Knowing God - He Fights For Us!

Josh 23:3

 And ye have seen all that the Lord your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the Lord your God is he that hath fought for you.

Joshua was dying and he gathered the leaders of Israel that had been with him for a while.  He reminds them of all that the Lord had done.  He tells them that they have seen all that He has done BECAUSE of them.  Our God not only fights battles because He is a warrior and His purposes but also He is a God who fights our enemies BECAUSE of us.  He loves us and He is most interested in our lot in life.  Because of us, Jesus died on the cross.  God is complete without us.  He didn't need to atone for sin in order to fulfill anything lacking in Him.   Christ died BECAUSE of us.  Our God actually does things BECAUSE of us.  Thank You, Lord, that I matter to You and that Your love is a love that I can see in deed and in truth.

Proverbs - ALL the Day Long

Proverbs 23:17-18

Let not thine heart envy sinners:

but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long.

For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.

Our hearts can envy sinners.  We must be aware of this.  Although we may mentally assent to something being wrong, our hearts are deceitfully wicked.  In order to guard our hearts from this sort of envy we are told to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long – all the day long.  We should take each step with a conscious focus on pleasing the Lord and believing that he rewards the wicked and blesses the righteous.  There is an end to both paths.  If we are concerned about doing that which the Lord deems as right and worthy, our expectation will not be cut off.  We will reap what we plant and see the fruit of choices made with His pleasure at the forefront of our minds.   Be in the fear of the Lord all the day long today.  Don’t look at others, look up.  Seek to please the Lord in all you say and do no matter who you are around today.  Walk with the Lord and abide in Him.  He will not disappoint you.

Knowing God - God Wants Us To "Be There"

Ex 24:12

 And the Lord said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.

The Lord called Moses to come up to Him.  He told Moses to get away from all of his responsibilities and come to Him on the mount.  He told Moses – “Be there”.  I love it!  Show up Moses!  Be there!  The Lord tells Moses that if Moses turns aside from all of his day to day things and shows up, the Lord will give Moses things that He has written so that Moses may teach them to others.  The Lord calls us away to a place where He wants to give us things.  He tells us to be there and He will meet with us.  The Lord wants us to be there and He promises to give us things from His own mind that we might be able to teach others.  Have you shown up today?  He truly has something to give you.

Proverbs - Affirming Wisdom

Proverbs 23:15 -16

My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.

Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.

A father is letting his son know that he is looking for him to be wise.  Do your children know that wisdom is the principal thing you are seeking for him to have in his day to day choices?  We should tell our children that when they make wise choices it makes our hearts glad.  We need to listen to the way they talk and when they speak about things with wisdom and God’s perspective we should affirm them and commend them pointing out the perspectives that are aligned with God’s Word.  Sometimes, as moms, we are always correcting but we should be affirming as well.  We need to stop and rejoice when their words are full of wisdom.  Tell them, tell your husband and comment on how much joy they are bringing you. 

Knowing God - The Lord Gives Us Memories

Ex 17:14

 And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.

The Lord told Moses to write down about the victory they had over the Amalekites.  He also wanted it read out loud to the person who was used in the victory.  We learn that the Lord knows we need reminders and records of the victories and battles the Lord has taken us through.  The Lord knows our frame and He knows we tend to forget the things we should remember and remember the things we should forget.  The Lord will speak to us to record certain battles and their outcomes.  Have you taken the time to recount a victory the Lord has given you?  Have you considered writing it down for the generations that are yet to come?  The Lord wanted Moses to do it immediately afterwards.  He didn’t want Moses going on to the next thing without considering the great victory the Lord had given them.  Even the Lord stopped after each day of creation and beheld that it was good.  Let us take heed and recount some of the great things the Lord has done for us.

Proverbs - Correction is a Good Gift

Proverbs 23:13-14

Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod,

 he shall not die.

Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

We love to give our children good things.  Here we learn that correction is something we should give them.  Withholding correction means that we see what needs to be said and done but choose not to do it.  This is wrong.  We might be tired or weary and not want to get up and deal with it, but we are warned to not do this.  Correction is something we can give our children no matter how much money we have.  God has asked us to correct our children and show them the way that they should go.  It is our job and it is our calling.  Here the King James Version uses the word ‘beat’.  This is not a license to beat our children according to the current use of such a word.  This just means that if we need to use a rod it won’t kill them.  A rod was used by shepherds to keep the sheep on the path.  It would be used to correct a sheep as he wandered off the path and just a gentle prod with the rod would steer them back on track.  If a sheep was stubborn and refused the gentle, a stronger prod and perhaps a strike would get that sheep back on the path and away from danger. A shepherd would be a fool to beat his sheep in a way that would damage them.  Ladies, seek the Lord for the rod you are to use and be sensitive to the degree in which it is to be exercised.  Is it a paddle, restriction or a loss of privilege?  No matter how much they act like they are dying, they will not if you are using a ‘rod’ as a means of correction not a release of your own frustration.  If you have done this, apologize and seek accountability.  If you are being lazy and withholding correction, apologize and seek accountability.  We must give our children the correction they need to get back on the path and stay there.

Knowing God - Jesus is God

Gal 1:1

                                   

 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)

Jesus Christ made Paul an apostle.  Jesus Christ is alive and He makes us what He wants us to be for His glory.  Paul knew that his calling was not rooted in personal choice or the choices of others but by Jesus Christ Himself.  If Jesus weren't God, He wouldn't be calling people and making people into the servants He would want them to be.  Jesus Christ is to be obeyed, worshiped and submitted to.  God, the Son – Jesus and God the Father – the Father, concurred in Paul’s calling.  They were in agreement because they are one.  Our Jesus is not just a messenger or prophet.  He is the One who calls us and commissions us alongside the Father – equal in essence.  We must honor the Son as we honor the Father.  If we do not have the Son we do not have the Father.

Proverbs - The Instructed Heart

Proverbs 23:12

Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.

It is important for us to connect instruction with our hearts and not just our minds.  The heart is at the center of our affection.  In order to experience the transformation the Lord wants for us we must love instruction.  We must maintain a teachable spirit and understand that we don’t always understand.  Our ears must listen for knowledge that we don’t have and our hearts should jump at the chance to learn it.  Application involves using what we learn and loving the opportunity to put something into practice.  When we see something in the word, or see someone’s example, we should leap at the chance to put it into practice.  Also, practical matters of home making, child rearing, financial wisdom, health knowledge and other matters should be treasured.  By applying our hearts and ears to learn something new, our lives will consist of wisdom and practices that make them abundant and satisfying.  Life will never get old and our lives will continually improve.

Knowing God - He Hears Us in Our Distresses

Ps 120:1

 In my distress I cried unto the Lord, and he heard me.

In our distresses we really need to be heard.  Others go on with their lives and we are in a place of distress and trouble that others just can’t always seem to connect with.  When we are in distress, having a listening ear is such comfort.  It is so important that we cry unto the Lord in our distresses.  He hears us.  We are being listened to.  Our God cares about us and wants our cares put upon Him.  When we finish praying in our distresses it would be good to thank Him that He has heard us.  This will protect us from believing the enemy’s lies that the Lord does not care about us and that we are alone in our distresses.  In your distress, cry unto the Lord, He will hear you.   

Proverbs - Boundaries

Proverbs 23:10 -11

Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:

For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.

A landmark is usually placed to show boundaries.  The bible tells us that boundaries fall unto us in pleasant places.  We are not to change standards based upon our culture or our desires.  We never want to remove the old landmark.  Maintain the lines that our Creator has established and uphold them especially when the enemy comes in like a flood.  We are also instructed not to enter the fields of the fatherless.  This would be a temptation in times past if the owner of the field died and the children were left unable to oversee and protect the land their father had cultivated.  In our society there are children who do not have fathers present with them.  They might only see them a few times a month or their dads may be absent for a variety of reasons.  Our God pleads their cause and is mighty.  We must be sensitive to their plight and handle them with a sensitive hand.  We must not just run into their lives and examine their fruit expecting them to take care of their lives as if their father was present.  We should encourage men to take them under their wings and come alongside and help that single mother.  The Lord cares so much for the fatherless and He desires us to be vessels of that love and concern.

