My Greatest Treasure

Prov. 18:22  A man's greatest treasure is his wife, she is a gift from the Lord. (CEV)

Today, my wife and I celebrate our 28th wedding anniversary.  I've always liked this verse found in Proverbs and I think this particular translation says it best.  My wife is my greatest treasure!

God has truly given her to me as a gift.  As a token of His favor or as a sign that He delights in me.  I can always look at her and know that He loves me.

Proverbs 31:10-31 describes the virtuous woman and every time I read about her I see the same qualities in the woman I love.  Dependable, kind, industrious, diligent, faithful, intelligent, compassionate, supportive, encouraging, nurturing, strong in character, optimistic, sensible and thoughtful.  All that wrapped up in one beautiful package!  She is my crown (Prov. 12:4), elevating me above the ordinary and giving me significance.  She makes me feel special.

The Matthew Henry Commentary, speaking on Prov. 18:22, notes that a man finding a wife "has found that which will not only contribute to his comfort in this life, but will forward him in the way to heaven."  I can honestly say that my wife has done more for me in terms of my spiritual growth and development than any other person I know.  She has been my teacher, my guide and my committed partner in faith.

When Jacob served Laban for seven years so he could marry Rachel (Gen. 29:20), the time seemed to him like only a few days because he loved her so much.  I know that feeling because 28 years together have gone by all too quickly.  As husband and wife, we truly have become like one person (Eph. 5:31).  And sharing that bond with her has given me a life of happiness and contentment.

I thought it would be fitting to end by quoting Proverbs 31:28-29.  And with great pride her husband says, "There are many good women, but you are the best!"

My love always.  Happy Anniversary, Debi!


Sock Monkey Snippet:  A man's greatest treasure is his wife.

Into Prosperity

Ps. 68:6  ...He brings out those who are bound into prosperity...

Prisoners are bound.  They have no hope and are destined to live a life without purpose.  Everything has been taken away by their captor.

Peter found himself as a prisoner (Acts 12:6).  Chained between two soldiers in a cell guarded by even more soldiers.  He was as a restrained and hindered as one person probably could be.  It was the very night before Herod would bring him to trial.  No reason to hope.  The purpose God had for his life was certainly not being fulfilled while he was in bondage.  His freedom had been taken away.

An angel appeared next to Peter and the cell was filled with light.  Peter was raised up (v. 7) and in the process, his chains fell off without any effort or struggling.  He didn't have to work for or earn his freedom.  He was instructed to put on his garment (mantle) and follow.  Peter couldn't believe what was happening.  In fact, he thought surely he was dreaming (v. 9).  When he finally came to his senses (v. 11) he said, "Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me."

Sin imprisoned us all.  We were bound by the law which we could not keep.  Stuck in a hopeless situation and destined to live far short of God's purpose for us.  But this verse in Psalm 68 says we were brought out (freed, released) into prosperity (success, abundance, freedom).  Through Jesus Christ, we have been set free (Isa. 61:1, Jn. 8:36).  Not by our own efforts but rather by God's amazing grace (Eph. 2:8).  We have been raised up and our chains are gone.  God has a purpose (mantle) for each of us and we are free to succeed, live abundantly and to follow Him.

When you stop and think about it, what God did for us through Jesus Christ seems just too good to be true.  Certainly our God has delivered us, too.  Like Peter, we who were also once bound have been brought out.  Into prosperity!


Sock Monkey Snippet:  We who were bound have been set free.

How Long?

Ps. 13:1, 2  How long, O Lord?  Will You forget me forever?  How long will You hide Your face from me?  How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily?  How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

Ever felt like God has forgotten you or at least turned His face away?  Ever felt like He didn't care or wasn't concerned about you?  Ever felt like the enemy was winning?  Well, you're in good company.  David felt the same way.  Here he asks God repeatedly, "How Long?".  How long are these trials and suffering going to continue?  Did You forget me?  Don't You care?  Why is the enemy winning?  A short time enduring trials and suffering can seem like an eternity.  Feelings of anxiety, desperation and hopelessness overwhelm us.  David expresses them here.

At some point in our lives, our circumstances can cause us to lose faith and ask the same questions borne out of our troubling situation that David did.  It is then, difficult as it is, that we must walk by faith and not by our sight or our feelings (2Cor. 5:7).

Remember when Peter was asked by Jesus to step out of the boat and come to Him?  It was only when Peter took his eyes of faith off of Jesus and looked at the stormy circumstances around him (Mt. 14:30) that he began to sink.  Jesus never lost sight of Peter.  Peter lost sight of Jesus.

