Knowing God - God Makes Hearts Melt

Josh 2:11

And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.

The inhabitants of Jericho found themselves in a place of awe and reverence after hearing about the Lord God.  They had heard that the Lord had dried up the Red Sea and that the Lord had fought for His people in the wilderness.  Because of what the Lord had done for His people, the enemies of His people were weak and discouraged.  Our God has done great things for us.  Because of His great works, our enemies find themselves confounded and lacking the confidence they often have in the presence of those who do not have the Lord as their God.  The enemy hears of these great works and our God’s awesome power resonates through the spiritual kingdom.  We might do well to praise Him today for the seas He has parted in our lives so that we might avoid unnecessary intimidation from our enemies.

Proverbs - His Heart is Safe

Proverbs 31:11

The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her,

so that he shall have no need of spoil.

A man’s heart should be able to trust in his wife.  He shouldn’t fear being ridiculed, mocked or deceived.  If he opens up to her he shouldn’t fear these inner struggles will be used against him at a later time.  He shouldn’t fear that she is spending money without his knowledge and he should have a confidence she is seeking to be prudent and cautious with their money.  Does your husband’s heart safely trust in you?  If not, you can rebuild this trust.  Take time to affirm his dreams and visions.  Take note of his weaknesses and cover them in prayer.   Never use these against him. 

Knowing God - Jesus is God

1 Tim 3:16

 “…God was manifest in the flesh,….”

What a tremendous truth!  Our God showed Himself to us in a human body!  He wanted us to see Him.  The disciples said that they handled Him.   They touched God!  Incredible!  Our God loved us so much that He manifested, revealed, Himself in a human body.  This verse clearly reveals that Jesus Christ is God.  We are to treat Him as such.  It doesn’t matter what any other group or theologian says, God was manifested in the flesh.  Jesus was God in the flesh and we are to worship, obey and preach Jesus to others.  Today, as you walk through your day, enjoy the fellowship you have with a God who wanted to fellowship with us enough that He became flesh and lived among us.  

Proverbs - Rare as Rubies

Proverbs 31:10

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

Even when this was written, a virtuous woman was a rare find.  Our sons may be discouraged that all the gals around them are loose and worldly.  They need to know that this has been the pattern of all generations.  A woman who is virtuous shines and is rare.  She has to be sought after and found.  May our sons seek such a gal and may our daughters become such a one.  May we be those women that give our children hope that virtuous women can be found and followed. 

Knowing God - The Lord Publishes His Word

Ps 68:11

 The Lord gave the word:

great was the company of those that published it.

The Lord Publishes His Word

The Word of the Lord is powerful.  He speaks and the reverberation of His voice is absolutely predictable.  His voice is like the thunders and goes wherever He sends it.  His Word is alive and goes on and on touching lives and revealing God’s heart and presence.  Great was the company of those that published it.  When we expose ourselves to His Word, whether by pastoral teaching, personal reading or other means, we open ourselves up to a source of life that resonates through our lives and can’t help but manifest itself to this dying world around us.  Never underestimate the potential that God’s Word has when the Lord gives it.  Stand in awe.  Mix it with faith and know that you and I are part of that great company who publish it!

Proverbs - Open Your Mouth

Proverbs 31:8-9

Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.

Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.

A Mother’s Exhortation

Our children must be instructed in standing up for those who are being victimized.  They need to be bold and speak up.   They must open their mouth.  Are we showing our children this example?  Do we stand up for someone when they are being devoured in a conversation?  Are we doing what we can do for the unborn children that are appointed to destruction?  Do they see us evaluating things righteously so that everyone is treated fairly?  As we open our mouths and instruct our children to do the same the poor and needy will have someone to stand up for them and those that are not heard will have a voice. 

