Those who fear the Lord will be praised

Proverbs 31:28-31

Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her:

29 “Many daughters have done well,

But you excel them all.”

30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,

But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.

31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,

And let her own works praise her in the gates.

Today on this last Monday of 2021 we are also reading the last few verses of Proverbs 31. I did not plan it like this, it just worked out this way, but I do think today's message is a timely one for us for the end of 2021, but also a good beginning for 2022. In these verses the bride is praised for being excellent in character and works. I think it's easy for us to look at the works part and see them as outstanding, but I think the real essence of this piece of scripture lies in verse 30 where she is praised for her fear of the Lord. Her works of excellence flows from this fear of the Lord - it does not come from beauty or charm - but from the FEAR OF THE LORD.

Proverbs 9:10 states:

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,

And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."

Let us therefore be reminded that no good works, no excellence, can come from any other place but from a place of fearing the Lord. Fear of the Lord does not mean that we are scared of Him, it means that we have a respectful reverence, an awe-filled wonder and excitement coupled with a deep respect for His greatness and His all-powerfulness, His omni-presence and His all-knowingness. It carries a respectful reverence in His presence for His AWESOMENESS!

Labouring from this place of fear of the Lord will produce fruit that is worthy of His praise, because it is the fruit of His Spirit in and through us - the bride of Christ. Ultimately it is the works of the Holy Spirit in forming and maturing the character of the bride of Christ, as seen in the fruit of her labours, that is worthy of praise in the gates of the everlasting city of God.

Points to ponder this week

• Rejoice in the fruit of the labour of the Holy Spirit in us and through us during the past year
• Let us focus our attention for the year to come on having the fear of the Lord that brings an AWE for Him, and let us allow the Holy Spirit to labour in us to build our character, and through us to produce works that have everlasting fruit.

Let us go into 2022 and fearlessly face the world, but fearfully and respectfully, with fear and awe of our God, face each day in the Name of the One and only true and Holy God.

I stand in Awe - Jesus Culture ft Chris Quilala

She watches over...

Proverbs 31: 27

"She watches over the activities of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness."

NASB

The bride 'watches' - interesting word.  This word for 'watch' is used in other places in the Bible often in the context of the King's guards that 'watch' from their watchtowers to see if there are danger, enemies or messengers approaching (e.g. 2 Sam 18:24-27, 2 Kings 9:17-20).  In Song of Songs 7:4 this word is used in the context of the bride being described as a tower watching out in the direction of Damascus, in other words as being a watchman looking out, discerning approaching danger or messengers from afar.  

Likewise consider the context of the following scriptures: 

Is 21:6
"For thus has the Lord said to me:
“Go, set a watchman,
Let him declare what he sees.” NKJ

Jer 6:17
"Also, I set watchmen over you, saying,
‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!" NKJ

Ezekiel 3:17 

17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me.." NKJ

Hab 2:1

"...I will [in my thinking] stand upon my post of observation and station myself on the tower or fortress, and will watch to see what He will say within me and what answer I will make [as His mouthpiece] to the perplexities of my complaint against Him. 2 And the Lord answered me and said, Write the vision and engrave it so plainly upon tablets that everyone who passes may [be able to] read [it easily and quickly] as he hastens by..."  

When we thus consider the use of the word 'watches' in this scripture in Proverbs, it is not far fetched to understand this scripture to mean that the bride is acting as a watchman for her household.  She is on her watchtower to intercede for her 'household' (a household would include more than just family, it would include everyone that God gives us to be in relationship with, e.g. family, employees, friends and friends of my family, children and grandchildren, etc.) for a number of reasons.  Interceding can take on many forms and can have many purposes, but for the purpose of this devotional I would like us to focus on the following three scenarios:

• She watches out, prays into and brings the Lord's word of direction and encouragement for her household, as well as:
• The Lord's word of warning regarding approaching danger to her household, to ensure that they are prepared and on guard, and
• In doing so for her own household, she would also be doing it for the neighbours and the city and the nation.   

If we consider the following sentence in that verse within the context of intercession, it reminds me of Isaiah 56:10 "[Israel’s] watchmen are blind, they are all without knowledge; they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; dreaming, lying down, they love to slumber."  The bride in Proverbs 31 is not blind and without knowledge, nor is she dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber - in other words, she does not eat the bread of idleness...  she is vigilant and lives out her calling to watch over her household.

In Revelation 3 there is an end-time warning and an encouragement for us in this context:

"These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. 4 You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

Points to ponder this week:

• Let us repent of having a name that we are alive but we are dead, and let us become watchful and strengthen that which remains before it dies.  Let us fan the flame from the few coals there still is, so that the thief will not come upon us unnoticed and so that we will be of those whose garments were not defiled and whose names are not blotted out from the book of life.  
• Since we are nearing the end of 2021, what is the word of encouragement and direction God has for you and your household?
• Is there a word of warning to heed?  
• What about your neighbourhood, city or nation?    

The Watchmen - Paul Wilbur

She speaks godly Wisdom and Kindness...

