At the start of Paul’s letter to the Galatians he is very concerned to stress there is only one true message leading to salvation.  He writes, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel – not that there is another one”[Ch.1 v.6,7].  Gospel – means – good news about the way of life, and understand the purpose and meaning of our lives that God has provided.  We must live to please God and sense his approval of our life and attitudes of mind.  

A foundation for this must be to understand the message that was unfolded by the Apostles in the First Century.  Through the Centuries there have been repeated attempts to change the Gospel resulting in the many different churches.  Note how Paul bluntly states, “If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed” [v.9]:  then he adds, “For am I now seeking the approval of man or God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” [v.10]

It is our consciousness of God that matters above all else, a faulty consciousness can lead us into foolishness.  There is a remarkable example of this in our Numbers (Ch. 16) reading today; there is a rebellion against the authority God had given to Moses and Aaron.  A large group wanted him to share the role of leadership. They said, “all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?”   [v.3],  They wanted to have a share of the leadership, the human spirit of democracy was in their thinking although some of them, the Levites administering different roles in the Tabernacle already had important roles.

The words of Moses that really caught our attention as he and Aaron fell on their faces in prayer was, “O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh “ [v.22] Strange words that are a recognition of the remarkable power of God to know absolutely everything, he can ‘tune in’ to all minds!  He must be able to do so – to hear all prayers. Like those challenging Moses, so those who develop a “different gospel” fail to realize that God is “the God of the spirits of all flesh.” 

One disciple said this to another, “Did not our hearts burn within us!” in a situation we are reading about today.  Imagine if you had been one of the two disciples walking the pathway to Emmaus.  The resurrected Jesus joined them, “but their eyes were kept from recognising him”. [Luke 24 v.15]

He asks, “what is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?’ And they stood still, looking sad” [v.17] and they tell him all that has happened, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and in word … our chief priests and rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and crucified him.” [v.19,20]  To this the “stranger” replies, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!  Was it not necessary that Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?’ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” [v.25-27].

They get to Emmaus and persuade him “to stay with them” and as “he took bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them…  their eyes were opened and they recognised him. And he vanished from their sight.”[v.30-31]   This recognition probably happened when they saw his hands as be broke the bread. Then he vanished!  What excited conversation followed! “Did not our hearts burn within us … while he opened to us the scriptures?”{v.32] 

These Scriptures would be among the ones Peter and others were to use from here on – as recorded in the book of Acts. But imagine the “burning” of their hearts that happened as the full meaning of Scripture unfolded to them. This does happen to some extent today such as when the real hope of life after death – brought about by resurrection clicks into place in our minds for the first time.  Let us read the scriptures prayerfully and with the utmost diligence and expect occasions when our hearts will burn within us – at least to some degree although not as much as must have happened on the road to Emmaus.  When world events are in such turmoil, especially in the Middle East, the same “burning” experience could be ours as the correct application of a prophecy suddenly becomes evident.

What is paradise?  It is not a common word in scripture.  Jesus uses it in his last message, the book of Revelation, saying, “To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life , which is in the paradise of God.” [Ch. 2 v.7]  Primarily it means a park, a garden – and Adam was put out of the first paradise to stop him eating of the tree of life.  

There is not the slightest indication that paradise means heaven. John’s Gospel states, “no one has ascended to heaven” [3 v.13]. In today’s 23^rd chapter of Luke we read that oft quoted promise of Jesus to the repentant thief beside him on the cross that you “will be with me in paradise” [v.43]. Too many fail to see the point of the request he had made, “Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingdom” [v.42]. 

What a tremendous testimony of the thief’s belief in the future that lay before Jesus. We presume he had been a follower but had gone astray. To the disciples, all seemed lost in what had happened, but not to the thief, suddenly he had a perception of tremendous faith. Surely this was the reason Jesus made the promise, “Truly, I say to you today, you will be with me in paradise” [v.43] You will have noticed that we put the comma after the word “today” – which then makes sense of what Jesus said. There are no commas in the original Greek. 

Those who think paradise means heaven ignore what Jesus said to Mary Magdalene when she met him on the resurrection morn, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father” [John 20 v.17] The death of Jesus was real, for 3 days he had ceased to exist!  Let us have the faith of the thief on the cross – despite the times in our lives when we have failed in one way or another.  Today’s chapter in Proverbs 10 encourages us to think positively, “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely” [v.9] “The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life” [v.11]  “The wise lay up knowledge” [v.14] “Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life” [v.17]  Our daily reading of God’s word is an essential reminder and re-enforcement of God’s instructions so that we keep on the path to paradise.

