Proverbs - Considering with Awe

Proverbs 30:18-19

There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:

The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.

Here the writer is musing over things we should take time to consider.  The flight of an eagle in the air brings the writer to a place of awe.  He sees wonder in it.  Have you seen such a flight?  The stately wings, the determined course and the quietness of flight, should instruct us all in the creative abilities of our wonderful God!

A serpent moving without any feet shows the intricate design God built into its frame to allow such a creature to make its way stealthily through its environment.  A stately vessel loaded with cargo can not only float but cut through the sea in a determined manner usually reserved for living creatures that reside in its depths. 

Then the way of a man with a maid causes the write to stop and give up his intellectual grasp.  There is something so sweet about an innocent courtship designed to lead to marriage and a lifelong commitment.  This too brought a great deal of amazement to the writer.

Such wonder and amazement all of these things bring!  This section of verses challenges us to take in our surroundings and be amazed!  Ask the Lord to open your eyes to see His glory throughout the day.   Enjoy Him in His creation.  Enjoy Him in your relationships.  Have a childlike wonderment and never cease discovery.  Forsake the need to grasp and embrace the opportunity to wonder. 

Knowing God - The Lord Will Speak to Men

Jer 4:3

      

 For thus saith the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.

The Lord Will Speak to Men

In the process of warning His people, the Lord specifically speaks to the men.  He tells them to break up their fallow ground and not to plant among thorns.  The Lord decided on gender and He knows the roles we each play in His plan.  Men are crucial to the flow of His will in the church and in the home.  Men need prayers and men need to take their roles very seriously.  Many of the New Testament commands and directives are made specifically for men.  It is important for the men of God to be in tune with His voice and respond in zealous obedience at the whisper of His leading.  If you are a gal, take some time to pray for the men of your church, family and country.  If you are a man, be sure to respond quickly and dutifully to all He tells you.  The Lord will speak to men.

Knowing God - The Lord's Requirements

1 Tim 3:6

 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

The Lord Cares About His Servants

                                                                  

This is one of the things that the Lord tells us an elder/pastor should not be.  He is not to be new in the things of the Lord and in ministry.  The Lord warns that position without experience can cause pride.  He lets us know that pride can lift us up and makes us vulnerable for the devil to come in and start condemning us once we find out that position is difficult and filled with traps our adversary sets for us.  We learn from this verse that the Lord has qualifications for different things.  We learn that God knows what we can handle and what we can’t handle.  We have a God who has reasons for waiting to use us in certain ways.  What a wonderful God.  He doesn’t just care about the job getting done but He cares about those who are working for Him.  I am so glad that promotion comes from the Lord and when I am passed over for some sort of position I can trust that the Lord has my best interest in mind.

Proverbs - Lack of Satisfaction

Proverbs 30:15-17

The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough: The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough. The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.

Here are things that the Lord says will never be satisfied.  They just keep feeling like they need more.  The grave continues to consume the next life, every day and every minute.  The barren womb, though the mother may be settled, will yet sense a lack of experience she may always have anticipated.  The earth continues to need water over and over and fires can burn forever given the right fuel sources and conditions.  When someone mocks their father or does not obey their mother, they will start a pattern that demands greater defiance and disrespect.  We can learn a few things from this section of scripture.

Every death leaves people with a sense of needing closure and we should let them thirst and cry out for the comfort they need.  We should be sensitive to those who are unable to bear children realizing the sense of loss they appropriately feel.  We shouldn’t be lazy in taking care of our gardens and yards, knowing they need consistent watering.  We should handle fire cautiously knowing it can consume anything in its path and we should nip any mocking or disobedience we find in our children.  

Knowing God - God is Known in the Victory

1 Sam 17:46

….. that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

David was telling Goliath that he was going to be killed and the reason was that all the earth would know that there is a God in Israel.  God wanted everyone to know that He was in Israel.  He not only wanted the Philistines to know this, but ALL the earth.  This victory was for Israel to recognize God’s presence in their lives as well as their enemies.  Oftentimes we, as God’s people, can forget that God is in our midst.  Goliaths can intimidate us but Goliaths may be in our lives not just to show the enemy who God is, but so show us who God is.  The Lord wants to use the battles and victories in our lives to remind us that He is in our midst.  Have you paused after a victory and stood in awe of your God?  Have you ever seen a ‘Goliath’ slain and been humbled at seeing the Lord fight on your behalf?  This victory was intended for ALL the earth to know this.  You and I learn about God this many years later when we read this recorded victory.  Lord, use the battles in our lives to remind us of Your presence.

