Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word – it is truth, always a paradigm shift, a perspective change. It gives instruction for success. It’s free, it just costs you obedience. It is proven for generation after generation, civilization after civilization. It plays no favorites, anyone who receives it and applies it will benefit completely from what God has written for our good. Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a mocker, and bear is a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise. This verse first gives practical advice. Wine will make you mock, and beer will make you brawl, the wise don’t do either. "But that doesn’t mean you can’t…" and that’s where it begins. Just because no one says you can’t, doesn’t mean you should. This isn’t really about wine or beer, this verse is about leadership. The ancient competition for leadership that started in the garden of Eden. The Holy Spirit wants to lead you on the right path. God promised He would send the Holy Spirit to lead you into all truth, to show you things to come, to lead you in His plans for your good. The devil also wants to lead you and he will always lead you astray, sometimes he uses wine or beer, but that’s not the only thing He can use. What is astray? Off-track. Anything that God didn’t tell you to do in this hour – that’s where the devil wants to lead you. Notice you don’t go astray, you are led astray. The natural desires of sin inside you is what the devil uses to lead you astray. Astray isn’t opposite. It doesn’t say these things lead you opposite, this isn’t 180, it starts with one degree then two then three and four. How does astray start? You look at something that is not on the path directly ahead of you – the path and direction God has for you, that the Holy Spirit leads you in. You notice something different, a little to the side, you notice… something shiny, a bauble or trinket that looks like gold, but it’s not. It’s just gold colored paint - never the real thing, it will never satisfy, but it appears to – that’s how the devil leads you astray. You get impressed by something different than God, or what God values. Your attention, and focus and energy... consumed, squandered by something God never had for you to do. Even some things that aren’t illegal, or against God, but not what God has for you right now... the devil can entice you with. He wants to distract you and lead you astray. If he can lead you astray – you’ll eventually starve, like the young lion who can’t focus on one zebra amidst all the stripes, ends up not catching any – he goes hungry. The devil’s mirage, that you strayed for - evaporates to nothing. Like the famous quote... "The devil will always take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay." One of the greatest and most important skills to develop in life, is simply, “No,” God says He will give you grace for it, to say "No" to every distraction that would lead you astray… if you receive and apply His grace for you. Learning to say no to the smallest distraction, prevents the devil from ever leading you astray, because you are learning to reject the distraction, and follow the path of God’s choosing, the plans that He has for you, the path that is infinitely best for you. Praying that you will always follow His lead, and say no to every distraction that could lead you astray, that PiVAT before dinner will keep you on the right path. It’s when you get off the path, that so many distractions become available. Praying that your PRISM time in His Word – will give you the mind of Christ, the eyes and ears and heart, that increase your commitment to His path, that reveals the trinkets for what they really are – worthless, not only 'not worth it,' but worthless. Praying that you will take joy in the path He has chosen for you, that you’ll learn to love the journey, that you will say no to every distraction that the devil can never lead you astray, because the Holy Spirit is always leading you higher. Praying that you will love His Word, and love His plans. Praying that your obedience which brings you a testimony that you can overcome with – will keep you on the path that takes you always through every valley to new heights, from glory to glory. Love you all, dad
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Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God’s Word. It never runs out. It is 100% truth, it never fails, it can never be exhausted. There is always a deeper understanding that God gives you – not theoretical, but practical when you’re in His Word. It’s wisdom for walking, not just pondering. Matthew 13:3 – Then he taught them many things in parables saying, “A farmer went out to sow his seed. You are both the farmer and the soil. The seed is the Word of God. Are you sowing seed? Or haven’t you? Is it too wet or too cold, or are you rearranging the barn when it’s time to plant? Do you have any seed to sow? Is the Word of God in you – in full measure? What seed are you sowing? Harvest seed, or weed seed? You’re sowing something… What seed are you getting? You first sow into yourself, and your soil, before you sow into others. What kind of soil are you? Are you hardened with traffic? Where you are so used to hearing but not obeying that the seed just lays on the surface where any bird can come and snatch it from you? Or someone says something different than what God says, and you question or doubt what God says, giving equal billing to something else? So it just sits there, and any bird can come and snatch it from you - because without applying it, it never gets below the surface? Are you full of rocks that you haven’t removed, so you’re shallow? And the seed only grows until temptation or trouble comes? Your roots aren’t deep enough to weather the heat? Are you full of thorns? The desire for worldly things, (even Godly things, from a worldly understanding, or measuring