#211- Put Your Hands UP!

Proverbs 2:8-9 - That He may guard the paths of justice; yes, He preserves the way of His saints. Then you will understand righteousness, justice, and fair dealing [in every area and relation]; yes, you will understand every good path.

"Put your hands up! You are under arrest!"

Have you ever resisted something? Maybe not specifically a police officer, but have you ever resisted change? Holding on to how things have always been, not wanting to change and jump into the new? The last few days I have been going through this myself. Experiencing an area in my life of change, but in my heart wanting to hold back and resist it. You know the feeling, when you feel uneasy, uncomfortable, like you have knots inside your heart. As you go to sleep at night, your mind keeps going over and over this possible change if you decide to give in to it. That was me last night.

As I fell asleep, I just thanked the Lord for working everything out. I praised Him that all is well, and that "this too" shall work out.

I often use "peace" as my guide when making decisions. I know that our God is a God of peace. So, the feelings of "uneasiness" I take with caution. I don't like to jump into anything unless I sense a peace from the Holy Spirit that the decision is right, one of obedience. As I experienced feelings of uneasiness with this decision I was facing, I knew the Lord would have to make it right within me, He would have to bring a peace. Who likes change? When things are comfortable, working, good... who wants to change things? I know often I do not!

This was what the Holy Spirit revealed to me this morning, maybe it will apply to you in an area as well.

Resistance. Be open. Change can be uncomfortable, but is is often part of My plan in taking you to the next level of MY blessings for you. 

The knots in my heart were wanting to hold me down. I was not wanting to change what was good. Not being able to "see into the future," I was just looking at the present. Praise the Lord for the Holy Spirit. He may guard the paths of justice; yes, He preserves the way of His saints..... yes, you will understand every good path. 


I can have faith in the fact that GOD is guarding My path! As I seek Him, He will not lead me astray. Sure, change may be uncomfortable, BUT I WILL understand this good path. Though I may not understand it now, I will understand it. He ultimately is always setting me up for favor. He reminds us in Proverbs 2:9, "...yes, you will understand every good path." I will understand it, eventually.

There is a point of resistance that is good. Resistance until peace is received. Resistance until release is received. Release? Yes, release to move forward. Release to make the change. Release. Once the "Umpire" shows up on the scene, "Peace", then it is time to move forward and allow change to take you to a point of understanding, blessing & favor. If we always stayed in the same place, there would never be new books, new business', new opportunities. There would not be new inventions, new concepts, new ideas. Change is essential. Action is essential.

The Proverbs 31 woman also took this to heart. We can see that through one running theme through Proverbs 31:10-31. Look at ALL the verbs of Proverbs 31!  Look at some of the verbs...

• She comforts
• She encourages
• She does him only good
• She seeks
• She works
• She brings
• She rises
• She assigns
• She considers
• She plants
• She girds 
• She makes
• She tastes
• She sees
• She lays
• She opens
• She reaches
• She fears not

Our Proverbs 31 friend is open to change. She is ACTIVELY moving forward. She is taking action. She is not stagnant. She does not stay in one place. 

In what area/s do you need to step out in? Are there areas of change that you need to embrace? Though it surely was uncomfortable for the Proverbs 31 woman at times to "Step Out," she did step out. Because of it, she was blessed and you will be too!

#52 - The Verbs of our Proverbs 31 Woman

Good morning. In all my thoughts, I feel like I may be jumping around this morning... but I'm going to believe that God will pull it all together in the end and make it all make sense! 

Proverbs 16:33 - The lot is cast into the lap, but the decision is wholly of the Lord [even the events that seem accidental are really ordered by Him].

What does the Proverbs 31 woman do? What are her actions?  

Proverbs 31: ..... (KJV) - She seeketh, she bringeth, she riseth, she giveth, she considereth, she buyeth, she planteth, she girdeth, she strengtheneth, she perceiveth, she layeth, she stretcheth out, she reacheth, she maketh, she openeth, she looketh, she eateth not...

In the Hebrew:
lot - pebbles used for systematically making decisions 
decision - act of deciding a case, plan, execution, case, process, procedure, judgement, sentence


Verbs. Verbs show action. Show accomplishment towards an end goal. Verbs show movement. The Proverbs 31 woman is moving in the direction to finish tasks. Actions. Doing things to work towards accomplishment and completion. Just move. As I looked at the word "lot", I never knew that a lot were pebbles used for making systematic decisions. I had always heard the common, "they cast lots for Jesus clothes", but I guess I didn't really know what that meant. Sometimes it would be nice to have a "lot". In the past I have often thought, "Lord, what do I do now? How do I become more productive? How do I use my time wisely to get the most out of my day & my life? To get me closer to our families goals?" And then... this verse came to my mind...here it is in the Amplified...read it over and over. Meditate on it. Go back and read it again. 

Phil 2:13 - [Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.

Today, we don't need "lots" because we have the Holy Spirit. I don't need to have a bunch of "pebbles" to toss to decide what "actions" I should take. Accidental, no. It makes me feel good that GOD ULTIMATELY is still controlling it all. Things aren't by accident. He is STILL in control. If I feel like I make a mistake, even that "mistake" He can bring it around to my favor. 


All the while, GOD is energizing & creating in me the power & desire to _______________. For me? To be more organized. To have a system. To get more done. To tie up loose ends. To incorporate a system where things do not slip through the cracks, where I do complete tasks, where I do not forget. A trusted system that I can count on versus relying on my brain to remember everything. A system. GTD - Getting Things Done by David Allen.  


I can continue to do the "do's".... do the "verbs", the "actions"... work towards completion, knowing God is in control. My desire is to do HIS will, and so I can TRUST that HE is creating in me the power and the desire to will and to work things for HIS good pleasure! It is not by MY strength, it is GOD who is working it in me. It is HIM. HE is creating in me the desires. That even on my Day of Rest, my desire is doing crafts, sewing, creating... all of that is part of what the Proverbs 31 woman does. She sews, crafts, creates. That even those things as "rest" are the things that are developing me more into this "Proverbs 31 Woman." 


I hope you didn't feel like I completely jumped all over the place this morning. It did feel like that a bit. Lots of thoughts. But praise God! We do not have to get overwhelmed with ALL that the Proverbs 31 woman does. All the VERBS! All the ACTION! All the ACCOMPLISHMENTS. We can trust that it is GOD who is ALL THE WHILE bringing those things to pass in us! That even those things that seem ACCIDENTAL, are drawing us into a place of favor! Praise the Lord! We do not have to "cast lots", throw pebbles, dice, "einy, meany, miney, mo"... in order to decide what to do next.... we can ASK. We can be directed! Praise God that we don't have to be ALL over night. We can apply the Slight Edge (By Jeff Olson)... doing those little things every day. Those things that are easy to do, but equally easy not to do. We can apply the small, that will eventually lead to BIG positive changes when you add them all up. The SLIGHT EDGE. No reason to get overwhelmed by ALL the Proverbs 31 woman does, and ALL that she is. It's a matter of taking ONE VERB, ONE ACTION, ONE ACTIVITY, and beginning to apply it. 

Favor favor favor. God's favor goes before me now. His favor makes policies, rules, regulations, laws, attitudes, even my mistakes to change on my behalf. He even makes my mistakes to prosper. God's FAVOR is working for me now!

Choose ONE activity. Begin to work on it today.