Etchings on My Heart for 30 days

I remember my first Nineveh experience being in January of 1982. The fall of 1981, my senior year in college, a lot of unfamiliar things began to happen in my life and I started what I will refer to as clean living. I gave up sugar and meat, two of my favorite things, and any other vices I deemed unhealthy. 

It was in that year that I began to experience gifts of the Spirit, but I didn't have a name for them. I found my voice in a gospel choir, not knowing exactly what that meant. It was also the year I asked the Lord what He wanted me to do in my life, but His answer threw me into an anxious tizzy. I did one of those, "I'll open the Bible and whatever page I land on, wherever my eyes hit the page, is the verse I know You will have for me." So I did and my eyes fell on Colossians 1:25, "Whereof I am made a minister . . ." Even though the verse went on, that's all I saw and it terrified me, and I ran. That's exactly what Jonah did - he received a message from God, it terrified him and he ran. Both Jonah and I were looking at ourselves, our abilities, our limitations, our reputations. Jonah was concerned about looking like a fool; he could deliver the message God had, but what if God didn't carry out the punishment which Jonah feared he wouldn't.

Since then, I've had other Nineveh experiences, hearing the voice of God and fearing what the words could mean for me. What's more important is what the disobedience could mean for me. Who should I fear, man who can destroy the body or God who has authority over my soul?

So I ask, what Nineveh are you facing today? Have you weighed the cost of not heeding God's words? Don't let fear and pride get in the way of receiving God's best for you. We don't know what happened to Jonah after that event, but we do know that Nineveh was saved and lives were changed and Jonah was a big part of making that happen. 

Etchings on My Heart - Day 2

What do we put our hope in? We can start out completely faithful to God and yet not put our trust in Him in certain areas of our lives and miss out on His full blessings.

In 2 Chronicles 15, we see King Asa being encouraged by Azariah who brought a message to him after the victorious battle with the Ethiopians (see 2 Chronicles 14:9-13). Azariah's word was that God would stay with King Asa as long as Asa trusted only in God. It seems simple enough to trust God as we watch Him move in our lives,  but the world has a way of creeping in and trying to take control.

So, for a while, Asa had favor with God. He cried out and God heard him and defeated the Ethiopian army before his eyes. This mighty act even caused Asa to "clean house", removing most of those things that were detestable to the Lord. And even though the pagan shrines were not destroyed, the scripture says that Asa's heart remained completely faithful throughout his life, and God allowed Asa and his people to have rest from their enemies. But the rest was contingent on Asa's complete trust in God.

As time moves on, though, we, like the Israelites, tend to forget what God has done for us, what He's capable of doing for us and, most of all, what He desires to do for us, as did King Asa. In 2 Chronicles 16, when King Baasha of Israel invaded Judah and fortified Ramah to keep people from coming or going into King Asa's territories, Asa's response was "fearful"; first he removed the gold and silver treasures then he sought favor from King Ben-hadad from Aram. In the battle with the Ethiopians, Asa gave a "fearless" response; first he deployed his armies, though they were a little more than half the size, and then he consulted the Lord for favor. Different responses and different outcomes. After Baasha's , Hanani the seer came and told King Asa that because he had put his trust in the king of Aram and not in God, that his enemies would not be defeated and he would no longer have rest from his enemies like he had enjoyed in the past.

And so again, I ask the question, what do we put our hope in? It's easy to go to God when we feel we have no other options, but where do we go when their are various possible solutions to our issues? What happens when the headache we have can be relieved by the bottle in the medicine cabinet or when a family member can loan us money for an overdue bill, or when a lawyer, doctor or an accountant can get us out of the jam? Who do we call when we're afraid or alone? Who do we call when we're depressed or overwhelmed? There have been many occasions when I've picked up the phone to dial a friend and they're not at home, any of them. What God is gently saying to me is come home, tell Daddy all about it - "I have a mighty hand and an outstretched arm" (Psalm 136:12). The Lord wants to be the one we run to, the only One, and when we do, that builds our faith. I'm not saying that medicine, family members, doctors, lawyers and accountants are bad, I'm just saying we have a first responder that we should call when we're in need!

