Better By Far

16 How much better to get wisdom than gold!
    To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
17 The highway of the upright turns aside from evil;
    whoever guards his way preserves his life.
18 Pride goes before destruction,
    and a haughty spirit before a fall.
19 It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor
    than to divide the spoil with the proud.
20 Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good,
    and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.
21 The wise of heart is called discerning,
    and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.
22 Good sense is a fountain of life to him who has it,
    but the instruction of fools is folly.
23 The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious
    and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
24 Gracious words are like a honeycomb,
    sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
25 There is a way that seems right to a man,
    but its end is the way to death.
26 A worker's appetite works for him;
    his mouth urges him on.
27 A worthless man plots evil,
    and his speech[d] is like a scorching fire.
28 A dishonest man spreads strife,
    and a whisperer separates close friends.
29 A man of violence entices his neighbor
    and leads him in a way that is not good.
30 Whoever winks his eyes plans dishonest things;
    he who purses his lips brings evil to pass.
31 Gray hair is a crown of glory;
    it is gained in a righteous life.
32 Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
    and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
33 The lot is cast into the lap,
    but its every decision is from the Lord.. – Proverbs 16:16-33 ESV

According to Solomon, the way of wisdom is simply better. While it can’t offer the guarantee of a trouble-free life, it can provide a far better outcome than the alternative. Just consider how many times Solomon pronounces the life of godliness as better than any other available option.

Better to have little, with godliness,
    than to be rich and dishonest. – Proverbs 16:8 NLT

How much better to get wisdom than gold,
    and good judgment than silver! – Proverbs 16:16 NLT

Better to live humbly with the poor
    than to share plunder with the proud. – Proverbs 16:19 NLT

Better to be patient than powerful;
    better to have self-control than to conquer a city. – Proverbs 19:32 NLT

There are simply some things that are better than others. But who gets to choose? According to Solomon, God determines the value of one thing over another. He establishes the relative worth of one action as opposed to another. As is so often the case in the book of Proverbs, in this chapter, Solomon uses comparison to get his point across.

He contrasts poverty with wealth and deems it better to have little than much. But he inserts a qualifier because, by themselves, these two conditions are amoral. They are neither wrong nor right, just or unjust. The qualifier has to do with the spiritual condition of the individual in each case. It is better to have little AND be godly than to be rich AND dishonest. The presence of godliness in the life of the impoverished person automatically improves the condition of his life. Logic would suggest that an abundance of wealth can help to improve life, but Solomon states that wealth gained by dishonest means adds little to the life of its possessor. It brings no satisfaction. It can assuage the appetite, but not the soul.

Solomon goes on to say that it is actually better to get wisdom than gold, and good judgment than silver (Proverbs 16:16). As has been made perfectly clear throughout the book of Proverbs, wisdom and good judgment are only available from God and require determination and dedication to acquire. We must search for them like we would hidden treasure. They must be a priority and a passion in our lives. Their value is far beyond that of riches of any kind. To put it simply: They’re just better.

And as if to further drive home his original point, Solomon tells us it is "better to live humbly with the poor than to share plunder with the proud" (Proverbs 16:19 NLT). Now while the qualifier is less clear, his comparison of these two types of lifestyles goes beyond mere poverty and wealth. It has much more to do with the condition of the heart. One is humble while the other is proud. Our friendships should be based more on the condition of the heart than the quality of our lifestyle.  We should be more concerned about the spiritual state of the ones with whom we associate than their financial health.

Far too often, the prominent and financially well-off have earned their wealth through less-than-righteous means. They may have taken advantage of the less fortunate to line their own pockets. They could have cut corners or broken laws to obtain their ill-gotten gains. Solomon even describes their wealth as plunder, as if has been stolen. And he describes their attitude about it all as prideful and arrogant. Somehow, they have conned the system and improved their financial position at the expense of others, and they’re proud of their accomplishments. And Solomon suggests that a life of destitution lived among the righteous poor would be far better in the end.

