The Lord reminds us daily, “This is the way – Walk in it.” But at the same time the world is pulling and enticing us to wander and stray off the path. Our human nature is easily distracted by the shininess of worldly things, and it takes real prudence and insight to keep our eyes focused on the right way. As our Christian Walk evolves over the years, we gain understanding, wisdom, and success when we are open to instruction from the Lord. If we accept His teaching, we will not stumble.
Tag: spirituality
Romans 1:20 ” For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”
This time of the year has to be my most favorite…the trees are leafing out, the brown grass is finally green, and the newborn foals are running and kicking in the pasture. After a long and bitterly cold Idaho Winter, I welcome Spring with open arms. And as I drive to work each morning I thank the Lord for all the beauty I see around me. Beauty that could only be created by Him for us to enjoy…So it baffles me how someone could look at all the vast awesomeness around us and not believe in the power of God, or comprehend His unending Divinity. The Psalmist also saw it when he wrote, “The heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of His hands.” Go outside today and see it for yourself.
Proverbs 15:1 ” A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
I work with sick people everyday, and you know that when you’re ill you can be rather…grumpy. I have also found that if I respond to an angry patient in a quiet, subdued tone, most times I can reverse the negative emotions and defuse the situation. Unfortunately, when we take offense at the painful words being spit at us, tempers flare, and things get out of hand fast. A gentle reply has more power than you can imagine…elsewhere in Proverbs it says, “A gentle tongue can break a bone.” Mighty and potent can be the eloquent, thoughtful, and persuasive response.
Proverbs 21:9 ” Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.”
Elsewhere in Proverbs it’s written, ” The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.” Constant angry nagging, strife and conscientiousness will wear anyone down to the point they just need some peace and quiet…and maybe the writer of this Proverb found it on the roof! But it doesn’t say much for the wife left down below to simmer in her wrath. And it surely doesn’t say much about the home-life for children who have to grown up in that type of toxic environment.
Exodus 20: 17 ” You shall not covet.”
The final Commandment talks about covetousness…the excessive, uncontrolled, and selfish desire or greed for something. When we covet something or someone it’s usually forbidden or unrighteous in God’s eyes…and we have forsaken Him to satisfy our desires. Jesus spoke of this in Luke 12:15 when He said, ” Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” In other words, we need to be content with what we have…not in what we think we must have.
Exodus 20: 12 ” Honor your father and your mother.”
The last six Commandments are focused on our relationship with others. I’ve heard it said that you can pick your friends…but you can’t pick you family. We can’t choose who gives us life, and maybe for some, it was a very difficult childhood growing up with parents that weren’t the best at it…or were absent all together. How then can we put our heads around the concept of respecting and esteeming someone who really doesn’t deserve to be honored. Showing respect to any other human-being shows our personal character and integrity, not necessarily theirs. By being that bigger person, we can move on to make our lives better. As it says, “Honor your mother and father, that it may go well with you, and that you may live long.”
Exodus 20:8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.”
The fourth Commandment is the last of the ten to focus on our relationship towards God. The Lord Himself started this tradition by resting from all His labors…”and on the Seventh day God abstained from work and rested.” The Sabbath needs to be a day of reflection and refreshment…a time of worship; being subject to God’s authority and trusting in Him to honor our obedience in keeping the day holy.
I Timothy 6:17 ” Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertian, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”
We live in an age and time of uncertainty, and to solely rely on or put confidence in money alone is a scary thing. Wealth and riches are ever fleeting, and not something to place our full trust in. In the Parable of the Rich Fool, Jesus spoke of a man whose vast wealth convinced him to take life easy…to eat, drink, and be merry. “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich towards God.” By placing our trust in the Lord rather than temporal things, He holds out to us everything, and fills our hearts with joy.
I Thessalonians 5: 16-18 ” Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
I read the first part of this verse, and I’m ready to throw in the towel…I fail miserably in all areas, everyday. Too often, I allow discouragement and trouble to cause me to become exasperated and defeated Spiritually. My rejoicing turns to whining, my gratefulness turns to grousing. But the key to this verse lies at the end…for this is God’s divine purpose for us, His good pleasure for our lives as we depend on Him, not ourselves to accomplish it. Through Him I can achieve all this and be victorious…and so can you!
Genesis 9:13 ” I have set My rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the Covenant between Me and the earth.”
After the Great Flood, God spoke to Noah, telling him that never again would a flood destroy the earth…and the sign of this Covenant would be a rainbow in the sky. But this Covenant wasn’t just between Noah and the Lord, this Covenant agreement is between God and all Mankind. Every time you see the wonderful glowing colors of a magnificent rainbow as it arches across the sky, know that God is saying to you…”My Covenant is with you My child, never again will the earth be ravaged by a deluge, never again will I devastate it with a great overflowing of water.”
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