by Morgan Lunsford | Oct 27, 2015 | Proverbs
Proverbs 10: 1-2
The proverbs of Solomon: A wise child brings joy to a father; a foolish child brings grief to a mother. Proverbs10:1
This may seem like kind of a random thing for Solomon to point out. It almost seems too obvious. Of course, a child who is wise brings joy to a family, and a child who is not so wise brings grief. I think it is important not to overlook who the child is that Solomon is referring to. We are the children and God is the father. When we are wise with our choices and wise in the way that we live our lives, we are living in such a way that brings joy to our Father. When we choose to live in such way that is foolish or unwise, making decisions that dishonor God, we bring grief to our Father. In our Father’s grief, we should feel guilty. It should be the worst thing in the world to dishonor our Father. “It adds to the guilt of those that conduct themselves ill that thereby they grieve those whom they ought to be a joy to”
Tainted wealth has no lasting value, but right living can save your life. Proverbs10:2
“Treasures of wickedness profit nothing.” It does us no good to gain wealth that is not pure. What good is wealth if it separates us from God? If we desire wealth because we are greedy or envious, what good does that wealth do us? We should strive to live our lives right and fully surrendered to God and to his plan for us. God is so much more valuable to us than any material richness. Live your life in such a way that values God and who he is and he will bless you with all the wealth you could ever imagine. It may not be money or jewels, but it is and everlasting, never changing wealth that only he can give us.
“Proverbs 10 Commentary Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Complete).” Bible Study Tools. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2015.
by Morgan Lunsford | Oct 13, 2015 | Proverbs
Proverbs 4: 14-27
14 Don’t do as the wicked do, and don’t follow the path of evildoers. 15 Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way. Turn away and keep moving. 16 For evil people can’t sleep until they’ve done their evil deed for the day. They can’t rest until they’ve caused someone to stumble. 17 They eat the food of wickedness and drink the wine of violence!
At first glance, these few verses seem harsh or blunt. It is almost as if the author of this passage knew that if he did not just come out and say what needed to be heard, it would probably just be skimmed over and not taken very seriously. Essentially, these verses are saying that as Christ followers, it is our responsibility to be accountable for who we decide to befriend in this world. It is very easy to fall into the wrong group of friends and not even realize it. He is saying this as a warning to us. Don’t be distracted or enticed by the things of this world that are not meant for us. As Christ followers, we have an important responsibility to be an example to those who are not believers. How foolish would we look if we were easily swayed by worldly evils?
18 The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day. 19 But the way of the wicked is like total darkness. They have no idea what they are stumbling over. 20 My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. 21 Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, 22 for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body.
I think it is important to note the urgency in the author’s writing. It amplifies the importance of this idea. He is reminding us that even though it will be challenging and we will most definitely be tempted by the world, it is imperative that we hold strong to the Lord and his guidance. What I think I love the most about these verses is that the author is so persistent. He knows what it would mean if we stumbled into darkness with those evildoers and he does not want it to happen to us. I love that. I think as Christians we should do the exact same for our friends that are also Christians. We should stop at nothing to make sure that they know the importance of following the ways of the righteous and the consequences of following the wicked.
23 Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. 24 Avoid all perverse talk; stay away from corrupt speech. 25 Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. 26 Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. 27 Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.
In all we do, we must keep our eyes locked on the Lord. It is going to be difficult and we are guaranteed to slip away a time or two, but God will be on our side the entire time.
by Morgan Lunsford | Oct 1, 2015 | Proverbs
Proverbs 1:1-7
God never intended for us to have all the answers. In fact, I don’t even know if we are capable of that kind of knowledge. That’s ok. It’s really difficult to admit sometimes, if we are honest. We don’t want to look weak or look like we don’t have it all together. We want people to think that we know everything and have a perfect plan. The truth is, we can’t know everything and we can’t have a perfect plan. We must seek God for wisdom and for direction. He knows everything because he created everything. He designed every perfect plan in the world. This passage proves that we were never meant to be the ones in control or be the ones with all of the answers, He is. He gives us wisdom and he gives us what we need. Even if we think we are better off alone, we are not. He has all of the knowledge and wisdom in the world and he is on our side. He is fighting with us and for us. He knows that we cannot carry the weight of the world on our own, so he gives us all the tools we need to face it head-on. We don’t have to worry or be afraid of what the world might throw at us, because he is wise and strong on our behalf. Seek wisdom from the One who knows the world like the back of his hand.
Photography: @shelbseab
by Morgan Lunsford | Sep 19, 2015 | James
James 3: 17-18
Convenience. In a world that often devalues patience, because of a desire for quick-and-easy, we tend to settle for convenience. I’m not saying that convenience is a bad thing at all, but how often do we allow this need for “right here, right now” to cloud our judgment? We can find all the answers we are looking for right in our own brains, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we will find all the answers we need. True wisdom doesn’t come from what is in our heads, but it comes from an almighty and all-knowing God. True wisdom that comes from God is always necessary, but it is not always convenient. We may not find the answers we are looking for right away. We may not even get an answer that we like. What we will find, though, is a God who is patient and merciful and wise. He knows our desires and he knows our hearts. He knows everything about us. He sees the little things about us that maybe we don’t even know exist. He knows what we need, even when don’t. Our earthly wisdom is nothing compared to the true wisdom of the Father. In the loneliest of hours and times of deepest need, we should seek wisdom from God, who has always been there for us and knows exactly what to do.
For the LORD grants wisdom! From his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity. He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him. Proverbs 2:6-8
Photography: @carrlosluna
by Morgan Lunsford | Sep 8, 2015 | James
James 2: 5-7
It’s so easy for us as Christians to use our opinions to try and judge someone else. If we see someone living or acting in a way that is contrary to what we believe or what the bible says is the way to live or act, our first response is typically to judge them or to shame them. If we see someone who has less than us, sometimes we automatically assume they are worth less than us. But the bible says that, “God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith.” We were chosen by God to inherit his kingdom, despite anything we have done or anything we have said. This verse is simply pointing out that if we are all chosen to inherit his kingdom, what reason is there to judge someone else? We are all humans and we will all make mistakes. There is no one sin that is worse than another. Who are we to judge someone who makes mistakes differently than us? Above all, when we honor our neighbors and choose love over judgement, we honor God.
“If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13: 2
Photography: @brandon_nalley
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