Author: seekproverbs31

Reward

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When I was growing up, my first real memory of getting a reward involved making money. Tooth fairy, cleaning my room or making A’s on my report card. That is generally where we start teaching our children about reward. What can “I” do to get rewarded? Reward is financial.

Then as I aged, the reward seemed to move from just doing simple things that didn’t really take much effort to having to be the BEST at something. My reward was based on performance.

Sometime after that it moved to, who I married, how my children behaved, what I drove or where I lived. Appearance gave me the reward I was seeking.

But are the earthly rewards what my Lord is about? It seemed that the rewards became harder and harder to achieve. That the struggles became greater and the rewards disappeared. At least that was until I met Jesus on a more personal level. I had called myself “Christian” for many years at this point but I hadn’t allowed the gift, the reward, of the Holy Spirit to fill my soul. I had unknowingly shrugged my shoulders at His guidance in pursuit of the earthly rewards I found so valuable. Missing out on the true reward of God.

Philippians 1:19-24 for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.  For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.  If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ,which is better by far;  but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.

So even though my time here on earth my come with pain and hardship, as long as I have the Holy Spirit living in me and guiding my steps, my reward will be eternal and not limited to things of this earth. And prayerfully my reward on earth will be showing others the rewards of Christ.

I have lived at least half my life on earth already. And I plan to spend what time I have finishing well for the glory of God.

2 Timothy 4:6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near.

As a friend shared this verse below with me, I am reminded that through the struggles Jesus is there. He has given us a great reward of eternity as long as we ……..

1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 Rejoice always,  pray continually,

And when it comes to the end of this earthly life, I know that I will be rejoicing and my reward will be for eternity. As CS Lewis says…. “Now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.”

I have Tasted and it is Sweet

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Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Peter 2:2-3

I love spring! This time during the season that God’s warmth bares down on the earth and His refreshment falls freely on us and growth happens.

It’s a beautiful sight to see. Pockets of green starts popping out of the soil and the anticipation of watching the rainbow of colors that will soon appear. To watch the new season’s growth come alive is a blessing to my eyes.

Same goes for the spiritual growth in others. As they seek the Lord and search out His words to allow Him to bare down and refresh their souls. This is a beautiful sight and a blessing to my eyes.

I can only imagine the excitement in my God’s heart when I too seek Him. Spending time in His presence and meditating on His goodness. Allowing my roots to multiply and strengthen my foundation of faith. Gaining stability in my walk. Trusting Him for my protection as the seasons to come blow over me. Asking Him to comfort me during the strong winds and frigid times. Shielding me from the schemes of evil. I have tasted the Lord’s goodness and it is sweet.

Place

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When my husband and I moved to Kentucky 6.5 years ago, I was moving from my home of 28 years and from our kids. I was heavily tied into a church family and had many people there that I loved. I was actively involved in church and our community. Then we moved to Winchester. New place, new job, new church and new people. For an introvert at 51 years old that is a hard place to be.

We had found a place to call home and after about 3 months, I had decided on a church and found a job. But the people, I hadn’t found my place with the people yet.

I dove in head first. I was looking for that place where I fit. That place where I was invited. That place that was comfortable.

Was I trying to hard to find my place? Probably! Was I trying to make this place the place that I came from? Maybe! Was I trying to create the “circle of people” that I so longed for? Yep!

I needed that place. I longed for that place. The place of belonging!

And then I found it! It didn’t look like what I was expecting. It wasn’t the place of a home, job, church or people. It was the place where God was. Right there with me. Inside me. Guiding me. Holding me. Comforting me.

The Lord settled my need for place by showing me my place was with Him. And if I am content in Him then I am content anywhere.

Psalm 37:23 The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him;
Matthew 22:37 “Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

My Love and Comfort comes from a place within.

More

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As a child we see the world as a big play ground. There is more and more to see and learn. We’re eager to do more. And as good parents should, we are encouraged. Our parents hold our hand, take each step with us and they spring with excitement when we do more.

As an adult, our eagerness for more grows intensely and our desires to do and have more is encouraged by the world. The world tells us more is expected. Pressures of providing more are strong. No one walks with us, we now have to step alone, dependent of self. We do more.

