Category: Proverbs

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The Gift of Words

Remember a week or so back I asked you to join me in a fast, a fast of criticism? So how are you doing? I have to admit that there have been a few times that I’ve had to stop and repent and get back on track. Our words are so important.

You might not think that a teaching on words has much to do with the Christmas season but it really does. God started everything with His words. He said, “Light be” and it was. He spoke the plan of Christ’s birth was spoken out in words hundreds of years before the event took place. God had the prophets repeated that message again and again until it came to pass.

“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14 KJV

Then the angel came to Mary and told her that she had been chosen to give birth to the Messiah. Listen to her response.

“26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth…
30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.
38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.” Luke 1:26-38 KJV

According to your word. Mary knew that it was only necessary for God to speak a word for things to happen.

Words are filled with power – power to create or power to destroy. The writer of Proverbs penned it this way

“ A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled. 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” Proverbs 18:20-21 KJV

This is why it’s so important that we “fast” those words that are critical and condemning. We don’t want to end up eating our unkind words, we need to feast on words that life giving.

Our casual approach to the spoken or written word can undermine our faith. My favorite Bible verse, Numbers 23:19 focuses on the importance and power of God’s word.

“God is not a man; he will not lie. God is not a human being; his decisions will not change. If he says he will do something, then he will do it. If he makes a promise, then he will do what he promised.” Numbers 23:19 ERV

When God speaks His word – it comes to pass. He has faith in what He has said and that’s why Mary could have such life-changing faith in the message that Gabriel brought her from God. We can have that same conviction and faith in God’s words.

At Christmas, and throughout the year, make your words a gift. A gift that brings life and encouragement. A gift of forgiveness and peace. A gift of kindness and love!

“Don’t let me do wrong on purpose, Lord, or let sin have control over my life. Then I will be innocent, and not guilty of some terrible fault.14 Let my words and my thoughts be pleasing to you, Lord, because you are my mighty rock and my protector.” Psalms 19:13-14 CEV

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Follow His Lead

Sitting here this morning while it’s still dark out 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 still in control; He hasn’t fallen off His throne and His omniscience is superior to the knowledge of the world’s wisest men. His omnipresence penetrates to the farthest reaches of the universe. Yet, in all He has before Him this day I can hear Him speaking to me through His words – the words Jesus spoke about the Father.

“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, 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.

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

So enjoy your day and let the Father lead you and there you will find rest!

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Comfort in Troubling Times

Do you ever have thoughts come to you out of the clear blue? You know, you’re thinking about one thing and then something else just invades you thinking process. That’s the way it was for me this morning.

I wasn’t even really awake when a song I had heard on the radio on Sunday arrived in my heart and head bringing me to a place of conscious thought. Here are just a few of the lyrics that were written by Hillsong.

“What a wonderful Name it is
Nothing compares to this
What a wonderful Name it is
The Name of Jesus
What a wonderful Name it is
The Name of Jesus”

And as I kept repeating that refrain my mind went to what Solomon wrote in Proverbs 18:9

“The Lord is a mighty tower where his people can run for safety—”

And then I began to pray for those who lost loved ones yesterday in Las Vegas and those who were injured and those who were called to care for the injured and the dying. How do we cope with such senseless acts of violence and destruction?

I run to the Lord and find comfort in His loving arms.

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
4 I trust God, so I am not afraid of what people can do to me!
I praise God for his promise to me.” Psalm 56:3-4 ERV

God wants to use us to bring comfort and consolation to those around us. It’s important that we aren’t overwhelmed but that we stay anchored in His love.

“Don’t let evil defeat you, but defeat evil with good.” Romans 12:21 CEV

So even as I am writing this the chorus above keeps going through my mind. What a wonderful name it is, The name of Jesus! I will continue to trust in Him, to lean on Him for strength and will praise Him because He is greater than all my fears.

“Stand and shout praises to your Lord, the eternal God!
Praise his wonderful name, though he is greater than words can express.” Nehemiah 9:5 CEV

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Over and Over!

Do you get tired of hearing the same thing over and over? You remember – brush your teeth, look both ways before crossing the street, put on your seat belt, don’t run with the scissors, don’t ride your bike in flip flops. The list goes on and on.

Most of the things were learned by repetition we didn’t have to learn by experience. You know the old adage – learn by my mistakes. And isn’t this the reason we are mentored or tutored? We learn from someone else by example and experience.

Sometimes when I sit to write in the mornings I find myself saying to the Lord “but I’ve already told them that last year, last month, yesterday. Do I really need to go over it again?” And then creation reminds me that we learn from repetition.