Proverbs 31:26

"She opens her mouth in skillful and godly Wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness [giving counsel and instruction]" AMPC

In stark contrast to some of the beliefs and teachings that women are not allowed to speak or more specifically, teach or give instruction in the body of Christ, the bride in  Proverbs 31 is commended for the skillful and godly Wisdom and the law of kindness that she speaks in all her counsel and instruction. What really drew my attention in this verse is the fact that Wisdom is spelled with a capital letter.  Capital letters in the middle of a sentence indicate, amongst other things, personal names.  Who's name then is mentioned as Wisdom in this context?  In my opinion it is none other than the Holy Spirit Himself.  Consider the following scripture in this context:

In 1 Cor 12:8 the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit are mentioned and in verse 8, we read:  

8 To one is given in and through the [Holy] Spirit [the power to speak] a message of wisdom, and to another [the power to express] a word of knowledge and understanding according to the same [Holy] Spirit; AMPC

The bride is given, in and through the Holy Spirit, the power to speak a message of wisdom.  It is none other than the Holy Spirit Himself that speaks through the Proverbs 31 woman and she is commended for her obedience to speak the skillful and godly Wisdom the Holy Spirit gives her.  Knowledge and understanding of the law of kindness is also both a gift from the Holy Spirit, and part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit:  

In Galatians 5:22-23 the fruit of the Spirit is mentioned and kindness is specifically mentioned as one of them: 

22 But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, 23 Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge]. AMPC

In Isaiah 11:2 the names of the Holy Spirit are given: "And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the reverential and obedient fear of the Lord"

Once again the Spirit of God is described as Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel and Knowledge amongst others.  

My absolute personal favourite scripture about the nature of the Holy Spirit depicted as Wisdom, is in Proverbs 8!   I just post the beginning of the chapter for us but please read the whole chapter - it's too long to quote here but it is absolutely beautiful.  

Proverbs 8

8 Does not skillful and godly Wisdom cry out, and understanding raise her voice [in contrast to the loose woman]?  2 On the top of the heights beside the way, where the paths meet, stands Wisdom [skillful and godly];  3 At the gates at the entrance of the town, at the coming in at the doors, she cries out:...

Wisdom is a skillful speaker and not silent at all.  She cries out and raises her voice, she stands at the crossroads, at the gates, doors and the entrances of the town and she cries out...  

The Holy Spirit is in and with and amongst us.  He speaks in and through us Wisdom, Counsel and Knowledge.  God commends the Proverbs 31 woman who speaks under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and encourages her to continue to do so.    

Let us read Proverbs 31:26 again:  

Proverbs 31:26

"She opens her mouth in skillful and godly Wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness [giving counsel and instruction]"

Questions to ponder this week:

• Do you have the Holy Spirit in you?  If yes, then you also have the gift of Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel and the fruit of Kindness in you.
• Have you believed the lie that you are not to speak the words of Wisdom and Knowledge and Counsel and teach the Law of Kindness that He births in your heart?
• Ask His forgiveness and then open your mouth and speak the skillful and godly Wisdom He gives you!

Lets Speak Jesus in a time such as this we will not be silent - Here be Lions

Strength and honour are her clothing...

Proverbs 31:23-25

Her husband is known in the gates, When he sits among the elders of the land.

24 She makes linen garments and sells them,

And supplies sashes for the merchants.

25 Strength and honor are her clothing;

She shall rejoice in time to come.

The gates in ancient cities were built with an inner wall and an outer wall as a double layer of protection.  Between these walls was a space big enough for meetings to take place.  It is here where the leadership,  even the King and his advisors,  gathered to make important governmental decisions. Business transactions were negotiated and sealed in front of individual witnesses as well as in front of a public gathering of the people.  It is here where the husband of the Proverbs 31 woman is well known. He must have been an honourable man and well known in leadership and in business circles of the day.

Somehow we have the idea that in the Bible, women were only allowed to be at home, raise children and run the household.  I do not get that idea from Proverbs 31 at all.  This husband does not seem  threatened by any of her accomplishments, business transactions with the merchants or the work she does in general at all.  The writer of Proverbs 31 acknowledges his accomplishments as a leader as much as it acknowledges her accomplishments.  In fact, she is encouraged and supported by him in all her roles as a leader, a businesswoman, a mother, a provider and a person who lends a hand to the poor.  If he was not respected for the wife he had, perhaps he would not have been as known in the gates as he was. 

This woman is clothed with strength and honour and she rejoices in the time to come.  She looks forward to the future - some translations say she laughs at the future.  She knows who she is, who her husband is and she rejoices in her relationship with him because he respects her and she respects him.  She has an honourable identity and she knows who she is, and she wears it as a garment of strength and honour.

The points to ponder this week:

Our heavenly Bridegroom has given us talents with which we are to live out the calling He has for us.  Are we using them for the benefit of His Kingdom?  

Am I secure in my God-given identity and do I wear it with confidence as a garment of strength and honour?

