Month: July 2023

³ Trust in the Lord and do good;
    dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
⁴ Delight yourself in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37

At certain key times (and always for others) the Lord has spoken to me through verse 4 above. On each occasion the confirmation given by the verse came to pass, twice for jobs. One was a relative, living in America, who changed her job in Credit Control in a large company to become a primary school teacher. Another wanted to be accepted on a university course with stiff competition. She would have had to leave the country to study if she hadn’t been accepted. I told her and her mother on their doorstep, that God had opened the way for her to study locally and He did. The third was a talented young woman also seeking a permanent teaching post. She found herself competing against more experienced candidates, but once again she was selected for the position.

Anne and I are in a challenging place at this time, but last night in bed I again heard this scripture and though I’m not sure how things will  work out it was an encouragement. I also reread Friday’s blog about God’s purposes for Jacob, PROLIFIC INCREASE, being fulfilled in unusual and unexpected ways.

³ Keep trusting in the Lord and do what is right in His eyes.                       Fix your heart on the promises of God and you will be secure, 
Feasting on His faithfulness.
⁴ Make God the utmost delight and pleasure of your life,
And He he will provide for you what you desire most.  The Passion Translation TPT

The word delight means, ‘to gain great pleasure, satisfaction and happiness’. The Hebrew word also implies,’to be soft, tender’. We need hearts which are soft and tender towards the Lord, to be teachable and open to His ways for us.

May God bless and keep you today.

 

Fruitfulness, God’s Increase, May come in unexpected ways.

^{14 “}Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. ¹⁵ I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Genesis 28

As Jacob fled Esau and the land of Canaan, the Lord met him in a dream at Bethel and gave him this powerful promise. He must have wondered what the future held for him. He left alone with only his staff in his hand, but God met him and gave him this word concerning his future.

How did God’s word come to pass for Jacob?

²⁰ So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.

²⁵ When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, ‘What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?’ Genesis 29

Jacob, the deceiver, was tricked by his uncle and ended up with the older sister Leah. Then he worked another seven years for Rachel, the younger daughter. Fourteen years of his life in Aram, but he had two wives. However, Rachel couldn’t conceive and decided to give her maid, Bilhah, to Jacob, to raise a family through her. Leah had stopped having children and she also gave her maid, Zilpah, to Jacob. So Jacob ended up with four wives and all of them bore him children. God brought His plan for Jacob’s life to pass in a way that Jacob would never have dreamt.

Jacob now had a large family to provide for, but he was only a hired hand, attending his uncle’s sheep. However, he made an agreement with Laban that all the speckled and spotted animals would be his and he became exceedingly wealthy. After twenty years he left Laban and the land of Aram to return to his father in Canaan. God had fulfilled the promise He made Jacob when he left with only his staff in his hand.

¹⁰ I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two camps. Genesis 32:10

God’s ways are not our ways, but He is faithful to His word and though He never explained His plan to Jacob everything He said happened. He’s the same today, He keeps all His promises, but we have to walk them out trusting His love towards us.

May our faithful God bless and keep you today.

¹⁰ For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. ¹¹ As Scripture says, “ANYONE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NEVER BE PUT TO SHAME.” Romans 10

⁴ As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— ⁵ you also, LIKE LIVING STONES, ARE BEING BUILT INTO A SPIRITUAL HOUSE TO BE A HOLY PRIESTHOOD, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ⁶ For in Scripture it says:

²⁴ Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, (Lips may be a Disguise!)
    but in their hearts they harbour deceit.
²⁵ Though their SPEECH IS CHARMING, do not believe them,
    for seven (FULLY given to deceit) abominations fill their hearts.
²⁶ Their malice may be concealed by deception,
    but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. Proverbs  26

^24-26 Your enemy shakes hands and greets you like an old friend,
    all the while plotting against you.
When he speaks warmly to you, don’t believe him for a minute;
    he’s just waiting for the chance to rip you off.
No matter how shrewdly he conceals his malice,
    eventually his evil will be exposed in public. Proverbs 26 MSG

The enemy sends people to us who sound so plausible and so friendly but it’s all false. As the Message Bible says, ‘DON’T BELIEVE THEM… THEY JUST WANT TO RIP YOU OFF!’ It may not always be about money, although the thief does come to steal our money. They may seek to trick you and ensnare you in other ways, especially in getting you to agree to do certain things. DO NOT COMMIT TO ANYTHING THAT BINDS/COMMITS YOU WITHOUT SEEKING THE LORD!

The Gibeonites tricked Israel into making a binding treaty with them which contravened the Lord’s will to destroy all the people of the land He had given them. Later, during the rule of Saul, who broke the treaty, it caused much trouble for the whole nation.