When is more enough? When will we allow our Lord to be our more? When will we let Him hold our hand, take each step with us and stop depending on self and start depending on Him?

Proverbs 19:23 The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.

When will be stop striving and start resting in HIS more?

Search

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To search is to find for self

To search is to strive to acheive

To search is to provide greatness in one’s life

To search is to obtain satisfaction that’s self serving

But that is not the search that I desire

Psalm 139:1-3 

1 You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.

To search is to strive to give

To search is to provide hope to other’s life

To search is to obtain satisfaction in serving

And to search to to open one’s self up to HIM

Jeremiah 17:9-11 

9 The heart is deceitful above all things
    and beyond cure.
    Who can understand it?

10 “I the Lord search the heart
    and examine the mind,
to reward each person according to their conduct,
    according to what their deeds deserve.”

11 Like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay
    are those who gain riches by unjust means.
When their lives are half gone, their riches will desert them,
    and in the end they will prove to be fools.

To search is to be honest

To search is to be aware of one’s weaknesses

To search is to find gain only through the Lord

Revelation 2:22-24 

22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.

Just

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Whose the judge of what is just?

Psalm 9:16 The Lord is known by his acts of justice; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.

We each have a standard that we live by. A standard that drive us. A standard that direct our decisions. Were we born with that standard or were we taught it? Whose standard are we living by?

2 Chronicles 12:6The leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, “The Lord is just.”

And even if we were taught the standard and the standard was from the Lord, we find ourselves abandoning that teaching. Reducing our standard to the standard of the world just as the people did in 2nd Chronicles but when they were faced and became aware of what they had done they became humble and the “just” Lord forgave them and delivered them “so that they may learn the difference between serving me and serving the kings of other lands” as it says in 12:8.

Proverbs 21:3  To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

There are many things that people do in the name of being “just” that are not right. What is motivating their actions? Anger, selfishness, pride, guilt or any number of other things. Are we living right and just?

James 4:12 There is only one law giver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?

I have seen many things that people do to each other that I do not believe is just. And I have been drawn to act and react in ways that I have to question. I have to search the scripture, God’s word, to confirm that my standard is being lead by God’s standard. I may have to make choices, hard decisions and set boundaries to protect myself and those I love from what I believe to be unjust but it is not up to me to seek justice. The Lord is the only one who has that power.

Isaiah 30:18  Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!

I may not ever see the justice that will come. But because I trust in the Lord who sets my standard, I will wait, I will love and I will forgive. Just as He has for me.

Acts 15:11No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

Store up My Commands

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Today I wait.  Waiting is the hard part.

I’m a “get it done”kind of gal. You give me challenge and I’ll make it happen.

I’m in a season of my life where I’m finding myself leaning less on me and more on HIM. My world has been turned upside down in several areas over the last few years and I’m finding it harder to “get it done” then I ever have before.

I have no doubt that this season is for a reason. And this reason is only known by the ONE who knows me best. Now it’s my turn to allow HIM to “get it done”. To store up HIS commands and wait. To take all that I have learned to this point and wait. To seek out understanding and insight and wait. To cry out to HIM and wait.

Trust and Wait

Proverbs 2 -Moral Benefits of Wisdom

2 My son, if you accept my words
    and store up my commands within you,
2 turning your ear to wisdom
    and applying your heart to understanding—
3 indeed, if you call out for insight
    and cry aloud for understanding,
4 and if you look for it as for silver
    and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
    and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He holds success in store for the upright,
    he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
8 for he guards the course of the just
    and protects the way of his faithful ones.

9 Then you will understand what is right and just
    and fair—every good path.
10 For wisdom will enter your heart,
    and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
11 Discretion will protect you,
    and understanding will guard you.

12 Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men,
    from men whose words are perverse,
13 who have left the straight paths
    to walk in dark ways,
14 who delight in doing wrong
    and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,
15 whose paths are crooked
    and who are devious in their ways.

16 Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman,
    from the wayward woman with her seductive words,
17 who has left the partner of her youth
    and ignored the covenant she made before God.[a]
18 Surely her house leads down to death
    and her paths to the spirits of the dead.
19 None who go to her return
    or attain the paths of life.

