October 27, 2008 6:03 AM
Sam wrote:
And so, it goes on and on. Verses 23 through 27 talk about life, year after year. It talks of plentiful life, caused by careful attention and knowing 'your flocks and herds'. OR, in our life, paying attention to our breadwinning jobs. It is important to have 'plenty of goat's milk to feed you and your family', or whatever you drink and eat. Hence, it is important to 'bring home the bacon', as the saying goes. Because, if you don't, then the riches that you do have will not endure forever.
In today's mess of an economical society, riches can be taken from any of us at any moment. Costs of everything are going to shoot up in a recession and depression, and limited amounts of products will be available, even to those who CAN afford them.
These verses hint at paying attention to your job, so you can provide for your family and 'nourish your servant girls'????????. (I guess they DID live in a different society.) When you are on your day job today (your real job is to evangelize for Christ), remember that 'a crown does not endure'---do the best you can on your job. "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (somewhere in Corinthians) And that includes the work you do on your job. Reply to this
October 27, 2008 6:29 AM
Johnbob wrote:
Thanks for the reminder about our jobs. We are definitely blessed to work in America and live like kings. I know it doesn't like we live like kings when looking at your neighbor or the nice neighborhoods in your area, but if looking at 2nd and 3rd world countries or even 100 years ago and prior to that, we live like kings. We have food on our shelves, hot meals, hot showers, central heat and air, and even indoor plumbing! These hard economic times have made me think about how little I really rely on God for these things, which is a bit scary - and maybe it is why we are going through this 'difficult' time in order to get us to think about God and rely on him instead ourselves and our 'riches'. Sorry - that was a bit off topic, but something that was on my heart today. Reply to this
October 27, 2008 6:41 AM
Johnbob wrote:
Two more scriptures today about the value of relationships. Verse 6 says 'Many are the wounds of a friend...' and vs. 17 says 'As iron sharpens iron, so one many sharpens another'. Again, I think these scriptures were probably used inappropriately at times in the past, but they are still true and probably more necessary now than ever. I believe overall relationships among men are more distant and shallow than ever (at least in my experience). I am not just talking about church, but American society as well. It is unfortunate that I am talking about church as well. It is a real battle to have real relationships with people that really care. We can't let Satan win here.
In terms of v.6, it says wounds of a FRIEND (remember the Good Will Hunting analogy) - it is not just an authority or discipling figure, but a friend. Even Jesus said in John 17, I call you friends. Amazing. And in v. 17 of this chapter, As iron sharpens iron - we see this as true in so many areas - sports coach, career coach, military, etc. - we should definitely expect to see it amongst christian brothers (and how much more??). Our challenges with life situations and sin are overwhelming and real, no matter what our outside might show. So on that note, I am going to make some calls today to some brothers today and this week to get this going better in my life. Reply to this
October 27, 2008 9:11 AM
rik wrote:
Guys, I hurt my back on sunday morning, It is pritty painful. I will try to set up the laptop sI can Blog from bed. Doc put me on bed rest for 3 days. Reply to this
October 27, 2008 10:18 AM
Johnbob wrote:
Really sorry to hear about your back. Bedrest I am sure will help but it has driven me crazy when I have been holed up in bed for any period of time. Hang in there. I hope you have access to books on tape/cd or a tv or something. Reply to this
Am also sorry, Rik, that you strained your back lift 400 pounds of granite....that's why I have a tractor. A hurt back can put a damper on a lot things....I will pray for you...also, as a reminder, please pray for me as well. Thx Reply to this
October 27, 2008 5:35 PM
joe wrote:
Proverbs 27:7 When you are full, you even hate honey. When you are hungry, even what is bitter tastes sweet.
If I don't feed my spirit w/ food filtered w/ :truth" (music, the word, people who speak the truth, etc.) - I involuntarily fill myself with food that isn't good for me. As a result I become what I eat - bad food never fails to produce bad character in me. Reply to this
October 27, 2008 6:46 PM
Rich wrote:
We moved rooms around in our house (swapped my office and son's bedroom and son's bedroom with daughter's bedroom) over the weekend and I have been without internet access until just a few minutes ago. Best thing to me is that I have missed the blog more than anything else. Now that I am up and going again, the first thing I wanted to do was read to catch up. I find myself craving the spiritual food contained here concerning God's word. It is also great to hear everyone sharing so we can all pray for one another.
As for Proverbs 27. I was struck by verse 5: "Better is open rebuke than hidden love."