Knowing God - God Blesses Obedience

Gen 22:18

 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

Abram was being told that all the nations of the earth would be blessed through his descendents.  It wasn’t some sort of mystical, genetic blessing but a blessing based upon obedience.  The Lord was going to bless all the nations because of one man’s obedience.  We should never underestimate the power and influence of obedience.  It is the Lord’s voice we are to obey and He has shown Himself to bless obedience.  We often want blessings but don’t focus on obedience.  The Lord is blessed by and blesses obedience.  It is something we can give Him.  Let’s give Him obedience today and trust that He knows who and how to bless.

Proverbs - Advice for Sons

Proverbs 31:3

Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.

Here, this mother is warning her son not to get involved illicitly with prostitutes, adulterous women or seducing ladies.  Women can be a blessing to men and the power of the attraction to women can be a man’s downfall.  Men can give their strength to women.  This is important for us to know as women.  We should be careful not to ask for men’s strength.  We must not manipulate them nor seduce them.  Our goal is to reverence our husbands and esteem them highly.  Our sons should see us standing behind our husband’s decisions and not tearing them down.  Women were used in David’s downfall, Samson’s sabotage and Adam’s disobedience.  If we know that men can give their strength to us, we would do well never to receive it.  Men need to be men and they need to be strong.  We must not belittle them or nag them to the point that they weaken under our wrath.  Let us render honor to whom honor is due.  Don’t be threatened by the strength of your husband’s decisions.  Enjoy his leadership and watch the Lord establish him as king.

4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:

5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.

Drinking alcoholic drinks is not for kings.  Getting drunk or having our judgment impaired causes us to forget the law and lose good judgment.  We can raise our sons in such a way that they see themselves as kings or princes.  We must remind them that the Lord wants them to rule their lives well and drinking is one the ways that destroys kings.  We need to remind them that their judgment may be impaired and in one night of fun can come a lifetime of consequences.  Our lives must exemplify soberness and wanting to make decisions by the leading of the Holy Spirit and not in impulsive moments of intoxicated thought.  Lord, help our children steer clear of anything that would impair their judgment and help us be good examples to them.

Knowing God - God is Looking at Actions

Matt 7:21

 Not every one that saith unto me,

Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

The Lord is revealing His place as judge here.  He is establishing that our words do not define who we are but our actions.  Our God is the One who decides who enters the kingdom of heaven.   There is much ‘preaching’ these days about words – positive words, faith-filled words and words of life.  It seems like the message people are getting today is aimed at rewriting a script we are all supposed to memorize and say.  The Lord is dealing with choices in this verse.  Our God is looking at what we actually do or don’t do.  Our God is seeking if we are seeking to do what He wants us to do or what we want to do.  It is not just calling Him our Father that establishes a father/child relationship, but it is in submission to Him that manifests our true colors as children of God. 

Proverbs - Advice to Sons

Proverbs 31:1-2

The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.

What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?

                                                                

This section of scripture is written by the Holy Spirit from a mother to a son.  We will see the advice she gives to her son and we will be challenged in what to encourage our sons to do and not to do.  She will deal with women, wine and wisdom.  Ladies, speak to your sons often in regard to the dangers of alcohol, women and wisdom.  This is a chapter young men should know well for it was originally written to them.  Of course, as we read it and value this counsel, our lives can pattern these virtues for our sons to see in action.  Be open to giving your sons advice.  They will remember this and live what you speak. This will forever be imprinted upon the fabric of their being. 

Knowing God - He Uses Women

1 Tim 3:11

 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.

When the Lord Jesus builds His church He knows the material requirements to create a structurally sound entity.  In First Timothy, the Lord goes over the character qualities for men in certain leadership positions.  He also includes what the wives are to be made of.  The Lord knows that men are influenced by their wives and that the church will be functioning at its highest level when the wives of the leaders are women of the caliber He knows is necessary to be the helpers suitable for ministry leadership.  Women have always had great influence.  Consider Eve.  Consider Abigail.  One used their position to influence a situation towards doubt and compromise, the other prevented unnecessary bloodshed and harm.  The Lord is looking at the team in ministry.  Women must realize the Lord is looking at them when He is raising up their husbands.  

