DAY 68 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Generosity Returned

Proverbs 11:25-26 [CSB] 25 A generous person will be enriched, and the one who gives a drink of water will receive water.  26 People will curse anyone who hoards grain, but a blessing will come to the one who sells it.

The Bible makes it clear that God does not give us things – physical things or spiritual things – for our use alone.

We each have finite days on this earth, but are asked to give time in prayer and Bible study. We are also to give some of our time to serving others – like visiting the sick or those in prison, as we see outlined in Matthew 25. We each have different gifts, roles and talents, given to us by God.  1 Corinthians 12:27-31 makes it clear that God gave them to us so that we will use them for the edification of the church.

In Matthew 10:8 [NKJV] in sending out His disciples, Jesus tells them, Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Whatever God gives us, He also asks us to turn around and give out to others.

Sweet sisters, we know that God never asks us to do what He is unwilling to do as well. He and Jesus set an example for us in the things we are asked to do. So, rest assured, God will not withhold good from us either. Psalm 84:11 [CSB] For the LORD God is a sun and shield. The LORD grants favor and honor; he does not withhold the good from those who live with integrity.  He does not withhold good from His followers. In fact, He gives freely, just as Jesus asked His followers to do in Matthew 10. Romans 8:32 [NKJV] He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

There are, of course, things that only God can do. The fact that the Father has already given Jesus as a sacrifice for us all is proof that He will not withhold good things from us.

Nothing that God gives us is for us alone. Nothing we receive is to be consumed by only our own needs. Proverbs 11:26 warns us against hoarding our blessings. And James 4:3 warns us about even asking for things that we intend to only use for ourselves, saying When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. [NIV]

Sisters, we have a generous God. He freely gives us so many great blessings from His storehouse in heaven – blessings both physical and spiritual. None of those blessings are meant to be kept to ourselves. Whether it means freely distributing our excess money, food, clothes, etc. or generously giving of our time and talents, we are called to be generous children, following the example of our Father.

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for all you have given me. Thank you for your generosity. Help me to be generous in sharing the talents, time, goods and resources you have given me so that I can be more like you. Show me today what I can share with others and help me to give freely, sharing the blessing you have showered on me. In Jesus name I pray. Amen

Your thoughts —  

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Day 67 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Water Freely

Proverbs 11:24-25 [ESV] 24 One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. 25 Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.

Our Heavenly Father tells us repeatedly that He wants children who are giving. He promises to reward giving behavior.

Luke 6:38 [ESV] says, “give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you."

Ecclesiastes 11:1 [ESV] tells us, Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days.

And 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 [ESV] explains two points about giving: 6 … whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

The Father wants cheerful and generous givers and He promises an abundant return on that investment in giving to others. He understands that few of us will ever have the resources to build an orphanage or a hospital wing. In fact, some of us have had or will have times in our lives when we don’t have a dollar to spare.

In those times, as well as in times of abundance, we need to remember the latter part of verse 25 of Proverbs 11, where it says one who waters will himself be watered, And be reminded of John 7:38-39 [ESV] where it says 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

If we are filled with the Holy Spirit (if we are “watered” by it), we have living waters that can flow from us to others. And then, because the Holy Spirit is a living, flowing water source, like a river, we will always be refilled so that it can continue to grow.

Without a dollar to my name, I can water others with the Holy Spirit – with love, joy, peace, the Gospel message, and so forth.

Sisters, the Good Father, who gives generously to us, wants His daughters to also be generous givers, especially with the Holy Spirit. If we withhold it, we ourselves will suffer want as Proverbs 11:24 tells us. If we give it generously, we will find that we have the Holy Spirit, that living water, in abundance.

May your rivers never run dry, sweet sisters.

Prayer — Father God, thank You for your generosity in giving me good gifts in this life. Thank You for the Spiritual gifts You give: the gift of forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus Christ my Lord; the gift of the Holy Spirit – a living water that can flow through me. Please help me to be generous like You, helping others by sharing the physical blessings You have provided and, most importantly, by sharing the gift of the Holy Spirit and its fruit with them. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen

Your thoughts —  

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Day 66 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Gilded Pig

Proverbs 11:22 [CSB] A beautiful woman who rejects good sense is like a gold ring in a pig's snout.

These days, we use this phrase: “Like putting lipstick on a pig” to make the same point as Solomon is making here. Jewelry or makeup doesn’t mask reality. Perhaps our modern phrase evolved from this Proverb.

