Day 5: Always On His Mind

"For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders all of his paths."

Proverbs 5:21

I have to admit that when I think of God being everywhere at all times, it can be a bit daunting. No one is perfect, so the idea that God sees all, knows all and hears all is enough to unnerve the average person at times. He sees my ways when it's smooth sailing and He sees my ways when I'm expressing road rage. He sees when I'm on top of my game and when I've let sin sneak into my heart. And reading Proverbs 5:21 was a reminder of that.

However today was not only about the unnerving nature of being watched by God, but there was hope for me in the second part of this particular verse. Not only is everything I do before God, but He's pondering me. He's pondering my "paths". When I start to worry about a bill being paid or making the right decisions for business and ministry or maintaining the right relationships, He is pondering my paths. He knows the way I will go and He knows the ways I will consider traveling. He knows about the road less traveled in my life and the times that I've gone back up and down the same street. It's awesome to be reminded of God's persistent love for us. If you've ever been in love, in lust, or just plain obssessed with someone, then you'll understand in some minute way that God's got us on His mind constantly--pondering the ones He loves (you and I) without ceasing. 

Today, that was just the encouragement that I needed. I don't know about you, but it's comforting to know that I'm on God's mind. I'm not alone...and neither are you. Whatever it is that you are going through today, please remember that God is thinking of you. He's pondering your paths and you're always on His mind.

Be encouraged by God's love and attention!
Blessings,
MinD

Day 4: Watch Your Mouth

This evening, I had a late dinner with a friend. We spent a lot of time talking and left having worked through several issues. As we were leaving, the server/cashier proceeds to speak to me (totally from God) about there being a time to be silent and being careful about the words that come out of my mouth. He hadn't been hovering over our table or anything like that, but he was right on point and could only have been led of the Lord. And I listened and thanked him for the Word he had given--receiving every word in prayer.

I came home to finish my reading of Proverbs 4 to see that same message reiterated. Verse 24 says, “Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put perverse lips far from you.”

That word "perverse" jumped out at me. As we strive to operate fully in God’s wisdom, it is important to know when to speak and when to be silent. I looked up that word “perverse” and was struck that it means “willfully determined or disposed to go counter to what is expected or desired; contrary.” (www.dictionary.com) Out of a desire to be right, heard or validated, there are times when we don’t always use wisdom in choosing when to speak and when to stop and listen. This is true for me at times and perhaps it’s true for you.

My prayer today is that you and I both learn to listen intently to the Holy Spirit and speak only when He gives us that holy unction and choose silence as He continues a work in us.

Be encouraged in your silence.

Blessings,

MinD

Day 3: Today's A Good Day

There's an old saying that says, "Don't put off for tomorrow what you can do today." We usually think of this in terms of the "stuff" of life that we have to accomplish that often falls prey to our procrastination. But today, in Proverbs 3, we are reminded that that old saying goes much further than folding clothes or paying a bill. In the midst of explaining the benefits of wisdom, knowledge and understanding, Solomon throws in this interesting set of verses that take the focus off of what wisdom can do for us and place it elsewhere...

"Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,  

When it is in the power of your hand to do so.
Do not say to your neighbor, 'Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it,'When you have it with you."  (vs. 27, 28)

Today's prayer for you is that you will remember to do good for someone else today--that you will stop and pray for that person when they make the request or you will stop and ask (and really listen) to how someone's day is going. It doesn't take very much to serve another person and glorify God. We like to say "Service Is Simple" and today is as good a day as any to intentionally make someone's day. Today, take the challenge to look beyond your situation and circumstance and throw some good in someone's direction; and watch as the power of goodness makes all the difference in that person's world. 

Be encouraged to make a difference!
MinD

Day 2: The Treasure Within

As a minister/teacher, I often get the question "how do you hear from God?" The answer to that question may vary depending on who you ask, but I can tell you that I always answer that there are two main keys to hearing from God: 1) searching His Word and 2) recognizing the peace within. It's not rocket science. We make it far more complicated than it has to be. Yes, there are times when the audible voice of God comes to us. There are times when He speaks through other people even. But those two (Word and Peace) are the cornerstone.

