Tommy Mann

We need to give careful consideration to the way we choose to go.  Things have definitely improved for me thanks to GPS, but before we had these technologies we needed to plan ahead. If we didn't know how to get somewhere, we needed to ask for directions or look at a map. We also needed to think about things like road construction, traffic patterns at different times of day, or whether or not we wanted to pay tolls. The GPS allows us to consider these options, but we still have to make choices about our route.  That is the idea behind what Solomon told his son. In Proverbs 4:26 he wrote, "Ponder the path of your feet, then your ways will be sure."  The Hebrew word translated as ponder is used four times in the Bible, and each time it is translated into a different English word. The best definition seems to be "to weigh," so the instruction in this proverb is to weigh all the options, then make the best decision.  We might plan on going a certain way, or leaving ...

In Proverbs 3 Solomon speaks of wisdom as a godly lady, and he tells his son the reason why he should pursue this lady named wisdom. One reason why is found in verse 17: "Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." Pleasantness and peace sound nice. Pleasantness means enjoyable or agreeable. Everyone wants to have an enjoyable and peaceful life, but I think Solomon might be saying something a little more clever than just that.  Although she is not mentioned by name in the book of Proverbs, according to 1 Kings 14:31, Solomon's wife's name was Naamah. The Hebrew word for pleasantness is noam,  which is closely associated with Solomon's wife's name (her name is also translated as pleasantness). But there is more. In the Song of Songs, Solomon's young wife is not named, but she is called Shulamite, which is the feminine form of Solomon's name (kind of like being called "Mrs. Solomon"). Shulamite is connected with the Hebrew ...

One of the most powerful things we can do as Christians is share our story (we sometimes call this our testimony). For many of us, we have unsaved friends and family that we have tried inviting to church, but we cannot get them inside on a Sunday. When they will not come attend one of our weekly services, they will listen to our testimony.  Chuck Swindoll said it like this: "The skeptic may deny your doctrine or attack your church, but he cannot honestly ignore the fact that your life has been cleaned up or revolutionized...Believe me, the steps that led to your conversion are far more appealing and appropriate to the lost than a pulpit exposition of John 3 or Romans 5."  That is not to suggest that the Word of God is lacking in power, or that our personal story trumps the Bible. It points to the unmistakable fact that those not yet converted are far more likely to be intrigued by the transformation of a friend than they are to listen to a breakdown of an epistle. Remember, t...

 In Luke 7 Jesus performed a miracle that led to an amazing declaration. After interrupting a funeral in the town of Nain and raising someone back to life, we read these words in verse 16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” I believe that miracle was intended to call to mind a much earlier miracle performed by the Old Testament hero Elijah. In 1 Kings 17 the prophet raised the dead son of the widow of Zarephath. Elijah took the boy in his arms and presented him to his mother. Notice what happens next:  "And the woman said to Elijah, 'Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth (v.24).'” The accounts in 1 Kings and Luke are similar. Both Jesus and Elijah raised the dead son of a widow; both gave the boy to his mother; both made contact with the deceased, and thus ceremonially defiled themselves.  The comparison becomes even more apparent...

I have always liked refreshments. Even the word itself sounds promising, like I am about to receive something that will refresh me and make me feel better. When we hear the word refreshments we are almost always talking about snacks: we go to a meeting, and someone says, "Be sure to help yourself to some refreshments." The meeting may be boring, but if they have donuts and coffee, things are starting to look up.  In Proverbs 3 Solomon uses the word refreshment when he promises his son blessings from the Lord. That is the only time we see this word in the entire Bible. This is what the king tells his son in v.7-8 "Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones." The Hebrew word translated as refreshment appears twice more in the Bible, but both times it is translated as drink, as that is the best definition of the word. Sometimes we just need a good drink. Solomon is offering his so...

