Category: Proverbs

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Life Lived Well

We all desire to have a good life but what does that mean? To some it brings images of wealth and nice things while others see health, physical well being and strength. Still others will envision a happy family and peaceful contentment.

What is the good life to you?

Each time I listen to my mother talk about her upbringing I know that she has experienced the “good life”. Her family wasn’t wealthy but they were rich in love. Her home was modest in furnishings but lavishly decorated with peace, kindness and caring. I can only hope that my children and grandchildren will speak of me with the same love and affection that my mother expresses for her parents and grandparents.

The book of Proverbs gives us many insightful verses on life. Verses on a life well lived and instruction on what is truly important.

“Any bragger you correct will only hate you. But if you correct someone who has common sense, you will be loved. 9 If you have good sense, instruction will help you to have even better sense. And if you live right, education will help you to know even more. 10 Respect and obey the Lord! This is the beginning of wisdom. To have understanding, you must know the Holy God. 11 I am Wisdom. If you follow me, you will live a long time. 12 Good sense is good for you, but if you brag, you hurt yourself.” Proverbs 9:8-12 CEV

If we follow wisdom we are promised a long life. A good life. Jesus said he came to give us an abundant life.

“I am Wisdom—Common Sense is my closest friend;  I possess knowledge  and sound judgment. 13 If you respect the Lord, you will hate evil. I hate pride and conceit and deceitful lies…What you receive from me is more valuable than even the finest gold or the purest silver. 20 I always do what is right, 21 and I give great riches to everyone who loves me…Pay attention, my children! Follow my advice, and you will be happy. 33 Listen carefully to my instructions,  and you will be wise. Come to my home each day and listen to me. You will find happiness.” Proverbs 8:12-13, 19-21, 32-34 CEV

There is much to learn by listening to and applying God’s word. Wisdom will be our constant companion and we will have joy. That truly is a life well lived!

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Living In A Palace

Every so often I find myself looking around at our home and I am overwhelmed by the Lord’s blessing. We were able to purchase it five and a half years ago without a mortgage. It was the answer to a prayer from many years before.

Yesterday Dave told me he had found a critter in our bathroom. Since we live in southern Arizona it could have been any one of a number of things. It was a lizard. I chuckled to myself and thought “I live in a palace” and I have Scripture to prove it.

“Lizards—they are easy to catch, but they are found even in kings’ palaces.” Proverbs 30:28 NLT

According to most of the world’s standards my home is a palace. There are so many living in horrible conditions. The walls of their homes lean and collapse in the wind. Floors are dirt and roofs leak. There is no electricity or modern plumbing. We have much to be thankful for.

Someone will always live in a better neighborhood and have a larger home with nicer furniture. We have to avoid the temptation to compare and covet. Those two attributes breed discontentment and when discontentment is left unchecked it can be very destructive. We need to be grateful for the blessings we have.

“A wise woman makes her home what it should be, but the home of a foolish woman is destroyed by her own actions.” Proverbs 14:1 ERV

A house, an apartment or mobile home is only a structure – brick, metal, wood or stucco; it is the love of the family within that makes it a home.

Yes, my home is a palace, lizard and all.

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Eating Well

I love to cook and I love to eat! I’m not really a foodie; I don’t really like going too far outside my comfort zone to try to new foods but I like to eat well, not always healthy, but well.

Yesterday morning we went out for breakfast. Since we live in a small community there aren’t a lot of places to choose from so we normally end up going back to the same diner. Not yesterday. We went to a Mexican restaurant down at the bottom of the hill. Had to look it up on-line to see if they were even open for breakfast, they were. Couldn’t find an on-line menu but figured we would try it anyway.

Oh, my goodness!! Delicious!

Dave and I both ordered the Mexican omelette. It was amazing. My mouth is watering now as I’m telling you about it. It was so good and I savored every bite. There was one small problem; no matter how flavorful it was and how generous the portion I was hungry again before the day was done.

