Day 56 - 90 Days in Proverbs - Good vs. Evil

Proverbs 10:1-32 [ESV] 1 The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother. 2 Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death. 3 The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked. 4 A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. 5 He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame. 6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. 7 The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot. 8 The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin. 9 Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out. 10 Whoever winks the eye causes trouble, and a babbling fool will come to ruin. 11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. 12 Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses. 13 On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense. 14 The wise lay up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near. 15 A rich man's wealth is his strong city; the poverty of the poor is their ruin. 16 The wage of the righteous leads to life, the gain of the wicked to sin. 17 Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray. 18 The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool. 19 When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent. 20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the heart of the wicked is of little worth. 21 The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense. 22 The blessing of the LORD makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it. 23 Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool, but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding. 24 What the wicked dreads will come upon him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted. 25 When the tempest passes, the wicked is no more, but the righteous is established forever. 26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him. 27 The fear of the LORD prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short. 28 The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish. 29 The way of the LORD is a stronghold to the blameless, but destruction to evildoers. 30 The righteous will never be removed, but the wicked will not dwell in the land. 31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off. 32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked, what is perverse.

This entire chapter of provers is a series of compare/contrast statements offering the differences between good and evil – differences in the lives, words, actions and consequences of those who are righteous and/or wise versus those whom Solomon calls evil, perverse or wicked.

We could probably order our lives right just by following the guidelines in this chapter.

Let’s look at some of what Solomon says the wise or righteous do:

1.     Guard their tongues

2.     Think higher thoughts

3.     Love wisdom

4.     Heed instruction

5.     Have integrity

6.     Speak life

And there you have it: a simple recipe for good living.

Good choices bring blessings and happiness. Verse 28: The hope of the righteous brings joy… in this life and in the Kingdom: Verse 25: … but the righteous is established forever.

There are other benefits and blessings associated with righteousness and wise choices, but a happy life now and an assurance of an eternal future sums it up nicely. What more could we ask for?

Life will have its ups and downs. Time and chance, the sins of others, and our own stumbles will impact our joy now. So, this is not guarantee that there will never be trials. It is an assurance that there is an overarching benefit to choosing righteousness and making wise choices. The contrast to sin and wrong choices is dramatic.

Go out and make good choices today.

Prayer — Father God, I seek Your wisdom. Help me to make wise choices – to do the things that the wise woman does so that I might have a better life now and a secure future in Your Kingdom. Cover me in the imputed righteousness of Jesus that I may have the joy that comes from being a righteous person. Grant me Your true wisdom to guide my life. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 55 - 90 Days in Proverbs - Memories

Proverbs 10:7 [ESV] The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.

We can look at this scripture in two ways.

The effect the righteous and wicked have on others:

(a)   When we think of a righteous person we know, the memories of them – the life they led, the words they said, their good deeds, the character shown – bring a blessing to us. The memories are good, fun, touching, happy. We know they prayed for or with us. We felt their warm hugs, received cards or calls, and experienced their love. And, therefore, it is a blessing to remember them.

(b)   However, when we think of the words and actions of a wicked person, we get a sick feeling in our guts. We remember the hurt they inflicted on us, on their loved ones and on themselves with the bad choices they have made.  

The effect the righteous and wicked have on themselves.

(a)   The memories that the righteous have about their own lives are a blessing to them. If you can look back on your life and see that you’ve done some good, that you have loved well, helped others, served God to the best of your ability, you are blessed. We should not let Satan call to mind our missteps and sins, but let the Holy Spirit fill us with memories of working in us for good.

(b)   The wicked don’t have the experience of looking back on a life of striving to spread good in the world. Instead, they see the destruction their wicked words or deeds caused others and themselves throughout a life led by sin instead of by God. They have regrets for the pain they caused.

I’m getting older, close to retirement age – the age when one cannot help but consider what my life has been all about. Has it had any value? Have I helped? Have I grown? Are there incidences in my life that I look back on with pain – things I wish I hadn’t done – hurt I caused myself or others? My life has not been sin free. So I have both good memories that are a blessing to recall and memories that make me sad for the mistakes and pain. However, I should look back on all of my life with thankfulness that Jesus has paid for my sins. And I should not let Satan have me wallow in those sins that have already been forgiven and forgotten by God.

I believe God wants us to focus on the good. That’s what He does.

The best news is that as long as we are breathing there is still time to create more beautiful memories. There is still time to pray for others, maybe even send them a note or call them. There is still time to forgive, to say kind words, to release hurt that is held inside. There is still time to make memories that are blessings to us and to the others who will remember us when we are gone.

So, sweet sisters, go out today and make blessed memories. And maybe take some time to pray for those whose memories are not such a blessing.

Prayer — Father God, Thank you for the good memories I have. These are memories of You working in and through me. You have given me so many blessings and opportunities to do good. My life is not over. So, please help my words and deeds today, and every day until the day I day, be words and deeds that create blessed memories for me and those they touch. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 54 - 90 Days in Proverbs - Slack Hands

Proverbs 10:4-5 [ESV] 4 A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. 5 He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.

The CSB uses the term “idle hands.” It reminds me of the phrase “idle hands are the devil’s workshop” – a phrase that is commonly attributed to the Bible but is not actually in the Bible.

However, the book of Proverbs does have a lot to say about not doing your share, especially during the harvest time. Using the term “slack hands” (as both the KJV and ESV do) gives a different connotation than “idle hands.” Slack hands are not necessarily hands that are not working at all, as the term “idle hands” would imply. These hands are working, they just aren’t pulling their fair share of the work.

It reminds me of something like this: several of you are moving a couch and one person isn’t holding up their end, requiring the rest of you to struggle harder as you have to handle more weight than you should. In any shared burden, each of us has to work at full capacity or it puts a greater burden on the others.

It is the same thing with the spiritual harvest. We are called to be fellow laborers in accomplishing God’s harvest work.

Jesus offered some insight on this as well. Luke 10:1-3[ NIV] 1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.”

Jesus was sending the 72 out, even though He knew there were not enough of them to finish the harvest. Part of their job was to ask the Father for more laborers to help in His harvest work.

The same is true of us, sweet sisters. We must labor will all our might, using all our resources and abilities in the work God gives us to do. No slack-handed laborers allowed! We must also understand our limits and ask the Father to send more help for the task at hand.