stick?) where the seed is ignored, not taken to heart and heeded? Where the seed gets choked out by worldly desires? Or have you removed the rock (other priorities and ambitions), and the thorns – those worldly desires. How? Pull them! Don’t give them any soil to take root in. Are you plowed by praise? (Judah plows) where your attention is re-focused on Him – Praise always does that, where your soil can get plowed up, detached from anything else below the surface, unencumbered, no other roots getting a foothold, uprooted fully? Are you watered with the water of the Holy Spirit in His presence in worship, and prayer in the Spirit, as God commanded, where your mind can’t compete with what the Holy Spirit speaks? Are you sowing the seed of the Word – your PRISM time becoming the priority of your mind? Praying that you will plow with praise, that you will worship in His presence, and you will re-seed and over-seed the Word of God through your PRISM time – so the soil of you becomes rich, producing a bumper crop! A harvest that returns a hundred-fold! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God's Word - it's full of reminders, best practices, truth which illuminates deception. It states clearly the difference between God's way, and man's way. It develops character, establishes DNA, it trains you in success. Several things comprise the DNA of eternally successful people. But today is about a different DNA - Diligence Not Apathy. Most people's DNA is apathy not diligence. The most common words of the apathetic, "That's not my job," or "That's not my responsibility." These are the people who leave things to others. They see something that needs to be done, but they leave it for someone else to do. They don't take ownership, they take the first exit. "I'm not getting paid enough to do that..." (That's why you don't get paid very much). The ones who get by with the least amount of work possible, are not the ones who succeed. Those who take ownership, who go the extra mile, who want their boss to succeed, and their company to succeed, who are after excellence more than money, and the benefit of others more than the benefit of themselves, who take ownership and responsibility over apathy... these are the ones who honor God, who walk in success, and who have the most enjoyable lives. They attract people who think like them, believers, achievers, givers, succeeders. First you need to know what diligent really is? It is a two sided coin, not just effort, but discernment. Working hard on the wrong thing is not diligent, it's misguided. If you take the wrong exit, you can diligently drive for hours - not even taking breaks, but it won't lead to success. It just carries you further and further from your desired destination. (Praying that you will review the PRISM Topic - Diligent) - God says it's the precious possession of a man. God's Word is sometimes soothing and comforting, sometimes perplexing, sometimes encouraging, sometimes it's a two-by-four. Proverbs 18:9 - One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys. If you are not diligent, you're the same as one who destroys things, you are the devil's brother. Get busy, know God's assignment this hour, and work hard at it - with all your might as unto the LORD, with joy - to it's full completion. Finish - be a finisher, that's who Jesus is. Praying that you will review the PRISM Topic - Diligent as part of your PRISM - M: Meditate on the Word today... Praying that you will know your assignment this hour, and do it with joy, with diligence, that you won't stop til it's done. That you will be done early with excellence, that you will reject distractions, and finish strong with every task God has assigned you today. PiVAT is important, it will make sure you are on the right highway, and don't take a wrong exit. Praying that you will know His plans for you today, that you will work diligently that Diligence Not Apathy will be your DNA - so God's gets the glory, and you get to share in the blessing, Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
What is your fruit? Most people think your fruit is what you accomplish in life, what you are known for, your reputation, your legacy, what your marriage is like, how your children conduct themselves, as adolescents and adults. But Jesus says an interesting thing about fruit, what it is and where it starts. He says your fruit is your words, and it starts in the heart. Matthew 12:33 - "A tree is identified by it's fruit. If a tree is good, it's fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, it's fruit will be bad. You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. A good person brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil person brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that everyone will have to give an account on the day of judgment for every idle word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned. Jesus reveals that your fruit is what comes out of your mouth. Your words - logos - something said, including the thought (a topic - subject of discourse, reasoning, motive, cause, doctrine). Your words are what you believe, it's what's in your heart, and what comes out of your mouth. Idle words, those things you say when you aren't consciously aware of saying it the right way. It's what comes out that you really believe or feel - unplanned, un-wordsmithed, like the freudian slips that reveal the heart. What you say when you're not guarded. By your words - that God calls fruit, you will be acquitted or condemned. Justified, to be shown innocent, righteous, just... or condemned - to be adjudged against, to be pronounced guilty. Your fruit is your words, and they overflow from what is in your heart. So what words will acquit you and what words will condemn you? Words of Praise, Words of Faith, Words of Humility, Words of Thanksgiving, Words of Truth - these will acquit you, prove you