The Word of God is Not Bound. Ever.

Reading in 2 Tim 8,9, this morning. A couple of favorite verses. Paul is in prison. He is suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. However, where he is bound and unable to go anywhere without permission, the gospel is not bound, it is free to go wherever the Spirit of God would have it go. This is a profound truth. One never knows where words spoken will have an effect. One illustration comes to mind in which a preacher goes to visit people in their house. He shares the gospel with them, they do not come to faith. However, their child is listening in the next room. The child is saved. The word of God is not bound!

The Insatiable Nature of Money

Reading in Ecc 5.10, this morning. Solomon says that the pursuit of money for its own sake is endless. You will never be satisfied with what you have. Life proves this statement beyond a shadow of a doubt. How much money do men need to live on? Apparently, there is no answer to that because one watches men make billions of dollars in a year, only to turn around the next year and try to make billions more. It becomes a matter of ego, rather than actually needing money. Beware the pursuit of money—or anything else besides God the Father—for its own sake. This is vanity.

Tested By Praise

In Proverbs 27.21, this morning (I LOVE Proverbs). We are tested [tested as silver and gold is tested in a crucible, i.e. the dross is separated to see if there is any true silver or gold] by how we handle praise.

The Preacher's Commentary (which doesn't get any love from preachers and I'm not exactly sure why) gets it exactly correct: There are not wanting men in modern days who uphold the maxim, Vox populi, vox Dei. Septuagint, “The action of fire is a test for silver and gold, so a man is tested by the mouth of them that praise him.” No surer test of a man’s true character can be found than his behaviour under praise; many men are spoiled by it. If a man comes forth from it without injury, not rendered vain, or blind to his defects, or disdainful of others, his disposition is good, and the commendation lavished upon him may be morally and spiritually beneficial.

Does it Appear that Evil is Successful?

Don't worry. Take the long view. This is the message of Prov 24.19,20. Evil will not triumph. Those who are evil and appear to be "getting away with it," will not get away with it. They are accountable to God. He will hold them accountable.

Do You Rob the Poor?

God will certainly rob you of life. Thus the message of Prov 22.22,23. This is known as "talionic justice" or "poetic justice." Do not think that if you oppress the poor because you can get away with it, that you will get away with it. You will not. God will see that you do not. As Derek Kidner writes in the Tyndale commentary: To be ruthlessly on the make is to make, above all, an Enemy.