Ex. 6:6; Num 11:23; Deut 5:15, 7:19, 26:8; 1 Kings 8:42; 2 Kings 17:36; 2 Chron 32:8; Ps 44:3

Etchings on My Heart - Day 1

I was playing Candy Crush this morning when the Lord spoke a clear word to me. Yeah, don't laugh, the Lord can use anything to get our attention, even a game. Anyway, I had been stuck on level 57 for some time. For days I have been battling the "chocolate foes" that pop up and steal my candy, making it difficult to continue. I was so focused on outwitting the chocolate that I failed to keep my eyes on the real prize, COMPLETION! This morning, God showed me that Candy Crush can be compared to our journey in life. We have a path that we are going on, hopefully we're following the Lord, and with each step forward, the devil wants to keep us distracted and focused on our uncomfortable circumstances, our trials and the little fires that keep popping up. In the process, we loose sight of the goal, of our purpose, of God's daily plan for our life. So as I was playing the next round of level 57, AGAIN, the Lord asked me, "So what is the goal here"? I thought for a second and looked at the screen and realized that my goal was not defeating the chocolate, or even battling with it, but the goal was getting the fruit to the bottom, and when I focused on the prize, I won, just like that!

1 Corinthians 9:24, 26

Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? so run to           win? . . . So I run with purpose in every step.

Phillipians 3:12b, 14
But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me . . . I press 

on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ 

Jesus, is calling us.

31 Day Challenge - Day 31

Proverbs 31 is one of my favorite proverbs and yet I find it one of the most challenging proverbs to apply to my life. It takes discipline and sacrifice. It speaks of the Proverbial woman, the wife of noble character and the wise mother, as if she were a typical woman. There is nothing average about her, though. I find her difficult to attain, yet worthy of the challenge. She is definitely not your every day woman and yet she possesses the type of character we all need to set our sights on. She's an opportunity waiting to happen in each of our lives. A complex woman, but the type of woman we should all not just hope, but, EXPECT to become.

We find the word "wise" in verse 26 of  Proverbs 31 (NLT). This verse addresses communication; one attribute that is customary of women.  We are known as being ready and willing communicators. We have been described as talkers, naggers, gossipers and gabbers. Our voices can be heard throughout the scriptures, beginning in the garden and ending in the second coming. Eve is found speaking with the enemy (not one of our finer moments), Esther, conversing with royalty and plotting to save a nation from destruction. We hear Abigail making a defense to David to save her household from the foolish words of Nabal. The Prophet Deborah gives advice under the palm tree and Ruth saves her families fortune by conversing with Boaz. We find Joanna trying to convince Herod of the dangers in persecuting Jesus and Mary, mother of Jesus, listening and rejoicing with the angel at the revelation of her immaculate conception. In Luke, we learn about Anna, praising God in the temple day and night with fasting and prayer, and telling everyone about the Christ child's dedication by his parents.  We read words of women who were led by God to impart important and profound messages. As communicators, we find ourselves catalysts for the future, preparing the way for our savior and His message. We are examples of what can happen when we obey God's commands. But we have also been used to show what happens when we use our words in disobedience to God's instructions, as did Jezebel and Sapphira.

Proverbs 31:26 says,  "When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instruction with kindness." It is the wisdom coupled with kindness that leads to God's grace and blessing.
What does that look like? In addition to using wisdom in our choice of words we must also use love in our intentions and motivations.  It is not enough to choose wise words, but God directs we must be kind. When we are giving instructions, it is easy to find the right thing to say, it is more challenging to say the right thing in the right way.  So instruction is good, but it must be done in kindness. The question about our conversations is not what we are saying as much as how we are saying it. If we are purposed to teach a lesson, what kind of lessons will people best receive? We must have a loving, listening ear and not be quick to judgement. It is God who will judge us in the end, and we will be judged by how we have judged others?

Maybe it is not by chance that God is allowing us to see and hear certain things. Maybe it has been by divine appointment, for God's eternal purpose. If, in fact, God is revealing something to us, we need to figure out why. Then we need to determine what He wants us to do with this information.

God wants us to be His communicators, but He wants us to be communicators made in His image, wise and loving, so that the intended parties of our messages will be able to both hear and receive.

Lord I know that I must give an account of everyting that passes through my lips. Lord, may all of my conversation be pleasing to you.  Thank you for the privilege of being a Proverbial woman, and create in me a woman who uses "words of wisdom" with a loving heart!

31 Day Challenge - Day 30

"Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection", (Proverbs 30).
Not some words, or a few words or even most words, but every word of God proves true! I love this scripture! If I want to find out more about God, I try His word. When I need to get closer, I can stand on His promises, on His very words! Every word He declares is proved true and I can take that to the bank!

