Day 88 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Sometimes It Is Messy

roverbs 14:4 [ESV] Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.

There is a saying in the USA that goes something like this, “If you want to make an omelet, you’ve got to crack a few eggs.” To me, the message of this proverb is similar: you can have a clean manger or you can use an ox and put up with some ox mess in your manger to get abundant crops.

The life and struggle of the Christian is often messy work. It makes perfect sense that this would be true since the work of removing sin from our lives required blood – the precious blood and sacrifice of Jesus. So, sometimes removing sin from our lives or staying obedient in tough times requires our own “blood, sweat and tears.”

Hebrews 12:3-4 [ESV] 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

The use of the word “yet” indicates to me that Paul expected the Christians he was writing might, in the future, face such a struggle that did require blood. 

God calls us to produce much fruit for the Kingdom, as Jesus explained in the parable of the sower. Mark 4:20 [ESV] But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.

Sisters, we are not called to have a clean manger. We are called to hitch our carts to Jesus and plow like oxen through the sin-filled soil of our own hearts so that the seed of the Word can be planted and prosper there. Removing sin can be messy work. However, the burden of eliminating sin is not as heavy as the burden of carrying it.  Jesus said, in Matthew 11:28-30 [NKJV] 28 "Come to Me, all [you] who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 "For My yoke [is] easy and My burden is light."  Jesus has already done the hard work of paying for our sins and He now works with us to remove them.

Once the Gospel is firmly planted in our own lives, we are to plant that seed of the Gospel in the world. In His own time, Jesus said that the fields where “white already to harvest.” [John 4:35]. How much more are they ready now – almost 200 years later?

For both the inner work of removing sin and the outer work of preaching the Gospel, we must understand that the work can be messy – dirty - difficult. We must choose the messy work rather than the clean stall. If we want a bumper crop, we need to be willing to get our hands dirty with the work God calls us to do.

Prayer – Lord, God, You have called me to participate in your harvest. I know it may be messy work. Sin does not leave easily. Though it may be difficult work at times, choose to participate with You in planting and harvesting obedience in my own heart and in the world around me. Plant your Word in me, Oh Lord. Help me to plant Your Word in the world around me. In Jesus name I ask to join and extend His work on the earth each day. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 87 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Protection

Proverbs 14:3 [NIV] A fool's mouth lashes out with pride, but the lips of the wise protect them.

Have you ever wished for just the right words to encourage a friend, to keep an adult child from making a bad decision, to get yourself out of trouble when you were young or to win an argument? Yeah, me too.

Jesus talks about giving His Disciples the precise words to speak when being brought before the authorities for preaching the Gospel. Luke 12:11-12 [NKJV] 11 "Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. 12 "For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say."

But, other than that, we need to rely on the wisdom He makes available to us via His Word and the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit to guide us with the right words to say.

I believe the primary way that the words of the wise protect them is by teaching us what to refrain from saying or when we should just keep our mouths shut. Obviously, we should refrain from “lashing out with pride” as fools do, according to today’s Proverb.

However, the Bible provides us with many other things to refrain from saying. Paul presents at least a partial list in 2 Corinthians 12:20 [NLT] 20 For I am afraid that when I come I won't like what I find, and you won't like my response. I am afraid that I will find quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorderly behavior.

Quarrelling, slander and gossip are ways that a fools might uses her lips. But any one of us can be tempted to participate in quarrelling, slander or gossip if we are not vigilant.

Further, things like jealously and anger can lead us to use our lips for less than God-glorifying purposes.

Sometimes, I need protection from my words, even as I strive to be protected by them as Proverbs 14:3 suggests. Words can wound and, if we are not careful, dear sisters, we will be the victims of the wounds of our own words. If we are not careful, we will say things that wound others and may destroy a relationship.

We also have to think about the words we say about ourselves– the so-called “self-talk” that we let run through our minds. Yes, we need to understand that without God we are wretched – spiritually poor, blind and naked, as scripture tells us. But Jesus has already lifted us out of that state when He died for us. God’s mercy and forgiveness, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit changes all that. We become daughters of the King and heirs to the Kingdom along with Jesus. Our self-talk should be about how much God loves us, the great sacrifice that Jesus made because He loves us and the fact that we grow ever more like them through the power of the Holy Spirit.

We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us, as Philippians 4:13 tells us. That includes learning to stop words of gossip and quarrelling, as well as changing that self-talk in our heads. The work of Holy Spirit is changing our lives for the better and our words should reflect that.

Jesus warned us that our words will not be taken lightly. Matthew 12:36-37 [ESV] 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. Gulp. May God help my lips to protect me from saying the things I shouldn’t say!

Prayer –  Loving Father God, Our prayer today is simply the reciting of Psalm 19:14 [ESV] Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 86 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Home builder

Proverbs 14:1 [CSB] Every wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands.

Women are not solely responsible for building up or tearing down a household. But we do bear some of the responsibility, just as our husbands do.

It’s no secret that home that is attacked from the inside is much more at risk than one being attacked from without. So, what’s a woman to do to ensure she is building up her home?

First, we must be sure we are actually focusing on building up the people of our families. It isn’t enough to just refrain from tearing down. We should use words to encourage and support the members of our household. We should show patience with them. We should sew peace.

Each person should know we care about them and that we expect the same high standards of behavior – things like patience and peacemaking – from each member of the household as well. We must model patience and peacemaking or our efforts to hold others to these standards will be in effective.

Proverbs 31 outlines the character qualities of a woman who builds up her home. She is hard-working and trustworthy. She uses her resources wisely – whether money or time or employees. She wakes up early to provide for the needs of others and she models the behavior of helping the less fortunate.

However, here is the point from Proverbs 31 that I want to emphasize: Proverbs 31:26 [CSB] Her mouth speaks wisdom, and loving instruction is on her tongue.

So often it is our words that wound – that tear down instead of building up. I’d never hit my husband, but it takes particular care to ensure that my words never harm him. I’d never knock my children to the floor, but my words could crush them, if I react without thinking in a moment of frustration. It takes thoughtfulness to deliberately build up each member of my household with my words and that should be our goal.

I would never take an ax to the foundations of my home, but there is power in my words to destroy a home from within, at the foundation level. There is also power in my words to build up my home and create a strong, loving and cohesive unit.