³ However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, ⁴ they RESORTED TO A RUSE: they went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with WORN-OUT SACKS AND OLD WINESKINS, cracked and mended. ⁵ They put WORN AND PATCHED SANDALS on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of THEIR FOOD WAS DRY AND MOULDY. ⁶ Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the Israelites, ‘We have come from a distant country; MAKE A TREATY WITH US.’ Joshua 9

The Gibeonites CAME PREPARED TO DECEIVE and they pushed and persuaded Israel, much like Delilah did with Samson to get their way.

⁷ The Israelites said to the Hivites, ‘But perhaps you live near us, so how can we make a treaty with you?’

Israel knew that there was a risk in Covenanting with these men.

¹⁴ The Israelites sampled their provisions (Trusted what they saw and heard and were tricked) but DID NOT ENQUIRE OF THE LORD. ¹⁵ Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.

Be careful who you give your word to, even to people you may know well. If you have ANY RESERVATIONS IN YOUR HEART DON’T AGREE ANYTHING, turn away and trust your instincts, especially where money is concerned.

May God give us wisdom to seek Him before we commit to anything today. God bless and keep you.

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

We said yesterday that the building, establishing and furnishing of a house required wisdom, understanding and knowledge. It’s interesting that the last line of these verses pictures a beautifully finished home. Jesus spoke of our heavenly dwellings, but God wants to bless us here on earth as well. He gave Israel the best land, ‘The Beautiful Land’, so thank Him today for His Goodness and Faithfulness.

While speaking to the crowds the Lord reminded them to build their Houses/Lives upon the Rock, so that they would stand in the storms of this life. Jesus is to be our Rock or foundation in this life. Matthew 7

9 Wisdom has built her house;
    she has hewn out its seven pillars. (SPEAKS OF PERFECTION)
² She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; (A SATISFYING FEAST)
    she has also set her table.
³ She has sent out her servants, and she calls
    from the highest point of the city,
⁴     “Let ALL who are simple come to my house!” (OPEN TO ALL)
To those who have no sense she says,
⁵     “Come, eat my food
    and drink the wine I have mixed. (WISDOM OFFERS RICH FOOD AND WINE)
⁶ Leave your simple ways and you will live;
    walk in the way of understanding.” (PROMISE OF LIFE IN THE WAY OF WISDOM)

The first invitation in Proverbs 9 is from Wisdom, but if we fail to choose the way of wisdom another invitation comes to us – the way or house of Folly.

¹³ Folly is an unruly/loud woman;
    she is simple and knows nothing.
¹⁴ She sits at the door of her house,
    on a seat at the highest point of the city, (PROMINENT PLACE)
¹⁵ calling out to those who pass by,
    who go straight on their way, (PEOPLE GOING ABOUT THEIR DAILY LIVES ARE ACCOSTED BY FOLLY)
¹⁶     “Let ALLL who are simple come to my house!”
To those who have no sense she says, (SAME INVITATION TO ALL)
¹⁷     “Stolen water is sweet;
    food eaten in secret is delicious! (STOLEN AND HIDDEN, CAN’T BE ENJOYED WITH OTHER PEOPLE)”
¹⁸ But little do they know that the dead are there,
    that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead. (THERE ARE TWO WAYS, DEATH AND LIFE, JESUS SAYS CHOOSE LIFE) Proverbs 9

This past weekend I heard someone say again, ‘What we BEHOLD/STEADILY LOOK UPON WE BECOME’.

Lord help us to look upon the good in our daily lives, to look upon You and not be ensnared by the invitations of Folly and death.

God bless and keep you today.

³ By WISDOM A HOUSE IS BUILT,
    and through UNDERSTANDING it is ESTABLISHED ;
⁴ through KNOWLEDGE ITS ROOMS ARE FILLED
    with rare and beautiful treasures. Proverbs 24

There are a vast number of references for the word, ‘HOUSE’ in God’s Word. The one above is from Proverbs 24 and lists three separate phases for creating a House, Building, Establishing and Filling/Furnishing, with three equivalent and similar attributes for achieving each phase, Wisdom, Understanding and Knowledge. The building of the structure is only the beginning, making it lasting and securing the house takes much longer. Furnishing it, ‘making the house into a home’ all takes time and money to bring to completion and there are many decisions to be taken.

²⁷ Put your outdoor work in order
    and get your fields ready;
    after that, build your house. Proverbs 24

There’s a Biblical order for building, don’t start to build until you’ve got your ‘fields ready’, I understand this to mean that we have provision to build.

²⁴ “Therefore EVERYONE (No Exceptions) WHO HEARS THESE WORDS OF MINE AND PUTS THEM INTO PRACTICE IS LIKE A WISE MAN WHO BUILT HIS HOUSE ON THE ROCK. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. Matthew 7

The Lord Himself used the example of a House to speak Truth and Life to the people listening to Him. Contrast this with the following statements of Jesus about those who build apart from Him.

