Wisdom...The New Wrinkle Cure

Ecclesiastes 8: 1 -3 - How wonderful to be wise, to be able to analyze and interpret things. Wisdom lights up a person's face, softening its hardness. Obey the king because you have vowed before God to do this. Don't try to avoid doing your duty, and don't take a stand with those who plot evil. For the king will punish those who disobey him.

 

Solomon makes two important points in the first three verses of this chapter of Ecclesiastes. Our responsibility as a Christian includes doing our best to fulfill all that we are asked to do. And striving for wisdom puts a countenance on our face that softens the hard lines that life and worry sometimes furrow all the way down to our very soul.

 

As it says in Colossians 3:23-24… “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” I need to practice what I preach to my students every day when I say to them… “Work as hard on doing your best as you do at trying to get out of working at all.”

 

The second point is a revelation in itself.  We search for ways to prevent wrinkles and make ourselves look younger….and the answer is right here.  Searching for wisdom prevents us from the worry that causes the wrinkles in the first place.  God will put a permanent light into our face that brightens our spirit…if we let him place wisdom in the place of all that breaks our spirit down.

 

I needed both reminders this morning.  Summer is coming quick...and I will be tempted to sit way to much with all the extra time I will have. I am sure that God has something important I should be doing to fill the 3 month vacation he gives me each year. I have also joined the ranks of those who fight the aging process each day. My 55 years have put more than a few wrinkles in my face….and I am sure that a few of those worry lines have reached far down into the depths of my soul.  How comforting to know that God can help me prevent any more…even soften the ones that already exist.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that I need to let you have total control of my life…all the time you allow me….all the worry I am tempted to do…all the work I try to convince myself is not for me.  Forgive me for the time that I have not let you guide me completely…and help me to seek you for strength..guidance…..comfort….. and discernment in every day that is ahead.  Amen.

Beware Of Extremes

Ecclesiastes 7:15-17 -  In this meaningless life, I have seen everything, including the fact that some good people die young and some wicked people live on and on.  So don't be too good or too wise! Why destroy yourself?  On the other hand, don't be too wicked either -- don't be a fool! Why should you die before your time?

 

Solomon warns us here about the dangers of extremes.  He says don’t be a fool that goes too far in any direction.  The consequence of being too wise or too wicked is total destruction of what God intended for us.

 

Fixing our hearts completely on rules will transform our hearts into pious hypocrites…like the Sadducee in Luke 18. The heart becomes a judge of others wrongs…instead of the humble servant Jesus modeled for us during the 33 years of he walked the Earth. Abolishing rules completely leads our hearts to believe we control our lives. Then satan uses the time we rebel to work his evil in our heart. 

 

We need to strive for a balance in our lives. Romans 12:2 says …. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. It is the only way to prevent the wisdom we are blessed with from becoming righteous piety.  It is the only way to prevent satan from tricking us into extreme sin that will eventually lead us to death and hell.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that I need to be careful to find the perfect balance of rules and love for others.  Forgive me for the many years that I was a hypocrite. Help me to be more like your son…who humbly walked upon the Earth….and listened to you tell him how to become the perfect model for me to learn how to love others more than himself. Amen.

Enjoy What You Have...Stop Chasing The Wind

Ecclesiastes 6:9-10 - Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don't have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless; it is like chasing the wind. Everything has already been decided. It was known long ago what each person would be. So there's no use arguing with God about your destiny.

 

Solomon wisely puts the complex issue of destiny into two simple verses. He tells us that when we are making choices about our future…to avoid collecting material possessions ….just because they are nice things. He tells us to be content with what we already have…and never argue with God about our future.

 

God has a plan for our future….he told us in Jeremiah 29:11 that it was to prosper us and give us hope. But since he created us with free will…we sometimes make choices that delay his plans for us.  God already knows what mistakes we will make…he alone sees the big picture…and whether we will eventually focus our hearts completely on him…so he can move ahead with his plan to use us to further his kingdom.

 

I am learning to let go of the past…and use it only for a reference point…a way of thinking about what choices I made that did not fit in God’s future plans for me. I am letting go of many of the material things that used to drive my thinking so God can teach me how to make better choices.  I am learning the value of living each day for its own value…and letting God have complete control of my future.

 

Father…thank  you for the reminder that I should be so focused you that I will want nothing more than what you have already blessed me with.  Forgive me for ever thinking that I need more than what the resources you have provided me with can provide.  Help me to live one day at a time…accepting all that happens as a pathway to finding your peace that surpasses all understanding. Amen.

Open ears...Close Mouth...Ready to Listen

Eccesiates 5:1-2 -  As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut! Don't be a fool who doesn't realize that mindless offerings to God are evil.  And don't make rash promises to God, for he is in heaven, and you are only here on earth. So let your words be few.

