Day 36 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Flattery

Proverbs 6:23-28 [CSB] 23 For a command is a lamp, teaching is a light, and corrective discipline is the way to life.  24 They will protect you from an evil woman, from the flattering tongue of a wayward woman.  25 Don't lust in your heart for her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyelashes.  26 For a prostitute's fee is only a loaf of bread, but the wife of another man goes after a precious life.  27 Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned?  28 Can a man walk on burning coals without scorching his feet?

I’ve mention before that Solomon seems to have some specific themes that he hits on throughout his Proverbs. He frequently writes about the commands being a light to our path. The next verses go into at least one area of sin that we are protected from when we have the command and teaching and correction of Proverbs 6:23 – that is: adultery. Avoiding the temptress and eschewing adultery are also frequent themes.

But the act of adultery is only the final result of a whole lot of bad choices - choices that we are to avoid. These scriptures also advise us to avoid a couple of specifics steps along the path that leads adultery. This scripture tells us to be careful not to succumb to flattery that leads to lust.

In the example outlined in Proverbs 6:23-28, flattery by a person leads to lust for that person and results in adultery. I’ve seen it happen at work and even in volunteer service, that a couple of people will work so well together and spend so much time together on projects that the relationship becomes “the work wife” or “the work husband.” The dynamics at work are so different from the dynamics at home. A different set of skills and goals apply. Perhaps you feel more successful at work and are struggling at home. If not guarded against, that work relationship can edge into in appropriate ground.

But is this really the only way that flattery can lead to lust, which is already a sin, and then perhaps into a second sin of adultery? I don’t think so. I think there are other areas where flattery leads to lust.

It seems to me that most advertising begins with flattery that seeks to create the desire for something we may not need like a new car or the latest fashion. Advertisements use words like “you are worth it” or “you deserve better”. Sometimes ads advise you that “smart people choose/use this thing” or that parents who “really care about” the health or education of their children would buy this particular product. These ads seek to lure you with flattery.

We have to guard our minds against the subtle and not so subtle flattery inherent in a lot of advertising that leads to lusting after something we don’t need or maybe can’t afford. I have to be careful so that I am not charmed by the idea of how much better my life would be if only I had that thing that they are selling. I have to guard against being tricked into believing that thing they are selling is required for me to be a good mate or a good parent.

Flattery that leads to lust and the sin of adultery is something to be aware of and avoid. But flattery that leads to lust isn’t confined to someone trying to get you to commit adultery. In the world we live in today, flattery is a tool used to make us lust after all kinds of things we don’t need – from soda to a new car to a new pair of tennis shoes.

The lamp of God’s commandments, the light of His teachings and His corrective discipline are tools that help us to filter out that flattery and see it for what it really is. The lamp of God’s commandments, the light of His teachings and His corrective discipline keep us from lusting after anything we don’t really need – whether that is a person on a product.

Prayer — Father God, this world seeks to lure me into purchases I don’t need and behaviors that are sin. Let the brilliant light of your commandments and teachings keep me focused on what really matters and on the path to the Kingdom. When flattery seeks to pull me away, please correct my thoughts so that they never wander toward lust – long before that lust can take root or lead me to further sin. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

Your thoughts —  

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Day 35 - 90 Days in Proverbs – The Corrected Way of Life

Proverbs 6:23b [ESV] reproofs of discipline are the way of life,

On day 34 we focused on the first part of Proverbs 6:23 about God’s commandment being a light and His teaching a light. Today, let’s talk about the latter part of the verse.

The word translated “reproofs” here means “rebuke, correction, reproof, punishment, chastisement.” I don’t know about you, but for me, it is a lot easier to accept and more pleasant to think about teaching and light, than it is about being rebuked or corrected or punished.

However, for a Christian, life is not all instruction and theory, and our lives don’t always stay on the right path. For us, life is also about understanding the thoughts, words and deeds that need to be corrected and removed from our lives. We cannot walk in the light - we cannot be the best light - unless we continually work to remove the sinful thoughts or behaviors that cloud our paths.

Christian lives are to lives committed to correction and change. We use the word of God to examine our lives so that we can make corrections.

2 Corinthians 13:5 [KJV] Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

We should also ask God to examine us, as we find David doing in Psalm 26:1-2 [KJV] 1 [[[A Psalm] of David.]] Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; [therefore] I shall not slide. 2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.

David went on to make the case that he was living a right life. You and I might not be so bold as to say that. But, if you and I are striving to live a right life – to walk in the light – and continually submit to correction when we get off course, then we are each living a right life.  We need not fear the examination and correction from God because His goal is for you and I have hearts that want to obey. We don’t fear the examination and correction of God, but rather we embrace it.

At Baptism, we accepted the Holy Spirit into our hearts and minds. The Holy Spirit now works in us to give us that right heart – one that wants that continual course correction.

How does that examination and correction come? It can come in many ways.

When we read the Bible, His words convicts us. How often I have read a passage and thought it was written just for me! A sermon may convict me that something in my life needs to change. A trusted friend or family member may bring something to my attention.

It’s human to want to avoid correction. It’s human to not want to be shown I was wrong and need to change or maybe that my behavior hurt someone else. It can be embarrassing to admit to someone I was wrong. It can be painful to see that a sin has tripped me up again. God knows that it doesn’t always feel good. He also knows that that benefits outweigh the momentary pain. 

Hebrews 12:11 [NIV] No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Correction trains us to walk in the right way. When I learn to accept it and even to seek it, I can be assured that I am on the path to becoming perfect as my Father in Heaven is perfect. [Matthew 5:48]

Reproofs, corrections, and discipline are the way of life for a Christian. It is how we stay on the path of light and become more like our Father. The short term pain of correction is worth the long-term benefits of the changes it makes to my character.

Sisters, we must embrace the process.

Prayer — Father God, I want to become more like You. Therefore, please help me to seek and accept Your correction every day. Help me to use that correction to adjust my life so that I stay on the path of light. Help me to seek correction that yields a harvest of righteousness and peace. In Jesus’ name I humbly ask for your loving correction. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 34 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Give Light

Proverbs 6:23a [ESV] For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light,

It’s no secret that we live in a sin-darkened world. It’s no surprise that we need the light of God’s word to guide our way. We who would walk in the light take up the lamp of God’s commands and light our way with His teachings. We accept His reproof as our way to have a better life.