However someone may try to dress it up, bad character is still there and God can see it. Usually, it will also eventually be revealed to others.

There is nothing wrong with good genes that make others consider you beautiful. There isn’t anything wrong with taking care of your hair and body, or in wearing nice clothes or makeup. The problem comes in when the outer beauty is at odds with the inner character.

The King James Version uses the term “without discretion” but the word can mean literally without taste (like for food) or figuratively without a taste for judgement, discernment or reason. So, “a beautiful woman who rejects good sense” is someone who has access to sound judgement and guidance but doesn’t use it.

Sweet sisters, this is a warning for all believers. We have access to the Father. We have access to the Bible. We have the Holy Spirit in us. If we reject the sound judgement, guidance and influence of these resources, then we become like that pig wearing jewelry.

1 Timothy 2:9-10 offers similar advice, [NKJV] 9 in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, 10 but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. Far from rejecting good character, we should be adorning ourselves with it.

The book of Proverbs is a great resource for gaining understanding, good judgement, discernment and reasoning skills. We’ve spent more than 60 days learning from some of those nuggets of truth.

It is so easy to get distracted by other voices in this life. It is what Satan wants. Human nature, Satan, and the world around us that is primarily led by these, encourages us to act irresponsibly, take revenge, lash out in anger, to put self-interest over the interest of others, and in many other ways reject the teachings of the Bible and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

These are not the character qualities of a godly woman. The character qualities of a godly person are found in Galatians 5:22-23. These qualities include love, joy, peace, patience, kindness and self control.

My grandmother used to say, “you cannot make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear”.  (Side note: I don’t know how pigs became the go-to animal for this, but they seem to be just that.) God never considers anyone to be a sow, sweet sister. He has always loved us and has always considered us precious to Him. However, our character, apart from the Holy Spirit can be something that is pretty ugly, at least at times.

The transformation of a godly woman is something like turning a sow’s ear into a silk purse – taking an odd item that many would consider to be of no value and transforming it into something where its true value shines through.

The love of God, the sacrifice of Jesus, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit do radically change us. They transform us into a new creation that is beautiful and useful. They do this IF we don’t reject them or the good sense that is available through them.

Sisters, God isn’t looking to put jewelry or lipstick on our human character. He looking to transform our character – to transform us – from our old selves into something entirely new and differnt.

Prayer — Father God, You call me beloved. You made me beautiful and You seek to transform me into a reflection of You – of Your good character, love and mercy. You seek to infuse me with Your own wisdom and to guide me to have good sense and to make wise decisions. Thank You for Your word and the Holy Spirit that can transform me in this way. Please lead us today to be women of beautiful character, who are adorned with good works, so that we are beautiful inside. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 65 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Favor and Glory

Proverbs 11:16 [NKJV] A gracious woman retains honor, But ruthless [men] retain riches.

The Hebrew word translated gracious here means to find favor in the eyes of someone; to be acceptable to him. And who is it that we are working to find favor with, sweet sisters? It is God, Himself, isn’t it?

You know who found favor with God? Mary, mother of Jesus. Luke 1:30 [NKJV] Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

Interestingly, finding favor does not seem to be an action verb either in Proverbs 11 or in Luke 1:30. It seems to be a gift of favor bestowed on someone. The favor of God is not something we can earn, any more than we can earn His love. He chooses to give us favor, and love, because of who He is, not because of what we have done.

Having found or received favor with God, then what? According to Proverbs 11:16, a woman who has found favor retains honor.

The word translated “retains” means to grasp, hold, support, attain, lay hold of, hold fast.

The word translated honor could also be translated “glory” and is used in the phrase “glory of the Lord” in Exodus 16:10 and other verses.

So, to put that all together, let me suggest this – a way that we could reword Proverbs 11:16. We might say, “The woman who has been given favor by God, holds fast to His glory.”

As with all our goals as Christian, Jesus is our example. Luke 2:52 [NKJV] tells us And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. And in John 1:14 [NKJV] we read, And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Jesus had the Father’s glory and favor. He held onto the glory of the Father by the life He lived – a life of love and service. He preached the gospel, fed hungry people, healed others, cast out their demons and lived a life of integrity – in other words, He did the works the Father sent Him to do.

That is how we will hold fast to God’s glory as well. The glory of the Lord is in us through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit enables us to live lives that serve others and, thereby, glorifies the Father. We don’t hold tight to glory by keeping it to ourselves, but by using it to serve others.