Whether the work God has given you is blogging, feeding the poor, comforting the hurting, visiting prisoners or any other of the good work, you know that you alone won’t reach every poor, needy or hurting person. So, we must also not have slack hands when it comes to praying for God to send more laborers to join us in His good works. We must put our best efforts into those prayers as well.

There is work to be done, my sisters. We are laborers with God and each other in His harvesting work. Let’s each do our part, working hard and praying for more help.

Prayer — Father God, Please help me to labor diligently in the work You have given me to do, using the full power of the Holy Spirit. Please also send more laborers to the harvest. The world is hurting, searching, and desperate for You. Those of us trying to make a difference cannot do it alone. We need You Holy Spirit, we need Your blessing, inspiration and support, and we need more workers until the day the harvest is done. In Jesus’ name I ask. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 53 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Feeding the Hungry

Proverbs 10:3 [NKJV] The LORD will not allow the righteous soul to famish, But He casts away the desire of the wicked.

The word Solomon used that is translated “soul” simply means breathing being. It is often used of animals. So, Solomon is not thinking on the Spiritual plane when he uses “soul.” The ESV translates this verse more accurately as, The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked. He is talking about preserving the human body with food.

I have certainly known obedient Christians to go hungry, even in the USA where there are governmental safety nets like unemployment, Social Security, WIC and food stamps. Much more so in countries like India where Christians are oppressed, sometimes violently, and parts of Africa where there never seems to be enough and many people, Christians included, are always on the edge of starvation.

God gave Old Testament Israel many laws about how to ensure the poor don’t go hungry. For example, the Israelites were not to go through their fields or vineyards for a second time when harvesting, but rather were to leave that for the poor to pick. They were not to pick up the grain that was dropped and were not to harvest the corners of their land. Again, this was so that the poor could come and pick that. Gleaning grain left in the field is how Ruth and Naomi survived when they’d returned to Israel as widows. [See Ruth 2]

It is clear, then, that part of how God provides for the poor is that He asks us to be coworkers with Him on taking care of their needs. This is not just an Old Testament thing. Taking care of the poor is something that Jesus outlined as separating the sheep from the goats. Compare Matthew 25:35 with verse 42 - 35 'for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; ... 42 'for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; [NKJV]

We believers, those who seek to be His sheep, are to be about the business of feeding the hungry. I don’t believe it matters to God if you are feeding poor neighbors by dropping off groceries at their doorsteps or creating sack lunches for a homeless shelter or halfway house or contributing to a food pantry or sending money to an international relief organizations. But there is no vagueness about Jesus’ words. The sheep feed people who are hungry or they actually aren’t sheep at all.

Old and New Testaments also align on the fact that we must also feed even our enemies when they are in need. Proverbs 25:21 [NIV] says If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. Romans12:20 [NIV] says On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink…

God is focused on the spiritual and concerned about the eternal, to be sure. He does ask us to participate in preaching the Gospel so that we help to feed those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. However, He also knows that He gave us physical bodies that require food. He is concerned about our bodies too. A starving person is going to be more open to the Gospel message if we are feeding body and spirit.

As with any need, God could miraculously intervene and feed the poor. He feed Israel with manna in the wilderness – which just showed up on the ground six days a week. At one point He sent quail to them as well. [See Exodus 16 for both] He could also miraculously call people without our intervention. But the Father seeks coworkers in all His works. He bids us to do His work of providing for the spiritual and physical needs of the world around us.

If you are hungry, sweet sister, I pray that our Loving Father will send you a sheep or a flock of His sheep to help you. Please seek help from your church or find a church nearby to help. Do take advantage of the governmental support if you live where it is available. God does not shame the poor, whether their circumstance comes as a result of their own decisions or events that are out of their control. He ensured that His people understand that we have a responsibility to help. He commands us to help.

Most of us, at least in the USA, have the means of helping the poor. We have enough for ourselves and at least a little to spare for others who are in need. If you are not currently involved in some way with putting food in the bellies of hungry people, I encourage you to find a way to do so. There are many ways to help and many programs that you can support.

Jesus told us that the poor will always be with us (at least until He returns). [Mark 14:7] It is vital to our own spiritual health that we help them.  God promises to provide for His poor children. He does so through you and me.

Prayer — Father God, Help me to do more for the poor – to seek ways to help. As you provide for me from Your great bounty (everything on the earth belongs to You), please guide me on where and how to give food to the hungry near or far. Help me to be fearless in sharing food with friend, neighbor, stranger or foe in need. You are the Provider of all good things and I want to be like You, providing for others in need as well. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 52 - 90 Days in Proverbs - Gain

Proverbs 10:2 [CSB] Ill-gotten gains do not profit anyone, but righteousness rescues from death.

Ill-gotten gain don’t profit anyone?! Apparently, the world Solomon lived it worked a little differently than the world we live in today. In modern times, it seems to me that a lot of people do profit, prosper and even become wealthy in a less-than-honest manner. Ill-gotten gains, whether cutting dangerous corners in construction in order to make a bigger profit, or loan and banking fraud, or rate hikes on medically vital drugs or treatments, to name a few, lead to multiple mansions, gold watches, and personal planes. Televangelists who live like kings even sell the idea that those believers who finance their kingly lifestyles with tithes and offering are paving their own way to financial rewards.

Of course, Solomon could have meant that ill-gotten gains do not profit one forever. Eventually, many of these modern-day scammers do get caught and punished.

Jesus made the point that the benefits of ill-gotten gains do not last forever when He said in Matthew 6:19-20 [NKJV] 19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Of course, whether those goods or treasures are compiled in this life by criminal activity or honest work, they could rust or be stolen. And even wealth that is acquired by honest work cannot be transfered to the next the next life. When we stand before the judgement seat, the Lord is not going to say, “Well done, good and faithful servant, your honest labor allowed you to acquire 3 homes, 6 cars, and a personal helicopter.”

Matthew 25:31-46 goes into great detail about the work that we do in this life which will create rewards in the Kingdom and earn us the phrase 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: That work is the acts of love and service to others that we perform. These acts of love and service outlined by Jesus are precisely the acts of righteousness that “rescues from death” - as Solomon put it.

Sisters, I hope you have earned some nice things in this life. If those things are earned by honest work, there is no shame in living a comfortable, nice life. You don’t have to give everything away and live in abject poverty like a monk. But we do need to share our physical goods with others.

Even then, we still need to realize that those well-earned goods will not travel with us past this life. We all know the phrase “you can’t take it with you” is 100% true.

