Persistance

Thought for the day: ” This is the highest wisdom that I own; freedom and life are earned by those alone who conquer them each day anew” – Johan Wolfgang von Goethe.

Matthew 7: 7 – 8

7 ” Ask and it will be given; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks find; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

I know there are a lot of people out there that feels like prayer is a lost case. We often give up on prayer after a few halfhearted efforts, and then we conclude that God cannot be found. We are so use to depending on ourselves and sorting out our own problems, that we forget that God gave us His Holy Spirit to guide us.

The world has taught us that we are these beings that are like God and we can do anything we want. I am the most important person and all the power of my life lies with me. I make my own life, I make my own riches. This concept is completely wrong. And it is this very concept that cause us to miss God in the proses.

It is funny how often we suddenly remember God when things go really bad. We feel disconnected from God because we do not acknowledge God or His power and presence in our lives anymore.

Knowing God Takes true focus, faith and persistence. Most of all we need to acknowledge God for who He truly is. Our Father and creator, we must become aware of God in our daily lives. We must acknowledge God on good and bad days.

We must not give up on God if things don’t go the way we planned it. Jesus assures us that we will be rewarded.

Lust

Thought of the day: ” True love never dies for it is lust that fades away. Love bonds for a lifetime but lust just pushes away”. – Alicia Barnhart

Matthew 5 : 27 – 30:

27″ You have heard that it was said,’Do not commit adultery’ .28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye cause you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

In our modern day and age, broken homes and families are nothing new. People get married and divorce, it is almost like it is the way of live. The sad thing is al lot of these marriages end up in divorce because of adultery. The law in the old Testament said that it is wrong to have sex with a person other than your spouse. Jesus however tells us that the desire to have sex with anyone other than your spouse is mental adultery and therefore also sin.

Jesus emphasis that the intention is just as bad as the act. How many of us are guilty of this. We think that as long as we think it but does not do it, makes it ok. The wise people tend to say “where there is smoke there is fire”. If your are faithful to your spouse in body but not in mind you are braking the trust, that is needed for a strong and successful marriage.

Everything in live begins with a thought. If you have thoughts about other men it is just as good as having actual sex with them. Because if your mind is not with your husband when you are having sex, why did you get married.?

A lot of couples gets married thinking they love each other, where in actual fact that love is only a strong passion for lust. Love is what is left over when all the sex disappears, or does not happen so often anymore. If you don’t feel anything for your spouse or you have a desire to rather be with someone else, what you felt when you got married was pure lust.

But when the sex is gone and you feel compassion, friendship,and  understanding, you have love for one another. When there is true love in a marriage, there is no place for lust or adultery

Wisdom vs Folly

Thought for the day: “Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it”

Proverbs 9: 1-12

1Wisdom has built her house ; she has hew out it seven pillars. 2 She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table. 3 She has set out her maids, and she calls from the highest point of the city.4 ” Let all who are simple come in here!” she says to those who lack judgement. 5 ” Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed. 6 Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of understanding.

7 ” Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebuke wicked man incurs abuse. 8 Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you. 9 Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.”

10 ” The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. 11 For through me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life.
12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.”

We read in verse one that wisdom built her house, she hew the seven pillars. In this the writer poetically exclaim that wisdom is complete and perfect. both wisdom and foolishness in this chapter are portrait as two woman, each of them preparing a feast and inviting guest to join them.

Wisdom however is a responsible lady where Folly is described as a prostitute serving stolen food.
This means that it is great to be foolish but it does not last long. We so often find ourselves side track with things that seems more important to us than God. We are warned in this scripture that we must beware of these things and always put God first. There is nothing in this world more valuable than the wisdom of God.

Wisdom’s call

Thoughts of the day: “Wise me speak because they have something to say, fools speak, because they have to say something” – Plato

Proverbs 8: 1-11

1 does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? 2 On the heights along the way,where the paths meet she takes her stand; 3 beside the gates leading into the city, at the entrances,she cries aloud: 4 “To you, O men,I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind. 5 you who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, gain understanding. 6 Listen for I have worthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right. 7 My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness. 8 All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse.
9 To the discerning all of them are right; they are faultless to those who have knowledge. 10 Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, 11 for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.

In proverbs 8 wisdom is portrayed as a woman. Here wisdom is our guide that makes us succeed in the things we do. Wisdom was around since the beginning of time. Our every day lives should be affected by wisdom, and God’s word. We must open our hearts to God’s wisdom and guidance. He will give us direction. We cannot love God and sin, they cannot coexist. The more we love God the less we would want to sin.

Wisdom must be the foundation of our lives.

Warning against laziness

Thought for the day :

” Laziness travels so slowly that poverty soon overtakes him.” – Benjamin Franklin

Proverbs: 6: 1 – 10

1 My som,if you have put up security for your neighbor,if you have struck hands in pledge for another,2 if you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth, 3 then do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbors hands: Go and humble yourself; press your plea with your neighbor! 4 Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids.5 Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

6 Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! 7 it has no commander,no overseer or ruler,8 yet it stored it provisions in summer, and gather its food at harvest.9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?

10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest- 11 and poverty will come upon you like a bandit, and scarcity like an armed man.

We so often live life beyond what we can afford. Most of the times we do this because of peer pressure and because we believe that we will be accepted by our community.

God warn us that if we do not take care we will fall into poverty. We see that so often today. Times are tuff and more and more people are failing to pay their debts. Sinking deeper and deeper into debt.

The advise we get from this scripture is that we must rather exercise sound judgement in practical matters. Instead of buying that dress and overextending ourselves, rather save up for it and buy it when you have the money. Don’t put yourself into a difficult situation that you might regret for the rest of your life.