I cannot depend on the nutrients of that savory, mouth-watering dish to sustain me for the rest of this week. Nor can I depend on the powerful message that Pastor Robert preached yesterday morning to keep me supplied with spiritual strength for the rest of this week.

We need to eat well, physically and spiritually, each day to stay healthy and strong.

“But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:4 NLT

I understand eating healthy, however, we can be more religious about counting calories, cutting carbs, and staying on the right diet than we are about feeding from God’s word. We should be getting fat on the good news of the Gospel. We can never overeat when we are feasting from the word.

“The light of the eyes makes the heart glad. Good news puts fat on the bones.” Proverbs 15:30 NLT

“Those who are hungry and thirsty to be right with God are happy, because they will be filled.” Matthew 5:6 NLV

Feeding on a steady diet of God’s word will keep us strong and healthy. Eat well!

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The Crowning Touch

When I was in high school we were required to write an essay for English. In it, we were to describe what we wanted to do as a career. I thought long and hard, then it came to me, I would like to be a florist.

I worked at the local Dairy Queen after school and on weekends. Right next door was a florist. I would see the people come and go, picking up beautiful bouquets and arrangements. They all had smiling faces. When you stepped in the door, the fragrance was heavenly. I decided I would like to bring that kind of joy to people!

That career path never came to be. However, my love for fresh cut flowers and the beautiful arrangements is still close to the top of the list of things that bring a smile to my face. This morning I found these verses in Proverbs and I thought “how wonderful, God has blessed me with the beauty of flowers”.

“Be wise and learn good sense; remember my teachings and do what I say. 6 If you love Wisdom and don’t reject her, she will watch over you. 7 The best thing about Wisdom is Wisdom herself; good sense is more important than anything else. 8 If you value Wisdom and hold tightly to her, great honors will be yours. 9 It will be like wearing
a glorious crown of beautiful flowers.” Proverbs 4:5-9 CEV

Each day I can come to God’s Word and find wisdom. Did you notice that Solomon talks about Wisdom as a person, a beautiful woman? That she is. Wisdom provides direction, nurturing, common sense and loving provision. She is a wonderful asset and she adds beauty to our lives.

These are the words of the wisest man who ever lived. When the Lord asked him what he desired from the Lord his answer was Wisdom. Solomon wanted to rule wisely; he wanted His kingdom to be respected and honored. God blessed him with his request.

We can bring beauty to our kingdom by gaining wisdom. Our homes can be filled with it; we can bring respect and honor to our places of business and the schools we attend.

You may be feeling that you lack wisdom. I know that feeling well. However, God has not abandon us or left us to our own devices.

“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.” James 1:5-8 NLT

Let’s take some beauty to the world. Wear wisdom like a crown, a crown of beautiful flowers!

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Lessons in Your Closet

It’s so strange what’s on my mind this morning. I’m thinking about my closet and in particular the hangers. Now before you assume I am going to talk to you about cleaning out your closet, let me put your mind at ease. I’m not.

Our closet has two kinds of hangers. Dark and light. The light ones are for my clothes and the darker ones are for Dave’s. When I take shirts and pants out of the dryer the hangers are there in the laundry room and it makes it simple to grab the right ones. I know that everything will have a hanger when I do it that way. I guess there’s a bit of OCD there, however, that’s not what I wanted to talk about.

I wanted to talk about the way the hangers are placed on the rod. They should all be going the same direction. The hook should go over the top of the rod, facing to the back of the closet. If they don’t, they get all tangled and the clothes get jammed in and wrinkled. It’s very frustrating, to me anyway. And if I see backward hangers I have to turn them correctly before I close the closet door.

Those hangers are like our thoughts. Sometimes, our thoughts get backwards and it throws our perspective off. It takes the order out of our thinking and creates confusion. Just one or two misplaced thoughts can ruin an entire day.

“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

When we commit our plans, our thoughts, to the Lord He will lead us and our path will be right, even if we fall He will lift us up and provide us with strength.

