Akers Meditations Book

Over the past 6 weeks or so this site has been averaging close to 30 page views per day.  I want to make sure that those who are accessing this blog site are aware that all of the meditations I have written (732) are part of a book recently published.  I recommend the downloading of the e-book as then you could look up any verse, key word, reference at your disposal.  Cost of the download is only $5.  There's also a print version but because of the size of the book (768 pages), the print copy costs between $50 and $59 depending on where you order it.  You can do a Google/Bing search using "Michael J Akers, meditations" or go to the publisher's website at http://bookstore.westbowpress.com/Products/SKU-000700998/Morning-and-Evening-Meditations-from-the-Word-of-God.aspx 

Servant leadership

Matthew 23:11-12 (NASB)

The greatest among you shall be your servant and whoever exalts himself shall be humbled and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

I can’t help it, when I read this passage, I think of all my years in the businessworld where the higher rank of a person, the more that person expected to be exalted.  This is certainly true in the military although justifiable.  When you read the context of these statements you find that Jesus was aiming them at the religious leaders of that time, the Pharisees.  They, like so many people with worldly power today, expected to be exalted, to be treated with honor and respect, not because of whom they were as people, but who they were because of their title or rank.

Jesus made many kinds of statements like this one that must have boggled the minds of His hearers then (and outraged the self-centered Pharisees) as it does to us today.  Really, reflecting on the standards of worldly societies and organizations, a statement that leaders of those organizations should be servants and humble themselves seems preposterous.  Yet, these kinds of “contrary to the world standard statements” that Jesus consistently uttered, are in line with the verse from Isaiah 55:8 that “….My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord.”  Jesus’ teachings are always opposite of what the world teaches.    

Indeed, it takes great faith to believe and great humility to practice servant leadership.  Humanly, we all want to be praised, applauded, exalted, and served.  However, if you seek to be a Spirit-filled Christian, your sincere desire must be to serve, to humble yourself by putting others’ needs first, and to love others as you love yourself.  Deep down you know that this is a great truth, yet it is so difficult to practice.  What can you do to start or continue the practice of serving others first?  One suggestion simply is to start encouraging someone through kind words and thoughtful actions without any regard to what that person will do in return. 

The ideal woman

Proverbs 31:10-12 (NLT)

Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?  She is more precious than rubies.  Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life.  She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.

Women are described in three different ways in the book of Proverbs---(1) personification of wisdom—e.g. 2:4, 4:6-9, 8:1-3, 9:1-3, (2) personification of immorality—e.g. 5:3-8, 6:24-26, 7:8-27, 9:13-18, and (3) personification of virtue—Chapter 31.

Proverbs 31 describes the “ideal woman” so women reading this chapter, while hopefully inspired to follow the example of the ideal woman, should not berate yourself when you realize that you are not perfect as this Proverbs 31 woman is.  However, with respect to a role model, of course it is infinitely better to follow the example of the Proverbs 31 woman than to follow most celebrity females of dubious character existing today.  Plus, be reminded that the woman/wife described in Proverbs 31 is God’s role model of what she should be.  Booth Tarkington once wrote: “An ideal wife is any woman who has an ideal husband”.   

Let’s evaluate what this passage is saying.  It is saying that a man is extremely fortunate to find a virtuous and capable wife.  Other translations use adjectives like “good”, “strong character”, “noble character”, “excellent”, “intelligent”, and “worthy” in describing this ideal woman.  Other characteristics of this virtuous and capable wife are preciousness, being trustworthy, enriching her husband’s life, and bringing his life good things, never harmful things, all the days of her life.  No wonder the writer says that to find a woman/wife like this is worth far more than expensive jewelry.

The word “virtuous” uses the Hebrew word “ishshah chayil” that literally means “one of power either in mind or body or both”.  This verse can be translated “Who can find a woman of strength, efficiency, and ability?”  The power and strength here refers to power and strength of character---being morally excellent, morally admirable, always telling and representing the truth, honorable and highly-principled.  These are ideals that women should strive for just like all God’s people should strive to be holy, even perfect, although such achievement is impossible from a human perspective.  Still, we should strive always to come close to reaching and being these ideals. 