We only gain reward in the Kingdom by giving away things in this life – whether time or money, food or goods – to benefit others. The “treasures of wickedness” (as the New King James puts Proverbs 10:2) will not last. The treasures of hard work and honest labor will not last past this life either.

We might as well share with others what we do gain by honest work in this life. We might as well share the talents we have received too. This is the only way to true and lasting rewards that will earn us a place in the Kingdom. These are the only gains that we can take with us.

Prayer — Father God, Thank You for the hope of true and lasting reward in Your Kingdom. For the sake of the Kingdom, and for love of You and Jesus, every blessing, every good thing that You give to me, every good thing that hard work brings me, I will share with the less fortunate. Help me to give generously, as You have been generous to me. Show me where and how to help others. Help me not to do so in order to gain reward, not even reward in the Kingdom, but out of love for others – just as You have blessed me out of love for me and not because I deserve it. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 51 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Good Choices

Proverbs 10:1 [NKJV] … A wise son makes a glad father, But a foolish son [is] the grief of his mother.

As a mother, I have experienced grief when my children made unwise choices – especially when those choices resulted in harm to them, whether that harm was physical, emotional or financial. As mothers, we want our children to make wise choices so that they can be healthy, live well, have good relationships and so that they can prosper.

God is no less of a loving parent. He wants to spare us the harm that can come from bad choices and His heart is heavy when we break His law and make unwise choices.

Consider what the nation of Israel put Him through. Time and again, He taught them, loved them, blessed them, only to have them turn to idol worship, Sabbath breaking, and more. He would punish them. They would repent. He would restore and bless them. They’d get prosperous and then go back to the same bad behaviors that got them into trouble in the first place. Unfortunately, God and Israel went through many such cycles.

I don’t want to cause God grief and pain. He teaches me by His word. He leads and guides me by His Holy Spirit. He has provided preachers, teachers and mentors in human form to help me along the way.

But I can still sometimes struggle to make those wise choices that bring my Father joy. If I sin and make an unwise choice, even though that brinsg Him heaviness and pain, He is always ready to help me back to Him.

Of course, the better course is to walk the straight and narrow. Matthew 7:13 [NKJV] Enter by the narrow gate; for wide [is] the gate and broad [is] the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. That way I won’t be like Israel of old, continuing a destructive cycle of bad choices.

As a parent, we rejoice when our children do well and make good choices. We spend our parenting years trying to help them to do so. God works with us, through the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit, to guide us to make those good choices.

My younger sister told me that when she would drop her girls off at school each day the last thing she would say to them as they got out of the car each was “make good choices.”

God, the Father, is calling out the same to you and me, sweet sisters. So, let’s go out today and make good choices, thereby bringing us good results and giving the Father joy.

Prayer — Father God, I know it brings you grief and pain when I make bad choices and that the good choices I make bring You great joy. Please forgive me for the bad choices and help me today to make good choices in every decision I make. Following in the steps of Jesus, the Son in whom You are well pleased, help me to make You proud today. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen

Your thoughts —  

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Day 50 - 90 Days in Proverbs - Insight

Proverbs 9:10 [ESV] The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

The English word “insight” means deep understanding of a person or thing, or the ability/capacity to gain accurate and deep or intuitive understanding. Insight, to me, is like the ultimate “ah ha” moment. The point when you really “get” man’s purpose and destiny. Proverbs 9:10 tells us that knowing God is how we get to that insight.

I believe we also meant to gain further insight into the Father Himself. Without wisdom, we never really “get” God. We won’t progress to the point of real insight into His character. We might know of God, might believe He exists the way the devils do – as we find in James 2:19.

But, just believing that God exists is not enough. Even knowing a little bit about God is not enough. He wants us to gain insight into His character. Job learned that lesson through his severe trial. In the end he had this conclusion: Job 42:5-6 [ESV] 5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; 6 therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

Job knew God before, but his trial gave him more insight into who and what God really is. It takes time and effort to really understand God because He is so different from you and me.

Isaiah 55:8-9 [ESV] 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

God’s ways are not natural to us. We are human and finite. We are pulled to sin by human nature, the lure of the world’s “goodies” and the temptations of Satan. Our calling is to come to know God, to gain real insight into His thoughts and character, so that we can become like Him.

The way to real insight into our Heavenly Father is a path that our study of Proverbs has already outlined for us. We begin by fearing Him and that leads the way to gaining wisdom.  We seek wisdom – God’s wisdom – and make it our constant companion by spending time with God – studying His word (the Bible) and holding conversations in prayer. We gain insight into God through the experiences of life where we apply His law of love and see the results of doing so. We also gain insight into God through enduring trials.

Even with all that, we cannot fully know God in this life because we are mere mortals. However, through prayer and study and application, we come to know Him better every day. In this life, we do what we can and we look forward to the time when we will see Him clearly.

1 Corinthians 13:12 [KJV] For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

The more I come to know the Father, the more I love Him. My destiny (and yours) is to know Him as intimately as He knows us. If you love what you already know about Abba now, you’re in for a treat when the time prophesied in 1 Corinthians 13:12 is fulfilled. I’m looking forward to that day.

Prayer — Father God, Please help me to know You better. Please give me more insight into Your ways, Your thoughts, Your love, Your laws, Your mercy. The more I know about You the more I love You. The more I know about You, the more like You I can become. I want to become like You. Please continue to reveal Yourself to me more and more each day. In the holy name of Jesus I ask it. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 49 - 90 Days in Proverbs - No Scoffers

Proverbs 9:7-9 [NKJV] 7 "He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself, And he who rebukes a wicked [man only] harms himself. 8 Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; Rebuke a wise [man], and he will love you. 9 Give [instruction] to a wise [man], and he will be still wiser; Teach a just [man], and he will increase in learning.

The King James calls this person a “scorner”. The literal meaning is to stammer or speak in a foreign tongue. It puts me in mind of a phrase my husband uses – “Does that make any sense?”

It is like we are being told to not bother trying to correct someone who just does not make any sense to us.

It also brings to mind Proverbs 26:4-5 [KJV] 4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.

Clearly, we need to know when to reach out and correct another person and when not to – whether that person is a scoffer or a fool or a wicked person. It can be risky business.

Wise people are an entirely different matter. Correcting a wise person brings good results because a wise person values correction and instruction.

I believe that the most important piece of advice here isn’t about correcting others. The most important piece of advice in these verses is that I should seek to be that wise person – that person who appreciates correction, appreciates the person who corrects me, and grows wiser as a result of it. I cannot afford to be a scoffer who when corrected brings shame or harm to the person seeking to correct me. I cannot afford to lash back just because I don’t like what I am hearing. Reacting with anger at the person who corrects me should never be my knee-jerk reaction to correction, no matter how difficult it is to hear.