Knowing God - He Reveals Himself by the Word

1 Sam 3:21

 And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh: for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord.

The Lord reveals Himself by His Word.  We have been born in a time where the written scriptures have been completed, the Spirit of God has been promised to each believer and most of us are able to read.  This means that the availability to know God as He reveals Himself through the written Word is extremely accessible and within our reach.  Sometimes we try to get a revelation of God through prophetic words or situations that align themselves up to display God’s dealings in our live and end up frustrated trying to discern His presence.  The Lord always reveals Himself in His Word.  If we find ourselves a bit distanced from His presence, it would behoove us to take a promise from His Word and mull over it today.  Meditate on the truth within it and cherish the Words of God.  We will find ourselves drawing near to Him and then discover He has drawn near to us.

Proverbs - Children Can Despise Wisdom

Proverbs 23:9

Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

When dealing with a fool, we must not expect reasonable responses no matter how reasonable or wise we are being.  Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child and when they respond with anger or spite in the face of our wise counsel, we must not be surprised.  The confidence we have is that eventually these seeds of wisdom that are rooted in God’s Word will grow and produce fruit.  Like a seed that might fall on hardened ground, our children may resist the words we give them at the time.  When the seasons change and the rain falls, the soil is softened and that seed will penetrate the moistened soil and growth will begin.  The seasons of our children’s lives change and the rains of experience will fall upon their souls.  The wisest words spoken at the various stages of their lives will begin to penetrate and bring about growth and maturity.  Be patient like a farmer and continue to plant.  Don’t grow weary in their responses.  The seed of the Word of God will not return without accomplishing something in their lives in due season.

Knowing God - He is With Us

Deut 20:1

When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the Lord thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

WHEN we go out to battle; WHEN we see horses; WHEN we see chariots; WHEN we see a people more than us; DON’T be afraid of any of them.  Our lack of fear is to be rooted in the Lord our God who is with us.  Our God desires His presence to be our power.  He is not just watching down from heaven observing our battles and occasionally sending strength and strategy.  Our God is with us.  He wants us to know that He is with us and wants us to know that His presence should be our confidence.  When we go to battle, don’t be afraid. He is with us.  When we see those horses, don’t be afraid, He is with us.  When we see those chariots, don’t be afraid, He is with us.  When we see that the people are more than us, don’t be afraid, He is with us.  It is amazing how many times the Lord reminds us in His Word that – HE IS WITH US!  That MUST mean we tend to forget that He is with us and that many of our fears might very well be rooted in a lack of perception that He is with us.  Thank You Lord that You are with us!  We will not be afraid!

Proverbs - Consistency of Character

Proverbs 23:6-8

Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye,

 neither desire thou his dainty meats:

For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:

            Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.

Sometimes we can be flattered at some sort of invitation to dinner with someone of influence.  Haman was so flattered to eat with the King and Ester, he had no idea what Ester had planned.  When we are with people who have possessions or access we don’t have, we can be blinded to the potential for compromise or covetousness.  If we are someone who forgets the importance of character and integrity and are easily impressed by delicacies we need to stop and realign our value system to the Lord’s.  These people often use what they own to accomplish their own agendas.  We can become used by them as well.  We must not be hypnotized by that which appeals to our comfort.  We must be in a place where we are alert and aware.  We must be cautious around those things that bring us great delight.  This will help us not regret our reactions and conversations in the midst of delicacies and enjoyment.  We won’t have to live with regret if we maintain the same standard of conduct in any sort of environment.

Knowing God - He is Above ALL

Ex 18:11

 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.

Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, made this statement after Moses came and told him all that the Lord had done in delivering His people from Egypt.  After hearing Moses’ report, Jethro begins to realize how great God was.  Egypt was a powerful nation and Pharaoh was greatly esteemed.  We learn here that the Lord is greater than anything esteemed by this world as powerful, wise or mighty.  They dealt proudly with God’s people and God dealt with them.  Our God is above the highest ranking authority and desires to reveal Himself in this way.  We mustn’t fear what is revered on this earth.  We must realize that our God is greater than all that are considered ‘gods’ on this earth.  Worship Him today.  Realize that whatever is mightily affecting you today, He is mightier still.  Whatever is powerfully oppressing you, He is more powerful still.  Whatever is pursuing to overtake you, He is stronger still.  Our God is greater than ALL gods and no matter how proudly someone is acting, He is above him still.

