proverbs

greatly unrefined thoughts on lunch break (i wish i had time to polish them up, but alas here's my ramblings):

my buddy Andrew and I have been reading through the book of proverbs.... one thing I have noticed is that Proverbs calls people what they are. the loud, defiant woman? she's a fool. the man who takes a nap instead of working? he's a sluggard. This comes as a huge shock at first because our culture refuses to call people what they are, choosing rather to excuse them, victimize them, or classify their folly as an alternative lifestyle.


I believe Proverbs calls people what they are so that we know the way they are living is not an option.


When a young man in highschool meets a scantily-clad girl who is loud, defiant, hates her parents, and makes advances, he should say to himself “Proverbs 7:10 says you are a prostitute, I’m looking for a godly wife who is a gift from the Lord, not a whore who leads me to hell, no thank you.”

When a godly woman hears the loud, undisciplined women on Oprah spewing forth advice without knowledge like water from a toilet, she should say to herself “Proverbs 9:13 says those women are fools, I don’t want to be a fool, I want to be wise.”

Some of you will freak out, “that’s not nice! we can’t call people those terrible things!” The Bible does. So maybe we should too.

“My son, keep my words
and store up my commands within you.
Keep my commands and you will live;
guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
Bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
Say to wisdom, "You are my sister,"
and call understanding your kinsman;
they will keep you from the adulteress.”

There is a huge blaring assumption in every Proverb. These Proverbs were written to keep us from becoming fools, sluggards, whores, and to shape us into wise men, diligent workers, good wives. In order to keep your teens from an adulteress, they need to be able to recognize who is an adulteress. In order to stay away from corrupt fools, we need to be able to spot them and call them out. Proverbs was written to children. They were meant to be taught through experience, as life is lived out. Your hanging out with your kids and they ask "why did this girl text me and ask to send filthy pics to me?" Because she's a whore, not a chaste, virtuous woman. "Why are the guys in my class avoiding their homework?" Because they are sluggards and not diligent workers. "Why are the guys at my job talking crap about management?" Because they are fools, not wise, lovers of discipline.

This does not mean that we do not love them. We still love them, pray for them, and preach the gospel to them with faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ to cut through their hardened hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit and grant them repentance of their folly and trust in Jesus Christ, the only Wise God.

I love the practical wisdom of the Proverbs.

Ultimately, we should love proverbs because Jesus is the primary author. All of Solomon’s wisdom came from Jesus Christ, the only Wise God. He declared to the foolish Pharisees that He is the One greater than Solomon. We seek wisdom because we seek Jesus, we love Jesus, we want to be like Jesus. In Christ Jesus are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

where.i'm.at/where.i'm.going

First week of January, we were in Clarksburg
Second week, Lost Creek.
Third week, Charleston.
Fourth week, Thomas

February
1st week United Summit
2nd week, Clarksburg
3rd week, Blacksburg, VA
4th week - March 15
Corporate Tax Returns

March 15 - April 15
Individual Returns

April 15?

Rejoining humanity.

If the transformation is not complete...

i love you Jesus

"wake me when it's springtime in heaven
the tears are all wiped from my face
wake me when it's spring time in heaven
and i'm strong enough to walk in that place"

gutsy prayer...

"God, I pray Thee, light these idle sticks of my life and may I burn for Thee. Consume my life, my God, for it is Thine. I seek not a long life, but a full one, like you, LORD Jesus."
--Jim Elliot

God honors gutsy prayer.

would that You consume my heart, my thoughts, my all with a holy ambition unhindered by the fear of men, of world, or of death to the praise of Your glory and grace

goodbye

after a krazy awesome holiday (yes, crazy with a "k," no less!), i am entering the loverly, highly acclaimed hibernation of tax-season. you will no longer see me in bodily form, but a blog or two may escape from my laptop in rare moments.

aaanyway, this was the greastest Christmas of all time, with an insane Christmas party @ the karge's, a Christmas eve service @ Crossroads, all of Christmas off to spend with my lovely wife, alot of intense reading (John Owen, John Piper, C. J. Mahaney), and so many hours of skating w/ Andrew that I can't move w/o reminder of my age (or lack of skill, one of the two).

i'll miss you all; read deep books that make your face hurt, don't forget to brush your teeth, and have an awesome 1st quarter of 2009!

grace and peace,

cp

the poetry of Christmas...

Isn’t it compelling? The logic and love of a personal God revealing himself, accounting for our personality, our propensity to love. And oh, the mercy of God, born in shit and straw, to rescue us from ourselves, our godless gift-giving, and our arrogant disregard for God and for others so that we might know and enjoy him and his new creation forever. And that he, the infinite God, would do it in Christ, in time, in space, in confounding condescension to pivot the course of the entire creation project from despair, destruction, and dereliction to a hopeful, whole, and happy future.

Will you ponder the poetry of Christmas this year, the genius of the incarnation?

--gratefully and shamelessly stolen from the Resurgence

this message just might ruin your life

Does anyone else want to live like this?

http://www.cornerstonesimi.com/sermons/audio/2008-11-23_francis_chan_living_a_life_that_matters_pt5.mp3 (Audio)

http://www.cornerstonesimi.com/sermons/video/2008-11-23_francis_chan_living_a_life_that_matters_pt5.mov (Video)

I really want to want to.