I think a challenge we will all have here is speaking the truth in love. It is awesome to encourage one another and to share fun stuff. But we also need to call one another to dig deeper and deeper into God's word. Lets not forget the purpose of the blog. It is to share our thoughts, insights and convictions about what we are reading. We are all reading the same thing everyday. Everyday we should be sharing a verse or story or principle that hit us. Odds are that whatever hits a chord with me probably hits a chord with each of you as well - and same the other way. I want to know about you guys and what is going on in your lives, but I more so want to hear convictions from God's word. The blog is a vehicle for us to share our Quiet Times. Lets keep calling one another to have deep and insightful quiet times, to grow deeper and deeper in our knowledge of God and spiritual awareness.
Lets keep challenging one another with open rebukes when necessary instead of hidden love. Note that if the opposite of open rebukes is hidden love, then open rebukes is open love. If we really truly want to love one another the way that Jesus loved his disciples (and the way that God loves us), then we will grow in our ability to "openly rebuke." Reply to this
October 27, 2008 9:27 PM
Tony wrote:
As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. How does one man sharpen another? Do we sharpen each other by humiliation? That would be the typical way of the world. Do we sharpen each other by neglect? I would hope not though it does happen on a daily basis. Do we sharpen each other with criticism? Again a worldly way and unfortunately sometimes a church way. Do we sharpen each other by being superior? I don't think so. So the question is, how do we sharpen each other. I would say with encouragement, understanding, humility, love and patience. This blog is an excellent place for all of the above. We gain knowledge and are there fore sharpened by one another when we read the scriptures and convey our thoughts. One verse may mean something to one person yet something totally different to another. Our biogs are our opinions. An opinion is just another person point of view when looking at something from a different perspective. We all have different life lessons and different experiences so the scriptures come to life differently for each of us. We all need to eat daily with physical food or we will starve and eventually die. Jesus says man does not live on bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Notice that He said "on bread ALONE". Jesus knows we need physical food, but He also said that we CANNOT live on just food but that we MUST live on every word that comes from God. We must get spiritual food on a daily basis or our souls will starve and die. Our physical bodies will go on, but what is life without a soul, without the brothers to sharpen each other, without God. I have struggled for the last 4 days to get a good quiet time, to be still and let God speak to my soul. Sometimes we just need to sit still, shut up, and listen. Have a great day all. Reply to this
And so, it goes on and on. Verses 23 through 27 talk about life, year after year. It talks of plentiful life, caused by careful attention and knowing 'your flocks and herds'. OR, in our life, paying attention to our breadwinning jobs. It is important to have 'plenty of goat's milk to feed you and your family', or whatever you drink and eat. Hence, it is important to 'bring home the bacon', as the saying goes. Because, if you don't, then the riches that you do have will not endure forever.
In today's mess of an economical society, riches can be taken from any of us at any moment. Costs of everything are going to shoot up in a recession and depression, and limited amounts of products will be available, even to those who CAN afford them.
These verses hint at paying attention to your job, so you can provide for your family and 'nourish your servant girls'????????. (I guess they DID live in a different society.) When you are on your day job today (your real job is to evangelize for Christ), remember that 'a crown does not endure'---do the best you can on your job. "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (somewhere in Corinthians) And that includes the work you do on your job.
Reply to this
Thanks for the reminder about our jobs. We are definitely blessed to work in America and live like kings. I know it doesn't like we live like kings when looking at your neighbor or the nice neighborhoods in your area, but if looking at 2nd and 3rd world countries or even 100 years ago and prior to that, we live like kings. We have food on our shelves, hot meals, hot showers, central heat and air, and even indoor plumbing! These hard economic times have made me think about how little I really rely on God for these things, which is a bit scary - and maybe it is why we are going through this 'difficult' time in order to get us to think about God and rely on him instead ourselves and our 'riches'. Sorry - that was a bit off topic, but something that was on my heart today.
Reply to this
Two more scriptures today about the value of relationships. Verse 6 says 'Many are the wounds of a friend...' and vs. 17 says 'As iron sharpens iron, so one many sharpens another'. Again, I think these scriptures were probably used inappropriately at times in the past, but they are still true and probably more necessary now than ever. I believe overall relationships among men are more distant and shallow than ever (at least in my experience). I am not just talking about church, but American society as well. It is unfortunate that I am talking about church as well. It is a real battle to have real relationships with people that really care. We can't let Satan win here.
