by Taylor Adams | Oct 25, 2015 | Proverbs
Proverbs 9: 7-9
Several years ago I was driving home from ministry school and I heard the Lord tell me to drive to a gas station and follow a man with a black hat. I drove to the nearest gas station and as I pull in, a man with a black hat walks out and around to the back of the station. I followed him around the corner and watch him get in his car and drive away, but as he does, I see a young homeless girl sitting just behind the car, and immediately I hear the Lord tell me, “That’s her, go love the HELL right out of her”. I jumped out of my car and begin to strike up a conversation with her and tell her how valuable and loved she was, but she was closed off, as if she didn’t believe the words I was saying were true. I was struggling to find out how to reach her and then she exclaims, “I just need a cigarette”. Everything inside of me wanted to say “No! You don’t need those, you need Jesus!” But Immediately I knew what I needed to do. I ran and got cigarettes from the gas station and gave them to her. She said to me, “Aren’t you a Christian? I thought you guys were against all this stuff” and I responded, “My job is not to change you, it’s to love you.” She was taken back, but preceded to put the cigarette in her mouth and light it. As soon as she lit it, she coughed and spit it out. It was as if in an instant, all of her desire to smoke was driven out completely by love. She then gave her life to Jesus because of the love that she was shown, not judgment or condemnation.
So often Christians feel the need to try to immediately change someone and correct their actions. But we forget that our job is not to be the ones to transform, but to be the ones that extravagantly love, and when we do, God will do his job to bring the transformation. If we call out someone’s sin that has no grasp on what that actually means, it will do absolutely nothing to transform them, it will often bring nothing but contempt and turn them away. People are not attracted to Jesus because of the rules he brings; they’re attracted to him for the freedom that he brings. It is the kindness of Christ that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4). Proverbs 9:7-9 doesn’t give us an excuse to ignore the lost, but it rather gives us a mandate to love them into wisdom and truth. God is love, and wisdom always follows encounters with God. When love is displayed, God is invited and wisdom cant help but come soon after. Our job is to love the lost, and to disciple those who have seen and experienced truth. Love always triumphs over punishment.
by Toni Thrash | Oct 23, 2015 | Proverbs
Proverbs 9.1-6
Wisdom has no boundaries. It is not picky who it chooses. Not everyone chooses it first. It knows what it feels like to be chosen last by some. It does not have any prerequisites. It can’t choose you. It waits to be chosen.
1 Wisdom has built her house: she has carved its seven columns. 2 She has prepared a great banquet, mixed the wines, and set the table.
When wisdom is the foundation, the house built will stand. The banquet prepared is for those who need wisdom. The table is set and waiting on the guests to arrive.
3 She has sent her servants to invite everyone to come. She calls from the heights of the city. 4 “Come in with me,” she urges the simple. To those who lack good judgement, she says.
The guest are the simple, those who lack good judgement. This is the way of wisdom, always urging us to the table. Wisdom wants to be learned from and applied. It is always available for us. It invites us in.
5 “Come, eat my food, and drink the wine I have mixed. 6 Leave your simple ways behind, and begin to live: learn to use good judgement.”
Here is something I have learned: Wisdom is needed at every stage in life. Simply, because it is a new season: one you have not walked before. I’ve yet to learn it all, however, I want and yearn to sit at the table to hear and understand what wisdom is telling me. Truth is imperative to this acceptance of the invitation to sit and learn. I no longer want or desire to stay where I am. There is always an area of life that needs to be changed by wisdom. Never take it lightly when wisdom is dropped in your life. The call is there. Listen. Be obedient.
Watch and see what will happen when you walk in wisdom. The call is high and requires a response.
Come quickly and sit. There is much to learn.
Photography: @hannah.aspen
by Lauren McPherson | Oct 22, 2015 | Proverbs
Proverbs 8:22-36
Want to live a better life? Do you want to be successful in the things that you do and say? Wouldn’t it be nice to gain some wisdom before giving an opinion? Wisdom and righteous living brings a long life, and in these next few verses Solomon describes it to us, it reads almost like a poem of praise. He wants us to know the depth and the seriousness of it.
Proverbs 8:22-31
In these verses Solomon is telling us about wisdom, and how it came to be. When God established the heavens it was there (27), before mountains have been shaped (25), when he marked out the foundations of Earth (29) and when he made the skies above (28). God’s wisdom has been around since the beginning, it is the code of moral conduct. Solomon wants us to understand that since the beginning of time there has been a way in which to live, and has been clearly defined.
Proverbs 8:32-36
This is where we get called to make a decision. I love this about God, he gives us a choice to either follow him and live by his wisdom or hate him and find death (36). He wants us to know that wisdom only matures the individual that follows it, Solomon tells us all of this in a practical way, wisdom calls to those who will listen and do what it says, it’s the source of God’s delight.