Proverbs - Don't Work to Be Rich

Proverbs 23:4-5

Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.

Our goal in working is never to be rich.  If we are motivated to be rich, we are in direct disobedience of this bit of wisdom from our Maker.  Notice the verse that connects to it tells us to cease from our own wisdom.  When we start getting that glassy-eyed how-can-I-get-rich sort of look, we start coming up with our wisdom that usually is not descending from above.  Sure, everyone would love to be blessed financially but that should not be our goal in what we pursue.  We must labor to be good laborers, not to get rich.  If we set our eyes upon riches, they make themselves wings and fly away.  Have you not seen this?  An extra check comes in and then the car breaks.  Are we ripped off?  Certainly not.  We have been provided for.  Our eyes must look to our Master and desire to be about His business.  If we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, these other things will be added to us.

Proverbs - Being Around the Big Whigs

Proverbs 23:1-3

When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:

And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.

Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.

When we are around people of influence or affluence we must be cautious not to take it casually.  We should not be there taking in the dainties as if we are mesmerized by it all and wanting to get the most our flesh can get from the opportunity.  If the Lord has allowed us to eat with someone of importance, we must not be there with a carnal mindset.  We must seek the Lord as to why He has allowed us to be there.  Are we supposed to learn from their example?  Are we supposed to grasp the fleeting glory of man that one day he is in his glory and the next his shell is empty, his soul facing judgment?  Are we there to reach someone with the matter of fact truth of Jesus’ sacrifice and soon return?  Are we in the room to absorb some sort of truth or understanding through it all?  We are not to look at these opportunities as a time to satisfy our appetites.  We might end up envious and find ourselves in slippery places.  Let us be sober minded and consider diligently what is put before us.   

Knowing God - God is Concerned About Leadership

Num 27:18-19

 And the Lord said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him;

 And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight.

The Lord told Moses to take Joshua before the entire congregation with the priest to put him in charge of them.  Leadership is God’s idea and putting a person in charge is one of the ways God leads His people.

 God wanted people to see that there was going to be a transfer of leadership.  We don’t always do well with that new pastor, new ministry leader, new landlord, new president or new manager.  The Lord knew that the people were used to Moses by now and they were going to go through some adjustment when the baton passed to Joshua.  The Lord wanted all to see a clear transfer and be ready to submit to Joshua as their new leader.

The Lord cares about change in leadership and the Lord desires to be involved in it.  Look to the Lord when things change and trust Him to help you transition.   Man’s leadership may change but God is always the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Knowing God - The Lord Upholds His Name

Deut 5:11

 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

The Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who takes His name in vain.  This reveals something about our God.  He considers His name worthy to be revered and handled with great respect.  His name is associated with His character.  We cannot see Him at this time and it is through His name we have access to Him.  The Lord tells us in Psalm 9:10 that those who know His name will put their trust in Him.  The Lord tells us that His name is excellent in all the earth.  We are told to declare His name to the brethren.  We are told that it is through his name that we will push down our enemies.  In Psalm 45:17, the psalmist declares that he will make the Lord’s name to be remembered through all generations.  In Psalm 74:10 we learn that the enemy blasphemes the name of the Lord.  The Lord has chosen to reveal Himself through His name.  He is the Lord God, our provider.  He is the Lord God, our Deliverer.  He is the Lord God, our Shepherd.  He is the Lord God, our Healer.  He is the Lord God, the Warrior.  Oh that we would speak His name often and NEVER take it lightly.