God is always motivated by love in His correction of us. However, I know that sometimes those correcting me can be harsh or go at it in a way that is self-serving rather than really trying to help. But still, I must not be a scoffer. I must look at the correction, not only the source, and see if there is value in the correction – see if it could make me wiser or a better person. It just doesn’t make any sense to reject correction that could help me just because of how it came to me.

Even the correction of God, given out of love and only with the best of intentions, can be painful. It’s painful precisely when it is true, because we believers are seeking to be more like God – more loving, more merciful, wiser, smarter – and we don’t like to know that we have failed. We know that we need God’s loving correction and instruction and guidance in order to grow to be more like Him. A loving child of God wants to change, and for that very reason it can be hard to see that we’ve been wrong and need correction.

So, sweet sisters, please join me in making the decision to be that wise woman who is teachable, who listens to correction and grows wiser, who loves the correction (no matter who gives it) because she loves God and her life’s purpose is to grow more like Him.

Prayer — Father God, please help me to never be a scoffer when it comes to correction. Help me to always seek to improve myself, to be wiser. Please correct me with kindness and gentleness, Lord. But also, help me to accept even harsh correction as an opportunity to learn and change. In every correction, help me to work toward being more like You. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 48 - 90 Days in Proverbs - Self-love

Proverbs 8:35-36 [NKJV] 35 For whoever finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the LORD; 36 But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; All those who hate me love death.

For most normal people, self-preservation is a strong force in guiding our lives and every decision me make.

Matthew 22:39 [NKJV] tells us: "And [the] second [is] like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself. This phrase – “love your neighbor as yourself” — is repeated not only in the other gospels but also in Romans 13:9; Galatians 5:14 and James 2:8. This admonition is also found in the Old Testament in Leviticus 19:18 [NKJV] You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I [am] the LORD.

Ephesians 5:28 [NKJV] tells us: So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.

God understands that a normal, healthy person loves himself. He never asks us not to love ourselves, only to extend that same love to others.

Solomon understood that a healthy love of self is appropriate. Therefore, he outlined the fact that finding and using wisdom is a way of loving yourself in the right way. He points out that rejecting wisdom is a form of self-hatred.

When we find wisdom, we find favor with God because finding true wisdom means finding God Himself – discovering His mind, His ways, His words and His guidance. Learning the wisdom of God, and learning to love God’s wisdom, is part of a Christians walk. The wisdom of God is not the same as the wisdom of mankind, which can include a false idea of preserving myself – one that is selfish in its motivation rather than focusing on loving others as much as myself. 

Loving God’s wisdom brings us into a marital relationship with Jesus. Jesus is not only the Perfect Lamb of God and our empathetic High Priest, He is also husband to the Church – the called out ones. In that role, He has already proven that He loves us more than His own body. He was willing to sacrifice that human body to preserve His spiritual bride.

Sisters, seek God’s wisdom and come under the protection of Jesus. It is the ultimate in self-love and self-preservation. It is self-love that gives us the tools and perspective we need in order to love others.

Prayer — Father God, I seek Your wisdom – to know it, to understand it and to be guided by it in everything I do. I love You. I love Your word, the Bible, which outlines Your Wisdom for me. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit, which will guide me in all wisdom throughout all the days of my life. Please grant me favor and preserve me from eternal death by Your wisdom. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 47 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Never refused

Proverbs 8:33 [KJV] Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.

We are studying the word of God right now, sisters. We seek His instruction. That’s why we are here. So, it is difficult to imagine that you or I would be the type of people who would flat out refuse the instructions of God. Even when we read or hear hard things, we seek to understand and accept – we welcome knowing God’s will and word more deeply.

However, the English Standard Version chooses to put it like this: Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.

The Hebrew word translated “refuse” and “neglect” can mean let it go. Hear the word and don’t let it go. Not only should we not outright refuse the instructions of the Bible; not only should we be careful not to neglect it (maybe letting days go by without Bible study); but we should also be actively doing all we can to hold onto it – to keep it at the forefront of our minds as we go through the days, struggles and joys of life. It can be easy to forget God’s guidance in a moment that is fraught with fear, pain or anger.

James 1:23-25 holds the key to how we can hold onto the instructions of God’s word. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues [in it], and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. [NKJV]

The key to holding onto God’s instruction is doing what the word instructs us to do. Our Father God doesn’t just want us to have knowledge of His word, His instructions for our lives. He wants us to live them.

Sisters, we are not called to academic knowledge of the scripture. We are called to put into action what the word teaches us. We are called to be involved – to live it.

I’m the kind of person who learns better by doing something. Just reading about something does not stick with me very well. Actually doing something is what sticks with me, whether it is making the craft item, baking cookies, or performing that tricky yoga stance.

Similarly, an instruction like “love your enemies” becomes ingrained in our minds when we actually do something good for someone who has positioned themselves as an enemy. You’ll never forget what it felt like to have the inner power to answer kindly when someone is ugly to you or to help someone who has previously done ill toward you. It is impactful. It makes an impression that is not easily forgotten.

The best way to prevent neglect of God’s word is to live it, sweet sisters. I pray that we all will be doers of the word so that that the word is never refused nor forgotten nor neglected in our lives.

Prayer — Father God, I am here with You and Your word, seeking to know it, understand it and learn from it. I want it to lead me, to change me and to help me live as Jesus did. Please help me by carving Your word into me – into my mind and heart. Bring it to mind for me so that it influences my every thought and deed. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 46 - 90 Days in Proverbs - Before

Proverbs 8:22-31 [NIV] 22 "The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old; 23 I was formed long ages ago, at the very beginning, when the world came to be. 24 When there were no watery depths, I was given birth, when there were no springs overflowing with water; 25 before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was given birth, 26 before he made the world or its fields or any of the dust of the earth. 27 I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep, 28 when he established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep, 29 when he gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep his command, and when he marked out the foundations of the earth. 30 Then I was constantly at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, 31 rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind.

In this passage, we see wisdom as God’s companion during the creation of the world as we know it. In everything from dirt to clouds, to water and mountains, wisdom was part of God’s creation work.

It struck me that in these verses, is this section in the middle: 25 before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was given birth, 26 before he made the world or its fields or any of the dust of the earth. God’s wisdom was there before He got started.

