WoNC – Day 6

Proverbs 31:24-26

“She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.”

PURPOSEFUL – Why is being purposeful important in our walk with God? How would this affect your marriage or relationships in general?

POSITIVE – Do you find yourself remaining positive in negative circumstances?

Do you consider yourself to be Purposeful and Positive, even when you do not feel like it?

Some may ask, how does being purposeful relate to these verses? It makes sense that she remains positive when “she can laugh at the days to come”. How is she purposeful though? In verse 24 she “makes her garments and sells them, she supplies merchants”, what she is doing is intentional and serves a purpose. But let’s dig a little deeper… Suppose that we put into context both words “Purposeful” and “Positive”. Do you think that by her laughing at the days to come that every day will be filled with reasons to be joyous or filled with laughter? Of course not! Scriptures even say that there will be troubles. In the first part of John 16:33 it states, “In this world you will have trouble”, and the Woman of Noble Character is not exempt from these troubles. But it goes on to say, “But take heart! I have overcome the world”. Jesus is encouraging His followers! So now that we understand that trouble will come, we know that we must choose to be positive on purpose. We have to be intentional in the way we live. Believe me brothers and sisters, I am deeply convicted by this message as I fall short in this area a lot. By the grace of God I am able to see the error in my choosing to not remain positive even when my circumstances seem negative or my feelings are attempting to waver. 

Gracious Father, forgive us for the times we are not resolute in Your goodness. Even though our feelings and/or our circumstances may seem to be negative we are adamant that You are a good good Father, and that Your way is better than our way! Amen.

WoNC – Day 5

Proverbs 31:21-23

“When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.”

PREPARED – How can you prepare to be a godly wife, be prepared for the Lord’s return? What does it mean to be a helpmate for your husband?

COVERED – What does it mean to you to be covered?

In what ways do you need to be prepared in order to be a godly wife, for the return of our Bridegroom? How has He covered you in your walk with Him?

Take a moment and read Matthew 25:1-13 where Jesus tells the Parable of the Ten Virgins. As they await the arrival of the bridegroom, we learn that 5 of them were well prepared by having enough oil for their lamps while the other 5 were foolish and unprepared, and as a result they were shut out from joining the bridegroom for the banquet. In order to become a godly wife, and for the return of our Bridegroom, we must be prepared. But how must one make such preparations? Relationship with the One Who covers us through prayer, reading of the Word, fellowshipping, praise confession and submission. By reading the Word we find that it is our Bridegroom Who covers and protects us. He is the model of what our husband’s role is to be. Yet He provides this protection for us all, male and female. Psalm 91:4 states, “He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart”. Continue to read verses 5-16 and you will see just what it means to be covered by our LORD!

Almighty God, by You only can I be prepared to be a godly wife for my husband, and for the glorious Day of Your return. By Your might I am covered under Your protection. Lord, I pray that You cover my future husband and prepare him to be a godly husband to me, and for Your return. Thank You Father, I praise You! Amen.

WoNC – Day 4

Proverbs 31:18-20

“She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.”

PROSPEROUS – How does your being prosperous benefit others?

CHARITABLE – In what ways can you show charity to someone else?

What does being Prosperous and Charitable look like to you?

Often when one thinks of being prosperous they envision someone who has a big house, with lots of cars that lives an extravagant lifestyle. In vs. 18 we find that the WoNC is profitable and her lamp does not go out at night. I liken the lamp at night to the light in the darkness. We know that the light within any of us can only be found through Jesus Christ, and His light is continuous and is NEVER over shadowed by the darkness. Jesus says in Matthew 5:15 that when we light a lamp we place it on the lampstand to provide light for all in the house to see. And, how closely is being prosperous and charitable related in this sense! You see, being charitable is more than tossing a few bucks in the Salvation Army bucket at Christmas, or even donating monthly to an organization of your choosing. Magnanimous is a wonderful synonym for charitable, which means generous or forgiving especially to a rival or less powerful person. How accurate is that at describing our Heavenly Father?! He is incredibly generous and forgiving to us! It’s incredible to me how much these two qualities in action are related to one another! It is not surprising that these verses are written so closely together. In her prosperity she extends charity to those in need.

