Knowing God - The Lord Wants Us to Watch with Him

Matt 26:38

 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

The Lord Wants Us to Watch with Him

Jesus is talking to his disciples and tells them that he was extremely sad and sorrowful.  He asks them to wait with Him and pray with Him.  When the Lord Jesus paid the incredible price of His own life to tear down the veil between us and God, He didn’t just do it because we needed it, but also because He desires fellowship with us.  The things that make the Lord sad should make us sad.  We should wait in His presence and pray to Him about the things that grieve His heart.  We should be in a place where His concerns become our concerns.  We should come before Him and pray for those things that grieve His heart.  The Lord wants us to wait in His presence and watch with Him.

Proverbs - Disciplines Direct

Proverbs 13:6

 Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way:

but wickedness overthroweth the sinner.

We can be tempted to be inconsistent in right choices.  Maybe our church attendance or daily times in prayer or the Word of God are challenged by forces seeking to interrupt righteousness.  When we are clear about the right thing to do and we continue in these things, these disciplines will keep us in the way.  We will not be misled in a way that results in wandering and aimless pursuits.  We will be kept in the way – protected from slippery paths that lead to destruction and harm

Knowing God - The Lord Warns Us

Matt 16:6

Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

The Lord Warns Us

God is love.  He loves everyone and He loves in truth.  There are teachings and influences He deems as harmful and destructive.  Our God warns us about these things.  If we have never sensed any sort of caution when reading a book, listening to a particular doctrinal slant or connecting with another ‘believer’, we might not know the Lord in this way.  He warns us of certain camps among those who claim to follow Him.  Our God is to be worshiped in spirit and truth so we can expect Him to warn us about falsities and religious leaders who will have a leavening effect on us.

Proverbs - Hating Lying

Proverbs 13:5

A righteous man hateth lying:

 but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame.

If we are longing to live the way the Lord wants us to live we will have an inner repulsion against the misrepresentation of the truth.  We are not going to just politely acknowledge something is not true, but we will be people who have positioned ourselves against deceit and lies.  They are not just a casual obstruction of justice but lies, in and of themselves, are not welcome in us or around us.  The smallest compromise of the truth will not sit with us. Just as if we ‘hate’ some sort of food and will not eat it, and if we ‘accidentally’ put some in our mouth we would spit it out abruptly and passionately.  So, too, we should handle any sort of lies we hear or speak in our own lives.

Knowing God - He Goes HIS Way

Luke 4:28-30

And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. But he passing through the midst of them went his way,

He Went HIS Way

Jesus provoked the religious leaders and they were filled with wrath.  They knew He had been talking about them in the previous verses and decided they would take him to the top of a hill and ‘accidentally’ throw him over and kill him.  Since they didn't like what Jesus was saying they decided they would stop Him from speaking.  Jesus passed through the enraged mob and went HIS way.  He was not going to be guided by the wrath of man.  He was not going to be silenced by those who didn't want to hear.  Jesus had things to do and people to see and those who didn't like it were not going to hinder or divert His plans.  Jesus will not be controlled by the majority.  Jesus will not be ordered or coerced to do anything by those He has created.  Jesus passes through the midst of evil plans and continues seeing His purposes come to pass.  Jesus is Lord.

Proverbs - Diligence Produces Contentment

Proverbs 13:4

The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing:

but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.

Our inner beings, our souls, are much of the driving force behind our priorities and choices. Part of the human soul is the human will – the ability to choose.  Another part of the human soul is the ability to think and process.  Our souls can desire things and think about things to the point that discontentment settles in and a defeatist attitude comes with it.  Here, the Lord is warning us that if we are lazy women, our souls will tend to desire things and do nothing about them.  If we are not taking care of the household labor and those things in our lives that require exerted effort, we will end up being women who can always see what we don’t have.  The encouraging thing is that the Lord says here that if we are hard workers we will recognize and appreciate all that the Lord has given us and done for us.  If you are struggling with or desire to avoid a restless, lacking soul, look around.  Go do those dishes.  Mop that floor.  Fold and put away that laundry.  Wash those walls.  Wash the car.  Make your bed.  Clean that bathroom.  Do something with diligence and watch your inner man feel full and satisfied.

Knowing God - He Cares About Our Needs

Mark 8:2-3

I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.