In terms of v.6, it says wounds of a FRIEND (remember the Good Will Hunting analogy) - it is not just an authority or discipling figure, but a friend. Even Jesus said in John 17, I call you friends. Amazing. And in v. 17 of this chapter, As iron sharpens iron - we see this as true in so many areas - sports coach, career coach, military, etc. - we should definitely expect to see it amongst christian brothers (and how much more??). Our challenges with life situations and sin are overwhelming and real, no matter what our outside might show. So on that note, I am going to make some calls today to some brothers today and this week to get this going better in my life.
Reply to this
Guys, I hurt my back on sunday morning, It is pritty painful. I will try to set up the laptop sI can Blog from bed. Doc put me on bed rest for 3 days.
Reply to this
Really sorry to hear about your back. Bedrest I am sure will help but it has driven me crazy when I have been holed up in bed for any period of time. Hang in there. I hope you have access to books on tape/cd or a tv or something.
Reply to this
Ah, but I would hope he has access to a BIBLE!!
Am also sorry, Rik, that you strained your back lift 400 pounds of granite....that's why I have a tractor. A hurt back can put a damper on a lot things....I will pray for you...also, as a reminder, please pray for me as well. Thx
Reply to this
I am glad you went to a doctor. I hope you feel better.
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Welcome, Mince....do I know you?
Sam (AKA Mac)
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And you lifted 400lbs. of granite for...
That sucks dude - Hope u heal up soon.
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quite being such a girl!!
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Proverbs 27:7 When you are full, you even hate honey. When you are hungry, even what is bitter tastes sweet.
If I don't feed my spirit w/ food filtered w/ :truth" (music, the word, people who speak the truth, etc.) - I involuntarily fill myself with food that isn't good for me. As a result I become what I eat - bad food never fails to produce bad character in me.
Reply to this
We moved rooms around in our house (swapped my office and son's bedroom and son's bedroom with daughter's bedroom) over the weekend and I have been without internet access until just a few minutes ago. Best thing to me is that I have missed the blog more than anything else. Now that I am up and going again, the first thing I wanted to do was read to catch up. I find myself craving the spiritual food contained here concerning God's word. It is also great to hear everyone sharing so we can all pray for one another.
As for Proverbs 27. I was struck by verse 5: "Better is open rebuke than hidden love."
I think a challenge we will all have here is speaking the truth in love. It is awesome to encourage one another and to share fun stuff. But we also need to call one another to dig deeper and deeper into God's word. Lets not forget the purpose of the blog. It is to share our thoughts, insights and convictions about what we are reading. We are all reading the same thing everyday. Everyday we should be sharing a verse or story or principle that hit us. Odds are that whatever hits a chord with me probably hits a chord with each of you as well - and same the other way. I want to know about you guys and what is going on in your lives, but I more so want to hear convictions from God's word. The blog is a vehicle for us to share our Quiet Times. Lets keep calling one another to have deep and insightful quiet times, to grow deeper and deeper in our knowledge of God and spiritual awareness.
Lets keep challenging one another with open rebukes when necessary instead of hidden love. Note that if the opposite of open rebukes is hidden love, then open rebukes is open love. If we really truly want to love one another the way that Jesus loved his disciples (and the way that God loves us), then we will grow in our ability to "openly rebuke."
Reply to this
As iron sharpens iron,
so one man sharpens another.
How does one man sharpen another? Do we sharpen each other by humiliation? That would be the typical way of the world. Do we sharpen each other by neglect? I would hope not though it does happen on a daily basis. Do we sharpen each other with criticism? Again a worldly way and unfortunately sometimes a church way. Do we sharpen each other by being superior? I don't think so. So the question is, how do we sharpen each other. I would say with encouragement, understanding, humility, love and patience. This blog is an excellent place for all of the above. We gain knowledge and are there fore sharpened by one another when we read the scriptures and convey our thoughts. One verse may mean something to one person yet something totally different to another. Our biogs are our opinions. An opinion is just another person point of view when looking at something from a different perspective. We all have different life lessons and different experiences so the scriptures come to life differently for each of us. We all need to eat daily with physical food or we will starve and eventually die. Jesus says man does not live on bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Notice that He said "on bread ALONE". Jesus knows we need physical food, but He also said that we CANNOT live on just food but that we MUST live on every word that comes from God. We must get spiritual food on a daily basis or our souls will starve and die. Our physical bodies will go on, but what is life without a soul, without the brothers to sharpen each other, without God. I have struggled for the last 4 days to get a good quiet time, to be still and let God speak to my soul. Sometimes we just need to sit still, shut up, and listen. Have a great day all.
Reply to this
Very well said, Tony. Thanks
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