How do I know if I heard from God? I look for truth; in His word and in His direction. When you read God's word, you know it's true - God can not lie. If you believe God is giving you direction, you can test it and if the very word you believe you've heard comes to pass and it produces good fruit in your life and brings you closer to Him,  you can trust it is from His hand no matter what it looked like when you got it.

In  1991, I sensed I was about to make a change concerning my job. I did not hear an audible voice, and yet I could discern in my spirit that God had spoken to me. I did what I do when I believe I've heard from the Lord, I tuck it away and wait for God's revalation. In 91', things were changing on the job and I had an opportunity to start a new position. I immediately began to think that this was the change I had been sensing, but as it turned out, it was a piece to the puzzle and not the change at all. It all made sense, the word from God, this new opportunity, but in the end, it did not prove to be what God was saying. During this time, Glenn had just been promoted to a job with less flexibility and with two small children, we needed flexibility in a job so that we could tend to the needs of the family, ie. illness, doctors appointments, etc.  My current position at the time, was not flexible either; Glenn was the one who could pick up the children. But now Glenn needed me to be the prominent care provider, so when this  new opportunity came up, I was sure it was from God. The new position was flexible, with no travel and a strict 8 - 5 shift, it all made sense, it was a done deal. But that's not what God had in store. Instead, He was providing a way for me to come home (a great story of God's faithfulness, but too long for this particular blog entry). As God continued to reveal His plan, change came in less than a month and it was what my heart had desired! It turned out to be a company buy out for me and we were able to pay off all of our debt which allowed me to become a stay at home mom. In 1992, the Lord told me to prepare for another child. I began getting fit right away, but almost gave up because Lindsey didn't come for another five years. In 1993, the Lord told Michael, our son, that we would move to California - we did, but not until 2001. In 1994, the Lord told Glenn through a dream that we would be moving to New Jersey. We didn't embrace it, but a couple months later, we were on our way to Wanaque, a small city one hour from NYC.  In 2004, we felt another nudge for a change. We hadn't heard anything, so in July we decided to put our house on the market, a move of faith for us. There were no nibbles on the house, though it was during the housing bubble, but one month later Glenn got an invitation to interview in Nebraska. Our home sold in less than a week. Again, in 2013, we heard the Lord say a change was coming. We had been looking for a new home in our current area just a year before and thought we had found the "perfect" home, but we did not make an offer because God relayed to Glenn in yet another dream that we would be moving out of state. We did not know when that would be, and at times it appeared that it was not going to happen, but we waited on the Lord to reveal His plan. That was in the spring of 2012; we got the word of Glenn's promotion to Arizona late spring, 2013, one year later.

Though all of these examples were about moving, I chose them because they denoted major changes in our lives. In theses examples, God spoke to us through His word, through dreams, through our children and through each other. How did we know it was God? Because the word, however it came, stood the test of time and brought with it God's blessing and spiritual growth. And even though blessing and growth don't always look nice or feel good at first, (sometimes they're painful and undesireable), they always produce good fruit and they always bring us closer to the One who provides them!

31 Day Challenge - Day 29

"To discipline a child produces wisdom, but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child" (Proverbs 29:15). "Discipline your children, and they will give you peace of mind and will make your heart glad" (Proverbs 29:17).

Throughout the scriptures it is evident that the Lord wants us to discipline our children, but I have been confused, at times, about the ways I was not disciplining my children. The on-line Dictionary by Farley describes the word discipline as the following: 1. Training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior, especially training that produces moral or mental improvement; 2. Controlled behavior resulting from disciplinary training; self-control; 3. To train by instruction and practice, especially to teach self-control to; 4. To teach to obey rules or accept authority; 5. To punish in order to gain control or enforce obedience; 6. To impose order on. A sense of preparing comes to mind when I read these definitions; we are preparing our children to obey God and to take their place in His kingdom.

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Discipling does not come easy. Children don't understand how difficult it is for parents to train them up. In addition, if we're not using the Bible as our guide book, we can become confused with how to administer discipling techniques. Two things that needed to be corrected in my discipling practices when bringing up my older childre were my forgetfulness of punishments I had prescribed and my wavering "No" that the children quickly figured out could be manipulated into a "yes". My forgetfulness allowed the dishonesty in children to rise up and not remind me of a punishment I had established for them. I wouldn't remember until after the punishment had been broken and the child was able to do that which they had been told they could not, (even if I had written it on the family calendar). Don't get me wrong, I did have the honest child that alerted me to their restrictions, (and sometimes others), but I also had the child who didn't "remember" until I brought it up. I'm not sure why I would forget, but it could have been that the punishment wasn't a good fit for the crime. What may really have been needed at the time was a consequence (something I learned during the second decade of bringing up children).