Am I rejoicing in the future because I know my heavenly husband is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords and I can trust Him with my future?  

Wedding day - Casting Crowns 

  

A Colourful fine linen garment...

Proverbs 31:19-22

She stretches out her hands to the distaff,

And her hand holds the spindle.

20 She extends her hand to the poor,

Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.

21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,

For all her household is clothed with scarlet.

22 She makes tapestry for herself;

Her clothing is fine linen and purple.

In verse 19-22 we see how the bride, as represented by the Proverbs 31 woman, makes beautiful woven, colorful, durable and luxurious garments.  We see how she starts with making the cloth, once again from the raw materials that the Lord provided for her.  She spins the wool or linen herself into yarn that will ultimately be used to weave cloth with.  This yarn needs to be prepared and she dyes it in beautiful colours like scarlet and purple (which were very expensive).  What really stood out for me in this passage is that she makes garments for her own household and the poor - but - that does not mean that she neglects herself.  She also makes tapestry and clothing of fine linen for herself.  She does not just look after others - she makes sure that she takes care of herself, and she does so with luxurious tapestry and linen garments in rich textures and expensive colours. In Revelation 19:8 the following is said about the bride's garments:

Revelation 19:8

It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

The linen of the bride's garment is made of her righteous acts, in addition to this we read in Isaiah  61:10 the following:  

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,

My soul shall be joyful in my God;

For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation,

He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,

As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments,

And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

God Himself clothes the bride in garments of salvation and righteousness.  It is His garment of righteousness that we are clothed in, and out of that flows righteous acts, and those righteous acts become the linen of the bride as mentioned in Revelation 19.  In Proverbs the two colours that are mentioned are scarlet and purple.  Scarlet is a red colour so for me it will point to the blood of Christ that is woven into the bride's garment - it is through the blood of Christ that we are saved and become righteous, and then righteous deeds can be done.  Out of our own works that would not be possible.  The purple was a kingly colour.  It indicates a change in position.  When the bride is redeemed through the blood of Christ, she is made righteous and then she can be His bride.  Her position changes from being a slave to sin, to being the bride of Christ that does righteous acts.  She now is the bride of the King. His work of redemption is completed in her. 

This is surely reason to rejoice - look what Isaiah 61:3 proclaim:

"To console those who mourn in Zion,

To give them beauty for ashes,

The oil of joy for mourning,

The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;

That they may be called trees of righteousness,

The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

This garment of the bride is also a garment of praise against a spirit of heaviness.  The King says He will give those who mourn beauty for the ashes of our broken and lost dreams, wrong choices and sinful acts.  He will take the ashes of our own frivolous works and replace them with beauty.  Give us the oil of joy in the place of our mourning - and we will be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord - so that He may be glorified!  What a precious promise.

The bride in Proverbs 31 understands this - therefore she takes the wool or flax and starts to weave with what God gives her in her hand.  Firstly the scarlet goes into the garment - the blood of Christ that gives us salvation, then the purple of a changed position in Him and then the beautiful colours of righteous acts that flow from there.

So the thoughts to ponder this week are:

• Have you accepted the garment of salvation that the King gives you?
• What am I weaving?  
• With what am I weaving?  
• For whom am I weaving?
• Do I remember and give myself permission to weave for myself?   

Garments of praise - Robin Mark

Her lamp does not go out by night...

Proverbs 31:18

"She perceives that her merchandise is good,

And her lamp does not go out by night" NKJV

"She perceives that her merchandise is good..."  

The bride, as represented by the Proverbs 31 woman, looks at her "merchandise" - the fruit of her labours for the King - and she perceives, she knows and understands that it is good because it is the fruit, or the product, of the labour of the Holy Spirit within her.  She knows the Holy Spirit produces it in and through her.  So what will be the merchandise of the bride of Christ in this sense?  The following scriptures explain much about this:

Galatians 6:7-9

7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

The bride's merchandise is therefore the harvest of that which she has sown - it is her return on the investment she made with her labours and conduct in and out of season and she perceives it is good.  

"...her lamp never goes out by night..." 

The bride's light never goes out - not even in the dark times and seasons of trials and tribulations.  When the clouds of cultural darkness assembles itself and persecution is around the corner, even then her light shines brightly.  She wraps herself with the armour of light - Romans 13:12-14 "The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts." When the bride puts on the Lord Jesus Christ, she cannot help but wrap herself with the armour of light - look what is written in Ps 104, how He is dressed in light!  

Psalm 104:1-2

My soul, praise Yahweh! Lord my God, You are very great;

You are clothed with majesty and splendor.

2 He wraps Himself in light as if it were a robe, (HCSB)

We can be assured and rejoice in Christ, for in John 1:1-2 we read:

John 1:4-5 (HCSB)

Life was in Him

and that life was the light of men.5

That light shines in the darkness,

yet the darkness did not overcome it.

The bride's lamp will never go out by night for the darkness cannot overcome the light of Christ in her!

