WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
“GREATER PATHS” Session 4 (Explore the Bible Quarterly)
Proverbs 4:11-27
Hello Everyone: We have finished our series on Finding the Presence and Faithfulness of God in Hard Times and for now we will return to our regular “Sunday School” studies. However, as you well know, we only use our quarterlies as “guidelines” in studying God’s Word. I want to keep our studies relevant and helpful to the situations we are facing together as well as the seasons of life that y’all are facing... With that in mind, we will be studying Proverbs for the month of July and part of August, then we will be doing one or two lessons from the Lifeway study on Song of Songs then returning to our study on “Discipleship” and the Kingdom of Heaven” from the 5 Discourses of Matthew’s Gospel which addresses what “teachings” Jesus means when in the Great Commission He commands the soon to be Apostles to “go” “make disciples” “baptize” and “teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.” We will start up that study again where we left off in February with Matthew 18 and “Building the Kind Kingdom”. In the Fall, we will be studying the book of Isaiah. Hopefully, by then we will be able to meet together in person, but until then- know that I am not giving up on our studies, our praying, our talking on the phone, or on you! We will be together soon and we will walk this road together with the LORD till we get there and beyond!
In the meantime, I have enlisted the help of our COVID-19 Temporary IMB Missionaries in Residence and good friends: Matt and Amanda Waldraff. Many of you know Matt and Amanda, they grew up at Wylie Baptist and were in our Youth Group. Matt taught his very first Sunday School class here at Lyndale while at Wylie High School and you might know Amanda’s Father- Dr. Steve Johnson, who was Abilene’s only Gastro-Interologist for several years. Y’all prayed for Matt and Amanda as they sensed God’s calling to foreign missions, went to Mary-Hardin Baylor, got married, did Nursing School, and Southwestern Seminary. They are now getting ready to go on their first long term assignment to Guatemala beginning in August when the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. Keep praying for them as they prepare to go this summer, and now as they minister alongside, with and to us… Matt has written an excellent 6 week series of brief devotionals to encourage us as we deal with quarantine, isolation and social distancing in our fellowship. I will be placing these devotions with our lesson each week.
When I look at Matt and Amanda I am reminded that GOD IS AT WORK! We might feel that God is not using us, we are stuck maybe even feeling a bit “useless”… Well, don’t be! Look at the picture below, and remember that this young couple got to where God is placing them by your prayers, your encouragement, and kind support. You have been a direct part of their path, and pointing them on “the Way of Jesus” and the plans He has for them! They could not get there without you; your role in their lives has given all of us a living illustration; a testimony of scripture of what it means to love one another, pray for each other, bear each other’s burdens, and encourage and teach & admonish one another!
As a result, God has been praised and the witness of our fellowship together has been broadened and strengthened. And here is the awesome beauty and wonder of it all: It (the glory) continues… God is NOT DONE! Greater things are yet to come: greater works (John 14:12), greater encouragement (Phil 2: 1-13), greater love (Eph 3:14-21), greater witness (Heb 12:1-3) a greater home (John 14:1-6), and a greater glory (2 Cor 3:18)! Are you convinced that you are here for such a time as this? For the greatness of God to shine through you for the benefit of others and the Kingdom even on a path of adversity like the one we are sharing? Are you looking forward with joyous and glad expectation of the harvest about to come with and from the plantings of faithfulness we invest TODAY in GREATER PATHS (Matt 13:3-9)? Let’s talk a bit more about that in our study below…
GREATER PATHS: PROVERBS 4:11-27
The first nine chapters of Proverbs involve the setting of a “Wise Father” (King Solomon) exhorting and encouraging his son to choose the right path of Wisdom, and the supremacy of wisdom and her path over folly and wickedness (see verses 1-10 of chapter 4). These first 10 verses are basically telling the young man to “pay attention!” This is important. Solomon wants the boy to “invest” at all costs in gaining the right and greater path of wisdom and in order for this to happen other deceptive paths that promise quick rewards must be forsaken; for only wisdom can grace a person’s neck with a life that is rich and full of meaning. A word of caution here, Solomon spends a lot of time in the book of Ecclesiastes talking about “meaninglessness” sounding like he is contradicting what he is teaching here: but the thing he wants us to know is that generally living wisely leads to good earthly reward most of the time but not always- there are no guarantees in life. Yet, when we place New Testament teaching on top of this (consider the book of James) we find that spiritually and eternally when we follow the greater and only Way of Jesus there is eternal reward (Psalm 16:11)! So what does this greater path look like compared to the paths of evil and folly?
