Monthly Archives: January 2016

Whose voice are you listening to?

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Out in the open wisdom calls aloud … in the public square … at the city gate she makes her speech … Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings. (Prov 1:20a,23 NIV)

voice

Out of the myriad of voices calling out to you in the middle of where you work and live, is the voice of God. God freely, tenderly, and passionately calls you to trust him and obey him. His hand is outstretched toward you, beckoning you to come home. His hand is there to catch you when you stumble, and to hold you fast so that you do not fall. When you experience doubts as to how you should live, God is there to provide insight so that you can live a life that is rich in every dimension. When you are enticed by sin, God is there calling you to repent and return to the path of righteousness. As you go about your daily routine, God is there to protect your soul from all harm that Satan may try to inflict on you.

When you hear God’s voice, and live your life in such a way that it is pleasing in his sight, God crowns you with love and compassion and blesses you so that your life is attractive to those around you. Although discussing the Christian faith may be frowned upon where you work, your godly attitudes and actions have a strong influence. Many people will remember the example of your grace filled life long after your words are silent.

Wisdom

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The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge (Prov 1:7a).

wisdom

There are aspects of our experience that transcend our human understanding, that don’t fit into nice logical formulae. At those times when we pause to reflect on “how then can anyone understand their own way?” Wisdom would answer that “A person’s steps are directed by the Lord” (Prov 20:24).

There are times in life when it is challenging to distinguish truth from falsehood and we need words of insight. There are times when we need understanding – when we need to see what God sees, and we need the knowledge that God only possesses. Then there are those occasions when we need wisdom just to be aware of the fact that we require insight and understanding.
The one who bought us with the blood of his son, the one who redeemed us, the one who is wisdom, freely offers to provide us with his wisdom. God’s wisdom sees the events that our happening in our life and this world in the context of eternity. His wisdom will show us just what we need for this moment in time.

God freely offers us words of insight. God freely offers us instruction so that we can control our natural inclination to sin. God has established absolutes of righteousness, justice and fairness which flow out of his character so that we can stay on the straight path and not turn off to the right or the left. The knowledge that God offers us will bring honor (14:18), strength (Prov 24:5); and protection (Prov 22:12), but not necessarily as the world defines these. God freely offers to teach us discretion so that we can make plans to formulate the best course of action towards our calling to live holy lives as his sons and daughters.

Ask the Lord out of his infinite wisdom to show you where you need insight, understanding, knowledge and / or discretion. Then humbly trust, obey and repeat.

By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. (Prov. 24:3-4).

Trusting the Lord

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I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?

Trusting the Lord

Your journey toward your goals takes place in God’s world, where God reigns supreme. The Lord has created you, the Lord has blessed you not only with the abilities to make your plans, but also has created and blessed you with exactly the right resources you need, and has surrounded you with just the right people so that you can move forward with your plans.

God is at your right hand during every moment of every day as you carry out our plans. The perils along the path may be unknown, but your security is certain. God is not distant during your successes and failures. As you are working on each of the tasks of your plans, place your trust in God’s infinite wisdom and loving, protective care. Then you won’t have to worry about slip-sliding down “slippery slopes”, or tripping along the rocky paths.

God never sleeps and never slumbers; so rest with delight, assurance, joy and peace. Fear Not! Keep your eyes focused on our Lord and Savior, the Maker of heaven and earth! Know with certainty that “the Lord watches over you – the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night” (Psalm 121:5 NIV).

How can you go about your day so that your co-workers know that your help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth?

Psalm 121
I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

As a new year begins

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Praise the Lord, my soul; 
  all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

New Year Thoughts

As a new year begins, what are your thoughts dwelling on? Is your heart, mind and soul filled with praise to God? Not just praise to God for this moment, but praise that wells up in your soul continuously, throughout the joys, routine and stress of life.

Once you were dead in your sins, broken, trapped, hungering and thirsting for more. Through faith in Jesus, God out of his great love for you has transformed you. Now you are forgiven, healed, rescued, loved, and satisfied. You are God’s child! As you go about your daily routine, may your heart be overwhelmed with the goodness of God. At those times when life becomes so difficult that praise seems impossible, cry out in utter honesty to God, and tell him that it is too hard to praise him and ask him to remind you of his loving kindness. As you turn your eyes upon Jesus, as you look full in His wonderful face, if there are things that are overwhelming you, or things that are stressing you out, they will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.

May remembering what God has done for you, and praising God be your focus today and every day. May your life be enriched with love and thankfulness!

Even as your heart and soul are filled with praise to God consider the people who work for you and with you. How can you live your life in such a way that these people know your soul is constantly filled with praise to God? How can you lead these people so that they know that the Lord works righteousness and justice for the oppressed, that the Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love?

Psalm 103:1-7
Praise the Lord, my soul; 
  all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, my soul, 
  and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins 
  and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit 
  and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things 
  so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.