James 3 has plenty to say about the power of the tongue and its ability to cause destruction. It’s a worthy read if you are looking to control this little but potentially destructive member of the body.  

Proverbs 18:21 [CSB] tells us Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Sisters, you, like me, may need help guarding your tongue. In our younger years, my family was known for it biting and allegedly witty and funny remarks. Now we know that cutting remarks are never a good choice, no matter how funny we think they are. With age and time in the church, comes a better understanding of the power and purpose of the toungue. And, thankfully, the Holy Spirit is there to provide us with help to control our tongues – both to avoid its wrong us and to employ it for good.

It is also important to thoughtfully and deliberately spend time building up the members of my home – not just refraining from tearing them down. Proverbs 25:11 [NKJV] says A word fitly spoken [is like] apples of gold in settings of silver. This give us an idea of just how valuable and important it is to speak good words.

So, let’s thoughtfully and deliberately use our words to build up our homes. Find opportunities to praise and thank your husband and children, or whomever might live in your home with you.

The right words build up. We are to be home builders.

Prayer – Father God, I know that life and death are in the power and control of my words. Let me always speak love and hope and encouragement. Let my words be peacemakers in my own home. Help me to always build up my family. In Jesus name I pray. Amen

Your thoughts —  

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Day 85 - 90 Days in Proverbs - Full

Proverbs 13:25 [NKJV] The righteous eats to the satisfying of his soul, But the stomach of the wicked shall be in want.

There is poverty everywhere around us, even in the United States and other first world countries. News programs and other media sources make us aware of the dire situations in other nations. We receive calls to help nationally, internationally and locally, via social media, radio and TV. Sometimes, we even see people living on the streets or in their cars. There are food pantries, homeless shelters and government supported housing developments in every town I’ve ever been in.

Yet we cannot assume that those who are satisfied are righteous and those who are hungry are wicked. Good people, faithful believers do suffer poverty and loss. So, how do we reconcile Solomon’s words with reality? Whether Solomon intended to speak about physical or spiritual hunger, we cannot be sure. However, we do know that God, our Father and Provider, is always more focused on the spiritual lesson.

I am reminded of Matthew 5:6 [ NKJV] Blessed [are] those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. We must be hungry for God. We must be thirsty for the cool water of the Holy Spirit.

In Psalm 42:1-2 [ESV] we get some insight in to David, the “man after God’s own heart” …“As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God…”  David longed for more of God.

John 7:38 tells us that those who hunger and thirst for God will not only be filled with the living water of the Holy Spirit themselves, but will “water” others with the same: Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. [ESV]

How wonderful it is to be filled with the Holy Spirit! How very satisfying it is to help others in this spiritually dry and thirsty land to receive the blessing of rivers of truly living water.

This is what Jesus explained to the Samaritan woman at the well. John 4:10 [ESV] Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water."

If we hunger and thirst for God, He will fill us with spiritual food and living water so that we never go hungry again. God does provide for our physical needs – food, shelter, clothing. He is concerned with those.

However, whether you are in one of life’s ups or one of its downs, God will always feed the hungry soul and water the thirsty spirit of those who long for Him. I pray that He will fill you up to overflowing today, so that you might help to water this sin parched land.

Prayer – Father God, provider of all good things, I long for You – for the pure and living water of the Holy Spirit, for the satisfying meat of your word. Please fill me so that Your living waters may also flow from me into the world around and bless others. Satisfy me always with the spiritual food and drink that my soul craves. In Jesus name I ask. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 84 – 90 Days in Proverbs - The Hard Way

Proverbs 13:15 [NKJV] Good understanding gains favor, But the way of the unfaithful [is] hard.

The word translated hard here does not specifically mean difficult, although it is often translated hard or strong. It is from a root word meaning “constant or to continue” and was often used in relations to flowing rivers. So, I think of this proverb as saying that the way of the unfaithful just does not stop.

The NIV puts it this way: Good judgment wins favor, but the way of the unfaithful leads to their destruction. So, perhaps the point that Solomon is trying to make might be that the way of the unfaithful just does not stop until they have destroyed themselves. This world, this age we live in, will never lack unfaithful people.

Even though Solomon’s point seems to be that the unfaithful won’t stop until they have destroyed themselves, if you are suffering due to some unfaithful person, it might feel like they won’t stop their wicked ways until it destroys you.

The counterpart to the unfaithful is that word translated as “favor” is the same word often translated as “grace”, as we find it in Genesis 6:8 [KJV] But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

This word is used six times in the book of Esther, describing how Esther’s good behavior or God’s intervention brought her or her people grace or favor.

If the ways of this unfaithful world or some unfaithful individual are beating you down, remember that God’s grace and favor are there for you. You are not alone. You are not forgotten. Their unfaithful ways cannot destroy you if you remain in God’s grace.

Left unchanged, the ways of the unfaithful, no matter his/her intention, will eventually destroy the unfaithful person.

So, we should pray for the unfaithful person and this unfaithful world, though it seems that their ways are like a never-ending river. We have God’s grace to protect us from destruction. They do not. Our prayers can help change that. Pray that the unfaithful repent and begin to live in a way that brings favor from God. His love and grace, His faithfulness, is a never-ending river and the only thing that will dry up a river of unfaithfulness.

PRAYER: Father, thank you for Your grace, Your favor towards me. I ask for your mercy, blessing and healing on the unfaithful who seek to destroy me or bring destruction upon the earth. Ultimately, they can only bring destruction upon themselves. I ask for your saving grace to help me through the trials this unfaithful world brings upon me. And help me to stay strong and constant in faithfulness to You and Your word so that I am never among them. Grant me, and my enemies, the favor of Your love and mercy, until You send Jesus back to this earth to end they ways of the ways of the unfaithful. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 83 – 90 Days in Proverbs - No Insta-Pot God

Proverbs 13:12 [ESV] Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.

Recently, I made lentils in my new Insta-Pot. When you have a craving for lentil soup, it is great to be able have it ready in minutes instead of hours. We talk about this “instant society” we live in and how young people want everything “now.” I was that way when I was young too – impatient to get out of high school, finish college, launch my adult life, etc. But, frankly, as a woman in her 60’s, I have less time to wait for things now than I did decades ago. Sometimes, even the microwave seems to take forever.