The Lord Cares About Our Needs

The Lord Jesus had been teaching the people wonderful things but He cared for even more than eternal spiritual truths.   He cared about temporal human need as well.  Jesus was moved and had compassion that these people were hungry.  He was even sensitive to how far they had traveled to come.  He even considered the results of certain types of solutions to their need.  We learn that our Lord cares about our human needs.  He doesn't just provide for our needs, His compassion is associated with His provision.  What a loving God we have.  If you find yourself a bit overwhelmed with the human side of existence, remember that your Lord has compassion on you and will take care of you because He loves you!

Proverbs - Tongue Instruction

Proverbs 13:2-3

 A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth:

but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence.

 He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life:

but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.

So much of what we have to deal with, or ingest, in our days, is a direct result of what and how we say things.  The power of the tongue is beyond most of our comprehension and we would do well to absorb whatever truths the Lord gives us concerning our tongues.  Here, in verse two, we see a contrast between a mouth that is used correctly and the soul of a sinner.  This is telling us that people who are entangled and walking in sin will have mouths of anger, blame and violence.  Most fights start with some words that push the ‘right’ button.  Ladies, if you are involved in something that the Holy Spirit is clearly showing you is transgression – REPENT!  You will begin to speak violent words and spill out things that destroy – if you haven’t done so already.  Guilt produces anger.  Guard you mouth.  Guard your life.  Eat ‘good’ and keep your life.  Avoid violence and destruction. 

“For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.” (James 3:2)

Proverbs - Hearing Rebuke

Proverbs 13:1

 A wise son heareth his father's instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke.

The Lord has put our parents in our lives to instruct us.  Some of our fathers have instructed us by the good examples and excellent words of wisdom they have given us.  Others of us have experienced the instruction of a bad example and foolish counsel.  Either way we can be instructed.   The key is to hearing the instruction the Lord would want us to have by the father we have had.  Even if our father was never in our lives we can hear the instruction in that example as well.   Your life is precious to your Lord.  He will take every different dynamic of it and use it for your good.  If you will quiet your own understanding and ask the Lord to help you hear your father’s instruction, you will be a wise woman.  Your father’s instruction is intended to cause you to be all the Lord wants you to be.

Knowing God - God Can Make Us Likeminded

Rom 15:5

Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:

God Can Make Us Likeminded

Sometimes we just have a hard time getting along with someone.  We find ourselves thinking totally differently than them.  This could happen in a marriage or in a ministry or even a friendship.  Sometimes we try to make them see it our way or end up confused with their perspective.  In this verse we learn that our God can grant us to be likeminded one toward another.  We can pray and ask Him to make us likeminded.  Don’t get too frustrated with your relationship problems.  Perhaps this is a problem that deserves this kind of prayer.  Don’t just pray it once.  Pray it daily for those key relationships you have.  Our God is able to grant us to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus.

Knowing God - The Lord Calls

Deut 18:5

For the Lord thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of the Lord…

The Lord Calls

The Lord was telling the people of Israel to give part of what they had to the priest and support him because the priest had been chosen by God to stand and minister in the name of the Lord.  The financial support was commanded because of the call.  The Lord calls people and it is important that we understand and recognize this in others’ lives.  When and if we support those who serving the Lord in a full time capacity it is important for us to recognize the Lord’s call on their lives.  We are actually helping the call of God to be obeyed and carried out.  The calling of God is His decision and we are to be people who are sensitive to the call of God in people’s lives, not only financially but in any possible supportive way.  It would be a great prayer to pray, “Lord, let me recognize who you have called for different things and use me to further them along in all you have for them.”  This way the body of Christ is nurturing and building each other up in our holy callings.

Proverbs - Choices with Words

Proverbs 12:18-21

 There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword:

but the tongue of the wise is health.

 The lip of truth shall be established for ever:

but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

 Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil:

but to the counsellors of peace is joy.

 There shall no evil happen to the just:

but the wicked shall be filled with mischief.

These are contrasting proverbs.  They show the differences of two different ways of living.  These are mutually exclusive attributes.  These are dealing with the tongue, truth, deceit and being just.  So much of how we live is decided upon mutually exclusive responses.  If we are tearing down, we are not building up.  If we are lying or twisting the truth, we are not walking in truth.  If we are being wicked we are not being just.  If we are walking in the Spirit we are not fulfilling the lusts of the flesh.  Choose ye this day whom ye shall serve.

If we want healthy relationships our tongues, what we say, will have much to do with this.  If we speak wise words there will be healthy communication that is growing and functioning in the best way possible.  Whenever our words pierce or wound, we are not using the tongue of the wise.  A foolish woman tears down her own house.  A cutting word will produce sickly relationships that require constant attention and infect all those who are around them.  Do you want your marriage to be healthy?  Do you want your communication with your children to be full of life and health?  Do you want your friendships to be thriving and functioning at their best?  Go with the tongue of wisdom and forsake piercing words.  The tongue of the wise is health.

