Wisdom
11 Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing
and benefits those who see the sun.
12 Wisdom is a shelter
as money is a shelter,
but the advantage of knowledge is this:
Wisdom preserves those who have it. Ecclesiastes 7:11-12
Money
is a huge discussion these days in churches, at work, in fellowship
with other people and that is because money plays such a prominent role
in our society. The funny thing is that money has always had its place
in this world, and is discussed many times in the Bible. In fact Jesus
at many points talks about money and even He states that you cannot
serve money and God. But what about wisdom? Why do we not talk about
wisdom and its impact on our lives? Wisdom can come from those who can
share what they have learned in their lives. Are we not paying
attention to those who have experienced life. Wisdom also comes from
reading God's Word. Are we not reading what God has given us as a
guidebook filled with wisdom? I am guessing that if we were to focus on
wisdom and making wise decisions, that our lives would be improved.
Maybe our lives would not be improved monetarily but spiritually for
sure and definitely our lives could be more rewarding. I think about
how money will be there for a while to shelter us as this scripture
says, but think about how much shelter wisdom can provide. Preserving
our lives with wisdom sounds a lot better than having a short-term
shelter of money. Get wise and see where it can lead you.
Have a great weekend.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Friday, May 24, 2013
Fantastic Friday #368-Fewer
Fewer
2 Do not be quick with your mouth,
do not be hasty in your heart
to utter anything before God.
God is in heaven
and you are on earth,
so let your words be few.
3 A dream comes when there are many cares,
and many words mark the speech of a fool. Ecclesiastes 5:2-3
We have all seen the AT&T commercials where the man sits with kids and talks about how faster is better, but I think we all need to take a close look at fewer is better. Do you find yourself getting worked up over something in your life that makes you rapidly fire off an email, make a telephone call, or just vent to someone? Think about how many words you use to describe what is going on, how much you are doing the talking/writing and what that other person is doing. Twitter is an amazing way to communicate, because it only allows you to type 140 characters. It really makes you think about what and how you say something which is posted for the world to see. Now think about how you come before God in prayer. God already knows your heart, so when you pray don't be hasty but be direct and careful in how you pray. You don't want to use too many words, because you definitely don't want to look like a fool. God loves you and in the case of prayer, most times fewer is better. Let your heart lead you in your communication and your relationship with God.
Have a great weekend.
2 Do not be quick with your mouth,
do not be hasty in your heart
to utter anything before God.
God is in heaven
and you are on earth,
so let your words be few.
3 A dream comes when there are many cares,
and many words mark the speech of a fool. Ecclesiastes 5:2-3
We have all seen the AT&T commercials where the man sits with kids and talks about how faster is better, but I think we all need to take a close look at fewer is better. Do you find yourself getting worked up over something in your life that makes you rapidly fire off an email, make a telephone call, or just vent to someone? Think about how many words you use to describe what is going on, how much you are doing the talking/writing and what that other person is doing. Twitter is an amazing way to communicate, because it only allows you to type 140 characters. It really makes you think about what and how you say something which is posted for the world to see. Now think about how you come before God in prayer. God already knows your heart, so when you pray don't be hasty but be direct and careful in how you pray. You don't want to use too many words, because you definitely don't want to look like a fool. God loves you and in the case of prayer, most times fewer is better. Let your heart lead you in your communication and your relationship with God.
Have a great weekend.
Friday, May 17, 2013
Fantastic Friday #367- Attention
Attention
17 Pay attention and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise;
apply your heart to what I teach,
18 for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart
and have all of them ready on your lips.
19 So that your trust may be in the Lord,
I teach you today, even you.
20 Have I not written thirty sayings for you,
sayings of counsel and knowledge,
21 teaching you to be honest and to speak the truth,
so that you bring back truthful reports
to those you serve? Proverbs 22:17-21
Do you really pay attention to people around you or pay attention to your kids or spouse when they are speaking to you? I heard about someone that was told this week that they do not listen to people. It was kind of a shock to hear that about this person, and I think to myself, do I listen to people, or is it just idle chatter that I allow to go in one ear and out the other. Listening to people is a special gift at times, because people don't always say what they mean to say or they speak in some kind of hidden code. There are also those people who have been around for a while who speak in proverbs or other stories to get a message across, but I know that I can zone out after a couple of minutes with those stories. So what do we do? We take time to listen, especially to those who are wise with age and wisdom. We shut down everything else around us and focus on that person and no one else. The same thing applies with children or spouses. Stop what you are doing and give your full attention to them. Put down that laptop, iPad, iPhone, Galaxy tablet or other electronic device and give them what they deserve and that is your full and undivided attention. Oh, and what about God, are we truly paying attention to Him, or are we allowing the little things to distract us from His message. I tried something different this week, when I was performing a task at home for about 45 minutes, I shut off every electronic device and only focused on that task while talking to God. While it was a monotonous task, I felt I could focus more on God, however the only way to truly focus on God and pay attention is to spend quality time with Him. Pay attention to those around you and God this week, you might be amazed at what you are shown.
