Category: Proverbs

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And All Was Silent

I got up earlier than normal this morning. I checked on the grandkids; gave hugs and kisses, said another round of prayers and restarted the “white noise” station on Pandora. 

Everyone was cuddled in and I came to the living room to read and have my prayer time. The house was, and still is, silent. I love this time when the world, my home, is blanketed with stillness…

I had thoughts of laying down on the couch and going back to sleep. It was so peaceful but all I could think of was God – how great is His love, how vast is His goodness, how personal are His thoughts toward me. (deep sigh) So, I leaned back and snuggled into His presence. I felt dwarfed by the quiet but was completely comfortable in my awareness of the Father’s companionship. 

Quiet.

That’s what I experience in His presence – quiet. I began to search the Scriptures for verses on “quiet”. What I found was  quiet is equated with lack of conflict, turmoil or war. 

“But you have a son who is a man of peace. I will give your son a time of peace. His enemies around him will not bother him. His name is Solomon. And I will give Israel peace and quiet during the time that he is king. 10 Solomon will build a temple for my name. He will be my son, and I will be his Father. I will make his kingdom strong, and someone from his family will rule Israel forever!’” I Chronicles 22:9-10 ERV

“But he who listens to me will live free from danger, and he will rest easy from the fear of what is sinful.” Proverbs 1:33 NLV    or

“But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.” Proverbs 1:33 NKJV

“The work of being right and good will give peace. From the right and good work will come quiet trust forever. 18 Then my people will live in a place of peace, in safe homes, and in quiet resting places. ” Isaiah 32:17-18 NLV

And one more…

“Do your best to live a quiet life. Learn to do your own work well. We told you about this before. 12 By doing this, you will be respected by those who are not Christians. Then you will not be in need and others will not have to help you.” I Thessalonians 4:11-12 NLV

Praise God for the quiet. In the quietness there is rest for the soul…

And then there was the abrupt intrusion into this time of silence, the coffee pot beeped to let me know that it was going to automatically shut off. I had to chuckle. 

There could only be one carol that I would share with you while I’m enjoying this silence. It’s one everyone knows but I hope you will take the time to read all the words.

Silent night, holy night!
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

[Verse 2]
Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ the Savior is born
Christ the Savior is born

[Verse 3]
Silent night, holy night!
Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus Lord, at Thy birth

The Father speaks to us in the quiet. If we listen, we can hear His words of love and grace and His word will free us from turmoil and unrest.

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Did You Know?

Have you ever made the statement, “if I knew things were going to turn out like that I would have done them differently”?

In our finite thinking, we can be tempted to second guess ourselves. No matter how long we trouble shoot a situation or try to figure in every variable there’s always a place when knowledge fails and faith steps in.

“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.” Proverbs 3:5-6 ERV

“ Turn to the Lord for help in everything you do, and you will be successful.” Proverbs 16:3 ERV

“Do what the Lord wants, and he will give you your heart’s desire. 5 Let the Lord lead you  and trust him to help.” Psalm 37:4-5 CEV

There have been so many times that I have failed to follow the Lord’s instruction. Oh, I have prayed about a situation and asked for wisdom but when it seemed impractical or illogical I have ended up doing my own thing and failed miserably. However, when I have trusted the Lord and followed His leading, not depending on my own knowledge, He has directed me to a good end.

I wonder if there was any of this silent debate in Mary’s thought process when the angel came to her and told her she was chosen to be the mother of the Messiah. The account in Scripture doesn’t show any hesitation. In fact, it says that she told the angel “let it be done to me as you said”.

Her life was radically changed. She was an unwed mother. She could have been rejected by her fiancé; shamed, opened to public ridicule or even stoned.

Mary, did you know?

As a young Jewess she knew the Scriptures. She knew the Messiah was prophesied to be born of a virgin but would her family and the people in her town acknowledge that she was the one?

Mary, did you know?

“Here is a message for all who are weak, trembling, and worried: 4 “Cheer up! Don’t be afraid. Your God is coming to punish your enemies. God will take revenge on them and rescue you.” 5 The blind will see, and the ears of the deaf will be healed. 6 Those who were lame will leap around like deer; tongues once silent will begin to shout. Water will rush through the desert.” Isaiah 35:3-6 CEV

These Scriptures were written hundreds of years before Christ was born. They tell of His life and His mission. Was Mary aware of all that her Son would accomplish? Did she know He would change history? I believe she did. 