Knowing God - Satisfies and Renews

Ps 103:5

Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

He Satisfies and Renews

We learn two things that the Lord does in our lives.  He satisfies and renews.  Satisfaction is that which leaves us content and our needs and even some desires most likely met.  Satisfaction brings about a peace and ability to enjoy where we are.  Satisfaction is something that silences anxieties and speaks rest to our inner man.  The Lord satisfies us and He satisfies us with good things.  Truly our satisfaction comes from GOOD things and our God is good.  He will put things in our lives that He intends to be used to bring about satisfaction and contentment in our lives.  He then renews us.  He lets us be those little children again excitedly discovering new things each day.  When He is over our lives there is a youthful anticipation of what our living God will be doing in our days and lives.  He does these things.  He satisfies and He renews.  Thank you Lord for these two things; truly our lives are filled with a quality those who don’t know you don’t have.  

Proverbs - Prudence

Proverbs 12:16-17

 A fool's wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth shame.

 He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit.

Prudence is an old-fashioned word.  We rarely use it these days but it is an attribute, we as women, should desire to have in our lives.  It is being able to decide on the right thing to do at any given moment regardless of how we feel, or natural bents or even the influences and pressures of people or culture.  A prudent woman is a woman that people can’t predict what they will do just by knowing their personality.  A prudent woman hears the leading of the Holy Spirit and responds in a way that He directs and people realize she is a wise woman that seems to know what to do in most situations.  Here, in verse 16, we see that a prudent woman covers shame.  She doesn’t talk about the failings and mistakes of others in a way to make her look good or to prove herself right.  She looks out to present people in the best light according to truth.  She purposes to believe all things and hope all things.  She walks in love.

Knowing God - The Lord Refreshes

Acts 3:19

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

The Lord Refreshes

We learn from this scripture that the presence of the Lord brings times of refreshing.  Oftentimes we face our days and burdens knowing the Lord is with us but not having had focused in His presence.  We wonder why we are dragging and our lives are feeling a little stale and we are weary of things.  It might be because we haven’t had that time in His presence – the time of refreshing.  When someone has been exercising or perhaps working in the hot sun they can feel extremely dirty and tired.  But then, alas, they take a nice hot shower and feel refreshed.  They enter the presence of the showerhead and place themselves directly in the path of the water.  Then, they feel refreshed.  Let’s repent of any sin, enjoy the forgiveness of sin and then enter into His presence allowing His presence to refresh and rejuvenate us!

Proverbs - Hearkening to Counsel

Proverbs 12:15

 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes:

but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.

                        When we are confident in ourselves we are most likely playing the fool.  If we are confident in the Lord’s counsel through His Word and basing our confidence upon His precepts we are wise.  When in a disagreement within yourself or with another maintain humility and be open to correction.  The Lord gives grace to the humble but resists the proud.

                        Listening to counsel is not the same as hearkening to counsel.  We can expose ourselves to the best bible studies, books and influences and still remain fools.  May the Lord give us the ability to hearken unto counsel - to adjust ourselves to the Lord’s counsel and take it as we would a prescription.

Proverbs - Words Produce Fruit

Proverbs 12:13-14

The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips:

 but the just shall come out of trouble.

 A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth:

and the recompence of a man's hands shall be rendered unto him.

                        Our mouths oftentimes direct the flow of our day and relationships.  Here we see that satisfaction also comes from the fruit of our mouths.  What kinds of things are you saying to your children, your husband, your household or yourself?  Many times conflict and strain in relationships results from the wrong words being spoken.  Ask the Lord to put a guard over your mouth today and to speak through you to everyone today.

Knowing God - So Many Wonderful Works

Ps 40:5

Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

Too High To Count

Here the psalmist is praising the Lord.  He is telling the Lord how many wonderful works He has done.  He is considering all of the thoughts that the Lord has towards Him.   He comes to the conclusion that the wonderful works and thoughts that God has towards Him were more than He could count.  What a wonderful truth.  Even if we were to have actually recognized and kept record of all God has done for us, there would be too many for us to count.  The thoughts He has towards us are so many that we couldn’t count them.  What love the Lord has for us.  What attention the Lord gives us.  Don’t feel isolated or neglected.  He loves you, thinks about you and does wonderful works.