So the questions to ponder this week are:

• Rejoice in the merchandise that the Holy Spirit already produced and put in your hand - give Him the glory for it!
• Reflect on what we are sowing - thus what kind of merchandise are we expecting to harvest?
• Are you and I wrapped with Christ and therefore with the armour of light?
• Do we believe that as the night deepens and darkness prevails in the culture of our day - that our lamp will never go out for darkness cannot overcome or comprehend it?  

Let there be light - Hillsong

   

She wraps strength around her waist like a belt.

Proverbs 31:17

"She surrounds her waist with strength

And makes her arms strong"

NASB

There is a footnote in one of my Bibles that states the literal translation for this verse can read

 "She wraps strength around her waist like a belt"

... and the Amplified describes it like this:

She equips herself with strength [spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for her God-given task]

And makes her arms strong.

As I was contemplating this verse on strength, wrapping it around our waist and making our arms strong, wondering how do we do this as the bride of Christ, the following scriptures came to mind:

Nehemiah 8:10

Then Ezra said to them, “Go [your way], eat the rich festival food, drink the sweet drink, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be worried, for the joy of the Lord is your strength and your stronghold.” Ampl

Ephesians 6:14

So stand firm and hold your ground, having tightened the wide band of truth (personal integrity, moral courage) around your waist and having put on the breastplate of righteousness (an upright heart), Ampl

Ephesians 3:16-19

May He grant you out of the riches of His glory, to be strengthened and spiritually energized with power through His Spirit in your inner self, [indwelling your innermost being and personality], 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through your faith. And may you, having been [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love, 18 be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God’s people) the width and length and height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love]; 19 and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself]. Ampl

2 Corinthians 10:4-5

4 The weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood]. Our weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ,

So how strong would we be if we wrap joy around our waist and worship God with joyful arms held high.  When we dress ourselves with the belt of truth and stand our ground, when we bring every disobedient thought into captivity and subject it to the authority of God, breaking down all lofty arguments that exalt themselves against God?  How strong are we when we are strengthened through His Spirit in our inner man so that Christ dwells in our hearts through faith, being deeply rooted and grounded in His love for us, being completely filled and flooded with God Himself? 

That I think is a pretty amazing picture of the strength of the bride of Christ - and it is by no means a complete picture.

So the question for this week is:  What does the belt around my waist look like ?  Am I surrounded by His strength?  

"She surrounds her waist with strength

And makes her arms strong"

NASB

Your Love Surrounds me

Providing food for herself and others

"She is like the merchant ships,

She brings her food from afar.

She also rises while it is yet night,

And provides food for her household,

And a portion for her maidservants.

She considers a field and buys it;

From her profits she plants a vineyard."

Proverbs 31:14-16 NKJV

In Proverbs 31:14-16 there seems to be a theme around the provision of food.  We see that these verses speak of different ways of providing food and it speaks of different groups of people the food is provided for.

The ways in which the woman of Proverbs 31 provides the food, are:  

• She brings a whole shipload of diverse kinds of foods from a far country.  
• She rises while it it is still night to provide and prepare the food.
• She buys a field and plants a vineyard.

The people she provides for are:

• Her household.
• Her employees.
• Herself.
• Her generations to come.

Looking closer at these points in the context of the analogy of the Proverbs 31 woman being the bride or body of Christ, we see that, like the merchant ships that source a rich diversity of the choicest products of far countries, she seeks far and deep with the help of the Holy Spirit in the Word for spiritual food and finds a diversity of spiritual truths and treasures in those deep and far places.  She brings all these treasures home so that she and others can enjoy the benefit thereof.  She rises while it is still night.  It is in the deep, dark and difficult night seasons where there is often a lot of pain that the products she brought from the far countries are processed and prepared, so that her whole household (her family, friends, guests and employees) will be able to enjoy and feast on the spiritual food she found, processed and now provides.  Not only does she provide for one season, but she also plans and implements a long term project to ensure provision in the seasons and for the generations to come.  With the fruit of her labours she buys a field and plants a vineyard.  A vineyard is symbolic of her own intimacy with God.  She takes care of her vineyard so that there will be a continuous harvest -  in seasons and for generations to come.  She therefore does not just focus on the immediate needs, but also has the vision and wisdom to do in this season what is necessary, so that there will be a harvest and provision in the seasons to come.  To do this she knows that she needs to look after her own intimacy with God to ensure that it will bear fruit continuously.  Her vineyard is a treasure that she passes on to the next generation as a blessing to them.  

So the questions for us this week are:

• Are we seeking and sourcing the spiritual truths God has for us in those far countries?  Are we making time to journey through His Word and in fellowship with His Spirit to ensure that we fill our our ships with these treasures to bring back home?
• What kind of food are we preparing in the night seasons when life is difficult?  Are we preparing a wholesome feast for our household and employees?
• Are we planting a vineyard?  Are we tending, guarding and keeping that vineyard of ours - for ourselves but also for the seasons and generations to come?    

The Sower's Song - Andrew Petersen

Willing hands...