God is not bound by time as we are. 2 Peter 3:8 [NKJV] tells us: with the Lord one day [is] as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

In fact, He is notorious for making people wait. Abraham waited 25 years from God’s first promise of a son until Isaac was born. [You can check that out in Genesis 12:1-4 and 21:5]

Daniel, after receiving dramatic prophesies, was told: Go thy way, Daniel: for the words [are] closed up and sealed till the time of the end. [Daniel 12:9 [KJV] You may feel the time of the end is near right now or still far off, but we surely agree that for Daniel, at the time he was given the prophecies, it was a very far way off until they would be fulfilled. We are still waiting and Daniel has been dead for more than 2,000 years.

Having prophesied the coming of the Messiah in Genesis 3:15, the Father made His people (and the world) wait for just the right time for the Messiah to come. Galatians 4:4 [NKJV] tells us, But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law. God waited until the time was right.

The New Testament church has been waiting for the promised return of Jesus for almost 2,000 years now. I remember being told about the return of Jesus when I was 10. So, I have been waiting 50 years myself. The believers who went before us and died in the faith might be surprised in the resurrection about just how long they have been waiting in their graves. After all, some of the disciples thought Jesus might return with the Kingdom right away – in their own lifetimes.

God is no Instant-Pot Father. He waits for the right time. But His promises, though delayed, are still sure. Luke 1:37 [NIV] says, For no word from God will ever fail.

So, the Father asks us to wait too, not just for the return of Jesus, but also for answers to many of our prayers. Psalm 27:14 [KJV] Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. We wait for healing, or for a child to be called, or for the right mate, or a job. However, just like God waited for the right time to send Jesus, He waits for the right time to answer our prayers.

We will see answered prayers in this life, sweet sisters. We will see blessings during our mortal lives. Sometimes, though, those answers, those healings, those blessings, won’t come until Jesus returns.

It seems to me that this life is primarily a waiting room for the future Kingdom of God, for our rewards for obedience, for the time of peace that we crave, for the calling of all of our loved ones, for healing, for all that we hope and pray for to come into being.

Although you may, at times, feel sick with longing for your prayers to be answered, wait on the Lord, sweet sisters. At the right time, all of your desires will become a tree of life and all this waiting will be over.

Prayer – Lord God, it is hard to wait for healing, for relief, for your promises, for a loved one to answer your call, for Jesus to return… But I wait on you with hope and confidence that your promises are sure, that your mercy endures and that your love me requires the wait.  Help me, Lord, to continue to wait patiently until all your promises are fulfilled with the understanding that You and Jesus wait on me – on my growth and development – and that You are waiting patiently for the time for the Kingdom too. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 82 – 90 Days in Proverbs - With Pride

Proverbs 13:10 [KJV] Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised [is] wisdom.

Can it really be true that all strife and contention comes from pride? That is sobering, sisters, because pride seems to be a major component of human nature apart from God. But, any pride in us is a big deal to God.

God takes the evil of pride very seriously. And He takes it upon Himself to take down the prideful. Here are just two examples of Old Testament prophets outlining God’s warning to the prideful.

Jeremiah 50:32 [ESV] The proud one shall stumble and fall, with none to raise him up, and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it will devour all that is around him.

Obadiah 1:3-4 [ESV] 3 The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock, in your lofty dwelling, who say in your heart, "Who will bring me down to the ground?" 4 Though you soar aloft like the eagle, though your nest is set among the stars, from there I will bring you down, declares the LORD.

These scriptures show how serious an issue that pride is to God.

Proverbs 16:18 [KJV] tells us Pride [goeth] before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

Clearly, we cannot allow pride to prosper in our hearts or to have a role in how we live our lives. Thankfully, for believers who have committed ourselves to obedience, removing pride from our hearts is the work of the Holy Spirit. Meekness is one of its fruit. [See Galatians 5:22-23] Meekness is the opposite of pride. The two cannot dwell together in us.

If there was anyone who walked the earth who had great reason for pride it was Jesus. Yet, He came with humility and meekness to show us the way to walk humbly on the earth. [See Matthew 11:29 and 21:5]

Micah bottom lines, simplifies our calling for us.  Micah 6:8 [KJV]  He hath shewed thee, O man, what [is] good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Humility, the polar opposite of pride, is what God requires. We must walk humbly with God, acknowledging His greatness and our dependence on Him. When we really focus on the power and love of God; when we under that all blessings come from Him, it should be difficult to be prideful about anything we accomplish in this life.

Daniel 4, beginning in verse 28 tells the story of King Nebuchadnezzar’s pride. Even though he was warned that the Kingdom would be taken from him, he gave into pride about the state of his kingdom and had to live like an animal for seven years. God is serious about pride.

Lest you think that pride can only trip up the unconverted, listen to the message of Revelation 3:17-19 to the church at Laodicea: 17 "Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked-- 18 "I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, [that] the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. [NKJV]

Pride can trip any one of us up, if we are not vigilant. The Bible tells us that with pride, there is trouble, contention and destruction.

Dear sisters, let’s not allow pride to cause contention in our lives, whether at home at work or at church. Let’s turn away from pride that will ultimately destroy us. Instead, let’s follow Jesus’ example and Micah’s admonition to walk humbly on this earth, understanding that anything we accomplish is a gift from God.

Prayer – Dear Father God, Please remove pride from my heart. Help me to see that all I have comes from you. I am humbled by your love and your gifts to me. Please sew the fruit of meekness in me by your Holy Spirit and help me to walk humbly with you each day, following the example of your Son and my Savior, Jesus. It is in His name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 81 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Light

Proverbs 13:9 [ESV] The light of the righteous rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked will be put out.

The word used for light in this proverb is the same word used in Genesis 1:3 [KJV] where it says, And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

In that beginning, God called for light in this world.

The word used here for “rejoices” means to brighten up or cheer up. If you are at all like me, seeing a sunrise or sunset, seeing a blue sky with puffy white clouds, seeing sunlight dance across the water of a lake or the ocean, or watching sunlight glitter through the leaves of the trees brings joy to your heart. Sunlight can cheer us up and brighten our days. Sunlight can even reduce depression.

But the light of the sun is not the only light meant to bring joy and cheer to this earth.

God sent Jesus to light the world, as we read in John 8:12 [ESV] - Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." We praise God for the light that Jesus brings to this sin darkened world. However, there is more. Jesus is not the only one tasked with lighting the world.