 Today we read nearly 50 verses in Proverbs on the wonderful value of Godly wisdom.  It is written as though wisdom is a person – and of course the Lord Jesus is the one and only perfect example of such a person. Solomon himself was invited by God to ask for a gift and was commended because he asked for “a wise and understanding heart” [1Kings 3 v.5-12] 

We picked out several powerful points in these proverbs. Wisdom says, “I love those who love me, those who seek me diligently, find me.” [8 v.17] Wisdom has to be sought for!  “I wisdom dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.  The fear (awe) of the LORD is to hate evil.” [v.12,13] 

We can add to this wisdom’s further words, “wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them” [v.7,8].  And surely that applies to written words also, such as emails! Wisdom grants “an inheritance to those who love me” [v.21] Our Bibles’ reveal the nature of that inheritance.  It is very obvious that Jesus is a living example of true wisdom. 

Verses 22 to 30 give us a powerful account of the absolute knowledge and wisdom that was used in creating all that exists on this earth.  “Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth” [v.23] In these days scientists are discovering more and more of the boundless extent of the interlocking working of nature, so many forms of life are utterly remarkable and, what’s more, they depend on one another. But tragically, so many have a blindfold over their minds, failing to see it all as the handiwork of God.

In the final 2 verses of Ch. 8 wisdom says, “For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favour from the LORD, but he who fails to find me injures him (or her)self, and all who hate me love death.”  Let us seek and “find” Jesus as the embodiment of wisdom. We can read v.32,33 as being his words, “… blessed are those who keep my ways.  Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.”  2

In one sense, no man or woman can be “considered worthy” by God to be in his kingdom “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” [Rom. 3 v.23] .  But we have that marvellous chapter on FAITH in Hebrews 11 , men and women who demonstrated their faith by what they did in serving God and doing his will.  Abraham and Moses are outstanding examples of this, but remember v.29 in that chapter; “By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as if on dry land” – what a challenge to their faith as they stepped out although they saw the water towering on either side! This was their baptism, said Paul – see 1 Cor. 10 v.2 

But we are about to read in Numbers of how most of them failed to maintain their faith and “fell” in various ways in the wilderness.   Maintaining faith is essential to being “considered worthy.” This brings us to what Jesus said to the Sadducees, as we read today in Luke 20.  They refused to believe in a resurrection. In some ways they were like the modern humanists. They posed to Jesus a story of a woman who had 7 husbands in succession, which all died, so if there is a resurrection, they asked, who would be her husband “for the seven had her as wife.”

“Jesus said to them, ‘The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons (children) of the resurrection” [v.35,36]  We noted his final words in correcting the Sadducees; he said God “is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to him” [v.38]   If we “live to him” as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob did, then we, like them, will not die, but sleep a timeless sleep to awake (instantly, not having sensed the passage of time) “equal unto the angels.”  So let us walk with an ever stronger faith as we travel through the wilderness that is the world scene today – conscious of the failure of those who “by faith … crossed the Red Sea” in baptism – but their wilderness destroyed their faith.

We read in Luke 19 of the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on the back of a colt when “the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying, ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! …” [v.37,38] But “when he drew near and saw the city he wept over it, saying, ‘Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes” [v.41,42] 

Tragedy was coming on Jerusalem “because you did not know the time of your visitation.” [v.44] They had marvelled at “all the mighty works they had seen” [v.37] but soon “ … the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus” [Matt.27 v.20]  Yet only a day or two before, “all the people were hanging on his words” [Luke 19 v.48]

How two faced is human nature, so often their commitment has no substance, no depth, and this is a warning for those of all ages who claim belief in Jesus. In today’s 5^th chapter of Proverbs is a warning that is all too applicable in today’s grossly permissive atmosphere. Beware lest we be as fickle as those who praised Jesus with their loud voices.  Solomon asks, “Why should you be intoxicated my son with a forbidden woman and embrace the bosom of an adulteress?  For a man’s (and woman’s) ways are before the eyes of the LORD and he ponders all his paths” [v.20,21] Today, is this fact “hidden from your eyes?” 

The reality of this is hidden from nearly every eye today.  Solomon repeats the point in in Ch. 15 v,3 “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and on the good.”  The greatest tragedy is when those who make an outward profession of serving the Lord are blind to this fact. If “he (or she) is held fast in the cords of his sin” [5 v.22], the result is they are “at the brink of utter ruin” [5 v.14].  Any that are in this situation, must appeal to the Lord from their hearts to unbind the cords that hold them fast and utter “the prayer of faith” of which James writes (5 v.15) and not be ashamed to ask others to pray with and for them. 