Solomon provides two final comparisons wrapped up in one verse.

Better to be patient than powerful;
    better to have self-control than to conquer a city. – Proverbs 16:32 NLT

Once again, the emphasis is on character, specifically patience and self-control. While God is not mentioned in these verses, it is clearly He who establishes the basis of these comparative clauses. God values patience over power, and self-control over what appears to be success.

Man tends to judge by externals, while God looks at the heart. He examines the motives. We see that clearly in verse 2:

People may be pure in their own eyes,
    but the Lord examines their motives.

God values godliness, justice, wisdom, good judgment, humility, patience, and self-control because each of these things is given by Him. They are not man-made or self-manufactured. They are evidence of a life lived in dependence upon God. And therefore, they are better. The world puts little to no value on any of them. Instead, the world determines the value of anything based solely on results. It bases value on externals and determines worth based on effectiveness. But God judges by different criteria and, at the end of the day, He alone determines which is better and best.

Those who choose to leave God out of their lives will only supplant Him with a god or gods of their own choosing. If they refuse to worship and fear Him, they will only end up bowing down to something or someone else. In many cases, they become prideful, thinking of themselves as the masters of their own fate and the captains of their own souls. But Solomon provides a sobering warning to these self-adulating, narcissistic fools:

Pride goes before destruction,
    and haughtiness before a fall. – Proverbs 16:18 NLT

The godless are really just God-less. They lack a healthy reverence for God Almighty and so they end up replacing Him with gods of their own making. In their pride and arrogance, they have chosen to pursue a path that leads away from God and far from the wisdom only He can provide. And while that path may lead to wealth, popularity, and power, it ultimately ends in death.

There is a path before each person that seems right,
    but it ends in death. – Proverbs 16:25 NLT

And as they make their way, they leave a wake of destruction in their path.

Scoundrels create trouble;
    their words are a destructive blaze.

A troublemaker plants seeds of strife;
    gossip separates the best of friends.

Violent people mislead their companions,
    leading them down a harmful path.

With narrowed eyes, people plot evil;
   with a smirk, they plan their mischief. – Proverbs 16:30 NLT

They have determined to take their own path and to live their lives according to their own terms. Having left God out of the picture, they end up taking the credit for their own success. But little do they know that their fate is far from self-determined. Their autonomy is a sham. Their aspirations for self-rule and sovereignty are a pipe dream. Because, at the end of the day, it is still God who determines their fate.

The lot is cast into the lap,
    but its every decision is from the Lord. – Proverbs 16:33 ESV

Life is not about chance. Our future is not based on fate, karma, or some form of kismet. Human beings tend to think that life is a game of chance where we roll the dice and take whatever comes our way. Some of us are fortunate enough to roll a lucky seven while others end up with snake eyes or craps. But Solomon reminds us, “We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall” (Proverbs 16:33 NLT).

The wise recognize the hand of God in all of life. They understand that He alone is sovereign. They know that He determines the affairs of men and He dictates the rules by which we conduct our lives on this planet. And Solomon points out that those who seek to live according to God’s terms will be blessed.

Those who listen to instruction will prosper;
    those who trust the Lord will be joyful. – Proverbs 16:22 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

They Way of God Lived With God

1 The plans of the heart belong to man,
    but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
    but the Lord weighs the spirit.
3 Commit your work to the Lord,
    and your plans will be established.
4 The Lord has made everything for its purpose,
    even the wicked for the day of trouble.
5 Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
    be assured, he will not go unpunished.
6 By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,
    and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil.
7 When a man’s ways please the Lord,
    he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8 Better is a little with righteousness
    than great revenues with injustice.
9 The heart of man plans his way,
    but the Lord establishes his steps.
10 An oracle is on the lips of a king;
    his mouth does not sin in judgment.
11 A just balance and scales are the Lord’s;
    all the weights in the bag are his work.
12 It is an abomination to kings to do evil,
    for the throne is established by righteousness.
13 Righteous lips are the delight of a king,
    and he loves him who speaks what is right.
14 A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,
    and a wise man will appease it.
15 In the light of a king’s face there is life,
    and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain. – Proverbs 16:1-15 ESV

Notice how many times Solomon mentions a man’s ways, works, or plans.

