The Way of the Locust

" . . . locust have no king, yet they advance together in ranks . . ."

Proverbs 30:27
Showing posts with label responsibility. Show all posts
Showing posts with label responsibility. Show all posts

Friday, January 2, 2009

The Edge of Eternity, Proverbs 2


"He holds victory in store for the upright . . ."

Proverbs 2:7

"Edge of Eternity" by Dave Makin (using mathematical fractals software)

Do you live on the edge? This term is usually reserved for visionaries and juggernauts. I remember a "hot shot" sales representative tell some of his associates, in an effort to motivate them, that "If you aren't living on the edge, you are taking up too much room."

A Christian "on fire" for God realizes that he is living on the edge of eternity, pushing and expanding territory for the kingdom. Interestingly, this focus applies in business, in ministry, at home, and in the community. If you don't feel under attack in your efforts, then something may be wrong. When we attempt to do the miraculous, we find ourselves depending more and more on God's direction and when we are showing signs of success, the enemy must try to contain the advancements. According to the prayer of Jabez, we need protection from the enemy. We don't want to fight the battle ourselves, we want to create skirmishes and walk in the protection of the almighty.


"The Prayer of Jabez" I Chronicles 4:10

Proverbs 2:20 - "Thus you will walk in the ways of good men and keep to the paths of the righteous."

We want to seek God's protection and walk in his blessing. I love the quote from General Patton "Your job is not to die for your country, but to make the other dumb bastard die for his." We want to avoid evil, to avoid harm, but we want to advance in the battle realizing that God is with us and leading the way. Is he expanding your territory? With more territory comes more responsibility.

On Mission, On Assignment, and in the ZONE!

Andy Valadez
e-mail: andy@marketingdynamics.org

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

On Righteousness and Justice, Proverbs 29


Solomon in his wisdom, decides to order the splitting of a baby when confronted by two mothers, both claiming their child. One was telling the truth, the other was not. One was righteous, the other was not. When he drew his sword, the righteous one stood out. Oh to have that kind of wisdom.

Our country is divided in this election. Each group views the other as lacking righteousness and judgment. Clearly people think they are right in their choice; however, there are still those who can't decide. I heard a pastor speak and warned his paritioners to vote "The Bible".

The bible has been called the "sword" and offers insight. I won't tell you how to vote here, but one candidate stands for right and the other does not. You decide.

I pray for our country and this election.


"Man on the Street on Righteousness"


"Praise You in the Storm" by Casting Crowns

Proverbs 29:1 - "A man who remains stiffnecked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed without remedy."

A stiffnecked person is like a peacock. He struts around arrogantly. Have you seen him? Can you think of a few stiffnecked people who have fallen suddenly? How do we avoid their fate? A stiffnecked person is rigid and has to move his whole body to see. That is what Solomon calls a person who lacks wisdom and understanding. They refuse to listen and discern their situation and suffer for it. Are we stiffnecked?

Proverbs 29:4 - "By justice a king gives a country stability, but one who is greedy for bribes tears it down."

Many politicians and executives routinely show up in the news, caught up in investigations for taking bribes or unethical financial dealings. A guy in my neighborhood will receive his sentencing this Friday for embezzlement in our Municipal Utility District. The guy claimed to be a Christian and seemes like a good person, he was always friendly and kind to people.

He served as a board member and was part of a sting where another board member were claiming expenses for their position that shouldn't have been submitted. It made the news all over our city. I am praying for this guy. His decisions will impact him for the rest of his life and created a lot of turmoil in our subdivision.

Justice requires thought about the consequences of our actions and our decrees. It is amazing how God protects us from ourselves. Still, there are times in our lives when justice (in our favor) seems to have eluded us. We never really want the justice that is not in our favor. Life is a balance. Do you feel that life has been fair to you?

Proverbs 29:27 - "The righteous detest the dishonest; the wicked detest the upright"

It's like a see saw. If you stand for righteousness, your attackers will emerge. If you are wicked, the righteous will seek you out to exact justice. So, which is better? Interestingly, all people want justice and righteousness in their favor.

On Mission, On Assignment, and in the ZONE!

Andy Valadez
e-mail: andy@marketingdynamics.org