Proverbs - Butter and Blood

Proverbs 30:33

Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.

Here we learn that if we keep getting angry and provoking someone else we can expect division to come into that relationship.  Just like milk being churned, or a nose being twisted, there is an inevitable outcome to both of these examples.  Churning requires effort and motion.  A twisted nose requires strength and constraint.  When we are forcing our anger on a situation we are taking hold of something and turning it into a direction that will result in strife.  Leave off anger before it gets to this point.  Avoid the butter and avoid the blood.

Knowing God - God Gives Rest Sometimes

2 Chron 20:30

 So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him rest round about.

The Lord is able to give rest round about.  He can quiet our enemies and let us enjoy seasons with minimal conflict and turmoil.   Many of us think this is something the Lord should always do, but it will not be the case.  This truth should help us get through those turbulent seasons knowing that the Lord will most likely give us a season of rest soon and should also help us enjoy those resting times to the fullest.  We can always ask the Lord to give us or someone we are praying for, rest round about, but remember we are asking NOT demanding.  Lord, thank you that you know what seasons we need to produce the most lasting and abundant fruit for you to be glorified!

Proverbs - Boasting

Proverbs 30:32

If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.

When we lift ourselves up we have done foolishly.  Lifting ourselves up is like boasting of a gift or trying to gain reputation in the eyes of others.  If we think evil, we must allow ourselves to consider this something to be dealt with.  Thoughts give birth to action.  Both of these are to be dealt with by putting our hand upon our mouth.  What does this mean?  It means that we should consider both something horrible and something we don’t want to be a part of our lives.  We don’t continue in it and we stop, in mid-sentence or thought, if we have to.  If we do either one of these things, we should be markedly surprised and cease from either as quickly as possible.

Proverbs - Strength and Power

Proverbs 30:29-31

There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going:

A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;

A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.

Here is another list.  This is a list of things that are very stately in their presence.  We see a lion, a greyhound, a he goat and a king.  All of these know their place and have their power and strength under control.  They are to be respected because they know who they are and what they are able to do.  We need to know who we are in Christ and the authority we have in the fact that we know the truth and there is no need to attack or exercise our authority in a non self-controlled manner.  We can hold our ground in the face of a tantrum-driven child or an argumentative adolescent.  We can, like the lion, hold our ground and wait for the right time to step forth and establish our position.  We can, like the king, 

Knowing God - He Determines What is Evil

Judg 13:1

 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.

The Lord determines what is evil and He determines how He will handle us when we, as His people, do what is evil in His sight.  He is not evaluating our choices in the light of our own standards and reasoning.  It is HIS sight that determines whether we are doing evil or not.  Here we see that the Lord allowed His people to be vulnerable and conquered by their enemies because of their evil doings.  When we find ourselves weak in the presence of our enemies it would be wise for us to first ask our Father in heaven if any of our actions are being dealt with.  It may not be due to this but we do see that the Lord has dealt with His people like this in the past.  Sometimes we are blinded to our own wickedness and it is at times of great defeat that we are more teachable and open to learning His ways.  We have a heavenly Father that disciplines us for our own good and from a heart of love.  Stay in a place of humble reverence and be open to His dealings with you.

Knowing God - He Cares for Those Left Behind

Isa 38:1

 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live.

The Lord Cares About Those Left Behind

The Lord sent the prophet Isaiah to Hezekiah to warn him of his impending death.  With this warning came a command.  This command was not about Hezekiah’s relationship with God but his affairs with men.  The Lord was telling Hezekiah to get his finances in order, position people for responsibility and prepare them for his departure.  Preparing a trust or will and being sure that our families are taken care of when we face death are some of the ways we could obey this sort of command to Hezekiah.  The Lord took care of our debt and provided salvation so that when we die we have nothing to worry about.  He has left some of the provisioning and care of those we love to us to take care of.  How precious our God is to know that when someone dies, those left on earth need to sense they have been thought of and cared for.

Proverbs - Little but Wise

Proverbs 30:24-28

There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:

The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;

The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;

The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;

The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces.