 

Solomon’s words here direct our hearts and minds to the importance of our attitude when we enter a church to worship.  He tells us simply to keep our ears open and close our mouth. He tells us to be careful not to use that time bartering with God….but to seek his direction for our life by listening.

 

Solomon’s words seemed to jump right off the page …into my heart.  I had to admit quickly that I need some real work in this area….for I sure love to talk more than I listen. My mouth opens many times a day …just to utter something that randomly popped into my mind…realizing the moment I said it that It was just plain nonsense…or even downright inappropriate.

 

I needed Solomon’s words of wisdom to remind me that I need to keep my mouth shut …especially when I am in his presence. I need to adjust my attitude ….keep my ears and heart open for his direction…so I can be ready to act when I understand his words to me.  It makes so much sense that I could hear God easier if my mouth was closed and my mind was fixed on listening to just him.

 

Father….thank you for the reminder that I need to monitor my mouth more closely.  Forgive me for the times that I have let satan let me falsely think that I had anything important to add to a conversation…or just uttered something for the sake of joining in the crowd….or worse yet said something inappropriate because I thought it would be funny.  Help me to learn to close my mouth till you open it with wisdom like Solomon’s. Help me to listen more….fix my heart on you…so I can hear you tell me what to do clearly. Amen.

Make New Friends...And Cherish The Old

Ecclesiastes 4:10-12 -  If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But people who are alone when they fall are in real trouble.  And on a cold night, two under the same blanket can gain warmth from each other. 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.

 

Solomon’s wisdom allowed him to reflect on the value of friendship and the strength that companionship gave the Christian soul.  His words reveal the truth that God made man to fellowship with him.  God created man….then said clearly in Genesis  that is was not good for him to be alone.  Eve was fashioned out of man’s rib…to be his helpmeet….and create on the Earth a nation of people to work together for the good of man.

 

Life was created for companionship….not loneliness.  We need to always remember the value of the other people God has placed in our life….and use them to help us be the best that God intended for us to be.  We need others to lift us up when we fall down.  We need others to straighten us out when we are confused.  Sometimes…we just need others to hold our hand…so we know that we are not alone in our sorrows.

 

I am reminded by this scripture that I need to stop and thank God for the many friends….Christian brothers and sisters….family….and even some total strangers he has allowed to be my companions over the years. I learned a phrase very early from a song I learned in Girl Scouts that sums up the process of making and cherishing the many people God has used to shape…mold….comfort…and strengthen me in my 55 years of life.  It says… “make new friends….but keep the old…one is silver and the other gold.”

 

 

Father…thank you so much for all the friends you have blessed me with throughout my life. Thank  you for reminding me that these  family…colleagues….and friends were gifts from you.  Forgive me for taking some of them for granted. Help me to use them more …..love them more…and pray for them more.  Amen.

True Beauty Comes From A Deep Love Of God

Proverbs 31:30 - Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the LORD will be greatly praised.

 

This last chapter of Proverbs was written by King Lemuel of Massa. He records that his mother taught him how to revere and respect the godly women in his life.  His words have become a guidebook for all of us …a way to achieve the highest praise from God for our efforts to be the best that we can be.

 

He tells us to be strong…..work hard…and revere God more than any other thing in our lives. He tells us to develop a faith in God that replaces any fear of growing old.  He tells us that a woman’s true beauty does not lie in her ability to charm others or win any beauty pageants….but in the love that she allows God to build in her heart. 

 

I have to admit that I needed the reminder last night….I have a lot of work to do if I am to become a true Proverbs 31 woman.  I need to let God take total control of who I am….so he can use the years I have left to love others with a more godly love.

 

Father …thank you for the reminder that I am a work in progress.  Help me to worry less about the outside of this body you gave me…and more about the character you can develop on the inside.  Forgive me for the times that I have fallen so very short of this model you gave me to live by.  Help me to place more emphasis on you….and how you can help me be a more godly example for others.  Amen.

We Don't have To Understand....Just Trust

Proverbs 30:1-3 -  The message of Agur son of Jakeh. An oracle. I am weary, O God; I am weary and worn out, O God. I am too ignorant to be human, and I lack common sense.  I have not mastered human wisdom, nor do I know the Holy One.

 

This chapter is a collection of wise sayings from a man named Agar….a teacher from Massa.  His message is one that mirrors the feelings of many on this Earth….just weary from a hard day’s work….or confused about something that may have happened in their life.

 

One tidbit we can be sure of is the infinite nature of God.  Isaiah 45:18 says…. “For the LORD is God, and he created the heavens and earth and put everything in place. He made the world to be lived in, not to be a place of empty chaos."I am the LORD," he says, "and there is no other.”

