Let It Out

It's October!!!

This is my favorite time of the year...the holiday season.  From now until January, there will be many celebrations and indulgences of many delicious foods.  Throughout this time, we are often tempted to discuss what we did and did not do during the past year.  We also spend much time discussing what we're planning to do in the next year.

I'd like to take a moment to halt you right there...stop right there in your tracks!  Do not spend any energy dwelling on what you did not do this past year.  If there was something that you wanted to accomplish or start but have not done it, do it NOW! The time is NOW!  All of the energy used to think about what you should and could have done can and should be spent on the actual activity! I think we'll be extremely productive people if we spent just as much time doing what we talk about doing.

Look toward your incredible and awesome future! I believe that God has placed something great in each of us! Guess what, that THING that you're holding inside of  you, someone NEEDS it...there is someone out there who NEEDS your business, your non profit organization, your song, your book, your talent, your skill...

Know this...whatever it is that God has placed within you--His vision for your life--it is meant to be used to glorify Him and to uplift His people!

So get going...someone needs you...walk in love!

Consistency...

More about the Proverbs 31 Woman...

Proverbs 31:19-24
19 Her hands are busy spinning thread,
her fingers twisting fiber.
²⁰ She extends a helping hand to the poor
and opens her arms to the needy.
²¹ She has no fear of winter for her household,
for everyone has warm^[c] clothes.

²² She makes her own bedspreads.
She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.
²³ Her husband is well known at the city gates,
where he sits with the other civic leaders.
²⁴ She makes belted linen garments
and sashes to sell to the merchants.

 

As I read more about the "Proverbs 31 Woman," I note one thing: consistency.  Each of the scriptures support one another in that she is a hard worker.  She spends her time being productive and doing that which needs to be done. She is also a giving person (v 20).  She helps those around her as well as looks for opportunities to serve others. She is organized and a planner because as noted in v. 21 her family is prepared for winter because she made sure that they would be. They have warm clothes because she made them. She knew that winter would someday come so she did what needed to be done to prepare her family for it. She is also well dress (and covered). Her husband is well known at the city gates because of her. She adds value to his reputation because of the kind of woman she is.  Not only is she diligent at working to make sure that her family has everything that they need but she makes enough to sell.  Based on her character, I'm sure she invests the money wisely.

 

I believe as women, we can learn so much from the character of this woman. Whether or not we are married or have a family to take care of, we can still practice some of these same qualities.  Prudence and Diligence are well suited for any situation. One can never have too much wisdom either.

 

I'd like to encourage you to have as less idle time as possible. Spend your time being productive and bettering yourself so that when you are a wife, you will possess many of the same qualities.  If you are already a wife and have a family, be diligent in everything that you do. Be sure that your family is well taken care of and that your works will bring praises to all of you.

 

Be encouraged. Be better today than you were yesterday.

Obedience everyday not just TODAY

Have you ever stopped to examine your life and actions when you’re in need of a blessing or desperately need the Lord to move on your behalf? During these times in our lives, I find that many of us live more righteously as if this would get God’s attention and cause Him to move quicker in our lives.  We oftentimes pray more often, go to church more often, praise more often, read our bibles more often, give more often, worship more often, and do all of the things that we’re supposed to do anyway.  I’d like to bring your attention to the following verse:

John 5:14 NLT But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, “Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you.”

Jesus said this to the man that he healed and gave the ability to walk.  I’d like to encourage you to live righteously everyday and not just because you are seeking something from the Lord.  The Lord requires that we do all of those things in obedience to Him and not simply because we want something. If anything, I believe that we should already be doing these things and they should just be magnified even more when we’re seeking something from the Lord.

Also, once you have received whatever it was you were seeking (probably even more than you asked), keep on living righteously. Don’t stop. Once you receive what you’ve been asking, don’t go back to living the way you once were, continue to walk in obedience to the Lord. Getting what you asked for is not a license to go back and live like hell.  Afterall, something even worse may happen to you!

Lord help us to not be obedient only when we want something from you but help us to make obedience a part of who we are. I pray that you allow your light and power to manifest in our lives so that we may have the courage and boldness to seek after you and live the way you want us to live like never before.  As we go through this week, help us to be mindful of your love for us and what you require of us.  Please make our paths straight and give us wisdom and discernment to hear your voice and walk along the straight path. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Have a blessed day!

Have You Considered my servant (....)?

I wrote this 4 years ago. I found it in my e-mail and decided to share!

Have you considered my servant (insert your name here)?

Scripture reference: Job 1:7-8

How about that?  God knows Job's heart.  In the text, we can see that God already knew what Job would do.  He knew that whatever came upon Job, that Job would still praise Him and give Him glory.  When all of those trials came upon Job, he didn't stop believing in God.  In fact, at one point in the text, he said that "The Lord gives and he takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord." 

Can God say that about us today?  If He allows (notice that whatever happens to you or whatever you go through, has to be run by God first....satan has to get PERMISSION to bother you) you to go through trials/tribulations, do know that it is not for naught..there is a PURPOSE.

So, my question to you today is this:  Can the Lord say to satan:  Have you considered my servant (insert your name here)?  Is your heart in the right place? When you're going through trials, are you focusing on God or the trial?  Let's not edify our problems but edify OUR GOD!  Our God is AWESOME!