I don’t think she knew how it would all come about but I believe she trusted the Lord, her God, with her very life and so she committed to follow His path regardless of the cost.

Mary Did You Know written by Mark Lowry

Mary, did you know
That your baby boy will one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know
That your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know
That your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you’ve delivered
Will soon deliver you

Mary, did you know
That your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary, did you know
That your baby boy will calm a storm with His hand?
Did you know
That your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
And when you kiss your little baby
You’ve kissed the face of God

Mary, did you know?
The blind will see
The deaf will hear
And the dead will live again
The lame will leap
The dumb will speak
The praises of the Lamb

Mary, did you know
That your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know
That your baby boy will one day rule the nations?
Did you know
That your baby boy is heaven’s perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you’re holding
Is the Great I Am

Oh Mary did you know?

Is  the Lord  asking us to do something and we’re just not sure how it will turn out? The very best response we can have is to trust and follow! He will direct our paths.

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Thankful for Integrity

When our youngest daughter was in pre-school her teacher would give out certificates at the end of each week.

The certificates read: “Caught in the Act of Doing Good”, and then there was a line where the teacher would right what the student did. Our daughter was such a helper and there were always “Doing Good” certificates in her folder.

That’s integrity. Doing right because it’s right.

It’s not doing what’s right because someone is watching. Not driving the speed limit because there’s a patrol car behind you. It’s not cheating because the teacher is watching. It’s not stealing because you won’t get caught. It’s not gossiping because someone might be listening…

Doing what’s right because it’s right!

“Guard my soul and rescue me; Do not let me be ashamed or disappointed,
For I have taken refuge in You. 21 Let integrity and uprightness protect me,
For I wait [expectantly] for You.” Psalm 25:20-21 AMP

Just yesterday we were talking with our oldest daughter and her husband about being on time. There’s integrity in that simple act. Being late is like robbing your employer; they expect you to be at work on time and pay you according. If someone is late 5 minutes a day or leaves early, calculate that out over a year, it’s a costly practice.

It’s important that we keep our word. If we say we will be somewhere at a certain time, we need to be there. It makes our word good, that’s integrity.

A few years back I read a book by Jon Huntsman, “Winner’s Never Cheat”. Honesty, true honesty, is greatly lacking in our world today and this little book shows how this very successful businessman gained his wealth. It was by never cheating. He never went back on His word.

What an example integrity sets for our children.

“Many a man proclaims his own loyalty and goodness, But who can find a faithful and trustworthy man? 7 The righteous man who walks in integrity and lives life in accord with his [godly] beliefs—How blessed [happy and spiritually secure] are his children after him [who have his example to follow].” Proverbs 20:6-7 AMP

Integrity is a blessing. It can be interchanged with the word character.

I am grateful for those in business who keep their word. They are someone I will go to again and I will also tell my friends about the quality of their character.

When we exhibit integrity in our dealings with others we are representing the Father. We are displaying His character through our actions. I desire to set an example of good character for my children, grandchildren and my neighbors.

Yes, I’m thankful integrity. May we all be caught in the act of doing good!

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Thankful for Parents

Yesterday I began to think about today’s blog and where I should direct our thoughts on gratitude. I thought of parents.

We all fall into at least one of these categories. We have parents or we are a parent. Elementary but true. This picture was taken last November as some of our family joined with my Mom to celebrate an early Thanksgiving.

So grateful for Mom and her impact in my life. As she says, “I wasn’t a perfect parent but I tried”. That she did. She loved my dad, us kids, her grandkids and greats and she has loved the Lord for almost all of her life. At 95, she has been an influence in the life of many young men and women, some now in there 70’s. She was a school teacher, a Sunday school teacher, a young women’s leader, small group hostess and a welcoming friend.

“Her children say good things about her. Her husband brags about her and says, 29 “There are many good women, but you are the best.” Proverbs 31:28-29 ERV

Very thankful for the wonderful Mom I was given.

I’m also thankful  for my children, who made me a parent. They, and their families, are the joy of my life. Life would be empty without them. Like my mother, I was not/am not a perfect parent, but my love for each one of them is unconditional. They could never say or do anything to make me love them more and they could never say or do anything to make me love them less.