We can make our own plans,
    but the Lord gives the right answer. – Proverbs 16:1 NLT

Commit your actions to the Lord,
    and your plans will succeed. – Proverbs 16:3 NLT

When a man's ways please the Lord,
    he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. – Proverbs 16:7 ESV

We can make our plans,
    but the Lord determines our steps. – Proverbs 16:9 NLT

Wisdom isn’t just about what you know, but it also entails what you do with what you know. Even a man blessed with great wisdom can end up living like a fool if he fails to put all that knowledge to use. Wisdom is meant to be applied to daily life so that impacts our attitudes and actions.

While this Proverb appears to be a collection of disjointed one-liners that cover a variety of topics; on closer examination, there are two themes that run throughout the entire Proverb. One has to do with the path of our life and the plans we make to get where we think we're supposed to go.

The other theme has to do with our speech or the words that come out of our mouths, and the impact they have on our lives and the lives of all those around us. The path we walk will end up affecting our speech and conduct. Throughout the Proverbs, life is pictured as a journey. It has a beginning and an end. There is a destination to life. And we are always thinking about where it is we're going, how we're going to get there, and why are journey is not turning out quite as we expected.

We make plans for our lives and those plans are ALWAYS influenced by something going on the inside as well as outside of ourselves. Jealousy, pride, self-centeredness, and the longing for power, possessions, and prominence can lead us down the wrong path. And choosing the errant path can have a huge impact on the way we live and the words we say.

This Proverb talks about wise speech, kind words, gossip, destructive words, righteous lips, and honest speech. The content of our speech is directly related to the conduct of our lives. Where we go will influence what we say. Foolish life choices will result in foolish words. But following the wise path will result in wise words.

So, who gets to decide the path of our lives? According to Solomon, we spend a lot of time trying to make arrangements and plans for the direction of our lives, but at the end of the day, God is the one who determines our steps.

A man may make designs for his way, but the Lord is the guide of his steps. – Proverbs 16:9 BBE

We may think we know what’s best for our lives, but only God truly knows how to get where we really need to go. In verse one, we read, "The intentions of the heart belong to a man, but the answer of the tongue comes from the Lord."

This verse reminds us that we may arrange the contents of our minds and plan out all our thoughts, but it is God who gives us the capacity to put our thoughts into words. Plans become deeds. Thoughts become words. And both are related to the path we have chosen for our lives. We can choose to live our way or we can decide to live God’s way, to follow His path for our lives.

Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed. – Proverbs 16:3 NLT

Turn over the direction for your life to God. Allow Him to determine your path and you will discover it always leads in the right direction. Following His path not only leads to the right destination, but it also produces a life marked by godliness, wisdom, and righteousness. When it comes to choosing the right path for our lives, most of us have a lousy sense of direction.

There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death. – Proverbs 16:25 NLT

We need a GPS system. We need navigational assistance, and only God can provide it. Our way may seem right, but it will always turn out wrong. God’s way is the best way.

The highway of the upright is to turn away from evil; the one who guards his way safeguards his life. – Proverbs 16:17 NET

But there is more to life than simply choosing the right path. If we’re not careful, we can end up believing that, as long as we follow God’s will, all will be well. If we do things God’s way, we’ll never have to experience any trouble, trials, or tribulations.