However, let’s not forget that we believers are asked not only to use the light of God but to BE the light of God to this world. Matthew 5:14-16 [ESV] 14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

The life that I live is supposed to illuminate the way to a better life – one that serves as a witness to God’s greatness. Our lives are to light the way for others to come to God, so that they too can use the lamp of God’s commands and the light of His teachings to illuminate the better path for their own lives.

In sending out His disciples, Jesus told them, Freely you have received, freely give. [Matthew 10:8b NKJV]  We should be generous with giving out the light of God, setting illuminating examples of lives that are filled with the joy, peace, and love of God. If we are stingy with the light of God, we risk being called unprofitable servants – servants who just do the minimum of our duty and nothing more. [See Luke 17:10]

Sisters, the world needs the light of God and it is our jobs to spread it – to shine it out into the dark world like a beacon. I pray that your life will so shine that others cannot help but see the glory of God in it.

Prayer — Father God, Lead me by Your illuminating word. Guide me by the lamp and light of your teachings. Help me to always walk in the light, not only for my sake, but to glorify You and to share Your light with others. Help me to be a beacon in this dark world, shining with love and peace and joy. You have given me this beautiful light to light my own path of life. Help me to be generous in sharing it with the world. Jesus was that perfect, brilliant light when He walked the earth. Help me to follow in His footsteps to lead others to You so that they too can have Your light in them and pass it on to the world. In Jesus’ name I ask. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 33 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Everywhere and All the Time

Proverbs 6:20-22 [NKJV] 20 My son, keep your father's command, And do not forsake the law of your mother. 21 Bind them continually upon your heart; Tie them around your neck. 22 When you roam, they will lead you; When you sleep, they will keep you; And [when] you awake, they will speak with you.

I once had church goer say to me that she and her husband, “put their time in” at church that week. She may not have meant it the way it sounded to me, but I found it to be an odd way of speaking about spending time in worship with fellow believers.

I don’t believe she was saying that Christianity only happened once a week at church, but that attendance at church was something to be “done” – to be “endured” each week. Maybe they just had bad preachers that made it seem like a chore.

However, I feel that church should be something that invigorates and inspires us for the week ahead. Church services should be a time when we hear the commands of our Father God. It should be a time when we experience the love of the Church - meaning the people who are the Church – the Ecclesia. The Ecclesia is supposed to act like a mother to us, acting out the law of love by living it. Romans 13:8 [ESV] says, Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. Love (and all that it requires of us) is literally the only thing we owe each other.

Church should be a place where we gain all this perspective and information that we can then bind in our hearts, hang around our necks, and take with us through the week ahead to sustain us, waking and sleeping, and lead us in every step within our days.

Of course, church is not the only place where we can get the knowledge of God. We are to read His word and talk to Him in prayer every day. Then, even if church is a chore, the Father Himself will provide the commands and the law of love that we can bind to us for that daily guidance.

Hopefully, we then take that to church with us as well, so that we can help be a part of the “mother” that provides love to help others in our church family to be sustained for the week ahead.

God’s commands  - His law of love - should be with us everywhere and all the time, but especially at church. Sisters, if your church is not like that, then we must work to be a part of changing it. God help you so to do.

Prayer — Father God, Thank You for Your law of love and your commandments, both of which can lead and guide me every day and all the time. Wherever I go and whatever my day holds, I ask that your laws and love be bound to me and in front of me. And, Father, help me to ensure that I am a part of showing love to my fellow brethren – that I am a part of helping to sustain them for the week ahead. I ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 Your thoughts —  

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Day 32 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Overwhelming Discord

Proverbs 6:19b [ESV] … one who sows discord among brothers.

The adage “You reap what you sow” is never truer than when you sow discord among those close to you – your family, your office mates, or your church brethren. Sowing discord results in discord (a.k.a. strife, conflict), unless someone stops it in its path. It takes a special person to do that – someone willing to make the first move or apology – often someone will to refrain from giving back or passing forward the hurt they have received.

Where does this desire to sew discord come from? How can we stop discord from growing? Proverbs 10:12 [NIV] answers both questions: 12 Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.

Discord, strife and conflict come from hate. You might not think, “I hate that person” but it is the underlying emotion, whether it bubbles up as jealousy or resentment or anger.

Love “covers” it the way paper covers rock in a rock-paper-scissors game or the way a wet blanket can smother a smoldering fire.. One of the definitions of the Hebrew word that is translated “covers” is “overwhelm.” Love overwhelms hatred and conflict.

Why do we have people who sow discord in our churches? Jesus explains it in the parable He gives in Matthew 13. Matthew 13:24-25 [KJV] 24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

Satan sows into the body of Christ those who in turn sow discord among us and God allows it. Matthew 13 indicates that God continues to allow them to be among His people until the harvest. So, it doesn’t sound like we will get rid of those sowers of discord within the body of Christ until Jesus returns.

However, what we can do is overwhelm them with love. It takes a special person to stop the seed of discord from reaping its natural fruit. God called us to be that kind of person – one who sows so much love that discord is overwhelmed by it.

It means putting away pride and the sense that I deserve better. It means putting away a sense of “an eye for an eye” and the idea that I must pay back those who sin against me.

To overwhelm discord with love, we must be like Jesus who died for sinners – for you and me – when we were still out there sowing discord in our own ways – when we still might sow discord, although we don’t mean to.

Love smothers discord. Discord cannot survive under its pressure.

As long as the church is made up of humans, Satan will be able to sow among us those who will in turn seek to sow discord within the church. Sisters, we are called to overwhelm them with love.

Perhaps God leaves the sowers of discord within the church because that is the best place for us to practice smothering discord with love. Maybe He wants us to learn and practice there, among His people, where our efforts may be more effective. Maybe once we learn how to overwhelm discord with love among our church family, we can then practice the same reaction to sowers of discord in our homes and workplace – who knows, maybe in the nation. Okay, I’m dreaming there.