Father, help us to be a light in the lives of others that we may share the blessings You provide to us with those who are in need. Amen.

WoNC – Day 3

Proverbs 31:16-17

“She considers a field and buys it; out of her earning she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.”

RESOURCEFUL – Have you ever looked up the dictionary meaning for “Resourceful”? “Having the ability to find quick and clever ways to overcome difficulties”…we’ll come back to this!

STRONG – What do you picture when you think of “strong”? Do you picture a bodybuilder? Or think of a single parent juggling a full-time job, caring for children, and still managing to keep it together?

What is the picture of being Resourceful and Strong to you?

Above we learned the dictionary meaning for “Resourceful”. But let me ask you; where does your resourcefulness come from? Does it come from the Main Source? Or are you depending on yourself? What about your strength? Is it your physical or mental abilities that classify you as strong? Is it marked by your emotional intelligence even? We as humans possess a finite strength and limited amount of resources. But our Bridegroom provides us with infinite resources and strength! Remember that He holds all the answers and solutions to every problem that you will ever face, including who you may one day marry. And, He never grows tired, He never grows weary. (See Isaiah 40:28) Be encouraged today that His provision is more than sufficient for your needs to guide you along in your daily tasks, and to handle the desires of your heart. 

Holy Spirit, lead me as I set about my day, knowing fully that You are the Wellspring of life, resources and strength that I need! 

WoNC – Day 2

Proverbs 31:13-15

“She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants.”

DILIGENT – How does being assiduous benefit your future spouse or your family or church?

SELFLESS – Reflect on one selfless act you performed today, this past week even. What good came from this?

What does it mean to you to be Diligent and Selfless?

Jesus showed us the greatest example of what it means to live with a servant’s attitude and heart. He gave His very own life so that we may have life to the fullest in Him – the epitome of selfless. To this day He is diligently searching hearts looking for those to show His mercy and grace to. In the beauty of His diligence and selflessness He fills us with His Holy Spirit to help us live in such a way that we add goodness to the lives around us! Amazing how yesterday’s message seems to tie into today’s! Today ask Jesus to reflect His servant heart through you!

Father, guide us today in our sedulity, showing us opportunities to be altruistic towards others! 

WoNC – Day 1

Proverbs 31:10-12

“A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.”

VALUABLE – In what ways can you add value to your husbands life and the body of Christ?

HELPFUL – How am I equipped to be a helpmate to my husband or within my church?

What does being Valuable and Helpful mean to you?

Could it be the two go hand in hand: Valuable and Helpful? Perhaps your value is added by the little things you do for someone? A kind word that is edifying or supportive. Offering to take a “chore” off of someone’s plate that would give them a little extra time to do something they enjoy. Volunteering to help in the nursery one Sunday so that the couple who does so every weekend would have the opportunity to attend service. Or possibly start your day by spending 10 minutes with God in the mornings; read a daily devotional before you head out the door. 

Find your value and worth in your Bridegroom, let Him be your help today!

God, where is my husband already?!

This one is for all of my single ladies! For all the gals who want to be married, who want to meet their husband already. For the women who can’t wait to be the blushing bride. Well, it actually applies to the men too. Because believe it or not fellas, you are a bride as well and will one day meet your Bridegroom! 

What?! A guy a bride? Yes, all members of the church body are the bride of Christ, and we will one day meet our Bridegroom. How exciting is that?!

While this study on “The Wife of Noble Character” is mainly targeted towards the female members, the ultimate message to be prepared for the return of our Glorious Bridegroom is for the heart of us all. 

For the next 8 days we are going to explore “The Wife of Noble Character” and what that means to be so. Many of us pray for a godly husband, but are we seeking to be a godly wife as well? Now the next part is where the men come in to play. 

I believe just as scripture quoted our Father in Genesis 2:18, “Then LORD God said, “It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him”.  As stated in the Bible, it is good for a man to find a wife. (Proverbs 18:22) Although this is a good godly desire, our main purpose in life is not to get prepared for our husband and wife only so we can get married. 