“Unfailing love and faithfulness make atonement for sin. By fearing the Lord, people avoid evil.” – Proverbs 16:6 NLT

The entire book of Proverbs is like a compendium of sins, providing a running list of character traits and actions that flow from a life lived apart from God. It’s easy to read the book and simply walk away thinking that it’s up to us to choose a life of sin or a life of righteousness. It's our responsibility to make the right choices and not the wrong ones. But NOT sinning will NOT make us righteous in God’s eyes. Not only that, according to the Scriptures, attempting to do righteous things will not win us brownie points with God either. 

We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. – Isaiah 64:6 NLT

The apostle Paul reminds us, “As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous— not even one” (Romans 3:10 NLT). And where did he get that idea? From the pen of Solomon’s father, King David.

Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good! – Psalm 14:1 NLT

We can try and live a life marked by righteous deeds. We can attempt to say no to sin. But if we leave God out of the equation, we will inevitably fail. Man is incapable of living a righteous life on his own, and any attempts he makes to sin less will produce less-than-positive results. As is always the case throughout the book of Proverbs, the fear of the Lord is the key to avoiding sin and pleasing God. It all begins with our relationship with Him. In verse 6, we’re told that if we want to avoid sin, we have to fear God. It’s not about keeping a list of dos and don'ts. More good behavior and less bad behavior do not equal righteousness. That is NOT the formula for living a truly righteous, God-honoring life. But in this verse, we do get the answer or key to living a life that pleases God and allows us to avoid sin.

By fearing the Lord, people avoid sin. – Proverbs 16:6 NLT

But what does that mean? The NET Bible translates the first part of this verse, "Through loyal love and truth iniquity is appeased." The word translated as "appeased” or “atoned for" in this verse means that God’s anger against sin is turned away and God views him as though he had not sinned.

God’s holiness and righteousness demand that he punishes sin. He is required by law to deal justly with sin, and the penalty for sin is death. But this verse tells us that if we come to God, expressing unfailing love and faithfulness to Him, which is another way of saying that we are repentant of our sin, the anger of God is appeased. Genuine repentance, demonstrated by loyalty and truthfulness, appeases the anger of God against one’s sin. But there is not a person alive who can truly atone for their own sin. Without the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, any attempt to atone for our own sins would be incomplete and insufficient to satisfy the just demands of God. Yet, because Jesus died in our place and took all our sins upon Himself, He was able to satisfy or appease God’s righteous wrath, so that God is now able to see us as righteous and sinless. Our sins were credited to Christ’s account and His righteousness was credited to ours.

Now, when we sin, we can repent by turning back to God in love and faithfulness, knowing that He will forgive any sin we commit because the debt has been paid in full by His Son on the cross. We can enjoy unbroken fellowship with God the Father simply by repenting of our sins and returning to Him. This attitude of humility and willing submission to Him is the fear of the Lord lived out in daily life, and it helps us avoid additional sin. Staying close to Him keeps us far from sin. When we stray from His presence, we get off the path He has determined for our lives and become easy prey for the enemy.

The Proverbs is not a list of righteous requirements we must keep in order to remain on good terms with God. It is a reminder that a life of holiness begins and ends with God. It begins and ends with a relationship with Him. He alone can make us holy. Recognizing our sins and repenting of them is how we show God we fear Him and acknowledge how much we need His help for staying on course. By fearing the Lord, people avoid sin. It all begins with God.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

Guaranteed Success.

