Application

Love you all, praying for you.
 
I just love God’s Word.  It gives principles.  It gives practical application.  It gives multiple layers of truth – and it’s transportable.  Sometimes there’s more than meets the eye.  Sometimes you wonder why God would have you read this today in your PRISM time.  Some things are not just about this thing, you can take it with you to use in other places.  In fact those who understand that truth applies everywhere, are the most effective, because they let God’s Word affect everything.  Proverbs 20:1 – Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.  Wow, so much in so few words.  This isn’t about wine and beer.  This is about being led astray, mocking and brawling.  You might not have a problem with drinking.  But this truth is transportable.  Whoever is led astray.  Astray is to wander, to get a little off track, lose focus, and before you know it, you are getting further and further from the path that God has for you.  Don’t miss the obvious, but don’t miss the unseen either.  If you are led astray, someone or something is leading you that is not Christ, so it’s not love, and not truth.  What could you be led astray to?  Mocking and brawling.  Mocking is a sinful fleshly act based on misbelief.  Deception.  There are those who mock others – when they themselves are blinded to truth.  Those who have truth rarely mock.  They are kind, considerate, and love – even their enemies.  When you are on the side of truth, you don’t need to mock others.  Be careful you might be mocking truth, that’s mocking God.  He is truth, He hates lies.  Mock – to make mouths at, to scoff, to hold in derision, to have disdain for truth and authority, especially righteousness, justice, and doing what is right before God.  A mocker is one who derides others – who laughs at in contempt, who ridicules, who makes sport.  Mockers are bullies, the ungodly who get a laugh at someone else’s expense, who just hide their hatred behind jokes.  These are ungodly.  The Godly do not act this way.  God says to love your neighbor as yourself, and love your enemies, not bring ridicule upon them.  So what would make you a mocker?  Wine will make you do that.  But it’s not the only thing.  What could make you mock?   Hanging out with mockers,  Listening to mockers – a steady diet of what mockers are spewing, and believing what mockers believe.  What could make you brawl?  to clamor, create a commotion, be in an uproar, to quarrel nosily, indecently, to beat or drive away.  Beer will make you brawl, but it’s not the only thing.  Hanging out with brawlers, listening to what brawlers say and believe, letting yourself get all riled up by mockers and brawlers, allowing yourself to vent.  God said – it is not wise.  Stay away from those inputs, and those people, and go the other way.  Instead Pray.  Ask God for truth, Trust in His plan, and His power to make things right.  Sin will not stand.  It may seem to for a while, but it will not last.  Sinners, bullies, and tyrants may seem to have power forever, but their days are numbered.  God’s Word is perhaps the easiest to breeze through, instead of apply fully.  Just because what is says doesn’t directly apply to you, doesn’t mean the underlying truth, does not apply elsewhere.  Wisdom is the right use of knowledge.  Knowing where it applies and how to implement it. Praying that you will not mock, that you will recognize and limit anything that could lead you astray, that could lead you to mock or to brawl.  It is not wise, and God wants you to be humble, to pray, seek God’s face, turn from any wicked way, so He can hear, forgive and heal.   Praying that you will be in relationship with the humble, and learn their ways, that you will not vent, but speak life, that you will not fight what is not your fight, or not what God wants to fight, or what God is going to take care of all by himself.  Your most effective weapon is Praise and Prayer, and be instant in obedience – that brings joy.  Praying that you will always look past the surface every time you’re in PRISM in God’s Word.  That you would ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the wisdom you need, which is rightly applying truth, in every area it applies. 
 
Love you all,
dad