Have a great weekend.
17 Pay attention and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise;
apply your heart to what I teach,
18 for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart
and have all of them ready on your lips.
19 So that your trust may be in the Lord,
I teach you today, even you.
20 Have I not written thirty sayings for you,
sayings of counsel and knowledge,
21 teaching you to be honest and to speak the truth,
so that you bring back truthful reports
to those you serve? Proverbs 22:17-21
Do you really pay attention to people around you or pay attention to your kids or spouse when they are speaking to you? I heard about someone that was told this week that they do not listen to people. It was kind of a shock to hear that about this person, and I think to myself, do I listen to people, or is it just idle chatter that I allow to go in one ear and out the other. Listening to people is a special gift at times, because people don't always say what they mean to say or they speak in some kind of hidden code. There are also those people who have been around for a while who speak in proverbs or other stories to get a message across, but I know that I can zone out after a couple of minutes with those stories. So what do we do? We take time to listen, especially to those who are wise with age and wisdom. We shut down everything else around us and focus on that person and no one else. The same thing applies with children or spouses. Stop what you are doing and give your full attention to them. Put down that laptop, iPad, iPhone, Galaxy tablet or other electronic device and give them what they deserve and that is your full and undivided attention. Oh, and what about God, are we truly paying attention to Him, or are we allowing the little things to distract us from His message. I tried something different this week, when I was performing a task at home for about 45 minutes, I shut off every electronic device and only focused on that task while talking to God. While it was a monotonous task, I felt I could focus more on God, however the only way to truly focus on God and pay attention is to spend quality time with Him. Pay attention to those around you and God this week, you might be amazed at what you are shown.
Have a great weekend.
Friday, May 10, 2013
Fantastic Friday #366 - Freedom
Freedom
13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. 16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. 1 Peter 2:13-17
I have seen a lot of things this week about freedom and being free. Granted, in this nation we are very free to do as we please, within the laws of the land of course. We are free to worship which many people around the world cannot do and the laws of the nation give us certain rights. If you look closely, people are free to do horrible things as well, but it is not without consequence. You can see daily in the news where someone's freedom to choose has resulted negatively. What about someone's freedom to choose resulting positively in their life. The world doesn't spend a lot of time reporting on the positives of these efforts but instead focus on the result of people's negative actions. Maybe if more people used their freedom to impact our world positively, the influence of Christ on those people could change them and change the ones they have impacted. I hope that you utilize your freedom to love on others and show them Christ's love. For if you submit to the Lord, the love for others will flow out of you and you won't be trying to cover up evil with your freedom.
Have a great weekend.
13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. 16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. 1 Peter 2:13-17
I have seen a lot of things this week about freedom and being free. Granted, in this nation we are very free to do as we please, within the laws of the land of course. We are free to worship which many people around the world cannot do and the laws of the nation give us certain rights. If you look closely, people are free to do horrible things as well, but it is not without consequence. You can see daily in the news where someone's freedom to choose has resulted negatively. What about someone's freedom to choose resulting positively in their life. The world doesn't spend a lot of time reporting on the positives of these efforts but instead focus on the result of people's negative actions. Maybe if more people used their freedom to impact our world positively, the influence of Christ on those people could change them and change the ones they have impacted. I hope that you utilize your freedom to love on others and show them Christ's love. For if you submit to the Lord, the love for others will flow out of you and you won't be trying to cover up evil with your freedom.
Have a great weekend.
Friday, May 3, 2013
Fantastic Friday #365- Conclusions
Conclusions
As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. 2 And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. 4 We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance. 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5
I don't know about you, but I sometimes jump to the worst case scenario. These conclusions I come to are not a good thing, and I wonder why I sometimes do this. You would think that I could look at my past and see how God has been faithful over and over again, and I wouldn't jump to the worst possible conclusion. The problem is, there is evil in this world roaming around and trying to get into our thoughts. Just like the people in the early church who were discouraged by the evil pulling them from sharing God's message, we are pulled away by evil to make us forget God's faithfulness. If you look back at your past, look at the faithfulness of God and His provision for your life. I guarantee it will help you through whatever issue you are dealing with and it will help you not jump to the worst case scenario. I learned something about God's provision just this week. Praise Him for good news.
