Proverbs 10:8–9

"The wise are glad to be instructed,
but babbling fools fall flat on their faces.
People with integrity walk safely,
but those who follow crooked paths will slip and fall."

 

 

"The wise are glad to be instructed." What is the best way to be instructed? God's Word. Whenever you come to his Word, be open to hearing his instruction. Live according to what he shows you, and you will live with integrity. Your footing will be sure as you go through life, your way clear and straight, not crooked. You'll be unlikely to fall flat on your face. If you need wisdom in any area of your life, seek godly instruction from others as well. Then you will enjoy all the blessings that wisdom brings.

Matthew 17:19–20

"Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, 'Why couldn't we cast out that demon?' 'You don't have enough faith,' Jesus told them. 'I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, "Move from here to there," and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.'"

 

 

The disciples could not cast out the demon because they did not have enough faith. Yet it's not a matter of quantity or size—a mustard-seed-sized faith will do. So what does "enough faith" mean? Perhaps it's what one has faith in that is the key. Jesus had just told them that they couldn't have their own agenda and be true followers. Perhaps the disciples were combining God's way with their way. It doesn't work that way. Faith is being fully sold out to God's agenda. Then nothing is impossible. Miracles can happen because God is the one doing it.

Exodus 2:11–12, 16–17

"Many years later, when Moses had grown up, he went out to visit his own people, the Hebrews, and he saw how hard they were forced to work. During his visit, he saw an Egyptian beating one of his fellow Hebrews. After looking in all directions to make sure no one was watching, Moses killed the Egyptian and hid the body in the sand. …"Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters who came as usual to draw water and fill the water troughs for their father's flocks. But some other shepherds came and chased them away. So Moses jumped up and rescued the girls from the shepherds. Then he drew water for their flocks."

 

 

Way before God called Moses to rescue his people from Pharaoh's cruelty, Moses was a rescuer. He tried to rescue his fellow Hebrews. He rescued the girls who drew water. God created him with this bent toward rescuing, and God later used it in a mighty way. "Rescue" was the verb that defined Moses. What verb defines you? What you do naturally is what God will use to accomplish his purposes through you

Forgiveness

'Forgive us, Lord, as we forgive those who trespass against us,'

 

Sometimes that prayer, as beautiful as it is, has been written backward, or at the very least, the author has made a huge assumption.  I really think the directions should be more like, 'Dear Lord, please let us forgive each other the way that you forgive us'.'

 

You see, because the Lord is so much better at this business of forgiveness that we mere mortals could ever hope to be, we're the ones who should be modeling His method, not the other way around.  The Lord forgives us unconditionally.  He doesn't need to sit and think it over, withholding His compassion, His mercy, and His grace.  He doesn't cling to his grudges, like we do, reliving them daily, reminding himself how He was hurt or cheated, or disappointed by someone as frail and flawed as we are.  He forgives and wipes the slate clean.  That is true forgiveness, the pure, ideal spirit of amnesty we must try to extend toward each other.

 

Everyone in this world is walking around, chewing on something that just won't go down.

 

It's a rate person who does not carry around some grudge, small or large, some onerous bit that won't go down.  But how many of us find that as we approach middle life and ever later, we are carrying around a load of grudges, like a big bag of rocks, slung over our shoulder.  The wrongs the world has done you - parents, siblings, friends, coworkers, neighbors - oh, so many wrongs that we righteously cling to.  It takes a lot of energy to carry that bag around with you, doesn't it?  It doesn't really make much sense, either. . . .So, why do we do it?  We drag it along, letting it pull us down when we can be lifted up.  When we can follow the Lord's example and forgive - and let go.

 

From the book 'Home Song' by Thomas Kinkade & Katherine Spencer

Proverbs 10:6

"The godly are showered with blessings."

 

What a wonderful picture: blessings showering down upon you like a steady, gentle spring rain! How aware are you of these blessings, though? Do you make a habit of noticing the "everyday" blessings that God showers upon everyone, such as sunshine and color and the variety of birds and blooms? What about the marvels of modern inventions that we take for granted? Then there are the personalized "showers of blessings" that are just for you: your health, your family, or something from the Word that speaks right into your situation. Today, grow like grass from the showers of God's blessings.

Matthew 17:1–5

"Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus' appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus. "Peter exclaimed, 'Lord, it's wonderful for us to be here! If you want, I'll make three shelters as memorials—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.' "But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, 'This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.'"

 

 

God the Father gave his Son a literal mountaintop experience right before his death. Jesus talked with Moses, giver of the Law, and Elijah, the prophet of prophets, both of whom prefigured Jesus. The Father publicly affirmed Jesus' authority and his own love for his Son. Perhaps it was this experience that strengthened Jesus for what he knew was just ahead: his suffering and death. Jesus himself received the Father's grace; it is the love relationship between Father and Son that Peter, James, and John witnessed. That's the love to which we are also given access.