Category: Proverbs

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A New Way of Life – Patience

Some years back I was in the breakroom where I worked. A young man came in, retrieved his lunch from the fridge and put it in the microwave. As he stood there waiting the one minute, thirty seconds of cooking time he was tapping his fingers on the counter and muttering “hurry up already”. I found that very humorous; you see I’m from the age before microwaves, instant messaging and overnight shipping.

Yesterday I was taken back to that age, the age of slower living. I had packages to drop off at the local post office. When I arrived there was a line to the door. I knew from being there last week that only one clerk was working and the line spacing was every five feet. Had to have been at least ten people waiting and it would be at least thirty minutes. I left.

I also had business that needed the assistance of a personal banker at the local branch. I was met at the door and not allowed to enter the waiting area, although I had a mask on. Instead the bank employee retrieved an appointment page and gave me an appointment for Thursday at 11. I thanked the employee but to be perfectly honest I was miffed.

Life as usual has changed. I needed to be more patient. It wasn’t their fault; they were trying to abide by safety guidelines and I needed to understand that. Things are going to be this way for a while – it will be a slower pace, I need to be prepared to wait.

“A patient person is very smart. A quick-tempered person makes stupid mistakes. 30 Peace of mind makes the body healthy, but jealousy is like a cancer.” Proverbs 14:29-30 ERV

Once I got home I found I had to rearrange the rest of my week’s schedule because an appointment had to be rescheduled which caused me to make alternative arrangements with several other appointments. “Ok, Lord! I’m learning to be obedient to Your word. I won’t yell at the microwave and I won’t allow my words to be unkind. I will be patient.”

If you’ve had a day like this, I’m sorry. If you haven’t, you will. The staff and employees we are dealing with aren’t at fault. They need our understanding; they need our encouragement, a kind word and a smile. We are Jesus’ goodwill ambassadors!

“Be happy because of the hope you have. Be patient when you have troubles. Pray all the time.” Romans 12:12 ERV

My night ended with a smile. We received a Facetime call from our youngest daughter and her family. All three of our little grandchildren had “something to show you”. One is crawling, one had drawn a picture and one had a handful of markers and was telling us the colors. Mom and Dad were having family time and included Dave and I. The perfect ending to a long day.

Have a great day and remember to be patient!

“God’s Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, 23 gentle, and self-controlled. There is no law against behaving in any of these ways.” Galatians 5:22-23 CEV

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Apples of Gold

A lot going on in my life right now. One issue in particular has been life and death – God is so precious and life reigns!

“With his mighty arm the Lord wins victories! The Lord is powerful! 17 And so my life is safe, and I will live to tell what the Lord has done.” Psalm 118:16-17 CEV

As I sit here this morning in my quiet place of refreshing I am reminded of a song we sang in the 70’s. Do you remember the early days of the Jesus movement? New choruses of worship and praise were being written weekly. This is one of my favorites, the focal point is Jesus. Without Jesus, all of our songs are just noise or as the Apostle Paul put it – “a sounding brass and a tingling cymbal”.

Lord, you are more precious than silver. 
Lord, you are more costly than gold. 
Lord, you are more beautiful than diamonds 
Nothing I desire compares with you.
Lord, your love is deeper than oceans. 
Lord, your love is wider than seas. 
Lord, your love encompasses the nations. 
Nothing I want more inside of me!

My heart is singing praise to the Father – Nothing I desire compares to Him!

God’s word will bring comfort, healing, strength and joy. We simply need to open the pages of the Bible and read. There on those pages are the words of life. The Almighty, all-loving, heavenly Father speaking to us, His children.

“Let instruction and knowledge mean more to you than silver or the finest gold. 11 Wisdom is worth much more than precious jewels or anything else you desire.” Proverbs 8:10-11CEV

“Saying the right thing at the right time is like a golden apple in a silver setting. 12 Wise advice to a listening ear is like gold earrings or fine jewelry.” Proverbs 25:10-11 ERV

God’s word is the source of all wisdom. In the book of John, Jesus is called the Word. He came to tell us what was on the Father’s heart. Nothing compares to Him!

I live to declare the glory and the goodness of the Lord!

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Congratulations Class of 2020!

I want to take this morning to say congratulations to all who are graduating this year. You did it!

Each one of you are unique and have talents and abilities that no one else does. Your perspective, sense of humor, compassion, strength and skills have made you one-of-a-kind. As parents, grandparents, educators, family and friends we want to encourage you as you continue on this road of life.