David (v. 3) asked God to "enlighten his eyes".  To allow him to see by faith.  To see God even in the darkness of a storm.  God, enlighten our eyes, too.  May we never lose sight of You during our storm.

God will never forget us (Isa. 49:14-16, Mt. 28:20).  God cares for us (1Pet. 5:7).  And so long as we don't quit, we can and will overcome any circumstances or any enemy.  We are more than conquerors (Rom. 8:37).  In the midst of our storm of trials and suffering, we must keep our eyes of faith focused on the Author and the Finisher of it (Heb. 12:2).  No matter how long!


Sock Monkey Snippet:  Have focused faith not fearful feelings.

Into His Hands

Ps. 31:5  Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.

While faced with adversity, David said it (Ps. 31:5).  While being stoned to death, Stephen said it (Acts 7:59).  While breathing His last breath on the cross, Jesus said it (Lk. 23:46).  Was it a coincidence that they all said the same thing?  What was so significant or special about these words?

"Into Your hands I commit My spirit."

In each case, there was a surrendering of something special to Someone special.

First of all, a surrendering was made.  A willing act of submission.  A voluntary choice.  The spirit was never taken but always given.

Second, something special was being offered.  An eternal spirit.  That which is the most valuable and should be our primary concern even more so than our temporal bodies.  Man can kill the body but not the spirit (Mt. 10:28).

Finally, it was entrusted to Someone special.  The One most worthy to receive it.  The One who redeemed us and purchased us with the blood of His only begotten Son and who is perfectly able to care for us.  The One who fashioned us and the heavens and earth, too.

All of us have that "something special".  An eternal spirit.  And we have a free will that allows us to decide to whom we will entrust it.  It will never be forcibly taken from us but rather must be given by us.  The highest price was paid (Acts 20:28, 1Cor. 6:20) and the greatest love was shown (Jn. 15:13) by Someone special who has an eternal plan, destiny and home for us.  Someone who is most worthy and who longs to receive us.

The words of Psalm 31:5 should rightfully come from our lips as well, freely and willingly giving ourselves to the One who gave everything for us.  Giving ourselves completely and for all eternity.  Into His hands.


Sock Monkey Snippet:  Surrender something special to Someone special.

It Makes God Smile

Ps. 35:27  May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, "The Lord be exalted who delights in the well-being of His servant."

I glanced at a picture as I passed my desk the other day and it made me smile.  It also reminded me of a fundamental truth about God.

The photo shows my young son (not so young anymore), with his sister along side, on his very first roller coaster ride.  Both with lifted hands and smiling faces.

When I thought about what made me smile, I quickly realized I was happy because I saw that my children were happy.  Simply and fundamentally, every father wants happiness for his children.  I would do anything and give anything for my kids.  Their happiness, in turn, becomes a blessing for me.  And if I as an imperfect man want that, how much more does our perfect, loving, heavenly Father want that?  For us as His children to be happy and blessed.

God gives us everything.  Especially His love.  And when He looks down from heaven and sees us with lifted hands and smiling faces, I know it makes God smile!


Sock Monkey Snippet:  Our happiness makes God smile.

A Taste Test

Ps. 34:8  Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man who trusts in Him.

When you were growing up, did your parents ever make you taste something that you weren't sure you were going to like?  Mine, too.  But they knew the only way for you to be convinced was through the experience of tasting.  By seeing for yourself and knowing for sure.

David invites us to taste and see, to discover for ourselves by experience, that the Lord is good.  As much as others may tell us it is so, we will never be convinced of it without at least giving Him a try.  A taste test, if you will.  How?  By putting our faith (BBE) and trust in Him as this verse says.  He won't let you down and you won't be disappointed.  David was confident, as am I, that once we experience His goodness, a taste will no longer be enough.  We will only want more of Him.  Taste and see for yourself!


Sock Monkey Snippet:  Try God.  You'll like Him.

We Smell Good

2 Cor. 2:15  For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.

Everyone likes to be told that they smell good.  The smell of a perfume or fragrance is meant to attract us.  But, in some cases, it can have the complete opposite effect.  Something meant to attract can actually repel or be offensive.  The same fragrance can produce entirely different results.

The Gospel is like that.  The message of truth we bring to people, like a fragrance, will be attractive to some while others will find it offensive.  In either case, however, it is still the truth.

Paul writes that God uses us to saturate and attract the world with the fragrant, sweet-smelling message of our Savior Jesus Christ.  The end result will produce literally (eternal) life or death to those who hear it.  Some will find it attractive and receive it while others will find it offensive and reject it.  It is so very important, therefore, that what we say be spoken in sincerity (v. 17), never for our own personal gain, but rather only with the purest of motives or intentions.  In a manner that is well-pleasing to God.  Always being mindful of the life-changing potential of our message.  We are not responsible for the results, God is.  We only need to willingly allow Him to work through us.  When we do, I think that we smell good!