Knowing God - Our Help Comes From God

Gen 49:25

Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above…

Our Help Comes From God

Our God is a father who will help us.  This means we need help.  There is nothing wrong with being in a place where we feel helpless.  It means we have less help than we need.  That causes us to go to our Father, God, and look to Him to help us.  He is not bothered with our cries of desperation; He is worshiped by our need for Him.  He is not weary with our pleas for help; He is honored by them.  He is not limited in His ability to send help; He is the Almighty.  He loves to help.  Our God is a father who loves His children and loves to help.  He sends strength, comfort, wisdom, endurance and promises to bless us with blessings from heaven above.  If you and I can’t find the help we need inside of us or from people around us, don’t panic; look up!  God, our father, shall help us and He shall bless us with blessings from heaven ABOVE!

Proverbs - Tilling and Satisfaction

Proverbs 12:11-12

 He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread:

but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.

The wicked desireth the net of evil men: but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit.

                        Verse 11 tells us that if we till our land we shall be satisfied.  Sometimes we find ourselves not satisfied or sensing we haven’t had enough of something.  We thirst and hunger and don’t know why.  This verse tells us that one remedy for this is tilling our land.  How have you been tending to your dishes, laundry, dusting, making the beds, gardening, cooking etc?  Do you find yourself procrastinating on tilling your land and then wandering from store to store, or this snack to this snack hoping something will settle you down?  Try tilling your land.  Instead of eating that food when you aren’t hungry go do a chore. Instead of going to that mall, clean out a cabinet.  Working and laboring God-given assignments surprisingly bring about a strong sense of satisfaction.  “The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much....”(Eccl 5:12a)

            I think of many an afternoon talk show or soap opera as these vain persons a woman could be tempted to follow.  Even the expression ,“Are you following the story?” could be used to express an avid soap watcher.  As women, there is so much to be done always and the Lord has given us both the responsibility and the privilege of keeping home.  The television is full of vain persons and if we follow them we will be women void of understanding.  Let us keep our home and have it reflect the God of order who set everything in its place and maintains creation in an orderly manner.

Knowing God - He Wants Our Hope

Ps 78:7

That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:

God Wants Our Hope

Hope.  This word has been watered down in modern English.  We use the word hope to express a slight expectation of something but deep down inside we aren’t going to get too excited about it.  The biblical hope is a hope that is rooted in trust/faith.  Hope in the Word of God is describing an anticipation rooted in an expectation that God can do anything and that God will do the best possible thing in a situation.  This is a hope that involves looking forward to something you know is really good and is going to come your way.  Here, the Lord is revealing to us that our hope is to be set in Him.  Our hope isn’t really in the things that God will do but in God Himself.  Our hope is not to be put anywhere else.  We are not looking to a person, the government, ourselves, the doctors or some sort of promise that has been made by anyone other than the Lord Himself.  We must SET our hope in God.  We must be a people who awaken each morning and look up!  We must become those little children who are excited for each new day because our God has things in mind for us and truly works wonders we could never have thought of.  God is the place for our hope.  God is the one we can look to expectantly and with great anticipation.  Why are you cast down?  Hope in God!

Proverbs - Pets and Proverbs

Proverbs 12:10

 A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast:

but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.

                        Animals were created by the Lord and put here intentionally.  In the beginning the Lord gave Adam the privilege of naming the animals. “And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. “ (Gen 2:19) The Lord gave Adam and Eve ‘dominion’ or ‘rulership’ over the animals.  We are accountable for what we do with this responsibility.  Do we neglect the care of our household pets?  Do we loathe animals that the Lord entrusted us with?  Do we idolize our pets and have them rule over us?  A righteous man cares for the needs of his beast and esteems this dominion as God-given and a commission he or she must handle faithfully.

Knowing God - He Favors Us!

Ps 30:5

For …..in his favour is life: ….

In His Favor There Is Life

In God’s favor there is life.  Realizing that God is for you and not against you should produce life.  There should be an anticipation of new and good things coming your way.  If we feel like things are dying or fading away perhaps we are losing sight of the favor we have with God through Jesus Christ.  The accuser of our brethren enjoys pointing out our faults and leading us to the conclusion that God is against us.  Yes, we have faults.  Yes, we sin.  But God’s favor is upon us and we can enjoy His divine delight because we are accepted in the beloved on Christ’s merits alone!  The Lord’s favor produces life because we can realize that the God of this universe loves us and is for us.  We can face the day knowing that God, Himself, is a God who has adopted us as His dear children.  He loves us and we are His favorite!