Matthew 5:14 [ESV] tells us, You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

We believers also have a responsibility to brighten the lives of others – to cheer up the downtrodden of this world. We can do that in the same way that Jesus did. How did Jesus bring light? First of all He used words of hope. He spoke about God’s great love for all mankind and His plan of salvation. He gave people hope for the future. He promised to bring everyone into the family and Kingdom of God. He said He would make room in the Father’s mansion for each of us.

We can shed light into this world too, by using words of hope too. We can tell others about what God has in store for us, about salvation through Jesus and about the hope we have in Him.

Jesus also brought light by His actions. He feed the hungry and prayed for the sick so they might be healed. We can feed the hungry. We can pray for the sick. These are just a few of the ways that we can imitate the light-giving work of Jesus.

Sisters, when God originally said “let there be light”, the sun, the moon and the stars appeared in the heavens. In creating mankind in His image and calling us to be His children who are to be doing His work in the world, He is also saying “let there be light” and we must respond. We are called to shine His light into this dark world. Let there be light. Let that light be you. Shine on, my sisters.

Prayer: Father God, thank you for the light that Jesus brought to this world. Please help me to also answer your call to be the light of the world, to cheer up those around me, to cause others to rejoice. Let me shine your light out into the world as Jesus did. In His name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 80 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Emptying the Ocean

Proverbs 13:7 [NKJV] There is one who makes himself rich, yet [has] nothing; [And] one who makes himself poor, yet [has] great riches.

Money and the things it can buy is only one way to be rich. Even though money is the primary factor used to designate someone as rich in this world, the vast majority of the people of the world today do not qualify as rich by that measure. This was also true of most of the people of the world in Solomon’s time.

As Christians, we understand that those of us with money to spare are commanded to help those with less. Giving to the poor is one of the factors that separates the sheep from the goats. [See Matthew 25:31-46]

However, we miss the greater point of this Proverb if we only think of money and goods as a way that someone can be rich.

Perhaps you are rich in friends, in relationships, and have many people you can depend on to be there for you. Maybe you have many people who can count on you in good times and bad. However, if I have lots of acquaintances that I don’t truly appreciate, failing to nurture the relationships and express appreciation, then I am rich in the number of people I know, but have nothing – no real friends. If I choose to give myself in time and attention, prayer and fellowship with the people and the relationships God has put in my path, then I make myself poor in self-focus but rich in the blessing of those relationships.

Perhaps you are rich in talents. What are those talents used for? Someone with a beautiful singing voice may not be using it to bless others. You can sing at home and glorify God, of course. But could that talent be used to bless others at a nursing home, at church or at a children’s hospital? When we use our talents to serve or bless others, we make ourselves poor in a way because we are giving those things away for free. Yet that service of giving away a talent – using it to serve or bless others – provides spiritual richness now and a rich blessing in the Kingdom.

The focus of this Proverbs seems to be that giving away what we have makes us truly rich. You don’t have to take a vow of poverty and divest yourself of all material things. You don’t have to spend all your days giving away your talents. God understands that you need to make money and take care of family responsibilities.

But we become rich in many ways when we use what we have to bless others. We become rich in joy as we see the joy that our talents bring to others. When we use what we have to serve others we become rich in hope because we are storing up treasure for the Kingdom.

In addition, we have this promise from God in Luke 6:38 [NKJV] "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."

Luke 6:38 is showing us that we have a promise that whatever we give away will return to us abundantly. Therefore, we can only try to make ourselves poor by giving away the blessings that God has provided to us. Ultimately, it will not work – we cannot become poor by giving away our blessings – because God will bless us more abundantly for our efforts.

I this way, giving away the goods and talents with which God has blessed us is a bit like trying to remove the water from the ocean during a rainstorm. You cannot empty the ocean. And you will not be able to out-give our generous Abba. But we are supposed to try.

There are many ways in which you or I could be considered rich. God asks us to respond to any richness by giving it away, so that He can make us truly rich.

Prayer – Lord God, from whom all blessings flow, you have blessed me with riches from your storehouse in heaven. Lead me to find ways to give away the blessings of riches that You have specifically given to me. Help me to give them away so that I can truly be rich.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 79 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Guide

Proverbs 12:26 [ESV] One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

We are all aware of the fact that ultimately God, through His Word and the Holy Spirit, is to be our guide in life, as David points out in several Psalms. Here are just two examples:

Psalm 31:3 [KJV] For thou [art] my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me.

Psalm 48:14 [KJV] For this God [is] our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide [even] unto death.

But Proverbs 12:26 reminds us that we are also to provide the service of being a guide to others around us.

How does that work? When we show the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace) it should be a guide to others, showing them how to act in the various circumstances of life. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we show joy when it seems like a tough time to show it. We love when the natural reaction is hate. We show inner peace when others would expect us to be troubled. We show patience in our very impatient world. Our actions should say, “This is how a Christian responds.”

Of course, we each are human and we stumble and fail in our efforts to be a consistently good guide for others. But, even in our failures, when we admit sin or fault, seek forgiveness and work to be better the next time, we set a good example of the right path for a Christian to follow.

As the Psalms remind us, if we are ever unsure of the path to take, God is our true guide until our death. When we need guidance, we can search His word and seek Him in prayer, as well as seeking out godly counsel from others. And that is also a good guide for those neighbors who might be watching our examples.

Sweet sisters, I hope you have had good guides in your Christian walk. I hope you seek God, the supreme Guide, when you need help. I hope you will have the great joy of guiding others to Jesus by your words and deeds.

PRAYER – Sometimes, Lord God, I don’t know what path to take. Sometimes I stumble on the path of righteousness I am seeking to follow. So, please lead me in the way you would have me to go. Help me to be sure footed in my walk. And help me, thereby, to be a guide to others around me who may wonder themselves which is the right path for a Christian to follow. In Jesus name I ask. Amen

Your thoughts —  

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DAY 78 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Lifting Heavy Hearts

Proverbs 12:25 [KJV] Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.

While the Hebrew word is translated “heaviness” in the King James Version, it actually means anxious or anxious care. This is often a self-imposed heaviness that we can find relief from by focusing on the Good Word of God’s promises to His children.