God made you complete; an individual who will add to this world and not take away from it. The person you are now and in the process of becoming is as distinctive as your fingerprints. Without you we would all be missing out.

Parents, from the time our graduates were born we guided them in their development. It was our job to nurture them and help them see their God-given talents. As this door on their education closes and they step out into a waiting world we know there is nothing common about them. They have a calling, a plan and a purpose that is exclusively theirs.

“‘I say this because I know the plans that I have for you.’ This message is from the Lord. ‘I have good plans for you. I don’t plan to hurt you. I plan to give you hope and a good future. 12 Then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me, and I will listen to you.'” Jeremiah 29:11-12 ERV

Trust God to direct your path; as you pursue His plan your lives will be filled with peace, protection and wisdom. He has designed this day from the beginning of time and He desires nothing but good for you.

Any plan that God designs is excellent. Trust Him with your future. You are valuable to your heavenly Father; it makes no difference your profession. We need you – trades persons, educators, first responders, professionals, ministers, musicians, bankers, clerks, artists, designers, homemakers – we need you all.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. 7 Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil. 8 Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones.” Proverbs 3:5-8 NLT

We are celebrating you, the graduates, today. College, High School, Trade School, Junior High and yes, even kindergarten. God’s love and provision is never limited – not by age, class, race, gender or education. He has made a promise to each and everyone of us – He will never leave us or abandon us – never!

Go with God! Follow His path.

Congratulations!

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Going South

Many in the continental U.S. like to travel south every year. We call them winter visitors. This year some of them stayed longer than expected because they felt it wasn’t safe to head home. There was so much uncertainty – would they be jeopardizing their health, would there be a safe place to stay while on the road, could they fly safely. So many questions.

We should all ask these same questions about life in general. Our daily routine needs to be taken to the Lord in prayer and He will guide.

Years ago when we were young in faith and learning to listen to the Lord’s voice we had a cowboy preacher, a dear friend, tell us this: “If God says go South, He will provide; If you go North you’ll think you died!”

Now that’s not scripture but it is Biblical. Solomon put it this way: “Trust the LORD completely, and don’t depend on your own knowledge. 6 With every step you take, think about what he wants, and he will help you go the right way. 7 Don’t trust in your own wisdom, but fear and respect the LORD and stay away from evil. 8 If you do this, it will be like a refreshing drink and medicine for your body.” Proverb 3:5-8 ERV

And then this one: “Turn to the LORD for help in everything you do, and you will be successful. 4 The LORD has a plan for everything.” Proverbs 16:3-4a ERV

God has a plan for each day – it doesn’t really matter what the activities are in the day He has a plan! Some days His plan is to change our plan, His plan is better.

When we listen, He speaks and when we follow His leading we are blessed! We have a choice – it would be silly to lean to our own understanding since following Him is the right way to go and His wisdom is perfect.

“Today I am giving you a choice. You may choose the blessing or the curse. 27 You will get the blessing if you listen and obey the commands of the LORD your God that I have told you today. 28 But you will get the curse if you refuse to listen and obey the commands of the LORD your God. So don’t stop living the way I command you today, and don’t follow other gods that you don’t know.” Deuteronomy 11:26-28 ERV

Trust the Lord today. He loves us and His desire for us is good!

“I say this because I know the plans that I have for you.” This message is from the LORD. “I have good plans for you. I don’t plan to hurt you. I plan to give you hope and a good future. 12 Then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” Jeremiah 29:11-12 ERV

Go South today – He will provide!!!

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Do Something Fun!

It’s time to do something fun! Here in Arizona a lot of people have pools in their backyards and it’s the perfect time to get the kids and head outside. Several weeks back our grandson, who is 4 1/2, talked about things he couldn’t do because of Corona. The playgrounds in the neighborhood were closed, he couldn’t have play dates with his friends, he couldn’t go to church, he couldn’t go to Auntie’s and he couldn’t go camping with us because the campground was closed.

I’m sure many of us feel like he did. His whole world had shut down.

But the world isn’t shut down; it’s just been rearranged for a while. This is Mother’s Day weekend so Mom’s let’s take the lead. Let’s ask the family for suggestions on what’s something fun they would like to do this weekend. Nothing fills a Mom’s heart more than the laughter and joy of her family.

“A cheerful heart is good medicine…”Proverbs 17:22 NLT

We should all take a big dose of anti-Corona medicine. Let’s laugh and have fun! It will do all of us a lot of good. Have s’mores for dinner, don’t just send the kids out to play – go join them in the sprinkler or the pool. Watch cartoons, sing silly songs, play tag or ring-around-the rosy, go for a bike ride, have a backyard picnic. And when the day is done, have bedtime prayers and thank our heavenly Father for the joy that we had with our family. Thank Him for the wonderful gift of love!