The wavering "No" resulted in my children's ability to elicit a "yes" after much finagling. I would say no to a certain request, but would soften after repeated questioning and debates, and end with a "yes".  The scripture tells us "to let our "no" mean no and our "yes" mean yes", obviously a word that escaped me at the time. It is better to follow through with a no then to give in, even if we feel we've made a mistake in judgement concerning a punishment. We can always (and should) ask for forgiveness if we find ourself in error, but following through allows the child to learn they can not manipulate their parent, no matter what (because moms no always means no) and a child who learns to accept a "no" becomes an adult who knows how to handle disappointment in responsible and respectful ways.

31 Day Challenge - Day 28

"Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed" (Proverbs 28:27).

I know a part of our society says that people need to learn to take care of themselves, pull themselves up by their bootstraps and stop taking from the government and from the rest of us, but could it be that there are people in our society that need a helping hand? The Bible tells us that  the poor will be with us always, even within the Christian community, and that we need to have compassion. One thing we need to remember is that everything we have belongs to Him; none of this is ours. We didn't bring it into the world and we're not taking it out.

Proverbs 28:8 says "Income from charging high interest rates will end up in the pocket of someone who is kind to the poor". What do we think of that statement?  How can we be kind to the poor with income from high interest rates? What do we think about Acts 2:44, 45, "And all of the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need." What does that mean? Do true believers really need assistance?

The scripture says if we don't work we don't eat, but what about the people who work and still don't have quite enough? Are they not real Christians? What about the people who live where jobs are scarce, or people who were laid off, or those who suffered physcical or mental illnesses that prohibit them from working?

If you've ever been without, how did you stay afloat? Most believers would say, God provided it, and they would be absolutely correct! God did provide! But how did He provide; what or who did He use to provide? Did it come out of the air or did He use a person to give, donate, or volunteer the things you were in need of?

When Glenn and I were pregnant with Lauren, we had nothing. Rent was high and we both worked, but what we made kept a roof over our heads and some food on the table. Neither of us knew how we were going to purchase a crib, car seat, stroller, baby bathtub, diapers, and the many other things we'd need for our new arrival. But God knew, and we trusted Him, so we weren't worried, just concerned. We prayed and by God's hand, everything we needed, and I do mean everything, including lamps and bedroom furniture, was given to us, by others. We were blessed with four baby showers from four different friends groups who didn't know eachother.  We never made a formal list of what we needed (because we needed everything) and yet nothing was duplicated. Friends and family members who lived out of state mailed things to us. It was incredible, it was unbelievable; it was God! God used people to provide His children with everything needed to welcome Lauren into this world. And to date, we are still being taken care of by God's hand, and we now have an opportunity to share with others what God has given to us. Not because we have so much, but because everything belongs to Him!

"Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measureing yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ's body. . . Don't just pretend to love otheres. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take dellight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God's people are in need, be ready to help them." (Romans 12:3-13, NLT).

31 Day Challenge - Day 27

Proverbs 27:12 says "A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions". That's really what Proverbs is all about. God wanting us to have wisdom so that we can have eyes to see and do what's necessary to keep ourselves from evil.

I enjoy looking at model homes. I put it under the guise of "getting ideas" for my own house, but I can't say that I've used any of the ideas I've gathered. What I can say about looking at model homes is that it has the ability to provide discontentment to my heart. I become envious of what I don't have. My answer to not allowing this discontentment to invade my heart regarding my current residence is to first admit that I can become discontent with my home. My next step is to determine in my mind that I am completely content with what I have, that it is lovely and is a gift from God. But the best possible solution to avoid discontentment 100% is to not go and look at the model homes. Now, to some, that may sound drastic, but not so. Everyone knows their limits, whether they choose to abide by them or not. A recovering alcoholic stays away from liquor. A spend-a-holic cuts up their credit cards. A person who has lust of the eye deprives the eyes of what makes them lustful. The Bible says if your eye offends you, you should pluck it out, (Matthew 18:9; 5:29 and Mark 9:47). Of course, we may not literally pluck or gouge out our eyes, but we instead stop doing and stop enabling those things that cause us to stumble. We practice the new life, the forgiven life, the redeemed life. Why should we agonize over things that cause us death; over things that God has not determined we need or has provided for us?

Whatever obstacle or danger lurks in our path, the Bible tells us that by practicing wisdom, using the knowledge and understanding it brings, and then exercising restraint, we will keep ourselves from danger and more importantly, make our Savior glad!