“The Lord directs the steps of the godly.  He delights in every detail of their lives. 24 Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. 25 Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread.” Psalm 37:23-25 NLT

Let’s take time to examine our thoughts today. Is there something out of order? God will show us how to correct our thinking; get everything going the right way – His way! That’s the best.


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Grateful for Memory Loss

One of the things I have heard my mother say several times over the last fifteen years, since my father’s death, is she has forgotten any harsh words that she and my dad exchanged during their almost 60 years of marriage. She said she thinks it’s God’s way of helping her through the loss of her love; only good memories remain. I think there’s something to that.

I believe it is also important that we experience “memory loss” for those who are living.

I am thankful today that the Father’s love has covered all my sins and in His grace He has chosen to remember them no more. When He comes to a family gathering and someone says “remember when so-n-so acted like an idiot and did such-n-such” the Father honestly says “No, I don’t remember that”. His love has covered it over.

“This is the new covenant I will make  with my people on that day, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.”

17 Then he says, “I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.” 18 And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.” Hebrews 10:16-18 NLT

As families gather, we need to be mindful of words. Others may think their stories are funny but they can be embarrassing or hurtful and should be left in the past, especially if those things were before Christ made a difference in someone’s life.

If we recall old memories let’s make them beneficial and good. Let’s encourage and build up. Let’s pray for memory loss of anything that is embarrassing or would cause strife.

“The words of good people are a source of life, but evil hides behind the words of the wicked. 12 Hatred stirs up trouble; love overlooks the wrongs that others do.” Proverbs 10:11-12 CEV

May our words be as sweet as the desserts we eat! Then others will enjoy feasting in our presence.

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Grateful for Good News

I have a few tabs on my desktop that I leave open because I visit the sites frequently and see no need to close them but when I do open a new tab my screen defaults to a news page and I am faced with the latest headlines of the day. Very rarely does that page bring me good news.

That is a stark contrast to the headlines I find each day when I open my Bible! I am grateful for good news, the good news of the gospel.

“Good news from a faraway place is like a cool drink of water when you are hot and thirsty.” Proverbs 25:25 ERV

Since all Scripture is inspired by God and since His throne is in the heavens I figure that constitutes a faraway place. His word, my good news, is refreshing to my soul. Each morning we are able to choose the path our day will take; we can choose life and joy or frustration and stress. All of us face difficult and trying times but we don’t have to let them control us.

“When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. 17 The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, 19 and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” 20 He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. 21 Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!” 22 Everyone spoke well of him and was amazed by the gracious words that came from his lips. “How can this be?” they asked. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” Luke 4:16-22 NLT

Jesus is our good news! When he came, he came with purpose – He came to bring deliverance, sight, freedom and favor with the Father. He spent His entire life of ministry bringing good news to all He met.

The angels announced it on the night of His birth.

“That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!” Luke 2:8-11 NLT

Good News!

And I am very grateful that I get to share the good news with you.

“Yes, the Scriptures say, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disappointed.” 12 It says this because there is no difference between those who are Jews and those who are not. The same Lord is the Lord of all people. And he richly blesses everyone who looks to him for help. 13 Yes, “everyone who trusts in the Lord will be saved.” 14 But before people can pray to the Lord for help, they must believe in him. And before they can believe in the Lord, they must hear about him. And for anyone to hear about the Lord, someone must tell them. 15 And before anyone can go and tell them, they must be sent. As the Scriptures say, “How wonderful it is to see someone coming to tell good news!” Romans 10:11-15 NLT

I hope you welcome this blog each morning as your good news. Extra – Extra. Today is a day of Good News – Jesus, our Savior, is here to save, protect, provide and deliver!

Read all about it!

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Strongly Dependent

You may think the title to this blog is a typo but it’s not. Some would think I meant to say strongly independent but they would be wrong. How can one be strong and dependent, it appears to be an oxymoron.

