Proverbs 5 would be perfect to share with young men and women as they are entering puberty. It stated that discretion and knowledge should be used. It brought up the fact that listening to instruction is very crucial.

A lot of times I feel that people do not consider the outcome of giving into their flesh; they believe that just because they are told they are attractive it means the same thing as being loved. Not so; the outcome of adultery is often accompanied by disease and unwanted pregnancies. Settling down with one woman/one man enables stability and the framework for strong love and families.

Many married people should nurture their relationships and develop them. God gives us our partners to grow with and to enjoy. The analogy of a spring or well was used. It is not good for your personal spring or well to be used by everyone. Thank you Lord for our spouses, and help us to be able to cherish them!

In the 4th Chapter of Proverbs, Solomon emphasizes another time how important gaining wisdom is. It isn’t something to be ignored. When you follow words of wisdom, they will take care of you throughout life. They will keep you on a straight path.

I have been so blessed to have been under the wise counsel of my Father and Mother! In honoring those words, it has saved me from making many wrong turns in life. I have looked at some people who have chosen to go their own way, and it has not turned out well for them. They have reaped years of useless toiling. If only they had chosen the path of wise instruction, they would have had years of peace and prosperity!

When Alan and I took the Financial Peace course, it was hammered into the group how important the long term goals are. It is not worth spending your wealth immediately…where will you be years down the line?! May we all value wisdom and build up a spiritual wealth!

Once again, wisdom is shown as being beneficial to us. When we are seeking after God, His wisdom, it will lead to peace and prosperity. We are to have faith in God with everything in us, and His peace will guide us. We will not be wandering around without any direction.

Oh, how this Land needs to understand this concept! The reason we are a great nation is that it has been founded on God. He is the source of America’s peace and prosperity! Let us never forget this…God is the one who lifts up, and not ourselves.

In reading Proverbs 2 this morning, I was struck with how important communication with God is.  This chapter encouraged people to seek after wisdom…asking God for it.  After all, isn’t that how Solomon obtained his wisdom originally?  He fell on his face and asked God to help him lead the People of Israel.  I then got to thinking about life and power coming from the Lord’s hand.

In about the 15th chapter of John, the Lord mentioned He was the vine and we are the branches.  If we draw close or live in Him, that is when we will bear fruit.  I am sure that wisdom is included.  Oh how we need His power and insight each day!

This month I am going to embark on writing about the Proverbs of Solomon. This was encouraged by Pastor Gerrit Hoeks of Calvary Chapel South. I thought it was very fitting, especially during these times of turmoil.

In Chapter 1 it mentions that these proverbs are to be used as guidance. They would be beneficial as to how to righteously run your life and situations. When you are prone to lean on your own ways and insights, it would behoove you to hear the voice of wisdom and to not turn from her. What really stood out was the highlighting of honoring God and respecting Him. That is the beginning of wisdom. That is the key to obtaining wisdom.

I am afraid for America, that it has turned its back on God/wisdom for too long! I do trust the Lord that He is merciful, though. After all, it says in Chronicles that if His people would humble themselves and repent then He would cleanse the land. America was founded on Him and there are many believers still; so, maybe it is not too late?! Church, please intercede for the United States and get out and vote for those with Biblical standards!

When I was listening to my devotional this morning, the author was sharing that God’s grace has no measure. He then went on to state that some things we get in life need to be curtailed. For instance, popularity or wealth can sometimes be big stumbling blocks.

Our Lord knows just how much we can take. He will help us remain balanced, if we are tuned into His Spirit. When we are wondering why we weren’t blessed with certain things, we should stop and remember that the Good Shepherd is watching over His sheep.

He is so wise and gracious, that we can trust Him with what we are given in life! When we are needing things, we can accept the graciousness of Christ through faith. Praise God!

A lot of our depression and unrest stems from our misunderstanding of God. We somehow lose perspective that the Lord is a God of justice in perfection, a God of unlimited power, a God of healing and restoration, and a God of unlimited wisdom. He is perfect!

The cities of America are demonstrating how man cannot obtain perfect justice without Him…they are in chaos. As it shares it Scripture, when man sets himself up as being so wise it almost always turns into foolishness.

As for power, the natural disasters and pestilences have shown that man cannot totally control those issues. God is a sovereign Lord. While on Earth, the Lord proved His power by quieting the waves and healing every type of disease. He is still capable of that power today! He never changes!

I already mentioned the Lord healing people while He lived. I wanted to briefly share an experience I had when I was 7. I was diagnosed as having crossed eyes and the ophthalmologist wanted to operate right away. My Parents wanted to have a second opinion, so they took me to UCLA where the severity of the situation was confirmed. After the confirmation, my Mom and I went to a healing serve where I was prayed for and slain in the Spirit. I felt a warmth and surge throughout my body…my Mother said she saw a light coming from my eyes. At any rate, after going back to the original eye doctor he told us that my eyes were remarkably better. They weren’t healed totally, but it gave proof to our God’s healing ability. One day my health will be perfect, amen!

Moving on to the characteristic of restoration, I can testify to that through my marriage. I was remarried to my husband this April! We had been divorced for about 4 years before getting remarried. My husband repented of his infidelity, and we ended up courting for about 2-3 years. God is good in bringing us back together! Today, June 28, makes it 2 months since we have been remarried! Praise God He has all wisdom, too! Like I brought up in another blog, we do not see the total picture like He does! He is a holy God ( without faults)!

We have all had times when we look at our life and feel everything is a disaster.  It is amazing how quickly our moods can go up and down!  When we go through those periods, it is wise to stop and reflect on what God says about Himself and His promises.

One of these promises is found in Romans…8:28.  It brings to light that God is directing our lives for good.  After all, God is good and what He creates and orchestrates is good…found in the first couple of chapters of Genesis.  It all boils down to what we are dwelling on.

There will always be someone better off than we are; but, that doesn’t negate the fact that God is molding and shaping us into His image.  Jesus is with us through His Spirit, and He will complete the good work He has started.

I know in my life, using hindsight, Jesus has shown me that if things had gone totally my way I would probably be much worse off.  We are not God and do not see the big picture, how it fits into the good He wants to create.

This morning our devotions were centered on making God the center of our lives, giving Him credit for taking us through everything.  Joshua had the people set up stones after crossing the Jordan, he humbled himself before God for direction, and he had the people recount the giving of the law, etc..  I feel that many Christians get to the place where they feel entitled to have help from God, and they do not wait upon His direction and power.  They somehow look at life like they can handle it themselves.  Big mistake in experiencing the true move of the Spirit!

The Lord adores when we fall in love with Him and follow His ways.  He has set up baptism to announce the outward representation of our salvation…the old man is dead, the new man is raised with Christ.  Jesus has also set up Communion…taken from the Passover feast, and is displayed by bread and grape juice.  It communicates that His body brings healing and cleansing.  It gives the Church time to reflect on what He went through for us, and the time to ask for healing for the body and spirit.  In addition, marriage is an outward reminder of the relationship between God and the Church. Jesus is preparing a place for His bride, and He is coming back any day to take her to be with Him.  The husband should be willing to assist his bride by providing a place for her, and by caring for her spiritual needs.  The wife should be in an attitude of honoring her husband,  realizing that she is there to assist him.  At any rate, God loves us giving Him the credit due His name…acknowledging Him.