Now for us who are empty nesters or are all by ourselves may I suggest that we call, Facetime, Skype or Zoom with our families and special friends. Take time to enjoy their presence, they truly are a gift. I had a friend post that she had lunch with one of her friends. They both got take out, drove their cars to a parking lot, opened their windows and visited while they had lunch.

God likes to have fun. After all, He said when we get to heaven there will be no more tears. It will be a time of joy, so start now.

“I’m thanking you, God, from a full heart, I’m writing the book on your wonders. I’m whistling, laughing, and jumping for joy; I’m singing your song, High God.” Psalm 9:1-2 MSG

No excuses – start planning now – fill your weekend with joy!

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Joy & Laughter

“A cheerful heart is good medicine,  but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” Proverbs 17:22 NLT

Some people in our nation have spent the last six to eight weeks shut up, living in fear. Now, some of those same people are frustrated, angry and striking out. Heart and determination have given way to disillusionment and mistrust.

It’s time for us to focus on what’s good, pure, honest, and lovely. Our family and our friends need our strength and our joy.

“Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy the good food and sweet drinks. Give some food and drinks to those who didn’t prepare any food. Today is a special day to our Lord. Don’t be sad, because the joy of the Lord will make you strong.” Nehemiah 8:10 ERV

A true and honest joy gives strength to our bodies and our emotions. Find something to laugh about, do silly things. If you have children old enough to participate, tell everyone that tonight’s dinner conversation has to be only words that begin with the letter “r”, or whatever letter you choose. Before long everyone will be laughing.

Find an old comedy on Netflix, Prime or whatever streaming source you have. The sillier the better – Carol Burnett, Jonathan Winters, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. If you’re not old enough to know who these people are do a search on them.

Marvel in the small things. We spent a good deal of time this weekend watching two little wrens fly back and forth feeding their young, who are in a nest on our back patio. They were tireless in their efforts to provide for their babies. Look for shapes in the clouds. Go for a walk and count all the different kinds of flowers you find. Have a water fight!

Do something to bring joy and amazement into your life.

“61 The Spirit of the Lord God  has taken control of me! The Lord has chosen and sent me to tell the oppressed the good news, to heal the brokenhearted, and to announce freedom for prisoners and captives. 2 This is the year when the Lord God will show kindness to us and punish our enemies. The Lord has sent me to comfort those who mourn,3 especially in Jerusalem. He sent me to give them flowers in place of their sorrow, olive oil in place of tears, and joyous praise in place of broken hearts. They will be called  “Trees of Justice,” planted by the Lord to honor his name. 4 Then they will rebuild cities that have been in ruins for many generations.” Isaiah 61:1-4 ERV

There’s a header on these verses which reads “The Good News of Victory”. These words were spoken about the coming of Jesus nearly four hundred years before He was born. Now that Jesus has come He has brought us freedom, peace, kindness, comfort, joy and restoration for what was ruined.

Sounds like a good word for what we’ve been experiencing.

Let the peace of God and joy in the Lord be our guiding force and then let’s share it generously with all we meet!

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Kindness & Peace

Some mornings when I get up I hesitate having any contact with the outside world. It’s not because I’m afraid of the reports on COVID-19. My heart gets grieved by the unkind words and actions that seem to be so prevalent.

Two things we can always use more of is kindness and peace. It would mean a great deal if people treated us nicer, right? I think we can get a hardy amen to having less drama in our lives. Here is the question: How can we be used to bring those two elements into the lives of those around us?

“This letter is to all of you in Rome. God loves you and has chosen you to be his very own people. I pray that God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you and will bless you with peace!” Romans 1:7 CEV

Well, we can begin by praying for God to bless those we know with kindness and peace. And then we can follow through with being kind to those around us.

Kind to the other drivers on the roads, to the grocery store workers, our first responders, to truckers, neighbors and those we speak to on the phone and through electronic communication. To our kids and our spouses.

Kindness brings peace.

“Without wood, a fire goes out. Without gossip, arguments stop. 21 Charcoal keeps the coals glowing, wood keeps the fire burning, and troublemakers keep arguments alive.” Proverbs 26:20-21 MSG

“Don’t you know that the reason God is good to you is because he wants you to turn to him?” Romans 2:4 CEV

God’s goodness is what draws people to Him. When we emulate God’s character we are being used to bring others to Christ. We must never underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit working through us.