“See, children are a gift from the Lord. The children born to us are our special reward. 4 The children of a young man are like arrows in the hand of a soldier. 5 Happy is the man who has many of them. They will not be put to shame when they speak in the gate with those who hate them.” Psalm 127:3-5 NLV

“Grandchildren are the pride and joy of old age, and children take great pride in their parents.” Proverbs 17:6 ERV

So thankful for those who call me Besta. Bestamor is the Norwegian word for Grandmother. There are six who call me Besta and that is one of the sweetest words to my ears.

You know I’m going to end this with our heavenly Father, don’t you? It’s from Him we learn to be the loving parents we are. He is our example, it’s His life we try to imitate. Some haven’t been blessed with a good human role model but we have all been blessed with the love of our Father in heaven.

“Therefore be imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father].” Ephesians 5:1 AMPC

He will never turn us away when we come to Him. He will never leave us to flounder on our own. His arms are open wide, welcoming us to come. He has tattooed us in the palms of His hands.

“Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. 8 Everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And the door will be opened for everyone who knocks. 9 Would any of you give your hungry child a stone, if the child asked for some bread? 10 Would you give your child a snake if the child asked for a fish? 11 As bad (earthly) as you are, you still know how to give good gifts to your children. But your heavenly Father is even more ready to give good things to people who ask.” Matthew 7:7-11 CEV

“Can a woman forget her nursing child? Can she have no pity on the son to whom she gave birth? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. 16 See, I have marked your names on My hands. Your walls are always before Me.” Isaiah 49:15-16 NLV

Oh yes, I am thankful for parents; the ones I had, the one I am and for the One who has always been!

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Prayer Requested

For the past weeks I have been writing a book which will be published in time for Christmas.

Today we will be making some of the final edits and I ask that you pray for us as we finish up.

“And now, brothers and sisters, pray for us. Pray that the Lord’s teaching will continue to spread quickly. And pray that people will give honor to that teaching, the same as happened with you.” II Thessalonians 3:1 ERV

This is a project the Lord put on my heart early in the year. It is a 30-Day Devotional for the month of December. Each day will be a short teaching on a gift that the Lord has given us. There is also a practical application at the end of each day’s readings.

At first, I thought this would just be something that I would give to my family and close friends but the Lord let me know I was thinking too small.

“ Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed.” Proverbs 16:3 AMPC

With the help of my friend, Rob, I learned about self-publishing and the opportunity for new authors to have their books sold on Amazon. I will let you all know as soon as it is available on their site.

Today I need your prayers as we put the finishing touches on the manuscript. There are still a couple of small formatting tweeks that need to be made and a final read-through.

My desire is that those who read the book will be drawn into a closer relationship with the Lord. I want the world to know that our Heavenly Father is the Master Gift Giver and He loads us up with good and perfect gifts.

“Everything good comes from God. Every perfect gift is from him. These good gifts come down from the Father who made all the lights in the sky. But God never changes like the shadows from those lights. He is always the same. 18 God decided to give us life through the true message he sent to us. He wanted us to be the most important of all that he created.” James 1:17-18 ERV

“Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation! Selah” Psalm 68:19 NKJV

Thank you for your prayers. Now I’m off to finish things up. Blessings to you all.

 

 

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Respect & Reputation

The first words off the page of my Bible this morning were respect and reputation.

So, why am I using a picture of a wallet filled with money?

A large part of our society is striving for success. There is nothing wrong with that. In fact, the Lord desires for us to prosper and have good success.

“Always remember what is written in that book of law. Speak about that book and study it day and night. Then you can be sure to obey what is written there. If you do this, you will be wise and successful in everything you do. 9 Remember, I commanded you to be strong and brave. Don’t be afraid, because the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:8-9 ERV

The key is the phrase good success. If success is obtained in one area of life but destroys another it can’t be considered good. There are people all across our country that are gaining success in their careers and businesses but loosing their families. That’s not good.

“A good reputation and respect are worth much more than silver and gold.” Proverbs 22:1 CEV

I went to a job interview once and was asked if I saw something that I thought was unethical being done in the company, what would I do. I gave an honest answer and said I would ask  someone about it. I couldn’t just stand by and ignore something like that.

I didn’t get the job.

The Lord sees us as valuable. He treasures us, He takes delight in us as His children.