Proverbs - Sharp Teeeth

Proverbs 30:14

There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.

There are people who look at others only as a means of gain.  They can see the desperate conditions some are living in and take advantage of this to make money.  They want to make these people the source of their food and devour them with their plans.  They may put liquor stores in depressed areas or deal drugs where lifestyles are full of pain and emptiness.  They may offer prostitution jobs to the young girl alone and hungry or hire the illegal immigrant for slaves' wages seeing their hunger and need.  In an evolution based society there is nothing wrong with this sort of strategy.  Darwin was clear that the fit should survive and the weak are to be taken advantage of.  We should not be surprised that the generation around us may in fact be doing such things because they do not believe in the value of the individual created by and in the image of God.  It will grieve us.  It should grieve us.  Let us pity the poor and seek to help them.  Let us show the needy that Christ desires to be their Shepherd in and through the things they face.  Let us never be like this generation that treats the downcast as a means for gain.

Knowing God - God Gives Boldness

Acts 4:13

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

Jesus gives us boldness.  It is not the credentials of a well educated theologian that gives boldness.  It is not the number of years that we have named the name of Christ that gives us boldness.  It is not the well rehearsed orations when challenged that gives us boldness.  It is Jesus Himself that gives us boldness.  Spending time with Him gives us a boldness and surety that no other form of preparation can give.  Our Lord Jesus awaits our fellowship and gives us confidence when we spend time with Him.  As He speaks to us and listens to us a relationship is established that transcends all other commitments and loyalties.  When we spend time with Jesus, a fortitude and resolve resonates from our lives enough to make others notice.  Jesus gives this sort of boldness and only His presence has such power.

Proverbs - Lofty Eyes

Proverbs 30:13

There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.

Lofty eyes are never good.  Lofty eyes exemplify eyes that look down on others.  Lofty eyes show pride and arrogance.  When a generation raises their eyebrows when their morality is challenged, we see a generation that does what is right in their own eyes.  Oh that we would show the world how humility produces honor and being corrected is a way of life!  Once again we are warned that the world around us really looks down on others although proclaiming tolerance.  Three are those who speak arrogantly against authority and are actually surprised when their actions are judge wrong or illegal.  We will see this more and more as we see the day approaching.  Our goal is to avoid this type of attitude and display a teachable spirit resulting in a much sweeter way of living.

Knowing God - He Blinds Eyes

2 Kings 6:18

 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

                                                                  

We learn so much about our God through the great events in the Word of God.  It is much safer to read the Word and discover who the Lord is rather than think on our own and decide who He is.  Here we see that the God who opened Elisha’s servant’s eyes is the same God who blinded the enemies of His people.  Our God is able to do both and He will lead us to request the right thing at the right time.  Our God is able to blind the enemy in much the same way as He blinded Pharaoh’s army from seeing the Israelites that one night at the border of the Red Sea.  What a great thing to ask Him to do.  Lord, blind the enemies of our children that they might not come into their lives.  Lord, blind the enemy from my marriage and finances.  Lord, blind the enemy from being able to set such strategic traps before me today.  Our God opens eyes and our God blinds eyes!

Proverbs - Pure in Your Own Eyes

Proverbs 30:12

There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.

Our heart is deceitfully wicked and we must understand our assessment of ourselves is not to be trusted.  We live in a society that decides what is right by their own understanding and desires.  People think they are clean but in fact are quite dirty.  When we talk to such people we must realize that they are carrying around the stench of their sin and we know that it is the blood of Jesus that can wash them white as snow.  The blessing of a clean conscience is something those who are yet dead in their sins do not know.  The weight of guilt is something they have never been relieved of.  We can tell them what Christ has done on their behalf.  They can enjoy the cleansing and forgiving.  When we see others we should know that regardless of whether they think they are clean, they are not.  We can pray for that Hollywood star.  We can write a letter to that politician or to that professor letting them know what their Maker has done for them.  Don’t be surprised at how people will say that they are clean when the truth is they are in the miry clay of human sin and consequences.

