Good morning! It is good to be back! Two mornings in a row... I've woke up in my own bed and smelled the aroma of coffee made by my sweet husband! :) Love it! Still working on the Proverbs 31:15 concept... waking up while it is still night... and before my household. Well, regardless... lets get into the Word.
As we read further, we see the results of sowing discord. We see the results that this wicked person reaps. Sowing & reaping is a law, and for the wicked person the unfortunate series of events is what they reap. Many places in the Bible use the word "suddenly." I often enjoy reading the "suddenly's" of the Bible as many places it shows how "suddenly" things change in the favor of the man or woman of God. "Suddenly" blessings flow. "Suddenly" things change in their favor! SUDDENLY. I look forward to the positive "suddenly's" in my life to see the Lord change things, or add blessings to my life. In the case of this wicked person in Proverbs 6, the "suddenly" it is talking about is not a good "suddenly." A "crushing weight of calamity" comes upon this wicked person. It happens suddenly. As if not expected. The dictionary defines calamity as: a great misfortune or disaster, grievous affliction, adversity, misery, serious injury. The idea of "calamity" by itself is bad enough, but Proverbs 6 describes it as WORSE than just calamity, it describes it as CRUSHING WEIGHT of calamity. It is not just bad, but it goes from bad to worse.
I read through Proverbs 31 and just marveled at the life of the Proverbs 31 woman. Her life is far from calamity. Her focus and every effort is in partnership with God. Her work with and for God is good. She is a vessel and tool for God, and because of it she is blessed. Proverbs 31:18 even says that she is able to TASTE and see the fruit of her labor. She is able to experience the blessings that come from her obedience. She is able to REAP the fruits of what she has sown. She has sown good, and she reaps blessings. We read everything about her life and it is as if her life is filled with blessing. She goes from blessing to blessing. Her diligence paves the way for God to be magnified and the "good" that she sows, she reaps in countless blessings.
Are there vial people in your life? Are you unsure how someone could be so mean, or say something so unkind, or act in a way so unbecoming? In some cases, all we can do is to pray for these people. Like the wicked person in Proverbs 6, that person needs to come into the saving knowledge of our Savior. The wicked are used as tools of the enemy to destroy the righteous. It is our job to recognize it and then pray for them. Don't take it personally. The enemy will attack in ANY way he can, and sometimes he uses people! Gird yourself up with FAITH and through prayer, PRAY these people into the Kingdom!
Proverbs 6:12, 14-15 - A worthless person, a wicked man, is he who goes about with a perverse (contrary, wayward) mouth. Willful and contrary in his heart, he devises trouble, vexation, and evil continually; he lets loose discord and sows it. Therefore upon him shall the crushing weight of calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken, and that without remedy.
Proverbs 31:18a - She tastes and sees that her gain from work [with and for God] is good...Wow. I looked at this "worthless & wicked" person, how they SOW discord. One thing that I found was interesting was the word "contrary." The dictionary defines "contrary" how I thought it would as: opposite in nature or character. As humans, we were made in the image of God. Our hearts were made to want to love and serve Him. In this case, we see a person whose heart has been turned to do something COMPLETELY opposite of what it was designed to do. This wicked person has a heart that is not doing what it was called and designed to do, but it is being a servant of the enemy. Our nature, being made in God's image, is naturally bent to want to believe in a Savior, believe in what is good & honorable, serve & worship our Creator. Our spirits are drawn to want to fill the void in our heart that was designed to house the Holy Spirit. The wicked person is doing completely the opposite. In speech and action, he/she is devising evil. The words the proceed from his/her mouth are evil and come from the evil one. This person is SOWING discord. Discord is defined as: strife, dispute, war. Synonyms for discord are: conflict, struggle, controversy, argument, contention, quarreling.
As we read further, we see the results of sowing discord. We see the results that this wicked person reaps. Sowing & reaping is a law, and for the wicked person the unfortunate series of events is what they reap. Many places in the Bible use the word "suddenly." I often enjoy reading the "suddenly's" of the Bible as many places it shows how "suddenly" things change in the favor of the man or woman of God. "Suddenly" blessings flow. "Suddenly" things change in their favor! SUDDENLY. I look forward to the positive "suddenly's" in my life to see the Lord change things, or add blessings to my life. In the case of this wicked person in Proverbs 6, the "suddenly" it is talking about is not a good "suddenly." A "crushing weight of calamity" comes upon this wicked person. It happens suddenly. As if not expected. The dictionary defines calamity as: a great misfortune or disaster, grievous affliction, adversity, misery, serious injury. The idea of "calamity" by itself is bad enough, but Proverbs 6 describes it as WORSE than just calamity, it describes it as CRUSHING WEIGHT of calamity. It is not just bad, but it goes from bad to worse.
I read through Proverbs 31 and just marveled at the life of the Proverbs 31 woman. Her life is far from calamity. Her focus and every effort is in partnership with God. Her work with and for God is good. She is a vessel and tool for God, and because of it she is blessed. Proverbs 31:18 even says that she is able to TASTE and see the fruit of her labor. She is able to experience the blessings that come from her obedience. She is able to REAP the fruits of what she has sown. She has sown good, and she reaps blessings. We read everything about her life and it is as if her life is filled with blessing. She goes from blessing to blessing. Her diligence paves the way for God to be magnified and the "good" that she sows, she reaps in countless blessings.
Are there vial people in your life? Are you unsure how someone could be so mean, or say something so unkind, or act in a way so unbecoming? In some cases, all we can do is to pray for these people. Like the wicked person in Proverbs 6, that person needs to come into the saving knowledge of our Savior. The wicked are used as tools of the enemy to destroy the righteous. It is our job to recognize it and then pray for them. Don't take it personally. The enemy will attack in ANY way he can, and sometimes he uses people! Gird yourself up with FAITH and through prayer, PRAY these people into the Kingdom!
1 comment:
Thanks for the encouraging words Amy!
It helps to understand that it's the enemy's way of trying to undermine our faith or rob us of the Victory in Jesus...that he uses people to accomplish his evil plans.
My heart aches for those people who are yielding to the enemy and I pray that God will set them free and that no harm will come to them.
There is a peace in knowing that God is in control and that He has a plan in all the apparent turmoil I see all around me. I don't have to understand, just rest in Him.
I love vs 18 ... 'TASTE and see the fruit of her labor ...reap the fruits she has sown' There is great reward in and countless blessings in obedience to God!
Blessings to you today, Amy!
I love you.
Mom
Post a Comment