To be precious means to be “highly esteemed”.  Time is precious because it passes by so quickly.  A child is precious because he/she represents your progeny.  Expensive jewels are precious because of their monetary worth.  Family keepsakes are precious because they are irreplaceable.  So a good woman and good wife are precious.

To be trustworthy is a quality that unfortunately is lacking in the majority of marriages in America if you believe the divorce rate statistics.  Admittedly, trustworthiness is more of a problem women have with men than vice versa.  To trust your marriage partner is the fundamental foundation of a strong God-honoring marriage.

To enrich her husband’s life and bring into his life good things, never harmful things, are qualities of a virtuous wife and woman that any man would dream to have.  Sadly, many women do not have these qualities and more sadly still, many women do, but their husbands are fools who don’t realize what they have and certainly don’t appreciate their wives.  How richly blessed is the man who has a wife who only desires God’s best for him, but also does all she can to be a benefit and blessing to him.    

The tone of the question “Who can find?” suggests that it is very difficult for a man to find such a woman.  Proverbs 18:22 says “Who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord”.  How many happily married husbands would agree?  Unhappy husbands and divorced husbands might also agree although in these situations men might be the problem, not the wife.  I know that I can only speak of my own situation, as is the case with any individual man; that I am blessed to have married the woman I married and believe that she fits this role model.  She is the most selfless person I know.  I hope every married man reading this can say the same thing about your wife and all you single men can aspire to find this kind of woman to fulfill your life someday.  If you are single and looking for the right woman, look to the Lord in prayer so that the Lord Himself might find her for you. 

What qualities of God’s ideal woman portrayed in this chapter do you have?  What qualities do you not have?  What must you start or stop doing?

The value of true friendship

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12  (NLT)

Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. 

There is no better passage in all of Scripture that describes friendship and/or companionship.  Ralph Waldo Emerson said that the only way to have a friend is to be one.  Aristotle said that a friend is a single soul dwelling in two bodies.  Robert Louis Stevenson said that no one is useless while he has a friend.  King Solomon wrote that there are at least four reasons and advantages for having a companion, a partner, a very close friend:

1.   Good return for their labor, help each other succeed

2.   If one falls, the other is there to lift him up.

3.   Keep one another warm

4.   Help one another to resist attacks.

Everyone needs a friend to help you overcome attacks of temptation.  The Hebrew word used for “attack” actually means “more powerful” or to “prevail over” so it’s an attack that will defeat you unless you have someone in your life with whom the two of you can stand together and prevail over or against the attacker. The attacker can be an actual person, a physical foe, but also can be any temptation in your life that the enemy (flesh-world-devil) knows that you are weakest against.  You need someone with whom and to whom you can be accountable and will be there to help you to resist these attacks. 

Who in your life fits these descriptions?  If you are married, then your spouse is (or should be) meeting these needs.  However, for most of us, we also need a close friend of the same sex besides our spouse.  Women tend to have closer relationships with other women than men have with other men.  Sure, men have friends, but are they the type of friendships where you can easily share your innermost thoughts and needs, especially in the area of weakness(es)? 

Scripture above states that “three are even better” to overcome attacks.  Who is the third person?  Sure, it can be another friend or a friend plus your spouse, but this also refers to the active presence of the Lord and His full armor (read Ephesians 6:10-18) who enables you “to stand firm against the schemes of the devil”.

Baltasar Gracian, Jesuit priest and author in the 1600s said that “friendship multiples the good of life and divides the evil”.  The Roman philosopher, Cicero, said that “friendship improves happiness and abates misery, by the doubling of our joy and the dividing of our grief”.   Who fits this model of friendship/ companionship in your life?  Why not forward this message to your closest friend(s) so that they know how you really feel about them.  What an encouraging affirmation of your friendship that will only grow stronger and help you even more to face and overcome all sources of temptation and trouble for the rest of your life.

My Life Verse----As It Is For Many

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. 