Knowing God - God Opens Eyes

2 Kings 6:17

And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

When this young man looked around he was very afraid.  The enemy far outnumbered him and Elisha.  Elisha could see things that this young man couldn’t.  How often we can see things those younger than us can’t!  Elisha asked the Lord to open this young man’s eyes to see the heavenly realm.  The Lord answered Elisha’s prayers and opened the young man’s eyes to see the strength and assistance the Lord was providing.  Our God is able to open the eyes of those we love that are full of fear.  Our God is able to open the eyes of those younger than us to see His glory and might.  God loves to open eyes that they might see.  The Lord opens eyes that might otherwise remain closed to all that He is doing.

Proverbs - Children and Parents

Proverbs 30:11

There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.

There has never been another generation closer to the second coming of Jesus Christ than those who are living now.  The Lord tells us in Second Timothy 3:1-2 :

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,”

Children have always had to learn obedience.  We know that foolishness is bound up in a heart of a child and they must be instructed in the way that they SHOULD go because they naturally go towards their fallen nature without such instruction.  In the last days the severity of disobedience will be such that children will curse their fathers and not bless their mothers.  As parents in these times we ought not take the attitudes of our children personally but rather prepare ourselves to fight with spiritual weapons on behalf of this generation.  When we hear news reports of children who actually murder their parents, we should stop and ask the Lord to pour out His Spirit upon this generation.  So many fathers have forsaken their children and mothers have pursued their own goals at the expense of their children.   This results in children who react with such despair that it results in cursing and a lack of natural bonding.  Oh Lord, help us as mothers to not be deceived and contribute in any way to our children cursing their father or not blessing us.  Give us compassion on the children who are cursing their fathers and use us to show them what a good Father you are. 

Knowing God - The Lord Gives Sentences

Jer 4:12

 Even a full wind from those places shall come unto me: now also will I give sentence against them.

The Lord Gives Sentences

                                                                  

Jeremiah was going to give a sentence or judgment from God to His people regarding their actions.  Our God is the One who has every right to pronounce judgment on us.  He will tell us what is right and He will tell us what is wrong.  It is not up to our own standards or the society in which we live.  God is the Judge and it is He that determines whether things are sin, compromise or idolatry.  I fear our culture encourages believers to inwardly determine their own standards.  It is God, who reigns on high that determines what grieves His heart and creates winds that parch and trouble our lives.  We are the created ones.  He is the Creator.  It is the Lord who says what sexual sin is, what gossip is and every other form of sin that Christ died for.  Have we become so arrogant that we think our own understanding is to be that which determines righteousness?  Be open to the Lord’s sentencing.  Listen to the Jeremiahs in your life.  Our God is worthy and alone judges righteously.

Proverbs - Don't Accuse

Proverbs 30:10

Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.

Our brothers and sisters in Christ are servants to the Lord Jesus Christ.  We ought not accuse them to their master.  They answer to the master and it is not our place to come before Him in prayer complaining about those He has around us.  Do you remember Martha and her attitude towards Mary?   She actually went to the Lord and told Him what to tell Mary to do.  Every servant answers to their own master.  When we bring servants before the Lord, let us not accuse them but rather praise the Lord for them.  Let us bring their needs and requests before the Lord.  Let us intercede for them, but let us never accuse them.

Knowing God - He Does NOT Deceive

Jer 4:10

Then said I, Ah, Lord God! surely thou hast greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall have peace; whereas the sword reacheth unto the soul.

The Lord is NOT a Deceiver

                                                                  

Jeremiah was a prophet of God.  He heard the Lord speak to him and yet came to the Lord and concluded at this point that the Lord was deceiving His people.  Why would Jeremiah do this?  It might have been because the promises of peace and restoration were not going to happen until after great discipline and chastening.  Jeremiah had heard both the promises and warnings but somehow only remembered the words of comfort and redemption.

Sometimes we may conclude the wrong thing about God because His promises may not happen in the manner of timing we would prefer.  God is not a deceiver.  God is truth and God is light.  Our God is faithful and our God says what He means and means what He says.  His timing and His ways are His domain.  We dare not tell the Lord He has deceived us because things aren’t happening in the way we thought they should have.  Hold on to His promises because He is a God of truth.  He has not deceived you nor will He ever.

Proverbs - Consider the Answer to Your Prayers

Proverbs 30:7-9

Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die: Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches;

feed me with food convenient for me:

Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.

This is a precious prayer of a servant of God.  He is asking the Lord to remove from him empty things and lies.  He doesn’t want his mind filled with lies nor his life filled with empty pursuits.  He doesn’t want to be a person who has his identity in his financial status.  He is hoping for middle ground that would lead him to be content and protect him from sinning against the Lord.  When we pray and ask the Lord for things how many times do we consider what would produce maturity in us?  It would be a healthy take on our prayer time to bring different answers up before Him, considering what sorts of temptations they might bring into our lives.  The prudent man will foresee evil and hide himself

Knowing God - The Lord Justifies

Isa 50:8

 He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.