31 Day Challenge - Day 26

It's so difficult to bless your enemies, and yet God tells us to feed our hungry enemies, and give them water if they are thirsty. It says we will heap burning coals of shame on their heads and the Lord will reward us, (Prov. 25:21,22).  What we're doing is letting God's hand of grace and mercy bless the situation and soften the hearts of those who mistreat us.

If we could see the outcome of this unconditional act of kindness before we practiced it, it would be so much easier, but that would defeat part of God's blessing/reward towards our obedience to His word. The more we let God work in us, the more we come to know Him. After all, this is not just to open the other persons eyes, but it's a beneficial exercise that gives us a closer view to the heart of  God. What a testimony for us to be able to spread God's love to others and see His hand of work in the lives of numerous people because we obeyed His word. By taking us (our emotions, our selfishness, our greed) out of the equation, God is free to work in and to touch hearts. He doesn't really need our help, does He? Our enemies will not be able to strike back at us because we will be extending mercy and grace and not emotional or physical aggression. When we fight back, it keeps the fight going. When we let God, He becomes our defense - and He never loses!

So as we're living this month of thankfulness, I want to make a personal challenge to myself and anyone else who is interested to see this scripture come to life. I want to allow others to see the Jesus in me. I want to witness God's blessing as I yield my will to His and allow the Holy Spirit to work through me to bless to bless my enemies. I have nothing to lose and everything to gain!

If you have an example where this has already played out in your life, please recently share it in this blog. If you're interested in joining the challenge, let me know.

31 Day Challenge - Day 25

 I wrote a short story in 1987 about a large house surrounded by woods. It was based on the homes I  might see on my way home from work. They were massive, beautiful and had lots of space around them. About this time of year, autumn, you could see them clearly as the trees that surrounded them shed their leaves. My desire was to live in one of those homes, and if not, atleast to look inside. That was the focus of my story; peering inside.

At that time in 1987, the Lord gave me a vision of what the inside of these homes could look like, but on a spiritual level. He let me know that even if the outside of the house was gorgeous, what really mattered was what was on the inside of the home; where the people lived. When I read Proverbs 24:3-5, I remembered the story and the lesson God taught me from it. In the story, I peekked through the window and discovered that the house was pretty much empty and very much unkept. What I thought would be filled with expensive furniture and exquisite decor was dusty and desolate and needing much care. The curtains had moths and cobwebs hanging on them and what I thought was a once beautiful home no longer had an appeal. I wondered what people saw when they looked into my life. Did they find a blessed home or chaos and decay? It's easy to have a nice outward appearance, but how do we have a well kept home?

Proverbs 24:3-5 says, "A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense. Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables. The wise are mightier than the strong, and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger." It's not what people see on the outside of us, but what they encounter on the inside of us that matters most. We all have to determine what our house is built of and who the builder is. The homes in my story were worthless in their current state. They looked very attractive on the outside, but the inside had no value. That's not the house I want built; that's not the house I want to live in. I desire a house built with wisdom, and as the Proverbs says, by wisdom. A house erected by good sense and knowledge, which will make it a strong and secure home. That's how I want my home to be built, so that it is established through Christ from glory to glory, growing stronger and more secure every day!

31 Day Challenge - Day 24

"Don't wait in ambush at the home of the godly, and don't raid the house where the godly live. The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked", (Proverbs 24:15, 16). What a great promise! Not that we won't get knocked down, but He  promises that we will get back up! The two verses prior, Proverbs  24:13, 14, show us we can look forward to God providing for our hopes and bright futures:

"My child, eat honey, for it is good, and the honecomb is sweet to the taste. In the same way, wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, you will have a bright future, and your hopes will not be cut short", (Proverbs 24:13, 14).

The word says we need to find wisdom. Where does wisdom hide? God's wisdom is in His word. Any commandment or instruction or direction from God contains His wisdom. We've seen that we can be wise in our own eyes, but that's using our wisdome, not God's. God's wisdom comes from him and there is no other source - it's all Him. Ok, so we read God's word and see his wisdom, is that the same as finding it? This word "find" means to come forth to; to attain; to appear; to exist; to meet or be present; to be able. It's not just setting your eyes on it, but attaining it, having it come forth to you; having it appear and exist, where it meets you and is then present with you. We've got to put wisdom on, clothe ourselves in it, if you will, in order to find it. Finding it allows it to be a part of us.