Wisdom must also be my companion before I start any project or program. Before I volunteer for a ministry or establish a new women’s study group. Before I decide to quit a project or ramp it up. Wisdom is needed not just during, but also before I start – even in the planning stages.

I confess that, while I do ask for wisdom when I am teaching or serving, I sometimes get super excited about a project and, if I am not careful, will get started before wisdom says her piece. Even the best of ideas and service projects, even the most honorable programs should be put on hold until after I apply wisdom to it.

Wisdom would have me ask: Is this what I want right now or what God wants from me? Is this the place to start this program? Am I the right one to do this or is it an idea I should pass along to someone else? Do I have the time for this right now or should I put it off until other projects are completed? Are there others whose counsel or help I should solicit before beginning? What is the right way to begin this program or project?

You can probably think of other valid questions to run past wisdom for “her” input. Like the example set by our Creator, I want wisdom to me with me before I start a project and all the way through it. Things will turn out much better, I am sure, if wisdom is my co-planner from the very beginning.

Prayer — Father God, Just as You had wisdom as Your constant companion during creation and even before You began, I ask that You bless me with wisdom as my constant companion before and during any and all projects and programs in my life. I seek to serve You with wisdom, seeking her input even before I begin. Lord, help me so to do. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 45 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Valuable

Proverbs 8:1-11 [NKJV] 1 Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice? 2 She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, Beside the way, where the paths meet. 3 She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, At the entrance of the doors: 4 "To you, O men, I call, And my voice [is] to the sons of men. 5 O you simple ones, understand prudence, And you fools, be of an understanding heart. 6 Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, And from the opening of my lips [will come] right things; 7 For my mouth will speak truth; Wickedness [is] an abomination to my lips. 8 All the words of my mouth [are] with righteousness; Nothing crooked or perverse [is] in them. 9 They [are] all plain to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge. 10 Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold; 11 For wisdom [is] better than rubies, And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.

Maybe this section reminds you of the saying “A fool and his money are soon parted.” That is credited to Thomas Tusser, English poet, 1524-1580. Many people think this saying is in the Bible. It isn’t. But, certainly, this sentiment – that a fool is easily separated from the things of value in his life – permeates the book of Proverbs. The book of Proverbs talks about fools who invest in risky schemes, who lend money or things unwisely, who foolishly spend on pleasure, or drink away their income and so much more.

Proverbs 8:10-11 warn of another way that foolishness assigns value. These verses encourages us to appropriately assign value and worth to the riches of wisdom and God’s Holy word – value equal to or greater than rubies, silver and gold. The implication is that fools don’t know the great value of wisdom and God’s word.

Wisdom helps us to make good choices in all things – jobs or careers, the choice of a mate, business relationships, friendships and family relations. Wisdom will have us choose God’s way over Satan’s temptations and the world’s ideas about fun and truth and right. Wisdom will help us not only speak the right words, but also know when not speak. It will give us the power to keep those lips shut.

The perspective of wisdom helps us to see trouble coming and get out of its way.

We can probably each easily think of a time or two when we should have held onto wisdom like it was a ruby and gold ring, but instead gave into human reasoning, Satan’s temptation or the pressure of a crowd, and made a decision which later cost us dearly - either in money or time or relationships or at least cost our pride when we had to be humbled and apologize.

I have a beautiful wedding ring that means the world to me because of the love it represents. So, I care for it, polish it, keep safe and have the stones checked from time-to-time to ensure they aren’t loose. Proverbs 8:1-11 bids me to take as much care of wisdom as I do that ring – to value it not only as precious to my spiritual health (which it is) but also as valuable to keeping my body safe.

Just as a wedding ring is a symbol of the love of husband and wife, wisdom is a precious symbol of God’s love for us. We must be sure to recognize its value and treat it accordingly.

Prayer — Father God, Thank you for the wisdom of your Word and the Holy Spirit. Your true wisdom is precious and to be cared for as our most valuable possessions. Thank you for entrusting me with your true wisdom. Help me to hold onto is and to use it for the good of my body, mind, relationships and spirit. In the name of your wise and Holy Son, Jesus, I ask. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 44 - 90 Days in Proverbs – Hatred of Evil

Proverbs 8:13 [ESV] The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.

There is a lot of evil in the world today, isn’t there, sisters? So, for those of us who fear the LORD, there is a lot to hate. Slavery still exists. Abusive dictators still rule some countries. There is abortion and child abuse, rape and drug dealing. This is just a start on the list. We must pray for this would around us – for those trapped and abused by evil, as well as the perpetrators. We must do what we can to relieve suffering, whether that is financial support, volunteering at a soup kitchen, donating goods or any other means.

But when we look for evil to hate, we must not just look at the world around us. We must also look within, for sin that lies within us. Is there any pride or arrogance, of inappropriate words? Do we harbor the way of the evil like jealousy or a longing for revenge? Or maybe the thing that trips me up isn’t listed in this Proverbs 8:13 but is some other sin – some other evil.

The point is that we cannot just point a finger at the world, we must point it within. We cannot just hate evil in the world, we have to hate the sin that so easily trips us up. And we must get rid of it. Hebrews 12:1 [NIV] Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. An effort to rid myself of sin is going to be a lot more effective than trying to rid this Satan-led world of it.

We must be careful that the evil in the world doesn’t lure us into letting it into our own lives, thoughts and behaviors. The way to prevent ourselves from being lured into sin is to fill our internal being, our minds and hearts, with good so that there is no place left or evil to take hold. Romans 12:2 [KJV] And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. However, time spent with God doesn’t just fill our minds, it transforms them.

So, sweet sisters, we must look for the evil, bad, wrong or sin within us. We must spend time with God, so that we come to hate evil within, just as we hate the evil we see in the world. Then, we push it out by filling ourselves, our minds, heart and lives, with the good and the perfect will of God instead.

Prayer — Father God, I know You hate evil. I have come to hate it too. I long for Jesus to return to put an end to the evil in this world and to usher in a time when peace and love rule the world instead. Help me to leave no place for evil in me either. Help me to hate the sin that trips me up – the evil that seeks to take hold in my heart, mind, words or life – and to push it out by filling my life with You, Your thoughts and words, and the deeds of love You would have me to do. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 43 - 90 Days in Proverbs – The Other Siren Call

Proverbs 8:1-12 [NKJV] 1 Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice? 2 She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, Beside the way, where the paths meet. 3 She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, At the entrance of the doors: 4 "To you, O men, I call, And my voice [is] to the sons of men. 5 O you simple ones, understand prudence, And you fools, be of an understanding heart. 6 Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, And from the opening of my lips [will come] right things; 7 For my mouth will speak truth; Wickedness [is] an abomination to my lips. 8 All the words of my mouth [are] with righteousness; Nothing crooked or perverse [is] in them. 9 They [are] all plain to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge. 10 Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold; 11 For wisdom [is] better than rubies, And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her. 12 "I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And find out knowledge [and] discretion.

