Archive for February, 2011
2.21.2011 Proverbs 21:7
Proverbs Post #37-
Today I was reading in chapter 21, and verse 7 jumped out to me today. It says:
21:3 To do righteousness and justice
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
I need to be honest, when I first read this verse I struggled with it. The verse seemed to say that sacrifice was less important than doing the right thing! I was a little concerned that this might conflict with other verses with the concept of laying down your life and picking up your cross daily. Since I know there cannot be conflicts in the Bible, I needed to do some research.
I have to share with you that what I learned was awesome! This verse actually echoes what I have been writing about on my blog at the bible.org site. Essentially the verse says “religious acts are without value apart from righteous living.”(quoted from Net Bible notes)
The daily living implication: If we tell our kids one thing and then do another, we are setting them up to have a false view of Christianity! Going to church with our kids is worthless if we are not modeling a walk with Christ. (For anyone who is convicted, I am too while I write this!) Here are some questions to ponder: Am I spending time with Jesus daily? Do my kids see this example? Am I praying with my spouse? Am I praying with my kids?
Are you doing what you say?
I want to challenge you to take up reading the Proverb of the day and the entire chapter as well. Lord, please help each one of us to keep our focus on things above and not the things of this earth. Amen.
I am using the Net Bible to quote from for these posts
2.15.2011 Proverbs 15:1
Proverbs Post #36-
Today I was reading in chapter 15, and verse 1 jumped out to me today. It says:
15:1 A gentle response turns away anger,but a harsh word stirs up wrath.
Have you ever whispered a response to someone (probably your kids) who raised their voice with you? When it happens, try whispering your reply. More than likely, you will change the dynamic of the entire situation! Observe the result of your gentle response.
Alternatively, the next time your kid raises their voice with you, speak with them in the same tone. What happens? Your response will probably spur an unwanted reaction from them! Chances are they will yell at you, their frustration might increase and the chance of disarming the problem is very minute.
I need to admit that I am far from perfect in this area. As a matter of fact, my wife will probably will laugh when she reads this. I am learning but have a long way to go. However, I have learned several important keys from my failures that I want to share with you. Our kids will watch our example and emulate us! When we respond to a problem, our kids see us and are learning how to interact with others. They watch our response when someone uses an elevated voice level with us, but also they watch our reply when we are upset with someone as well.
Are you turning away anger or stirring up wrath?
I want to challenge you to take up reading the Proverb of the day and the entire chapter as well. Lord, please help each one of us to keep our focus on things above and not the things of this earth. Amen.
I am using the Net Bible to quote from for these posts
2.14.2011 Proverbs 14:31
Proverbs Post #35-
Today I was reading in chapter 14, and verse 31 jumped out to me today. It says:
14:31 The one who oppresses the poor insults his Creator,but whoever shows favor to the needy honors Him.
Am I really using this verse on Valentine’s Day? Yes, I am. This is the day we set aside every year to honor our loved, and hopefully esteemed, spouse(if you are married). I hope you are able to spend time with your spouse as I could last night for dinner.
I find I am able to show favor to my wife, daughters, friends and family (most of the time), but I struggle with helping the needy. I am pretty sure I do not oppress anyone (my daughters are too young to disagree yet) but showing favor is difficult. I have the tendency to look the other way or “not see someone” rather than help. Am I oppressing the poor? No, but I am convicted that I am not as effective as I could be in showing favor to the needy and, therefore, not honoring God!
Are you insulting our Creator or honoring God?
I want to challenge you to take up reading the Proverb of the day and the entire chapter as well. Lord, please help each one of us to keep our focus on things above and not the things of this earth. Amen.
I am using the Net Bible to quote from for these posts
2.9.2011 Proverbs 9:6
Proverbs Post #34-
Today I was reading in chapter 9, and verse 6 jumped out to me today. It says:
9:6 Abandon your foolish ways so that you may live, and proceed in the way of understanding.
I am not sure if we could find a better definition of parenting! One of our priorities is raising our kids from birth to the point they can leave our home and live on their own. For those of you who have young kids, and those who have older kids think back a few years, to a time when your kids were foolish. They would want to run outside in the rain with no coat or into the snow with not coat. Some of you are thinking, “When they get older they are just foolish with bigger things!” That may be the case but that is why being a parent is so important.
I have two pieces of encouragement for you and me (I am not exempt from this one either). The first encouragement is to make sure we have eliminated or significantly reduced our foolish ways. Our kids see everything we do! If we are foolish in front of them then they are sure to copy the very thing we modeled to them.
The second bit of encouragement is for the kids. Are you being intentional in how you are raising your kids? I know you probably have a general direction for your kids but are you correcting them to be more Christ-like or because they are getting on your nerves? Knowing where you are headed is crucial.
Are you helping your kids proceed in the way of understanding or wallow in foolishness?
I want to challenge you to take up reading the Proverb of the day and the entire chapter as well. Lord, please help each one of us to keep our focus on things above and not the things of this earth. Amen.
I am using the Net Bible to quote from for these posts
2.7.2011 – Proverbs 7:2,3
Proverbs Post #33-
Today I was reading in chapter 7, and verses 2 & 3 jumped out to me today. They say:
7:2 Keep my commands so that you may live, and obey my instruction as your most prized possession. 7:3 Bind them on your forearm; write them on the tablet of your heart.
Are you helping your children memorize scripture? I had a phone call today with a friend that has written a book about the importance of helping our children memorize God’s word. He has a method to assist parents in this task that is difficult but so very important!
As I was reading today, I was convicted by verse 3. (I included verse 2 for context) Have I bound God’s word on my forearm? How much of God’s word is written on the tablet of my heart? I was convicted today that parenting is mostly about the parents and not the kids! We are responsible to them to help give them a Godly foundation to live their lives on.
Are you helping your kids write God’s word on the tablet of their heart?
I want to challenge you to take up reading the Proverb of the day and the entire chapter as well. Lord, please help each one of us to keep our focus on things above and not the things of this earth. Amen.
I am using the Net Bible to quote from for these posts
2.1.2011 Proverbs 1:4
Proverbs Post #32-
Today I was reading in chapter 1, and verse 4 jumped out to me today. It says:
1:4 To impart shrewdness to the morally naive, and a discerning plan to the young person.
Are you teaching your children about money? Do you plan your purchases well? What kind of a model are you?
I usually write to parents to encourage them in instructing their children but today I want to ask you some questions! As I was reading through the chapter today, I realized that each of the descriptors, “naive, young person” is relative. I am a naive, young person relative to my grandparents!
Proverbs has wisdom for everyone, at any age. Each one of us needs to be shrewd with a discerning plan, no matter how old we are. Today, I want to encourage you to be prepared!
Are you helping impart shrewdness(through Proverbs) to the morally naive(yourself included)?
I want to challenge you to take up reading the Proverb of the day and the entire chapter as well. Lord, please help each one of us to keep our focus on things above and not the things of this earth. Amen.
I am using the Net Bible to quote from for these posts