 

We are just not meant to know everything about the world and the God that created it.  He will leave some things a mystery to us …just because he is God…and he is in charge. But the cool thing about that is that we don’t have to understand everything…just trust.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that I just need to accept the things I cannot understand as part of your great plan…for I know that Jeremiah 29:11 tells me that it is a plan that includes hope for my future. Forgive me for the times that I have let my weariness overcome my deeper need to just trust you….and help me to build my trust in you….and know that something good will always come of everything that happens.  Amen.

God Can Use EVERYONE We Elected

Proverbs 29:1-2 - Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be broken beyond repair.  When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan.

 

How very fitting that I would read this verse on the evening of the primary elections in our nation. I will turn on the news shortly after posting this devotional to see if I will rejoice or groan at the names I read.

 

But whether I groan or rejoice….God knew what the results would be….and he has a plan to use the ones that man elected to office either way. My real job this morning should be to whisper a prayer to God to cover each and every official….and use them to do his work….whether I agree with the results or not.

 

Father….thank you for the reminder that you are still in control…and you will use all things to your glory. Help me to stop and take the time to pray for those that were elected into office yesterday…and ask you to fill them with your power to see the choices they should make to help your plan become real to all of us.  Let any groans I utter be to you alone….that you transform any evil into your love for others. Amen.

Admit....Analyze....Adjust

Proverbs 28:13-14 -  People who cover over their sins will not prosper. But if they confess and forsake them, they will receive mercy.  Blessed are those who have a tender conscience, but the stubborn are headed for serious trouble.

 

Tucked away in chapter 28 is a reminder that honesty is the best policy.  We must be honest with God…others… and ourselves if we are ever to become what God needs us to be in his kingdom.  Perhaps it is another one of the reasons we need to stay as childlike as possible…so we can  hold on to that tender conscience God gives us when we are born.

 

First we need to admit that we have made a mistake.  It is not a sign of weakness…but a sign of the strength we can have if we realize we are not perfect…..and let God use the mistakes of our past to shape us into what he can use to help others.

 

If we take each mistake we have admitted to God…and go the next step…and analyze what went wrong….then God can clear the way for us to make the adjustment we need in our lives to correct it.  He  clears our closet of all that guilt and shame so he can move the Holy spirit into our heart and power the transformation from mistake to message.

 

It’s a daily process for me….to admit my many mistakes….so God can help me move past the stress of guilt…into the peace of his love and forgiveness.  I can’t imagine living any other way.  It was way too hard to hold on to the horrible feeling I had built up inside my heart when I tried to hide what I done from others and myself…cause I knew God already knew.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder to admit evry mistake…and let you help me analyze how you could use it to help others after you forgave me. Thank you for the many adjustment you have helped me make…and the ones in the future you already know about.  Keep my heart cleaned out of guilt and shame…so the holy spirit has plenty of room to live and help me develop new faith and love for others. Amen.

Let God Mend Your Mirror

Proverbs 27:19-21 - As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the person.  Just as Death and Destruction are never satisfied, so human desire is never satisfied.  Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but a person is tested by being praised.

 

Tucked into chapter 27 is the reminder that our hearts are the true mirror of who we are.  Who we are deep down is what God sees when he looks at us….we should take every effort to guard its purity and innocence.   

 

Maybe that is what God meant when he said that we needed to have faith as a child.  The heart we had before the world laid its hurts and tragedies upon it.  The child that still believed what their parents told them and loved unconditionally everyone that came into their world.

 

That us really what powered Jesus to walk this earth in 30 short years and never turn from the mission his father had given him.  It was his childlike faith that powered the love that drew all to love him and follow him everywhere he went.

 

God is the only one who can remove the pieces of the world that have cracked our mirror. He can melt the pieces back together and form a heart that is able to love just like he did. We just have to ask and believe… then keep believing as the world tries to break our mirror…our heart again.

 

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that my heart needs continual mending from your powerful love to stay in a condition that you can use to help change the world. Help me to recognize quickly when my heart gets cracked from the worlds blows…and stop and let you mend it quickly so it doesn’t lose all the love you pour into it daily.  Amen.

Laziness IsOvercome By God's Strength

Proverbs 26:13-15 -   The lazy person is full of excuses, saying, "I can't go outside because there might be a lion on the road! Yes, I'm sure there's a lion out there!"  As a door turns back and forth on its hinges, so the lazy person turns over in bed.  Some people are so lazy that they won't lift a finger to feed themselves.

 

Proverbs 26 is just one more chapter of random bits of wisdom…from not honoring fools…to refraining from gossip.  But tucked into the middle is a warning to us about becoming lazy. It tells us not to make excuses….and make sure we get out of bed every day to take care of ourselves.