"She selects wool and flax
and works with willing hands."
Proverbs 31:13

In this verse we read how the bride receives raw materials from God and then with willing hands she works, prepares and produces useful items from it. She is creative in her labours and with a pure and righteous character she is a factory, producing and creating new, useful products from the material she receives from Him. Not only does she provide for herself and her family, but she serves others by providing in their need with her talents and resources also.

In our instant society we are so used to getting the finished product that we often do not even think about the processes necessary to produce those products. Our instant society fosters and develops a culture of consumerism and instant gratification, that in many instances is functioning in quite the opposite way. We buy, use and dispose and then buy, use and dispose again... we want and we want it quickly and without having to put the effort into developing our own creativity and skills to produce something of value, since it takes to long and after all, we don't need to because we can buy the finished product.

 

Thus, some questions to ponder for this week would be:

• What raw materials did God provide you and I with and what are we doing with it?
• Are we using our inborn creativity, our talents and gifts to produce those products that He designed us to do?
• What are those valuable things that you and I were created to produce, that provide for ourselves and others in the body of Christ and above all serve our King and His Kingdom?
• Are our hands willing to take the raw materials He gives and put in the effort necessary to produce the end product?

However, I do not think this verse is only about producing something of value with the raw materials we are given.  Wool and flax are symbolic of purity and righteousness.  So I think if we engage with God to take the raw materials he gives us and walk out the process with Him, much more happens than what meets the eye.  Let's liken it to the following analogy:

 

If a child wants a wire car to play with, the father has one of two choices.  He can buy the car and give it to the child, which will meet the immediate need and bring joy for a time, or he can provide the raw materials and spend the next six weeks building that car with his son.  At the end of that process much more happened than just having a wire car to play with.  The father developed a skill-set in that child that will last a lifetime and the child will be able to use those skills in many other life situations to provide for himself and serve others throughout his entire lifetime, but above all they had lots of time to do things together that built relationship.  It is in this process that the father uses every opportunity to grow the child's character, making use of teachable moments to produce purity and righteousness in him.  This process also passes on skills and talents to the son, making sure that these qualities are not lost and that they are grown from generation to generation.  So also, through the fruit of our willing hand's labour, a relationship with God is fostered and formed and cultivated in ways that are valuable beyond this lifetime.

 

Thus, two more questions to answer this week will be:

• What do we have that God intended for us to impart into the next generation?  
• Do we have willing hands to persevere through the process so that our character can be built in purity and righteousness, building a relationship with God that is of eternal value?  

 I think this video from Casting Crowns carries a message that captures many of these thoughts...

 

In the Hands of the Potter - Casting Crowns  

 

 

She rewards Him with good...

Last week I shared the thought to read Proverbs 31 from the point of view that it speaks of the Bride of Christ or the Body of Christ and then I thought to continue this journey in the same manner this week and possibly for the next couple of weeks looking at the rest of the chapter in more detail.  Thus this week we are looking at verse 12.

Proverbs 31:12

She rewards him with good, not evil,
all the days of her life.

So my question to the Lord was: 

"Lord how do I reward You with good and not evil, all the days of my life?" 

And then these scriptures came to mind: 

Deuteronomy 30:6

  ⁶ The Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the hearts of your descendants, and you will love Him with all your heart and all your soul so that you will live. 

When we allow God to circumcise our hearts so that we will love Him with all our heart and all our souls, we shall live and we reward Him with good and not evil.  Come, Lord Jesus, come circumcise my heart so that I will love you with all my heart and all my soul and that I will reward you with good and not evil all the days of my life...

John 4:23-24

 ²³ But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship Him. ²⁴ God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

When I worship Him in Spirit and in Truth - I reward Him with good and not evil. 

So let us love and worship Him with all our heart and soul... 

I love you Lord with all my heart - Ray Watson

Proverbs 31

Proverbs 31 is one of those chapters in the Bible that I have always avoided to read because I just feel so inadequate when I read it.  It is a standard that is just too high to ever be able to reach.  However, recently we had an interesting discussion at a cell group about this chapter. What if we read this chapter in the context of the body, or bride, of Christ?  What if this chapter is meant to tell us how Christ as the Bridegroom sees His bride? If it can be read as a reference to the bride of Christ it gives us 'n picture of the mature and perfected bride - in other words it is the end result of what God is growing us into.  If we can read it as a picture of the body of Christ then it means that we do not have to be all of it all the time to everyone. We just need to do our part - that part that we are called to, and for which God created and equipped us for, when He intricately wove us together when He made us.  So suddenly this is a chapter that I read with new enthusiasm and an open mind, to see what the Holy Spirit will show me from it. 

Proverbs 31:10-11

Who can find a virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies.
¹¹ The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.

Two questions to ponder from these two verses:

1.  Do I know how much value I have for God?  Do I know my worth?

2. Is my heart a safe place for Him?

Proverbs 31

In God's waiting room...

