Author: Rick Henderson

Re:Verse passage – Proverbs 31:10-31 (day seven)  

Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. vs 30

Peter Drucker (management expert) once said that the four hardest jobs in America are president of the United States, president of a university, CEO of a hospital, and pastor of a church. I do not doubt the first three have their share of difficulties, but I know and have seen the difficulties in pastoring a church. I am grateful FBCSA has a great pastor and pastoral staff, aren’t you?

But do you know who bears the brunt of the difficulties of this job? The spouses of these ministers. We (the ministers) wear many different hats, we are often busy on major holidays, and we work very, very odd office hours. It is our spouses who feel this weight more than any one else. Without their support and encouragement, we could not do what we do! These women (who fear the Lord) deserve praise!

So if you see a pastor’s wife today, make sure to thank her for all that she does!

Re:Verse passage – Proverbs 27:17 (day seven) 

The sharpening of iron insinuates a sword or knife. Though there are multiple uses for these objects, the one that jumps into our minds is weaponry. Could it be that Solomon wanted to point out to us that we are being shaped for warfare? However you may take this text, accountability, discipleship, or correction, it is evident that our purpose is to be ready for an attack.

Today is Pentecost Sunday, a day where we will celebrate the immanence of the Holy Spirit. With that, we recognize that there is a Spirit at work within us. However, there is a spirit at work in the world that is working against the Holy Spirit and desires nothing more than to go into battle against dull blades. Here are the questions we should be asking ourselves this morning: How is your blade being sharpened? Will it be able to defend against an attack of the enemy?

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Ephesians 6:13

Re:Verse passage – Proverbs 23:17-18 (day seven)

Surely there is a future. Vs 18a

What does the sinner have that one might be envious of? Money, fame, perceived freedom. It’s a life that may appear easy or stress free to those looking on, but the truth of the matter is that the sinner is only living for today.

What should we have that the sinner would be envious of?

For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

The word “future” found in both texts is the same word translated from the Hebrew אַחֲרִית.  God has so much more in store for us than wealth, fame or anything else the sinner’s life may convey. God has a plan and a purpose for each and every one of us for both this world and the one to come. When we walk with (in the fear of) the Lord, He gives us the very thing the sinner is looking for: hope.

Re:Verse passage – Proverbs 22:7 (day seven)

Does God want us to be rich? There are Christians out there who would say that God does want you to be financially prosperous. Many Proverbs, including todays passage, point to the benefits of being wealthy. Yet, what do we do with the rich man whom Jesus told to sell all that he has and give it to the poor? Or right after that where Jesus says it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven? This dichotomy leaves us confused. Does God want us to be financially prosperous or does He want us to be poor?

The answer can be found in the context of Proverbs 22. Verse 2 says, “The rich and the poor have a common bond, The Lord is the maker of them all.” The sovereignty of God calls us to be content in all circumstances. Contentment shows trust. Then in verse 9, “He who is generous will be blessed.” God’s focus is not on how much or how little we bring in, but on how generously we give of what all He has given to us. Generosity shows obedience. Contentment (trust) and generosity (obedience) are the traits that will lead us into a more prosperous life, even if the prosperity is not financial.

Re:Verse passage – Proverbs 15:15-17 (day seven)  

Better is a little with the fear of the Lord
Than great treasure and turmoil with it. vs 16

We might look at this and be like, “Easy for you to say Solomon. You were the richest and wisest of all the kings of Israel. Did you actually ever live with little or was everything handed to you on a silver platter?” Yet, Solomon was not perfect. He actually ended up chasing after a life of worldly pleasures. He had hundreds of wives and concubines. He sacrificed and made altars to their pagan gods, all out of the allure of grandeur. 1 Kings 11:6 tells us, “Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not follow the Lord fully, as David his father had done.”

Today’s scripture puts all of this in perspective. Solomon looked back and saw that it was not worth it. We see him similarly in Ecclesiastes 1:14 say “I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind.” Solomon chased after the world, but the world could not give him what he truly needed: an intimate relationship with the Lord.

Re:Verse passage – Proverbs 14:34 (day seven)

Righteousness exalts a [family],
But sin is a disgrace to any [home].

“Wait Rick, you can’t just change the Re:Verse text like that! Did you not get enough parenting last week?” Let’s unpack why I made this change.