 

As I looked up the definition on the google….and read the entries of …resistance to work or to exerting energy ….disposed to idleness…..slow-moving; sluggish…..I had to admit a twinge of conviction. Technically…that is me …every morning….as I hit the snooze on my alarm.  But I think the warning here is for when laziness gets a bit more serious.

 

The Bible tells us work…for the harvest is ripe.  John 9:4 recorded the words of Jesus to the disciples…As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. He knew our human tendency is to say …I will take care of that tomorrow. He knew how we want to give in to the physical tiredness of our bodies.

 

That’s why he included scriptures like 2 Corinthinians 12:9 ….But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.   God knew we would need a multitude of reminders to let him be our strength when we felt like giving up.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that I need to rely on you even more for courage and strength when I feel weak.  Help me to stop and ask you to give me the energy I need to keep going…even when I feel drained and empty. Thank you for that never ending well of living water that will always be there for me when I need it. Amen.

God's Love TurnsThe Other Cheek

Proverbs 25:21-22 - If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink.  You will heap burning coals on their heads, and the LORD will reward you.

 

King Hezekiah found some of Solomon’s unpublished quotes and had them copied and compiled into this chapter. Included in these random quotes is a directive to be nice to our enemies…to feed them when they are hungry…and to provide drink when they are thirsty.

 

It is one of the hardest verses in the Bible to follow….for our human tendency to pout and try to make them suffer usually wins out.  Jesus says in Matthew 5: 38-40 -"You have heard that it was said, 'AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.' "But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. "If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also.”

 

God’s pure love does not see injustice anymore.  It loves despite the way we are treated…it loves even when we have no reason to love.  Jesus died for everyone …even asked his father to forgive the ones who caused his pain as he died.  That makes it pretty clear to me that I have not achieved the level of love God really wants me to work toward.

 

Father….thank you for the reminder that I have some work to do on my heart.  Help me learn to love the way Jesus did….with pureness and forgiveness….so I will model the truth about love to others. Teach me to turn my feelings and need to pout and make people pay for the wrong they did to me into a need to save their soul for eternity.  Amen.

Compassion And Love Never Gloat

Proverbs 24:17-20 - Do not rejoice when your enemies fall into trouble. Don't be happy when they stumble.  For the LORD will be displeased with you and will turn his anger away from them.  Do not fret because of evildoers; don't envy the wicked.  For the evil have no future; their light will be snuffed out.

 

Solomon places a lot of emphasis on staying away from evil…reminding us of evils power to suck us into its ways. But he also hides a truth in this chapter about how we should react when evil is found and brought to justice. We are to remain compassionate …silently thanking God for his justice…..never allowing our heart to rejoice over their fall.

 

I admit that this is very hard to follow…for our soul wants to shout and brag that evil has been overcome. But if we look at the model of Jesus….when he appeared to men after his resurrection…he always met them in quiet ways…and reminded them of the work that needed to be done after he was to ascend to heaven.  Not one time did he appear in public to brag and gloat. 

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that I need to internalize my feelings of justice when I am tempted to gloat or be happy over a wrong that you correct.  Forgive me for the times that I have failed to see the sadness in your justice…and that one more soul might have been lost to heaven.  Help me to keep trying to build a heart of compassion and love like yours…that tries to save souls…not win battles with evil.  Amen.

God's Real Treasure Is In Our Hearts

Proverbs 23:4-5 - Don't weary yourself trying to get rich. Why waste your time? For riches can disappear as though they had the wings of a bird!

 

Solomon included in this chapter a warning about wanting too many material things.  He says the wise person does not spend his or her time collecting the money to buy things.  Then he reminds us that things disappear with time…sometimes as quickly as we have gained them.

 

We read in Matthew 6:20 the attitude we should have.  It says… “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”  Luke 12:33-34 explains it better than I ….. “Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

 

Jesus knew that it was way too hard for us to balance our human need for things…and our love for him.  The more we have…the harder it is to keep our minds focused on the God who allows us to have anything. 

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that things should be the least important thoughts I have each day.  Forgive me for the times that I spent time and resources on things I wanted without asking you first.  Help me to spend more of my time and money helping others. Help me see the needs around me that I have the resources to fix. Amen.

Beware Of Idle Hands And Feet

Proverbs 22: 10-13 -  Throw out the mocker, and fighting, quarrels, and insults will disappear. Anyone who loves a pure heart and gracious speech is the king's friend. The LORD preserves knowledge, but he ruins the plans of the deceitful.  The lazy person is full of excuses, saying, "If I go outside, I might meet a lion in the street and be killed!"

