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Treasure Digest
Pillars of Wisdom: The Book of ProverbsSolomon was king of Israel for 40 years around 1000 B.C., during which he wrote most of the book of Proverbs. Proverbs are short, concise statements that teach an important aspect of truth. Points to Build On Proverbs should be studied for their practical application in helping us become skillful in life. Some proverbs are simple and direct statements, like Proverbs 20:21: "An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning will not be blessed at the end." Here Solomon conveys that a person will tend to squander something he hasn't earned. Many of the proverbs are written in one of three different forms of couplets. Contrasting statements (look for the word but). Proverbs 10:4: "He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich." Meaning: A person must work hard and plan ahead to make a living. The contrast is a person who doesn't commit to hard work or isn't diligent in planning for the future and so becomes poor. Comparing statement (look for words as/so, better/than). Proverbs 10:26: "As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the lazy man to those who send him." Meaning: A lazy person is an annoyance to his employer. Complementing statement (look for word and). Proverbs 17:17: "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." The book of Proverbs can be divided into five basic segments: 1. Proverbs 1-9: Solomon's instructions for young people. Application There is an old saying that experience is the best teacher. The purpose of the book of Proverbs is the attempt of wise men to pass on their wisdom to others. Wisdom reveals that the difficult and fickle path of experience isn't always the best method of learning. Begin the adventure of studying the book of Proverbs as the foundation of learning wisdom. —Gary Petty [ back to top ] Honoring God With Music Now and at the FeastPsalm 150:6 says, "Let everything that has breath praise the LORD." If you are reading this, you are certainly alive and, therefore, qualified to praise God! How do we praise God? Psalm 47:6 says, "Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises!" Singing praises is to be done our entire lives, as explained in Psalm 104:33. "I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being." Instruments are also used to praise God, as is described in Psalm 150:3-5. Human beings have the ability to recognize God and they should do it, but they don't. Why not? Romans 1:18-26 explains why. In verse 21 it says, "Although they knew God, they didn't glorify Him as God, nor were thankful..." Verse 26 points out, "For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions." Simply, mankind is in the position it is in because we would not praise Him. Psalm 150:6 begins with "Let..." God has given "everyone that has breath" the ability. That's us! Most of us have an opportunity to follow these commands during the weekly song service on the Sabbath, and some are blessed enough to have a local church choir and/or instrumental ensemble. There are even greater opportunities for praising God through music at the Feast. The benefits of doing so far outweigh the investment of time, especially considering that since baptism, our time is not our own anyway. Certainly God does honor us by allowing us to be involved and to serve Him by way of musical praise. A Family Affair As we plan and prepare for the Feast of Tabernacles, we should plan on how we can best praise God during this time. Praising God can and should be a family affair. Help your children share their talents by rehearsing the children's choir music with them so that they are well prepared and able to praise God in song at the Feast. All ages can make a joyful noise during the song service, regardless of musical talent or the lack thereof. Encourage children to participate and compliment those whom you notice singing out during the song service. Even those too young to read can learn the words to many of the hymns if you sing them together occasionally as a family. Deuteronomy 6:5-7 is a good reminder of the importance God puts on teaching your children how to love God. Verse 2 also includes fearing God as a benefit. Festival Choirs For those who've been blessed with a voice that can carry a tune, plan to sing in the choir at the Feast site you'll be attending. There is a sacrifice of time to learn the music and rehearse as a group, but what wonderful benefits all will reap from your participation! You will be building unity within the Body of Christ as you bond with others working together for a common goal of service through music. Long-lasting friendships are often begun while meeting regularly during the Feast for rehearsals. Even more joyful are the reunions in future years when your paths cross once again. God is pleased and blesses your efforts of doing what He expects of us. There can be many challenges, perhaps even obstacles to participation, but most can be overcome with some prayerful planning. Young children can make attending early morning practices difficult. Some spouses are willing to support the choir by their service in caring for the children while the other spouse carpools to the rehearsals. One family that we met at the Feast alternated years to serve, so that each would have the opportunity to do so every other year. Some have been blessed to have grandparents who were willing to help out, and some even have "Feast grandparents"—friends who help watch children during the choir practices so that parents can participate. Some children grow up in the Church learning to be involved because they see their parents serving by praising God. Children have benefited from parental relationships with others in the choirs and orchestras, and the kids have observed the teamwork within the family. This can cultivate a desire to share and develop their spark of talent too. It is amazing how quickly the example pays off! The children anxiously await the time that they're old enough to sing in the children's choir, and as soon as they are too old for the children's choir, they realize that they have a place in the adult choir. It becomes a naturally accepted sequence. It is truly a joy to work together to praise and worship God as a family. This is another way of giving honor back to God, since it is God who is forming us into His family. Praising God will become a way of life for the children, and they will, in turn, pass it on to their children. In this way we are creating a godly legacy for