Good morning! It is one of those mornings where God just overwhelmed me with His Word. Proverbs 3 is so full of good nuggets & insight. Where do we even begin?! If I could... if I had no other responsibilities or schedule (aka: getting a child up and feeding him! ha!), I think I would just enjoy sitting here and reading over and over all the topics that are covered just in this ONE chapter! For the sake of time, your time & mine, we will stick with one or two main "take-aways" from the Word this morning. Let's get started!
I woke up this morning and began my normal "routine." Got my yummy coffee that Tyler made for me, grabbed my phone, the baby monitor & my Bible, turned on the lamp light on the end table (because who knows, lamp lighting is SO much better than the bright ceiling lights!), and sat comfortably on my couch, propping my Bible on my lap with a soft pillow. Tyler had a meeting with his boss... which by the way, according to Proverbs 3:4, TYLER shall find favor, good understanding, and high esteem in the sight of God and his boss, Kim! Since he had his meeting, he was gone early, so it was just me. Me, the silence & my Bible. Quite a good combination!
As I journaled, I was just putting God in remembrance of His Word! I was THANKING Him, according to certain scripture, for what I have believed for to come to pass. I was REMINDING God what His Word says. Ok, Ok...you are right, God did not forget what His Word says, and the Bible also says He is a Performer of His Word. He brings His Word to pass. As I thanked Him, I was just reminding Him that, I too, know what His Word says. I too, am standing on faith that His Word works! After doing all this, and taking some time to journal and write down what I felt like the Holy Spirit was saying to me, I cracked open my Bible to Proverbs 3. Wouldn't you know it, the very first verse says, forget not my law or teaching.
I immediately thought of Joseph. I thought of Joseph's long journey from being thrown into a pit by his very own brothers, being sold into slavery to a passing caravan, being accused of making a pass at another man's husband (but being innocent), being thrown into jail unjustly and staying there for years, until finally he was lifted out of the place where he was and put into a position, 2nd in command over the WHOLE nation! He literally SAVED nations from starvation during a point of famine. I thought about Joseph because I can only imagine, being human, that at times maybe it was a bit discouraging. That, like me, maybe he too wondered, "Lord, where are the results? Where is the fruit from the dream that you showed me as a teenager? When is the time going to come where I see & live my dream?"
I would anticipate that those thoughts had to go through Joseph's mind at some point. My solution. Patience, obedience & putting God in CONTINUAL remembrance of His Word! One area where we can be faithful that is EXTREMELY important is the area of tithing. What is tithe? By definition, it is 10% of our increase. 10%. Not our "loose change" that we flippantly just throw into the offering plate as it flies by. The neat thing, is what the Word promises, in numerous places, but here you see it in Malachi & in Proverbs!
Our Proverbs 31 friend is able to "taste & see." She has tithed, she has operated in patience, faithfulness, diligence, and she gets to the wonderful place of TASTING & SEEING the fruit of her labor! She is enjoying the increase & blessings that come along with faithfulness. Praise the Lord.
God is NO respecter of persons. His Word will work for you too! Prove it Lord! Prove it! Let's put Him in remembrance of His Word. He IS faithful and He WILL preform it!
Proverbs 3:1 - MY SON, forget not my law or teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments...
Proverbs 3:9-10 - Honor the Lord with your capital and sufficiency [from righteous labors] and with the firstfruits of all your income; So shall your storage places be filled with plenty, and your vats shall be overflowing with new wine.
Malachi 3:10 - Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
Proverbs 31:18a - She tastes and sees that her gain from work [with and for God] is good...I'm sure you NEVER do this... but, a shot in the dark.... have you ever questioned God's Word? Maybe in your heart, deep down you believe it, but in your mind you'd thinking, "Come on God! Where are the results?! This is what it says, why isn't it happening? When is it going to happen?" I'm sure you never think that, but I must say, at times I have.
I woke up this morning and began my normal "routine." Got my yummy coffee that Tyler made for me, grabbed my phone, the baby monitor & my Bible, turned on the lamp light on the end table (because who knows, lamp lighting is SO much better than the bright ceiling lights!), and sat comfortably on my couch, propping my Bible on my lap with a soft pillow. Tyler had a meeting with his boss... which by the way, according to Proverbs 3:4, TYLER shall find favor, good understanding, and high esteem in the sight of God and his boss, Kim! Since he had his meeting, he was gone early, so it was just me. Me, the silence & my Bible. Quite a good combination!
As I journaled, I was just putting God in remembrance of His Word! I was THANKING Him, according to certain scripture, for what I have believed for to come to pass. I was REMINDING God what His Word says. Ok, Ok...you are right, God did not forget what His Word says, and the Bible also says He is a Performer of His Word. He brings His Word to pass. As I thanked Him, I was just reminding Him that, I too, know what His Word says. I too, am standing on faith that His Word works! After doing all this, and taking some time to journal and write down what I felt like the Holy Spirit was saying to me, I cracked open my Bible to Proverbs 3. Wouldn't you know it, the very first verse says, forget not my law or teaching.
I immediately thought of Joseph. I thought of Joseph's long journey from being thrown into a pit by his very own brothers, being sold into slavery to a passing caravan, being accused of making a pass at another man's husband (but being innocent), being thrown into jail unjustly and staying there for years, until finally he was lifted out of the place where he was and put into a position, 2nd in command over the WHOLE nation! He literally SAVED nations from starvation during a point of famine. I thought about Joseph because I can only imagine, being human, that at times maybe it was a bit discouraging. That, like me, maybe he too wondered, "Lord, where are the results? Where is the fruit from the dream that you showed me as a teenager? When is the time going to come where I see & live my dream?"
I would anticipate that those thoughts had to go through Joseph's mind at some point. My solution. Patience, obedience & putting God in CONTINUAL remembrance of His Word! One area where we can be faithful that is EXTREMELY important is the area of tithing. What is tithe? By definition, it is 10% of our increase. 10%. Not our "loose change" that we flippantly just throw into the offering plate as it flies by. The neat thing, is what the Word promises, in numerous places, but here you see it in Malachi & in Proverbs!
I take some things very literally.... and with this, I take it literally also. In Amy's translation of the dictionary, "all" means "ALL." "Everything... leaving nothing out. ALL." Even if I get a gift, birthday money, Christmas money, any increase of income, I choose to give the 1st fruits of it, 10%. The blessing that follows is that in the Bible, Malachi 3:10 is one of the only places where THE LORD says to PROVE ME! Or in another translation, TEST ME. He is telling us that HE WILL PROVE to US that if we are faithful, HE will bring to pass the blessings, the overflow. So much that our "storage places" (aka: in today's time, bank accounts.) will overflow & increase. We will not even have ROOM for all that He has in store for us. Now friend, THAT, is good news!Proverbs 3:9-10 - Honor the Lord with your capital and sufficiency [from righteous labors] and with the firstfruits of ALL your income; So shall your storage places be filled with plenty, and your vats shall be overflowing with new wine.Malachi 3:10 - Bring ALL the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and PROVE ME NOW by it, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
Our Proverbs 31 friend is able to "taste & see." She has tithed, she has operated in patience, faithfulness, diligence, and she gets to the wonderful place of TASTING & SEEING the fruit of her labor! She is enjoying the increase & blessings that come along with faithfulness. Praise the Lord.
God is NO respecter of persons. His Word will work for you too! Prove it Lord! Prove it! Let's put Him in remembrance of His Word. He IS faithful and He WILL preform it!
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