Proverbs - Diligence and Protection

Proverbs 22:29

Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

Diligence can be seen and diligence will bring honor.  Being diligent means doing things faithfully and doing them well.  Whatever business we find ourselves doing we need to do it heartily as unto the Lord and not for men.  We should clean our homes unto the Lord giving Him thanks while we are doing it.  If we are employed, we should follow protocol, be on time and go the extra mile so that our witness shines as we believe we are working for the Lord Jesus Himself.  A minimal effort should not be given from a disciple of Jesus Christ.  We approach a task depending on His wisdom and strength and seek to honor Him while we are doing it.  If we are diligent the Lord promises us that we will be delivered from the wrong types of people.  First of all, we are so busy we won’t end up wandering into the wrong company.  Those who are lazy or want to get rich doing nothing, will not want to hang around us because our diligence will frustrate them.  Secondly, the Lord will cause us to be noticed by those in authority and promotion and honor will follow.  We don’t work diligently to be noticed, but diligence will be noticed.  In all labor there is profit.  Do you want your life delivered from mean men?  Work hard today and be diligent in whatever your hand finds to do.

Knowing God - He Speaks From the Past

Josh 20:2

Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses:

                                                                            

Joshua was being reminded by the Lord of the instructions the Lord had given to Moses.  The Lord tells Joshua that He had spoken to Joshua through Moses.  Moses was Joshua’s mentor and predecessor.  He was someone Joshua served alongside.  Our God can tell us the directions for our lives through those He places in authority over us or those that have been our examples.  Moses had long died when Joshua was to appoint these cities of refuge, but the instructions Joshua received through him were to be remembered and obeyed.  The Lord had been speaking through Moses.  God speaks to us in His Word.  God speaks to us through spiritual occurrences, but God also uses those we have followed in the past to lead us even today.  Perhaps your parents are deceased.  The Lord can still use their advice to help you know.  Maybe that bible study leader has moved far away.  The Lord can still use those admonitions to prioritize your life today.  The Lord speaks through those who have led us.

Proverbs - Boundaries/Landmarks

Proverbs 22:28

Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.

The ancient landmark seems like a strange thing to talk about but these landmarks established boundaries and memorials that were pertinent to all the generations that followed.  The next generations were not to go about living without taking into consideration the experiences and lines drawn from those who had gone before them.  How about your parents?  Did they teach you things that you should be implementing into your life or have you removed these ancient landmarks?  Were there disciplines and values they gave you that you should be careful to uphold and pass on to the next generation? Going back even further, let us not move the ancient landmarks given to us by Moses, David and Paul.  When we approach God’s boundaries handed down to us by men who were moved upon by the Holy Spirit, don’t move them based on culture of bias.  Receive God’s boundaries.  His lines fall unto us in pleasant places.

Knowing God - The Lord Delivers Out of Them ALL

Ps 34:19

Many are the afflictions of the righteous:

but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.

The Lord delivers.  This word delivers means; to snatch away, to preserve and to defend.  We often focus on our many afflictions but we must remember that the Lord delivers us out of them all – not some, but ALL.  We can endure afflictions much better if we look at what we is not obviously seen.  The afflictions we go through will work for us a great and exceeding glory while we consciously focus on seeing the Lord’s clever means of defending and preserving us out of them.  As we endure some incredibly difficult times, if we are His righteous, we can confidently stand on the promise that the Lord, Himself, delivers us out of ALL our afflictions.   He heard the cries of His people in Egypt, He heard the cries of His people in Babylon and He hears the cries of His people in the oppression and affliction we now face.  Thank You Lord, that we can look for Your deliverance and You want to receive credit for our safe passageway out of affliction’s entrapment.  

Proverbs - Financial Wisdom

Proverbs 22:26 -27

Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts. If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

This is a warning concerning contracts and co-signing.  They are both things that pull us in to a commitment we are obliged to see through.  This verse is telling us that if we avoid unnecessary contracts and being collateral for someone else, we won’t have the concern of having what we own taken away from us.  Our belongings will not be tied to a debt whether it is ours or someone else’s.  We learn that life is less complicated if we can pay as we go and not buy something until we save up for it.  We also learn of the seriousness of co-signing for someone.   We are responsible for that debt if our name is on that loan.  Do you want to complicate your life with such a commitment?   Seek the Lord on such matters to know if you are in a place to get involved in sort of contract or co-signing situation.  You might be in a place where you have no concern about your bed being taken from you.  You might be financially well off to enter these sorts of things well able to take care of them.  Acknowledge Him in all your ways and He will direct your paths. 