Proverbs 16

“Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.” – Proverbs 16:3 NLT

There are some verses in the Book of Proverbs that sound almost too good to be true. They seem to offer us some pretty significant promises; like guaranteed success in all our plans if we simply commit those plans to God. But is that what this verse is really saying? Is this some kind of spiritual secret to success that assures us of a positive outcome no matter what we plan to do? Common sense would tell you that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true. The first part of this verse is critical to understanding what's offered in the second half. "Commit your actions to the Lord." That word "commit" can literally be translated "roll over." It conveys the idea of rolling over or transferring something from one person to another. It is the idea of rolling over or committing your actions to God. Give them over to Him. The word "actions" are those works you intend to do. It has to do with your future plans. In other words, we are to give over to God those works that we want to do. Hand them over to Him. Share them with Him. Get His opinion about them. Don't move forward without His blessing and approval. If you look closely, you can see that this verse is really talking about submitting to God's authority in your life. It is encouraging an attitude of complete dependence on Him. In order to us to "roll over" our plans to God, we will have to humble ourselves under His sovereign will and submit to His plan for our lives. He may very well say no to our plans. He may give us a completely different agenda to follow. The key is that we are being encouraged to bring all our plans to God before we put them into action. We must seek His approval and permission.

Then, and only then, will our plans succeed. Verse nine supports this idea. "We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps." Ultimately, God is in control. His plan for our lives supersedes any goals or objectives we may establish. As believers we are obligated to turn to God for direction and insight into where He would have us go. We should want to know what He has for us to do. If we seek to discover His will for our lives, we can rest assured that it will succeed. God will always accomplish what He sets out to do. His plans are never thwarted. The Hebrew word that is translated here as "success" really means "securely determined." In other words, it's as good as done. There are no doubts, worries, or possibilities that His plan will fail to happen. When we bring our plans to Him and allow Him to either confirm or replace them with His divine plan, we can rest easy knowing that whatever we do will turn out just the way God intended it to. And even if the end result does not appear to be what WE expected, it WILL be what God intended. When Joseph found himself sold into slavery by his brothers, it did not appear to be a successful plan, but it was just what God had ordained to happen. When he was put into prison under false accusations, Joseph had to wonder how this was a part of God's plan for his life. But it was exactly what God had planned. All along the way, he encountered what appeared to be setbacks and detours for his life, but it was all a part of God's grand plan for his life.

If we commit our future actions to God, and if we are willing to listen to what He has to say and allow Him to possibly redirect our steps, we will find that His will always gets done in the end. We will encounter success. But on His terms and in His timing.

Father, forgive me for making my own plans so often and failing to bring them to You. I tend to forget that You are God and too often try to act as my own god. Then I wonder why my plans don't turn out like I expected. But I know that if I submit my plans to You and trust You with the outcome, I don't have to worry about whether I am in Your will – regardless of how things may appear. Amen.

Better.

Proverbs 16

“Better to have little, with godliness, than to be rich and dishonest.” – Proverbs 16:8 NLT

There are simply some things that are better than others. But who gets to choose? According to Solomon, God determines the value of one thing over another. He establishes the relative worth of one action as opposed to another. As is so often the case in the Book of Proverbs, he uses comparison to get his point across. He contrasts poverty and wealth and deems it better to have little than much. But he inserts a qualifier. Because by themselves, these two conditions are amoral. They are neither wrong or right, just or unjust. The qualifier has to do with the spiritual condition of the individual in each case. It is better to have little AND be godly than to be rich and dishonest. The presence of godliness in the life of the person with less automatically improves the condition of his life. Wealth, while it appears to improve life, does nothing for the person who achieved his income through dishonest means – without doing the just and right thing.

Solomon goes on to say that it is actually better to get wisdom than gold, and good judgment than silver (Proverbs 16:16). As has been made perfectly clear through the Book of Proverbs, these things are only available from God and require determination and dedication to find. We must search for them like we would hidden treasure. They must be a priority and a passion in our lives. Their value is far beyond that of riches of any kind. To put it simply: They're just better. And as if to drive home his original point even more, Solomon tells us it is "better to live humbly with the poor than to share plunder with the proud" (Proverbs 16:19 NLT). Now while the qualifier is less clear, its comparison of these two types of lifestyle go beyond mere poverty and wealth. It has much more to do with the condition of their hearts. One is humble. The other is proud. Our friendships should be based more on the condition of the heart than quality of lifestyle.  We should be more concerned about the spiritual state of the ones with whom we associate than their financial health.