Proverbs 3 contains 17 promises of God that we all should realize.  Joshua 23:14 says that all promises (good words) of God will come true, none will fail.  Read over this chapter today and reflect on all these promises.  And share them with your children, grandchildren, and others you feel close to.  Proverbs 3 is one of the most remarkable and magnificent chapters of the entire Bible!  In the first six verses of Proverbs 3 there are three outstanding promises---a long life filled with peace, a life that is liked and respected by all others including God, and a life that is directly guided by the Lord.  I have always wished that I was made aware of Proverbs 3 and all its promises when I was a youth rather than learning them when I was well into my thirties.  My life would be different today.   

If there are two verses in the Bible that I have quoted to myself, to others and prayed about more than any other two verses, they are Proverbs 3:5-6.  There are four absolutely amazing truths in these two verses that I must remind myself about as much as possible for the rest of my life and you should too. 

Trust in the Lord with all of your heart.  
Trust in the original Hebrew is the idea of throwing yourself down, casting all your hopes for the present and the future upon the Lord.  Heart is used throughout the Old Testament to refer to that part of you that constitutes the seat of your intellect, emotion, and will.  It’s your conscience, your personality, your soul.  Trusting the Lord with all your heart means that you confidently expect that He will do what He promises. You are not left to doubt, to hope, or to guess; you have a positive trust that brings positive results.

Do not lean on your own understanding
The Hebrew word for “lean” means to support yourself.  However, you are NOT to support yourself, you are not to worry about attempting to explain what is happening in your life.  To follow this command means that you are to be humble and honest about your limitations. Have you ever had to walk with a crutch?  Leaning on a crutch for very long can be exhausting.  So is leaning on your own understanding.  Trying to understand life around you can become utterly exhausting.  Depression in life comes from trying to understand everything you can, but realizing you cannot.  But, you don’t need to!

In all your ways acknowledge Him

Rather than leaning on the manmade crutch of your devices, you are exhorted to recognize God’s presence and His will in your plight.  Acknowledging Him enables you not to be alone.  Note the emphasis on the word “all” both here and trusting with all of your heart.  God does not accept half way attitudes and actions.  If your heart is “half-hearted” about serving God, about being faithful, about anything that is spiritual, in the view of God, you might as well consider yourself at ground zero.  There is no middle ground.  To agree to acknowledge Him in all your ways requires your obedience and your willingness to admit to others openly of your dependence on Him. 

And He will make your paths straight

The Hebrew word means to make smooth, straight, right.  It includes the idea of removing obstacles that are in the way.  It means that when the Lord is fully relied upon to handle a given situation, He will remove all the obstacles and smooth out your path thoroughly.  The requirements here are being obedient to the first three segments. When you trust in the Lord with all of your heart, when you don’t worry about trying to explain what’s happening (or not happening), and when you acknowledge Him in every aspect of your life, He will not only make your paths straight but also give you assurance, joy, contentment and peace. 

Billy Graham has told the story of a man during the Depression who lost his job, his fortune, his wife, and his home.  Yet, he did not give up on God.  He tenaciously held on to his faith.  One day he was walking and saw some men doing stonework on a huge church.  One of them was chiseling a triangular stone and this man asked why.  The workman said, “See that little opening away up there near the spire?  Well, I’m shaping this down here so that it will fit in up there.”  This man walked away and began to cry.  He realized that God had spoken to him through the workman to explain the ordeal that he was going through.  “I’m shaping you down there so that you’ll fit in up here.”  This is exactly what God is doing with you and using your current life’s situations to accomplish His ultimate purpose in you. 

You must learn to trust Him as He is shaping you through the trials, sufferings, and storms in your life.  You won’t understand it all now, but someday you will plus by doing all you can to put Him first in your life, you have the promise that He will be in control of your life and make your paths straight.  Pray for faith to believe this.  As the father said in Mark 9:24, “I believe, help me in my unbelief”.  This could be one of your favorite verses of the Bible.  Ask Him to help you to believe and to trust Him.