Many times, circumstances and situations cause us to draw back. “I’m never going to be hurt like that again. I won’t allow anyone to be close enough to betray me and/or steal my ideas, etc.”. So the conclusion is to be independent, a loner, strong enough to stand on my own.

However, that is the attitude and determination that get us into trouble. It separates us from good counsel, loving support and God’s direction.

“The Lord is a mighty tower where his people can run for safety” Proverbs 18:10 CEV

David seemed to be alone; he was independent of the army of Israel, when he went out to face Goliath but in reality he was drawing strength from his dependence on the Lord.

“David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel!” I Samuel 17:45-46 NLT

Daniel exhibited the same strength when King Darius sentenced him to the lion’s den. The king had been tricked into signing a law that would condemn Daniel to death for praying. Daniel chose to honor the Lord and stand by his faith and devotion to the God. His dependence on the Lord brought his deliverance from death.

“So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, “May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.” 17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles, so that no one could rescue Daniel. 18 Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn’t sleep at all that night. 19 Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den. 20 When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?” 21 Daniel answered, “Long live the king! 22 My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.” Daniel 6:16-22 NLT

There were many times during His ministry that Jesus seemed alone, independent of His disciples and certainly independent from the religious leaders of His day. However, He was totally dependent on the Father. He would leave the crowd, independent of their opinion, to spend time in prayer, displaying His dependence on the Father.

“I cannot do anything on my own. The Father sent me, and he is the one who told me how to judge. I judge with fairness, because I obey him, and I don’t just try to please myself.” John 5:30 CEV

And finally, the Apostle Paul is an example of strength through dependence. He wrote over one-third of the New Testament. He was shipwrecked, beaten, imprisoned, stoned, persecuted in nearly every town he visited. He appeared to be completely independent, his own man. But he said this about himself:

“Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” II Corinthians 12:9-10 NLT

I hope you find these verses encouraging. Maybe you have been trying to handle “it” all on your own. You’ve worked so hard to be independent, free from anyone being able to dictate to you. The Lord promises us strength when we become dependent on Him.

“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.” Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT

When we trust the Lord we will become strongly dependent and there we will find victory!

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Listening for God’s Voice

This morning I was reminded of an incident that happened some years back. I had been reading about Samuel as a young boy. The Lord called his name in the middle of the night and Samuel thought it was the priest, Eli. After being called several times, Eli realized God was calling Samuel and so he gave Samuel instruction on how to answer the Lord next time he heard God’s voice.

“Speak Lord. Your servant is listening.”

I remember saying that very thing in my morning prayer. Speak Lord, I’m listening. Shortly after that Dave and I headed out to town. We had already stopped at the car wash and Home Depot and now we needed to make a stop at the gas station.

As soon as we pulled in and Dave got out to pump diesel I heard a loud cheery voice saying, “I’ll wash your windows for a quarter. Oh but it doesn’t look like they need washing, do they?” So Dave explained no, we had just come from the car wash. At this, the man walked away to another vehicle.

As I sat there my heart began to race and I knew the Lord was dealing with me. This thought came – give the man the ones you have in your wallet. Really? I figured there were probably 2 or 3 ones but wasn’t sure. So I opened my wallet and looked, only one. I took it out and held on to it thinking when he comes back around I’ll roll down the window and give it to him.

My next thought was he’s probably a panhandler or a scammer. I have seen stories about “those people” who hang out at the freeway exits begging for money or food. They aren’t really needy…

Then this thought – “Really? You’re going to argue with what I’m asking you to do. It’s only a dollar. Go give it to the man.” So I jumped out of the truck, walked over and gave him the dollar. I told him our windows were clean but wanted him to have this and before I could get the words out of my mouth to say “God bless you” he said them to me.

“The Lord blesses everyone who freely gives food to the poor.” Proverbs 22:9 CEV

I never want to stop hearing from the Lord. I know His voice and when he speaks I want to be obedient, even if it’s just a dollar. I know I did what my Father asked. Reluctantly, but I did.

