Proverbs - Who's Around the Throne?

Proverbs 25:4 -5

Take away the dross from the silver,

and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.

Take away the wicked from before the king,

and his throne shall be established in righteousness.

Authority always does better when there are not wicked influences surrounding it.  Like silver that contains dross and needs this removed to shine to its fullest, authority will shine given the right counselors and influences within its closest ranks.  We should pray for our husbands to have the right kind of friends and mentors and that the Lord would remove wicked and unreasonable men from their lives.  We must not be wicked women who try to manipulate their authority or influence them for evil or we are that dross discussed in this proverb.  Also, as mothers who have authority over our children, our closest friends should be righteous and sensitive to the Lord.  We need wickedness removed from before us.  Certain television shows, books or relationships may, in fact, need to be put away from us.  This way the throne of authority will be established in righteousness.

The Lord Loves These Two Things

Psalm 33:5a

He loveth righteousness and judgment:…

The Lord Loves These Two Things

When we love someone we want to give them things they love.  Maybe your husband loves homemade chocolate chip cookies.  My husband loves jello!  I try to make it to give him what he loves.  The Lord loves righteousness and judgment. When we determine to do things His way and evaluate things in the light of His standards, the Lord loves this.  We aren’t supposed to be primarily motivated to do the right things in order to have a blessed life for ourselves.  It should be our desire to honor and please Him.  If you find yourself struggling with a sin, seek to overcome it with His help, to give Him something He loves.  When the love of Christ constrains us, we will find resources and power not easily found in the self effort of trying to do the right thing.

Proverbs - Seeking and the Heart

Proverbs 25:1-2

These are also proverbs of Solomon,

which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.

It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.

God has a right to withhold instruction until we are ready to receive it.  It is to His glory.  We may not be mature enough to process it or willing enough to obey it.  We see many instances in scripture where our finding is connected with our seeking.  It is in the search that our hearts are made ready to receive.  It is in the search that our focus becomes defined.  The Lord has called us kings and priests and it our honor to search out a matter.  This keeps us remembering that He is the King of kings and truly the wisdom we need descends from above and is not always within our beings.  The search creates the hunger where the answers satisfy.  The search creates a passion that will remain long after the answer comes.  You will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart.  He wants to be found and He wants to use the time of seeking in your life in a rich, lasting way.

Knowing God - His Word is Right

Psalm 33:4

For the word of the LORD is right;

and all his works are done in truth.

God’s Word Is Right

Sometimes we are looking for something that is indisputably right.  Here we see that His Word is right.  When faced with confusion or changing standards, it would do us well to sit down and spend some time just reading through His Word.  When we are exposed to His Word, a sense of rightness can come upon us and our hearts will be settled in the midst of such shifting sands of cultural change and sinful choices.  His works are done in truth.  God never makes a judgment or sends help out of deceit or false intentions.  He works in truth and His ways are to be trusted.  Thank You Lord that ALL your works are done in truth.  We rest in this and trust that what You say and what You do is right and true.  This helps us wade through the perpetual confusion of this fallen world.

Knowing God - His Blessing IS Upon You

Psalm 3:8

Salvation belongeth unto the LORD:

thy blessing is upon thy people.

The Lord Owns Salvation

When we need to be saved in a situation, it is the Lord we must look to in those situations that seem overwhelming and where we feel trapped.  He is able to deliver and salvation belongs to the Lord.  He is waiting for us to lift up our voices and anticipate His salvation that He might receive the glory.  His name is Savior and He is true to His name.  His blessing is upon those of us who are His people.  We can face difficult times knowing He saves and His blessing is upon us.  Don’t allow the intimidation of circumstances to tell you that He has not blessed you – His blessing IS upon you and salvation belongs to the Lord.

Proverbs - Watch and Receive

Proverbs 24:30-34

I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.

This is a lesson for us to learn.  We need to be observant.  Watch people’s lives. This man walked by a field of a man who was lazy.  It was unkempt, overgrown and there was no protection around it from animals or thief.  He looked at it and considered it well.  He looked upon it and received instruction.  Look upon the fields of the lazy that you know. Consider them and receive instruction.  Instead of judging people; receive instruction.  Instead of gossiping about people; receive instruction.   People’s lives can teach us so much.  Here we learn that if we are lazy, our homes will be a mess.  Things will be growing in relationships that are choking out life and boundaries will be crumbling.  If we are lazy moms and not attentive to our children, the walls we have constructed might start to disintegrate and lose their structure.  We must be diligent in this calling we have received so that when people walk by our fields, they might stop, consider and receive instruction as well.

Knowing God - The Lord Has Won

Psalm 3:7

Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God:

for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone;

thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.

The Lord Has Already Won

The Lord moves from a position of victory.  At the cross, Jesus Christ conquered sin and its eternal consequences.  We can cry out now to the God who saves because He has paid the highest price for deliverance by giving Jesus Christ.  He that spared not His own Son but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not freely give us all things?  He has been faithful to help us in the past; He will be faithful to help us now.  He is the same yesterday, today and forever….