Original Entry:
December 21, 2011
McMinnville, OR
A good man obtains favor from the Lord, but the Lord
condemns a crafty man. Proverbs 12:2
Sitting in a coffee
shop in Sisters, Oregon in November of 2010 through a series of events God
called me to a ministry for men.
Shanna and I stepped
out on faith. We pulled Shanna out of
her job at a local school, began raising support, and launched The Great Hunt
for God. Since then we have sent letters
out monthly in order to raise about enough support to make our house payment,
which we have done all but one time.
In response to our
vision-filled monthly letters one man responded to my missive via e-mail,
and questioned, “I hope all of this is not a bunch of hype.” After I shared
that already we had missed a house payment and were about to go full time on
faith he understood.
“A good man obtains favor from the Lord, but the Lord
condemns the crafty man.” (Proverbs 12:2)
God knows the heart
of every man. God knows his
motives. The crafty man is found out by
God before he even devises his schemes. God is never surprised. God knows the deepest secrets of a man. The
man of “pure heart and clean hands” (Psalm 24:4) will find favor and blessings
in the Lord. The man of crafty motivations
will find silence at best. At worst, “The Lord condemns the crafty man.”
Why do you do what
you do? Why do you say what you say? Are
you a kiss up or flatterer trying to get ahead by sucking up to the boss? Do you help your wife only when you want her
to reciprocate some sexual favor? Do you
smile and act like a committed steward in the church to win the attention of
the pastor?
Check yourself and
check your heart in everything you do.