This morning in church the message was about being in God's waiting room and it made me think about the times that I recently spent in various medical settings in a waiting room.  I had a lot of time to observe the staff, the patients, the way people were treated and the way people wanted or expected to be treated. Everybody was not as patient with the waiting as was needed - to the credit of the medical staff they were always polite and helped as quickly and efficiently as possible.  Waiting is not easy, especially if you are not feeling well and you are waiting to be tended to.  Waiting is not convenient.  Waiting is not our first choice in any setting and I think in our instant world it is becoming increasingly difficult to wait for anything, let alone to wait on God.

Waiting on God can have different meanings, though. Waiting can be passive or active.  It can mean to literally passively sit and wait until something happens or your needs are tended to.  However the active meaning of waiting can be illustrated as follows.  A waiter waits on his or her customer.  It's not a passive thing, it's an active thing.  They wait to see if the customer gives an indication of something they need or if some piece of cutlery should be taken away.  Many years ago I had Sunday lunch with my parents at a hotel that offered a silver-service Sunday lunch.  Those waiters brought serviettes and dished up your food and cleared the table constantly.  Before you could even think something was needed, they already did it.  Recently I was eating at an outdoor restaurant and my fork fell on the pavement.  Before I could even catch the waiter's attention to ask him for a clean one he already got the clean fork and brought it to me.  That is an active way of waiting on someone.  What if we change our perspective of waiting on God from something that is a passive 'I-am-sitting-and-doing-nothing-till-God-answers-attitude" to an active waiting on God?  This requires keen detail observing.  Keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus to see what His next move or instruction is.  God does not always give us all the information beforehand, but gives enough and if we walk in immediate obedience, the rest will follow and eventually we will have the full picture.   

So while in God's waiting room, waiting for that breakthrough or that promise to be fulfilled, what if we ask ourselves:

1.  What is God building/forming in me while I am waiting?

2.  What is God calling me to do while I wait?

3.  Who is waiting with me and why?  Who am I to be to the person who waits with me?  

I think the answers to these questions may give us enough to celebrate while waiting on God for whatever we are waiting for...

Wait upon the Lord - Leeland

Your Life Story Matters

We all have life stories. So many of the people in the Bible have their life stories or at least part thereof written up for us to read, that I am sure that there is a spiritual principle behind people's life stories, otherwise I do not think that God would have spent so much time on getting it recorded and embedded into what we today call 'scripture'. Jesus often used parables to teach people - many of them were stories, I think it is safe to say that your story matters and your story matters to God. And it matters so much that in Revelation 12:10-12 God writes the following about the power of our life stories:

“Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom (dominion, reign) of our God, and the authority of His Christ have come; for the accuser of our [believing] brothers and sisters has been thrown down [at last], he who accuses them and keeps bringing charges [of sinful behavior] against them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame and conquered him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, for they did not love their life and renounce their faith even when faced with death. 12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them [in the presence of God]."

This is such a hopeful scripture because our life stories are not just beautiful - they are also filled with sinful behaviour that the enemy uses to accuse us before God.  This scripture says he does that day and night.  Imagine - day and night the enemy is trying to remind God about every sin we ever committed. He does not want us to forget and he certainly is not going to forget and if he has his way, he is going to make sure that God does not forget. However, our God is bigger than that. There are certain things the enemy can do nothing about. He can do nothing about the fact that the salvation and the power and the kingdom, the dominion and the reign of our God and the authority of His Christ had come when Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected, and that it still will come in a visible manner to and on earth at His second coming.

The accuser can do nothing about the fact that the sin of those who believe in Christ are forgiven and they are washed clean. He can do nothing about the fact that he will be overcome by the BLOOD OF THE LAMB and the WORD OF OUR TESTIMONIES, and by us holding on to faith even when faced by death. He can do nothing about the fact that the heavens and all those who dwell in them are rejoicing because the accuser has been conquered and will finally be thrown down.
 

Our life stories matter.  That part of your life story that the enemy uses to accuse you day and night, mattered so much to God that He sent His Son to change it into a powerful testimony that will be instrumental in overcoming the enemy.  

 

When we allow Jesus to clean and heal and re-write the ending of our life stories, He makes all things beautiful in time. The enemy would not want you to tell that life story.  He does not want you to share with others how much God has done for and in and through you because He knows it's part of God's tools to overcome him.  He will try to steal your voice.  He will try to silence you so that you will not  tell of the goodness of God in your life.  Be intentional.  Share the story of the goodness of God in your life.  Declare the failures of the enemy, by celebrating the victories of God.  Every time he tried to steal, kill or destroy something or someone in your life - tell the world how God did not allow it, how He overcame the enemy's attempt and testify how God built you up.  Heaven will rejoice with you! 

Let our lifesong sing to Him! 

Casting Crowns

 

 

 

The fear that drives out fear

Today I share with you once again a word from Seeds of the Kingdom that really blessed me this week.  In a time where there is so much uncertainty and things we can fear as a result of all that we see happening around us - it is good to shift our perspectives to the fear that drives out all other fears.