 

Solomon gathers more wisdom for us in this chapter….from keeping our reputation pure to disciplining our children.  He tells us to run from people who make fun of others….and keep our hearts pure.  But the phrase that caught my attention was a warning about the dangers of laziness.

 

We all need a time of rest from time to time….even Jesus went off by himself to pray and rejuvenate his soul and physical body.  This warning is about becoming too accustomed to the vacation mode.  Hard work builds character….and a sense of responsibility. 

 

We are also called to help those that have difficulty working.  Perhaps an illness…a tragedy…or an accident have them unable to do what they normally do for themselves.  We are called to pitch in and do what we can to make sure that they can get back on their feet…supplying what they need in this time when they can’t do for themselves.

 

One other thought…I know I am guilty of…is wasting time. That is just one more way to be lazy. I spend too many hours playing games…or watching movies…or reading books…that I could be using to help others.  Time on Earth is shorter than it ever has been before. 

 

Father….thank you for the reminder to stay busy doing your work.  I need to work harder than I have ever worked before to spread your love and truth to the world. I need to help take care of others…and study…and pray more with the time I think is extra in my day.  Amen.

Avoid Shortcuts In Money Matters

Proverbs 21:5-7 - Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty. Wealth created by lying is a vanishing mist and a deadly trap.  Because the wicked refuse to do what is just, their violence boomerangs and destroys them.

 

These verses from chapter 21 speak to our need to live within our means.  Easy credit …and quick turnover loans…have placed a mentality of … ‘I want it now’…into our society.  If we can get a loan…then we are meant to have the car …or house….or new clothes…or technology. Even the great nation we live in in 3 trillion dollars in debt.

 

But Solomon warns us of the consequences of using these shortcuts to get what we want too quickly.  He tells us to plan for our future and save for what we think God wants us to have.  I admit it is a hard concept to digest…for it usually means waiting longer that our human hearts want to wait.

 

The upside to saving and waiting is that we spend a little more time asking God for his directions.  We spend a little more time in prayer asking God if what we want…is really what we need at that time. We spend a little less time worrying about job security or layoffs…cause we haven’t stretched ourselves to the limits of our check each month. And ….we have an emergency stash in savings that comes in handy when those unpredictable things happen to increase our bills.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that I need to include you in every purchase…great or small. Forgive me for the times I bought what I thought I needed without asking you.  Help me to stop and pray and seek your counsel when I feel the desire to buy….and save of my income each month instead of seeking credit. Amen.

Are Your Motives Pure?

Proverbs 20:24-27 - How can we understand the road we travel? It is the LORD who directs our steps.  It is dangerous to make a rash promise to God before counting the cost.  A wise king finds the wicked, lays them out like wheat, then runs the crushing wheel over them.  The LORD's searchlight penetrates the human spirit, exposing every hidden motive.

 

Solomon compiled many random thoughts of wisdom in this chapter….from warnings of drinking and fighting to lending to strangers.  The Christian that is trying to better himself has much to think about. In the end though…it is God that directs our steps….we may never understand everything that has happened to us along the way.

 

Solomon also reminds us that God knows every thought before it becomes a reality. He sees deep down in our heart…and knows the motive for every action we do …24/7. Instead of worrying and trying to understand what has already happened in my life…I should take some time to look deep down inside my own heart…and make sure every motive God sees is pure…and in alignment with his will for my life.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that you are in control…and I always have your strength and power to rely on when I am weak and confused.  Help me to keep my heart more pure…and evaluate my motives for everything that I do…so I can make sure that I am in the center of your will for my life. Amen.

Beautiful Is On The Inside

Proverbs 19: 22 -  Loyalty makes a person attractive. And it is better to be poor than dishonest.

 

Solomon included this verse in chapter 19 to remind us how much more important our inside is than our outside.  The qualities that make us attractive to others are found on the inside of our heart.  The loyalty he speaks of is our allegiance to the ways of Christ. It builds in us character…kindness…and helps us become the person God wants us to become in his son.

 

We tend to think that the real measure of a person is the way they look and appear on the outside. We spend money on clothes and makeup and purses and hair products and nails….all in an effort to look our best on the outside. We can paint and trim the outside all we want…but if we don’t give the same attention to the inside it will never be useful to God.

 

I am guilty….I spend a great amount of my check on clothes…and haircuts….and makeup.  I needed the reminder that I need to spend as much time shaping my heart into what God wants…as I do worrying about how I look on the outside.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that people see the real me….my heart and character…through all the fancy clothes and makeup and cute haircuts.  Help me to spend as much time making my inside beautiful as I do trying to make the outside less scary for the world to view. Amen.

Decisions Need Time And Careful Study

Proverbs 18:13-17 -  He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him.  The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, But who can bear a broken spirit?  The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.  A man's gift makes room for him, And brings him before great men.  The first one to plead his cause seems right, Until his neighbor comes and examines him.