Solomon gives us two more comparisons. "Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city" (Proverbs 16:32 NLT). Once again, the emphasis is on character, specifically patience and self-control. While God is not mentioned in these verses, it is clearly He who establishes the basis of these comparative clauses. God values patience over power, self-control over what appears to be success. Man tends to judge by externals, while God looks at the heart. He examines the motives. We see that clearly in verse 2: "People may be pure in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their motives." God values godliness, justice, wisdom, good judgment, humility, patience and self-control, because each of these things are given by Him. They are not man-made or self-manufactured. They are evidence of a life lived in dependence upon God. And therefore, they are better. The world puts little to no value on any of them. The world looks to results. It basis value on externals and judges worth based on effectiveness. But God judges by different criteria, and at the end of the day, He alone determines what is better and best.

Father, I want what is better. Give me a desire for heart change. Produce in me a desire for character. Let my life be marked by godliness, patience, humility, patience, and self-control. Produce in me what I cannot produce on my own. Amen.

Word and Deed.

Proverbs 16

“We make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” – Proverbs 16:9 NLT

While this Proverb appears to be a collection of disjointed one-liners that cover a variety of topics; on closer examination, there are two themes that seem to run throughout the entire Proverb. One has to do with "the path" of our life and the plans we make to get where we think we're supposed to go. The other theme has to do with our speech or the words that come out of our mouths, and their impact on our lives and the lives of those around us. The direction of our lives has a huge impact on our speech and conduct. Throughout the Proverbs, life is pictures as a journey. It has a beginning and an end. There is a destination to life. And we are always thinking about where we're going, how we're going to get there, and why are journey is not turning out quite like we expected. We make plans for our lives and those plans are ALWAYS influenced by something going on in the inside as well as outside of ourselves. Jealousy, pride, self-centeredness, and the longing for power, possessions, and prominence can lead us down the wrong path. And life lived on that path will have a huge impact on the way we live and the words we say. It will influence our words and deeds. This Proverb talks about wise speech, kind words, gossip, destructive words, righteous lips and honest speech. The content of our speech is directly related to the conduct of our lives. Where we go will influence what we say. Foolish living will result in foolish words. Following the wise path will result in wise words.

So who gets to decide the path for our lives? According to Solomon, we spend a lot of time trying to make arrangements and plans for the direction of our lives, but at the end of the day, God is the one who determines our steps. "A man may make designs for his way, but the Lord is the guide of his steps" (Proverbs 16:9 BBE). We may think we know what's best for our lives, but only God truly knows how to get where we really need to go. In verse one, we read, "The intentions of the heartbelong to a man,but the answer of the tonguecomes fromthe Lord." This verse reminds us that we may arrange the contents of our mind and plan out all our thoughts, it is God who gives us the capacity to put our thoughts into words. Plans become deeds. Thoughts become words. And both are related to the path we have chosen for our lives. We can choose to live our way or we can decide to live God's way, to follow His path for our lives. "Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed" (Proverbs 16:3 NLT). Give God the direction of your life. Allow Him to direct your path and you will discover it always leads in the right direction. Following His path not only leads to the right destination, it produces a life marked by godliness, wisdom, and righteousness. When it comes to choosing the right path for our lives, most of us have a lousy sense of direction. "There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death" (Proverbs 16:25 NLT). We need a GPS system. We need direction. And only God can provide it. Our way may seem right, but it will always turn out wrong. God's way is the best way. "The highway of the upright is to turnaway from evil; the one who guardshis way safeguards his life" (Proverbs 16:17 NET).

Father, keep me on the right path. Don't let me stray or follow my own sense of direction. I have no idea what is best for me and stopping to ask for directions from this world can be a dangerous thing to do. It will never get me where I truly need to go. Your way is the best way. Following Your will for my life will result in wise words and righteous deeds.

Ken Miller

Grow Pastor & Minister to Men kenm@christchapelbc.org