“ I tell you not to worry about your life. Don’t worry about having something to eat, drink, or wear. Isn’t life more than food or clothing? 26 Look at the birds in the sky! They don’t plant or harvest. They don’t even store grain in barns. Yet your Father in heaven takes care of them. Aren’t you worth more than birds?” Matthew 6:25-26 CEV

The Lord wants us to be more concerned about having a godly reputation and gaining respect than obtaining wealth. Making the right choices, setting the right priorities will bring everything else in line.

“Don’t worry and say, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ 32 That’s what those people who don’t know God are always thinking about. Don’t worry, because your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things. 33 What you should want most is God’s kingdom and doing what he wants you to do. Then he will give you all these other things you need.” Matthew 6:31-33 ERV

When making the big decisions we should ask if this will cost me my good reputation, the respect of my friends and family and if it reflects godly character. If the answer isn’t a strong yes then we should drop that and do something else.

“Respect and serve the Lord! Your reward will be wealth, a long life, and honor.” Proverbs 22:4 CEV

Our Father is watching over for us and He wants our reputation to be protected.

 

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A Blank Screen

Yesterday I sat down at my computer to resume work on a project I started on Monday. I found the document name and tried to open the file, nothing was there.

It was all gone! My heart sank and I tried not to panic. It was a creative writing project, a book.  I had some basic guidelines written down but I would develop the thoughts more fully as I went along and now it was gone.

I spent the better part of my day searching through the files on my computer to see if somehow I had renamed it or moved it to another folder and I even looked through all the documents in my desktop trash.  I sent a text to my son-in-law Stephen and asked for his assistance.

He was able to call me and we talked it through. Then he said those words I really didn’t want to hear, “unfortunately Mom, it’s gone”. You see, the program I was working in was a temporary file and it automatically deleted after a specified time. I hadn’t realized that when I started the project.

This morning I woke with a verse running through my mind.

“My people are destroyed because they have no knowledge.” Hosea 4:6a ERV

Not having enough knowledge of the program I was using caused me to lose my document. As emotionally taxing as that is, it was only words on a page. Maybe I won’t be able to recreate it exactly but I still have the basics.

Then I started a search on the word “knowledge”. Of course there are many verses in Proverbs that deal with gaining knowledge and wisdom.

“If you listen to him (God), 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 2:9-11 ERV

Knowledge will bring you joy! I needed some joy.

Sometimes we get so caught up in our day-to-day activities that we lose sight of what’s really important. Just yesterday morning I was reminding all of us that God has a plan, a good plan, for us; one that gives us a good future filled with hope.  Then a few hours later I almost forgot that.

This morning I have a deeper understanding of God’s peace and letting it guard my emotions.

“Don’t worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks for what you have. 7 And because you belong to Christ Jesus, God’s peace will stand guard over all your thoughts and feelings. His peace can do this far better than our human minds.” Philippians 4:6-7 ERV

I don’t know what your “blank screen” is. It may be a health issue, it may be a problem at work, possibly a relationship that has been deleted. I’m here to tell you that God wants to send his peace into your situation to guard your thoughts and emotions.

Father, I thank you for bringing peace to my turmoil. Thank you that Your plans for my future are good!

 

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Acts of Kindness

You’ve probably heard me say this before but this morning I am living proof of practice-what-you-preach.

On a number of occasions I have been asked “how long should I read the Bible each day”. My answer is always the same. Read until is speaks to you, then stop and meditate on those verses.

That’s exactly what I am doing this morning with some of the verses from Proverbs 15. Right from the beginning of the chapter the verses began to jump off the page and into my heart.

“A gentle answer makes anger disappear, but a rough answer makes it grow.” verse 1 ERV

“Kind words are like a life-giving tree, but lying words will crush your spirit.” verse 4 ERV

“ The lips of the wise spread much learning, but the minds of fools do not.” verse 7 NLV

“ A quick temper causes fights, but patience brings peace and calm.” verse 18 ERV

“Good people think before they answer, but the wicked do not, and what they say causes trouble.” verse 28 ERV

Yes, it didn’t take me long to realize that the Lord wanted me to watch what I say today and to make my words kind. Sometimes one of the greatest kindnesses we can show someone is not speaking our mind.  That doesn’t mean that we are to be hypocritical, no, just thoughtful in the words we speak.

