momentary pleasure, overconsumption causes it to bite like a serpent and sting like a viper. After several verses describing what it is like to be drunk, the passage closes with these words: "When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?" The irony of alcoholism is that despite the terrible consequences - sorrow, woe, contention, complaints, and physical ailments - the drunkard continues to desire drink. The moment he awakes he desires it anew.

That is quite a description of sin in general, for every sin follows a similar pattern. All of us are afflicted by various types of sin and all sin has consequences. The consequences may be greater or smaller than those for alcoholism, but no sin is free from some type of result. At the very least, every sin causes us to scorn our God and pulls us away from Him. Yet we continue to return to our sinful behavior (as the Bible says, like a dog returns to its vomit). May we have the wisdom to desire correction, the discernment to see where sin is in our lives, and the faith to trust that with God's help we can overcome our sin!

The objective for this study is to learn godly wisdom and discernment. Based on the twenty third chapter of Proverbs, here is what I have learned:

• Riches are only fleeting. To work myself to exhaustion simply to gain wealth is a waste of my time and effort.
• I need to raise my children to be wise so I can look forward to rejoicing in their wisdom later in life.
• Sin, despite the terrible consequences, is addictive. Sin becomes something I will love for a while, and then hate; but I will continue to turn back to it. I know that with God's help I can break free from my sin!

This is part twenty two in my 31-day study through the book of Proverbs. The purpose of this study is to learn wisdom and discernment from God's Word. Yesterday I learned that God is in complete control - Every person, whether great or small, believing or unbelieving, must do God's will, whether he realizes he is doing it or not. I also saw that the path to destruction begins with greedily desiring things but not having the motivation to acquire them. I need to set my sites on godly goals and do all I can to reach them.

The chapter opens with the following statement: "A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold." A good reputation in society is a natural consequence of living a life of wisdom. This is far more important than gaining a reputation based on my wealth. While wealth itself is not wrong, I should not be drawn to it above wisdom.

The seventh verse contains a statement with no moral judgment attached, something we have seen several times in Proverbs. It reads "The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender." The author merely states an observation about this world - the rich generally rule over the poor. Wealth most often serves as the basis for power. Verse two, though, provides an important perspective. "The rich and the poor have this in common, The LORD is the maker of them all." Despite the inequality in their social status, God created everyone as equals. They will both stand before Him for judgment for the same reason and will be judged on the same basis. Though wealth may determine one's standing in this world, God will determine standing for eternity.

As verses 2 and 7 follow a theme, so do verses 6 and 15. "Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it." The author has continually emphasized the importance of raising a child in the ways of wisdom. The Hebrew expression translated "in the way he should go" means "setting a child along the path" or words similar to that. The point is that if I set my child walking along the path of wisdom, he will continue in it until he is old enough to understand himself. The fifteenth verse provides insight on how to train a child. "Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him." The rod of correction does not apply only to corporal discipline but indicates a range of disciplinary techniques. Discipline is an important aspect of wisdom, for if I take the time to consistently and lovingly discipline my child, I will be setting his feet on the way to wisdom.

"The lazy man says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!”" This verse provides a humorous statement on lazy people. Willing to do anything to keep himself from having to work, the lazy man will come up with any excuse, however absurd. In this proverb he insists there is a lion in the street and leaving the house would lead to his death.

Since chapter 10 the proverbs have followed a similar structure. Most have been two lines and often the second line contrasts the first, most often using the word "but." Suddenly, halfway through this chapter, this changes. We are introduced to the "sayings of the wise" which will fill the next three chapters. There is evidence to suggest that these instructions are based on Egyptian wisdom literature, particularly the teachings of Amenemope. Though this may seem strange, we know that wisdom flows from God, so He can use this material that already existed to teach us His wisdom. The instructions are most often in the form of several verses which hold to a certain theme.

Verses 17 through 21 provide an introduction to this section. It exhorts me as the reader to listen to the words of the wise and not just that, but to apply this wisdom to my heart as well. Benefits to doing this are many: It is pleasant, it will help me trust in the Lord, I will know what is true and will be able to answer intelligently to other's questions.

"Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul." This passage teaches that I should avoid making friends with people who are foolish, especially those who express their foolishness in constant anger and strife. If I admire him and spend too much time with him, I will begin to learn his ways and thus set a trap for my own soul. I will lead myself to my own destruction by assuming his behavior.

The objective for this study is to learn godly wisdom and discernment. Based on the twenty second chapter of Proverbs, here is what I have learned:

• Though people with wealth tend to be powerful in this world, God judges all men by the same standards. There is no partiality with Him.
• If I train my children in wisdom's ways, loving and consistently disciplining them while teaching them God's wisdom, they will continue to follow Him as they grow older.
• I am to choose friends carefully, paying special attention to avoiding those who are continually angry and filled with strife.