We have the favor of the Lord, my sisters, because He loves us, not because of what we have done. However, we must hang onto His glory by using our lives to glorify Him. If every thought, word and deed is done to glorify God, then we are holding tight to His glory. You have His favor. Hold tight to His glory, gracious sisters. Seek to be a woman who has been given favor by God, and, therefore, holds fast to His glory.

Prayer — Father God, Thank You for Your favor, Your love and Your mercy. Thank You for Your favor, though I have not earned it. Help me, help us, today to hang onto Your glory by using the Holy Spirit in us and the resources at our disposal to honor you, to serve others and to do good works. We want to hold tight to that glory, Your glory, by spreading it out into the world. Help us to do so. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 64 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Hearing Counselors

Proverbs 11:14 [NKJV] Where [there is] no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors [there is] safety. [ESV] 14 Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. [NLT] 14 Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers.

Whether the Bible translators chose to use counsel, guidance or wise leadership, the message is that a nation is best served by a getting input from many wise voices. We know that, in business, it has been proven that crafting a team with mix of genders, ethnic backgrounds, ages, talents and experience who work together toward a common goal is the best way to keep a company healthy and moving forward.

Whether you are buying a car or choosing a career, you’ll make a better decision if you look at all key factors and get a variety of input. The key, though, is actually listening to all the different and wise counselors – not just the ones who say what you want to hear or who agree with your own opinion.

This passage is almost prophetic for the nation of Israel. After Solomon’s death, his son, Jeroboam had the chance to improve his rulership and seal himself as king. The elder counselors gave him the advice to ease up on the people. But Jeroboam refused their counsel in favor of the advice of his young friends who appealed to his machismo. Essentially, he said, “you thought my dad was tough? I’ll show you tough!”

He lost the better part of the nation of Israel over his failure to listen to wise counsel.

I get it – no one likes to hear that they are all wrong, or to receive counsel that goes against what we really want to do. But that is the whole point of seeking a multitude of wise counsel – to hear the things we might not think of on our own. And, using this advice, to make a decision that brings success instead of failure.

The ultimate wise counselor is someone I bet you do love to talk to and to hear from: Jesus. Isaiah 9:6 [NKJV] For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Sweet sisters, good counsel from a variety of wise sources is the way to make smart decisions and true success in both this life and in your Christian walk. We should start with the counsel of God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the Bible. We should also seek wise counsel from experienced fellow believers and from secular leaders, experts and advisors. who can give experienced input.

I wish you success in all your endeavors today and in the future. The key to that success is not only seeking wise counsel but actually listening to it and making a wise decision based on that counsel.

Prayer — Father God, we seek your counsel, the counsel of Jesus, of Your word and of the Holy Spirit to guide us today. Whether our decisions are large or small, we know we will be benefited from doing so. Help us to be wise counselors to others. And send wise counselors to us when we need help with an important decision. Most of all, we seek the safety and success that comes from following Your wise counsel. Please lead us today and always. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 63 - 90 Days in Proverbs - Neighborly

Proverbs 11:12-13 [NIV] 12 Whoever derides (or belittles – as the ESV puts it) their neighbor has no sense, but the one who has understanding holds their tongue. 13 A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.

Wes and I live in the country. We have neighbors on one side. Our properties are separated by trees and a fence, as well as long driveways. Being neighborly takes a lot less effort than if you live in an apartment where you can hear the TV of the folks next door or a subdivision where you hear the kids in the yard and see each other taking the garbage out.

Being a good neighbor is important to God. Romans 13:10 [NKJV] tells us, Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love [is] the fulfillment of the law. In Luke 10:27-28, we find that we must go beyond just not gossiping or just not doing harm. Verse 27 So he answered and said, "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and 'your neighbor as yourself.' " 28 And He (Jesus) said to him, "You have answered rightly; do this and you will live." The young lawyer than asked Jesus “who is my neighbor?” and, in response, Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan. Everyone who needs your help is your neighbor – not just those who share a fence line.

The millennial in the next cubicle who is struggling to keep up with multiple projects is your neighbor. The mom who always brings the worst junk food to little league practice is your neighbor. The family member no one wants to invite to dinner is your neighbor. We are to love and help them in any way we can.

It can be tempting to belittle a mate, sibling or coworker when we should do as Proverbs 11:12 tells us – to hold our tongues. The people closest to us have the greatest chance of rubbing us the wrong way.