Proverbs - Exalt Christ

Proverbs 12:9

   

 He that is despised, and hath a servant, is better

 than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread.

                        Sometimes we want to give off a good impression regardless of the state of our being.  The Lord Jesus never concerned himself with other people’s opinion of Him.  He focused on pleasing the Father and was so confident in who he was that even if they called Him Beelzebub, the prince of devils, He was not shaken nor needed to defend Himself.  We must walk through our days knowing we are new creations in Christ.  Even if others think we haven’t changed or maybe family members pooh-pooh our new found forgiveness, we must remember how rich we are - as if we had servants. 

                        Those who boast in all they are and all they have oftentimes have little enduring riches.  We must be careful not to boast or honor ourselves.  This is very much our pride wanting to exalt our gates and it is so much easier to let people down when they have an inflated view of us.  Let us exalt Christ and boast in our weaknesses that the power of Christ may rest upon us.

Knowing God - God is Our Joy

Ps 43:4

….God my exceeding joy…

God is Our Joy

We often find joy in many activities and many relationships, but activities start and stop.  Relationships are often contaminated by sin and imperfect love.  The joy we often find in both of these things is temporary and not reliable.  God is to be our exceeding joy.  He will never sin against us, He is always available, and never slumbers or sleeps.  The joy we need that is intended to give us strength is the joy that is found in God Himself.  He is to be our EXCEEDING joy.  If we are lacking joy could it be because we have neglected Him?

Proverbs - No Perversion

Proverbs 12:5-8

The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit.

The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood:

but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.

The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand.

                         A man shall be commended according to his wisdom:

but he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised.

                        The Lord has given us the mind of Christ.  Rather than listening to the counsels of the wicked, we should be quiet enough to hear His leading within us confirmed by His Word.  The counsels of the wicked are found on television, magazines, non-Christian co-workers and family members as well as books.  We need to meditate on the Word of the Lord and allow His Word to be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.

            Perversion produces foolishness.  Righteousness produces wisdom.  If we are to be esteemed as wise women we had best stay close to the commandments of God.  This will result in priorities and choices that are wise and endure time.  If we are inconsistent and twisted in our standards, the scriptures say that we will be despised.  In order to make it easier for our children to honor us, we need to have standards rooted in the wisdom of God.  If we twist things and are inconsistent we could frustrate our children and they will despise us.  Perversion is a word that means to twist.  Let us stay in His Word and have standards true to the everlasting commands of God causing us to be women who are commended according to our wisdom.

Knowing God - He Establishes and Settles

1 Peter 5:10

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

Establishing and Settling

Our God wants to establish and settle us.  The word ‘stablish’ here in the KJV is also translated ‘establish’.  It means “to set fast, to turn resolutely in a certain direction”.  The Lord will use suffering in our lives to adjust our direction or position us more firmly in the direction He has for us. The word; ‘settle’ in this text means, ‘to lay a foundation’.  Our God, of ALL grace, wants our lives to be grounded and strong in its very essence and basis.  When we bring the sufferings we face to our God, He will take those seasons and use them to give us a strong, solid foundation and a resolute direction causing our lives to be purposeful and positioned.  God is able to do this.  He establishes us and settle us.  The sufferings we go through often bring about temporal disorientation and we can find ourselves lacking clear direction.  Sufferings often shake the very foundation of all we have been building on.  This is good.  The end result, AFTER we have suffered awhile will be clear direction and a firm foundation.  Our God is able to do this.

Proverbs - A Virtuous Woman

Proverbs 12:4

 A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband:

but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.

                        We can shame our husbands by living in a way that is not virtuous.

                        By exposing ourselves to women’s examples on television, movies or books that exalt immorality, flirtatiousness, immodesty, deceit and other wickedness, we could find ourselves admiring these wicked qualities and demeaning the virtues that are a crown to our husbands.  We must be careful to take in those sources that exalt the things that the Lord says are noble and define those qualities the Lord says are detestable.  We are so easily seduced into thinking the things that are noble are worthless and the things that are to be judged are admirable.  Ladies, maybe today you can come before the Lord and ask Him to search out the influences in your life and usher in those things that are virtuous so that the king you desire to rule your home will indeed be crowned with a virtuous wife.

