Coffee With The Lord

After yesterday’s post and my reading further in Proverbs 8 (verses 12-21) I sat down and prayerfully crafted the following 7 principles. No claim is made for their perfection – they do flow however out of my commitment to Christ, to Scripture, to the leadership of the Holy Spirit and love for the Church and fellow Christians. Hope they are a blessing!!

HAVING AND EXHIBITING GODLY “WISDOM”…

1. Trusting what the Bible teaches (both O.T. and N.T. rightly interpreted regarding life-issues)
2. The transformative work of the Gospel within both mind and heart (cp. 1 Corinthians 1:18-31; Colossians 2:2-3)
3. The example and teaching of Christ regarding life issues
4. Godly counsel (from those whose lives exhibit a righteous lifestyle and their ability to make wise decisions)
5. The inner prompting, guidance and witness of the Holy Spirit
6. A personal life-commitment and determination to do what is pleasing to God
7. The collaborative example of the Church regarding wise choices in keeping with these principles.

Godly “Wisdom” embraces what accords with these principles and repudiates and rejects what is contradictory to them.

In our age, time and culture this “cry” from Godly “Wisdom” needs to be heard and heeded! Nothing is more important!

“Does not wisdom cry out, and understanding lift up her voice? She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, beside the way, where the paths meet. She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entrance of the doors: ‘To you I call… Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, and from the opening of my lips will come right things; for my mouth will speak truth! … Receive my instruction, and not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold! For wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her!’” (From Proverbs 8:1–11 NKJV)

I had a “mean” cross-country coach in high school! I mean he could really deliver a motivational speech before a meet! He’d tell us how hard it was going to be – how we’d face runners from the other team and their “evil devices” to box us out, keep us back, and what we’d have to do individually and as a team if we expected to win!  Then he’d tell us what confidence he had in us and how he expected us to do our best to win!! He was tough, challenging, realistic, yet uplifting, motivating and expressed confidence in us.

Reading the passage I encountered today during my time of “coffee with the Lord” I am convinced that Apostle Paul was a lot like my cross-country coach when it comes to how I need to serve the Lord!

In 2 Timothy 2:1-7 “Coach Paul” presents 3 analogies that characterize a “servant of the Lord” who is effective in Christian service.  Here are the analogies (almost a sermon starter, but I want them to be more than that – I want them to guide and motivate my life personally!) Here they are – as I heard them this morning… I’ve got to be…

1.  Like a devoted soldier – willing to suffer and do whatever is necessary to fulfill the mission!

2.  Like a disciplined athlete – who trains hard to win, completes according to the rules and lay it all on the line to “overcome!”

3.  Be like a diligent farmer – who works long and hard to maximize the harvest!

And here it is right out of the mount of “Apostle [coach] Paul…

“You then, my son [Timothy], be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men [or women] who will be able to teach others also.  Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.  No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.  An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.  The hard-working farmer ought to have the first share of the crops.  Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.”  (2 Timothy 2:1-7 ESV)