My grandma used to say, “if you cannot say something nice, say nothing at all.” I bet you’ve heard that too. God does not want us to belittle others or gossip about them. He wants us to hold our tongues rather than do harm to a neighbor – whether that neighbor is a relative, coworker, friend or actual neighbor.

He expects us to love each neighbor as we love ourselves, whether that neighbor is an annoying coworker, a busy-body neighbor, a relative who always embarrasses us in public or someone who is easy to love. That love includes reaching out to help when we see them in need.

Don’t belittle or gossip about any neighbor. Instead love them. It’s the neighborly thing to do. It’s the godly thing to do.

Prayer — Father God, you call me to love my neighbors as myself. Help me today to hold my tongue rather than gossip or belittle. Help me today to reach out with support and provision when I see a neighbor in need. Help me to love all my neighbors as myself – for every one of them is a child of yours. Jesus showed us the way and it is His example I seek to follow. In His name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 62 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Hope, No Hope

Proverbs 11:7 [NIV] Hopes placed in mortals die with them; all the promise of their power comes to nothing.

Unless all our hopes and plans are reliant on God rather than man, any man, death ends that hope. No one has any real power beyond his/her death. I suppose if you leave a bunch of money to a non-profit like the American Cancer Society, you might say that, until the money runs out, your money has some power to do good. However, the society will spend it as they see fit. So, you really have no power.

Sometimes our power and influence ends before death – maybe after leaving political office or if you become physically or mentally feeble. Power, wealth and influence are fragile things and the actions of time and chance are fickle.

In the story of Lazarus and the Rich Man, which we read in Luke 16:19-31, the rich man learns this lesson the hard way. After death, his fate was sealed and all the money and influence he wielded when alive did him absolutely no good in trying to change his circumstances and the future of his living family.

However, in this life, we are called to be people who can be relied upon. We are to be people that others can trust and place their hope in. Others should be able to be assured that we will keep our word and our promises and that we will do what is right and good.

If we have power in this life, maybe being a teacher or a pastor or a supervisor at work, we are to use that power for good. We are to be just and fair. But the power of even the good and just ends with death.

Sweet sisters, there is one hope that does not die with us, and that is the hope in the Lord. Psalm 146:5 [NIV] tells us, Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD their God. The hope we place in Jesus did not die with Him at His crucifixion. That hope lived on, until He was resurrected 3 days later. It lived on after He went back to heaven to be with our Father. That hope lives on today and it will live on through all eternity – after our own deaths and resurrection to new life.

Because I know that this is where you place your hope, I say to you the words we find in Psalm 31:24, [NIV] Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD. Your hope in the Lord will not die with you.

Prayer — Father God, we hope and trust in You and Jesus. This is the only hope that lives past the grave. Lord, help us to be strong in this hope. Help us to be people others can trust in and help us to wield any power we have with kindness and love. Although we cannot continue to give hope or wield power beyond the grave, we pray that we will leave behind a legacy of being like You in this. We ask it all in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 61 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Tripped Up

Proverbs 11:5-6  [NKJV] 5 The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright, But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness. 6 The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, But the unfaithful will be caught by [their] lust.

Ever heard the saying “he is his own worst enemy”? Solomon seems to be saying that here – that my own wickedness or my own lust is what will trip me up, more than any outside pressure.

Whether it is stealing a car or trying to steal someone else’s mate, drunkenness or gluttony, lust plays a role in leading to bad behavior and sin. First, we desire something – first it’s a thought or a want. Then, if we don’t deliberately stop it there, we take.

We’d be a lot better off if we’d stop sin even before the desire hits. Then, we wouldn’t need to try to stand between the desire and the deed. Before the thought takes root is where the Holy Spirit does some of its best work.

Galatians 5:22-23 [NKJV] 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

The Greek word translated “self-control” means “one who masters his desires and passions.” The Holy Spirit helps us to stop sin and bad behavior at the desire level. It helps us to master desire before it even takes root and has a chance to lead us forward to action.

Human nature and the world around us and Satan himself are on the side of sin. Without the leading of the Holy Spirit, we have the wrong desires and they lead to the wrong actions. With the Holy Spirit, our desires change and our actions change too. We are no longer tripped up by our own lusts and, therefore, we stop before the action occurs.