Join me in a quick prayer:  Father in heaven, I come to you right now thanking you Lord just for being WHO you are.  I thank you that your ways are greater than my ways and your thoughts are greater than my thoughts.  I thank you for having a plan already laid out for my life.  Lord I seek to do YOUR will and not my own.  Lord, I live to give you praise, honor, and glory.  In the name of Jesus, if I am not living my life in a way that always gives you honor and glory, show me that right now Lord so that I may seek through you. I do realize that I cannot do it by myself and that is why I seek you. I thank you for loving me Lord just as I am but Lord, I do not wish to stay as I am because I want to go higher in you!  I want to be what you have called me to be so that one day you can have confidence in me and say to satan, "Have you considered my servant (your name here)?
 
Have an awesome and blessed day! And if you are going through something today, you can rejoice because it is not the end, it is only the beginning....pushing you toward your purpose!

Be encouraged!

The Money Manageress

Proverbs 31:16-18 NLT She goes to inspect a field and buys it; with her earnings she plants a vineyard. She is energetic and strong, a hard worker. She makes sure her dealings are profitable; her lamp burns late into the night.

Reading and meditating on verses 16-18 above tells me that the Proverbs 31 Woman is a woman who manages her finances well! She is an accountant, investor and entrepreneur wrapped into one!

Verse 16 indicates that she researches a purchase before actually making that purchase.  She doesn't buy things on a whim. She knows the status of her finances and does not put herself in a bind to make purchases (accountant- keeping track of her money).  She makes sure that the purchase will be beneficial to her household.  She reinvests her money so that she will get the most of out it (investor and entrepreneur).

Verse 17 reveals that she isn't lazy. She works hard. She makes her money work for her!

Verse 18 tells us that she makes sure that her dealings are profitable. (There's the entrepreneur in her again).  She doesn't waste her time or money on things that won't add value to her (or her household).

The more I read this, the more I believe that she is managing the finances of her household.  Her husband has entrusted her to manage the finances.  Her family's wellbeing depends on the way she manages the finances.  Therefore she makes smart decisions when it comes to money.  "Inspecting a field before she buys it" tells me that she considers her purchase.  This means that she may not make the purchase right then.  In the same way, I think we should be more mindful of the way we spend our money.  We don't have to spend our paychecks before we get them or buy something just because "it's on sale."  I would like to encourage you to tithe, save and pay your bills first.  If you have money left, consider what you have left and what it is that you'd like to purchase.  How will the purchase benefit you? Your family?  I am certainly not saying that we shouldn't buy nice things for ourselves but I am saying that business should be taken care of first.

Today, I'd like to encourage you to take a serious look at your finances and the way you've been managing them. If you aren't doing well, make a plan and start now. There is no better time than the present.  If you are, keep it up! For Proverbs 27:23 says that we should know the condition of our flock. We should always know the condition of our finances.

Walk in love and faithfulness today! Be encouraged!

Becoming more...

Still discussing The Proverbs 31 Woman:

Proverbs 31:13-15 She finds wool and flax and busily spins it. She is like a merchant’s ship,
bringing her food from afar. She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.

By reading and meditating on Proverbs 31:13-15, I learn that this woman of virtue is business minded, smart and diligent.  I can also tell that she is a planner and a very organized person.

Let's start with verse 13:  She makes her own clothes!  Today, I know that it is highly unlikely that many of us would make our own clothes.  We don't have to make them but we can make better choices when purchasing them.  We can assure that we buy quality items and that we do not spend up all of our money doing so.  We can also make sure that they are wholesome and that our parts are covered. ;-)  In addition, this shows that she is not afraid to work.  She is working hard to get what she wants and needs.

In the following verse (14), the scripture says that she brings her food from afar.  This tells me that she makes sure that she buys the best foods for her family.  She takes the time to plan and seek out what is best.

In the final verse for today (verse 15), we see that she gets up early to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day's work for her servant girls.  This tells me that she is very organized and diligent. She's a planner.  She does whatever it takes to make sure that her house is in order. Getting up early is no easy task...at least it isn't for me.  I have to give myself something to do to rise before dawn.  On the mornings I wake up early, I have more time to plan my day and get everything done in the mornings that need to get done. 

So here is what I've learned today:  As a Proverbs 31 Woman, I must work hard, do what's best for my family and remain organized and diligent.  So why don't you join me today and purposing in your heart to work hard, put your family first and remain (or become) organized and diligent.  Our families certainly needs us to be those things. 

Be encouraged today and give someone a smile! :-)

A Trustworthy and Enriching Wife...

To continue our talk on the Proverbs 31 woman...

Proverbs 31:11-12 NLT Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.

As women who seek to become all God has called us to be in every area of our lives, we must also seek to be the woman God has called us to be for our husbands.  We must be trustworthy and add value to his (husband) life.  For a husband to trust in his wife, she must be honest and truthful. She must be naked before him--hiding nothing.  I believe that when a husband knows that his wife is naked before him, it produces trust...ongoing trust because she has nothing to hide.  We must add value to his life by contributing to the relationship and supporting him in prayer and deed.

As a "Proverbs 31 woman," a wife must look for ways to be good to her husband.  I believe that her relationship with the Lord will cause this scripture to manifest in her life.  Sometimes, a wife has to look beyond her husband and remember the Lord and His love for her...remember God's faithfulness and sovereignty.  Truthfully, no wife is going to want to be nice when she is upset or there's an unresolved issue.  Face it, we're imperfect people who serve a perfect God.  That is what we must remember! That is how we become who God has called us to be! In every situation, we remember God. Do everything as unto the Lord. (Colossians 3:23) There you have it--that is how she does her husband good and not harm all the days of her life.

God bless you! Be encouraged!