Knowing God - He Wants Little Children to Know

Matt 19:14

But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

The word ‘suffer’ here means ‘allow’.  Jesus is telling those near him that they need to allow the little children to come to Jesus.  Don’t make it difficult for them to come to Him.  Don’t make Christianity something for intellectually developed adults where the bantering over theological positions gets in the way of the simplicity of faith in Christ.  Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven belongs to the little children, not just children, but LITTLE children.  He gives us insight into the reality of a kingdom centered life.  The principles and practices that allow us to experience Jesus’ kingship on a daily basis can be implemented by a little child.  Perhaps we have complicated things a bit.  Oh Lord, help us become like these little children, drawing near and enjoying your presence more than even your answers.  

Proverbs - Angry Friends

Proverbs 22:24-25

Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:  Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

This scripture is warning us who not to have as a close friend.  We must not be hanging out with someone who is given to anger and blow ups.  The Lord warns us that we could end up learning from them and becoming like them.  Truly, bad company corrupts good morals.  It is so important that we choose friends that have ways we want to learn.  An angry person is usually self-centered and full of judgment.  We can love these people but pace ourselves with them.  If you are married to an angry husband, be cautious.  Love him but be careful not to learn his ways.  It will be a snare for your personality.  You will want to make sure that you have friends that are full of joy and gratefulness to compensate for your husband’s disposition.  If you are an angry woman, you might notice friendships could be a bit scarce in your life.  Repent and seek to be a peacemaker rather than a woman given to wrath. 

Knowing God - He is Our Inaccessible Place

Ps 9:9

The Lord also will be a refuge for the

oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.

The word ‘refuge’ here means ‘an inaccessible place’.   Oppression speaks of being crushed and afflicted.  The Lord, Himself, wants to be that place that is accessible to us but inaccessible to that which is oppressing us.  When storms rage and flood waters rise, we should seek higher ground for safety.  The storms may continue but we will not drown.  This refuge is the Lord.  We can run into Him and be safe.  If you are going through a season where the waters are rising and your head is barely above water, stop trying to swim in the waters – GO TO HIGHER GROUND!  Go in your room, your back yard or go for a walk.  Begin to worship your refuge and trust that He wants to hide you in the shadow of His wings.  Enjoy His love.  Enjoy His protection!

Proverbs - Robbing the Poor?

Proverbs 22:22-23

Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: For the Lord will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.

We should never take advantage of the poor.  We should never add affliction to those who are already going through it.  God wouldn’t tell us this unless there would temptations do so.  How might you ask would one be tempted to do such a thing?  A televangelist could be tempted to take the impoverished condition of some of their followers and promise them riches as long as they send in what little they have for their ministry.  A drug dealer could offer free drugs to the afflicted to give them temporary relief bringing them into addiction and adding to their affliction.  Although these are obvious, I am sure that the Holy Spirit could reveal to us how we might be tempted to disobey this command.  The Lord will plead their cause and He will rob from those who have robbed them.

Knowing God - He Wants to Speak Specifically to You

Josh 9:14

And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord.

Joshua and his men were faced with some people who said they were from a faraway land.  These men showed physical things like; moldy bread, old wine skins and worn out shoes to prove they were not a nearing city.  Joshua and his men went by what they saw.  They did not ask counsel at the mouth of the Lord.  Do you know that the Lord has counsel in His mouth for you and your situation?  No matter how logical things may look or how things are lining up we must ask the Lord’s counsel because He has it stored up for the righteous.  It would behoove us to remember that our God is called Wonderful Counselor.  We must begin to connect with Him in a way that allows us to listen to and embrace all He has to say.  The Lord Jesus is called the Word made flesh.  He wants to speak to us.  He wants to speak to you specifically concerning that situation that you think you have already figured out.  Stop.  Ask for counsel at the mouth of the Lord.

