Proverbs 19:8,20,27
Whoever gets sense loves his own soul; he who keeps understanding will discover good.
Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.
Cease to hear instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
We must never stop learning, never stop sharpening ourselves. Whoever keeps on gaining understanding of God and life will surely “dis-cover” good. He will uncover more and more goodness available to all who search for it.
He who searches, finds.
He who sits on the couch, finds nothing.
Proverbs 19:11
Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
As we become a person of good sense via seeking God daily, we become “unoffendable.” I have found that when I listen to God more than people, I am unoffendable. When I listen to people more than God, I am a stressed out, anxious basket case.
Proverbs 19:23
The fear of the LORD leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.
I’m wondering if this means that nothing will seem like harm to the one who truly rests in Papa YHWH. Because he trusts in God, His goodness, and His perfect care of His children no matter what it may look like.
This person listens to YHWH in every situation and in every person, uncovering the good and deeper meanings that are always there, that we normally are not tuned into. Every circumstance is an opportunity for growth. At the same time, it is also an opportunity to keep paving the old path we’ve always taken, further solidifying our paradigms of death.
If we could just learn to ask what God is saying or doing in every situation, how much better off we would be mentally, spiritually, and emotionally, for we would live in so much more joy, knowing God is always with us and happy to be with us as well.
“His ways are not our ways” is not just some bumper sticker-type cliche. It describes the deeper meaning of life. We cheat ourselves out of so much by keeping our eyes on the surface of everything, talking about football and the weather.
Pay attention to what you’re paying attention to.
Matthew 19:26
Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible, but with God everything is possible.”
As much as we can do in our human power, and it is quite a bit really, there is much we simply cannot do.
We cannot save people.
We cannot regenerate a person’s heart.
We cannot make someone believe in Jesus.
We cannot force someone to follow after God daily.
We cannot, by command, have someone read the Bible, pray to YHWH, or participate in Christian community and partnerships.
So what the hell can we do???
We can choose to follow Jesus.
We can love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
We can love others deeply.
We can interact with God about everything.
We can obey God.
We can listen to God daily, at all times, and do what we hear.
And what will come of doing these things we can do, with God?
Oh, not much, other than CHANGE THE WORLD!!!
And you’ll have and live in joy and shalom flowing from the Source of Love itself.
With God, everything is possible.
With God.
EVERYTHING.