 Solomon’s proverbs in today’s reading of chapter 4, reflect on how his father David had taught him. “When I was a son with my father … he taught me and said to me, Let your heart hold fast to my words; keep my commandments and live; get wisdom.”  [v.3-5]    As we started the chapter we noticed an interesting word, the word “insight” – “Hear, O son a father’s instructions and be attentive, that you may gain insight” [v.1] 

Other modern versions render it as gaining “good sense” – looking “inside” a matter.   How do you do that?   How deeply do we think through the decisions we make, weighing up all the pros and cons?  Where do we get our “scales” from so as to ‘weigh up’ the major decisions in our lives?  Often they begin with small things!  Do we consider God’s principles – or are we totally motivated by human desires?  

“Hear my son,” Solomon continues, “and accept my words that the years of your life may be many” [v.10]   He adds, “be attentive to my words …. Keep them within your heart … keep your heart with all diligence for from it flow the springs of life … ponder the path of your feet then all your ways will be sure” [v.20,21,23,26] 

But the tragedy is that Solomon in his old age failed to complete the preparation of his son Rehoboam for the kingship, nor is there any indication that he had a godly wife who played her part in training the next generation.  But remember this, in drawing lessons from the Bible we are instructed just as much by the failures, as by the successes.      So many take hardly any notice of instructions of how to operate the machines they purchase and only look at them when they find they are not working properly, if at all.  But that approach is fatal in human relations, when they break down they are often extremely difficult to repair. 

    Of course, the relationship that matters above all else is our relationship with God and with His Son, and that needs to be a relationship which grows and grows. Look at v.18, “But the path of the righteous is like the dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.”  So “ponder the path of your feet then all your ways will be sure” [v.26]  Reading the Bible every day is an essential part of walking that path.

 Our reading in Luke ch.17 intrigued us with the answers of Jesus to a question by the Pharisees as to “when the Kingdom of God would come?” [v.20]  Jesus gives two apparently different answers – first to the Pharisees and then “to the disciples” [v.22]  

He tells the Pharisees “the kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” [v.20,21] What does he mean?  We concluded, after comparing these words to what he said to the disciples, that he means, in effect, don’t expect to see signs that will alert you – because the kingdom will come so suddenly to be dramatically unexpected in your midst.

He explains to his disciples that first there will be a long period “when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.” [v.22] He warns them, “they will say to you, ‘Look there!’ or ‘Look here!’  Do not go out or follow them. For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of man be in his day.” [v.23,24]  He likens this event to the suddenness of the flood (for the ungodly) in the days of Noah (v.27) and the dramatic overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah when only Lot and his daughters escaped because the angels came.  His wife could have escaped too – but she tarried too long! Note how Jesus says (v.32,33) “Remember Lot’s wife. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it” 

What does Jesus mean?  In the parallel passage in Mark there is an explanation so that we understand that those who are intent on preserving their lives, lacking faith in God’s word, as Lot’s wife did to God’s words through the angels, they will lose eternal life. In Mark’ gospel we read, “whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.  For what does it profit a man (or woman) to gain the whole world and forfeit his (eternal) life? … whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him (or her) will the Son of man also be ashamed when he comes …” [8 v.35-38]   Let us not be ashamed!  3

The 2^nd chapter of Proverbs is one of the most thought provoking in the entire book.  Meditate on the sequence of ‘ifs’ in the first 4 verses. “IF you receive my words … IF you call out for insight and … understanding …. IF you seek it like silver and search for it … then you will find …”   What will you find if you have tried to do this?  The answer in v.5 is, “then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.” That is, experience a state of awe in your mind as you start to grasp the enormity of what the Creator must be in his existence and actions!  This is far different from an academic understanding of the nature of God, even from a scriptural perspective.  A truly seeking person must  develop “the knowledge of God,” that is, a knowing insight into what God is – it is ‘seeing’ and as a result possessing an overwhelming vision of  that which overwhelms normal human thinking.

When the LORD first spoke to Job, after all Job’s reasoning with his friends, God says, “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?” [38 v.2] It is the “knowledge” Solomon is speaking of in our Proverbs reading. Job confesses, “I have uttered what I did not understand, things to wonderful for me, which I did not know … but now mine eye sees you” [42 v.3, 5] Notice how Paul expresses it; “having the eyes of our hearts enlightened that you may know …” [Eph. 1 v.18]   So, in our Proverbs chapter Solomon wants us to experience the awe of seeing God and then to be ready to grasp the relationship  we can have with God, as Job ultimately did!  

    We read “the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding … he is a shield to those who walk in integrity … watching over the way of his saints” [v.6,8]

So, if we seek in this way then “wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul”[v.10]; furthermore, “ … understanding will guard you, delivering you from the way of evil, from men (and women) of perverted speech … who rejoice in doing evil … who are devious in their ways.” [v.11-15].  Today we encounter such people more than ever, also those who have no spiritual strength to fight off these influences,  so we need to be conscious every day that our Lord is “watching over the way of his saints” looking for them to find more and more of “the knowledge of God.”   Reading and meditating on God’s word every day lays a foundation for that consciousness.