Sock Monkey Snippet:  We are the fragrance of Christ.

Follow Me

Mt. 16:24  Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."

For most of us, networking on the Internet has become a part of our everyday life.  And in this social environment, we are invited by other to "follow me".  Making the choice to accept such an invitation usually involves little more than the click of a button.  The commitment to become a follower (disciple) is painlessly easy.

Jesus invites anyone to become His follower but it is important for us all to understand exactly what He says is required.  This is a free will choice that we make.  We can either accept His invitation or refuse it.

First, we must deny ourselves.  Other Bible translations say give up all (BBE) and forget about yourself (CEV).  This certainly goes against our human nature.  To be self-emptying instead of self -seeking.  To put the will of God before our own.  And yet Christ's life was exactly so.  He emptied Himself (Phil. 2:7, 8).  In doing so, He not only set an example for us but also purchased our redemption.  We must totally surrender to God's will, putting it before our own.  Faced with death by crucifixion, Jesus prayed, "not what I will, but what You will."

Second, we must take up our cross.  There will be sufferings and afflictions that will surely come our way and we should expect and endure them.  No matter how painful.  Jesus said (Mt. 10:38) if we are not willing to take up our cross and follow Him, we are not worthy of Him.  Taking up our cross is far from being a painlessly easy process.  It wasn't easy for Jesus either.

Being a follower (disciple) of Jesus is an everyday, life long commitment.  Nothing that can be effortlessly accomplished by the click of a button or any other one-time event.  It requires surrendering to His will and suffering for His glory.  Sheep follow their Shepherd.  Servants follow their Master.  Soldiers follow their Captain.

The next time you click the "follow me button online, ask yourself, "Am I following Him?"


Sock Monkey Snippet:  Surrender to His will and suffer for His glory.

Stopped or Strengthened

Mk. 2:4  And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was.  So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.

With a fully loaded Jeep, we headed to the lake on Saturday intending to make a day of it.  After stopping for gas, ice and fishing bait, we were on our way only to be rudely interrupted by a dummy light on the dashboard signaling that the Jeep had overheated.  An obstacle had just been put in our way.

We have two choices when we are faced with obstacles.  We can either let them stop us or we can press on, break through and let them strengthen us.

Four men (v. 3), having heard of Jesus being at a house in Capernaum, carried a fifth paralytic man to Him believing for his healing.  When they arrived at the house, they could not get near Jesus because of the crowd.  An obstacle had been put in their way.  They could have given up and gone home but chose instead to do whatever it took to get to Jesus.  The four men climbed to the roof, broke through it and lowered the paralytic.  I wonder what the crowd thought and saw.  I know what Jesus saw.  He saw their faith (v. 5), resolve and determination.

To make a long story short, the paralytic man was completely healed by having not only his physical infirmity removed (vs. 11, 12) but by having his sins forgiven (v. 5) as well.  The faith of the four men and surely the paralytic man, refusing to be stopped by an obstacle was unquestionably strengthened.

Faith finds favor.  Resolve reaps reward.  Determination decides destination.

In case your wondering, after we unloaded and reloaded our gear into a different vehicle, with determination we continued on to a wonderful day at the lake enjoying family and friends.  Admittedly, at one point, we almost stopped, gave up and went home.  I'm glad, however, that we broke through the obstacle, being strengthened by it, and reached our destination.

Now, if your interested in buying a Jeep...


Sock Monkey Snippet:  Obstacles will either stop us or strengthen us.

The Value of Jesus

Isa. 53:3  He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.  And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

The world did not consider Him as having any value.  There was nothing special about Him.  No beauty in His outward appearance (Isa. 53:2) that drew us to Him.  He wasn't worthy of our affection.  Carnal hearts, judging only by appearance, did not nor will they ever esteem Him.  Worth only thirty pieces of silver (Mt. 27:9, 10), the price of a lowly servant or slave.  That's it.  In fact, we even desired a murderer (Acts 3:14) instead of Him.

Consider Mary, a self-acknowledged sinner, entering the room where Jesus dined with others.  She broke her alabaster box of fragrant oil, undoubtedly the best she had, most likely everything she had, and poured it out on Jesus.  Her tears washed His feet.  Her hair, that is to say her glory (1 Cor. 11:15), served as a common towel to dry them.  See her selfless and sacrificial worship.  Why?  Because she understood the value of Jesus.

