Proverbs - Let's Adjust Our Scales

Proverbs 11:1

          A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.

                    A balance here is that which weighs something.  Sometimes in the marketplaces of old, a scale might be upon the seller’s table.  Perhaps the amount of grain to be purchased was placed there and an appropriate price would be given per pound.  Sometimes a dishonest seller would unjustly weigh down the scale so as to charge his customer more than what the buyer actually purchased.  Here we see that a false balance is an abomination to the Lord.

                    Ladies, we could very well be doing this in our own lives.  How do we weigh those matters that affect us?  Does a little word spoken to you become a larger burden than it actually is?  Do you measure the events of your life by a scale falsely balanced by this world’s ideas of what is valuable and what is not?  If we have a just way of weighing things we find in this verse that is delightful to the Lord.  We must come before Him in prayer and before His Word to measure those things that affect us.  We mustn’t let the enemy, that deceiver, put false weights where things are not that heavy.  We mustn’t let our own biases and perspectives give us the wrong measurement in assessing situations, relationships and events in our lives.

                    The next time you are facing something and attempting to determine its impact on you, remember this verse.  Ask the Lord to help you weigh it justly and to remove from you any false balances in your life.  When you go to a gas station you will see a sticker on the pump assuring its integrity by a governmental agency that checks scales and measuring devices.  You only want to pay for that which you put in and you appreciate the integrity of an honest scale.   We don’t need to be weighed down by things that are judged by a dishonest scale.  Let us be sure to always come before His inspection so as to maintain an honest way of weighing matters.

         

Knowing God - He Does All These Things

Isa 45:7

 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.

The Lord is speaking to His people through the prophet Isaiah.  He is reminding them of who He is that they might take His commands and boundaries a bit more seriously.  We do not have the option to ignore God’s Words and expect to experience life in the manner in which He designed it.  The Lord formed light.  The Lord creates darkness.  The Lord makes peace.  The Lord creates situations that we don’t like.  The Lord does these things.  He is Lord.  He is Creator.  He is wisdom.  He is judge.  He is Savior.  He is the One we answer to.  In a day and age where personal opinion is touted as the ultimate guide to our lives, we had best take note of who our God is and the position He deserves as final authority in all matters.  Who is like our God?  He deserves our appropriate submission, honor and respect.  Perhaps it would do us well to sit in His presence for a few minutes and take in what He is saying here.  Perhaps if we started our day with a bit more awe, we might choose our paths more carefully.

Proverbs - Our Mouths

Proverbs 10:31-32

 The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom:

 but the froward tongue shall be cut out.

The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable:

but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.

                    Time and time again we are exhorted by the wisdom of God about our tongue and speech.  We so need it ladies.  We have to talk every day and every day there is the opportunity for our tongues to bring forth wisdom and life or destruction and foolishness.  We must not have a froward tongue.  A froward tongue is a deceitful tongue.  Saying those things we think others want to hear, saying those things that we want others to hear, saying things in a way that doesn’t clearly represent truth for whatever reason.  Sisters, let us yield our tongue as an instrument of righteousness today so that we will bring forth wisdom and that which is acceptable.  Let us yield our tongues to the control of the Holy Spirit that we might be source of His solutions to those around us.

Christ is God

Phil 4:13

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

When a believer reads this verse, they usually focus on the part of being able to do all things.  Here we will focus on what we learn about Jesus Christ in this verse.  We are told, by Paul, that Jesus gives him strength when he faces things he needs to do.  This shows that Jesus was not just a prophet or eloquent orator who died to be a good example.  This verse proves the resurrection of Christ and His ability to be with every believer imputing to them strength that they need.  Christ strengthens the individual.  He is not just concerned with His church as a whole, but comes individually to each member of the body ready to give them strength that He has to give.  Jesus is real.  Jesus is alive.  Jesus has strength to give.  Jesus is God!

Proverbs - Build With Righteousness

Proverbs 10:30

The righteous shall never be removed:

but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.

          The righteous standards the Lord gives us for our lives and homes, builds in a stability that we may not even recognize is there at first. Don’t worry.  Keep building with every bit of counsel and wisdom you receive from the Lord.  Your marriage, family and life will endure beyond the fleeting passions and fancies that may try to court you away from enduring love and constant character.  Every time we look to the blueprints of God’s Word and build according to code, we are those wise women and our homes are being constructed to withstand the evil day that most likely will visit in due time.  Don’t grow weary in well doing sisters.  Don’t be impatient to throw your lives together with substandard materials.  Have the patience of the master builder.  Look to Him each day for that which He would accomplish in you and through you.  You will not be moved.

Knowing God - He Wants to Be Our Arm EVERY Morning

Isa 33:2

 O Lord, be gracious unto us; we have waited for thee: be thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.

The Lord wants to be our arm every morning.  The phrase ‘the arm of the Lord’ speaks of God’s strength.  It is often in the morning that we awaken and consider the problems and responsibilities we currently have.  It is in the morning that we can realize that the Lord wants to be our arm, our strength.  The arm of the Lord also represents His authority and final say so in matters.  “The Lord hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength..” (Isaiah 62:8) In the morning we can come to our God and thank Him for being our arm every morning – the strength of our lives.  “….thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.” (Exodus 15:13) 

Oh Lord guide our days, starting in the morning with your mighty arm and strength.  Be our arm O Lord.

Proverbs - His Way is Strength

Proverbs 10:29

 The way of the LORD is strength to the upright:

 but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

                    Sometimes we think the way of the Lord is hard and results in depletion of our strength.  This verse says “Not so”.  When we choose to do things the way the Lord has said it will result in strength.  Whenever a body builder wants to work out to build muscles strength, they need resistance to build muscle tissue cells.  Ladies, as we go against the natural choices we would make apart from the Lord’s guidance, we will face resistance initially.  Don’t panic!  This is just there to build strength in your spirit.  Keep going that way and you will find it much easier to resist the next time.  Embrace the resistance as the Lord’s means for building you up in His strength.