Proverbs - Don't Boast!

Proverbs 27:1

Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

Boasting implies control.  Boasting tends to root itself in personal lordship.  We have been called to have Jesus Christ as our Lord and we are trusting that the Lord has ultimate sovereignty over all we do and plan.  We do not know what a day may bring forth.  We can plan but it is the Lord that directs our paths.  Boasting is being someone who speaks and believes that their plans are final.  We ought rather to say, “If the Lord wills, we will do this and that.”  Speaking this kind of option keeps us in a place where we understand that we are under the Lordship of Christ and His servants chief of all.  If we remain in this place we will not be so anxious or controlling.  We will be yielding and flexible and looking for His will to unfold throughout the day.  We will be considerate of others and loving in the face of interruptions.  Let us not be women who boast about tomorrow.  Let us be women who face this day with an open mind about His leading and face tomorrow with a childlike trust and anticipation of surprises.

Proverbs - Lying and Relationships

Proverbs 26:28

A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it;

and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.

When we lie to someone we are hating them.  We are not giving them what they think they are getting.  We are like a corrupt businessman giving someone goods they didn’t even want to buy.  When we are tempted to lie to someone thinking we are doing them good, we must know this truth.  You are hating the one you are lying to.  Lying tongues afflict people.  They feel hurt, wounded and deceived.  Sure, truth can hurt but it doesn’t afflict.  Affliction goes on and on, a wounding truth can be dealt with.  If you love someone, be sure you don’t lie to them.  

Knowing God - His Touch Comes First

Matt 8:2-3

And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

A leper came to Jesus and worshipped him.  He worshipped him before any healing was given.  He worshipped Jesus from a place of rejection, physical torment and affliction.  No one could touch a leper.  Lepers would have to announce their presence to give people an opportunity to pull themselves back in order to avoid any possible touch.  Could you imagine?  Being someone is o much affliction and not having human touch to comfort and console you? Here, we see Jesus healing this man, but we see Jesus touching this man and then healing him.  The touch came before the healing.  The lepers worship came before the healing.  How precious the love each had for the other.  Our Jesus is longing to touch us regardless of whether we think we deserve it or not.  His touch IS our healing.  He will touch us BEFORE we are healed.  Be open to His touch today.  Worship Him BEFORE He moves in power.  This will produce a relationship that is rooted in love rather than performance.

Knowing God - God is for Me

Ps 56:9

When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: 

this I know; for God is for me.

God is For Me

Here is an instruction on how our battles are to be fought.   The psalmist distinctly connects his enemies turning back with crying unto the Lord.  Because God is for us, He wants to be involved in our battles.  So often we wait until our enemies are upon us to call upon the Lord.  If we were to cry out to the Lord at the first sight of opposing forces, His intervention will be experienced at a much sooner time than when the conflict has already taken a great toll on us.  When we call on the Lord, it is not just a therapeutic exercise but a cry out for legitimate help that is powerful and effective.  Dear saint, when you cry out to the Lord, do you not know that you are pulling into your battle, the God who is for you?  Do you not realize the potential of influence your God has in the situation?  Do not allow the enemy of your soul to trivialize or minimize the effectiveness of your cry.  This is war!

Proverbs - Don't Dig!

Proverbs 26:27

Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein:

and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.

This truth is not like karma.  Karma is doing something wrong and having it come back to you in an unrelated sense.  This truth tells us that if we dig a pit we will fall into that pit that we dug.  God tells us that if we roll a stone, that stone will fall upon us.  God is not mocked.  Whatever a man plants, he shall reap.  If we plant watermelon seeds we get watermelon.  If we plant to our fleshly nature we will reap the flesh with all of its ‘wonderful’ fruit.  If we try to injure someone by our own plans these plans will backfire on us and we will end up being hurt by the very plans we created.  Sister, do not plan destruction for another.  Do not repay evil for evil.  The Lord is the judge and He is the only legitimate one to deal with men’s sins.  You don’t want to fall into that pit.  You don’t want to have that stone roll back on you.  Forgive and commit yourself to your faithful creator.  

Knowing God - He Pleads Our Cause

Ps 35:1

Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me…

                                           He Pleads Our Cause

                 

How wonderful that we have a God who can be everywhere.  He can speak to those who come against us when they are in their car, in the shower or while they are speaking things against us.  The Lord is the best attorney and most convincing representative we could ever have. He pleads our cause to those who strive with us.  What a loving Father!  This should help us keep quiet and avoid saying things we might regret later when trying to defend ourselves out of pain or being wounded.  We must remember that the Lord can get into people’s minds, hearts and lives in a thoroughly convincing way.  Dear friend, you have the Lord on your side.  Who can be against you?

Proverbs - Weighing Words From Those Who Hate Us

Proverbs 26:24 -26

He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;

When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.

Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.

Having hate in our hearts will produce the wrong words.  A heart issue must be dealt with before the one who can create in us clean hearts and renew right spirits within us.  If someone hates us we must not trust what they say.  They have abominations in their hearts and the Lord will deal with them.  We must keep loving them and doing good to them but we shouldn’t believe them.  Let their words be insignificant whether hateful or flattering.  Pray for them and love them but be wise in your dealings with them.  People will hate us and we should be warned by this proverb how to deal with their words.