Read it here:  Seeds of the Kingdom:  The fear that drives out fear 

 The Afters - I will fear no more

 

His yoke is easy and His burden light

Somewhere in the past week a whats-app post appeared on my phone with a picture of a yoked pair of oxen and the message with it read something to this effect:

A teacher read the following scripture to her class one day:

 Mathew 11:28-30

 ²⁸ Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Then she asked the class what a yoke is.  Some children could explain the yoke very well as they were familiar with how a yoke works on a farm, but one little girl put up her hand and said: 

"I think its when we are having a difficult, trying time and God puts His arm around our necks and helps us through that difficult time"   

I just thought it is such a profound picture to keep in mind.  When we are struggling, God does not leave us alone.  He puts His arm around us and helps us break up our fallow ground so that when the rain comes, the ground is ready to receive the seed and to produce the growth in us.  

Hosea 10:12-13

Sow for yourselves righteousness;
Reap in mercy;
Break up your fallow ground,
For it is time to seek the Lord,
Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.

His yoke is easy and His burden is light because He is the stronger covenant partner - the one that puts His arm around our necks and ploughs with us... 

Oh my Soul - Casting Crowns

Where does our help come from?

These days when I look at everything that is happening in the world, I do sometimes wonder "where will our help come from?"  The world is falling apart bit by bit everyday.  Daily there are reports of hunger, war, violence, corruption, natural disasters, illness etc... enough to make us look around in fear and uncertainty.  I am sure the Psalmist felt like this when he wrote psalm 121.  Not only does He say that our help is from the creator of the universe, but also gives the assurance that God will not allow our feet to be moved, that our God does not sleep nor slumber, that He is at our right hand side, that He is our keeper in all and every natural circumstances, but above all that He Himself will keep us from evil, preserve our soul and watch over our coming in and going out - forevermore!

What an assurance that we have the God who created heaven and earth, mountains and sun and moon - He himself will preserve us and keep us from evil!

Psalm 121

A Song of Ascents.

121 I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
² My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.

³ He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
⁴ Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The Lord is your keeper;
The Lord is your shade at your right hand.
⁶ The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.

⁷ The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
⁸ The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.

 I lift my eyes up (Brian Doerksen) 

How much does God love you and me?

Romans 5:6-11 really made me stop and think about how much God loves us.  I do not think we can even comprehend the answer to that question.  He loves us even though we are sinners, rebellious and disobedient to him.  He loves us even when we are still His enemies.  Jesus the Son of God's life was more valuable than the accumulative value of all the people in all of the history of mankind. In other words His life was more valuable than all the lives of all human beings that lived in the past, are living at present and will still live in the future added all together.  He could pay the price for all of human kind, trading places with us when He took our sin upon Him and gave us His righteousness.  When He said 'It is finished' on the cross everything that needed to be done so that we could be reconciled with God was done.

Now there is only one thing left for us to do.  We need to respond to this love.  We need to accept the gift of reconciliation so that we can have a new life in and through Christ.  He is waiting for your and mine answer.  He waits with abated breath because more than what He already did for us He cannot do.  We have the choice to accept or reject.  What is your answer?   How do you respond to a love like this? 

  Romans 5:6-11 NKJ

⁶ For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. ¹⁰ For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. ¹¹ And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

 No one ever cared for me like Jesus - Stephany Gretzinger

Great is our Lord and greatly to be praised!

In the last couple of weeks I have just realized how much I miss the corporate worship celebration of God during this pandemic where we are often not able to go to church and share fellowship with the body of Christ.  This psalm and this song brings back some wonderful memories but also just help me to focus again on the greatness of our God and the fact that He is greatly to be praised - especially in a time such as this!  

A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

48 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised
In the city of our God,
In His holy mountain.
² Beautiful in elevation,
The joy of the whole earth,
Is Mount Zion on the sides of the north,
The city of the great King.
³ God is in her palaces;
He is known as her refuge.

⁴ For behold, the kings assembled,
They passed by together.
⁵ They saw it, and so they marveled;
They were troubled, they hastened away.
⁶ Fear took hold of them there,
And pain, as of a woman in birth pangs,
⁷ As when You break the ships of Tarshish
With an east wind.

⁸ As we have heard,
So we have seen
In the city of the Lord of hosts,
In the city of our God:
God will establish it forever. Selah

⁹ We have thought, O God, on Your lovingkindness,
In the midst of Your temple.
¹⁰ According to Your name, O God,
So is Your praise to the ends of the earth;
Your right hand is full of righteousness.
¹¹ Let Mount Zion rejoice,
Let the daughters of Judah be glad,
Because of Your judgments.

¹² Walk about Zion,
And go all around her.
Count her towers;
¹³ Mark well her bulwarks;
Consider her palaces;
That you may tell it to the generation following.
¹⁴ For this is God,
Our God forever and ever;
He will be our guide

Even to death.

 City of Elohim  - James Block

Clap you hands all you peoples...