"If you need wisdom, ask our genorous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking", (James 1:5).  Remember, God wants us to have wisdom. He has provided it so we can live a prosperous life.  But He wants to make sure that our faith is in Him alone, and that we're not going to go back and forth, believing His word and then believing someone or something else. We need to abide by God's word day and night!

31 Day Challenge - Day 23

"Don't envy sinners, but alway continue to fear the Lord. You will be rewarded for this, your hope will not be disappointed.  My child, listen and be wise; keep your heart on the right course," (Proverbs 23:17 - 19).

It's difficult to not be envious of those that have more than we do, or those who do bad things but never seem to get caught or get in trouble or suffer. No, those are the folks that seem to prosper - why is it that way?

I remember when I was working back in the 80's, a supervisor, we'll call her Libby, was not well liked by her employees. One of those employees encouraged the others to give Libby a chance, but the six other employees weren't interested.

It was an especially stressful time for the loyal employee. She was almost eight months pregnant and she was determined to work up until the very last moment.  Sometime at the end of this ladies seventh month she discovered that her supervisor, Libby, who had been married less than a year, was having an affair with her own manager, we'll call him Ted. The employee, who was a Christian, almost immediately began to be targeted by her supervisor with unreasonable requests and requirements, something that was not happening to the other employees. The attacks, false accusations and unreasonable requests increased and soon Libby put the employee on probation, even though the pregnant woman would be going out on maternity leave at the end of that week. What was the employee to do? Should she retaliate? After all, relationships with your superiors was frowned upon in the work place.  Why is it that this supervisor and her manager got away with unprofessional behavior and inappropriate relationships? What should the employee's response be?

The employee didn't turn upper management in, but she did have to defend herself against the accusations. In the end, Libby was fired, the employee returned to her job after maternity leave and even received a promotion not long after. God was in control! God is in control! We just need to continue to follow after righteousness.

31 Day Challenge - Day 22

"Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it",
(Proverbs 22:6). This is one of the most popular scriptures among Christian parents. Especially as our children reach their teen years, we like to quote this scripture as encouragement through trying times. The first focus is on us, that we are being obedient to the command of The Lord to bring our children up, or as the NLT says, direct them onto the right path. I appreciate that it does not say that if I direct them onto the correct path they will not depart, it says they will not depart when they are old. The implication to me is that the child has to do some growing, some maturing. They need to acquire understanding, and yes, that word, WISDOM. Isn't that interesting, that's exactly what happened in my life. I had to go through some trials and tribulations before I began to fear the Lord; before I received any wisdom. What a comfort to know that it's okay if children stray. It's not especially comfortable or enjoyable, but we do not need to feel the pressure of raising perfect children. Nor do we need to experience guilt when our children don't turn out as we want or desire them to. It allows them to be individuals, with individual lives, mistakes, challenges and personal testimonies. Their growing and learning is not about us - it's about them, and about their Maker maturing, making and molding them into His plan and purpose.

Oh, Lord, give me grace to raise my children, give me peace and love to let them be who they are, give me hope to trust who you've called them to be and give me wisdom to know that YOU have everything under control! I love you Lord!!

31 Day Challenge - Day 21

It's difficult sometimes not to want people who do bad things to get in trouble. We see someone cheat and we want them to get caught. We see someone mistreat a person and we want to go and tell them about themselves. The culprit may not even think they've done something wrong, but what we forget is that God knows the heart and that's what He is concerned about, the heart (Proverbs 21:2).

There are moments when we're told by the Lord to give up something or to offer our best, and we give it up half heartedly or we offer someone our second best, but again God is looking at our heart, for "obedience is better than sacrafice", (I Sam 15:22), or said another way, "the Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just thn when we offer him sacrifices", (Prov. 21:3).

Life is full of lessons that must be learned and if we don't learn them the first time, we are doomed to repeat them. And yet the King of kings and The Lord of lords offers us wisdom freely so we can find life, righteousness and honor, we just need to pursue it, (21:21). When we pursue righteousness and wisdom, we find choosing the right thing to be a much easier way of living than choosing the wrong thing. It's finding peace and joy in Him and wondering why we didn't submit our life to Him sooner. 

31 Day Challenge - Day 20

The Proverbs are full of words of wisdom. Everything in it is wise words to live by. We must be careful, though, not to just be readers of the word, but to be doers of the word. Proverbs won't help us if we don't follow what is written.

"The goldly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them", (Prov. 20:7). The New King James words it "The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him." What a beautiful promise! We all want our children to be blessed. So what is it we have to do to acquire that?