Verses 11 through 13 tell us that the path of Wisdom first of all is a “guided path”. When I lived in DC I used to love going to the Smithsonian and the National Portrait Gallery and seeing the incredible paintings of famous Americans. However, when I would try to describe the work to others I was stuck saying: “you know, the painting of the old guy without teeth that is partially finished, and then him in a boat with a bunch of dudes crossing some frozen river!” What I really needed was a guided tour to make the exhibit come to life and to enrich the meaning of what I was seeing (George Washington crossing the Delaware)… That is the way Godly wisdom works in our lives- it enhances all we see and adds meaning and richness to our days while the path of evil and folly continues to guide us to destruction through the darkness of our ignorance and sinful desires running unchecked in our lives. The greater path of Wisdom allows us to run in freedom, holding onto instruction as our guide and keeping us safe from the destruction of the wicked.
Verses 14 through 27 examine the path of the wicked and their path is one of great contrast and peril. Where the wise path is illuminated and bright, the path of the wicked is dark. Where the wise gain life, the wicked reap death and destruction! Solomon admonishes his son to heed his words and stay on the right path for that path will enhance life while the other will destroy it. The “heart” in verse 23 is the seat of our decision making- It is where we make choices and determine our will. Solomon want his son to make a good choice, the right choice, and a discerning choice and choose life. After he has chosen the wise path- he is to stay on it not swerving left or right, or be enticed off of it. Stay straight ahead! Onward Christian Soldier!
Many of us will look at this passage and say: “Ya, ya, ya: I’ve done that. I am on the path of Wisdom… I stay away from evil, I’m not a young man or woman anymore- I know what to do and I’ve learned it “the hard way”. But let’s look at this not from the son’s perspective, but from the teacher’s perspective… Scripture shows us that Solomon’s heart was corrupted by his many wives and turning to their idolatry in his later years. The temptation of evil is always with us on this earth (it doesn’t care how old we are); how do we combat it? The Bible tells us not to be captivated by evil but to overcome evil by doing good (Romans 12:1-3, 9-21). When we serve one another, love our enemies, look to the GREATER things the GREATER WAYS of our Faith in Jesus and His power that is at work in us and WHERE He is leading it will keep us off of worthless and destructive paths! Yes, we do these good and greater things because God’s love is in us… They cannot be done otherwise, however AS you do them consider as Solomon admonishes his son OF the greatness and supremacy of the path our life in Christ has placed us on, and you will be blessed by joy, surrounded by His peace, and strengthened by His presence even in the midst of the difficulty of the way! Be blessed today, and know I am praying for you! I can be reached at dray@wyliebaptist.org if you would like to talk! Love in Christ, Darrin.
ISOLATION TO INTIMACY: DRAWING NEAR TO GOD IN QUARANTINE
Written by: Matthew Waldraff
Due to the current Covid-19 crisis we find ourselves in unprecedented times that can make us feel alone in isolation. Luckily for us, the Bible is full of stories of people who turned their isolation into intimacy as they relied on the One True God as their source of hope, rest, and a relationship that no pandemic can sever. James 4:8 states, "Draw near to God and he will draw near to you." Although these times can be challenging and lonely, remind yourself of the "Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God" (2 Corinthians 1:4-5). Throughout this study we will highlight key characters in the Bible who transformed their isolation into intimacy, so that we can learn from their experience and draw near to God during this time of isolation. You are daily in our prayers and we pray that you would be able to use this time of separation to draw closer to God through prayer and the reading of His Word. During this troubling season the hymn, "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" comes to mind. May this be the prayer and cry of our hearts until we one day meet again. "Just a closer walk with Thee. Grant it, Jesus, is my plea. Daily walking close to Thee. Let it be, dear Lord, let it be."
Pray for Matt and Amanda Waldraff as they serve.