If marriage is a desire for you then it is indeed a wonderful aspiration to prepare to be a godly wife or husband. We know that our marriage is supposed to be a reflection of Jesus Christ and His church. The husband leadership in the home, the wife as the helpmate under submission. (I’m not going to get into explaining how this does not mean that husbands rule over their wives and women cater to their every whim, we should distinguish this already)

Anyways, as I was saying, as we resolve to become godly wives for our future husbands we should have the mindset that we are fundamentally being prepared to one day meet our Holy Bridegroom. And that is something that men and women alike should be readying themselves for!

So just what does a wife of noble character look like? Today we are going to start out by examining the first 3 verses of the Proverbs “Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character” seen in verses 10-31. Each day after, for the next 8 days, we will continue to study 2-3 verses a day to see just how these noble traits can be of value to us. 

Tomorrow will start our day one. Every day be sure to check back as there will be an entry to start your day. They will be under the title “WoNC – Day 1” for example. We will read the verses for that day and break down what it means to be a wife of noble character in those few lines. There will be 2-3 words associated with these verses and questions/statements for introspection. Write them down and carry them with you throughout the day if you’d like, discuss them with others, or ask yourself; is this the bride I am preparing to be for my future husband?

Hopefully these next 8 days will not just cause us to evaluate the women we are becoming, but ultimately will awaken a burning desire to be a bride ready for the day of our Bridegroom’s return, and help us to realize that it is only through Jesus that we are found to be noble! Amen.

STOP misbehaving! The idol of obedience…

How often have you found yourself rubbing on the lamp of God waiting for His Spirit to pop out and grant you good behavior? Or Him wave a wand of obedience over you to make you act righteously, be a better person? Lord, help me with my anger! Help me stop overeating! Help me stop drinking/doing drugs! Help me stop being promiscuous! Lord, give me patience! Lord, I want to be a better person! Help me do the right things, say the right things! 

Recently I was convicted, and quite honestly have been before, that I was treating God more like a spiritual genie and a behavior modifier than enjoying my relationship with Him. Quite frankly I was making obedience an idol and making it a top priority in my life more so than knowing God Himself. 

Let me say that I believe when you love God you want to please Him, you want to be more like Him, walk in His ways. This is a good thing. But we must be careful to not place the emphasis on behavior more than on the Savior, the One Who enables us to become like Himself. We also have the tendency, ok, let me rephrase that…I have a tendency, as I can’t speak for you, but if you’re anything like me, you have a tendency to want to behave good, to do the right thing. And, sometimes the reason behind it is because we think that we will misrepresent God if we don’t, and other times it’s simply that we don’t want to look bad in front of others.

Truth is God does command us to live righteously, He does call His children to be light in this world, and to live a life that shows His Son in us. To be set apart from the things of this world and its practices. That does require us to put aside fleshly desires and set our foot upon the narrow path instead of the broadened road. But God does not depend on us to do this. He is the One Who gives us the courage, the strength, and the ability to walk in obedience to Him. And that comes through relationship with Him. 

Think of it like this; how many times have you heard about couples that have been together so long that they act like each other? Some even start to look alike! That’s precisely what our relationship with our Father should emulate! We should be so close to Him that we become like Him and live a life that reflects His Son. This is where obedience enters the picture. We don’t obey to get closer to Him, and we most certainly shouldn’t get close to Him to behave better. But becoming like Him will come through relationship, a side effect really!

Where does relationship begin? The couples I just mentioned previously who act alike and look alike, what would you say they did in order to develop such a close bond? Spend time together? Learn each other? Talk? Listen? Acceptance? Sacrifice perhaps? 

I would say yes to every one of these. Even going a step further with studying each other. I don’t mean in a creepy, dissect their every move kind of way, rather take in their essence. What makes them tick if you will? Learn them, pay attention to them, truly want to know them. And, not just for your own benefit and enjoyment but so that you can give to them in ways that truly meets their needs and desires. 