Sisters, this is just one more reason to be thankful for the Holy Spirit, which is a piece of God in us. Isaiah 55:8 [NKJV] says "For My thoughts [are] not your thoughts, Nor [are] your ways My ways," says the LORD. But that is before the Holy Spirit leads us. Once we are led by the Holy Spirit, that can change. Our thoughts can become aligned with God’s because that is the work of the Holy Spirit – leading us by God’s thoughts and then guiding us to godly actions.

We need the Holy Spirit to guide us so that we have self-control at the thought level. We need the Holy Spirit to keep us from being tripped up by our own lust. Thank God for His willingness to give us His Spirit in abundance.

 Prayer — Father God, Thank You so much for sharing your Holy Spirit with me. Thank You for the work it does in me, stopping sin at the thought level, changing my thoughts to Your thoughts and my actions to godly actions. Jesus promised us this helper and we need it very much. So, please fill us today with Your Holy Spirit and the self-control it offers. Align our thoughts with Your thoughts and our deeds with Your will so that we glorify You in all thought, word and deed. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 60 - 90 Days in Proverbs -Nonprofit

Proverbs 11:4 [NKJV] Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness delivers from death

The phrase “day of wrath” calls to mind prophesies of catastrophic and end time events where similar words are used.

Romans 2:5 [NKJV] But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, [See also Zephaniah 1:14-15]

Right now, we say things like “money talks” and that the world’s Golden Rule – the Golden Rule that mankind actually lives by is “he who has the gold makes the rules.” Even the most needed and impactful charities require donations – need money – to get the food, goods, medicine and education they offer into the hands of those they serve. 

We may idolize folks like Mother Theresa who lived with nothing and helped the poorest of the poor, but we know that she (and other humble servants like her) never influenced the big governmental decisions. Her words and actions were never used to set policy – not in her country nor even with the Catholic Church.

We don’t need to be told that none of what we gain by money matters when we stand before the judgment of God, do we, sweet sisters? We are well aware that the things we have accumulated will not influence the Great Judge on judgement day in any way. We cannot buy off God’s wrath or judgement – whether it is His judgment upon the world or His judgment of my life. God cares about character that we have built [See 1 Corinthians 3:11-15] and He cares about good works we have done [See Matthew 25:31-46]

Therefore, we also have to think about how money is used in our churches. Even though we know that money and what the church acquires by it will not matter in the day of wrath and at the time of judgment, does the world’s version of the Golden Rule apply inside your church organization too? Do bigger donors get a higher place within church government or influence? The early New Testament church leaders were concerned about that kind of partiality to the rich showing up within the congregation.

James 2:1-4 [NKJV] 1 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, [the Lord] of glory, with partiality. 2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, 3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, "You sit here in a good place," and say to the poor man, "You stand there," or, "Sit here at my footstool," 4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

Sisters, I am blessed with a lot of “things” in this life, including a well-paying, steady job that has allowed me to have a nice home, new car, and the means to help my children and to help the needy in the world around me. God is not impressed with any of the things I have acquired. Even good works I have done with my money have less influence on my judgement than the character I have built through showing genuine love and concern for other. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 makes that abundantly clear. Verse 3 says: And though I bestow all my goods to feed [the poor], and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

God cares about my character and that I show genuine love for others. It isn’t what I have or even what I give, it is how I have used it to grow in love, peace, faithfulness, etc.

Whether we fall into the pool of the needy or those who can and do help the less fortunate, we must guard against judging ourselves or others based on the wealth of this life or even the things we give to the less fortunate. We cannot look at ourselves or others as having more authority or more of the Holy Spirit just because we have more physical blessings, nor even because we are abundant in sharing what we have. That is not the measure God uses in His righteous judgement.

We can have much and give it all away and yet fail to be profitable in the end – in the day of wrath and judgement. Anything but the character of love motivating and building us is unprofitable work according to God.

I must keep this in mind when I am tempted to view the rich and the big givers as being something more or better than others (a better Christian, smarter, more deserving of praise or power). I must keep this in mind even if that rich and giving person is me.

Prayer — Father God, You have blessed me with so much! Thank you for all the blessings You have given me. Help me to use them always to serve You, Your people, and the world. But most of all, help me to grow in love and godly character, and to have genuine concern for others, which is only shown through sharing my blessings. Let me never use my blessings for self-praise or for power or think that they impresses you at all. Before You, I know that I am poor and blind and naked. Anything I have comes from You. Help me to be a truly profitable servant of Yours so that I produce the only thing that is profitable in the end – godly character: love. In Jesus’ name I ask. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 59 - 90 Days in Proverbs - A False Balance

Proverbs 11:1 [NKJV] A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is his delight.

