Proverbs

Lately, I've had a slight obsessions with Proverbs - and by slight, I mean I'm pretty much amazed at all of the wisdom found in this particular book of Scripture. The writer of Proverbs (much of which was written by King Solomon - the richest man in the world at his time) is looking back at his life and recollecting the positive and negative areas of life. He describes the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked. How one man prospers and another comes to ruin. He observes the lives of men and realizes that the upright are blessed by God.

The most striking Proverbs that I've read over the past couple of days (there's a proverb a day for each month - in case you were wondering) is Proverbs 12:15 "The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice." and Proverbs 13:10 "Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice." Such a good word!

Sound advice is a part of the righteous life. The most powerful people in the world have advisors and people they look to for counsel on making decisions. This is the same case for every person. We all need to have someone we can count on. A person or group of people that we trust and know are growing in the Lord to advise us on life's challenges. We all need someone to call us out when we're making mistakes, and someone to love us when we need support and encouragement. A wise man listens to advice. We should never come to a large life decision without gaining the wisdom and advice of others - running it by to make sure that we're correct in our thinking. As it says in James 5:16 "Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." SO good!

Self-control is another subject that I'm really working on. Being aware of the areas of my life in which I struggle, and dedicating those things to the Lord for His purposes. As a woman I find that the world around us is so filled with frustration, drama, fear, and just plain back stabing that it's so hard to live righteously in our current generation. And then I think of the poor men of this world that are constantly bombarded by images of half naked women and how so many women just throw themselves at men. Why do we not have self-control? Why do we so often give into temptation? Why do we struggle with the world around us so much? It's our sinful nature - it draws us to the unrighteous. It pushes us toward the world and away from God. So how are we to stand up against the pressures of the world?

By prayer and petition presenting our requests to God - that's how do it. Whenever that thought, frustration, or temptation comes into our lives - we should immediately dedicate our thoughts to the Lord. Asking that He would take our thoughts captive, and have us think on things above and eternal - not on the world around us. Sometimes, we even need to cut those things and people that are causing us the most struggle out of our lives - for a time or for a lifetime.

And lastly, being able to dedicate every area of our lives, even the plans and the desires that we have, to the Lord. Becuase the Lord determines our steps. We can plan, plan, and plan away, but God is the one who decides what happens. And as we grow in Christ, our plans and paths become more of what God wants for us, rather than what we selfishly want for ourselves. If we commit our ways to the Lord He will give us the desires of our hearts. Committing to the Lord means giving your life to Him and asking Him to guide, protect, and love you through every season of your life. Thus, in our growth with God - our desires become God's desires. Does this even make sense?? Mother of sam.... :-) I'm rambling again...

Anyways... here are more Proverbs that I've found helpful:

"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails" - 19:21

"A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." - 18:24

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." - 16:9

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." - 13:12

"Do not be wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord and shun evil." - 3:7

"Humility and the fear of the Lord bring wealth and honor and life." - 22:4

"There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord." - 21:30

"If you falter in times of struggle, how small is your strength!" - 24:10

"Better a poor man who walk is blameless, than a rich man whose ways are perverse." - 28:6



And we're done - that's all folks! Ramblings..... :-)