 

Solomon grouped these verses together because they hold a great truth for those of us that seek to be wise. It is a threefold piece of advice …that helps us take our time in making decisions.  Knowing the facts…..staying open to other ideas…and making sure you understand both sides….gives you a full understanding of the decision and consequences of a decision you need to make.

 

It is a reminder to me to spend a great amount of time in prayer when making decisions…..even fasting for a time to focus more on what God might have to say. Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness….praying and seeking God’s plan for his life.  And he went off early in the morning and late at night to speak with God when he needed to be reminded why he was there in the first place.

 

It also reminds me to spend even more time in his word….so I can make sure that all my decisions follow the Biblical concepts he set down for us in the 66 chapters we call the Bible.  Study isn’t just a set time to read a few verses or chapters….it includes a time to understand the people....culture…and history of those who God chose to write it.  It includes careful; reflection of how to apply the concepts we read into our daily lives.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that I need to slow down when making any decision.  I need to include all the facts…carefully consider your stand on the matter….and weigh the consequences of the two choices I could make. Forgive me for the times that I have made hasty decisions….and left you mostly out of the loop.  Help me to spend even more time in Bible study and prayer…so I will see your plan with the least amount of struggle.  Amen.

Love Is Magnified In Our Grandchildren

Proverbs 17: 6 - Children's children are the crown of old men, And the glory of children is their father.

 

Solomon had to have felt the joy of being a grandparent to have included this verse in chapter 17. It is a joy hard to explain to those that have not reached that milestone. Simply put from this grandmother of one….the love you have for your children is magnified in the love you feel for their children.

 

As we approach mother’s day 2014….it dawns on me that no other present I will ever receive will top the love I get from that sweet Jamie girl.  And even though we are separated by miles …our love is constant….her nana hugs ….and cry’s of delight …immediate when we are able to broach the distance and spend time with each other.

 

I would never have felt this joy without the help of my daughter….so my children become a present in themselves ….as I reflect on the best mother’s day gifts I have ever had. If God sees fit to bless my boys with a mate they can love forever….I will have a quiver full of the precious children we call our pride and joy.  My crown is already overflowing with happiness from the one…so I can’t imagine how it will feel to have more than one.

 

Thank you God for my granddaughter. Bless the sweet daughter that shares her with me….and fill their lives with people that will keep them in the path you want them to take in life. Help me to model for her the love of the father who gave us all life…..and his son that gave his only son to provide a future of hope ….and life for eternity. Amen.

Plan In Partnership With God

Proverbs 16:1-3 -  The preparations of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.  All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the spirits.  Commit your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established.

 

Solomon started this chapter of Proverbs with the truth that God has the final say in anything and everything that happens on this Earth. We can make all the preparations we want….plan for this and that….but if God is not included in our plans …it will all be wasted effort.

 

The best decisions are made in partnership with God…considering his will for our life.  We must mix what we know in our heart to be his plan…with the work needed to accomplish that end.  We must find a way to connect all the work we do with God.

 

The most well laid plans….saving for a vacation….savings for our children’s college…..or even the careful planning we do for retirement can be all for nothing if God was not a part of that plan from the beginning. He looks at our hearts…not our pocketbooks or savings account…or retirement 401k’s.

 

 

Verse two is a reminder to me that I have to get myself out of the way before God can help me understand his plan for my life.  It said …everything is pure in our own eyes…but God weighs the spirit. I run the risk of rationalizing just about anything I want…even to the point of pulling scripture out of context….if I fail to let God be in control of my spirit.

 

Father…thank  you for the reminder that I am my own worst enemy.  Forgive me for all the times that I have failed to see your plans for me….because I was in the way.  Help me to learn to use the spirit you placed inside me when you saved me to carefully include you in all that I do…especially the things I think I need to save for later in life. Amen.

God Can See Everything We Do

Proverbs 15:3 - The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good.

 

Solomon included this reminder of God’s supernatural ability to keep watch on all of us… everyone….believer or nonbeliever. His eyes can penetrate every home…every workplace.  He knows everything that is happening….everywhere on the Earth.

 

It has always been hard for me to wrap my mind around this truth of God. The world reached a population of over 7 billion people in 2010…according to the worldwide census.  God sees everyone of those 7 billion people….24 hours a day. I have a hard time watching 30 in a classroom for 50 minutes.

 

It gives me a reverence for God …to know that he can see everything I do.  I can either disrespect him with my bad choices….and know that I am disappointing him….or I can do the right thing…and feel the  warmth of his smile. 

 

It also gives me a great sense of comfort…knowing that he sees all the evil in the world too. He will only allow it to go so far….before his judgment is passed down and the world is cleansed of evil for good. 

