wait on Him... Psalm 37:5-7...

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will act.

He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,

and your justice as the noonday.

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;

fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,

over the man who carries out evil devices!

Psalm 37:5-7 ESV

Committing your way to the Lord's Way...

can seem like the long way around...

His Way requires patience...

steadfastness... forbearance...

and integrity...

Those who follow His Way...

commit their lives to it...

look like fools to the world...

Following tax code to the letter of the law...

returning too much change...

humbly yielding to others...

telling the truth to your own detriment...

taking responsibility for your actions...

The world has its own wisdom...

get ahead no matter the cost...

look out for number one...

pay back is hell...

what they don't know won't hurt 'em...

James describes it this way...

Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct

let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.

But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts,

do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that 

comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be

disorder and every vile practice.

James 3:13-16 ESV

When you're tempted to do things the world's way...

because it looks like the only way to get ahead...

remember... be still before the Lord...

wait patiently on Him...

For those committed to His Way...

will shine bright one day...

their righteousness and just actions...

cutting right through the darkness...

like the noonday sun...

His Way is the best...

His foolishness wiser than the wisest worldly wisdom...

and it is always... worth... the... wait...

The Journey Readings: Week 89... and His sovereignty...

I see it again and again in Proverbs...
we can make all the plans we want...
but God's purpose is the one that will prevail...

The heart of man plans his way,

but the Lord establishes his steps.

Proverbs 16:9 ESV

Many are the plans in the mind of a man,

but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

Proverbs 19:21 ESV

A man's steps are from the Lord;

how then can man understand his way?

Proverbs 20:24 ESV

In His sovereignty...
He allows what He allows in our life...

He establishes steps...

He fulfills His purpose...

We don't even understand our way...

how things work out the way they do...

how we end up where we do...
when our plans were for something completely different...

There is a sure way... 

to be at peace with where we go...

let Him plan our way...

Commit your work to the Lord,

and your plans will be established.

Proverbs 16:3 ESV

This truth... the truth of His sovereignty...

should inspire... 

humility...

thankfulness...

fear of the Lord...

all elements for gaining wisdom...

Join The Journey through Proverbs...

This week's readings...

Monday             Proverbs 22:17 - 23:35

Tuesday             Proverbs 24

Wednesday       Proverbs 25

Thursday           Proverbs 26-27

Friday               Proverbs 28-29

thankful for His wisdom...

...the wise heart will know the proper time

and the just way.

Ecclesiastes 8:5 ESV

Thankful for His wisdom... His timing... and His just way...

I know I have none of these... wisdom... timing... or justice... except by His grace...

By faith... I exercised these three attributes of His today... 

relying on His guidance... direction... 

and not my own understanding...

Resting... and waiting... in peace...

because I trusted Him... 

and not me...

For the Lord gives wisdom;

from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;

he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;

he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,

guarding the paths of justice

and watching over the way of his saints.

Proverbs 2:6-8 ESV

Lord Jesus... only by Your loving mercy... and sacrifice... can I be considered upright... a woman of integrity... or one of Your saints... Thank You... Thank You... Thank You... for Your blessing of faith... and peace...

seeking wisdom...

The wisest of women builds her house,

but folly with her own hands tears it down.

Proverbs 14:1 ESV

Seeking wisdom... for decisions... 

desiring to build... not tear down... 

Perhaps wisdom begins... by understanding... 

your own whims... and heart... can reap destruction...

Listening to Him... 

for direction... and guidance...

The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom...

Proverbs 15:33 ESV

to a son... thoughts on godly men... and camping...

Husbands, love your wives,(even before you know who they are), as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church (her) to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

Ephesians 5:25-27 ESV

(my commentary added)

I know the world doesn't think much of this these days --- with all the blurring of gender lines and free "love" and friends with benefits --- but as a man created in the image of God and as a follower of Jesus --- you should think first about the honor of the young women you know, and not the desire or pleasure you get from their company. Case in point... a camping trip. 

And I know your heart to stay pure, and in your mind all will be innocent... many guys and girls... but wisdom says... No. The reputation of these young women should come first in your mind. And opposite sexes, together all night, no chaperons, no mission but fun, deems this unwise.

Plus, this kind of intimacy and adventure, that of camping overnight with a woman, should be thought of as something you only want to share with your spouse.

Think about it... camping with your wife in years to come... Do you want memories with other women on other camping trips to come to mind? Ones that might be awkward to share... and perhaps make her jealous... no matter how innocent it seemed at the time?

An episode of Castle comes to mind... the two main characters engaged. In planning their honeymoon, her primary criteria is that it be someplace he has never been with another woman --- a virgin adventure, so to speak. (He having been married twice before, and possessing extensive resources, makes this goal really difficult.)

A good reason not to take any vacations with girlfriends (or even girls that are friends) --- even if you stay in separate rooms. Of course, supervised mission trips or working as camp counselors somewhere is a different category altogether.

As I process your question... Can girls come on the camp out?... I realize there is so much more to protect... save... for your future relationship with your wife than the act of "sex".

I haven't thought through this before, but I know from experience these things to be true... even when nothing happened...

Take your role as a Christian man and protector of the garden seriously, which is first and foremost (after your relationship with Him) to protect and honor the women God places in your life. Not only for your future marriage but for theirs too.