Yesterday, we talked about the seductive advertising of sin. Luckily, sin is not the only voice calling out to us. Much like the adulteress of sin is calling out to those “devoid of understanding” as we read in Proverbs 7:6-27, wisdom is calling out to those who are “simple ones.”

Furthermore, wisdom is not just standing in the doorway trying to pull us into her trap like the adulteress. Wisdom is pictured as yelling at the top of her lungs, from the top of a hill and at the city gates – working hard to be heard above the seductive call of sin.

How is it, then, that mankind can so easily tune out cry of wisdom in favor of the seductive call of sin? First of all, unconnected to God, wickedness and sin lives in us. Jeremiah 17:9 [NKJV] The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], And desperately wicked; Who can know it? So, since we naturally are connected to sin, we must deliberately break that bond in order to connect to the call of wisdom and to connect to our Father who sends wisdom out to call to us.

We must work to stay connected to God, because even the best of us can listen to the wrong voice from time-to-time if we let our guard down. The book of Proverbs repeatedly advises us to seek wise counsel. [See Proverbs 1:5; 20:18; 24:6] But, in his own life, Solomon did not head his own advice. Instead, he listened to his pagan wives who drew him away from worshipping God and into to worshipping their idols.

This happened even after Solomon had been blessed with incomparable wisdom from God. [See 1 Kings 11:4] From Solomon’s example we need to learn that the people we hang around with can influence us to listen to the call of sin instead of the call of wisdom.  

Sisters, we need to follow Jesus’ example and deliberately expel Satan from our presence. But we also may need to stop associating (or at least limit our association) with people who would influence us to listen to him. Jesus called out Peter for this type of thing in Mark 8:33 [NKJV]. But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, "Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men." I don’t think Peter realized he was being a bad influence. Peter was reacting to Jesus telling them about His coming death.

The ladies of sin and of wisdom are both out there, proactively calling to us. Each one has a clear and consistent messages about the virtues and benefits of listening to “her”. Each on is striving to pull us toward her. Sweet sisters, we must make a deliberate effort to tune out the siren call of sin, expelling her influence from our lives, and, just as deliberately, open are ears to the voice of wisdom.

Prayer — Father God, I know that sin sometimes calls me. It can come in many forms, from my own evil heart, from the pull of this evil world, and even from my closest friends or family if I am not careful. Help me to tune out any voice beside Yours. Help me to deliberately tune into the call of wisdom – true wisdom that comes from knowing Your word and from the connection forged with you by the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit. Help me also to be an influence of wisdom and obedience with my family and friends. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 42 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Seductive Advertising

Proverbs 7:6-27 [NKJV] 6 For at the window of my house I looked through my lattice, 7 And saw among the simple, I perceived among the youths, A young man devoid of understanding, 8 Passing along the street near her corner; And he took the path to her house 9 In the twilight, in the evening, In the black and dark night. 10 And there a woman met him, [With] the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart. 11 She [was] loud and rebellious, Her feet would not stay at home. 12 At times [she was] outside, at times in the open square, Lurking at every corner. 13 So she caught him and kissed him; With an impudent face she said to him: 14 "[I have] peace offerings with me; Today I have paid my vows. 15 So I came out to meet you, Diligently to seek your face, And I have found you. 16 I have spread my bed with tapestry, Colored coverings of Egyptian linen. 17 I have perfumed my bed With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. 18 Come, let us take our fill of love until morning; Let us delight ourselves with love. 19 For my husband [is] not at home; He has gone on a long journey; 20 He has taken a bag of money with him, [And] will come home on the appointed day." 21 With her enticing speech she caused him to yield, With her flattering lips she seduced him. 22 Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks, 23 Till an arrow struck his liver. As a bird hastens to the snare, He did not know it [would cost] his life. 24 Now therefore, listen to me, [my] children; Pay attention to the words of my mouth: 25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, Do not stray into her paths; 26 For she has cast down many wounded, And all who were slain by her were strong [men]. 27 Her house [is] the way to hell, Descending to the chambers of death. And all who were slain by her were strong [men]. 27 Her house [is] the way to hell, Descending to the chambers of death.

Here we read, as we have discussed before, one of Solomon’s main themes – avoiding the trap of the adulteress. This lady is everywhere, according to Solomon, luring men to buy her goods.

These days, advertising is everywhere: on billboards when we drive, on the radio, in print, on social media and on television. While some ads might try to shock us, the vast majority strive to lure us into purchases by telling us either that they are better than the rest or that we will be better (or at least look better) for having purchased or used them. Whiter teeth. You deserve the best. Choosey mothers choose… And so forth. It seems to me that advertisements focus on what is good (like: whole grain!) and not on the down side – like the fact that one bowl of cereal has 3-4X as much sugar or salt or fat as you should have in a day.

There are a surprising number of products that use sex or sexiness to sell. Unless the ad is showing a before and after type promotion, the folks in ads are beautiful, happy, prosperous, smart – implying that you can be too, if you just use the product.

And people are charmed into buying things they don’t need or that are not good for them because human nature is lured by these tactics.

That’s exactly what is going on here. This seductress is luring someone – a young man who did not have his guard up – into an action that might seem great to start but will end up in disaster. She uses all the same lures as modern advertising: it will be fun, it’s convenient, you deserve it. And the clincher – no way will we get caught.

Even if you and I would never be convinced to commit adultery, we have to admit that Satan knows exactly were to and how to encourage us to buy the sins that do tempt us. Whether it is a temptation to pay back unkindness with unkindness of our own. Or to flirt inappropriately at work.  To eat or drink too much. You can bet that Satan knows my weaknesses and will offer those things to me.

Just like advertising today and the harlot in Proverbs 7, Satan will use persuasive tactics like: “you deserve it” or “it’ll be good for you” or “you cannot let them get away with it” or whatever advertising he can to lure us into sin.

He is the master of one-to-one advertising, customizing the siren’s call toward whatever tempts me most, with whatever reasoning will work best on me.