.

These ‘little things’ are meant to teach us some things.  This way we won’t disregard those ‘little things’ we might be doing.  We can learn from ants that together things can get done.  We learn that if we are weak we would do well to get some sort of covering.  We learn that even if there is no established leadership we can team up with others to get the job done.  We learn that if we work hard, we can end up in prestigious situations.  All of these examples in creation are meant to instruct us and encourage us in those times that we might feel little or insignificant.  Let us learn from these creatures all that the Lord has built in to them for us to receive.

Knowing God - He Goes Before Us and is With Us

Ps 68:7

                  

 O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah:

                                                 

The Lord Goes Before Us and is With Us

The Lord went through the wilderness and before His people in the wilderness.  When we are going through unfamiliar territory, the Lord goes before us and marches with us on our journey.  Our God is a God of fellowship.  He is our guide and He travels alongside us.  We can trust that the Lord is ahead of us and navigating the course with His foreknowledge.  We can enjoy the fact that we don’t travel alone either.  Our God is a God who leads and marches with us.  What a wonderful truth to hold on to when we don’t know our way or feel isolated in strange and new territory.  He is with you.  He goes before you.

Proverbs - Things that Disquiet

Proverbs 30:21-23

For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:

For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;

For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.

These are things that will probably bother most of us and we are told here that this is to be expected.  The first thing we are told about is when a servant reigns.  This is not referring to a wise servant who is promoted but rather someone who should not be promoted yet ends up there anyway.  It could be due to a pay off, or favoritism.  This usually disquiets those around who know the real story and see such an undeserved promotion. 

The second thing that is hard to bear is when a fool is filled with meat.  This is saying that when someone wastes their time, is lazy or squanders what they have and ends up with financial blessings, we can find ourselves a bit burdened by this apparent inconsistency.

Another thing that disquiets us is when a hateful woman is married.  When we see a wicked, mean woman sought after and vowed to, we don’t understand why the man has chosen her.  This, too, is hard to bear.

Finally, when we see someone receive an inheritance that should have gone to someone else, we can get rather perturbed.  All of these things should help us understand that there will be those things in life that we may sense are unjust.  As we read through the book of Proverbs we see that there are general principles that God has placed to play out in life, but, at times, we will see temporary contradictions.  We must give these to the Lord and trust that He will deal with matters according to His everlasting truth.  When we find ourselves burdened with these inconsistencies we must wait on the Lord and trust He will bring all that He says to pass.  Don’t be too discouraged and don’t think that God’s Word is not true.  Trust in the Lord, commit your way to Him and He WILL bring it to pass.

Proverbs - Wisdom Admits Sin

Proverbs 30:20

Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.

An adulterous woman is involved with a man who is not her husband and is able to walk away and proclaim with her mouth that she has done nothing wrong.  This should not surprise us.  In order to avoid the voice of the Holy Spirit people will often try to speak louder than Him.  Unrepentant sin requires lies and false justification.  To protect ourselves from ever becoming like this gal, we should confess our sins to the Lord and make no excuses when we walk outside of His boundaries.  Admitting we have sinned keeps us humble and allows the grace of God to come heal and repair.  Let us not be as this adulterous woman.  Let us not cover our tracks or speak such boastings.  Let us rather agree with God on His evaluation of our lives and receive the grace and help in time of need. 

Knowing God - He Hears and is Near

Prov 15:29

 The Lord is far from the wicked:

but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

The Lord Is Near and Listening

Here the Lord lets us know that having Him hear our prayers is likened to having him near to us.   There were no phones in bible days.  The act of listening meant, being in the very presence of the one who was speaking.  Being in the presence of the Lord is absolutely wonderful but have you considered that He is in your presence as well?  He hears the prayers of the righteous.  He is attentive to our petitions, praise, concerns and words.  He is not far for those He considers righteous.  He is listening and He is near.  You don’t have to wait for Him to answer the phone.  He hears.  He is near.