innocent. Words of grumbling and complaint, words of doubt and unbelief, words of pride, or of slander, perverse words (any words that delay obedience, or justify it), words different than what God says (that are what man says) these are words that will condemn you. These will pronounce you guilty. Where do they come from? Your heart? They are the fruit of your heart, the harvest of the heart. So how do you get good fruit? You really aren't fruitless - you are bearing fruit of one kind or another. How do you get good fruit? How do you maintain it? and how do you change it if it isn't what it needs to be? The secret is God's Word! Your PRISM time every day - throughout the day will fill your heart. The more seed you sow, the more fruit you get. It will replace your heart, upgrade your heart, it will ensure that your heart is always full of what produces good fruit, your PRISM time in God's Word - is what makes the tree good. And if the tree is good the fruit will be also because a tree cannot bear fruit different from what the tree is. Praying that you will replace any fruit that is not truth and love, praise and faith, hope and thanksgiving, and commitment to fully obey. Praying that you will always fill your heart with God's Word - that's really Jesus. The Word of God in human form. He said if you abide in me, and my words abide in you you will ask what you wish, and it will be done for you. This is for my Father's glory that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. It might even be a good idea to do a fruit check. When something comes out of your mouth. Ask yourself, "What Kind of Fruit is that? is that what a good tree produces, will that acquit me or condemn me?" You can't change your fruit, it's going to come out, you change your seed. Praying that God's Word will be your priority, that every word you speak will be His words, that you will fill your heart, so the fruit that overflows is love and life and hope! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God's Word, it's truth and perspective. It tells us immutable truths - God made you, He loves you, He has plans for you - and they are good! The devil also has plans for you. The devil is always trying to entice you into a new season, the season of discontent. God's plans for you are good, and the devils plans for you are to keep you from God's good. That's why he perverts good, he perverts justice, he perverts everything that people allow him to. His strategy has been used before. He wants you to doubt God's Word, and doubt God's good. If he can get you to focus on what you don't have, rather than what you have, he can soon entrap you in that season of discontent. It's the ultimate rip-off, because he doesn't even have to change your circumstance, he just has to change your viewpoint. Some people are always wishing for a season past, when I was younger and still had strength, or a season for the future, if only I had this or that, if only I was done with school, or was married, or had a better job or a better car or a better house... The reason the devil wants you in a new season of discontent, is so he can steal the season that you are in. So he can ruin what God has for you in it. If you focus on what you don't have, you neither use, nor appreciate what you do have. God has joy for you, the devil has discontent. It is a joy killer. It's an effectiveness killer, a diligence killer, a growth killer, and a blessing killer. Discontent people, begin to grumble and complain, the opposite of praise. What are you discontent about? Why? Are you looking for something that has not yet come to pass? Are you looking for something that has already past? Here's what God says, Ecclesiastes 3:11 - He has made everything beautiful in it's time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom the work that God has done from beginning to end. God is working something in you, from beginning to end - and He's trying to use this season o do it! He has beauty for you in this season. Ask God to help you find the beauty in this season. It will pass, you will either see the beauty or miss it altogether, you will either gain what God had for you, or miss the opportunity, and you will have to go through that lesson again. Praying that you will see the beauty in this season, that you will ask God to reveal it, and that you will believe what you cannot see, that you would praise Him for this season, and be fully faithful in it - that you will never let the devil lead you into a season of discontent - for some people, that season never ends. For you, God has beauty in every season. Praying that you will ask HIm what He wants to make beautiful in this time. Praying that you will enjoy the journey, share your testimony, and apply yourself fully - so the devil can never steal the beauty and joy of this season. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God's Word. It's the greatest success book ever written. It is guaranteed to make you to succeed. Not temporarily... permanently, eternally, not in certain areas, in all areas. It's the way of God versus the way of man. It is truth for every generation, success for all who choose to follow it. There is a word that God uses, that David uses often. The word refuge. A place to run to for protection. Like a little kid getting startled by something, that runs behind his Daddy, grabbing on to his pants leg. David says You are my refuge and my strong tower. Refuge is where you run to. Some people run to God (the One with all wisdom and knowledge) as a last resort, others run as a first reaction. Praying that you will be the latter. Praying that you will always run to Him first. He has wisdom and success and joy for you! So what next? Those who are time management experts often say the most successful people do the hardest thing first. It's the way they recommend you defeat procrastination. But there is something more important than