When Jesus returns for the harvest, the sewers of discord among God’ people will be removed. Until then, sweet sisters, it is our job to overwhelm discord with love.

Prayer — Father God, You have given us the gift of church, of brothers and sisters in Christ who are called to forgiveness and to do good works. Thank you for calling me away from the works of Satan, away from the sowing of discord, and into the work of planting love at every opportunity. I ask that you help me to do the good work of sowing love among my fellow believers, my family and the world. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 31 - 90 Days in Proverbs – Nothing but the Truth

Proverbs 6:19 [ESV] a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

If you ever testified in court or even watched a court drama on TV, you know that a witness is asked to “Swear (or affirm) to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” I always felt that this statement had to be adapted over time. First, maybe it was simply “to tell the truth” but then witnesses were leaving parts of the truth out, so they had to add “the whole truth.” Then someone thought, “but I can add some lies to it so it is more in line with what I want the court to believe” and they had to add “and nothing but the truth.”

In a court of law, they rely on the testimony of witnesses, among other things, to convict or exonerate the accused party. For a time, eye witnesses were all we had. Now there are cameras everywhere and DNA tests. We are still finding cases where a witness lied to put someone in jail where the DNA now exonerates the accused. Thankfully, there are organizations working to release the falsely accused.

As obedient children of God, you and I would never lie in court. But, as usual, God’s standards are higher than just telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth when swearing in a court of law. God asks us to be unerringly dependable in our words every day and every time we speak.

Matthew 5:37 [ESV] Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than this comes from evil.

God asks us to be especially dependable and truthful in our promises and commitments, not matter the cost. Psalm 15:4 [NIV] in outlining who will be allowed to dwell with God, we are told, among other things, it will be one 4 who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind;

There is another area where absolute truth is required: in prayer. Are you ever tempted to soften the truth with your confession of sin to God? I confess that sometimes I do not want to speak aloud or even speak in my mind, the thing for which I am repenting. I sometimes get embarrassed to still be a sinner after years of working to live a godly life. I still have sins to repent of – and some of them repeatedly.

God asks us to be honest here as well. Honestly with ourselves, with the sin that trips us up, is an important part of the process of change. And, let’s face it, God already knows. He knows our hearts. He knows our thoughts. He sees me for who I am, even if I don’t see it or don’t want to see it. I am a sinner. I struggle. But there is no real reason to fear to confess my sins. Whatever I have done has already been paid for. Upon repentance, it will be forgiven.

That fear of being honest with God is a tool of Satan, designed to stop us from full repentance and spiritual growth.

God does not ask us to do anything or be anything that He has not already modeled for us. He has always provided the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about sin and the penalty for it – about His plan to send the perfect Lamb to pay for it – about our eternal reward. He asks no less than full honesty from us.

Sisters, God asks us to be children of truth at all times and in all circumstances – in every conversation or social media post. But so called “brutal honesty” – that comes into play most often in being honest with ourselves about ourselves.

God already knows me to my core. He knows you too. We should never fear honest confession. The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about ourselves is the first step to real change.

Prayer — Father God, You know all things. You know my heart, my thoughts, my intent and my actions. Help me, therefore, to be unerringly and utterly honest in my assessment of my own life, thoughts, heart and actions, and in my conversations with You about them. Only an honest assessment of myself will lead to true repentance and growth. I want to grow and change. I want to become like You, my perfect Heavenly Father. Help me to be open and honest with others as well so that we can build a relationship of trust and support one another in good times and tough time. I ask this in Jesus’ holy name. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 30 - 90 Days in Proverbs – It Starts with the Heart

Proverbs 6:18 [ESV] 18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil,

God is concerned with more than just the act of a sin. He is concerned with a heart that is not right, that leads to wrong thoughts, which left unchecked can motivate a person toward planning wickedness and ultimately to committing sin.  Sin often germinates in the heart and mind before it becomes an action and God wants us to learn to stop it there.

Jesus warned us about this. Matthew 5:21-22, 27-28 [ESV] 21 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.' 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire. ... 27 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Because sin begins before we act, the battle against sin becomes a battle in the heart, for the heart. God knew that. He is ready to remove the hearts that are hardened by sin and replace them with new hearts.  Ezekiel 36:26 [ESV] And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

If we try to fight our battles with sin at the action level, or only at that action level, we’ll be too late. So, how do we win the battle at the mind and heart level? It begins by putting the right things in our minds, as we are advised in Philippians 4:8 [ESV] 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Galatians 5 contrasts the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit. Then, in verse 25 it we are told [ESV] If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. So, after realigning our thoughts, we realign our paths so that we are in step with the Spirit – the Spirit that gives us the new heart of love, joy, peace, etc.

Sweet sisters, the battle against sin begins long before a sinful action occurs. Therefore, we must begin by asking each day for God to help us to focus our minds on what is good, just and right, and also to fill us with the Holy Spirit in order to replace our human hearts with hearts of love, joy and peace. That way, we can stop sin before it even starts.

Prayer — Father God, it is too easy to have a hard heart in this sin-filled world. It’s too easy to focus on the sad, painful, frightening, sinful or angry parts of the world today. But I want to be like Jesus, with a heart full of love for everyone, with a heart for You, Your words, Your laws and your ways, and one that leads me away from sin and toward obedience. I want to have a mind focused on the good in the world. Help me today to have a soft heart of love and peace, and help me to have a mind focused on good. In Jesus’ name I ask. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 29 - 90 Days in Proverbs - Separate the Sinner from the Sin

Proverbs 6:16-19 [NKJV] 16 These six [things] the LORD hates, Yes, seven [are] an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness [who] speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.

Hate is an emotion that God gave us at creation. It has its place in our lives. If you read the Bible, you know that hate is an emotion that the Father has and that He expresses. Here in Proverb 6, we have a list of the things God hates. Each one is an action that one human can take that harms another human.