There are only 4 seasons. It doesn’t take long to learn what to plant when – time to get out the jackets and long sleeve shirts, that those are rain/snow clouds and this is going to be a warm day. Yes, we learn by repetition of natural events so we should also learn by repetition of godly principles as well.

“But you must be strong and brave about obeying the commands my servant Moses gave you. If you follow his teachings exactly, you will be successful in everything you do. 8 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 1:7-9 ERV

Study God’s word everyday. That means repetition! Go over it again and again. Stay with the things that work.

““Now, if you will be careful to obey the Lord your God and follow all his commands that I tell you today, the Lord your God will put you high above all the nations on earth. 2 If you will obey the Lord your God, all these blessings will come to you and be yours:

3 “He will bless you in the city and in the field.
4 He will bless you and give you many children.
He will bless your land and give you good crops…” Deuteronomy 28:1-4 ERV

There are a list of 12 verses of blessings in Deuteronomy 28 to those who learn to listen and obey the Lord. Repetition!

I had a woman ask me once how I study the Bible. I told her I found things that I needed in my life and looked up the verses that dealt with those issues – worry, fear, health, joy, marriage, children, peace – and the list goes on. I would find verses that helped with those areas and write them on an index card and I kept those cards with me all the time. They were in the truck, in my purse and on the tractor. They sat on my desk and in my kitchen. When I would feel overwhelmed in a situation I would grab the cards and read God’s word to myself, reminding me that God has a plan and He is working on my behalf. Over and over again – repetition.

“My son, pay attention to what I say. Listen closely to my words. 21 Don’t let them out of your sight. Never stop thinking about them. 22 These words are the secret of life and health to all who discover them. 23 Above all, be careful what you think because your thoughts control your life.

24 Don’t bend the truth or say things that you know are not right.” Proverbs 4:20-24 ERV

Find a modern version of the Bible if the King James language is too hard to understand and read what the Lord has to say about your situation. You don’t need to read chapter after chapter if you don’t understand it. Read a couple of verses and let them stick with you all day.

These truly are the words of life and we need to apply them over and over again!

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Don’t Worry – Be Happy!

Time to start a new week. What’s on your calendar today? Bring strength to your life today. Bring health to your body. Don’t let stress or “dis – ease” rob from you today!

Be thankful – focus on God and what is has done and is able to do and live in peace, joy, health and strength.

” 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

” A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit dries the bones.” Proverbs 17:22

“The Lord gives perfect peace to those whose faith is firm. 4 So always trust the Lord
because he is forever our mighty rock.” Isaiah 26:3-4

So many times we end up thinking that if we live a godly life we’ll be missing out on all the fun. However, just the opposite it true. God will show us the answer to our problems and fill our lives with joy and pleasure! If you are anxious, worried, stressed out and don’t know which way to turn – hang out with God today – there’s joy, pleasure and peace in His presence.

“You will show me the path of life, in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11

Let the Lord fill your life with joy and bring you pleasure today!

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My words

This morning I was listening to my own prayer. I found myself complaining about some circumstances and asking the Lord to change them. That’s when it hit me – my words!

Years ago I received teaching on the words we speak and how they should honor the Lord. I’m not just talking about profanity…that one is obvious but the daily words of life.

All words are containers and Solomon said that death and life are in the power of the tongue. We either speak productive, life giving words or we speak words of destruction and idleness.

It’s not just an isolated teaching in Scripture. King David spoke of it, Isaiah, Solomon, Jesus, Paul, Peter – they all had teaching on words.

So as a refresher course this morning I will share a few of my favorites. I know I need this and hopefully you will benefit from the instruction I am receiving.

“Help me to guard my words whenever I say something” Psalm 141:3 CEV

“May my words and thoughts please you. Lord, you are my Rock—the one who rescues me.” Psalm 19:14 ERV

“The tongue can speak words that bring life or death. Those who love to talk must be ready to accept what it brings.” Proverbs 18:21 ERV

“I promise you that on the day of judgment, everyone will have to account for every careless word they have spoken. 37 On that day they will be told that they are either innocent or guilty because of the things they have said.” Matthew 12:36-37 ERV

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing.” Philippians 2:14 ERV

Yes Lord, I get the point!

Father, put a watch on my mouth. I desire to honor you with every word I speak today. Let my words build up and not tear down. Let my words be true spoken in love and that way I will be a reflection of Your heart. Forgive me when I fail. Thank you for teaching me and reminding me of Your word. In Jesus name I say amen and amen.