“God’s Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, 23 gentle, and self-controlled. There is no law against behaving in any of these ways.” Galatians 5:22-23 CEV

Today I’m praying that God’s goodness and peace will overflow in our lives flooding all those around us.

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Children Are A Blessing

A few weeks back I received a text request from our oldest granddaughter. She asked if Dave and I would write letters to her daughter, our first great granddaughter; she wants them to go in her baby book. We were honored. It isn’t something that we could quickly scribble down on a sheet of paper. This letter would be special, well-thought, it had to convey the love we feel in our heart.

Yesterday was free of projects and so I was able to pray and write a letter of blessing. I’ve only seen pictures of this sweet little angel but she has captured my heart. I am truly blessed. I feel that way about all of my children, grandchildren and now our great grandchild.

As a parent my greatest desire is for my children to love the Lord and have His Word as the foundation of their lives. My opinions, successes and failures in life, my life experience, have no real value unless they are based on the word of God. That is the only sure foundation!

“How can a young person live a pure life? By obeying your word. 10 I try with all my heart to serve you. Help me obey your commands. 11 I study your teachings very carefully so that I will not sin against you. 12 LORD, you are worthy of praise! Teach me your laws. 13 I will repeat the laws we have heard from you. 14 I enjoy following your rules as much as others enjoy great riches. 15 I will study your instructions. I will give thought to your way of life.
16 I enjoy your laws. I will not forget your word.” Psalm 119:9-16 ERV

These are the words of King David. As a young man he grew up trusting the Word of God. He found strength, wisdom and earned favor with those who were his superiors but living what he learned from God’s word. Then he had a few years where he trusted in himself and his station in life. He failed in his personal life and he failed his children. It didn’t take him long to repent, he was restored and his life became an example of godliness again.

His son, Solomon, became king following David’s death. It is said that he was the wisest and wealthiest man to have ever lived. He gave this instruction to his children.

“These are the proverbs of Solomon, the son of David and king of Israel. 2 They will help you learn to be wise, to accept correction, and to understand wise sayings. 3 They will teach you to develop your mind in the right way. You will learn to do what is right and to be honest and fair. 4 These proverbs will make even those without education smart. They will teach young people what they need to know and how to use what they have learned. 5 Even the wise could become wiser by listening to these proverbs. They will gain understanding and learn to solve difficult problems. 6 These sayings will help you understand proverbs, stories with hidden meanings, words of the wise, and other difficult sayings. 7 Knowledge begins with fear and respect for the LORD, but stubborn fools hate wisdom and refuse to learn.8 My son, listen to your father when he corrects you, and don’t ignore what your mother teaches you. 9 What you learn from your parents will bring you honor and respect, like a crown or a gold medal.” Proverbs 1: 1-8 ERV

As parents and grandparents, let’s keep the word of God before our children and grandchildren. Let it be our instruction to them. We don’t need to preach AT them but live the Word of God before them.

Pray with them – Pray for them. Plant God’s word in their lives and watch it grow and bring a harvest of good for them. They are worth it!

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Word Search Challenge

While we are practicing our social distancing I have a way for us to pass the time. If you’re like me, you are probably tired of sitting on the couch. Don’t want to watch television, have seen enough movies and news.

I really enjoy “hidden object” games. Looking for things that are hidden and then remembering them for the next time you come back to that scene – it’s a real challenge and something I just like to do. But my all time favorite is Word Search. It’s a great way to improve your vocabulary and keep your mind alert. It was also one of my Dad’s favorites.

I also enjoy another kind of word search and I do it every morning.

When I first really got turned on to God’s word I began using it like my own personal hidden message from heaven. My goodness, that’s been over 40 years ago now. I had been raised in church all my life but never really got in and studied the Word for myself. You know, you go to church and listen to the minister or Sunday School teacher and you just accept what they say and never really give much thought to it the rest of the week.

But after we saw God do a miracle and heal our son, we started searching to find out what the Word said to us and how it would impact our daily lives. I remember so clearly sitting down at our kitchen table with our Bibles, a Strong’s concordance and a legal pad. We began to search out different words and how they had been used throughout the Bible. We would read a verse and then the verses before and after to make sure we saw things in their proper context. The search was on!