Christians often say, “Love the sinner, hate the sin.” In verses 17 and 18, the author focuses on the specific parts of the human body that carry out the actions that harm others, like a lying tongue rather than a lying person. However, in verse 19, he pivots and says that God hates the actual false witness, not just the lying tongue. God hates the one who sows discord, not just the heart with wicked plans or the feet that run to do evil.

Even though this outlines that God hates the action and the actor, they are clearly outlines as separate things. We also have to be separate the person and the sin. Christians often say, “Love the sinner, hate the sin.” This is much tougher to do, of course, when the sin is perpetrated against me or my family. It goes against human nature to love the person who lied about me or who killed someone I love.

It can be even more difficult to separate the sinner from the sin when that sinner is me. But we are asked to do that too. For a repentant believer, we all struggle just as Paul outlined in Romans 7. Romans 7:17-20 [NKJV] 17 But now, [it is] no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but [how] to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will [to do], I do not do; but the evil I will not [to do], that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not [to do], it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

For all the repentance and spiritual growth over the decades since I was baptized, the nature that am working to stifle has not yet gone away. It won’t go away until we are transformed at Jesus’ return into new, spiritual beings. Our sinful natures are suppressed through our daily struggles to choose right over wrong. Our sinful natures no longer drive our lives, hearts, words and actions. The Holy Spirit takes the driver’s seat instead of human nature.

In order to continue suppressing human nature, we have to hate it and its works, just as God does. We must recognize and separate out that old nature that drove our sinful behavior in the past and will sometimes fight to pull us back into that sinful behavior. That person, that sinner is not who I am today. It is not who you are today, sweet sister.

As believers, our battle is to separate the sinner from the sin, by putting off that old man, that old nature each and every day before it has a chance to break out in sin. And we must understand that when we come to God to repent, the Father also recognizes the difference between the sinner and the sin. He forgives us and sends His Holy Spirit to us so that we can continue the battle to keep the sinner from breaking out into sin.

Sisters, you are not the sin you commit, because when God forgives you, the blood of Christ separates that sin from you. You are not the sin you commit because you are working to suppress that old self. Our work to separate ourselves from the sinful nature we battle continues every day.

Prayer — Father God, Please forgive me today for my sins. I acknowledge that I am a sinner. Help me to suppress the sin that seeks to bubble up in me, that old nature that wants to take control of my thoughts, heart and life. I hate it, as you do. Together with your Holy Spirit in me, I will walk in new life today – a life guided and controlled by Your nature of love and forgiveness. I will follow the example of Jesus, who came to earth to both show me the way to live a life totally guided by You and then died so that I may be forgiven and walk that same path of new life. In His name I ask all things. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 28 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Nothing but the Truth

Proverbs 6:12-13 [ESV] 12 A worthless person, a wicked man, goes about with crooked speech, 13 winks with his eyes, signals with his feet, points with his finger,

At least in a joking or teasing manner, we’ve all winked or promised something with our “fingers crossed” at some time – as kids if not as adults. Times when we are joking aside James 5:12 advises us to let our “yeses” mean “yes” and our “noes” mean “no” – not to leave any doubt about it. We are not to be like the wicked who seek to fool people and hide their true intentions.

Satan is a liar and the father of lying. [See John 8:44] But God, our Father, requires honesty of His children. Titus 1:2 tells us the God never lies. He also wants His children to be trustworthy – to be known for their truthfulness and honesty.

Few Christian would flat out lie or deliberately deceive others for gain. Sometimes, though, we can struggle with telling “the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth” in a variety of ways.

One way is with social media. If I post a falsehood on social media it is breaking the commandment “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” [Exodus 20:16] It’s easy to do, especially as “deep fakes” become more frequent and more difficult to detect. But we have a responsibility to be careful and vigilant in all types of communication.

It is sobering to realize that the reputation I create with my online posts can impact my effectiveness in preaching the gospel. But how can people trust the truth of Jesus, the truth of salvation and the promise reward in the Kingdom if I am not scrupulously truthful in every other type of communication?

Honesty is very important to God. He is always honest with us about the rewards of obedience and the results from sin. When He makes a promise He keeps it. He ask us to become like Him –known for our honesty in words and deeds, just like our Father. The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth is what the Father requires of us, sweet sisters.

Prayer — Father God, Thank You that I can trust in Your complete honesty. I can depend on Your promises. I can trust in You completely. Help me to be just like you – a woman known for my honesty and dependability in all my words and deeds. Lead me by Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 27 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Work/Life Balance

Proverbs 6:9-11 [ESV] 9 How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, 11 and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.

We are seeing a couple of key themes coming from Solomon in his writing of Proverbs. One is wisdom, another is avoiding sexual sin and another is laziness. Proverbs 6:9-11 is about laziness – or, more precisely, love of sleep.

But we know that sleep isn’t all bad. In fact, the right amount of sleep is important. Psalms 127:2 tells us that God “gives to His beloved sleep.” I’ve called out to God for the blessing of sleep during many a wakeful night – whether that wakefulness was caused by worry or pain or just the treachery of the female hormones. If you’ve ever had a restless night, especially if you’ve suffered from bouts of insomnia that last several nights, you understand what a blessing sleep is and how lack of it affects you.

Rest and sleep are important to our overall health. Exodus 20:8-11 outlines the commanded day of rest. However, it is clear from today’s verses that we can have too much of a good thing when it comes to rest.

But work is important too. God calls us to be laborers in His harvest. And He tells us to pray for more laborers to share the load so we can do more without getting overwhelmed. [Matthew 9:37]

Even the command in Exodus 20 talks both of resting and of working. Exodus 20:9-10 [NKJV] 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day [is] the Sabbath of the LORD your God. [In it] you shall do no work.... Our loving Father was the first advocate of the right work/life balance.

Jesus’ own example is one of working the works of God – preaching, healing, casting out demons – and of getting away to quiet places to rest. He even set an example of sharing responsibilities as a way to train His followers and exponentially increase results. [See Luke 10:1-12]

Just as sure as being lazy will have poverty “pounce on you like a bandit” as the New Living Translation puts it, doing the work God gave you will bring great rewards. [See Matthew 25 and Luke 19]

Get plenty of rest. Then rise up, refreshed, and work hard. Train others and share the load. Pray for more laborers so that we can reach more people through their efforts. Rest again. Just don’t get too comfortable in that bed, as you’ll need to rise up and work again.