Blessedly, the Holy Spirit is also a master at giving us the exact help we need to resist the exact temptations that Satan throws at us. I just have to tune my mind to the advertising of the Holy Spirit, turn the volume up, so that I cannot hear Satan’s promotions.

I must listen to the messages of the Holy Spirit that encourages me to love my neighbor as myself, to return good for evil and never seek revenge, to be true to my marriage, to be honest/never steal, to be truthful in all communications/never lie, etc.

Through the Holy Spirit, God calls to us each day to follow His path, to buy into the product He is selling. What God is calling us to invest in is a product that has no negative side effects. It is a product that is good for every aspect of our lives (mind, heart, body and soul). It is a product that does promote better relationships not only with the Father and Jesus, but also with family, friends and coworkers. It is a product with positive results that will last for all eternity.

Whatever Satan is selling always, always leads to death. The world we live in is complicit in selling Satan’s ways. But the Holy Spirit is pure truth in advertising and its call leads to eternal life and tuning into it helps us to “just say no” to what Satan and the world are selling.

Sweet sisters, let’s buy into what the Holy Spirit is selling every day, so that we can drown out the false claims of Satan’s advertising.

Prayer — Father God, This world is full of temptations. Satan will seek to lure me into sinning by telling me all sorts of lies. I choose to listen to You instead. I choose to follow the call of the Holy Spirit. I know that You alone offer the good life – both now and for all eternity. Help me, Father, to tune out the lure of Satan and this world and to tune into Your Holy Spirit today and always. In the name of Jesus I ask. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 41 - 90 Days in Proverbs – Sister Wisdom

Proverbs 7:4 [NKJV] Say to wisdom, "You [are] my sister," And call understanding [your] nearest kin,

I am very close with my two sisters – one older than me and one younger.  It wasn’t always like that. As kids we fought – especially my older sister and me. Because we are opposites in many ways but shared a bedroom, we even ended up with that classic line down the middle of the room at some point.

As we matured, my sisters and I grew stronger bonds – bonds that were about more than DNA. These bonds are forged because we have gone through a lot together – marriages and divorces, childbirth, goals achieved and dreams lost, the death of our father when we were young, then all of our grandparents, then my mother and, more recently, one of our brothers.

Wisdom, if held as close as a sister, will ride out the storms of life with you. Wisdom may seem clearer in calm times, but she will be there for you in the rough patches too. We have to hold onto wisdom and her guidance when fear, worry or pain try to lead our minds or decisions.

Wisdom can help us untangle the most difficult riddles of life, as it helped Solomon in the matter of the two harlots arguing over whose baby was alive and whose was dead. [1 Kings 3:16-28]

Can I be honest? Even at my ripe, old age, there are many times when I don’t feel so wise. In order to hold wisdom close, we must first do the work of gaining wisdom. Solomon has already talked a lot about that in the Proverbs we’ve covered thus far. So, if we want to become a sister-of-wisdom, what should we do? Here are a few ideas:

1.      Fear God. Psalm 111:10 [KJV] 10 The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do [his commandments]: his praise endureth forever.

2.      Pray for God to fill us with wisdom. Colossians 1:9 [NKJV] 9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

3.      Study God’s word so that we are intimately familiar with it. Then, when faced with a need for wisdom to guide me, I may be able recall the scriptures I need to guide me.

Sisters can be very close – even best friends. That intimate, bonded relationship that is unique to sisters is the relationship we should seek to have with wisdom. I’ve spent countless hours with my sisters, forging an intimate relationship through good times and bad. The key to being a sister to wisdom is no different. It’s time spent with the source of wisdom – God and His word.  

Prayer — Father God, Please fill me with Your wisdom – so much so that it becomes like a sister to me. I want to be intimately bonded with godly wisdom that guides me in every aspect of my life and all decisions I make. Bring Your words to my mind when I need them to help me make decisions or respond appropriately to any aspect of life. Help the wisdom and understanding of Your word to lead me always. In Jesus’ name I ask. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 40 - 90 Days in Proverbs – Hand and Heart

Proverbs 7:3 [NKJV] Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart.

In encouraging us to bind the words of wisdom he offers on our hands and heart, Solomon brings to mind the words of God in Deuteronomy 6:8-9 [NKJV] 8 "You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 "You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. [See also Deuteronomy 11:18-21]

In my travels, I have seen Jewish men with copies of the law strapped to their wrists or in a little pouch strapped to their foreheads.

I have known families to post the 10 commandments by the front door or wear miniatures as a necklace.

Personally, I have been known to post scriptures on my bathroom mirror if I am trying to memorize them or if I need to be reminded of God’s promises or if I am seeking comfort during a difficult time. That makes them kind of between my eyes – or at least within my eye line as I get ready for work in the morning and get ready for bed in the evening.

This literal posting of scripture can help remind us of God’s law or His plan or His promises as we go about our daily routines. However, we know the Father is after more than just scripture written in public places or warn on our persons. Literal posting only serves to remind us of the need to make the scriptures an internal part of who we are – to bind them in our hearts. Literal posting only serves to remind us of the need to make the scriptures the overarching guides in all we do – to bind them to our hands/fingers.

My heart, if it is engraved with scripture, will lead me to live patiently, make decisions based on love, to seek peace, to walk faithfully, to trust in God and to stay true to God’s will. My hands, if they are bound with the scripture, will do the work of helping others, saving, serving, giving at every opportunity.

God is seeking children whose hearts, or internal compasses, are guided by scripture and, thereby, produce all the fruit of the spirit. God is seeking children whose deeds are led by the scriptures to do His works on this earth.

Sisters, today, and every day, I pray that we will hold the scriptures in our hearts and wrap them around our hands, so that our hearts, thoughts and minds, as well everything that we say and do, will be bound to His word and guided by His will.

Prayer — Dear Father, Your words will never lead me astray, they are a sure guide – leading me on the path of righteousness. But I must know Your scripture in order to be led by it. So, please help me to bind Your words to my heart and to my actions. Help me to know and understand Your word. I don’t just want to be able to remember it but to have it engraved in my heart to lead and change me, and bound in my hands so I may be always found doing Your work. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 39 - 90 Days in Proverbs – Apple of His Eye

Proverbs 7:1-2 [KJV] 1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. 2 Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.

Recall that the term “apple of my eye” is used to refer to something or someone that one cherishes above all others. While Proverbs 7:1-2 reminds me to make God’s law and commands the apple of my eye, it makes me ask, “Who, then, is the apple of God’s eye?”

King David boldly asked to be the apple of God’s eye. In Psalm 17:8 [NIV] he says, Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.