The Lord Justifies

The Lord is the One who justifies us.  He decides what is right and He decides what is wrong.  If people think we are wrong and the Lord says we are justified in our actions, we are justified.  If people say we are justified in what we do but the Lord says it is wrong, it is wrong.  When others contend with us and challenge us, it is of the upmost importance to be in a place where we have sought God’s judgment on the matter.  When others oppose us and God says we are justified in what we do, we can gently forgive and resist the opposition and not be so easily shaken or confused.  The Lord wants our lives to be lives that He builds according to His leading and laws.  We will not suffer needless self doubt when we have sought the Lord on a matter and are walking in obedience to Him.

Proverbs - His Word is a Shield

Proverbs 30:5-6

Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

What a wonderful thing to know!  EVERY word of God is true!  I can count on His Word through and through.  He is a shield for us as we trust in him.  He will go between us and anything that would want to harm us.  By knowing His Word we are protected.  By believing what He says we are covered.  We are warned though not to add to his words.  Most of us wouldn’t go around writing a new book of the bible and trying to publish it, but we may do it another way.  We may read something and insert certain conditions that are not there.  We may read a promise of God and impose our own opinion of whether it applies to us.  His word is pure and we must be cautious to not contaminate it with our own opinions and perspectives.  

Knowing God - His Voice Produces Stable Ground

Gen 1:9

 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

The Lord’s Voice Produces Stable Ground

When God created the earth as we know it, He spoke things into being and He spoke things into placement.  God’s Word was used to create and establish boundaries.  The words of God moved the waters into one place and allowed the dry land to appear making inhabitable places for man He was to create.  God’s Word still has this power and authority today.  He can speak to those things in our lives that, like the waters, may be covering things that have great potential and the ability to cultivate and enjoy.  When we place ourselves in His Word, whether by individual reading and studying or with other believers under pastoral teacher, we invite God to speak to things in our lives and make them take their proper place.  Our lives can be so overwhelmed by the waters of responsibility, affliction or other floods of events that we may find ourselves drifting and unable to stand.  The Word of God will move those things over in our perspective of reality enabling us to stand and look at them without being drowned or moved by them.

Proverbs - Do You Know Him?

Proverbs 30:4

Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?

The author of this chapter goes from his own inadequacies to the complete adequacy of God.  The most important truths we can hold on to involve who we know we are and who we know God to be.  We see that the Lord is in the heights of life and the lows of life.  We see that He can handle the wind as well as the sea.  We see that He knows all boundaries and determined them.  His name is Jehovah and His Son is Jesus Christ.  How wonderful to see the wisdom of God, Jesus Christ, exalted in the midst of the proverbs even before he came in the flesh!  Truly as we learn these wise sayings, it is absolutely important that we remember that Christ Himself was made unto us the wisdom of God.  

Knowing God - He Will Help Us Use Our Emotions

Jer 31:16

Thus saith the Lord; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.

                                                                                               

The Lord is telling Jeremiah to stop crying.  Jeremiah often wept at the state of God’s people and the unnecessary trials and devastation they went through due to their neglect of the covenant they had with the Lord.  Here the Lord is saying that there is a time to stop crying and look forward with confidence that they will return to Him.  There is a time to cry and there is a time to mourn.  The Lord will tell us when these responses are good and appropriate.  Perhaps you are weeping when you should praise.  Perhaps you might be crying when you are supposed to be standing in confidence.  Listen to your God.  He has made our emotions and He knows what sort of expression is appropriate and beneficial for the situation you are facing.  Our God is a God who can counsel us even when we should weep and when we ought not.

Proverbs - The Humility of Wisdom

Proverbs 30:1-3

The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal, Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man. I neither learned wisdom,

nor have the knowledge of the holy.

As this gentleman begins to give counsel he places himself in a place of humility.  He establishes that he is not going to draw on any inner conclusions he himself has come up with because, in his own nature, he has nothing to give.  It is always good to establish the fact that the advice we would give someone else is not from our own resources but derived from the Lord and His word.  This is not false humility.  It is a statement that helps the person listening to turn their attention to the Lord and not depend on the counsel of man.