As followers of Jesus, we want to win the world. There is no question about that. But how do we go about doing it? There seems to be a growing trend to either minimize God's Word or set it aside altogether. Some have chosen to lower the bar in hopes that the unsaved will have an easier time jumping over it. But I disagree with that strategy. If we do not win the world with the Word, we aren't winning them at all. In his insightful book Joy for the World, Greg Forster wrote, "If Christianity is going to have a distinct impact, it needs to rely on what truly makes it distinct--the work of the Spirit in our hearts, minds, and lives."  Christianity isn't just one way among many that can change people; it is the only true way. When we reduce our faith down to merely being a social influence or a place where people come as they are and feel loved, we are joining a crowded space where a hundred other clubs and religions operate. We must remember we are offering life chan...

One of Aesop's Fables is titled The Frog and the Fox, or the Toad and the Fox in some editions. The short story is about a frog that declares he has the ability to heal any ailments within the animal kingdom. Upon hearing this audacious claim, the fox replies, "If you can heal any ailment, why do you look like that?" The fox pointed out the sickly complexion of the amphibian, and the fact that his mobility was limited to merely hopping.  Aesop wrote his fables around 620-564 BC, so they were in circulation and popular in the days that Jesus walked the earth. It is believed that the fox's clever insult to the frog gave birth to the Jewish proverb, "Physician, heal yourself." Jesus quoted those words in Luke 4:24, saying to the congregants in the synagogue, "Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, 'Physician, heal yourself.' What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well." The proverb is one of skepticism, as i...

Matthew, Mark, and Luke each contain the account of Jesus being tempted in the wilderness by the devil. Satan told Jesus to turn stones into bread in order to feed Himself; he told Jesus to bow down to him; and he told Jesus to dive off of the temple and see if the angels would save Him. Jesus responded to each temptation by quoting Scripture, saying, "It is written...Again, it is written...for it is written..." (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10) The devil does not tempt us in those exact ways because we do not have the ability to turn stones to bread, and no guardian angels are waiting to catch us if we do a swan dive from a sky rise. He rarely tells people to bow down to him; there are very few devil worshippers.  And yet those are the basic temptations he uses because they follow the same framework. He tempts us to turn stones into bread when he tries to get us to doubt that God will provide for our needs. He tempts us to bow to him when he tries to get us to live life for ourselves rat...

The book of Proverbs equates living right with living long. 10:27 says, “The fear of the LORD prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short.” 14:27 says, “The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death.”  19:23 says, “The fear of the LORD leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.” But we probably all know people who lived for God and yet didn’t live as long as we would have liked. Is the Bible wrong? This is one of those times we have to remember that proverbs are rules of thumb. Sometimes wicked people live long, and sometimes righteous people don’t. Don’t you ever think less of a believer who lived a short life, thinking it must have been God’s punishment. More often than not, though, fearing God leads to prolonging our days. Part of that is because, if you fear God, you will make better choices. Those who fear God are not as likely to get drunk and drive their car off a bridge, or de...

Baptism is an important ordinance in the church, but it is often misunderstood. Many people view it as a religious relic or superstition, treating it like a lucky rabbit's foot. I have seen quite a few videos on social media of celebrities getting baptized, including athletes at their team practices. While I hope these are sincere, part of me wonders how many players hope the baptism will help them score touchdowns, and how many celebrities hope the baptism will further their career.  Baptism is not something we do to hedge our bets, like Pascal's wager (if the Christian is wrong, no harm done, but if the atheist is wrong, heaven and hell hang in the balance; therefore, trust in God). Neither is baptism something we do in hopes that God will bless us. Baptism is a picture of what a person professes to believe. When the Ethiopian eunuch believed, he was baptized on the spot. Baptism publicly proclaims the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus as the candidate goes under the w...

Christians should be joyful people. Unfortunately we often present ourselves to the world as angry or sourpusses, and the world understandably will not find our faith attractive.  We should be joyful because God has been good to us. We will certainly face hardships just like everyone else, but God has supplied us with eternal blessings. On our worst day we still have our sins forgiven, God's Holy Spirit within us, and a future home with the Lord.  So we should be joyful. And if we are joyful, we should make a noise. Psalm 100 begins with these words: "Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!" We typically associate this "noise" with singing.  Some people act as if the instruction is to make a solemn noise to the Lord. Church, they say, is a place of quiet reverence. No instruments, no clapping, no raising of the hands. But the Bible frequently tells us to praise God with shouts, with clapping, and with instruments (even percussion!). Around God's thro...