Reading Proverbs 2 provides just that reminder that those two things are the center of our connection to God. It begins with the words, "My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you," (vs. 1) it is then that your understanding will be sealed and God's wisdom prevail in your heart. We often think it's bigger than that. So we go from preacher to preacher and church to church in search of "what thus said the Lord" when the voice we should be seeking and listening to the most is right there in our hearts. You have a treasure within you that you simply need to trust. Stop the running! The search is over! When you accepted Christ into your life, you got the greatest prophet in the world by way of the Holy Spirit who is there to constantly guide you. If you get quiet (Psalm 46:10 says "be still and know that I am God") and slow down for a moment today, I promise you will find that the answers are right there before you. It's up to you to receive what He's saying and treasure that gift.

Be encouraged,
MinD

Day 1: Not Making Sense

I think that I would like to say that I'm becoming wise and seeking understanding. Time has a way of doing that to just about anyone who is willing to listen and learn from their life. You will, prayerfully, learn wisdom with each experience and gain understanding about life as a result. But the truth of the matter is that we don't always make sense. In fact, where God is leading compared to our circumstance can even be laughable at times.

But it's important to remember that the mere function of faith is that it doesn't make sense. Hebrews tells us that faith is about what you can't see and not what is clear. The pit we often fall into as Christians is wanting to live in spaces of clarity when faith has called us to see with some degree of blurred vision--we are called to live in the midst of a riddle. You may hear from God what He's going to do in the future but the how, what, when, where and who of the equation are often evasive--creating a filter that simply blurs that ultimate vision. What's more, trying to make sense out of our callings and our dreams to other people can be an even greater challenge and can leave them mocking us with disbelief.

"A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of 

understanding will attain wise counsel, To understand a proverb and an enigma, 

The words of the wise and their riddles."

Proverbs 1:5-6

As I read Proverbs 1, verse 6 jumped out as it said "the words of the wise and their riddles". The fact that there are things in life that God calls "riddles" reminds me that what I'm doing and where I'm going doesn't always have to make sense to others. What may look crazy and seem ludicrous to those watching me live out this life is merely a riddle of the wise. And so I wanted to encourage you today to live life in line with what God is saying to you and not what makes sense to the human mind. With godly and wise counsel, walk with courage today knowing that the things of the Spirit often confound (I like that word) those who are disconnected from our vision and from the Spirit of the Lord. When people say that your faith is not making sense, simply laugh with the knowledge that to them  it's a riddle while to God it's reality.

Keep living & Be encouraged,
MinD

Summer's Over!

With summer ending...so has our "prayer point" hiatus of the past 2 months, and the Lord is starting us off with a BANG! As the final quarter of the month is fast approaching, the Lord has called me to a journey in wisdom through the month of September. Join me daily as I walk through the Proverbs--sharing a piece of whatever wisdom God evokes for that day. It's bound to be an interesting month of revelation and refocusing as we enter make every effort to finish 2012 strong. I'm looking forward to it and I hope that you are too.

Blessings,
MinD

It's For Your Own Good

There are days when we look at our lives and wonder how it is that we are going through so much. We compare ourselves to others -- though we know we aren't supposed to -- and wonder how "they" are getting or experiencing what we hope and pray for while we struggle to get by. We question why God has allowed us to be moved or tossed around -- losing houses, cars, jobs, relationships, children, and more -- while those we perceive to not even be thinking about Jesus have the security and stability we desire. It's an easy trap to fall into. And the Lord has an answer that stretches even beyond the one verse many of us know (Romans 8:28... 'all things work together for our good'). God sent me today to add another bullet into your arsenal of favor. The Lord uses the metaphor of ripe and rotten figs to encourage his people in Jeremiah 24:5.

“Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge those who are carried away captive from Judah, whom I have sent out of this place for their own good, into the land of the Chaldeans. For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land; I will build them and not pull them down, and I will plant them and not pluck them up. Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart.

Things may not look like they are working out. They may seem to have taken a turn for the worse. You may even find that you feel like you've been ripped out of your comfort zone and out of your place of praise (I.e. Judah), but God wants you, His "good fig" to be encouraged that it's "for your own good". He's giving you an even greater heart for Him in the midst of your transition. He's reconciling your heart to His in an even greater way. This is an invitation to love from your Savior. If you allow yourself to relinquish control, you'll find yourself falling deeper and deeper in love with Him.

Nothing is greater than that. Be encouraged!

-MinD