The English Standard Version uses the word “anxiety” instead. It says, Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. [Proverbs 12:25 ESV] We each face trials and troubles in our lives – trials and troubles that can cause anxiety. Maybe it is a wakeful night worrying about a medical test. Or maybe it is a season of worry about a grown child who is making bad choices that are negatively affecting his/her life.

Jesus also offered us some guidance on anxiousness and anxious care.

Matthew 6:25, 28, 31, 34 [NKJV] 25 "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? ... 28 "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; ... 31 "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' ... 34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day [is] its own trouble.”

I believe Jesus is saying that we should not allow these physical concerns like food and clothes to weigh our hearts down, as Solomon also warned in Proverbs 12:25. Jesus isn’t saying that we should not work to provide food and clothing for ourselves and our families. He is saying that the Father is faithful to provide these to us because He cares for us.

Sisters, when we have anxious cares, the Word of God is there to help lift our hearts back to gladness. We can focus on His promises. We can read about the guaranteed victory that is waiting for the faithful. We can focus on the blessings God has provided in the past, recalling the times He has rescued us, provided for us and given us peace even in difficult times. Counting our blessings isn’t just something we sing about. It is also a very effective method of helping to lift a heart that is heavy with anxious cares about things we need.

Sweet sisters, I hope you are not burdened with anxious care today. However, if you are experiencing troubles that are causing you anxiety, please seek wise counsel for help out of your situation, if possible. Please also take it to God in prayer and ask others to pray for you. Please also count your blessings and center yourself in the Word of God and the work of the Holy Spirit. And I pray you will be relieved of the anxiety that is burdening you today.

Prayer:  Father God, sometimes I get anxious about my physical needs or the physical needs of my family and friends. In those times, please help me to remember all you have done for me. In those times, help me to lift my heart with the promises in Your Word. And when my friends or family are experiencing anxious care, please help me to be a comfort to them, lifting their heavy hearts with words of comfort, love and peace. In the name of your Son and my Savior, Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 77 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Lip Service

Proverbs 12:13-14 [ESV] 13 An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, but the righteous escapes from trouble. 14 From the fruit of his mouth a man is satisfied with good, and the work of a man's hand comes back to him.

The book of Proverbs certainly talks a lot about lips – both the proper use and the destructive use of our lips (or mouths).

As a salesperson, I do a lot of talking, introducing myself and the company I work for, explaining what we do, giving presentations about our services, reviewing proposals over the phone and more. I guess you could say that the “fruit of my mouth” is a key factor in providing my income. I am careful to accurately outline the cost of our services and what the software program can and cannot do. If I am not clear, it can cause us to lose an opportunity or create some major problems for existing clients.

How much more important is it for us to speak clearly and accurately about the Gospel message and God’s plan of salvation? How much more important is it that in all our conversations we sew good fruit and do not transgress God’s law or His will?

Of course, God alone does the calling of His children into the flock. However, I must realize that it is possible for my words (in person or on social media) to cause undo concern and work against God’s own efforts in someone’s life – especially if my lips express inaccuracies about the Gospel. It can also be a problem to new believers and potential new believers if my lips spew out sinful things like lies or gossip, or hateful things like name-calling or ugly memes. This is not the example I should be setting.

James warns against the potential conflict between what I say about being a Christian and what my lips put out there into the world. James 3:8-12 [NKJV] 8 But no man can tame the tongue. [It is] an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring send forth fresh [water] and bitter from the same opening? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.

Even though James says “no man can tame the tongue” we know that God, through the Holy Spirit in us can tame our mouths and bring them into His service. Without the intervening of the Holy Spirit taming the human tongue is nearly impossible.

As Christians, our words, our lips were meant to be fruitful for God’s purposes. Let’s be like the righteous in Proverbs 12:13 whose words help us escape from any trouble. Let’s be like the righteous in verse 14 whose words sew good things that can come back to us and satisfy not only our lives with good, but also work the works of God.

Prayer – Lord God, you gave me a mouth to sew good things for my benefit and for the benefit of others. Use my lips today to work good works – to encourage, uplift, speak truth, preach the gospel and anything else that will glorify you and make good use of the mouth you gave me. In Jesus name I ask, acknowledging that He set the example me in using words to glorify you. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 76 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Pursuing What Matters

Proverbs 12:11 [ESV] Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense. ...

When we read about worthless pursuits, let’s not be tempted to think of young people and their video games or Youtube watching. I should consider my own worthless pursuits. In order to examine what might be considered my own worthless pursuits I should think about binging a season of my favorite show in one night. But I should also go deeper.

The definition of what is a “worthless pursuit” can be much more complex and far-reaching than that.

For example, anything not guided or blessed by God – anything not within His will – can be or can become a worthless pursuit.

James 4:13-16 warns us about setting about on any plans not guided by God [ESV] 13 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit"-- 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

While you may not need to pursue God’s will in deciding if you should serve broccoli or green beans for dinner, buy a blue car or a black one, etc., I believe that there’s much more of our lives that could and should be subjected to the “God’s will test”. This is true especially if you and I want to ensure that we don’t pursue something that is worthless. Again, we are defining anything that is not within the will of God for us as being a “worthless” pursuit.

So, we need to search God’s scriptures, lay out our plans to Him via prayer, and seek wise council among trusted advisors before life’s big decisions – like marriage, college, career choices, and volunteering. Volunteering, helping others, is an important component of the Christian walk. But we should ask God, “What should I spend my time doing? Where would you have me serve? Is this the best place, the right place to use the resources and talents you have given me?” before getting involved with a service project. Whether that project is volunteering at women’s shelter, for a church educational program, for a community service project or any other charitable deed.

God has invested each of us with resources, with talents and with 24 hours a day. He gives most of us “three score and 10” (that is 70 years). We should be spending some of that serving others. However, any time, resource or talent we spend that is not spent doing what is within His will can ultimately be a worthless pursuit and a waste of our limited time on the earth.

Sisters, we must filter all potential activities (even those that seem good and worthwhile) through the lens of God’s will. This is the only way to ensure that the time, resources and talents we have are spent on only the most worthy pursuits – pursuits that honor our Father and are done because it is His will that we should do them.

