Sorry about the =20 stuff. Hope I got it this time.

"It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows 
to make inquiry" --Proverbs 20:25

If any of you were watching TV back in the 80s on Friday nights, there were 
a couple of shows yet with some moral value and lessons that  were pointed 
at the listener. One of those shows was a show called "Family Matters" One 
of the characters was a skinny, sort of gangly  early Afro American teen 
with large glasses, suspenders that hiked his pants a good four inches off 
the tops of his tennis shoes, postured himself quite awkwardly and if that 
posture was animated, would be represented quite well as a question mark. 
He spoke with a squeaky nasal voice as if words came straight out of his 
nose, and laughed with an infamous snort if you were familiar with the 
show. A completely geeky yet lovable character. He also however had a brain 
the size of his geekness, a prodigy genius. And even though his genius 
saved the day many times at the end of the show, he yet still managed to 
find himself in trouble as a product of his clumsy bungling of common sense 
resulting in a disaster, mostly in trouble with the TV shows father figure 
Carl Winslow, a Chicago police detective trying to raise a family with 
integrity and morals. The phrase that best noted this young geeky teen 
named Steve Urkel was the words "Did I do that"?  Knowing full well what he 
had done but presented his unintended victim with an innocently spoken 
phrase hoping to lower the sentence of verbal thrashing or punishment about 
to befall him. What in the world does that have to do with the above scripture?

As Christians have we ever been given something holy from God and used it 
for our own devices?  Devoured it unto our own purposes or will? And 
afterwards inquire as if to say "Did I do that?". Looking at this scripture 
I see two facets. One being the use of that which God has given us for 
godly use, and we  full well knowingly utilize it for our own selfish 
pleasures or uses. Secondly to vow we have heard from God on an issue, 
follow through on it and then question whether we are doing right, as if to 
question God's direction. One translation called it a sin to do such, and 
although I don't see the inference of sin in the definition of the words 
here explicitly. No doubt it is not something we want to do, it is not 
something God wants us to do, but the scripture doesn't call it sin here. 
However, if we  superimpose or interpret the scripture above with the 
scripture that states that it is sin for those who know what to do but do 
not do it, yes it indeed is.

"Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to 
him it is sin." -- James 4:17-5:1

But the word "snare" or "trap" as is translated in some versions caught my 
eye as it were. The word is defined as a noose for literally or 
figuratively catching an animal, or a ring for the nose. Ouch! Well I guess 
teens of today are piercing and putting rings in just about everything, and 
on their own free will, but I digress from that rabbit trail. The point or 
implication I see from this word "snare" or "trap" is that of a 
uncontrolled leading, a sense of being  "led up the garden path" as an 
Aussie might say. Imagine having a ring in your nose with someone's finger 
through it pulling, or a rope tied to it just as those actions of using 
gifts of God for selfish purposes, to devour it for  yourself, futile 
gratification, or financial gain trap or snare you. Who do you think is at 
the end of the rope pulling you along? Clue. It isn't the Father, Son or 
Holy Spirit. As I listen to Rich  Mullins, an integretous and respected 
Christian singer/songwriter who seemingly prematurely had been thrust  to 
be with God as a result of an auto accident in the mid 90's, as I write, 
I'm reminded of  a part of an interview I heard with him on the radio. He 
said  he of course loves to sing and write and etc., but that is not why he 
is motivated to do it as he does, it is out of a sense of responsibility 
for the gifts he has been given. That spoke volumes to me and I think is a 
great representation  of one of the precepts this scripture teaches. To not 
devour what God has given for our own satiated appetites. Recently I was 
listening to the hearings by Congress as they interrogated Judge John 
Roberts, the nominee for the Supreme Court justice. After they read a quote 
of his regarding the empty spaces in law, and how that affected the courts, 
the congressional questioner sarcastically asked him if it ever occurred to 
him that perhaps Congress purposed those blank spaces in law. They asked 
him if he thought that the position of judge ought be to change those blank 
spaces in law by the courts rulings, or uphold law and judge according to 
the existing law. He said that his job was to  judge the cases in light of 
the law, but when the court has been presented with a case where the law is 
silent, he has no choice by his appointment and position but to make a 
ruling, and if that ruling does in fact change the trend of law, he can't 
help that. He has a duty and is responsible to find a ruling whether there 
is law applicable to that particular case or not.  Sometimes as Christians 
we are faced with similar. We aren't necessarily out to judge, but 
sometimes we are faced with a question, situation or event in which we are 
forced to make a ruling, or for a better perspective  we might call it a 
discernment. In years past I've been faced with an invitation to attend a 
Jamaican mission trip with a particular ministry. And while I'm sure there 
are  non-Christians in Jamaica, and there are folks in need, I clearly got 
the impression this was not just a mission trip. I got the impression this 
is an excuse for a vacation. There is a difference in perhaps taking a 
vacation and  for a vacation's purpose, and yet use it for God's use and 
will, yes. It is quite another when you utilize a tax-exempt mission trip 
for an excuse to have fun in the sun.  For example, "God has told me to go 
on this mission trip", yet in the heart see sandy beaches, sun tan lotion 
and ethnic eateries. Because I was approached with an invitation, in light 
of scripture, and knowing the ministry, the doctrine, the facts and etc. I 
was forced to make a judgment or ruling in this presentation to me. I felt 
if I had gone, I would have used what God gave for my own pleasures, and 
the ministry in which I would have been associated with would have as well. 
I didn't want to be in a position of asking God… "Oh. Did I do that?".