Do you believe that the Father has desires? For us? For His Kingdom? One thing He wants is for not anyone to perish, but that everyone come to repentance. – 2 Peter 3:9 

How do you think this applies to us? By knowing God, His Word, and sharing the Truth with others. If we do not know the Truth, do not know the Father, how can we share Him with others? How can we be like someone we do not know?

Bring to mind a friendship, a relationship perhaps your wife/husband/gf/bf/bff/family member that you want(ed) to introduce to others, you were/are so proud for others to meet them because this person means so much to you, and you believe that they bring happiness into the lives of those they come in contact with. How enjoying their company with others is rewarding not only to you, but to them and others. 

Now imagine that this friend, this love provides peace to everyone in their company, the reward of knowing them gives ultimate joy even when circumstances are low, and the reward is eternal life with them. This is knowing Jesus, this is Holy Spirit within…this is relationship with our Father. 

So the next time you feel like your behavior, attitude, or actions need changing sit down with the Greatest Love, Best(set) Friend, most Wonderful Father and just enjoy His company. He’s always there and He never grows tired of being with us. 💞

I was convicted by my own writing…

Yesterday as I perused my blog, after all this time, I related to some of these entries all over again and was encouraged myself. Then found myself convicted. It started to sound a lot like the “pep talk” I mentioned in yesterday’s writing. 

It’s not to say that these prior entries are wrong, or that I was regretful of any one of them. Rather it spoke to me of how much more emphasis needs…MUST be placed on exalting our Father’s Great Name! That the ultimate leading of any writing is to the glory of Jesus. 

The Bible is full of encouragement and laments. If you’ve read the Psalms or Proverbs you will find much of these. But the conviction reminded me that in addition to encouraging folks and lifting their spirit, letting them know that they’re not alone, that these words ultimately should lead others to a place of praise for the Father. 

So I wanted to take this moment and lift the Name of Jesus high, and thank Him for His Almighty Power in every circumstance, relationship, and in every writing. Thank You Father, and may Your Name be lifted high in every writing that proceeds from my fingertips and within every heart who receives them.

Amen.

Purpose and passion collide…

It has been over a year since contributing to this blog. Admittedly, the last blog I posted yesterday was saved in drafts from August 2020. Still, it applies nonetheless though. 

During this absence of writing there has been a longing in my spirit, interpreted to be several things missing from my life; a partner/spouse, the right career, the desire for adventure, a need to volunteer, etc…all good things, understandable as to why I would want them. But none exactly to fill the longing I’ve been experiencing. 

As I write this, understand that it does not come from a place of done and finished. Overcome, yes. But finished? No. 

This comes from a process of learning, continually. Sometimes going around the same mountain time and time again. We’re more like the Israelites than we realize or care to admit. Another thing we share in common is we have the same God fighting for us, offering mercy and grace today that He did to His people all those years ago. 

I digress. That’s something I’m good at: digressing. 

Back to my original thought. 

It’s not just a self-belief to say that God gives each of us talents or gifts to use for His glory and the advancement of His Kingdom. But, it is my belief that when we are not using those talents/gifts that it is stifling to our spirit. When we just sit on the talents, the gifts, the messages that Holy Spirit places on our hearts, and within our abilities to perform for Him, we can become fattened and bogged down spiritually by constantly feeding but never sharing. We also can become stagnant, because we are meant to be conduits of God’s beautiful grace, mercy and love on this earth by spreading and living the gospel Truth. It’s not an internal pep talk meant to create within us warm, cozy feelings that we bask in to feel better about ourselves or our circumstances. Contrary to popular belief faith is not something to keep to yourself, but rather to be shared.

With that said, writing has long been a passion of mine, something I enjoy doing. And something I believe He has given me to do for His glory and for the benefit of the body and the Kingdom. This blog is something I intend to get back to doing. Some things I will write from present experience, some from past, some messages are put upon my heart to share. 

And as I do, I pray that it is a blessing to whoever reads it. In closing, if it brings about discussions, I am open. And most certainly welcome those who are seeking and searching because I have Someone I’d love to introduce you to. He’s my Best Friend, the Love of my life, and He died to meet you…