First, if we are, in fact, godly -  if we are righteous, then we will walk with integrity. Righteous living produces integrity. Walking in integrity yields blessings on our children. Simple? Maybe - maybe not. What is integrity?

Integrity is defined in the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, as faithful support of a standard of values. Different words we could interchange with integrity are uprightness, righteousness, blameless, not wavering. We must be steadfast in our walk with the Lord, not tossed to and fro. What we do in the Lord, for the Lord and through the Lord must not change. But how do we accomplish that on a daily basis?  We must be living by the word; reading it daily, not compromising on what God is telling us to do. We must submit to the teaching of the Holy Spirit. How do we know if we are doing what we're supposed to? It starts with literally living by the word once we've made a confession to Christ and invited Him into our heart to be Lord and savior. The measuring stick of how we are doing can always be the word of God. How our life compares to what the scriptures say!

31 Day Challenge - Day 19

"Discipline your children while there is hope. Otherwise you will ruin their lives" (Proverbs 19:18). This particular verse in Proverbs 19 does not use the word wisdom or wise and yet we know that it is a verse of wisdom for parents. Children can become too old or too spoiled, to receive a word from their parents. They can begin to do what seems right in their own eyes. God gives us parents an opportunity to speak into our children's lives from the time of birth to around age of 18. Sometimes we get more time, sometimes we get less. But it's important that we take advantage of that opportunity. We must take our parental responsibility seriously. It could one day be a matter of life and death some day.

At times, God could give us an additional opportunity or extended time with our children, but that doesn't take the place of the original time we are given to "bring up a child in the way that they should go".

If you feel like you've missed your time, pray and ask God for His wisdom and guidance. There is nothing impossible for our Lord! He can provide that discipline for our children that we weren't able to give through us or others. He can provide opportunities and situations for growth. But, if we have an opportunity to guide them while they are young, that's the best situation for everyone concerned.

The Lord shows us through the Proverbs what happens when our children don't get this discipline or if the discipling we offer doesn't take root. We read "a foolish child is a calamity to a father" (19:13), or, "Children who mistreat their father or chase away their mother are an embarrassment and a public disgrace" (19:26). We read that when a child stops listening to instruction, he will turn his back on knowledge" (19:28). It doesn't have to be a terminal situation, but it will most likely be painful for both you and your child.

What we can take away from this is to use wisdom and take the time to discipline our children while there is hope. God will forgive and He will forget the sin, but the law of consequences don't have to be as kind!

31 Day Challenge - Day 18

Is God concerned with what we say and how we say it? We saw yesterday that "a truly wise person uses few words" (Prov. 17:27). But what about the words we do use? Is wisdom a part of our speech? How do our conversations affect our relationships?

 In Proverbs 18, with it's 24 verses, 12 of those verses have words that describe a type of  communication. Let's look at the verses that describe communicating with wisdom:  "Wise words are like deep waters" (18:4). Flipping a coin can end arguments; it settles disputes between powerful people" (18:18). Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction" (18:20).

What about the verses that don't refer to the use of wisdom in speech: "Unfriendly people care only about themselves; they lash out at common sense" (18:1). "Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their opinion" (18:2). "Fools' words get them into constant quarrels: they are asking for a beating" (18:6). "The mouths of fools are their ruin; they trap themselves with their lips" (18:7). "Rumors are dainty morsels that sink deep into one's heart" (18:8). Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish" (18:13). "The first to speak in court sounds right - until the cross-examination begins" (18:17). "Flipping a coin can end arguments; it settles disputes between powerful people" (18:18). Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with bars" (18: 19). "The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences" (18:21).

Reading Proverbs 18 makes me consider my own conversations. Am I speaking with purpose? Am I slow to speak and quick to listen? Am I using my words wisely? Is God pleased with what I have to say all of the time? Something to consider!

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31 Day Challenge - Day 17

"A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered" (Prov. 17:27).

What a gift that would be! When I was a little girl, I admired and yet feared my mother's father. Granddaddy was tall, slim and handsome, but he said very little. The most he would speak at one time was when he was preaching or teaching the word . His messages were not usually long, but always profound. He spent a lot of his time reading and studying and listening to others. He calculated his conversations, thinking and selecting his words carefully. When he spoke, everyone listened because he didn't speak unless he had something to say. He was wise, insightful, smart, understanding and full of faith.  If you had a question you couldn't answer about anything, you would go to him. If you had a prayer request, you asked him to pray and then watched the Lord answer it.  He was just that kind of man. A man of integrity, an honest man, a humble man, a man who spent time with and feared the Lord! A man full of wisdom!

