From the very start, Solomon knew he would need God-inspired intelligence and insight to maintain law and order over the Israelite Nation. When the Lord appeared, Solomon wisely asked for spiritual perception and enlightenment. God was so pleased with his choices that He not only gave Solomon those gifts, but also wealth, riches, and honor…”Such as no King who was before you ever had and none after you will have.” Down through history Solomon was known for many things…but the wisdom God placed in his heart was, and still is, the most important.
Month: May 2013
Ephesians 1:17 ” I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better.”
That you may know Him better…How many of us would raise our hand to have that? Paul prayed that the Lord would impart His Divine knowledge and reveal Himself fully to his friends in Ephesus…and in turn, they would be filled with depth of insight, and abounding in the knowledge of their Savior. So I ask you today, if you want that same kind of spiritual wisdom, ask the Lord to fill you with all understanding and insight in Him…so that you also may know Him better.
Proverbs 6: 9-11 ” How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest – and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like a armed man.”
There are several places in Proverbs that talk about lazy people who become poor through their lack of ambition and slothfulness…” Do not love sleep or you will grow poor.” When we don’t have motivation and drive, we become apathetic,and uncaring of ourselves and others around us… and this in turn affects all aspects of our personal and financial lives. This rather lyrical Proverb wants us to rise up, get moving, and persevere.
Joshua 1:8 ” Do not let this book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
Reading the Bible daily…why do we make every excuse known to man about why we can’t? The Lord not only wants us to read His Word daily, but He wants us to sit and think about how it relates to our life after we’re done reading. God wants us to reflect and contemplate what the scriptures are saying to us personally…and in doing so, the His plan for our life will be revealed with clarity and certainty.
Romans 15: 5-6 ” May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
When tough times come into your life the Lord doesn’t want you to self-isolate away from the Body of Believers. Yes, God will give you the ability to remain tranquil in the mist of suffering, and He will exhort to firmly establish your faith. But there’s something about being with a group of like-minded people praying, and praising God for what He has and will be doing in our lives, that changes our perspective…our inward focus will move outward…our mind will be taken off ourselves, to others… The situation may not change…but we will.
Isaiah 58:11 ” The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.”
I was able to get the last of my vegetable garden planted yesterday. There’s something about being born and raised on a farm that inherently makes you want to plant a crop. Measuring at 35′ x 100′ it’s a big undertaking to prepare the soil in the Spring, but thanks to a big tiller and an even stronger husband it’s soon ready for seed. Every year I have my tried but true varieties of peas and green beans to plant…but I also love to try new things…varieties that catch my eye in the many seed catalogs I get during the Winter. This year I planted purple radishes, multi-colored pumpkins, and crazy looking gourds. People ask what I do with all the produce that comes off the garden…I freeze some, but I also invite people to come and pick…For me, it’s a way to give people who live in town a chance to experience farm life…to see where their food comes from, and to try new vegetables they picked themselves. It’s also a wonderful way to show God’s bountiful goodness towards us in the form of a simple vegetable garden.
Proverbs 3: 5-6 ” Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
What is your trust and confidence in today? Is it in the great education you received, is it in the prestigious and high power job you finally landed, is it in your family name that demands attention and respect… or maybe is it in your proud pronouncement of being a self-made man? When we rely on our own intelligence, rather than the Lord’s, we’re setting ourselves up for failure. God wants us to find our safety and security in Him…not in ourselves. If we commit our lives, our plans, our dreams, and aspirations to Him, He will make the way even and level under our feet.
Philippians 4:8 ” Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble,whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”
What we think about, what we listen to, and watch on TV or on the computer will impact our thought pattern greatly…the saying, garbage in-garbage out, holds true to our brain cells. If you are continually putting ungodly or questionable material into your mind, why be surprised what comes out of your mouth, or how farfetched and bizarre your day dreams will become. The Lord wants us to occupy our mind with thoughts that are right, pleasing, and virtuous in His eyes.
Amos 7: 7-8 ” This is what He showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in His hand. And the Lord asked me, ‘What do you see Amos?’ ‘A plumb line,’ I replied. Then the Lord said, ‘Look I am setting a plumb line among My people Israel; I will spare them no longer.’ “
God was using the analogy of a measuring tool to show just how far the Israelite nation had fallen into sin. The Lord’s perfect standard showed glaringly how deeply they had backslidden…It was now a time of judgment. God uses His plumb line today to show us when we’re “off center”…it might be the Holy Spirit whispering with that still small voice, or it may be His Word, when we read the Bible, that speaks to us about a certain area of our life that needs to change. He may even send another Christian into our life to exhort us with truth of just how far we have wandered away from Him. The Lord’s plumb line is straight and true, and He desires that our life to be the same.
Luke 9: 1-2 ” When Jesus had called them together, He gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”
The Lord gathered the disciples together, laying out a game plan of what He wanted them to accomplish. He sent them out as ambassadors to proclaim the Gospel to others…But Jesus specifically gave them power to cast out demons and heal the sick. When God commissions you to go out into the world on His behalf, it will be with specific goals He wants you to attain, but He will never send you out without first endowing you with the power, physical capacity, and authority to carry it out. Each of His callings are unique, although there is one overlying mission for all…that is to proclaim the Good News where ever you go.
Safetypinlove 