This morning I am just full of thankfulness for who God is - He is Sovereign, He is good, He is the ruler of the universe, We belong to Him and His Kingdom and no power of darkness can change that!  What an amazing thought.  So let us sing with the sons of Korah this morning a joyful praise song to our God.  Let us give Him praise for who He is and for who He chose to make us.  

 

 Psalm 47 - Praise to God NKJV

Praise to God, the Ruler of the Earth
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

47 Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples!
Shout to God with the voice of triumph!
2 For the Lord Most High is awesome;
He is a great King over all the earth.
3 He will subdue the peoples under us,
And the nations under our feet.
4 He will choose our inheritance for us,
The excellence of Jacob whom He loves. Selah

5 God has gone up with a shout,
The Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises!
Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
7 For God is the King of all the earth;
Sing praises with understanding.

8 God reigns over the nations;
God sits on His holy throne.
9 The princes of the people have gathered together,
The people of the God of Abraham.
For the shields of the earth belong to God;
He is greatly exalted.

 

(This song is not available in English and it is the song that is in my head this morning since I got up out of bed - Hope you enjoy it with me!)

 

 Alle volke klap julle hande - Willie Joubert

 

 

 

The Lord of hosts is with us.

Psalm 46 was sent to me this week by a friend and when I read it I just realized how relevant it is for us in this time.  It is so encouraging to know that God is with us in the storm.  To be reminded that He is YHVH Elohe Tsevaot - the Lord of the heavenly armies, The Lord of hosts, is a great encouragement in this time.  

Let us be still and know that He is God  

Even when the world around us is shaken - He is our shelter, He is with us never leaving us nor forsaking us. He is our ever present refuge and strength - Let us not fear! 

Psalm 46

 

God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3 Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah
4 There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,
The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.
6 The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved;
He uttered His voice, the earth melted.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
Who has made desolations in the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariot in the fire.
10 Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

 

Psalm 46 - Misty Edwards

 

 

 

 

Lord, teach us to pray...

In this past week I have many times felt like I do not really know what and how to pray.  With everything happening in our beloved country from riots and looting to friends being sick with covid and generally the numbers surging overall, I have many times been at a loss for words.  Thankfully I know that Jesus is interceding for us before the Father's throne and His prayers for us are always perfect.  He knows what to pray, but I was also reminded that His disciples once asked Him "Lord, teach us to pray", upon which He then gave them what we call "The Lord's prayer".  Yesterday Ellel Ministries posted their daily devotions with exactly this message, and I thought it is confirmation to revisit this prayer of Our Lord Jesus in this time.  I share their post with you this morning:

Lord, teach us to pray

There are so many beautiful versions of the Lord's prayer but this morning I opt for a more traditional version: 

The Lord's Prayer - Susan Boyle 

Wisdom existed before the beginning...

Listen to the Word of God as Wisdom describes herself:  

Proverbs 8:21-36

²² “The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way,
Before His works of old.
²³ I have been established from everlasting,
From the beginning, before there was ever an earth.
²⁴ When there were no depths I was brought forth,
When there were no fountains abounding with water.
²⁵ Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills, I was brought forth;
²⁶ While as yet He had not made the earth or the fields,
Or the primal dust of the world.
²⁷ When He prepared the heavens, I was there,
When He drew a circle on the face of the deep,
²⁸ When He established the clouds above,
When He strengthened the fountains of the deep,
²⁹ When He assigned to the sea its limit,
So that the waters would not transgress His command,
When He marked out the foundations of the earth,
³⁰ Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman;
And I was daily His delight,
Rejoicing always before Him,
³¹ Rejoicing in His inhabited world,
And my delight was with the sons of men.

³² “Now therefore, listen to me, my children,
For blessed are those who keep my ways.
³³ Hear instruction and be wise,
And do not disdain it.
³⁴ Blessed is the man who listens to me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at the posts of my doors.
³⁵ For whoever finds me finds life,
And obtains favor from the Lord;
³⁶ But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul;
All those who hate me love death.”

Wisdom song

 

Love and Seek Wisdom...

Continuing in Proverbs 8:12-21 lets hear what Wisdom wants to teach us this morning:   

 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
And find out knowledge and discretion.
¹³ The fear of the Lord is to hate evil;
Pride and arrogance and the evil way
And the perverse mouth I hate.
¹⁴ Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom;
I am understanding, I have strength.
¹⁵ By me kings reign,
And rulers decree justice.
¹⁶ By me princes rule, and nobles,
All the judges of the earth.
¹⁷ I love those who love me,
And those who seek me diligently will find me.
¹⁸ Riches and honor are with me,
Enduring riches and righteousness.
¹⁹ My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold,
And my revenue than choice silver.
²⁰ I traverse the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of justice,
²¹ That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth,
That I may fill their treasuries.

The fear of the Lord is to hate evil..... Wisdom love those who love her and those who seek Wisdom diligently will find Wisdom...

Let us hate evil and love Wisdom, Let us fear the Lord and diligently seek Wisdom this week in all that we do.  

 Wisdom (Proverbs 8 in Music)