Work/life balance is nothing new. God prescribed it from the very beginning and He modeled Himself by resting for a day after six days of creation.

God won’t wear out His laborers. He knows our limits. He prescribes both hard work and dedicated time of rest.

Prayer — Father God, thank You for work to do in this life and for the opportunity to be a fellow laborer in Your harvest. Thank You also for rest and sleep. You know my limits. You understand this fragile human form which we live in now. Guide me to the right balance always so that I may serve You throughout my life. In Jesus’ name I ask. Amen

Your thoughts —  

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Day 26 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Go to the Ant #2

Proverbs 6:6-8 [NKJV] 6 Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, 7 Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, 8 Provides her supplies in the summer, [And] gathers her food in the harvest.

There are 22,000 species of ants that scientists have identified. There are fire ants with a very painful sting. There are carpenter ants that create their homes by excavating wood to form smooth tunnels inside of the wood. There’s the pharaoh ant, small yellow or light brown, almost transparent ant that is notorious for being a major indoor nuisance pest, especially in hospitals. There is the weaver ants that live in trees and are known for their unique nest building behavior where workers construct nests by weaving together leaves using larval silk.

God created so many types of ants, each with a different and unique purpose within the ecosystems where they exist.

He only created one type of human and we have only one ultimate purpose. Although each of us is as unique as a snowflake and our cultures, backgrounds and genetics play a part in how we look, act and think, mankind was created to become the sons of God – to ultimately spend eternity with Him as spirit beings. Every human is a child of God. Every human is loved by God. Every human has the potential to live eternally in God’s kingdom. Every. Single. One.

God gives us different and unique talents, opportunities, situations and jobs to do as we each make our way to that specific destiny we share. There are many gifts of the spirit but each with the same purpose. I Corinthians 12 outlines the gifts of the Spirit. This outline begins in verse 4 with this: There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. Why? What is the purpose of your gift or gifts? Verse 7 tells us: A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. [NLT] God gave you your gifts because He wants you to use those gifts to help your fellow human beings.

It is in serving others that we serve the God who loves us all and created each of us with the same ultimate purpose – to become His children and live with him for all eternity in His Kingdom.

If you don’t know what your gift or gifts are, you can read through 1 Corinthians 12 to help you find it or take one of the many tests out there that help you determine your gift or gifts.

Then, once you know the gift or gifts God has given you, it is time to “go to the ant” – find your place in God’s plan of salvation for all mankind and use that gift or gifts to make the world around you a better place.

Sweet sister, you are unique. You have your own unique place in this world. Enjoy it. Use it to glorify God and to advance the Kingdom.

Prayer — Father God, thank you for the unique gifts, talents and opportunities You have provided for me. Please lead me and guide me in using them to Your glory and to the advancement of Your Kingdom. Place me in the situations where I can best serve You, Your people and the world at large and help me to always work diligently to do so. In Jesus’ name I ask. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 25 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Go to the Ant #1

Proverbs 6:6-8 [NKJV] 6 Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, 7 Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, 8 Provides her supplies in the summer, [And] gathers her food in the harvest.

How often have I heard this advice coming from a parent or preacher! It’s an easy subject to cover and one we get passionate about if we feel someone is not doing their part at home, school or church. “Go to the ant” is the “churchy” way of saying “don’t be lazy.”

But here is another lesson we can learn from ants: they are everywhere. Fire ants try to take over my yard every year, despite all my efforts to kill them all. Ants invade our picnics, even when we think we’ve setup dinner far away from them. Ants get into our homes and, once there, it is difficult to get rid of them. Leave a crumb out and they show up.

We believers are to be like ants in that way. We are to be everywhere – a constant presence in the world. We are to be working at spreading the Gospel every day, insidiously invading our schools, homes, offices, and every other human endeavor with God’s message of love, and with words and actions that spread God’s love to others.

Christianity itself spread across the globe like ants at a picnic after Jesus died. The efforts of the Roman government to stamp it out only resulted in spreading it to other parts of the world.

Eventually, we can look forward to this: Isaiah 11:9 [NKJV] They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea. Eventually, after Jesus returns to rule and reign on this earth, the knowledge of the Lord will cover the world like water in the sea.

For now, it is our job to spread it like hard-working ants, by showing love, mercy, faith and all the fruit of the Holy Spirit every day in every situation and by preaching the Gospel whenever the opportunity arises – never tiring, never giving up, unstoppable.

The world can try to poison us with its message of selfishness, but they won’t be able to do that. People may get tired of us always showing with hope and a hug. It might be annoying to some that you cannot be drawn into a fight but remain peaceful and respectful. Our unshakeable faith should show up in the midst of the biggest trials.

Go to the ants, my sisters, and bring the fruit of God’s Spirit, God’s word and an example of Jesus in how you live with you everywhere. Let’s invade the world like ants at a picnic.

Prayer — Father God, we can learn so much from your creation. Help me to learn the lesson of the ant, always working hard to set an example of Your love and mercy on this earth, taking every opportunity to preach the Gospel and do the work of the Kingdome. You have given me a job to do. Help me to work diligently at that job today. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 24 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Investing for Growth

Proverbs 6:1-5 [NKJV] 1 My son, if you become surety for your friend, [If] you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger, 2 You are snared by the words of your mouth; You are taken by the words of your mouth. 3 So do this, my son, and deliver yourself; For you have come into the hand of your friend: Go and humble yourself; Plead with your friend. 4 Give no sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids. 5 Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand [of the hunter], And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

Who hasn’t ever put themselves at risk financially? It could be investing in risky stocks for the hope of faster gain. It could be, as this proverbs indicates, co-signing on a loan for a friend, or even lending money directly to a friend or family member who you know isn’t reliable. Maybe you overspent on that dream vacation or a designer handbag. Maybe you racked up credit card debt, risking the chance that you may not have money for your rent or car payment, and possibly ruining your credit. Whatever risky situation I may have gotten myself into, this proverbs advises immediate and dramatic steps to correct it. Don’t wait. Start today.