Knowing God - He Redeems

Ps 130:8

And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

He Redeems

The Lord forgives us of all our iniquities (Psalm 103:3) but here we learn of His ability and will to redeem His people from all their iniquities.  Redemption is the ability to take something that is either worthless or actually destructive and turn it into something useful and/or profitable.  It is buying back something from something else and giving it the freedom to become all it can be.  When we sin, there are consequences.  By the sacrifice of Jesus, we are freed from the eternal responsibility of paying for our sins but the temporal effects of sin remain.   The Lord can take those effects and redeem them, using them for His glory and our good.  Truly He works all things together for good to them who are the called according to His purposes.  We need not grow unnecessarily weary when reaping from our sin.  We need to look to our God who can redeem us from our sins.  He is able to take those things that were meant for evil and turn them around for our good.  He is mighty, powerful and redemptive.

Proverbs - Hurricanes and Rootedness

           

Proverbs 12:2-3

 A good man obtaineth favour of the LORD:

but a man of wicked devices will he condemn.

 A man shall not be established by wickedness:

but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.

                        When a palm tree faces hurricane force wind, the tree will bend and the leaves may depart.  It will not be uprooted though, and eventually straightens back up and re-grows the palms that make it a landmark for all to see.  As we seek to do things righteously we will not be moved.  No matter what is thrown our way, no matter how we may bend to the point of almost breaking, if we have established our responses by the Lord’s standards, we will not be moved.  Endure with the Lord’s leading and you will find yourself standing strong again positioned and gaining back those things that may have departed during your hurricane time.

Knowing God - He Feeds

Matt 6:26

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

Our Heavenly Father Feeds

The birds of the air do not receive a paycheck.  They are not shopping at our local grocery stores.  They do not have bank accounts.  Our heavenly Father feeds them.  He sets up the seeds to be there for them.  He has those early morning worms surface for the birds to enjoy for breakfast.  He moves upon the park visitors to bring bread crumbs to feed them.  He has inspired those who make bird feeders and those who buy them in order that the birds will be fed.  How precious our Father is.  Let us remember that if the Father feeds them, how much more can we trust Him to meet our needs?  We are much better than them according to God’s revealed value system.  Who might He be moving upon or how might He be orchestrating events to meet your needs today?  Don’t be anxious; be excited to see His faithfulness demonstrated towards you.  If you find yourself a bit apprehensive, some bird watching might do you good!

Proverbs - Loving Instruction

Proverbs 12:1

 Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.

                        A good teacher is one who wants to learn.  A teacher that doesn’t mind being corrected in order that truth may be exalted, is a teacher whose students will love learning.  Sometimes a mother will try to teach her children and wonder why they don’t seem excited to learn from her. Her children need to see her love for instruction.  What does she do when her husband corrects her?  Does she like to read and look things up? Are there new things she is exposing herself to?  Ladies, do you ever go to the library just to learn something about history, crafts, science, etc.?  Do you ever share with your children something you learned from the Word of God?  When they share something they learned, do you rejoice with them and ask them questions?  To be a woman who loves instruction is to be a woman who loves knowledge.  This will be contagious and your children will be much more easily corrected and instructed.

Knowing God - He Heals Backsliding

Hos 14:4

I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.

He Heals Backsliding

The Lord reveals that we are sick when we are backsliding and we injure ourselves when we move away from the first love relationship we were designed to have with Him.  When someone turns back to the Lord, He will love them freely and He will heal their backsliding.  No matter what damage may have happened to a person during their backsliding time, God promises to be their healer.  This is great comfort when we are watching someone make choices apart from yielding to the Lord.  We fear they will be damaged beyond repair.  God promises to heal their backsliding.  This should help us stand in faith praying and trusting the Lord to work completely and thoroughly in their lives.

Proverbs - Righteous Choices

Proverbs 11:30-31

 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

 Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth:

much more the wicked and the sinner.

                        Much of Proverbs deals with wisdom.  One of the ways we can be those wise women who build our homes is by being concerned about the eternal destination of those around us.   Do you have a tender heart towards those who have yet to know Christ as their Savior and Lord?  Have you prayed with your children for those family members who are yet dead in their trespasses and sins?  Do your children know the plan of salvation and that more than all of their pursuits you desire for them to have their names written in the Lamb’s book of life?  If your household sees a woman who looks ahead to eternity, they will see a wise woman.

            God is not mocked.  Whatever a person plants, that person shall reap.  Sisters, do you know that if you choose the right thing you shall be recompensed in the earth?  Perhaps not immediately, but every righteous choice we make is certain to bring forth fruit.  Have the patience of a farmer and continue planting choices that please and honor God.  You will eventually reap a wonderful, delicious harvest.