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Proverbs 20:24 - ²⁴A man’s steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way?

Another amazing insight from the book of Proverbs. In my life…this rings true on a regular basis. Sometimes God gives me some foresight into the road ahead…but more often then not, I see the plan in the ‘rear-view’ as I continue my journey to the next part of His plan.

I’m sure there are plenty that will argue that free will is what governs us. I’d challenge you to think of this for a second. A master luthier (guitar/stringed instrument maker) spends months shaping and forming his next creation. And when the finishing touches are put on it and he sits down to play it…wouldn’t it be an absolute shock it the first string plucked sounded like a trumpet… My point is that God made you. He knows every aspect of you. Every facet of your personality, your mind, your being. To often our minds take the phrase ‘God made me’, and turns it into the visual of God piling up so dirt…mushing it into a humanoid shape…and then ’say the magic words’…PPoofF! We have human. God created more than that. He created the way you perceive things, the environment you’d be exposed to, your ability to interpret things…and the way you see the world. With a hand in creating all of that…it would probably be pretty easy to create us so that we were prepared to take the journey He had in mind for us.

Prayer

Lord,

I praise you for I am ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’. Some days I feel overwhelmed with the tasks set before me. Help me to use the abilities that You have created in me to accomplish the tasks that You have given to me. I love You. I know I don’t say that enough. I love You. Thank You for loving me first.

Amen .

Proverbs 23:4 - ⁴Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint.

What are you living for? Have you asked yourself that question today?…”What am I truly living for?”…That can be a sobering question on some days. I heard a story once about an airline that had a huge meeting to discuss the issues facing the company. They brought in representatives from the CEO down to the janitorial staff. They began the meeting and everyone started talking about the crisis they each had on their hands. Accounts dealing with tracking records, security handling all the customers, janitors with having to clean up after those millions of people… everyone had something that needed ‘urgent and immediate’ attention. After hours of going around and around on all these various crisis, someone noticed that one of the pilots hadn’t said a word. They asked if he had anything to add. “Well…everything everyone said here is very true. The only crisis I really ever have to deal with is losing an engine at 35,000 feet with 100+ souls aboard.” Needless to say, that statement helped give the meeting the perspective it needed to get some things done.

The verse from Proverbs (one of my favorite books from the bible) gives us some good perspective on things today. I often times find myself striving… struggling… stressing… for a few more dollars in the bank account. Verse 5 of this chapter goes on to say:

“⁵Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.”

It is so easy to let the world convince us that money is what we live for. This blog was in fact started partly with that in mind. I hope that more than that, it was started to help me grow and strengthen my relationship and faith in God, as well as being a ministry resource to those of you on the web. It’s tough to fight the fact that ‘earning a living’ has been ingrained in us from the time we’re old enough to help around the house.

The turning point is shown to us in Matthew 6:33 - “³³But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. “

If we seek His kingdom first…our reward will be given us. That’s the perspective we need. His glory before ours. His commands before our desires. With this perspective… life just starts to make a little more sense and seems to be a little more worth living.

Prayer

Father,

I want Your Perspective…need Your Perspective in my life. Help me to find that in every aspect of my life…work…family…community… Let Your will for me be made known in my life. Let Your Word guide my steps and show me the ‘True Perspective‘…that Your Son suffered, died, and lived again for me. Let that be my ‘Window of Perspective‘ to the world.

In Jesus Name,

Amen.

Comment Collaboration: What helps You keep your Perspective?

Proverbs 28:23 - ²³He who rebukes a man will in the end gain more favor than he who has a flattering tongue.

Another bit of wisdom from Proverbs today. How often have you had someone try to ’suck up’ to you? It can be a flattering experience…but often wanes very quickly. We were designed to rise to challenges, to change and adapt to our environments. We have an urge to be tested. In my own personal experience, I surround myself with people that are extremely skilled in some area in their life. They challenge me and are a source of learning on new and diverse topics. It is such a blessing to have people like this in your life. Make a point to actively seek these people out and be willing to challenge them as much as they challenge you.

Prayer

Father, I pray today for the fortitude of conscience. That I will speak my mind when I feel it necessary. That I won’t shrink back from the challenges of others and from challenging others. It is on Your foundation alone that I attain true wisdom. Help me to use that wisdom to the glory of Your Kingdom.

Amen.

Proverbs 4:1-6

Wisdom Is Supreme

¹ Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction;
pay attention and gain understanding. ² I give you sound learning,
so do not forsake my teaching.

³ When I was a boy in my father’s house,
still tender, and an only child of my mother,

⁴ he taught me and said,
“Lay hold of my words with all your heart;
keep my commands and you will live.

⁵ Get wisdom, get understanding;
do not forget my words or swerve from them.

⁶ Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
love her, and she will watch over you.

The book of Proverbs talks frequently about wisdom. The old statement of ‘Knowledge is power’ rings true through out it. Solomon, one of the most powerful and wealthiest rulers of all time, was known to be one of the wisest as well. He specifically asked for that gift when the Lord asked him what he wanted as a young man. That wisdom was already beginning to show in his response.

Prayer

Lord, Help us to seek your wisdom every day. Let our hearts and minds be filled with the knowledge of the scriptures to guide us through the perils of this earthly place.

Amen.

Proverbs 25:6-7 - ⁶Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence, and do not claim a place among great men; ⁷it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,” than for him to humiliate you before a nobleman.

I have always like the book of Proverbs. It’s the ‘Big Book of Common Sense’, or what many of us have come to know as common sense. Just good old practical advice. “Don’t hang out at your neighbors all day every day…or he might really start to not like you.” (Ch. 25:17) These specific verses talk about always staying in a humble state of mind. Jesus’ ministry spoke of this often. The beatitudes, washing of the disciples feet, “who will be at your right hand Jesus?”,…all of these showed instances where lowering yourself into a serving role would actually gain you more respect and honor.

Think about the times in your life when you’ve went out of your way to serve someone else. You’ll probably notice that you come away having gained the favor of another and having more self respect than you did prior.