Jacob was the apple of God’s eye. We read in Deuteronomy 32:9-10 [NIV] 9 For the LORD's portion is his people, Jacob his allotted inheritance. 10 In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye,

God took care of Jacob just as someone cares for another who is precious above all others.

But it isn’t only David or Jacob that God holds as precious to Him. An angel, sent from God, explained this to Zechariah in Zechariah 2:8 [ESV] 8 For thus said the LORD of hosts, after His glory sent me to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye:

All people called by His name are precious to and cherished by Him. It applied to the nation of Israel in the Old Testament times and it applies to the Ecclesia – to those who are God’s people today.

These four verses are the only four that include references to the apple of anyone’s eye. But know that being the apple of someone’s eye means that you are precious above all others to that person. We do find many additional scriptural reverences to what is precious or of great value to our Father God.

For example: the blood of Jesus. 1 Peter 1:19 [NIV] but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. As precious as the blood of Jesus is to God, He directed that it be spent on you and me. That is because we are also precious to Him. God would not have spent something of such great value on you, sweet sister, if you were not also of great value to Him.

Another thing that is precious to God is our deaths - whether we are referring to that death to sin at baptism or death that occurs at the conclusion of this human life. Both are precious to God. Psalm, 116:15 [NIV] Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his faithful servants.

There are billions of things that are most precious to God – that is: all the people who live now, who lived and died in the past and who will yet live in the future. Because the precious blood of the Perfect Lamb was shed for all of us, we know that the Father values every one of us.

God aks us to make Him and to make His law the apple of our eyes. In doing so, He is only asking us to reciprocate the feelings that He had for us first. I am so very thankful that God loves and protects me as the apple of His eye. How wonderful to know that we are precious to God.

Prayer — Father God, Thank You for Your love and mercy – for holding me as the apple of Your eye. You spent the precious blood of Jesus on me. I will hold You and Jesus, Your laws and Your word as precious, special gifts to be treated with great respect and care. Lord, help me so to do. In Jesus’ name I ask. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 38 - 90 Days in Proverbs – Apple of My Eye

Proverbs 7:1-2 [KJV] 1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. 2 Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.

Originally, the phrase “apple of my eye” was simply an idiom referring to the pupil of the eye. In the English language today it is used to refer to something or someone that is cherished above all others.

Although Solomon might have been referring to his own instructions to his son when he says “keep my law as the apple of your eye”, we understand that believers today are to cherish God’s law above all else.

What does it mean to have God’s commandments, His law, His word as the apple of my eye – as cherished above all else? Well, it should mean that I would never compromise that law for the sake of gain or prestige or even to save my own skin.

It means that nothing and no one is more important to me than God’s words – not my home or my family or my job.

Jesus echoed this in Matthew 10:37 [NIV] where He says, Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. If Jesus expects us to love Him more than our closest family, He surely expects to be loved above my job, my hobbies, or my possessions.

It may seem harsh to non-believers that God requires top position. However, we believers understand that when we put God first, we still have plenty of love to give to our families, our friends, our enemies, and even the rest of the world. In fact, putting God and His commandments ahead of all else, calling them more precious than any other things, makes me a better, more loving, more patient mate and parent. It makes me a better employer or employee, a better sister to my siblings, a better friend, and a better neighbor. It even makes me a better enemy because I return good for the evil done to me and will pray for good things for my enemies.

King David often wrote about how precious God’s laws were to him. Psalm 119:72 [NIV] The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold. This is probably at least part of why God called King David a man after His own heart.

Sweet sisters, if we hold God’s laws as precious, we will also be people after His own heart. And every other aspect of our lives will be improved by the fact that we hold God’s law of love as precious to us. I pray that God’s law is the apple of your eye.

Prayer — Father God, You are more precious to me than anything else. I hold Your word above all other law, above all other people or things. I desire Your love more than silver or gold and Your instruction I value over all other education. Help me always to do so. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 37 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Paid Sevenfold

Proverbs 6:30-31 [ESV] 30 People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry, 31 but if he is caught, he will pay sevenfold; he will give all the goods of his house.

At first it seems a bit odd to have this part about a thief sandwiched between verses focused on warning us about the evil trap of adultery. It almost seems like Solomon got distracted for a minute. But if we take a closer look, we realize that what these verses have in common is their warning that sin has a penalty.

An adulterer gets burned (Proverbs 6: 28-29). A thief, even one who is only stealing because he is hungry, even one whom we might not despise, has to pay a penalty.

In the Old Testament, that penalty for stealing was paying back 7 times what you stole. If you steal a sheep and get caught you pay back 7 sheep. In that environment, someone who could not pay that penalty could sell themselves as an indentured servant or go to a debtor’s prison until it was paid back. I bet that happened frequently, because if you have to steal a sheep to feed yourself, how could you pay back 7 sheep?  

All sins have a penalty. We know that whether the sin is adultery or stealing or being a false witness, while the penalty from the local government might be a variety of things, the penalty from God is the same: death.

How in the world would we pay the penalty of our own sins? We know that regardless of the sin’s impact in this life; whether it ruins another person’s life, destroys a marriage or two, lands me in jail, results in the death of an innocent person or is hidden forever and never gets a penalty in this life; it earns us the death penalty. And we know that that death penalty is paid by the precious blood of Jesus. My sin is paid for by His life in exchange for the death penalty I have earned.

Solomon knew that sin had its consequences. Although Solomon focused on the physical consequences of sin, we know that there are spiritual consequences too. Praise God that we have a Savior who paid for all our sins. He is the perfect Lamb who was slain for us all.

I regularly go before the throne of God and ask for this exchange – for the blood of Jesus to cover my sin. I’m sure you do too. The sacrifice Jesus made was worth more than 7 times all my sins through all my life. It is worth more than 7 times all the sins of all the world for all generations - those behind us and those yet to come.

Depending on the sin, we may still have consequences for that sin in this life – a fine or jail time or even the death penalty. But we must never forget that there is always also a spiritual penalty for sin and that penalty is death.

Sweet sisters, we must never neglect to thank God that the debt for all sin has been paid for by the precious blood of Jesus.

Prayer — Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You so much for Your great love for me. Thank You for sending Jesus to die for my sin and for accepting His sacrifice every time I sin and come to you for forgiveness. Thank You for Your great mercy and forgiveness. Thank You, Jesus, for Your loving sacrifice. I will never forget that there is a spiritual penalty for sin and that it has already been paid by Jesus. In His name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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