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Good friends who speak wise and godly words

It’s so important that we surround ourselves with good friends who speak wise and godly words.

When we are hurt we often want to hear things like “you don’t deserve this, you were wronged, etc” but a faithful friend will help us see objectively and honestly. What a wonderful gift!

“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.

13 To his master who sent him, a messenger who can be trusted is as refreshing as a drink of cold water on a hot summer day.

14 People who promise to give gifts but never give them are like clouds and wind that bring no rain.

15 With patience, you can make anyone change their thinking, even a ruler. Gentle speech is very powerful.”
Proverbs 25:11-15 ERV

I love how Jesus was able to speak honestly to people with love and compassion and their lives were forever changed. The Samaritan woman needed help and Jesus brought her hope for the future. Zaccheaus had been a deplorable tax collector and Jesus came bringing him forgiveness and respect.

Yes, wise council is truly better than gold. It changes our lives, bringing us into line with God’s word and that brings peace.

If you don’t have a friend who will speak wisdom into your life ask the Lord for one. Know this, Jesus is the best friend you can have and he will always give you wise and sound advice!

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Peanut butter and honey sandwiches

When I was a kid I loved to eat peanut butter and honey sandwiches but they had to be made right. I mean you couldn’t just butter the bread and smear peanut butter and honey on it – there was a process.

First you had to have soft butter. Put a rounded teaspoon of butter in a dish, now add a big spoon of peanut butter and finally top it with a rounded teaspoon of honey. Now here’s the important part, stir until creamy and smooth and then spread it on the bread. On my now that was a sandwich.

If no other time of the week this was generally what I call supper on Sunday evening. You see we would have our big dinner at noon after coming home from church and before we would head back for evening service we needed to grab something quick to eat and mine who be the sandwich described above. Delicious!

That’s where my mine went this morning when I was reading in Proverbs.

“Honey is good for you my children, and it tastes sweet.

14 Wisdom is like honey for your life—
if you find it, your future is bright.” Proverbs 24:13-14 CEV

Wisdom is like honey…sweet and delicious. Wisdom makes life better; fewer regrets, more joy when we act wisely.

“Eat honey, dear child—it’s good for you—
and delicacies that melt in your mouth.
Likewise knowledge, and wisdom for your soul—
Get that and your future’s secured,
your hope is on solid rock.” Proverbs 24:13-14 MSG

When our lives are guided by wisdom, Godly wisdom, we are building a solid foundation that won’t be shaken by life’s storms.

” My son, eat honey; it is good. Honey straight from the honeycomb is the sweetest. 14 In the same way, know that wisdom is good for you. Wisdom will give you something to hope for that will not disappoint you.” Proverbs 24:13-14 ERV

Wisdom builds hope and when we hope in the Lord we will never be ashamed.

So get out your spoon and scoop up a big helping of honey – it’s good for you physically and spiritual honey is good for your soul!

(and if you want a real treat – go make a peanut butter honey sandwich as described above)

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Are you a parent?

Are you a parent? If so, doesn’t it make you feel good when someone says something nice about your kids? I know it always has for me.

When Kaci was in school she were frequently receive a “caught in the act of being good” certificate. This reinforced a kindness on the playground or in the classroom. She is still a kind and loving person.

Then a few years back Kim received the designation of “Citizen of the Year” from her city. She was always helping to make things better, particularly with her efforts to chair the Relay for Life event.

While we were at the Indy 500 this year we met some of Koy’s firefighter friends from across the nation. Each one of them took the time to tell us privately how admired Koy was in their brotherhood. His skills and leadership make him a man to imitate.

Yes, what a joy to hear such good reports about your children, we feel like we are rich beyond measure. That’s today’s verse.

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

“A sterling reputation is better than striking it rich;
a gracious spirit is better than money in the bank.” Msg

So that got me to thinking, what reputation do I have and what do people say about me to “My Father”? Am I a good example of a Christian or am I bringing reproach on the name of Christ?

Now I’m not asking for your compliments or kind words. I know that in times past my reputation hasn’t been “sterling” but my goal is to honor the Lord with my life and see that He is glorified!

Yes, that’s more than silver or gold!

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Enough said

Sometimes you don’t need to read alot in the Bible to get your direction for the day. That was the case this morning.

“Let people finish speaking before you try to answer them. That way you will not embarrass yourself and look foolish.” Proverbs 18:13 ERV

Enough said…carry on and have a good day!

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