Our Favorite Proverbs: Proverbs 3:9-10

by David Chadwick

“Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.”

Proverbs 3:9-10

Marilynn and I are continuing to go through some of our favorite biblical proverbs. The book of Proverbs is full of wisdom and insight for how to live a godly life. In a world where there are so many opinions and so little wisdom, we think it is more important than ever to return to God’s Word to see what he says.

Today we are looking at Proverbs 3:9-10. Did you know that wealth and money are very frequently discussed throughout the Old and New Testaments? God cares so much about seeing his people develop hearts of generosity. The message in today’s verse is to always give God our first fruits. He should get our best gifts, not the leftovers. If we do, our “barns” will be overflowing! In other words, we will have more than we need.

Have you ever heard the old illustration of eating a banana when it comes to biblical financial stewardship? So many followers of Jesus treat generosity like eating a banana. The first bite is our mortgage, the next bite is our car payment, then our clothes, then our enjoyment and entertainment. After filling all of our fleshly desires, we give God the banana peel!

But in the kingdom of heaven, God gets the first bite. He gets the first of everything we own. He gets the best! Malachi 3:8-15 gives a profound description of the beautiful reality of living a life surrendered to generosity. God says to test him with our tithe, our first fruit of giving, 10%, and that if we trust him with it, he will “pour down blessing until there is no more need.”

The tithe, the first 10%, represents our first and best gift to God. Biblically, this is the gift that will open the windows of heaven for us. The tithe is the only place in the Bible where God says to test him! He’s saying, “Just try it and see if my promises are true!”

Marilynn and I have so many miraculous stories of practicing the tithe over the years. I would encourage you to practice this biblical command. Just try it for one year. See if God doesn't meet your every need as he promised! And as you practice, remember his promise is to meet your needs. Not your greed!

Over time, I believe you, too, will have so many stories you can share with your kids and grandkids in the years to come to create generational generosity for your future legacy.

Our Favorite Proverbs: Wine Not? Proverbs 20:1

by Marilynn Chadwick

“Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.”

Proverbs 20:1

A good friend once noticed I didn’t order wine at a meal. She asked me whether I ever drank alcohol. Interesting question for a pastor’s wife and one I’ve been asked before. Back in the seventies I attended a large Southern university. I was active in sorority and fraternity life. I attended my share of parties and had occasions to drink. In those days, I didn't even believe in God. So, I obviously didn't look to him for guidance about behaviors like drinking.

But near the end of college, I had a radical conversion to Christ while reading Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis, the famous Oxford scholar and former atheist himself. Everything changed. Soon after, I met and married my husband, David.

We will soon celebrate 48 years of marriage. Over the years in ministry together, we have both come to the conclusion that it’s better that we do not drink in public, so as not to put a stumbling block in front of someone who may struggle with alcohol.

It’s not that moderate drinking is immoral. Or even wrong. But here’s the thing: I want to be alert to hear God’s voice. I know this might sound silly. But I want to remain mindful of those little nudges to pray for someone. Aware of the Holy Spirit's guidance, or conviction, or instruction. I especially want to hear his whisper—that still small voice that’s so easy to miss.

I find even one glass of wine can dull my “spiritual hearing." Moreover, the Bible tells me that as a believer in Jesus, I have an enemy. He continually prowls around looking for someone to devour. As long as I live on earth, I’m at war. It was George Washington who once said, “To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving peace.”

One of the best ways to prepare for our spiritual war is to remain alert to the wiles of the enemy. The Bible says it this way: "Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8 AMP).

I want to win my spiritual battles. To hear what the Lord wants to reveal. In short, I want to stay fully awake. For me, I’ve come to believe it’s not wise to use wine as my method to deal with worry, stress, or anxiety. For those, I think I'll choose to be "filled with the Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).

Our Favorite Proverbs: The Secret is the Guard, Proverbs 13:3

by Marilynn Chadwick

“Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.”

Proverbs 13:3

I have a friend who raised five amazing boys. All her sons were excellent football players, receiving scholarships to play in various colleges around the country. She also happened to be a real prayer warrior—probably a requirement for raising all those strong sons. She used to remind me that just like in football, the secret to winning in spiritual warfare is the “guard.”

The Bible takes the importance of “guarding” very seriously. In various places, the book of Proverbs reminds us to guard our words, our thoughts, and even our manner of daily living. It gives clues as to the root of strife, which it tells us is often driven by pride (Proverbs 13:10). Proverbs strongly warns us to guard our temper and our words—which usually go hand in hand with outbursts of temper:

• “A hot-tempered person stirs up strife, but one who is slow to anger quiets contention” (Proverbs 15:18 NIV).

  
  

• “When words are many, sin is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is wise" (Proverbs 10:19).

  
  

• "Where there is no wood, the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases" (Proverbs 26:20).

In summary, the book of Proverbs teaches us that true strength is found in controlling our own spirit rather than winning an argument (Proverbs 16:32). I’m especially drawn to this convicting piece of wisdom: “It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling." (Proverbs 20:3).

When we let our guard down and say things that are disrespectful, hurtful, and demeaning, we damage our relationships and open the door to strife. And you can be sure that wherever you find strife, you’ll find many other kinds of evil (James 3:16).

I guess my friend got it right. She truly discovered the key to good football and to winning our spiritual battles. The secret is the guard!