Why was he content to speak so few words? How come he wasn't concerned with dazzling people with his wisdom or intelligence? Why was he content to listen and learn? Because he had learned a secret. The wisdom and understanding and intelligence belonged to the Lord. If you have true wisdom than you know it's all about Him! Not us.

My grandfather died leaving his children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews with a spiritual legacy. He also left us with an example of what a person of righteous living was all about and what they received from the Lord! He left us with the knowledge of what a truly wise person is like - a person who is made in the image of God.

31 Day Challenge - Day 16

There are two paths one can follow in life: one leads to prosperity and life, the other to destruction and death! How do we know which path to take? Proverbs 16 gives us insight into what the different paths have  to offer.  Some of the things God's path offers are: peace with enemies (16:7); safety (16:17); and prosperity and joy (16:20). The path of destruction extends trouble and destructive words (16:27); strife and gossip (16:28); violence and harm (16:29); and evil plots and mischief (16:30). Two different paths with two different outcomes. But what if I want to follow a path that seems right to me? Is there anything wrong with that?

First, there's nothing wrong with making our own plans or setting our own path. The caution is that in doing so, we acknowledge (ask for guidance and listen to) God as we decide what to do (Prov. 16:1). Remember, even if we think we know the way to go and it seems like a good way, God knows our heart and the motivations behind all of our actions (16:2). He knows why we choose the paths that we choose. We can always ask Him which path is best for us, which path He wants us to follow.

But what if I can't hear God's voice? Then search his word. His word is his voice and one of the ways we can hear His voice is to read His word. Inquire what God's word says about the road you want to take and then give that way to the Lord, ask Him to direct your steps (16:9). If we commit our works to the Lord, they will succeed (16:3; 16:9).

Second, The Lord has made everything for his own purposes, even the wicked for a day of disaster (16:4). We are made for God's purposes. Wouldn't it be a good idea to ask Him what we should be doing and what our purpose is? Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the Lord will be joyful. Not can be, or might be; WILL BE. A promise from our Lord that everyone needs to cash in on!

So we see again, we have a choice. Which path will we choose? It's probably a good idea to decide which outcomes we want. Then we can determine which road leads to the outcomes we desire and that will make our decision easier!

31 Day Challenge - Day 15

Correction is all about learning! We either learn or we repeat that lesson, that learning process until we get it. I love the fact that God is not finished with us yet and that He's able to complete the good work He's started in us, (Phil. 1:6). Otherwise, where would we be?

Proverbs 15 states that, "Whoever abandons the right path will be severely disciplined: whoever hates correction will die", (Prov. 15:10). Note that it does not say whoever abandons the right path will be severely  punished - it says severely disciplined. God disciplines those whom He loves (Prov. 3:12; Heb. 12:6; Rev. 3:19), and He loves us too much to leave us where we are, (thank you Lord), but takes us from glory to glory -  ". . . we all, with open face, beholding as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image (His image) from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit" (2 Cor. 3:18) (KJV).

The message of Proverbs 15 is directed to God's people, those who have been on the right path at one time or another. He's giving us wisdom and a warning, letting us know that if we hate correction we will surely die. Why would we hate correction? Because we want to do what we want to do when we want to do it. And if we hate His correction, we won't follow what He says to do.

Even in this Proverb, God is tenderly chastising us. He gives us the facts about wisdom and alerts us to the consequences of not seeking it, not listening to it and ultimately, not obeying it. He's so gently informs us that "the lips of the wise give good advice" (15:7) and "whoever learns from correction is wise" (15:5). That sounds like something we should want and things we should want to do, but sometimes it's not. A wise person, from what we know about wisdom, would want knowledge. Proverbs 15:14 states it this way:  "a wise person is hungry for knowledge". But mockers (scorners) those people that change the truth to fit their desires, don't even want to be around wise people. It's too convicting; too bright!

We know "the path of life leads upward for the wise: they leave the grave (Sheol) behind," (15:24). "If you listen to to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise," (15:31) and, "If you reject discipline, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding," (15:32). Why would we not want to live a life of peace with God and avoid hell? Why would we not want to grow in understanding and humility (15:33)? Who can say? The bottom line though, is we have to choose what we want. We each have to make that decision for ourselves and then follow through with it. Joshua 24:13 tells us to "Choose today whom you will serve". God and His wisdom, which leads to life everlasting or death. It really is that simple!