Husband and wife --- married couples --- make up the basic building blocks of the Church... (two becoming one... and... where two or three are gathered in my name I Am there with them...) Protect your future marriage relationship in every respect and protect the Church.

Love you,

Mom

PS... Thanks for asking the question...

beware... your own understanding...

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding...

Proverbs 3:5

It's right there... when you lean on your own understanding... you are not trusting the Lord... at least not with all your heart...

To use your own understanding... is to go your own way... not the Way...

I realized this today... as I look back and see... opportunities... graces... gifts... missed... by leaning on my own understanding...

With my understanding... fear... prejudice... pride... self- righteousness... keep me from trusting Him... with all my heart...

Beware... of your own understanding... put it aside... boldly surrender... be a fool... for Him...

Let no person deceive himself. If anyone among you supposes that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool [let him discard his worldly discernment and recognize himself as dull, stupid, and foolish, without true learning and scholarship], that he may become [really] wise.

1Corinthians 3:18 Amp

Father God... remind me... that my understanding... my reasoning... is foolish in Your sight... bless me with the boldness to trust You... walk Your Way... even when it feels... crazy...

God reminds... instantly...

Frustrations with a loved one... one on whom I'm to pour out grace... but after weeks... months... there appears no visible change...

Driving out of the driveway... I yell a prayer to God...

I just want to beat him...

Will You wake him up...

The car radio on... as usual... and as soon as my tirade is complete... I hear...

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

Do not be anxious about anything,

but in everything, by prayer and petition,

with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

An instant reminder... for a frustrated... angry... impatient... mom... a Word from Him... Philippians 4:4-7...

God... He knows what you need to hear... and will not waste any time... an instant reminder... the welling tears... the hard frown... replaced with a smile...

Yes... the Lord is near...

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted

and saves the crushed in spirit.

Psalm 34:18 ESV

plowing on...

Today... plowing away... in my brokenness... with His grace paving the way...

A day full... beginning hectic...
seeking His instruction... on some specific decisions...
trying to listen...
trying not to wrestle too much...
trying to trust... in what I hear...
plowing on...

A realization... at my first stop... I forgot to call ahead to let them know I was coming... thankfully... I was received with grace... a way paved... without the gracious reception... other instructions could not be followed...

Plowing on... I followed the instructions... with a flesh that wanted to question... bringing doubt to the action... reminding me of something Dietrich Bonhoeffer said... in The Cost of Discipleship...

Moral difficulties were the first consequence of the Fall, and are themselves the outcome of "Man in Revolt" against God. The Serpent in Paradise put them into the mind of the first man by asking, "Hath God said?" Until then the divine command had been clear enough, and man was ready to observe it in childlike obedience. But that is now past, and moral doubts and difficulties have crept in. The command, suggests the Serpent, needs to be explained and interpreted. "Hath God said?" Man must decide for himself what is good by using his conscience and his knowledge of good and evil. The commandment may be variously interpreted, and it is God's will that it should be interpreted and explained: for God has given man a free will to decide what he will do.

But this means disobedience from the start. Doubt and reflection take the place of spontaneous obedience.

An insight that illumines the reason behind the difficulty of obedience... a question has been placed in the heart of man... Did God really say?... along with a desire to look for other meaning... one that fits with the flesh... rather than the Spirit... the two who never agree... sorting out... good from evil... wise from foolish... right from wrong...

Even though the issues today were not moral... I sought God's instruction and advice... on things I was unsure of... but my flesh couldn't rest with the counsel I received... there occurred an inner conflict... reason after reason coming to mind on why what I perceived in the spirit would not be a good choice... still I plowed on... learning from past experience that my own understanding... often leads to inconveniences... concerning the details of my life...

By faith... I took the counsel I believed to be His... and after plowing through... there... was... peace...

The instructions of the Lord are perfect,

reviving the soul.

The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy,

making wise the simple.

Psalm 19:7 NLT

We know... in moral issues... God's instructions... His Word... is always right... but in the day to day... He is right there too... when we take the time to ask... even the simplest things... become an opportunity to act wisely... if we... will... trust... and... obey... plowing through the doubt... He paves the way... with... grace...

James 3: thoughts... part 6

Read James 3

Wisdom... knowledge... insight... judgment... it's what we desire when making decisions... the daily choices that make up our lives...

James... distinguishes two sources of wisdom... earthly... human wisdom... and... above... divine wisdom...

Now... things get a little disturbing when he equates... earthly wisdom... that of man... with the unspiritual... and... demonic...

Earthly wisdom... illustrated as the desire to deny sin... cover up truth... do whatever it takes to make you look good... rather than be good... could be summed up in the phrase... image is everything... (hmmm... sound familiar...?)

But... the wisdom from above... exhibits itself as...

• pure... without moral defect or blemish...
• peace-loving... peaceable... not contentious or quarrelsome...
• gentle... gracious... forebearing...
• compliant... willing to yield... reasonable...
• full of mercy... showing kindness... concern... for someone in serious need...
• full of good fruits... the outcomes are morally sound...
• without favoritism... impartial...without variance... or inconsistency...
• without hypocrisy...  sincere... genuine...

Divine wisdom... unlike... earthly wisdom... is other-centered... just like our Savior...
 

Who is wise and has understanding among you?

James 3:13

(my emphasis)

Test wisdom... is your brand... unspiritual... demonic... or... Spirit-filled... untainted...?