'IF' is a big word.....

When you see that word, you know there are conditions. And where there are conditions, there are results or rewards.

IF is often followed by a THEN.


“….if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding...

... indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding,

...and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure…..

….then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. (Proverbs 2:1-5 NIV)

It is critical to grasp the basic truth about our holy Creator God. He created. He designed. He made the rules. Period.

We are given freedom to choose how we pass thru this realm of time. We can choose to play by our own rules. But when we turn our ear away from the true wisdom of God, when our hearts are not really in our quest for understanding, when we do not look to God for insights….

….we will never be able to mentally grasp Who this God is. And that is the most tragic of things.

 It is do-able. The ‘if’ is conditional, but it is possible. He promised.

　

“ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13 NIV)




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Who picks up the pieces and puts them together again.......?

Proverbs begins with talk about wisdom. Gaining wisdom is the goal. For wisdom has great value.

“Start with GOD--the first step in learning, is bowing down to GOD; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning. Pay close attention, friend, to what your father tells you; never forget what you learned at your mother's knee. Wear their counsel like flowers in your hair, like rings on your fingers.”(Proverbs 1:7-9 The Message)

Warnings are given.

“…do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths, for their feet rush into evil, they are swift to shed blood. (Proverbs 1:16 NIV)

Truth is revealed.
“These men lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush only themselves!” (vs. 18 NIV)

Opportunity for change is given, a call to repentance issued.
“Listen when I reprimand you” (Proverbs 1:23 Good News Bible)
But…..“ you would not listen. You paid no attention to me. You have ignored all my advice and have not been willing to let me correct you,”(vs. 24-25 GNB)

So……. “they shall eat of the fruit of their own way and be satiated with their own devices.” (vs. 31 NASB)

Who will pick up the pieces when everything falls apart? And without the Creator and Sustainer, eventually, it will.

“When your dread comes like a storm And your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. Then they will call on Me, but I will not answer;” (Proverbs 1:27-28 NASB)

Storms will come. Calamity will strike. We will experience distress and anguish. And He is able to protect and sustain.

"...whoever listens to Me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm." (vs. 33 NIV)

When things crumble and fall apart, when relationships are broken, when life circumstances get intense, when health fails, when tragedy strikes, when loved ones die, when bodies grow too old to function……..who will pick up the pieces?

Without Him, who?

 Thank You Father that when dread comes, when calamity whirls, when distress and anguish rise up, You are already on the scene within me, I live in safety, I can be at ease and without fear of harm.

　

　

　

　

Bad company is serious business…..

“…if sinners entice you, Do not consent.” (Proverbs 1:10 NASB)

Have you noticed how people who push the limits or break the rules seem to influence others to do the same? ‘Sinners’ want company.

I am blessed with some people in my life who encourage me in the RIGHT direction. But I’ve also experienced the effects of wrong influences.

Even with all my years, I can still be enticed in wrong ways. I purpose to be salt and light. But sometimes I’m just not very salty, and my light gets a little dim at times.

It is a dilemma. Jesus clearly told us to ‘"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”(Mark 16:15 NASB) He did NOT tell us to get into our little holy huddles and stay isolated. We are warned repeatedly about the influence from the world. At the same time, instructed to BE the influence in the world. I find myself repeatedly trying to figure out how to be in the world yet not of it.

I am thankful that God is God. He is not enticed by my sinfulness. He has instead, made provisions for my escaping the consequences of it. For you see….I was such bad company before His Spirit re-created me. Thanks to Jesus…..I’m not the best company, but better than I would have been.

And when I find myself in a situation to be enticed by bad company, He is present with me, and will enable me if I but ask Him and follow His instruction.

Just what is it to ‘fear’ …….

　

Scripture tells us that “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7 KJV)

If you know me, you have probably heard me say that my God is not mean and nasty. I once thought of Him as a grumpy old man with a huge flyswat raised, just waiting for an excuse to whop me with it.

He is not.

The nature and character of our Creator includes judgment, but He is driven by love. Read 1 John 4, don’t just take my word for it.

In my own walk with Him, I have been in that scary place. I tried hiding from Him, but take my word for it…that does not work. Adam and Eve tried it too. You can’t hide.

I once resented the teachings of my youth that caused me such fear and dread of the One Who created me, knew me in my mother’s womb, and knows the very number of hairs on my head. But I’ve come to appreciate it. Fear kept me safer than I might have been otherwise.

I did not do some of the things other teenagers did, simply because I was afraid my daddy would find out…..

….so now I reign my behavior because I do not want my Father to see me behaving in ways that He would not approve of.

Sometimes I understood why my daddy felt as he did. Often I understand why my Father in heaven allows what He allows or has said what He has said.

As an adult, I thoroughly understand why my daddy set such close boundaries for me. And somewhere along the way, between that first moving influence of being fearfully afraid of God, I began to know Him better. I began to trust Him more. I understand sometimes, and when I don’t understand, I rest in knowing that His love is the driving force behind every single thing He does or allows.

Thank You Father, that I have begun in that knowledge.

Learning to be wise seems to be a lifelong process....

I've said it before, I say it again... The older I get, the more I realize how much I don't know.

"These are the proverbs of Solomon, the son of David and king of Israel. They will help you learn to be wise, to accept correction, and to understand wise sayings." (Proverbs 1:1-2)



I don't read newspapers much, but I bet Dear Abby is still in there. People really write letters to whoever Abby is, seeking advice for some problem they have. They give her just a few details and she comes up with a solution. (Are issues ever so simple that you can explain them in a letter?)

I've got a great life, blessed certainly more than I deserve. But we all have our issues. Life is difficult at best, and following Christ ensures us that we will have times of suffering. Jesus Himself said
"..they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you." (John 15:20)  

How thankful I am that He has informed us of that. Imagine what a powerful weapon in the hands of the enemy had He not told us about the struggles ahead.  

That liar still tries to twist and decieve....
"if you were a good enough Christian, you wouldn't have all these problems, if you had been a better parent, your family would be perfect, if you really believed in God, you would never have these times of questions and doubt, if you were a good enough Christian, you'd know what to do in this situation...." 

On and on that devil goes with his flaming arrows. But I recognize where the assault is coming from, and like Jesus, tell him to get behind me. James has given us the key "Submit yourselves therefore to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you."(James 4:7)

   Difficulty in life always drives me to scripture, because I have managed to learn and retain the knowledge that it is ONLY there that I find answers and encouragement. It is ONLY from there that I hear God speak and know that it is indeed truth.

 He knows every detail of every issue, I don't have to try to make Him understand. ( So often, it is the other way around...HIM making ME understand !)

  I begin again this morning in Proverbs. The purpose of these writings is clearly stated right at the beginning. 

And since I need help in this learning to be wise thing, since I need to better accept correction, I prayerfully begin.....