Have a great weekend.
Friday, April 26, 2013
Fantastic Friday #364 - Changes
Changes
“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
wisdom and power are his.
21 He changes times and seasons;
he deposes kings and raises up others.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the discerning.
22 He reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what lies in darkness,
and light dwells with him. Daniel 2:20-22
Seven years can be a long time or a very short time depending on how you look at it. Seven is a very important number in the Bible and it appears over 338 times in God's Word. You might think that seven is just another number, but if you look closely at the scriptures that seven appears in, you might think differently. For those of you who have a math sense, you can divide 364 by 52 and figure out the significance of seven in my life this week. Throughout these seven years, a lot of changes have taken place. Changes in my family, changes in my beliefs, changes in my knowledge, changes in my wisdom, and overall changes in me. These changes have been reflected in my writing over these past seven years and God has allowed me to share my life with you and what God wants us to know. Some weeks my words have been short and sometimes they have been long, but they have always had one thing in common and that is God's Word. God's Word has the ability to change us if we take time to sit down and read and understand what God is trying to tell us. I hope that God has affected some change in you as He has and will continue in me. Enjoy the change, it is rewarding.
Have a great weekend.
“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
wisdom and power are his.
21 He changes times and seasons;
he deposes kings and raises up others.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the discerning.
22 He reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what lies in darkness,
and light dwells with him. Daniel 2:20-22
Seven years can be a long time or a very short time depending on how you look at it. Seven is a very important number in the Bible and it appears over 338 times in God's Word. You might think that seven is just another number, but if you look closely at the scriptures that seven appears in, you might think differently. For those of you who have a math sense, you can divide 364 by 52 and figure out the significance of seven in my life this week. Throughout these seven years, a lot of changes have taken place. Changes in my family, changes in my beliefs, changes in my knowledge, changes in my wisdom, and overall changes in me. These changes have been reflected in my writing over these past seven years and God has allowed me to share my life with you and what God wants us to know. Some weeks my words have been short and sometimes they have been long, but they have always had one thing in common and that is God's Word. God's Word has the ability to change us if we take time to sit down and read and understand what God is trying to tell us. I hope that God has affected some change in you as He has and will continue in me. Enjoy the change, it is rewarding.
Have a great weekend.
Friday, April 19, 2013
Fantastic Friday #363- Eternal
Eternal
4 Trust in the Lord forever,
for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal. Isaiah 26:4
Do you sometimes find yourself losing trust in God? Are you beat up so much, and have so much severe suffering that you ask why God is allowing this in your life. Trust is a reliance on someone or some thing, a confident expectation of something. The enemy can attack your trust by making you think that your reliance is fruitless and futile. The enemy can change your thoughts by pushing you to self-reliance and self-expectation where you think you control everything in your world. The problem comes when we forget that God is eternal. He is without beginning or end, immutable, and enduring. When you look at God as eternal, the things the enemy tries to make you believe are completely without merit. God wants us to rely on Him and trust in Him. God wants us to furiously pursue Him and confidently expect Him to take care of our needs. God has and will take care of us because He is eternal. He is in control and the enemy is not, we just need to remember that His eternal nature has something better for us after this temporary place. Trust in God for all your needs because He is our Rock eternal.
Have a great weekend.
4 Trust in the Lord forever,
for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal. Isaiah 26:4
Do you sometimes find yourself losing trust in God? Are you beat up so much, and have so much severe suffering that you ask why God is allowing this in your life. Trust is a reliance on someone or some thing, a confident expectation of something. The enemy can attack your trust by making you think that your reliance is fruitless and futile. The enemy can change your thoughts by pushing you to self-reliance and self-expectation where you think you control everything in your world. The problem comes when we forget that God is eternal. He is without beginning or end, immutable, and enduring. When you look at God as eternal, the things the enemy tries to make you believe are completely without merit. God wants us to rely on Him and trust in Him. God wants us to furiously pursue Him and confidently expect Him to take care of our needs. God has and will take care of us because He is eternal. He is in control and the enemy is not, we just need to remember that His eternal nature has something better for us after this temporary place. Trust in God for all your needs because He is our Rock eternal.
Have a great weekend.
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