them. Finally, it's important to realize we would not even know how to worship God if He did not show us how and when and why and who should do it. How? With voice and with instruments. When? On His Holy Days. Why? He commands us to rejoice, and music causes unity in rejoicing. Who? Everyone who has been invited to attend and "has breath" should praise the Lord! How good and how pleasant it is indeed. "What's the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding" (1 Corinthians 14:15). — Linda R. Hansen and John Barbush [ back to top ] "Do Unto Others""Do unto others as you would have others do unto you" is what is commonly known as the Golden Rule. It comes from the scripture in Matthew 7:12 that reads, "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." Many children are taught this because it is such a simple, yet profound principle on how to treat others and for having good relationships with them. We should do to others what we want done to us. How we treat others is not only important in our relationships with people, it is also important in our relationship with God. It is so important that God actually uses some of the ways we treat others as a gauge to how He treats us. Luke 6:37-38 reads, "Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you." We all want God to not condemn and judge us harshly for our mistakes. We want Him to extend mercy and forgive us when we err. God wants us to do the same with others. We must extend mercy and forgiveness to others in order to be forgiven by Him. Matthew 5:7 tells us, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." Matthew 6:15 says that if we don't forgive others, neither will God forgive us. We also want God to take care of our physical needs. We look to Him as our provider. God also expects us to help others when they are in need. We see in Proverbs 21:13, "Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be heard." God expects us to help others when it is in our means and power to do so, and when we are in need, God will hear our cry. So, remember to "do unto others as you would have others do unto you," but also remember to "do unto others as you would have God do unto you." —Nancy Morgan [ back to top ] God's Answer Isn't Always What We ExpectI was just leaving a wooded area on the outskirts of Houston, Texas. Just before I arrived at a busy intersection, my car died. It was almost dark, and I knew that the area behind me was where someone had discovered a dead body. This was very frightening! I had my two sons with me. The older was 3 and my younger was 2. Because of cancer, the 2-year-old couldn't walk. The boys were too heavy for me to carry very far, and it was too dangerous for us to be walking on the side of the road anyway. It was dangerous to get out of the car. But it was also dangerous to be beside the road, in the car, especially after dark. No one would be looking for us when we didn't return. God was our only hope. I knew that Hebrews 13:5 says God will never forsake us. So I prayed very fervently (James 5:16). I didn't think there was any solution other than for the car to start. The car just had to start because I was afraid of anyone who might stop to help. I knew that God won't allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able (1 Corinthians 10:13). So, the only thing left was for the car to start and run. All I knew to do was pray, and ask God to help the car start, and then turn the ignition on the car. But the car just wouldn't start. In John 16:23 Jesus Christ said, "Whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you." I continued to pray and turn the key in the ignition. But the car still wouldn't start! Finally, a car pulled up behind me and stopped. A man with white hair got out of the car. A sense of peace came over me, and I knew the man wouldn't do us any harm (Philippians 4:7). I don't know if this man was an angel or just a man, but I know God sent him. The man pushed us through the stoplight and a little ways past. The car started, and so he went on. I was able to get to the turnoff from the main road and start down an incline, going toward our house, before the car died again, but this time we were in our own neighborhood, and the house was only a couple of blocks away. A policeman came up behind me and asked, "What's the trouble?" I told him, "I live a couple of blocks from here and the car won't run and I need to get the car into my driveway." So he got back in his car and pushed my car into our driveway. God's answer wasn't what I expected. But God had brought us home, and it wasn't even dark yet. My sons hadn't even gotten out of the car! God had answered my prayers. God knows what we need more than we do. He knew how to take care of us. If we are wise, we will always do what we can to avoid problems, and every morning we will ask for God's protection from accidents, injuries, problems, curses and troubles. At the end of the day, we'll give God thanks for His protection and care through the day. God hears and answers our prayers. It may not be what you expect, but God knows what we need better than we do. — June Barrett [ back to top ] Eternal Youth or Eternal Life?From the earliest written records to our present day, the pursuit of eternal youth is a consistent theme throughout history. One of the oldest literary works is the Epic of Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh was a king of Uruk in Babylonia, and the work chronicles his search to conquer mortality and remain eternally young, which leads him to a fabled "spring of youth." Near the end of his arduous and futile quest he asks, "... am I to sleep, and let the earth cover my head forever?" (N.K. Sanders, The Epic of Gilgamesh, 1972, page 100). This question is strikingly similar to the one posed in Job 14:14, "If a man dies, shall he live again?" The theme of eternal youth is again seen during the early 1500s, when Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon was enticed by tales of a mystical "fountain of youth." While some doubted the existence of such a fountain, he nevertheless obtained sponsorship from the king of Spain to lead an expedition in search of it. Ultimately this quest for eternal youth also proved unsuccessful. In our time, the pursuit of endless youth continues. At a stunning rate, new medications claim to cure the typical effects of aging. A huge industry exists to deal with the maladies that accompany growing older. Many such options serve legitimate needs when used appropriately. However, many only attempt to delay the natural and inevitable