God is concerned that we take care of the financial and physical blessings He has given us, but He is even more concerned about the spiritual blessings He has bestowed on us.

God has invested in us. He gave the precious gift of our Savior, Jesus Christ. God gave us Jesus’ own blood for our spiritual healing and the beating He received was for our physical healing. God gives us His Holy Spirit to lead and guide us. God HAS invested a LOT into us and He has given us only so much time on the earth to invest and grow those blessings.

We must use that investment God gave to us wisely. When I realize that I have foolishly invested time and talents in something that is not to His glory, to my own good or to the good of His people or to the good of the world around me, I must take immediate steps to correct that.

In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus tells the parable of the talents. It begins like this: Verse 14 For [the kingdom of heaven is] like a man traveling to a far country, [who] called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. This parable then outlines very clearly that God expects us to invest what He has given us with an eye toward growth – turning 10 talents into 20 or 5 talents into 10 or one talent into two.

I have a 401K plan with my job. I decide what percentages to invest in which types of plans. Some are riskier than others. I can easily go online and make changes if I see my investments are not producing or as my risk aversion changes with age.

Spiritual investments are the same. If I have foolishly invested my time, talents or gifts in something that is not to God’s glory then I can easily go “on line” in prayer to repent, confess and alter course. Proverbs urges me never to delay that process.

Sisters, God wants His investment in us to be a wise investment. He is not like the foolish man in Proverbs 6, loaning money or goods to an unreliable person. He gives us every resource and opportunity to pay Him back with spiritual growth.

So, if you find yourself in a situation that is a bad investment of your time, spiritual gifts or talents, don’t wait, start right now to correct it.

Prayer — Father God, You have given me so many blessings, the greatest of these include investing Your Spirit and the life of my Savior to give me a greater life today and an amazing, eternal future. Thank You for all you have given me. Help me today to invest my time, talents, spiritual gifts and physical goods wisely – to Your glory, to advance the Gospel and to my own good. In Jesus name I ask. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 23 – 90 Days in Proverbs - The Folly will Get You

Proverbs 5:22-23 [NKJV] 22 His own iniquities entrap the wicked [man], And he is caught in the cords of his sin. 23 He shall die for lack of instruction, And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

This proverb does not mince words. Essentially, it says, “Your sins will kill you.” It reminds me of one of my husband’s frequently uses sayings: “Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes times that reason is you are foolish and make bad choices.”

Although I never want to forget that Jesus died to save me from the ultimate results of my sin – eternal death (Romans 6:23) – I must realize that God will sometimes let me suffer the natural result of sin. If I sin by stealing, God will let me go to jail. If commit adultery, I may face divorce.

God may not protect me from other foolish actions that are naturally harmful, like smoking, abusing drugs or alcohol, or reckless driving. These things have natural consequences.

The love of God and the sacrifice of Jesus are not a “get out of jail free” card for our lives. God will let us suffer for sin and foolish choices. But even that (allowing us to suffer the consequences of sin) is out of love. Can you imagine a world where those who had once repented and given their lives to God could now be foolish and reckless without consequences? We’d be a danger to ourselves and the unprotected world around us. Human nature being what it is, we’d probably just get bolder with taking risks and acting foolishly.

Our Abba, who is the perfect parent, will let us learn from the consequences of our actions. He always makes the right decision on when to protect us from the consequences and when to let us learn from them.  

This is why we must pray for wisdom and guidance each day – so that we can make right choices – choices whose natural consequences are good things for ourselves and those around us – choices that build relationships – choices that make a positive impact on our lives and the lives of others – choices that build godly character.

The Holy Spirit is there for us, and in us, to guide us away from foolish choices and toward the best choices each and every day.

My younger sister told me that when she used to drop her girls off at school, the last thing she would say to them is “I love you. Make good choices.” The Father bids us the same. He loves us. Let’s go out today and make good choices.

Prayer — Lord God, Father and Protector – Thank You for the sacrifice of Jesus, given so that the penalty for sin is wiped away. Please forgive my sins by His precious blood. But, also, Father, I ask that You protect me today from consequences of bad choices that can harm me or others. Fill me with the great wisdom of your Holy Spirit to lead and guide me in every aspect of my life today. In Jesus name I ask. Amen

Your thoughts —  

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Day 22 – Proverbs 22 - Somebody’s Watching Me

Proverbs 5:21 [NKJV] For your ways are in full view of the LORD, and He examines all your paths.

Michael Jackson had a song that went like this: “I always feel like somebody’s watching me.” This scripture reminded me of that song. Well, guess what, sweet sisters – somebody is watching you.

Perhaps it reminds you of a song you learned in Sabbath school or Sunday school: “Oh be careful little eyes what you see, Oh be careful little eyes what you see. For the Father up above is looking down in love…”

Proverbs 5:21 tells us that God is watching. Nothing I do is hidden from Him. Nothing I say is hidden from Him. Nothing I think or feel is hidden from Him. There are times when He sees the good things we do in private, that no one else may know about. He also sees the private, hidden sins.

God sees my ways, my words and my thoughts and those things (my ways, words and thoughts) show Him where I am headed on my journey of life. He isn’t just seeing individual thoughts and actions. He sees patterns of behavior. What are my habits? My focus? My routine responses? And He sees where these things are taking me. Am I headed to trouble and pain and eternal death? Or am I headed to His Kingdom and eternal reward?

God asks us to partner with Him in watching our ways and examining our paths. 1 Corinthians 11:28 begins “But let a man examine himself…”

2 Corinthians 13:5 [NKJV] says Examine yourselves [as to] whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you are disqualified.

Each sin needs to be repented of, forgiven and washed away by the precious blood of Jesus. But, as we see them and repent, we are also supposed to be turning our lives around. Over time I am to be retraining myself. My mind, my thoughts should be changed. My words should be different. My actions should be changed. I should develop new patterns of behavior.

In short, God needs to be seeing that I am on a new path, different from the path I was on before I met Him and gave my life over to Him.