Proverbs - Written to Create Trust

Proverbs 22:19-21

That thy trust may be in the Lord, I have

 made known to thee this day, even to thee.

Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,

That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?

The writer of these proverbs is letting us know why these are written.  They are written so that our trust will be in the Lord.  They are written so that we realize how excellent God’s counsel and knowledge is.  These are written so that we know the certainty of the words of truth.  How wonderful!  God wants us to know the certainty of the words of truth!  I love that phrase – the certainty of the words of truth!  Also we realize that after we realize how trustworthy and certain these counsels are, we will be able to answer words of truth to those who ask us for advice.  The Lord is so good.  He has given us this wisdom not only to build our lives but that others could gain wisdom through our knowledge of these proverbs.  As you have gone through these words and as you have applied them, have you noticed a sense of certainty about your choices?  Has anyone come to you needing advice and you found yourself armed with these words to give them?  Alleluia!  God’s Word is certain and we are certainly blessed to have His knowledge available to us through the book of Proverbs.

Knowing God - He Decides Our Inheritance

Deut 10:9

 Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the Lord is his inheritance, according

as the Lord thy God promised him.

When the tribes of Israel received land to possess and build upon, the Levites were not given land but rather the privilege of ministering in the tabernacle and to the people.   There ‘home’ was to be in a place of ministering to the Lord and considering their inheritance the Lord Himself.  Although most of us, I would say, are not descendants of Levi, we are a people whose citizenship is in heaven and rather than seeking first ‘our kingdom’ and the claiming the land He has given us, we might be much freer if we focus on the Lord being our inheritance.  We have been given everything pertaining to life and godliness in Christ.  We are seated in heavenly places.  We have peace with God through Jesus Christ.  We are sons of God.  We are the apple of His eye.  We have been given the seal of His Holy Spirit.  He promises to lead us, guide us, correct us and comfort us.  He is our inheritance and if we really grasp that, it just may deliver us from any inordinate affection we may have on the temporal.

Proverbs - Bowing Down to Listen

Proverbs 22:17-18

Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge. For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.

Our ears will hear wisdom much easier if they are bowed down to listen.  Bowing down implies a humility and openness to receive.  When we are quiet with our own arguments and reasons, we can hear wisdom much more clearly and be able to distinguish them above the other counsel coming from within and without.  We are also told her to apply our hearts to the Lord’s knowledge.  Our hearts need to be brought before God’s Word and made to receive and treasure all He has to say.  The things God shows us should be transferred to the place of cherishing within us.   Our hearts are equated with our passions and motives.  This wisdom and knowledge must be treasured and then dispensed through our words and actions.  We must cooperate with wisdom and knowledge.  It won’t do us good to listen and then not apply.  If we listen and don’t apply we will be like the man who built his house on the sand – great was the fall thereof.  We are instructed that it is a pleasant thing to keep this knowledge.  Things we have learned we must continue in.  The things we have learned will end up coming out of our mouths and be the most appropriate things we can say.  It starts with humility, goes to application, continues in keeping it and then causes our lives to be pleasant with words that are full of life.

Knowing God - The Stirs Us Up

Judg 13:24-25

 And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the Lord blessed him.

And the Spirit of the Lord began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.

When Samson was growing up, the Lord was blessing him.  At one point the Spirit of the Lord was moving upon him when he was in the camp of Dan.  The Spirit of the Lord began to stir him up when he was at a certain location.  The Lord can stir us up at certain times for His specific purposes.  When we sit alone before Him, go on a retreat, drive along fellowshipping with Him, sitting in a crowded mall or living in a certain city.  The Spirit of the Lord will begin to move upon us for the things He has created us to be and to do.  He wants to bless us and move upon us.  We must remain re-surrendered every day and willing to respond to whatever His Spirit begins to move us towards.  Just as the Spirit of the Lord moved upon the earth when it was void and without form, He will move upon us to breathe into us all the creative plans He has for us.

Proverbs - How to Not Have Money

Proverbs 22:16

He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.