Prayer – Lord God, all that I have you have given me. I seek your guidance today. Show me your will for how I spend my time, resources and talents. Help me spend them on pursuits that are worthy and in line with your will. In Jesus name. Amen

Your thoughts —  

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Day 75 – 90 Days in Proverbs - The Animal Treatment Test

Proverbs 12:10 [ESV] Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.

I am not much of a pet person. I have had pets – everything from goldfish to gerbils to dogs and cats to rabbits and even a pig. But I haven’t had any pets for at least 15 years, in part because my husband is decidedly not a pet person and in part because I travel so much for work that it makes having a pet impractical and potentially unfair to the animal.

Our merciful Father is concerned with the life and well-being of animals. After all, He created them with carefully planned design and purpose too. Animals don’t have the potential of eternal life, but that doesn’t mean God does not care for them.

Matthew 10:29, 31 [NIV] Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care… So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Even though animals do not have a divine purpose, God gave Israel instructions for being kind to animals. For example, we find this in Deuteronomy 25:4 [ESV]: "You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain.

Deuteronomy 22:4 [ESV] You shall not see your brother's donkey or his ox fallen down by the way and ignore them. You shall help him to lift them up again.

Further, God’s instructions to the nation of Israel also included warnings to not let a contentious human relationship cause them to neglect or be cruel to animals.

Exodus 23:5 [ESV] If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him.

As is so often the case, Jesus bridges the gap between instruction to Israel on the humane way to treat animals and a greater spiritual lesson for us. We see this in Matthew 12:10-12 [ESV] And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"--so that they might accuse him. He said to them, "Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."

The Word of God indicates that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she treats the animals in their care. Jesus instructs us to give even more thought to how we treat our fellow man.

Sisters, we should think about this valuation in how we treat our co-workers on the job. It should inform the decisions we make about how to treat our children and what to prioritize in their lives. It should guide how we treat our mates. We should think about it in regards to how we treat the server at that restaurant or the customers, if you are the server at the restaurant. We should think about it before telling a joke or posting a meme or spreading gossip that would hurt someone else (even if that gossip is a fact).

God cares about animals. He takes care of them and He bids us to do the same. In fact, He indicates that one can tell a lot about a person by how they treat the animals in their care.

God requires that we treat each other with loving care in every interaction and to consider the well-being of our fellow man in every decision we make, just as Jesus did.

PRAYER – Father, help me to be kind and caring toward the animals in my care. You created them to serve mankind. Even more important to You, my loving Creator, is how I treat my fellow man. Please help me to treat others with loving care, concerned for their well-being and how my every word or action could impact others for good or evil. Help me to show mercy to others as you have shown mercy to me.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 74 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Stand Up

Proverbs 12:7 [NKJV] The wicked are overthrown and [are] no more, But the house of the righteous will stand.

The word translated “will stand” can mean to endure or it can mean to take a stand. The house of the righteous endures specifically because it is a house that also takes a stand.

We, God’s daughters, are not meant to be silent in this world, nor are we meant to be hidden.

Luke 11:33 [ESV] No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light.

God’s own light, His Spirit, has been given to those of us who give their lives to Him for the express purpose of shining that light into the world. We must then hold that light up high – place it on a stand so that it may be lifted higher and shine out further. No one should be left to wonder if I am a Christian, because the light of God in me should be so obvious that they cannot doubt it.

Often, the best way for others to see God’s light is for them to witness us taking a stand. It may be that I intervene when someone is bullied. It may be that I don’t turn and attack a person who has caused me trouble with gossip or back-biting at work, but instead praise and support that person – show them good in return for evil. It may be that I return a soft answer when faced with wrath, or that I risk my job to keep the Sabbath or Holy Days.

Whether in small opportunities or large ones, we must always take a stand on the side of God. As we take a stand, in opportunities both large and small, we build something.

Knowing that Jesus is, and must always be, the foundation of what we build, 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 [NKJV] tells us: 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation [with] gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone's work which he has built on [it] endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

When we take a stand for good in this life, when we stand up for God’s ways no matter what we may lose in the process, be build a house of good works. That house of good works we do in this life will stand in the minds of others long after we are gone from this life. It will stand with God, too, in His heart and in eternal rewards for what we have built with His light in us.

Sisters, the children of God take a stand for good, thereby shedding His light into the world and building a history of glorifying God that will stand long past our time on this earth.

PRAYER: Father God, help me to take a stand for you today – a stand for good and against evil; a stand for love and against hate; a stand for peace in a world where there is none; a stand for hope in a world that needs it so much. Lord, I will stand up for you, for your ways, for your Word and for your Son. Show me how and give me always the strength to take a stand so that my house can endure.

Your thoughts —  

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Day 73 – 90 Days in Proverbs - The Mind-Mouth Connection

Proverbs 12:5-6 [ESV] The thoughts of the righteous are just; the counsels of the wicked are deceitful. 6 The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, but the mouth of the upright delivers them.

This isn’t the only place in the Word of God where we see a connection between thoughts and words. One scripture that I often repeat to God in prayer is the request of the psalmist found in Psalms 19:14 [ESV] Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

If you’ve ever read about having a positive attitude and speaking of things “as though they already are” then you may want your prayer to be phrased this way: Psalms 49:3 [ESV] My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.

Whichever you choose, please notice that the good or the bad begins long before the words come out. We have this admonition in Proverbs so that we know that we need to change our thoughts in order to direct our words. And we have these examples in the Psalms so that we understand that the way to change our words and ensure they are words of love and peace and edification is to change our hearts and minds first.

As with so many changes required of Christians, what we really need is not to adapt our existing minds but to exchange them for the mind of God.

Our carnal minds are naturally very far from the mind of God. Isaiah 55:8-9 [NKJV] 8 "For My thoughts [are] not your thoughts, Nor [are] your ways My ways," says 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.

What kind of thoughts does God have? Well, here is an often quoted example that sums it up nicely: Jeremiah 29:11 [NKJV] For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Peace. Future. Hope. These are the thoughts of God.

Our thoughts can become aligned with God’s. Philippians 2:5 [KJV] commands us: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: We need to exchange our human, carnal minds for the mind of Christ. This is the work of the Holy Spirit in us.

Once we exchange our human, natural way of thinking for the mind of Christ, our words will become aligned with His as well. Luke 6:45 [NKJV] puts it this way: A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. When heart and mind are aligned with God, then godly speech comes out of us.