We asked the Lord for understanding of His Word and He gave it to us. One Scripture that I had always heard took on new meaning. I had always heard the verses “Eye hath not seen or ear heard what has entered into the heart of God and that no one can know God’s thoughts” but in reading, truly searching the Scripture with the Holy Spirit guiding, I found that there was more to that verse than how it had always been quoted.
“We teach wisdom to people who are mature, but the wisdom we teach is not from this world. It is not the wisdom of the rulers of this world, who are losing their power. 7 But we speak God’s secret wisdom that has been hidden from everyone until now. God planned this wisdom for our glory. He planned it before the world began. 8 None of the rulers of this world understood this wisdom. If they had understood it, they would not have killed our great and glorious Lord on a cross. 9 But as the Scriptures say,
“No one has ever seen, no one has ever heard, no one has ever imagined
what God has prepared for those who love him.”
10 But God has shown us these things through the Spirit. The Spirit knows all things. The Spirit even knows the deep secrets of God. 11 It is like this: No one knows the thoughts that another person has. Only the person’s spirit that lives inside knows those thoughts. It is the same with God. No one knows God’s thoughts except God’s Spirit. 12 We received the Spirit that is from God, not the spirit of the world. We received God’s Spirit so that we can know all that God has given us.” I Corinthians 2:6-12 ERV

What had been left out was the part about the Holy Spirit knowing God’s thoughts and He would give us the ability to KNOW all that God has for us. WOW!!! Talk about Hidden Treasures – we had a whole book of God’s thoughts right before us and all we had to do was search them out.

There is also this written by the prophet Jeremiah “I say this because I know the plans that I have for you.” This message is from the Lord. “I have good plans for you. I don’t plan to hurt you. I plan to give you hope and a good future. 12 Then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will search for me, and when you search for me with all your heart, you will find me.” Jeremiah 29:11-13 ERV

Let me encourage you today to start your own “word search”. This one isn’t a game, it’s life, peace and joy. The verse above says we search with all our heart and then King Solomon gave instruction this way “The LORD is the source of wisdom; knowledge and understanding come from his mouth. 7 He gives good advice to honest people and shields those who do what is right. 8 He makes sure that people are treated fairly. He watches over his loyal followers. 9 If you listen to him, you will understand what is just and fair and how to do what is right. 10 You will gain wisdom, and knowledge will bring you joy. 11 Planning ahead will protect you, and understanding will guard you.” Proverbs 2:6-11. ERV

I didn’t have a photographic memory so I would write the verses that really spoke to me on an index card and I kept that in my back pocket until my bundle of verses got too big and then I put them in my purse, glove box and on the tractor so that I always had them close at hand until they were in my heart.

What is your quest? Do you need to search for peace, safety, joy? You’ll find them all in the “word search”. May I suggest you use the Biblegateway.com app? It has a wide variety of translations to make the Bible easier to understand.

God’s word will change your life!

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Choose Joy & Pray

Our President has called today, March 15, as a National Day of Prayer. I whole heartedly concur. Pastors all across our nation will be leading their members in a time of prayer, either in small church gatherings or on-line. What a great way to spend the day!

Last night, we watched our pastor on-line, heard a wonderful message from God’s word and joined in prayer. Today I know I will find myself listening to other pastors and joining my heart with those who are listening.

Over the last few days I have found many places where God’s word encourages us during times of trouble.

“He will protect me when I am in danger.  He will hide me in his tent. He will take me up to his place of safety. 6 If he will help me defeat the enemies around me, I will offer sacrifices in his tent with shouts of joy. I will sing and play songs to honor the Lord.” Psalm 27:5-6 ERV

“The Lord watches over his followers, those who wait for him to show his faithful love.
19 He saves them from death.  He gives them strength when they are hungry. 20 So we will wait for the Lord. He helps us and protects us. 21 He makes us happy.  We trust his holy name. 22 Lord, we worship you, so show your great love for us.” Psalm 33:18-22 ERV

“I went to the Lord for help, and he listened. He saved me from all that I fear. 5 If you look to him for help, he will put a smile on your face. You will have no need to be ashamed. 6 As a poor, helpless man I prayed to the Lord,  and he heard me. He saved me from all my troubles. 7 The Lord’s angel builds a camp around his followers,  and he protects them. 8 Give the Lord a chance to show you how good he is. Great blessings belong to those who depend on him!” Psalm 34:4-8 ERV

Did you notice these words in those verses – Joy – Happy – Smile? When we are trusting God we can have joy in even the worst circumstances. I have one more verse to share with you before I close.

“A cheerful heart is good medicine,  but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” Proverbs 17:22 NLT

Today is a good day for taking the medicine of a cheerful heart! Open wide, swallow big and repeat as often as needed. No adverse side effects.

Trust God! Choose Joy! Pray!

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