The value of Jesus to any of us lies in how we see or esteem ourselves.  Do we, like the world, still see nothing special about Him?  Not even being worthy of our fellowship, turning our faces away from Him. Pridefully contented with and in our own flawed existence.    Or do we, like Mary, acknowledge our sin (Rom. 3:23) and see the remarkable beauty and worth of our Savior?

From us, He deserves our alabaster boxes of selfless and sacrificial worship and praise.  Nothing less than everything.  That's the value of Jesus!

Sock Monkey Snippet:  Jesus is worth nothing less than everything.

Our Shining Faces

2 Cor. 3:18  But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the Ten Commandments, we are told (Exod. 34:30) that his face shone.  It literally shot out rays (horns) of light like the sun.  The Israelites realized that Moses had been in communion with God Himself.  Moses was being transformed into God's image just by being in His presence and his very countenance displayed God's glory.

After Moses spoke to the people, he veiled his face.  The glory of God visible on him may have been more than they could bear.  The Bible says the people were afraid, in awe perhaps being convicted by their own sin, making the veil necessary.  Or maybe he veiled his face concealing the decreasing brightness of it since we are not told it was of constant intensity.  The fading light was foreshadowing the old covenant of the law passing away (2 Cor. 3:13).

The veil created separation and it concealed.

Nevertheless, when we turn to the Lord, in repentance and faith, the veil is taken away (2 Cor. 3:14, 16).  Jesus Christ has taken away the veil of separation between God and us that our sin necessitated and that the law, the Ten Commandments, confirmed.  He took away the veil, revealing a new and everlasting covenant of mercy and grace.

Now having restored communion with God, we are being transformed, transfigured (2 Cor. 3:18) into His image, just as Moses was.  The glory of God, increasing in brightness, is being displayed (unveiled) in us for all to see our shining faces.  Let our light shine before men (Mt. 5:16)!

Sock Monkey Snippet:  Jesus took away the veil.

Free Indeed

Jn. 8:36  Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

Until the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross at Calvary, we were not free.  We were dead in our sin and due it's wages, death (Rom. 6:23).  Destined to be eternally separated from God.  We were held captive, bound in slavery to our sin.

Then His death and resurrection changed everything.  It provided a freedom, a (the only) Way (Jn14:6), for us we could by no other means have obtained.  Our old, sinful man (Rom.6:6, 7) was crucified with Christ freeing us from bondage to sin.  Jesus made (set) us free.  God's gift of an eternal life to be spent with Him was (and is) provided through His Son.

As we celebrate our nation's freedom today on the Fourth of July, let's also remember the ultimate freedom from sin and death that was made available to us through the precious blood of Jesus.  We are free indeed!


Sock Monkey Snippet:  Jesus made us free.

In All This

Job 1:22  In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.

Job had it all.  He was healthy, wealthy and blessed with a large family.  The Bible says that (v.3) he was the greatest of all the people of the East.  He had every reason to worship and have faith in God because his life couldn't have been better.

Then, except for his own life, he lost absolutely everything.  Hundreds even thousands of animals.  Gone.  Ten children.  Gone.  Perfect health.  Gone.  Imagine having everything and then suddenly having nothing.  Job went from being the richest to being the poorest.  Few of us will ever experience such tragedy and devastation in our lives.

If anyone had reason to lose hope, waver in faith and question God, it would have been Job.  Yet we're told simply, almost nonchalantly, that in all this Job didn't sin nor did he question God's wisdom (charge Him with wrong).

In all this, Job maintained his integrity not wanting to be found by God to be a hypocrite (27:8).  The Hebrew word for hypocrite (chaneph) literally means soiled by sin.  Job was determined that his actions were going to be governed by his faith and not by his feelings.  That his faith was going to be proven genuine and sincere, in other words, without deceit (Jn. 1:47) or hypocrisy.  Not soiled by sin.  The Greek word for hypocrite (hupokrites) means behind a mask as if acting.  Job's faith was not just acting when times were good.  It was proven authentic when times were not.

In all this, Job didn't question God's wisdom.  He patiently endured, being content (Ph. 4:11) in whatever situation or circumstance he found himself.  Having a contented mind not prone to impatience.  Knowing that God was and is right in all His ways.

In all this, Job worshipped (v.20) and blessed (v.21) God.  It is interesting to read that the very first thing Satan took from Job, even before his children, was his livestock.  He tried to destroy Job's ability to worship by taking away his sacrificial animals.  But Job still worshipped.

We are all faced with trials, tests and afflictions in life.  At times, as in Job's life, they can be almost unbearable.  Yet, in all this, if we remain steadfast in faith, contented in mind and determined in worship, God will surely bless us just like he blessed Job (42:12).

Sock Monkey Snippet:  Remain steadfast in faith, contented in mind and determined in worship.