Sweet sisters, I pray that our thoughts will be aligned with the Father’s – with those of Jesus – becoming thoughts of hope, peace and future and that our conversations are filled with talk of hope, of peace and of the beautiful future that God offers all of us.

PRAYER: Father God, with Jesus Christ at your right hand, today I ask that you exchange my carnal, human mind for Jesus’ own mind. Exchange my human heart for a godly one – a heart of love. And lead my words to flow from my new heart and mind so that they glorify you and edify others. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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DAY 72 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Crown Jewels

PROVERBS 12:4 [KJV] 4 A virtuous woman [is] a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed [is] as rottenness in his bones.

The word “virtuous” here is the same word used to begin the praise of the Proverbs 31 woman.

In the NIV puts it like this: A wife of noble character is her husband's crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.

Here, again, the writer uses contrast, as he often does, to show the results of opposite choices in behavior. It is very important for Christian wives to understand how our behavior impacts our families. It is important for Christian husbands to appreciate the great value of a wife of good character. However, since each believer is a part of the bride of Christ, it is even more important that we all (women and men) understand and think about how our daily behavior impacts Jesus.

Am I, by word and deed, a crown to my Savior or do I cause Him disappointment that feels like sickness in His bones? If people know that I am a Christian, my behavior reflects on my Savior, either for the good or for the bad.

The Hebrew word translated “makes ashamed,” according to the Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon, is more than just a slight embarrassment. Gesenius says, “the origin should not apparently be sought in the idea of blushing, but rather in that of paleness and terror.”

This proverb is cautioning against making the High Priest at the right hand of the Father, the One who came to earth, lived the perfect example of virtuous character and then died for me, more than a little worried for us. This proverb cautions me against making my Savior worried to the point of being, metaphorically, sick at heart.

Have you ever had a friend, child or even acquaintance do something that made you “sick at your stomach?” I have. I’ve also done things that, looking back on them later, in a repentant attitude and seeing those words or deeds in a different light, made me sick at my stomach.

We don’t need to worry that the Father won’t forgive us, or that Jesus’ blood will not cover us, for anything we do. All repentance results in forgiveness. But I should be considering if I am acting or speaking like a crown jewel of which my Savior may be proud or if I am hurting Him “down into His bones.”

Sisters, we are meant to be jewels in His crown. So, let’s think ahead before speaking or acting, and ask how this will affect our future Husband, Jesus. Let us plan our words and deeds so they enhance His crown with the jewels of kind words and loving actions, rather than the stomach churning opposite behavior. Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to help us in our goal to be crown jewels.

PRAYER: Father God, I know my words and deeds have impact on the lives of those around me. Please help me to remember that they are also either making you and Jesus proud or causing you distress. Help me to choose to be a crown jewel at every moment of every day. Thank you for the Holy Spirit that helps me make the right choices. Fill me with your Holy Spirit so that I will always make you and Jesus proud. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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DAY 71 –90 Days in Proverbs - Disciplined

Proverbs 12:1 [NIV] Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates correction is stupid.

Do you like people to be direct? Well, the author really “tells it like it is” in this passage: if you hate correction, you are stupid.

As far as I can tell, there isn’t a lot of difference between the Hebrew word translated as “discipline” (Discipline, chastening, correction) and the one translated “correction.” (Rebuke, correction, reproof, punishment, chastisement.) Solomon isn’t talking about loving or hating some more gentle application like instruction or education. The words he selected are clear – we have to come to love being corrected.

The thing is, does anyone really love discipline, being chastised or correction? I don’t know of anyone who does. We may be able to learn to appreciate correction, even if it doesn’t come naturally. Solomon makes it clear that if I truly love knowledge, I must learn love discipline.

As Christians, we have the goal of becoming more like Jesus Christ, living as He lived, loving as He loved, walking as He walked when He was on the earth. If I cannot come to at least appreciate correction as a necessary part of Christian growth, I’d basically be saying that there is nothing wrong in me as I am. I’d be claiming that I never make bad decisions. I will admit that I cannot claim either as true.

The Word of God is our guide, our instruction book. The Holy Spirit leads and urges us to do what is right. Still, we sin. And when that happens, we will be corrected. Sometimes it is gentle correction by the Holy Spirit. Sometimes it is private correction from reading the Bible.

Sometimes chastisement comes through a sermon, were I may feel the preacher is speaking directly to me, but no one else knows it. This can be difficult to swallow if we think of that preacher as a sinner who needs to “take his own medicine.” I find these easier to handle private correction than other ways that God might correct me.

The toughest to handle? When God sends a friend, family member, mate or brother in Christ to directly correct me, or worse, someone publically corrects me. In the instance of David’s sin with Bathsheba, where he didn’t just commit adultery but also murdered her husband, David received very public correction and discipline. [2 Samuel 11-12] Not only did Nathan, the prophet, publically chastise David in his court, but David’s son died and, later, one of his other sons publically slept with one of David’s wives. Ouch.

Proverbs 15:10 goes as far as to say, Harsh discipline is for him who forsakes the way, and he who hates correction will die. We all want gentle correction, don’t we? But God will use harsh discipline if we need it.

No matter how chastisement happens to us, we must learn to react like David always did – admitting the sin/wrong, seeking forgiveness, asking for mercy, but ultimately accepting any punishment God levied. Nathan was just another human being with a role to play as a servant of God. I’m sure David knew Nathan was a sinner too, but he realized the correction came from God and that he deserved it.

This is the key to learning to love correction, disciple and chastisement: to understand that it all comes from God.

2 Timothy 3:16 [NIV] tells us, All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correction and training in righteousness, so that the servant may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. If we seek to be God’s children and our lives are focused on becoming more like Jesus and the Father, we must learn to seek His discipline in the Bible. We must learn to love and accept the correction God sends to us. Whether He uses a sermon, a person, the Holy Spirit or the Bible, we must be open to correction. As we come to love and accept it in all its forms and formats.

Sweet sisters, ultimately, the goal of correction is to change us into people who need less correcting. That is at least something to love about it.

PRAYER: Father God, I don’t love correction, chastisement and discipline yet, but I do want to be more like you. Please send me correction and discipline whenever I need it, but please be gentle and merciful with me as I seek to grow more like Jesus every day. In His name I pray. Amen

Your thoughts —  

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DAY 70 – 90 Days in Proverbs - Make Good Choices

Today’s text is PROVERBS 12:1-28. I’m not going to read all 28 verses to you this morning, but do suggest that, if you have time, you read it through.

