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Wisdom Calls now available in print

2012-05-25T01:22:03Z

Wisdom Calls, long available as a Kindle-exlusive, is now available in paperback for $6.99.

"Wisdom calls aloud outside; She raises her voice in the open squares" (Proverbs 1:20 NKJV). In WISDOM CALLS, Jeff Smith mines the Old Testament Proverbs for Twenty-first century applications, finding nuggets of truth amid the axioms of Solomon and other inspired sages. The biblical proverbs personify Wisdom as a sage woman, offering guidance and the benefit of experience to those who would strive to prosper spiritually in this life. Drawing upon a selection of 120 proverbs and passages, WISDOM CALLS is useful as a daily devotional book or for a little light reading when only weighty subject matter will do.

Lighten the Yoke

2012-05-24T19:13:22Z

The implication for our attempts at evangelizing a lost world remain the same. We proclaim the grace of Christ and commend justification by works of faith (John 6:29, James 2:18, First Thessalonians 1:3). We speak where the Bible speaks of the plan of salvation and the conditionality of fellowship, but we lay upon the gospel’s hearers no greater burden, no unscriptural demands, personal standards, or traditional tests.

From Where I Stand: Memorial

2012-05-15T14:17:25Z

America’s Memorial Day dates to the Reconstruction era when it was known as Decoration Day after the practice of adorning the graves of fallen Civil War soldiers. Since, the holiday has been extended to honor veterans of all our wars and renamed to focus our attention upon remembering their sacrifice. It is always wise and humbling to acknowledge those who sacrificed in your behalf, especially those who paid the ultimate earthly price. That, after all, is what makes the Lord’s Supper sufficiently significant to observe on the first day of every week, and with worthy discernment and proclamation.

From Where I Stand: Mothers

2012-05-01T14:22:00Z

The Bible is filled with examples of motherhood, most of them very good, but some rather bad. None of them is perfect, of course, not even Mary, even if the sacred texts do not explore their flaws in print. Motherhood is more than a biological or instinctive exercise in reproduction, you see. Motherhood is a spiritual relationship, best informed by the wisdom of our Creator, and one which touches the very depths of a child’s soul. Motherhood provides life and sustenance, guidance and correction, admonition and healing. Motherhood provides the Bible writers with dramatic illustrations of her concern for her offspring, peering into the animal world to honor the protectiveness of the she-bear and the succor of the hen (Proverbs 17:12, Matthew 23:37). To have a mom who combines the finest of the often disparate qualities is to enjoy rich blessing. Why not give her a call?

Me, A Sinner

2012-04-25T17:31:19Z

The point of the parable is introduced in its purpose – Jesus was addressing people in his audience who saw no need for a savior, for they trusted in their own achievements, and even went so far as to look down upon others whom they considered both inferior and unworthy. While the Pharisees were infamous for this degree of self-exaltation, they were by no means alone. Today, Pharisee exists only as opprobrium, but the sect lives on in the attitudes of religious people whose trust is more in their own deluded piety than in the grace of a forgiving God. It is they who ignore the beams in their own eyes to draw attention to the specks elsewhere, and who honor God with their lips, but whose hearts are on a different planet (see Matthew 7:1-5, 15:1-9).

From Where I Stand: Hope

2012-04-24T17:32:00Z

The Hebrew writer’s goal was to emphasize the superiority of the covenant of Christ to a generation of people who pondered a return to the Law of Moses. He was certainly not short on arguments, and many of them continue to resonate today among disciples who contemplate a renewal of affections for this lost world. For instance, he wrote, "We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek" (Hebrews 6:19-20). Hope continues to serve as our spiritual, emotional, and moral anchor when the waves of weariness, discouragement, or temptation crash upon us. We hope to persevere, to endure, to reach the eternal shore. Our hope rests not in things temporal or earthly, but in the person of Christ who stills the winds, calms the waves, and lights the way, even into Heaven. When all else fails – and it just might – the hope we derive from trusting in a risen savior who has proven resurrection and purchased redemption steadies our nerves and soothes our consciences. Our hope is built on nothing less.

From Where I Stand: Uncanny Resemblance

2012-04-18T17:49:57Z

Just a few weeks ago, I was reentering Bass Performance Hall during intermission. With Schubert on my mind, an older gentleman took me aside, saying, “You probably hear this all the time – You look just like Al-Assad, the dictator from Syria.” Actually, that was the first time I had heard that, but a quick Google image search uncovered a few photos of the Syrian that bear more than a passing resemblance. Presumably, the similarities end there – I dictate infrequently and my Arabic is limited. On the other hand, it is startling how two such disparate creatures can look enough alike to fool the casual observer. That is surely why the Holy Spirit warns us about false gospels and false christs. The most insidious draw power from superficial similarity to the genuine article, differing where it matters beneath the surface, where fewer bother to look (Mark 13:22, Galatians 1:6-9).

Fury of Fire

2012-04-13T18:20:41Z

The writer added urgency to his warnings to the Hebrews by reminding them that, “our God is a consuming fire” (12:29). Christians, for whom the world has not lost all its luster, need to be reminded of that just as much as the atheist and the disobedient believer. The threat of apostasy remains very real and only abiding faith in Jesus can keep you from stumbling and falling from grace (see Jude 24, Galatians 5:1-6).

Lording It Over

2012-04-04T17:33:39Z

The leadership of teachers and overseers begins and ends with Scripture, upholding the truth of the new covenant in both doctrine and practice. It values the soundness of the church and the welfare of the flock; it tears down error and builds up faith, promoting healthy fellowship and providing reliable guidance. Where leadership proves its affection for the flock, trust, cooperation, and fruitfulness result.

From Where I Stand: A Titanic Mistake

2012-03-24T15:02:38Z

It was one century ago that the unbelievable and impossible happened – the unsinkable HMS Titanic sank into the frigid North Atlantic after hitting an unexpectedly large iceberg. Legend has it that the ship was lauded as invincible – that God himself could not sink her – and yet there she lies, still today, in the murky depths of his ocean. With God, all things are possible. We are not, however, suggesting that God specifically targeted the Titanic with a chunk of ice. Man, you see, often needs no help inflating his hubris to dangerous levels and will often ensure his own fall as a result. Sailing into danger, underestimating the threat, and responding tepidly – all happened a century ago on the high sea and often are repeated during the spiritual decline of believers whose pride makes them ready to sink as well. “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall” (First Corinthians 10:12).