Archive | July 2015

Proverbs 18 and 19 – Don’t stop listening

Jul9

Good evening y’all.  Apologies didn’t get a chance to blog yesterday.  Today’s post will be based on chapter 18 and 19 of Proverbs

There is so much from both chapters.

Be blessed 🙂

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Proverbs18:8
“Listening to gossip is like eating cheap candy; do you really want junk like that in your belly?” (MSG)

Eating junk is not good for our physical body. In like manner, gossiping is also not good for our spiritual life. Let’s abstain from it.

Proverbs18:13
“Answering before listening is both stupid and rude”.(MSG)

Oh my!!! I’m so guilty of this offence. I have a bad habit of interrupting people while they talking because I feel I already know what they want to say or I’m bored of their talk. According to this verse acting in that manner is stupid and rude. It’s important we learn to listen to others just as we would expect them to listen to us.

I believe pride is what makes us think we don’t need to listen, because we see what the other person has to say as irrelevant. I pray God helps us.

James 1:19 tells us to be slow to speak but quick to listen.

“Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry”.(NLT)

Proverbs19:3
“People ruin their lives by their own stupidity, so why does God always get blamed?”(MSG)

We ruin our lives and then blame God…so true. Often hear people say if there is God why is He allowing suffering blah blah? My response to those people is exactly this verse. Have you been obedient following the instructions He gave you or you have been strong headed thinking your way is better by ignoring God’s caution and choosing the ways of the world?

Lets learn from the prodigal son. When he came back to His senses, he realised the folly of his ways and decided to go back home to his father. He didn’t get home and start blaming his dad saying ‘why did you give me the inheritance’ or ‘why didn’t you just say no when I asked’. No! He admitted his wrong and asked for forgiveness from His father who lovingly took him back.  God is ever ready to welcome us back. We need to admit we are wrong, ask for forgivensess and repent. I pray we realise the folly of our ways and turn back to God before its too late.

Proverbs19:16
“Keep the rules and keep your life; careless living kills”.(MSG)

If we keep the rules we would live. I’m reminded of Deut 30:19-20 which says:
“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the lord , you will live long in the land the lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” (NLT)

I pray we choose the path of life.

Proverbs19:21
“We humans keep brainstorming options and plans, but God ’s purpose prevails”. (MSG)

We can plan all we want but only God purpose will prevail. We need to always remember that God is Sovereign and has the power to either approve our plans or decide a different and better plan is what He has for us. God’s plan is always good. I believe once we have that settled in our hearts, it would be easier for us to hand over all to God.
Jeremiah 29:11 says:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the lord . “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope”.(NLT)

Proverbs19:27
“If you quit listening, dear child, and strike off on your own, you’ll soon be out of your depth”.(MSG)

The moment we stop listening to instruction be it from God directly speaking to us or through His word or a spiritual authority, we are effectively saying to God I don’t need your help. I can go this alone and that is very dangerous. We would eventually realise we can’t do it alone and out of our depth.

I pray we will listen and be obedient to Gods instructions.

Thanks for joining today. Pls feel free to leave your thoughts on chapter.

Have a blessed evening 🙂

***With God all things are possible***

Proverbs 17 – What’s your heart status

Jul7

Good afternoon y’all.  Today we are studying proverbs 17.

I’m blogging through the book of proverbs with Good morning girls. Check us out at www.goodmorninggirls.org or www.womenlivingwell.org

Be blessed 🙂

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I’m focusing on verse 3 and 9.

Verse 3 – Testing our hearts

“Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the lord tests the heart”.(v 3 NLT)

God tests our hearts. He uses situations and circumstances to test us. He does this sometimes to check the genuineness of our love; to refine and purify us from impurities; to reveal hidden motives; and to bring out the best in us.

David in the book of Psalms understood this principle. In Psalm 26 and 139, we see David asking God to test his heart. He wanted to make sure his heart was still right with God. He understood that God doesn’t focus so much on the outward. God prefers to go directly to the source, which is our heart, to examine the motive behind our actions.

“Put me on trial, Lord , and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart”. (Psa 26:2 NLT)

“O  lord , You have examined my heart and know everything about me”. (Psa 139:1 NLT)

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends You, and lead me along the path of everlasting life”. (Psa 139:23-24 NLT)

These verses ought to be our prayers as well, because sometimes in our own eyes we can think we are doing okay, and have arrived, whereas God is thinking otherwise because our hearts are not truly pure. We can fool people and ourselves but we can’t fool God.

In Jeremiah 17:10 the Lord says:
“But I, the Lord , search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.” (NLT)

My prayer is that when our works and thoughts are put through the fire, they will come out refined and stronger to the praise and glory of God.

Verse 9 – Overlooking offenses

“Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends”. (V9 NLT)

“Overlook an offense and bond a friendship; fasten on to a slight and—good-bye, friend!”. (V9 MSG)

This verse is so true and I have seen it work in my life. When we forgive and move on, the relationship has hope of being restored. It might not happen instantly but with time love will prevails. But when we hold on to grudges and keep bringing them back, we drive each other apart and the relationship tends to eventually break off.

It’s very important in our christian journey that we come to a place where we are able to overlook offenses and let love have its way.  Scripture says love covers a multitude of sin.

“Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins”. (1 Peter 4:8 NLT)
“Hatred stirs up quarrels, but love makes up for all offenses”. (Proverbs 10:12 NLT)

When Jesus’ disciple asked him how many times should he forgive, I’m sure he was expecting Jesus to say something like 1 to 3 times is okay but Jesus shocked him by saying 70 times 7. Gosh! One would be sad if they actually spend time keeping records in a day till 490 is achieved and say no more forgiveness. I’ve reached my quota for the day. Could you imagine if God treated us that way? I, for one, know I would be lost. Won’t even be here writing this blog! So let’s deal with one another in love.

I pray we get to a place in our walk with God where we don’t get easily offended by people; where we find it easy to forgive and move on; and where love is the motive for all our actions.

Honestly, the world would be a better place if we all learnt to cover offenses with Love.

Thanks for joining today. Please feel free to share your thoughts on the chapter.

Have a blessed day basking in God’s goodness and love 🙂

***With God all things are possible***