A co-worker who has just been ridiculed publicly doesn’t need us to be critical. A fellow student who has just been embarrassed in class doesn’t need our teasing. The cashier who just received a tongue lashing from a patron doesn’t need our words of impatience. No, in each situation they need someone who will speak words of kindness.

So often people think acts of kindness are some grand gesture but quite the opposite. Speaking words with no sarcasm or demeaning tone are certainly acts of kindness.  Showing people respect by using please, thank you, yes Ma’am, no Sir, and I appreciate that, are words of kindness.

Thinking before we speak and not loosing our tempers are acts of kindness. We become a true example of Jesus when we watch over the words we speak.

I trust these verses will speak to volumes to all of us as we go through our day. I pray that we all listen to our words before they leave our lips. I pray that our words will be life-giving, spread learning and bringing peace.

Lord, thank you for pointing out to me that my words need to be well-chosen. I desire to bring acts of kindness to those around me through my words.

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Sounds of Silence

Yesterday morning I was amazed at the silence of the early morning.

 

Normally I will hear the dogs in the neighborhood barking, coyotes howling, an early bird warbling its song but there was nothing. It was almost unnerving. I had the doors open to let in the cool morning air and with it came the silence.

I almost hated to do any keyboarding because the touch of the keys broke into the absolute quiet and disturbed my time alone with the Father.

Quiet.

This morning my experience is the same. The last several days we have been blessed with a steady rain, a soaker. Maybe all the animals are holed up and staying dry. That might be the reason for the silence. It is heavenly!

Having this time alone with my Father is wonderful. One of my favorite hymns when I was girl is In the Garden. It still is one of my favorites. And this morning I am singing it in my heart as I treasure these quiet moments with Him.

I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.

Refrain

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

Sitting here this morning while it’s still dark  and feeling the cool of the fall air, down to 55 this morning, 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 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. With all He has before Him this day He says to me, come and get to know me better.

“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.” Matthew 11:27 CEV

Jesus has taken the time to tell us about the Father and through what Christ has done we’ve been adopted by the Father. We can call Him “Abba Father” (Papa or Daddy) and we can experience firsthand His love and compassion.

In the silence, I feel His embrace and sense His love. In a small way, I imagine how things might have been when Jesus would pull away from the crowds for time alone with the Father.

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

Well, the birds are telling me  it’s time to start the day. Let the Father lead you. Take time to enjoy the sounds of silence!

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Push the Refresh Button

So much of our verbiage has changed since computer technology has become common place.

Download, hard drive, upload, Google search, the cloud, USB, thumb drives, memory, gigs…

Refresh.

Refresh the screen, refresh the document, refresh the file. When we do this, we find that some information may have been removed and in other cases, we find that information has been added. Just that simple.

I remember when I first started using email consistently. I would refresh the mailbox several times a day, wondering if anyone had sent something new . I loved finding emails from the kids or from friends. There were also responses to business dealings that I waited for. Refreshing became what I did.

But it wasn’t always so refreshing – sometimes it was just down right frustrating. Things I had been wanting to save would be gone and news I was waiting for hadn’t come.

And now things are so much faster. We live in a world of instant gratification, instant message, instant soup and waiting is not something we do well.

Is it any wonder  the Lord calls us aside to rest and be refreshed?

“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.” Proverbs 3:6-8 ERV

Hitting the refresh button spiritually is like wiping the slate clean. Deleting those things that cause worry, stress, undo concern. They are removed from the document of our lives and we can rest and regain health (emotional, physical & spiritual).

“Come to Me, all of you who work and have heavy loads. I will give you rest. 29 Follow My teachings and learn from Me. I am gentle and do not have pride. You will have rest for your souls. 30 For My way of carrying a load is easy and My load is not heavy.”  Matthew 11:28-30 NLV

When we come to Jesus with the loads that are weighing us down He gives us rest. He shoulders the burden and makes the load lighter.

Refreshing the screen not only deletes things are harmful and worrisome; it can bring the addition of new and helpful information.

“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.” Psalm 23:1-3 CEV

Words of encouragement from the Lord are like peaceful streams and cool pastures. It’s refreshing to know that the Lord will lead us along a good path.

What’s on the screen of life’s computer? Are there things that need to be deleted? Any comments or directions that need to be added?

Refresh the screen and let the Lord bring you to a place of rest.

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