God is watching and taking note. He isn’t doing it to catch me in sin but so that He can help me get on or stay on the right path.  Today I commit to watching myself too. I will ask “Where am I headed?” “Am I walking in the light?” “Am I on a path to spiritual success?” “Where is this thought or action taking me?”

Sweet sisters, join me in examining ourselves today, as we know God is doing, to ensure we are on the right path. Somebody  watching you. It is our loving Father.

Prayer — Dear Lord, I want to be on the path of righteousness. I know that you see me as your daughter whom you love. I also know that my ways are not hidden from you. You see the good and the bad. Help me to see the individual sins and the patterns of behavior that set on the wrong paths and to correct them with your help and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 21 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Drink of Choice

Proverbs 5:15-20 [NKJV] 15 15 Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well. 16 Should your springs overflow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares? 17 Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers. 18 May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. 19 A loving doe, a graceful deer--may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be intoxicated with her love. 20 Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man's wife? Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman?

This segment of Proverbs 5 speaks directly about being faithful in marriage. Verse 18 ties all the flowery talk about water and wells, and intoxication directly to being content in marriage. This segment boils down to Solomon’s advice to: “love your own wife and not someone else’s”.

Lack of fidelity in marriage is a problem in modern times - just as it was back then. As we have discussed before, Solomon had some history with that, given that the relationship between his father, David, and his mother, Bathsheba, began with adultery.

However, if we look at this segment in a broader sense, we can see that it could easily be applied to any part of our blessings. In a broader sense, this segment of Proverbs tells us to “be happy with what we have.”

It reminds me of Exodus 20:17 [NIV] "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

A lack of contentment with what we have, a lack of thankfulness for the blessing in our lives, can lead to sinful actions like adultery or stealing. If I am happy with my own blessings, I would not seek someone else’s goods. This is support by 1 Timothy 6:6 [NKJV] which tells us Now godliness with contentment is great gain.

This world breeds discontentment. In every TV, radio or social media commercial and in every glossy magazine touting the new car, bigger TV, more powerful phone, designer handbag or fresh lipstick color is the subtle (or maybe not so subtle) hint that what I have isn’t good enough.

Proverbs 5 doesn’t just tell me to stay away from what others have that I don’t, it also encourages me to enjoy what I do have – to drink from the well of blessings that God has already given me. That may include a mate, a car, a job, a home, etc.

If we are busy drinking from our own well of blessings - enjoying them, maybe using some of those blessings to help others, and always being thankful for what we have - we will never be thirsty for the blessings of others. 

So, drink up, sweet sisters.

Prayer — Father God, You have given me so much. Most especially I am thankful for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and for the mercy and grace you have given to me through Him. But I also have so much more. My blessings include (list your own) and I will be thankful for them. I will enjoy these great blessings – the spiritual and physical – and drink up of the goodness You have given to me. Help me always to do so. If I had nothing but Your love I would be blessed beyond measure, but you have chosen to give me more. Thank You for Your generosity it and love. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 20 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Regrets, I’ve Had a Few

Proverbs 5:9-14 [CSB] 9 Otherwise, you will give up your vitality to others and your years to someone cruel;  10 strangers will drain your resources, and your hard-earned pay will end up in a foreigner's house.  11 At the end of your life, you will lament when your physical body has been consumed, 12 and you will say, "How I hated discipline, and how my heart despised correction.  13 "I didn't obey my teachers or listen closely to my instructors.  14 "I am on the verge of complete ruin before the entire community."

These verses focus on the end results of choosing the wrong path – loss of vitality, drained resources, a broken body and a ruinous end.

We should live our lives so that we can look back on them without regret. That should be the goal. Maybe you’ve been successful so far. Me? I have a few regrets – things I chose to do; things I failed to do.

We have a High Priest who understands us and the struggle we face in trying to live a life free of regret. He walked among us on a very straight, narrow and difficult path that He and the Father chose.

Hebrews 4:15 [NKJV] 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all [points] tempted as [we are, yet] without sin.

You can rest assured that Jesus does not regret what He did for you. [See Phil. 2:5-11] And, for those who strive to follow in His footsteps, He is waiting for the opportunity to say to you “Well done, good and faithful servant” – as we see in Matthew 25:23.

We will not regret any of the hard decisions or difficult parts of our lives where we chose God over things like money or power or success or temptation. For those who strive to live without regret, we are told that we will end up with beautiful, perfect spiritual bodies, not wasted ones. [See 1 Corinthians 15:53-54] We will end up in glory, not in ruins. Whatever resources we use in God’s work and to His glory will be paid back many times over. Luke 19:17 [NKJV] "And he said to him, 'Well [done], good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.'

We might regret the mistakes, missteps and sins of life – the missed opportunities act and the times we not have acted but did. But, I promise you sweet sisters, in the end, you will not regret choosing obedience and walking in the path of righteous.

Prayer — Father God, Thank you for the sacrifice of Jesus and His example in obedience. Thank you that the regretful acts of disobedience and sin that I have done are covered by His blood. Thank you that I can look forward to glory and eternal life and reward in the end, if I stick to the path of obedience to you, because of what He has done. I will never regret choosing You. Help me to choose You again today and every day. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts:

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Day 19 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Solid Path

Proverbs 5:5-6 [CSB] 5 Her feet go down to death; her steps head straight for Sheol. 6 She doesn't consider the path of life; she doesn't know that her ways are unstable.

The road to life may be narrow and difficult (Matthew 7:13-14). It can feel like a hiker’s mountain trail that’s a constant uphill climb, as it winds in and out of the woods, and over rocky places and fallen trees. However, whatever we face along that path, we can at least, with packed dirt beneath our feet, be sure it is a stable path.

A Christian may walk a narrow and sometimes difficult path. It’s part of the human journey. God does not always protect us from the bumpy parts of life.

As Christians, when we walk life’s bumpy paths, at least we know where we are headed. We know that steady obedience to God is a stable path that leads us toward God’s Kingdom, reward and eternal life. There may be twists and turns we didn’t expect but the goal and our progress toward it never changes.