No one wants to pay for a half pound of sliced cheese and receive just a quarter pound. We don’t want the deli worker to put his or her thumb on the scale to save the company money at our expense. We trust that the scale that weighs out our fruit is accurate. We expect 12 donuts when we pay for a dozen. We demand full value for what we buy and we have a right to do so.

Our employers expect a full day of work from us in exchange for our pay. And we expect the full pay we agreed to.

All of the fair and honest dealings we expect to receive in this life are things that God expects His children to do. He expects a fair exchange whether I am the buyer or seller, employer or employee. Anything short of that is a form of lying or false balance and is an abomination to God.

But the Father Himself, while dealing with His children, does not offer us this kind of fair exchange. There is no fair pay for our deeds. Instead, when Jesus stepped on the scale of justice, He tipped it in our favor. When He paid for sin, He did not pay for His own sin. He didn’t have any. Instead, He paid a costly and unfair price for the burdens of my sins (and yours). The penalty He paid for the sins weighed out to His charge was far and beyond what He earned because He, Himself, earned absolutely no penalty for sin on His own. All the penalty He paid for all that sin – well, that’s on us. We should have paid it.

If God were to give me my just wage, I know it would be death. Romans 6:23 [NIV] tells us: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Instead of death – instead of the just pay for my actions – I receive eternal life in Christ Jesus my Lord.

Any unjust scale in the world pales by comparison to the magnitude of the injustice of Jesus being beaten and crucified for me, for us. It is helpful to remember this when life serves up unfairness to me, as it is prone to do.

Sweet sisters, the Father expects us to be just and fair when we work, when we pay or when we transact in any way. However, this expectation has one exception – in the area of sin. In the area of sin, God expects us to be willing forgo revenge and any kind of pay back when we are sinned against, harmed or cheated by others in this life. Romans 12:19 [NKJV] says Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but [rather] give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance [is] Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.

Not only does He expect us to refrain from paying back with revenge, He actually expects us to pay back good for evil. [See Matthew 5:44-48]

Why does the Father ask us to refrain from giving just pay to those who sin against us – to actually pay back evil with good? Matthew 4:45 tells us: That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: The Father asks us to refrain from paying others back for sin so that we can by like Him.

The scale that God uses to pay out the penalty for my sin, the scale that pivots all the weight of all my sin onto Jesus, my Savior, is the ultimate example of not getting what I pay for, and I am happy to accept it. The sacrifice of Jesus tips the scales in my favor. And our Father God gives me blessings I could never deserve or earn, well beyond forgiveness and eternal life.

I am called to do the same – to refrain from even what seems to be just and fair pay for others when they sin against me, leaving revenge or payback to God.

God expects a “just scale” from us in every other aspect of life. But I am happy that, when it comes to sin, God uses the most unjust measure of all: Jesus’s sacrifice in exchange for my sin.

Prayer — Father God, Thank You for tipping the scales in my favor through the sacrifice of Jesus. Thank You, my Savior Jesus, for paying what I earn from my sins. Please continue to forgive me and take on that debt. I will respond by forgiving others and doing good to them with the help of Your Holy Spirit in me. I will use a just scale for work, pay and goods in my life, but I trust in You, Father, and Your scale of loving justice to take away my debt of sin so that I may serve You. I ask for Your Spirit, Your forgiveness and Your help in the name of my precious Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 58 - 90 Days in Proverbs - Whole Lotta Talkin’

Proverbs 10:19-20, 31-32  [NKJV] 19 In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips [is] wise. 20 The tongue of the righteous [is] choice silver; The heart of the wicked [is worth] little. ... 31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, But the perverse tongue will be cut out. 32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, But the mouth of the wicked [what is] perverse.

We all know the children’s adage, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” is just not true. Words hurt. In fact, people who would never throw a punch will excoriate people with their tongues or say ugly things online.

As Christian women, we have a responsibility to control our words, our mouths. We have to be careful and thoughtful about when to talk and when to keep silent, as well as what to say when we do talk. This is true even on social media and maybe especially there because some folks may only know that side of us – may only be able to judge our character by what we put out on social media.

I don’t know about you, but I tend to get antsy with silence and seek to fill silence with words. I am highly aware that the more words I say, especially in an emotional situation, the more risk I have of saying something I shouldn’t. So, I’m trying to stop that bad habit.