Now, from time to time, I find myself thinking of this man, praying for him and asking the Lord to bless him and to protect him. I have never heard the devil tempt me with being kind. It’s not his nature but kindness is our Father’s nature.

Jesus often stopped to talk with beggars. His disciples would try to quiet them as Jesus walked along the road but Jesus would interrupt His day to meet their needs.

“Jesus and his disciples went to Jericho. And as they were leaving, they were followed by a large crowd. A blind beggar by the name of Bartimaeus son of Timaeus was sitting beside the road. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus from Nazareth, he shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” 48 Many people told the man to stop, but he shouted even louder, “Son of David, have pity on me!”

49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him over!” They called out to the blind man and said, “Don’t be afraid! Come on! He is calling for you.” 50 The man threw off his coat as he jumped up and ran to Jesus. 51 Jesus asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man answered, “Master, I want to see!”

52 Jesus told him, “You may go. Your eyes are healed because of your faith.” Right away the man could see, and he went down the road with Jesus.” Mark 10:46-52 CEV

Each day we should spend time listening for the Lord’s voice and being obedient to His instruction. He’ll always lead us to do what’s right; He will lead us to safety; He will lead us to be like him.

“You, Lord, are my shepherd.  I will never be in need. 2  You let me rest in fields of green grass. You lead me to streams of peaceful water, 3  and you refresh my life. You are true to your name, and you lead me along the right paths. 4 I may walk through valleys
as dark as death, but I won’t be afraid. You are with me, and your shepherd’s rod makes me feel safe. 5 You treat me to a feast, while my enemies watch. You honor me as your guest,  and you fill my cup until it overflows. 6 Your kindness and love will always be with me each day of my life, and I will live forever in your house, Lord.” Psalm 23 CEV

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Thankful

We should always have a thankful heart. Those of you who are my “friends” on Facebook know that yesterday I have lots to be thankful for.

Our newest granddaughter was born at 12:01 am on October 13. She is healthy, whole and beautiful. Her momma is doing well and hopefully will be dismissed today and come home. Dave and I have been having fun with her older siblings, ages 4 and 2, while her momma and daddy have been at the hospital with her.

Each day should be started with thoughts of gratitude. If we wake up grumbling about the events and activities that are ahead of us we rob ourselves of joyful mornings. However, if we get up and thank God that the roof didn’t leak last night, the house didn’t catch fire and that there’s food in the refrigerator this morning, we can set the course of our day on a path of gratitude.

Thankfulness!

Sitting here this morning while it’s still dark out and feeling the cool of the fall, enjoying the warmth of a good cup of coffee and seeking the Father for the day’s direction, I am very thankful. Thankful that my Father is still in control; He hasn’t fallen off His throne, His omniscience is superior to the knowledge of the world’s wisest men and His omnipresence penetrates to the farthest reaches of the universe. All is under His control, Jesus tells us:

“My Father has given me everything, and he is the only one who knows the Son. The only one who truly knows the Father is the Son. But the Son wants to tell others about the Father, so that they can know him too.
28 If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest. 29 Take the yoke I give you. Put it on your shoulders and learn from me. I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest.” Matthew 11:27-29 CEV

Jesus has taken the time to tell us about the Father and not only that, but Jesus made a way for us to be adopted by the Father so that we can call Him “Abba Father” (Papa or Daddy) and we can experience firsthand His love and compassion.

Just like our newest grandchild is already experiencing the love of her parents, we experience the daily love of our Father. Kisses on the forehead, cuddled in close to the chest, hearing our Daddy’s heart beat and the words “I love you, you’re perfect”. And then if that isn’t enough, He says lean on me, I will give you rest.

Thankfulness!

I don’t have to have all the answers and I don’t have to learn by “hard knocks”. I can trust the Father and learn from Him.

“With all your heart you must trust the LORD and not your own judgment. 6 Always let him lead you, and he will clear the road for you to follow.” Proverbs 3:5-6 CEV

Enjoy your day and let the Father lead you and there you will find rest.

Be thankful!

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