There are two things that the Lord is teaching us in this proverb.  If we oppress the poor to increase our riches we will end up lacking things we need.  If we give to people because they are rich and perhaps we want their favor, we will end up lacking.  Both of these actions are motivated by self gain.  We must not use money to get something for ourselves from relationships.  So many Christians use their churches and Christian friends to be their marketing targets for the latest product and service.  Sure, the Lord could open the doors for business from our friends but be so careful never to look at people as potential sources of income.  We must look at people the way the Lord wants us to look at them.  We must never court a friendship to gain something from another.  We should show the same respect, interest and courtesy to the poor and to the rich, not avoiding either.  If we show favoritism or disdain for anyone based on their economic value we are showing partiality and the Lord is not pleased with this.  Let us love one another because love is of God and everyone that loves is born of God and knows God.  How can we love God whom we can’t see if we aren’t seeking to love those we can see?

Knowing God - His Presence Is Not Always Obvious

Gen 28:16

 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.

Jacob was sleeping.  The Lord appeared to him in a dream and let him know that the land upon which he slept was promised to him.  We, like Jacob, could be sleeping on things that the Lord wants to give us.  When Jacob awakened he told himself that the Lord was in this place and he didn't know it.  The Lord’s presence is not always so spectacular.   His power is not always so demanding.  Oftentimes the Lord is in something and we are practically sleeping and not recognizing He is in it.  His promises and presence are not always pushing their way into our perspective.  We, like Jacob, must awaken to His presence and the promises He has already given us.  Lord, show us the places where you are and we have yet to recognize!

Proverbs - Rod of Correction

Proverbs 22:15

Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child;

 but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

This is a great truth to know.   When something is bound, it means it is there and not easily released.  Sometimes as parents we act so surprised when a child does something foolish.      We shouldn’t be!  This foolishness has been handed down from Adam and it is bound in our children’s hearts.  We are commissioned to drive this foolishness far from them.  How should we do this?  We are to use the rod of correction.  This rod is not the rod that is considered to be used to strike out of punishment but rather correction.  When an animal would wander out of the way on a journey, the herdsman would take a rod and gently put it on the side of the animal in the direction they were not supposed to travel.  The rod would create a boundary, like a fence, and the animal would start to travel back towards the path the herdsman wanted them to travel.  Whenever they would wander, this rod would correct their direction and take them back to the safer road.  We can take the rod of God’s Word as well as boundaries we can impose and cause our children to be corrected from their natural bent on wandering.  We must not be surprised when they wander but rather be prepared to guide them back with the rod of correction.  If we do, this foolishness will move further and further from them until it becomes more unfamiliar than the safe way we have led them on.

Knowing God - He Crafts Us

Ps 40:17

 But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.

The Lord thinks upon us.  This word here is a word often used with crafting a musical instrument.  There is consideration of shape, use, function, material and purpose.   The Lord looks at me and you and thinks upon us.  He has plans and purposes.  He has a design for us and is our help and our deliverer.  Sometimes we may feel that people don’t really think about us and we may even feel alone and neglected.  Let us take this truth and hold it up to our feelings dispelling that conclusion and taking great comfort in the fact that the Lord thinks upon us.  This is a great source of comfort and security.  As we keep our minds stayed on Him, let us remember He is thinking upon us.  As we purpose to abide in Him, let us remember that He has come to make His abode with us.  

Proverbs - Watch That Mouth Ladies!

Proverbs 22:14

The mouth of strange women is a deep pit:

he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein.

The strange woman spoken of in the scriptures refers to a loose woman.  She could be a prostitute or a woman who is luring a man into sexual sin without any payment at all.  Here the Lord is warning us about the mouth of a strange woman.  This is referring to what she says and how she says it.  We are not to be like this strange woman.  We must not have words come out of our mouths that create a pit for a man to fall in.  If we are around a man that is not our husband we must not speak of sexual matters or jest concerning the flesh.  Our pasts should not be discussed and flattery with the intent of enticing should never proceed from our mouths.   The Lord abhors it when men fall into these traps so we must never be women who facilitate what the Lord abhors.  Let us desire to represent the Lord and be safe for men to be around.  Let us not be those deep pits.  Let us be women who adorn the gospel by our purity and wholesomeness.  Then, we will really stand out!