²⁶ But everyone (Again No Exceptions) who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7

¹ UNLESS THE LORD BUILDS THE HOUSE,
    THE BUILDERS LABOUR IN VAIN.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
    the guards stand watch in vain.
² In vain you rise early
    and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat –
    for he grants sleep to those he loves. Psalm 127

There’s a huge amount of work in building a house, from planning, to design, construction, decorating and furnishing. One of the powerful truths the Lord warns us here in this short psalm is WE NEED TO INVOLVE THE LORD or all our efforts could be for nothing. I think of the wisdom in the words of Amanda Grace, ‘Get the Lord involved early’. Doing things independently without the help of the Lord is unwise and may position us for a snare of the enemy. Simply put, we don’t see everything ahead that the Lord sees, so we need His help and guidance. Whatever you’re building seek the Lord for His help and guidance.

God bless and keep you today and throughout this week.

¹¹ The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
    but the TENT (not fixed nor permanent here), of the upright will flourish. Proverbs 14

FLOURISH OR PERISH, which will it be? God’s Word uses strong language regarding the dwelling place of the wicked. He’s not at all neutral or ambivalent about those who oppose Him, nor deal treacherously with His children.

¹² The Righteous One takes note of the house of the wicked
    and brings the wicked to ruin. Proverbs 21

³² For the Lord detests the perverse
    but TAKES THE UPRIGHT INTO HIS CONFIDENCE. (Interesting verse, has He something to share with you today? Ask Him!)
³³ The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked,
    but HE BLESSES THE HOME OF THE RIGHTEOUS. Proverbs 3

Achan, the man who stole some of the plunder from Jericho, dedicated as first fruits to God, is an example of a house that God destroyed. Joshua 7:24-26

In the early Church, Ananias and Sapphira shared a similar fate for lying to the apostles and the Spirit of God. Acts 5 God’s love and mercy through the Christ were being abused and His retribution came swiftly.

On the other hand David, though guilty of sin gave a fantastic testimony at the end of his life.

⁵ ‘Is not my house right with God? 
      Has He not made with me AN EVERLASTING COVENANT. (Reaches from time into eternity. We are also HIS COVENANT PEOPLE THROUGH CHRIST.) 
    ARRANGED AND SECURED IN EVERY PART; (What a comfort to a King who’d served God and his own people during a long life)
 Will He not bring to fruition my salvation
    and grant me my every desire. 2 Samuel 23

David’s words conclude by contrasting the way of the wicked.

⁶ But evil men are all to be cast aside LIKE THORNS,
    which are not gathered with the hand.
⁷ Whoever touches THORNS 
    uses a tool of iron or the shaft of a spear;
    they are burned up where they lie.’ 2 Samuel 23

Thorns are sharp and injure those who touch them, they’ not even worth gathering up, burn them where they lie. A vivid description of the wicked, injurious and of no value. These are the last recorded words of King David in 2 Samuel, so they are worth pondering.

²⁷ ‘So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.’ Numbers 6

Blessed weekend to everyone.

¹⁷ Then Jesus said to them, ‘GIVE … TO GOD WHAT IS GOD’S.’ Mark 12

Twice in Mark 12 Jesus speaks of coins or money and draws out deeper meanings to those around Him in both instances. The religious leaders sent some of their members, no doubt clever and plausible ones, to try and entrap Jesus in His words. HOW TRYING IT MUST HAVE BEEN in the midst of all the crowds of people to have to be on His guard, against those who appeared one way, but were actually something very different. (We had a Yodel Delivery at our home just now and the driver said that as he came down the driveway A FOX, WHICH HAD BEEN SLEEPING AMONG THE SHEEP, wakened up and ran off. What does that signify I wonder? The little foxes spoil the vines. Song of Songs 2:15 We too need to guard our boundaries from the foxes!)

First of all the men tried to flatter Jesus by praising his integrity, before they sprang their trap.

You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? ¹⁵ Should we pay or shouldn’t we?’ John 12

But Jesus showed Divine Wisdom in His answer. He told them to bring Him a coin and asked whose inscription was on it; Caesar’s.

¹⁷ Then Jesus said to them, ‘Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and TO GOD WHAT IS GOD’S.’

And they were amazed at him. (They were baffled TLB, They were speechless MSG) Mark 12

The second mention of coins in the chapter occurred at the Temple Treasury, where people were giving their offerings.

⁴¹ Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. (He didn’t criticise them) ⁴² But a poor widow came and PUT IN TWO very small copper coins, worth only a few pence. Mark 12

The poor lady had two small coins, she could have kept one. Jesus drew attention to the fact that the better off people were holding back money for themselves. This poor woman was unique, perhaps her last coin wasn’t worth keeping, but He praised her wholehearted giving.