See, wisdom can bring healing, and a new perception about whatever you are searching for, perhaps a new look at worldly views? Wisdom helps you to align your thinking to God’s thinking. If the bible is your main guide on how you live your life (and I pray it is), all you need to do is ask. Our God really isn’t complicated, it’s either ask and know, or don’t ask and look like a fool. He loves us and has a plan for us, we just need to believe that he does. 🙂
Photography: @amyhulstforpresident
by Alyssa Shelby | Oct 22, 2015 | Proverbs
Proverbs 8:12-21
Where do you turn when you are looking for direction? We all need that one person in our lives, a friend or mentor, that we can go to for advice. That person who always knows what to say at the right time and in the right way.
In Proverbs 8:12-21 we read about wisdom personified. The Hebrew people thought and wrote in concrete ideas rather than theoretical terms, which often led to ideas or virtues having a personality.
Proverbs 8:12-14
“I, Wisdom, live together with good judgment. I know where to discover knowledge and discernment. All who fear the LORD will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech. Common sense and success belong to me. Insight and strength are mine.”
When one finds wisdom all other virtues flow from it. Those who fear the Lord have wisdom, and those who have wisdom love what the Father loves and hate what He hates. Pride and arrogance are against God, but those who fear the Lord and seek wisdom are walking with God.
Proverbs 8:15-16
“Because of me, kings reign, and rulers make just decrees. Rulers lead with my help, and nobles make righteous judgments.”
The word for a “noble”, in Hebrew, is the same word for a person who is generous and has a willing spirit. Leaders found their success when they were open and sought direction from wisdom. Wisdom, then becomes, the combination of experiential knowledge and good judgement.
Proverbs 8:16-21
“I love all who love me. Those who search will surely find me. I have riches and honor, as well as enduring wealth and justice. My gifts are better than gold, even the purest gold, my wages better than sterling silver! I walk in righteousness, in paths of justice. Those who love me inherit wealth. I will fill their treasuries.”
This promise teaches us that those who pursue wisdom will not end up empty handed. Wisdom’s followers will receive an inheritance that is incomparable to anything we could attain on our own. Wisdom ensures that we will be full when we seek her and walk in her ways.
Photography: @jacobnnorris
by Christian Ross | Oct 21, 2015 | Proverbs
Proverbs 8:1-11
What is wisdom? Could it be that wisdom is simply making the right choice between two scenarios? Or is it standing up for the “right” cause in the wake of a seemingly important subject matter? Is it measured by the amount of money and success someone has obtained or is it rather a unique ability to be inherently smart? Arguably, all would say that to be wise is a good thing, and that the fruits of walking in wisdom must be good based on principle alone. Instead of asking the question, what is wisdom? Let’s ask the question, who is Wisdom?
1Does not wisdom call out?
Does not understanding raise her voice?
2At the highest point along the way,
where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3beside the gate leading into the city,
at the entrance, she cries aloud:
Verses 1-3, to me, seem to be rooted in urgency. Wisdom is not trying to be illusive or play hard to get. Wisdom is actually right in your face. Shouting above the noise of our everyday lives, in every decision, at every turn, Wisdom is desperately trying to gain our attention. All this so that we might listen and make the right choices in our lives, for the sake of building God’s Kingdom and for Christ to be able to continue His good work in us that put our faith in Him.
4“To you, O people, I call out;
I raise my voice to all mankind.
5You who are simple, gain prudence;
you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.
6Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say;
I open my lips to speak what is right.
7My mouth speaks what is true,
for my lips detest wickedness.
8All the words of my mouth are just;
none of them is crooked or perverse.
Verses 4-8 let us know that Wisdom is not held back for a select few, but extends her council to us all. Our backgrounds and our shortcomings don’t matter in the slightest. James 1:5 (NIV) says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given you.” Wisdom speaks the truth, only what is right and all her words are just. We can trust that these three characteristics, that mirror those of Jesus, will only ultimately lead us to our best life; the life that God has called us to in the first place, if we’ll listen.
9To the discerning all of them are right;
they are upright to those who have found knowledge.
10Choose my instruction instead of silver,
knowledge rather than choice gold,
11for wisdom is more precious than rubies,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.
We have a choice. We always have a choice. To be discerning we have to listen. To find knowledge we have to seek it out. This is a call to action. A call to search out Wisdom above money, success, power, etc. It starts by making the choice to follow Christ. Only by His example and discipleship can we learn to walk in the bountiful blessings of Wisdom.
How do you choose to follow Jesus and begin to seek out Wisdom that so urgently calls out to you?
It’s simple. Firstly, pray this prayer; Lord Jesus, I confess that You are the son of the living God. I believe that You died for my sins and rose again on the 3rd day and are now sitting at the right hand of Your father in Heaven. Please, forgive me of my sins and be forever Lord of my life. Thank You for Your grace that is sufficient! All in Your name I pray. Secondly, become a disciple of Jesus and ask Him to give you wisdom. Answer the call to action. Dust off your bible, devour God’s word and seek Him out in prayer. Most of all, listen. Soon you will be filled with knowledge and will become discerning. Then you will start to know what it is like to walk in Wisdom, wisdom that only comes from God.
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