Knowing God - The Lord Opens Eyes

2 Kings 6:17

And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

The Lord Opens Eyes

Elisha could see something that the young man couldn’t.  How often the ‘young men’ in our lives can’t see what we may see.  Instead of trying to persuade the young man to see it, Elisha prayed.  Then, the Lord opened the eyes of the young man and he saw.  Our God is able to open eyes to see things that they couldn’t see before.  He illuminates perspectives and spotlights things that are often hidden in the shadows of distraction and deceit.  The Lord heard Elisha’s prayer for this young man and He will hear ours as we ask Him to open the eyes of those we love.  What a faithful and personal God we serve.  May He open our eyes and those around us to all that He is and is doing in our lives! 

Proverbs - Repulsion

Proverbs 29:27

An unjust man is an abomination to the just:

and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked.

Here we see the contrast between two groups of people.  The just man is an abomination to the wicked and the wicked man is an abomination to the just.  An abomination is something that is detested.  Light and darkness don’t dwell together.  There is a built in repelling factor.  Those who are born of God will sense a great chasm between themselves and those who are yet under the sway of the wicked one.  Those who are yet dead in sins often disdain those who are walking in the light because their deeds become exposed as evil.  This conflict is acceptable and not personal.  If we understand this we won’t confuse the natural repulsion we have with wickedness and yet seek to love the person committing such acts.  We are not to have fellowship with the world.  Our fellowship is with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.  Our fellowship is with those who are born of God and like-minded in Him.  Don’t be overly concerned if you feel far away from those who surround you and yet not know Christ.  Love them and accept the repulsion for wickedness itself.

Knowing God - He Has Set His Word Before Us

Dan 9:10

Neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.

The voice of the Lord is equated with the laws He set before His people through His messengers.  Do you need to hear His voice? Read His Word aloud.  Do you need His voice to reassure you that you are going in the right direction?  Do what His written Word says.  Do you need to hear His voice calm you and comfort you?  Take His Word into your heart and value His written Word’s promises.  Do you need to have His voice give you direction?  Observe what His written Word says you should do.  The voice of the Lord is set before us and beckons us to walk in the direction from which we hear it.  We hear His voice through the voice of those He has sent.  

Proverbs - What Does the Lord Think?

Proverbs 29:26

Many seek the ruler's favour; but every man's judgment cometh from the Lord.

Sometimes we look to people to tell us whether we are doing a good job or not.  We could expect our husband’s approval or a friend’s warm response but it is much better to go before the Lord and get His judgment of the matter.  How do we get this judgment?  One way is to lie in bed at night and review the day before the Lord is prayer.  Bring our relationships and responsibilities before Him and seek His evaluation.  A scripture might come to mind regarding a situation.  This is God speaking.  It could be a verse that affirms and approves or one that rebukes and corrects.  It could be a verse that directs us for the next day or maybe we might just sense the Holy Spirit grieving or the mind of Christ approving.   We can pray after a task or ministry and ask the Lord to reveal His judgment on it.  Remember not to just listen for what you might have done wrong but be open to His joy and gladness over your works.  He is a good Father and good fathers give lots of praise and encouragement. 

Knowing God - He Disciplines Us with Hope

Gen 3:23

 Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

                                                             

The Lord sent Adam from the garden He had created for him to a different land where he was going to establish a new garden.  Although Adam lost out on a garden already prepared by the Lord for him, the Lord was giving Adam an opportunity to start over.  Our God is a God who disciplines us because He is a great father.  Although He deals with us, He deals with us with mercy.  He gives us the resources and opportunities to do things right.  Adam could have focused on the banishment and not set out to start over but the Lord wasn’t through with Adam yet.  When the Lord deals with us we must remember that the consequences we face are always accompanied with mercies and new beginnings.  Our God loves to show Himself as a God who, not only deals with our sin by inevitable consequences but will be with us as we start over even if takes more work than it could have.  Our God doesn’t just send us away from certain blessings we might have remained in had we not sinned, but to a new place where we can still enjoy His fellowship and presence regardless of where we end up.                                                       

Proverbs - Being Concerned About What They Think of You

Proverbs 29:25

The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.

A snare is a trap set to catch prey.  It is intended to trap the prey for the kill or abduction.  When we have the fear of man we can get entangled and trapped.  When we are concerned about pleasing people we will not be able to walk freely in what God wants us to do.  The opposite of the fear of man is putting our trust in the Lord. We need to trust the Lord and not worry about what other people think so that we can be free to make the progress God has for us.  Oh Lord, take away the fear of man from us that we might not be snared but be free to follow you.