20 Thus you will walk in the ways of the good
    and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright will live in the land,
    and the blameless will remain in it;
22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land,
    and the unfaithful will be torn from it.

Happy Place

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Habakkuk 2:1  I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint.

I know that I’m not the only one who has walked through hard times. Those times for me have come in varied shapes and sizes. And I have walked through them with varied sizes of faith. I share with others that these times are simply an opportunity for growth and a season for learning how to lean on our Lord more but when we’re walking them, it’s hard to see that!

Recently I was walking through one of those times. My dear husband recognized in me what I couldn’t recognize for my self. My faith wasn’t leading my walk and I needed a time of rest so that I could hear the Lord more clearly. So he sent me away for a time such as this. God gave me a wise man. I’m calling this my Happy Place rest!

I took a 9 day trip and rested while I visited many who love me. You know God puts people and places here on earth that will restore, replenish and refocus us. They are God’s hands to hold us, His voice to soothe us and His creations for our eyes to be amazed and marvel at His glory.

My first stop was with supportive and loving but at times also honest friends. We all need those. You know the ones who love us NO MATTER WHAT and when needed will be LOVINGLY HONEST. This is a time of RESTORING!

Then I had a fabulous couple of days with family. Now understand not everyone that is considered family is a blood relative. Over these 2 days I had precious moments with my grandchildren and their parents (my son and his wife). Some how grandchildren trump the child! A time of REFOCUSING!

Then I also visited my old church in my home town. I call it the church I grew up in. Now understand I didn’t attend church when I was a child. So my growing up years were in my 20’s, 30’s, 40’s and 50’s. I was at this church for 28 years during the most crucial times. Young married, young parenting and young Christian period. They loved me through some of the joyous times and some of the hardest times of my life. I took steps forward and steps back during those years. I’ve been gone from that church for almost 7 years now and those people, the ones that when I walked in on Sunday morning, their hearts seemed to melt as they hugged me and reminded me how much they love me. A time of REPLENISHING!

Then I was off! Off to a new location for restoring, replenishing and refocusing!

Next stop was at my dad’s and step mom’s. And of course they just happen to leave at the beach……. A time of REPLENISHING! When we recognized the beauty of HIS creation it will settle the soul.

Just in the last 2.5 years, I have gotten reacquainted with my dad. After almost 50 years of not being a part of each others life we now have a chance. So this visit gave us a chance for him to show me off to relatives that remember me but I have no memory of. And also a chance to start a new relationship with a generation below me who I hope to continue this life with. He was able to show me the home that he was born in. A chance for me to make those memories. A time of REFOCUSING!

Now it was time for my trip to head back to where I came from.

When we’re on trips of restoring, replenishing and refocusing, we must be aware of what God places in front of us. One of God’s greatest creations in my book is a body of water. Doesn’t matter the size of the body just as long as it contains water. So as I’m driving I notice quickly a lake just a short distance off the road on my right. I started to pass it up but I remembered that HE talks to me clearer when there is water to wash away all the dirt. So I quickly found a road that lead to the right and I drove until I found a place where I could drive up and walk to the water. A time for REPLENISHING.

After a few minutes of viewing and a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord, I was off to my next destination. I headed straight to the home of my Aunt Judy and Uncle Fred’s for some good food and love. I was able to share this time with my cousin and his wife, whom I love dearly. Never do I pass up an opportunity to see family who feeds into me words of love and wisdom. I also got to meet one of the newest additions to the family…. my 3rd cousin. It had been many years since I had spent time with them and it was a much needed time of RESTORING.

After a quick sleep over in my home town, I was off again to my home in Kentucky. During all the driving I took opportunity to praise my Lord in worship and listen to a book called “Circle Maker” and I enjoyed the time that the Lord gave me to RESTORE, REPLENISH AND REFOCUS. But it wasn’t until I pulled into my drive way and looked at the home that awaited me when I realized that the Lord had done all these things for me. He had given me people and places and his creation just for a time as this.

And He reminds me of His promises.

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.   John 14:27

He gives power to the weak
and strength to the powerless.
Even youths will become weak and tired,
and young men will fall in exhaustion.
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.  Isaiah 49:29-31

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.   Jereimiah 29:11

Thank you Lord for your never failing, ever lasting, great and mighty love!