Each verse of chapter 12 of Proverbs uses the tool of comparing and contrasting to differentiate between good behavior or good choices and wrong behavior or wrong choices, including the results of each choice. We’ll dive into some of them specifically over the next few days. However, an overview of the entire chapter is helpful to get a sense of what Solomon is trying to say with all this comparing/contrasting.

Interestingly, Solomon seems to have three areas of focus: what we say, what we do and how we feel. With this, he covers all aspects of the human existence in 28 verses.

As you read through the chapter, you will probably note, as I did, that he does not talk about eternal reward or eternal punishment. Nor does he say, “you should do this” or “you should not do that.” Instead he mostly just points out the differences between the bad behavior or bad choice and the good - doing what God hates versus what He delights in, and how it impacts our lives in the “here and now.”

outlines that good behavior results in good things in this life, while bad choices provide negative results in this life.  But sometimes he just defines good choices and bad choices without giving any results.

As parents, we often do the same with our children, don’t we? We say, “If you study hard, you will make good grades” or “If you eat your vegetables, you will grow big and strong” or “If you don’t feed your goldfish it will die” – pointing out the results of choices. We point out that choices, good or bad, have consequences in the here and now.

Something to think about as we read through this chapter is that not all bad choices have eternal results. If, after killing an animal you hunted for, you are then too lazy to cook it, you will go hungry (as outlined in verse 27) – that’s a fact. But it does not result in eternal condemnation.

God is interested in us having a good life now, not just a beautiful, eternal future. Deuteronomy 30:16 [MSG] says to “Love God, your God. Walk in His ways. Keep His commandments, regulations, and rules so that you will live, really live, live exuberantly, blessed by God, your God.” The choices we make have an effect the quality of our lives now.

There will be times in our lives when time and chance, the bad choices of others, and other external factors that you and I cannot control will negatively impact our lives, of course However, the Father wants us to understand that we do have a role to play in establishing how happy, healthy, successful and satisfied we are in the years we live on this earth.

My younger sister told me that when she dropped her children off at school each day, the last things she said to them was, “Make good choices!” Reading through Proverbs 12 seems to say the same, but also follows, in most verses, with the consequences of doing so or not.

Sisters, good choices in even the decisions of everyday life – how to act, what to say, how we think – don’t always impact our eternal future. Sometimes they just make life better, or worse, today. Make good choices.

PRAYER: Father, each day is made up of many choices, small and large, that impact my life today. While You are both focused on my eternal future, I know that You also care about my life each day. Help me to make the choices that better the life within my control today- things like my health, my job, my overall happiness – so that I can enjoy this life, even as I prepare for the future in Your Kingdom. Thank you for your words of wisdom throughout the Bible, which guide me in all my day-to-day choices. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. 

Your thoughts —  

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DAY 69 – 90 Days in Proverbs - You Get What You Look For

Proverbs 11:27 [RSV] He who diligently seeks good seeks favor, but evil comes to him who searches for it.

There is an old rock song by the Rolling Stones that says, “You can't always get what you want, But if you try sometimes you might find, you get what you need.”

Proverbs 11:27 tells me just the opposite. It says that I will get what I look for, whether that is seeking good or searching for evil.

Looking at the definitions of the Hebrew words translated seek and search gives us some additional insight. The word translated “seeks” in the phrase “seeks favor” means to seek early, earnestly or diligently.

But the word translated “searches”, speaking of the one searching for evil, means “to tread or beat a path, or frequent.” This paints a better picture of what is going on here. The person seeking evil isn’t just casually looking around to see if there is any bad to be had – he is really working at it – going again and again to the places when you can find evil to the point of wearing down a path toward it.

Proverbs 11:27 is describing someone whose goal and focus is to find evil or, as it is translated in the King James Version: “mischief.” Trouble isn’t finding this person, she is doing her best to find it.

But, what about the early part of the verse “He who diligently seeks good; seeks favor.”? What do the root words tell us about this persons efforts?

The Hebrew word translated “diligently seeks” means “to be up early at a task.” The word translated “procures” means “searches after, strives for” and the word translated “favor” means “to be pleasing, acceptable, approved.” Perhaps you, like me, are up early in the day on most days, spending time searching for what is pleasing or acceptable to God by praying or reading the Bible or meditating on God’s word.

It’s okay if you do this late in the day instead. The implication is that it is a priority to this person to seek to be pleasing or approved in the same way that the other person is seeking mischief or evil.

So far we have addressed seeking to do good or to do evil. This Proverb reminds me of a folk tale that goes like this:

A traveler came upon an old farmer hoeing in his field beside the road. Eager to rest his feet, the wanderer hailed the countryman, who seemed happy enough to straighten his back and talk for a moment.

"What sort of people live in the next town?" asked the stranger.

"What were the people like where you've come from?" replied the farmer, answering the question with another question.

"They were a bad lot. Troublemakers all, and lazy too. The most selfish people in the world, and not a one of them to be trusted. I'm happy to be leaving the scoundrels."

"Is that so?" replied the old farmer. "Well, I'm afraid that you'll find the same sort in the next town.

Disappointed, the traveler trudged on his way, and the farmer returned to his work.

Some time later another stranger, coming from the same direction, hailed the farmer, and they stopped to talk. "What sort of people live in the next town?" he asked.

"What were the people like where you've come from?" replied the farmer once again.

"They were the best people in the world. Hard working, honest, and friendly. I'm sorry to be leaving them."

"Fear not," said the farmer. "You'll find the same sort in the next town."

Whether you seek to do good, or seek to find good in people, you will succeed. Whether you seek to do evil, or seek to find bad in people, you will succeed.

When it comes to wanting favor or wanting mischief, finding good in others or seeing them as bad, sorry Mr. Jagger, you CAN get want you want. In fact, you can count on it.

Sisters, keep striving for good and to see the good in others. You will find it.

PRAYER: Lord God, help me to be careful what I am seeking for – to seek to be pleasing to You and always make You my priority. Help me to work at it as a thresher works at releasing the kernel of wheat. Your scripture is there for me to thresh out the good from it. Thank you for that. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Your thoughts —  

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