 

Father…thank you for this reminder that your eyes are able to see everything I do. Forgive me for the times that I have forgotten the promise I made to keep your rules…and disappointed you. Help me to always remember that you are watching me…so I can feel your warm smile….and know that you are proud of me. Thank you for keeping a watch on the bad things that happen around me….and helping me to know that you are in control…even when I get worried about what is happening around me. Amen.

Control Your Anger....Learn To Forgive

Proverbs 14:29 -  He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, But he who is impulsive exalts folly.

 

Solomon tucked into this chapter a short verse that cuts to the heart of our need to control our temper.  Unbridled it burns out of control causing division….pushes us into hasty decisions….and causes bitterness that is hard to erase. It must be a very important truth…for he tucks this concept into more than one proverb.

 

It speaks to our need to ask God for patience in all situations. James 1:19 says….This you know, my beloved brethren. But let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger.  The mature Christian…the one who wants to refresh those around him with his wisdom….will be a great listener…speak only when he has thought carefully about what to say…and control his anger.

 

I admit that this is not always the easiest thing to do.  My temper burned out of control when my kids were young. I wish I had grasped this truth early enough in my Christian walk to model it a whole lot better for them. I am sure some of the whispers at ballparks were about the crazy lady who professed to be a Christian…but let her anger over calls be an embarrassment at times.

 

One of the keys to controlling our temper is found in mastering the concept of forgiveness.  Colossians 3:13 says…bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Forgiveness is a powerful tool of god once we have let him plant it in our heart.

 

Anger that is left unchecked causes us to want to take revenge. We become consumed with a need to ‘get someone back.’ But God has things under control…he has a plan for anything we see in the world that stirs anger in our heart. Romans 12:19 says….Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that anger is to be controlled. Forgive me for all those times that I have failed to bridle my anger…and let it slow down the growth of another Christian.  Help me to be a better listener…and bring my anger first to you….so you can help me see how and when to release it. Continue to teach me how to forgive…and let you handle the rest.  Amen.

Don't Misread The Signs

Proverbs 13:19-21 - A desire accomplished is sweet to the soul, But it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil. He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed. Evil pursues sinners, But to the righteous, good shall be repaid.

 

This chapter of proverbs speaks of our need to surround ourselves with all the Godly friends we can find.  God has a better chance of helping us to hear HIS plan for our lives…if we have HIS people speaking HIS wisdom into our mind and soul. He also reminds us that we need to be careful what we set our mind on….that everything we think we want or need is not a part of his plan.

 

It is very easy to misread the signs…and think what we want is what God wants.  But setting our heart on something we want too completely….causes us to lose our ability to assess its usefulness to God objectively.  A desire can bind your judgment…causing you to misread…or even manipulate the signs to get what we want.  We can even easily convince ourselves it is what God wants.

 

I admit that I needed this reminder.  Just this last week….I found myself in a most confusing situation.  I had thought….key word thought….deeply in my soul that it was time to retire.  The tiredness of my mind…the sweet thought of rest….gave me the inclination that God wanted me to move home and buy a house. I embraced the thought wholeheartedly…seeing every sign as a confirmation I had heard God correctly.

 

It is amazing to me how he used the friends around me…and even looking back…he tried to use some of my family to get me back on course from the start of MY rose colored plan.  It took him more than a week….of hard hits to my head…to convince me I had misread the signs….that I still needed to work….and not buy a house back home where I grew up.  I almost bought an overpriced home…that I would have had a hard time reselling for what I was willing to pay.  It would have been a bad financial decision…even though it would have let me live close to my mom and dad and sisters again.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder to keep my eyes fixed on you…and not let a desire I have go one moment without checking with you how it fits into your plan.  Forgive me for manipulating the signs to be what I wanted….and thank you for helping me to correct the vision before it was too late.  Help me to open my eyes and ears to what you want and need me to do for you here…where you have already placed me. Amen.

Don't hate Correction....It Might Be From God

Proverbs 12:1 and 15-17 –  To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction.

Fools think they need no advice, but the wise listen to others.  A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted.  An honest witness tells the truth; a false witness tells lies.

 

Solomon included these tidbits of truth about our need to seek wisdom….and never feel we know all we need to know.  Real learning involves a passion…deep in our heart…to know the right way…the most effective way…to do everything we need to do.  The wise person stays calm…even when they disagree…and listen to all that is said.  Then they mediate and study on it…pray about it…to seek the right way to go.

 

The truly wise man or woman never insists on their own way…they are open to the instruction and guidance of God….and know in their heart when they are wrong…and they promptly admit it.  Like David response to Nathan in 2 Samuel 12….his heart immediately recognized his mistake when he was confronted.