Knowing God - God is a Residence

Ps 90:1

Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.

The Lord is not just a God we connect WITH, but a God we can run INTO.  He has been a dwelling place for all generations.  He has been available for everyone to go into and live and move and have their very existence IN Him.  The place in which we dwell is to be considered home, safe and the place from which we gain fortitude and positioning.  The Lord, Himself, is to be that dwelling place.  We are not to visit God as if He were a distant relative we see on certain holidays or if we happen to be in the vicinity of their dwelling place.  We must dwell in the Lord.  Move in and stay there.  Explore every room.  Enjoy every square inch and find that His love and ways are unsearchable.  We will never exhaust the discoveries of His great love, wisdom and companionship.  Oh Lord, be the dwelling place for us and our children as You have been for every generation!

Proverbs - Friends that Steal

Proverbs 29:24

Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul:

he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not.

This verse is telling us that being friends with someone who steals can put you in a difficult situation.  You might hear his plans to commit a crime and won’t speak up when there is an investigation.  You bring on yourself torment and a moral dilemma by being exposed to wicked and evil plans and then having to reconcile betraying your friendship.  The book of Proverbs is primarily written to young people.  This particular warning is about the type of company one keeps.  We should pray that our children do not hang around thieves or find themselves privy to information too heavy for them to process.

Knowing God - He is Focused and Faithful

Mark 3:2

 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.

The people were watching Jesus to see if He would heal a man on the Sabbath.  They were not watching to see if this man would be blessed.  They were not watching in order to see the power of God.  They were watching that they might accuse him.  Jesus continued doing what He was called to do regardless of what the people around Him were going to do in response.  Jesus wasn’t steered by the motivations or judgments of others.  Jesus was focused on pleasing the Father and loving people.  He was not concerned about His reputation in the light of those who were figuring Him out.  The Lord was focused on doing what the Father led Him to do and would not allow the judgments and opinions of others to change His course or actions.  Our God is firm and focused.  He is not threatened by theological analysis.  He is not shaken by hermeneutical scrutiny.  He is not interrupted by the general sway of public opinion.  Our God is a rock.  He is a God who has done what He has done, is doing what He is doing and will do what He will do.  We have a God who is firmly focused and faithful.

Proverbs - Honor to the Humble

Proverbs 29:23

A man's pride shall bring him low:

 but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.

Humility of spirit is an inner disposition rooted in a deep sense of how great God is and how dependent we are on His grace and power.  The spirit of a woman is to be meek and gentle.  This is of high value in God’s economy.  As women who are Jesus’ followers, we should be established in His grace and seeking to draw the resources we need to build our homes from Him.  He gives grace to the humble.  Grace can work through us and grace can establish us.  By approaching each day and situation with an open spirit to His wisdom and leading, we will find ourselves held in honor by those who surround us.  If we exalt ourselves we will find ourselves falling hard.  If we take the lower seat, ask questions rather than declare judgments and ponder His will rather than force ours upon others, we will be upheld in honor.

Knowing God - God Receives Us in Death

Ps 49:15

 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.

Grave has a power – the power of death, but God will redeem our souls from the power of the grave.  Death is an enemy that comes and tries to conquer.  It looms over every human in an intimidating and threatening way.  Our God is not intimidated by death.  He, Himself, went through death and conquered it on our behalf to show us that even death, is no match for our God.  How does God redeem us from the power of the grave?  He does this by receiving us.  He awaits us on the other side of the door which has a sign over it that says ‘death’.  The door itself is quite unattractive.  It stands as an unknown path to all of us, but the Lord stands on the other side ready to receive us.  If someone you love is facing death, if God is their God, if they are in Christ, they will be received. They will be redeemed from the power of the grave, for God will receive them.

Proverbs - Anger and Sin

Proverbs 29:22

An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.

If you find yourself struggling with anger you probably have some relationship problems and find yourself crossing the line on more than one occasion.  Anger is very powerful and it often gets the best of us.  Sometimes anger comes from guilt.  We are resisting cooperating with the Lord’s prodding and we find ourselves agitated and unsettled.  Sometimes anger comes from a lack of sleep and filling our minds with worthless input.  Sometimes anger comes from pride thinking we deserve more or better than we have.  Anger is the spider of the cobwebs of strife.  Let us cease from wrath.  Let us consider mercy and humble ourselves in a place of consistent gratitude and patience towards others.