processes of life designed by the Creator God, sometimes with unexpected and harmful consequences. Thankfully, God offers a far more fulfilling and practical option—eternal life as a spirit being rather than eternal youth as a human being. While speaking to a Samaritan woman at a well, Jesus Christ said, "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:13-14). The laws and ways of God, and the blessings that He promises for obedience to them, are simple and practical. They are beautiful and filled with hope, and become a wellspring of life to those who follow them. Mercifully, God has blessed us with the understanding that we shall indeed live again. In response to his own question about life after death, Job stated, "You shall call, and I will answer You; You shall desire the work of Your hands." Let us always be thankful for and seek the true fountain—of eternal life! — David Cobb [ back to top ] What's Your Guess as a Guest?The following easy quiz accompanies the article "The Welcome Guest" on the Vertical Thought Web site. For more about how to make sure your host will want to invite you to come again, see www.verticalthought.org/issues/vt07/guest.htm. 1. As you are washing your hands in the bathroom of your hosts' home,
you notice your hair has become windblown during the day's activities,
so you: 2. Your host has invited you to make yourself at home, and suggested several
items for snacking. That afternoon you are hungry and decide to enjoy an
apple from the offered bowl of fruit. You: 3. Many guests in your group are sharing a rather small bathroom. Since
others are waiting for you to finish, you: 4. Your host has made you feel so "at home," you feel comfortable: Answers: 1 A, 2 B, 3 C, 4 D. —Susan Blumel-Berg [ back to top ] Poetry, Language of the ProphetsIf you are a frequent reader of Scripture, you may have noticed some curious statements throughout the Bible, particularly in the Psalms and the prophets. For instance, in Isaiah 55:12 the last part of the verse says: "The mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands." This is one example of numerous instances in Scripture where a "poetic device" is used. In this particular example the technique is "personification," where inanimate objects are shown as if having human qualities. There are many, many poetic devices used in Scripture, although some are not as evident in translations as in the original language. Poetry in Scripture is writing inspired by God to share abundantly with you, the reader, emotions and thoughts that are best conveyed with written images and sounds. For example, "You shall be left few in number, whereas you were as the stars of heaven in multitude, because you would not obey the voice of the LORD your God" (Deuteronomy 28:62). We know that the people in ancient Israel were not the same in number as the stars in the heavens. They were far more than the number of stars that can be seen with the naked eye, but far fewer than the actual number. There are so many billions of stars that if there were as many people as stars, they would have to be stacked on top of each other to fit on the earth! Yet, God's Word is true. How can this be? Because this form of exaggeration made a point to the ancient Israelites and to us today of the great contrast between God's blessing them and cursing them. The purpose of language is communication, and God's communication to His people is that they would decrease if they sinned! The example of the stars was to make that point, not to make a count of the heavenly bodies. This was a serious warning! Besides emotions and ideas, the Bible has writing about beauty. Psalm 119 is an example of excellent structure and lovely composition. It is an acrostic psalm with 22 stanzas, one for each of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Each stanza has eight lines, and each of the eight lines begins with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The subject of the psalm is the excellence and beauty of God's law, and the psalm itself is excellent and beautiful. Perhaps we can join the author to say: "Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law" (Psalm 119:18). Do yourself a favor and spend some time savoring the beauty inspired by God and written by His poets, the prophets. — Mary Beck [ back to top ] A Story of "Mine"Many years ago, I had a job as a babysitter for a 2-year-old girl named Katie. This child had a pacifier to which she was very attached, and she kept it in her mouth almost constantly. Now pacifier is a difficult word for a 2-year-old. So when speaking of her pacifier, she simply called it "mine." Normally Katie was a very serene, quiet, happy little girl. But every once in a while, her 7-year-old brother would tease her by taking the pacifier away from her. Then quiet little Katie would suddenly scream, "MIIIIINE! Mine! Mine! Mine!" Why? Because she knew that pacifier was hers and she wanted it. It was not her brother's. She knew that he should not be allowed to come along and yank what was hers right out of her mouth and not give it back. It was unjust for him to do so, and Katie was not too young to feel the sting of injustice. Children are noted for being acutely aware of whether or not they are being treated justly. But are we adults less aware? I recall my own tendency to react when another driver grabs my right-of-way. I tend to get annoyed and mutter to myself, "Hey, bud! I think I was supposed to go next!" Mine! Mine! Mine! It's so easy to react this way when we have lost something that we have called "mine." But what is the Christian way of handling the injustice of losing what is ours? Romans 12:19 tells us that vengeance belongs to God. This is because it's easy for a person's sense of justice to be warped. A cousin of mine was murdered because another man felt property that belonged to this cousin should have been his. The man probably thought he was performing an act of justice. In contrast, in 1 Corinthians 6:7-8, Paul tells the Corinthians to be willing to allow themselves to be defrauded, and in Matthew 5:40 Jesus tells us that if our tunic is taken from us, we should also be willing to give our cloak. Jesus Himself suffered the greatest injustice of all. He had His life unjustly taken from Him. Did He become angry about this? No, He did not, and it is His example that we are to follow. We must remember this when injustice happens to us and the fire of our resentment against it begins to burn. —Penny Westrick [ back to top ] Turning the Hearts
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