We have a national epidemic, and it’s not covid or some sort of illness. America is becoming Biblically illiterate. Only 18% of the United States population is considered Scripture Engaged according to the American Bible Society’s State of the Bible. Scripture Engagement is defined as “consistent interaction with the Bible that shapes a person’s choices and transforms their relationships with God, self, and others.” If we want America to become more righteous, Scripture Engagement must become a priority.

An affinity for Scripture starts in the home. When children see that you make scripture a priority (do you read publicly and consistently?) and they see that it makes a significant impact on your life (do you exemplify Jesus?), they too will want to engage with  scripture. We might not be able to solve America’s Biblical illiteracy through a sermon or a program, but if each family would do their part to make scripture and prayer a priority in the home, we can begin to help America heal from this epidemic.

Re:Verse passage – Proverbs 13:24 (day seven)

As I think through this text and how I parent, the question I find myself asking is how does God discipline me?

When our children are learning to ride a bicycle, they fall… a lot! When they fall, we don’t wrap them in bubble wrap or remove all the obstacles from their path. We pick them back up, point them in the right direction, and hope they crash into something softer next time. We let them fall to make them stronger. Eventually, they will learn to ride the bike with ease because their ability has been transformed through adversity.

God’s discipline is not meant to punish us. God’s discipline is meant to transform us. Our punishment was fulfilled in the cross. His discipline transforms us through repentance. We will fall. Sometimes He will even let us fall, but He is the Good Father who is always there to pick us up when we fall so that He can point us in the right direction. Romans 2:4 tells us His kindness leads us to repentance. Through that repentance, the crashes will get softer and less often. Eventually, we will navigate the adversity with ease because our heart has been transformed to look like His. That is how discipline works!

Re:Verse passage – Proverbs 9:1-18 (day seven)

Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you,
Reprove a wise man and he will love you. vs 8

What comes out of you when you are squeezed? How do you handle critique and confrontation?

We are all sponges. We are constantly taking in new things and absorbing information. We can be very good at hiding what we absorbed, but once we are squeezed, what is inside will come out. If you find yourself getting defensive and angry when approached with critique, it is possible your sponge has been soaking in a pot of dirty water. If you want to be able to handle critique and confrontation well, you need to be absorbing the right things. That begins with Jesus. On the cross looking down at his scoffers, He cries out, “Forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” When Jesus was squeezed, love came out.

How can you absorb more of Jesus this week so that He will be what comes out when you are squeezed?

Re:Verse passage – Proverbs 3:9-10 (day seven)

Honor the Lord… from the first of all your produce. Proverbs 3:9

He is Risen.

But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. 1 Corinthians 15:20

Did you know that the Feast of Firstfruits was held the day after the Sabbath of Passover? It was a day of thanksgiving and of promise. By giving the firstfruit to the Lord, even if it meant giving everything that had been produced up to that point, it showed that the people trusted in God’s promise that a plentiful harvest was coming.

What day did Jesus conquer death and rise from the grave? The day after the Sabbath of Passover. Christ fulfilled the firstfruit. This was a promise that His resurrection was only the beginning. A plentiful harvest was yet to come; the resurrection of you and me.

He is Risen Indeed.

Re:Verse passage – Proverbs 3:5-7 (day seven)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding. vs 5

Much has been made of the statistic showing that young people who grew up in the church are leaving at an alarming rate. There are a myriad of possibilities as to why these numbers are set so high (some will say 70-80%). Some of it falls back into youth group and church dynamics, but ultimately, students will prioritize the things that they see are important to the people whom they are most influenced by. That finger should point to the parents. So the question becomes what did those parents prioritize? What did they put their trust in?

More often than not, their actions demonstrated a trust in their own understanding over a trust in the Lord. They were worried about paying for college, so they trusted in the coach of the traveling ball team who told them their child had D-1 potential. They were worried about their child not fitting in, so they got them the cell phone, even though they knew their child wasn’t ready for the world it would unlock. They were worried about how they might look as parents, so they didn’t open up to their church community about the struggles they were having at home. Over time, Sundays disappeared, the Word of God was little used, and the child was shown that Jesus was an afterthought. Parents, what are you putting your trust in? What are your actions showing your children that you prioritize?