If we were not walking on the narrow path to the Kingdom we would be walking on the shifting sands of human nature and Satan’s fickle ways. But we’d be on the path to a sure outcome too. The path may look broad and easy, but we’d be following in the footsteps of Satan, who hates mankind and seeks to destroy us.  So, it will not be a broad and easy path in the end. Satan seeks to lead you on an easy path to destruction.

It seems contradictory that the path to glory would be narrow and difficult. We want it to be easy. However, those of us who choose it know that it is a path build on the solid rock of love of God. God, whose compassion and mercy never fails is as sure, solid path beneath our feet. We know it is a path paved for us by the precious blood of Jesus. We know it is a path to success because Jesus now advocates for us at the throne of the Father each day.

Because we know and trust that our difficult and narrow path is stable, we can choose to walk it every day.

Walk on, sweet sisters. Go over, under or around the obstacles that try to block your way, but keep going. You are going to make it along that solid path to glory.

Prayer — Father God, I know the path you have chosen for me has been paved by the blood of Jesus. I trust you to guide me through it and I know you are there with me no matter how difficult my path may be. And, because I trust in you, I will walk on. Please provide the strength I need today to face whatever is in my path. In Jesus name I ask. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 18– 90 Days in Proverbs - She Will Cut You

Proverbs 5:1-5 [NKJV] 1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom; Lend your ear to my understanding, 2 That you may preserve discretion, And your lips may keep knowledge. 3 For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey, And her mouth [is] smoother than oil; 4 But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword. 5 Her feet go down to death, Her steps lay hold of hell.

There is a LOT of advice in Proverbs about staying away from an immoral woman. Solomon had hundreds of wives and concubines. It makes me wonder about what that household might have been like.

Solomon warns us that this immoral woman seems like honey and oil, but she is wormwood and death. And, her ways like a two-edged sword. I assume Solomon is saying that her ways bring pain and suffering to both the man who is lured by her and to her own life. That’s how sin works.

The reference to a two-edged sword reminds me of Hebrews 4:12. For the word of God [is] living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

There’s a big difference between the two references, though. The Word of God cuts away the carnal nature in us – the thoughts and intents of our own hearts that often lead us to sin. The purpose of the two-edged sword wielded by God is to surgically remove the carnal nature within us so that we may be filled with more of the divine nature of God. It is similar to how a surgeon would remove a tumor in me – something that does not belong there – so that I can have better health.

In other words, God’s two-edged sword is used for spiritual healing and growth. It results in life – a better life now and a fabulous life in the Kingdom.

Unlike God’s two-edged sword, the two-edged sword of the immoral woman leads to sin and death for herself and for those ensnared by her.

All the ways of this world, of Satan, of our carnal nature lead to death. Before being called by God into new life in Him, whatever sins tempted us led us toward death. Any sin, not just sexual sin, can seem like honey and oil, or it wouldn’t be so tempting. And all sin ends up with bitterness and ultimately death.

But sisters, we can dodge that two-edged sword that is the result of sin, if we are willing to submit to the two-edged sword that is wielded by God. We escape the two-edged sword of sin when we repent, because Jesus already paid the price and took the punishment for us.

You and I will never regret what the Lord removes from us, any more than we would regret having a cancerous tumor removed. We welcome God’s intervention for our own spiritual health. The sword in His hands leads to new life now and eternal life in His Kingdom.

We will regret the two-edged sword wielded by sin. Sin, it will cut you.

So, we must ask ourselves whose sword we are submitting to.

Prayer — Father God, lead me away from the temptations of this world and my own human nature. Lead me away from the ways that lead to bitterness and death. Remove my sins from me by the precious blood of Jesus. Cut away the carnal nature within me and graft in the Holy Spirit. Your ways lead to eternal life in Your Kingdom. I choose Your sword. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 17– Straight On

Proverbs 4:20-27 [NKJV] 20 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; 22 For they [are] life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. 23 Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it [spring] the issues of life. 24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you. 25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you. 26 Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established. 27 Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.

Long before Jesus cautioned us to enter the narrow and straight gate in Matthew 7:13-14, Solomon cautioned us to look straight ahead and stay on the right path [v. 24-26].

Isn’t it wonderful how the scriptures in both Old & New Testaments align with one another? The fact that Solomon’s words reflect Jesus’ words remind us that Solomon’s wisdom was a direct blessing from God – not something he was born with or gathered on his own.

Solomon also gives us guidance on how to stay on the straight path.

Verse 20-21 – Listen to and really pay attention those who are older and wiser than you.

Verse 23 – Guard your heart from being infiltrated by wrong thoughts that will lead you to another path. Where we are going begins with intent. I have to ask myself, “What is my intent? Where is my heart leading me?” Sisters, good behavior never begins with wrong intent.

Verse 24 – Guard your mouth. Be careful what you say to others and to yourself. Words have power to sway us. We can talk our way into trouble, into anger, jealousy or fear, even if those words are only running around in our heads, but especially if we let them fly out instead of controlling them.

Verse 25 – Look where you are going. Pay attention to the path you are on. Look ahead to the Kingdom – not down at this earth today. This earth today is not where our focus should be. If your eyes are on the goal of the Kingdom, your feet will follow.

Verse 26 – Watch where you are walking. Your feet follow your heart, mouth and eyes, but sometimes we don’t realize we are headed in the wrong direction until our steps have taken us off the right path and we are in danger of stumbling on a rocky path were we never intended to go. If you feel you are on shaky group, reflect on the steps you have taken and adjust your heart, mind, eyes and feet.

Following the right path takes whole-body commitment. It reminds me of the children’s song I learned at church: “Oh be careful little mind what you, think…. For the Father up above is looking down in love…” The song goes through mind, eyes, mouth and feet. We need to be careful about all of them.

Like that song, Solomon warns us that, if we want to stay on the right path, we must pay attention with our minds, our hearts, our mouths and our feet. Where are you headed today, sweet sister?

Prayer — Father God, this world has so many distractions. This world offers bad advice that can sound so good. Help me to listen to those who are senior in knowledge of Your Word and in fullness of your Spirit. Most of all, help me to listen to and internalize Your Words in the Bible. Help me to use them to keep my heart, my words, my focus and my feet on the right path today and every day. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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