 

Perhaps it is pride that makes us think we are always right…..or maybe it is fear of the consequences when we accept the truth.  But whatever the reason….we hold tightly to our opinions…too long sometimes.   God can’t do anything with us while we are trapped in our pride….he can only change and mold our character when we admit that he knows more than we do.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that I am still learning.  Forgive me for the many times that have insisted on my own way…without asking you what you thought first.  Help me to be more like David…with a heart that is open to the people you send to correct and teach me the truth.  Amen.

Words....Powerful Tools Of Love

Proverbs 11:9 –  Evil words destroy one's friends; wise discernment rescues the godly.

 

Carefully tucked into the collection of random wide sayings that Solomon compiled into this chapter was this verse….a powerful statement about the power of words. The wisdom he had been given from the Lord immediately recognized the truth of this statement.

 

Our words are powerful tools of encouragement…or a way to destroy the relationships meant to surround us with love.  There are many other times when Solomon will tuck a reminder of this into his book of Proverbs….over 20 verses to come will reiterate this truth.  And James 3:6 says…. “ And the tongue [is] a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.”

 

Instead of berating or belittling….judging or calling names…..we should be about encouraging one another with some of the great scriptures God planted throughout our Bible.  Perhaps the statement of hope in Isaiah 41:10… “ fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” ….could turn someone’s bleak ….dismal attitude into a more hopeful one.

 

I admit…..I needed this reminder to use positive words to build up people…and try not to be sucked into satan’s easier way of spouting out the negative that comes to my mind first.  Teaching these days gives me plenty of opportunities to judge…blame….berate….or tear down with my words. I guess I had better think twice before I say anything in my classroom in the future…so I can ask God to guide my tongue…so he can use me to help change attitudes instead of make them worse.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that every word that comes out of my mouth has the potential to help you change the hearts of the world.  Forgive me for the times that I have allowed my negative words to judge…blame….or even berate others.  Help me to bridle my tongue…so you can help me think about every word that I speak out loud….and make sure that it will build love into the people around me.  Amen.

All Things Work For Good

Romans 8:28 - And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

 

Been struggling all week with feelings of doubt over the move I had planned this summer. I was so ready to retire….move back home and start a new season of life.  I had prayed that God give me clear directions…and even expected at some point for the mail to deliver a letter with exact instructions…as if God worked that way all the time. 

 

It is no accident that I have been reading in Proverbs this week either.  Wisdom comes in ways we don’t always perceive sometimes.  Today it came in the form an e-mail….from the loan company handling my loan for the house I planned to live in at home.  The details are not in important…but it stated clearly that they could not proceed with the loan.

 

That is strike three for me…in the quest to buy a home…a clear message that I somehow misread the signs…even the three turtles I saw at the last one.  I have an uncanny peace about what should have been a very sad moment….another sign that God is still working in my life and it will all work out for good.

 

Father…thank you for the clear message today…and the peace that you have given my soul about the news that changes my plans for the next year.  Continue to guide my thoughts and show me the good that you have planned here in London….as I continue to teach…..and live in the humble rock house I rent. Amen.

24 Hours Of Opportunities

Proverbs 10:4-5 -  Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.  He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.

 

Some of the Proverbs were not written by Solomon…but he valued the sayings of some of the people God had placed in his life….and collected …even compiled them to be read by others. Because they  seem random on the surface….we need to read carefully ….so we can glean the one or two verses that God can use to help us through the situation in life we find ourselves in at this season of our lives.

 

These two verses popped out at me last night.  It’s been one of those weeks….when I have let my mind work overtime….leaving some of the real work in my life undone.  I was very tired…eyes hard to keep open…but determined to read the whole chapter. My notes are scant….because it seemed I was reading random thoughts at first…but I somehow gleaned these two verses for the Life Application Commentary on the pages of my Dad’s Bible.

 

On top of my struggles to stay awake last night…I overslept this morning….literally turning the alarm off…and laying back down.  It was a miracle that God woke me back up at all.  He knew in my tired state of mind…I would need the words he had me note last night….not to be lazy….but call on him to give me the strength to keep going and try to be more diligent today.

 

 The words of the commentary said…..every day has 24 hours of opportunities.  Time is a gift that God gives us…and we should be very careful to use it wisely.  I thought of all those mornings that Jesus woke early to go pray…or left his disciples after a lengthy teaching session to spend time with his father….and was instantly convicted that I have not used the 24 hours of the last few days in the wisest way.

 

Father…thank you for waking me this morning…and thank you for helping me to write the important notes that would give me the strength to keep going this day.  Forgive me for the time I have not used so wisely…and help me to focus more intensely on you…so I can overhaul how I send my time each day. Amen.