⁴³ Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.⁴⁴ They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything – all she had to live on.’ 

He didn’t just watch what she’d done, He called His disciples to tell them what she’d done. IT WAS A LESSON FOR EVERYONE.

Jesus used earthly things to share Divine Truth, usually the direct opposite of this world’s values, especially regarding money. A lot of wealthy people may get a shock when they find out how Heaven views their giving and a lot of poor people may also get a pleasant surprise. Jesus said even giving a cup of water in His Name would be rewarded. Mark 9:41

God bless and keep you today.

 

¹¹ A person’s wisdom yields/gives them patience;
    it is TO ONE’S GLORY TO OVERLOOK AN OFFENCE.

¹⁹ A hot-tempered person MUST PAY THE PENALTY;
    rescue them, and you will have to do it again. Proverbs 19

I was struck this morning when reading Proverbs 19:19, by the fact that there’s often A COST ASSOCIATED WITH LOSS OF TEMPER! We may get brief satisfaction when we ‘blow our stacks’ or ‘loose our cool’ but the Bible says that there’s a COST TO BE PAID FOR GIVING WAY TO TEMPER. Anger may be instinctive, happens without much thought, but ‘Wisdom gives us Patience’; we can learn to control our volatility and refuse to erupt when facing frustrations. Anger may come with a Huge Cost, in relationships, job advancement, or whatever, but there is GLORY (High renown and Honour)  in the ‘Capacity to overlook an offence’.

¹⁷ A quick-tempered person does foolish things, …

²⁹ Whoever is patient has great understanding,
    but one who is quick-tempered displays folly. Proverbs 14

¹¹ Fools give full vent to their rage,
    but the wise keep themselves under control. Proverbs 29

An example of an honourable man who almost lost out greatly by taking offence at a man of God was Naaman, the revered army commander, but he suffered from leprosy.

¹¹ But Naaman WENT AWAY ANGRY and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. ¹² Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and WENT OFF IN A RAGE. 2 Kings 5

Elisha told Naaman how to receive his healing, ‘Go, wash seven times in the Jordan and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed’, but Naaman, a powerful man, was angry because he didn’t get his own way. In short he was snubbed, treated without respect and he became angry. He was saved from losing his healing and probable disaster by his own servants.

¹³ Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” ¹⁴ SO HE WENT DOWN and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.

Naaman had to GO DOWN, HUMBLE HIMSELF in order to receive his healing. GOD WILL ARRANGE SITUATIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES when we have to humble ourselves/our flesh in order to receive the answers we seek. The Lord humbled Himself when he came to this earth and we had better be prepared to do the same. Things may not always go the way we think, but God will bring us through as we submit to Him.

May God bless and keep you today.

¹ Hear me, O Lord, and answer me,
    for I am poor and needy.
² Guard my life, for I am devoted to you;
    You are my God; save your servant who trusts in you.
³ Have mercy on me, O Lord,
    for I call to you all day long. (David sought God in great earnest)
⁴ Bring joy to your servant,
    for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. Psalm 86

So many of David’s psalms (he wrote at least half of the Book of Psalms) appear to have come out of times of trouble, when his life was in real danger. Time and again in these situations he turned and cried out to his God. Many people love reading the Psalms as they can be a source of comfort during times of great personal need. No doubt the Holy Spirit had this in mind when David and other Jewish prophets were being led to write down the deepest cries of their hearts. Sometimes it’s not easy to know how to pray but we can take some of the words of David and other psalmists to begin our own prayers today. They are Spirit anointed prayers and can help us come into the presence of God with our petitions.

¹¹ Teach me your way, O Lord,
    and I will walk in your truth;
GIVE ME AN UNDIVIDED HEART,
    that I may fear your name.
¹² I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart;
    I will glorify your name for ever.
¹³ For great is your love towards me;
    you have delivered me from the depths of the grave. Psalm 86

David is known in the Bible as someone who had a great heart after God, yet we see him asking God for an UNDIVIDED HEART, so that he may fear Him. I would say that’s not a prayer many people pray today, but it’s a prayer that we need to pray.

⁶ My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them. ⁷ I WILL GIVE THEM A HEART TO KNOW ME, that I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me WITH ALL THEIR HEART. Jeremiah 24

God wants His people to know Him and walk with Him, even under the Old Covenant He wanted the people’s hearts.

³⁹ I will give them SINGLENESS OF HEART AND ACTION, so that they will always fear me for their own good and for the good of their children after them. Jeremiah 39

³⁵ I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord. 1 Corinthians 7

Paul expresses the same idea in his writings, though in a different context. David, the great worshipper of Israel, prayed for a heart after God during difficulties and we can as well. God doesn’t want to judge us but to help us walk along with Him.

God bless and keep you today.