But the other extreme is a potential hazard too. We have a responsibility to speak as well. We are not to hold back when it comes to giving kind words and encouragement, or to offering wise counsel when asked. We have a responsibility to offer words of prayer for one another in all situations. Wise Christian women don’t just hold back from saying the wrong things, they have tongues that give out words of “choice silver” and words of wisdom.

If you struggle with finding the right balance, you can join me in praying this: Psalm 141:3 [ESV] 3 Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips! A door is the perfect analogy here, for a door set by God will open and close at the appropriate times. It will open to let out what we should say and close to hold back what should not be said.

The key to balance then, isn’t totally left to the number of words coming out, but to having God guide the flow of those words. In a whole lotta words, there can be sin, as Proverbs 10:19 warns us. But, if our words are regulated by God in us, there can be a whole lotta good coming from them - like hope, peace, encouragement and wisdom, given in the right measure and with the right timing.

Prayer — Father God, Please set Your door upon my mouth. Fill my heart and mind with wisdom and good things to say and help me to be liberal with good. Help me to close my mouth on the words that are not to be given, whether they are not right at all or they are just not right for that time. I want my words to serve You. You’ve given me a tongue that is to present choice silver. Help me to open my mouth with love and wisdom. In Jesus’ name I ask. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 57 - 90 Days in Proverbs - Covered up

Proverbs 10:12 [ESV] Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses. [NKJV] …love covers all sins.

Certainly, as a Christian, I count on the love of God to forgive my sins. I count on sacrificial blood of Jesus to cover my sin. Don’t you? I gratefully accept that covering, offered to me for every sin and offense I commit, and I seek it every day.

We know that this covering of sin by the sacrificial blood of Jesus is available to anyone who trusts in the Lord to provide it, who confesses their sins and asks for forgiveness. Like Job, we may also be the kind of loving parents who ask for forgiveness for unbelieving children until they day they become obedient believers too.

The Bible shows us that Love comes with a lot of responsibility.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 [NKJV] tells us 4 Love suffers long [and] is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

I am so thankful that our Father God lives up to all those responsibilities and attributes of love. However, God of love is not the only one with the responsibilities to live up to what is outlined in 1 Corinthians 13. It is not God alone who is required to cover sin, to rejoice in truth, to bear all things.

We, His children, are also required to suffer long and be kind, to put off envy, to refuse to think evil and so forth. Our love for our families, friends, neighbors, fellow man and even our enemies should shine in this world because of the actions associated with that love – actions that are outlined in 1 Corinthians 13.

It is one thing to say “I love you” and entirely another to put into practice a love that covers a multitude of offenses – not just one, but all of them. Proverbs 10:12 reminds me of the exchange between Peter and Jesus that we find in Matthew 18:21-22 [NKJV] 21 Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" 22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”

It takes the power of the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit to perform that kind of love – to produce that long-term, recurring forgiveness and covering of sin. It’s okay if you have to labor long in prayer to find it within you to forgive that 490th time, so long as you do seek the power to forgive again.

You should know, sweet sisters, that God will not be stingy in providing you with the power to forgive again. John 7:38-39 [NKJV] 38 "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive...

God will give us a river of Holy Spirit to help His love flow out from us to the world around, including a love that will forgive and cover any offenses against us. Not a trickle; not a light rain, but a raging river of love. I don’t know about you, but there have been incidences in my life that required a river of the Holy Spirit in order to work my way toward forgiveness. I hope I have never been a person who required and will never be a person who requires another believer to cry out for a river of love to deal with me.

But I will confess that I know that God has covered my sins time after time – more than 70 x 7 – and I count on His continued forgiveness every day. Because I count on His forgiveness, I pray for that river of love to cover all sins and offenses directed toward me. Because I count on His forgiveness, I am committed to 70 x 7 for anyone who sins against me as well. It is the least I can do.

The Father asks us to forgive 70 x 7 and to be willing to, in love, cover a multitude of sins. It’s the least we can do, given His forgiveness of us and given the sacrifice Jesus made for us.

Prayer — Thank you, Father God, that you cover my sins always, whenever I cry out to you because of Your great love and because of the covering blood of Jesus. Help me to quickly and repeatedly forgive others when they commit offenses against me. Send me Your Spirit as a river of living water so that I always imitate you and cover others with Your love flowing from me. In Jesus’ name I ask. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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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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