Just as offensive is the making of a vow and then inquiring or questioning 
it. I can't help but think of the scripture of "Let your yeses be yes, and 
your noes be no. Vows are not taken lightly by God, and ought not be with 
us as well. If we proclaim we are hearing from God on an issue and act upon 
it, we had better made sure we are indeed hearing from God and follow 
through. Pity the person who uses the Holy Spirit as excuses to carry out a 
self-created plan. Imagine holding a Holy Spirit badge out in front and 
perform or proclaim something that is not within God's will. That could be 
likened to a police officer showing a badge to a person at the door of 
their home, them letting them in, and the police officer stealing their 
goods as if to confiscate evidence where there was no crime or need for 
confiscation. When a person says he or she has heard from God, and 
proclaims that, it does not come free of responsibility because with that 
statement carries the interpretation of God's character by those within 
hearing distance. Paul praised God in the midst of his prison cell, and 
scripture says the prisoners were listening. They were affected because of 
what a godly man had done and proclaimed. How much more then does that 
affect others when we say "God has told me…" This type of proclamation 
joins both parts of this scripture that of a questioned or questionable vow 
and the devouring for selfish indulgences of that which God has given. 
Equally is it a snare if we begin to question direction we've heard from 
God. Granted we are human, we make mistakes, we in fact  do have to suffer 
what we invite upon ourselves, we sometimes are left to "sleep in the bed 
we've made" as they say. That is a type of discipline God performs and if 
we weren't legitimate kids of his, he would not discipline us. However, I 
do also believe that because of our faithfulness, even in those times of 
missing God, when we honestly and earnestly believe we are following God, 
and if in fact perhaps we have missed his direction or walked off the path 
yet  holding good and godly intentions to please God, I believe he will 
apply Romans 8:28, making good on all  things for those who love him and 
for his good.  Are we excused from having to sleep a night or two in the 
bed we made? No. But we are assured we are able to get up the next morning 
knowing God is with us and that we are forgiven.  As I often find myself 
saying, and is reflected in David, "it is a matter of the heart". That is 
what Jesus was trying to get across to the Pharisees  while they touted 
their legalistic rituals. God looks at the heart of man and not the outward 
man. That is detrimental to some, to those who try to deceive and fool 
potential followers, and use that for their own satisfaction. And yet so 
great for those who screw up  yet have a heart that is pointed towards God 
and honestly and truly want to please God and receive not only forgiveness, 
but those mistakes are not imputed or added up against us.

So there is much we can look at in life and match it up to those few words 
in this Proverbs and hopefully we will not find ourselves saying "Oh. Did I 
do that?".

Brad