defeating procrastination. Obedience. Because obedience is the number one priority if you want to be effective. Why? Because His ways are higher than yours, and his plans are the best for you. Praying that you will want to be effective, even more than you want to overcome procrastination. Praying that you will will want to obey, more than anything else. What is procrastination? Doing something different than what needs to be done now. What is effectiveness? Doing what needs to be done in the right order. But who knows what the right order is, and if these things should even be on the list? Only God knows that. Gods' way is so much higher than man's ways, that what some people think is the most difficult thing, may not be the most important thing. Praying that you will run to the battle, just like David, but more importantly you will know what the battle is - because you ran to Him first. Your greatest enemy is not procrastination, it's delayed obedience. But if you lack discernment, you cannot obey, so you cannot succeed. That's why your PiVAT time with God before dinner is the greatest priority of your day. It's God's presence, from which you derive the thing that is most needed in this moment. So you can finish what He told you to do today... so you are reminded of the testimony He has given to you which comes from a surrendered day. So you can hit the ground running in the morning, having received His confirmation in the night season, and doing in order the most important things, at the assigned time. Sometimes He wants you to tackle the toughest thing first. Sometimes that's the obstacle you face today, and sometimes it's the greater obstacle of consistency in those things He has for you every day, which develop your character and your DNA. Praying that whatever God tells you to do, you will do it with joy. How? Do it with Praise, and you'll do it with joy. Are things difficult right now? They could be much worse. Praying that you will run to Him first and constantly, that you will know what He has for you in this hour and do it with joy. Praying that you might review the Relationship Topic - Thankful 100, and the PRISM Topic - What Does God Give, so you can can be reminded, and praise Him for it. Remember what you praise - increases. Praying that you will encourage others in their obedience walk with Him, so He can bring you and them to the testimony of His faithfulness, and His power and to the joy, that always follows obedience. Praying that you will run to Him today, as your initial and continuous reaction, that you will run to the battle that He assigns, in the sequence He directs, and that Praise will be the atmosphere that you create - so His power is released in your life today, so you are effective, successful, rewarded, so His joy remains. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God's Word - it's a truth teller, a truth sifter, it is the standard by which every thought, word and opinion is measured. It gives real talk on real life issues. There's one in particular that gets a lot of press. Quitting. There are only four times in life, to quit. Never, Tomorrow, Right Now, and When God says. If God tells you, it's not quitting, it's redirecting - ceasing effort on one thing, to focus your effort on a better thing. But when to quit always depends on what to quit. We are familiar with the quotes. "Winners never quit, and quitters never win." There is some truth to that. Most people give up, just before their breakthrough. When everyone gives up, they do too, and the one who perseveres becomes successful, the rest go on to start something else - to leave it unfinished. Michael Jordan - "If you quit once, it becomes a habit... Never quit." The best time to quit is never! The next best time to quit is tomorrow. That's the secret of never quitting. I can always quit tomorrow, but not today. Quitting is always an option, its just that it's rarely the right one. But not always. There are two times to quit. Wisdom knows when to quit. God says quit sinning! You better quit that right now. God takes no pleasure in fools. Somethings you are to quit right now! God never told you to do that? What are you doing? Quitting is not a good or bad thing, it's a right and wrong thing, it's a timing thing. If you are doing the wrong thing, either what you know is wrong, (or what God said is wrong), you better quit, before something worse happens. Go and sin no more. The other thing to quit, is what God never told you to do. If God didn't tell you to do this, why are you doing it? Disobedience, and lack of obedience, like bad deals, don't get better with time. What you think you should do, is not what you should do. And every time you are not doing what you should do - the time to quit is right now. Some relationships, you need to quit, some thought circles, you need to quit, they're a toilet bowl. Some activities you need to quit. Some things God told you to do then, is not what He is telling you to do now. Everything God told you to do, the devil always wants to get you to quit, to give up, to give half effort. Some people don't quit, but they aren't putting in their full effort. If you're not 100%, you're still quitting, or at least stealing. Just because you didn't cease and desist altogether, doesn't mean you're not a quitter. God said that everything we put our hands to, (that God told you) that you should do it with all your heart, working as unto the LORD, not for men. (Col 3:23.) Some people never quit, when God never told them to do that, or told them not to. Some people quit too early, and never produce the fruit that God intended. And some people don't know the season, they don't know when to quit, they don't hear God telling them, "That season is past, I have something else for you!" The secret to quit or not to quit is hearing and doing what God told you. He will tell you, if you will ask Him and listen. Praying that PiVAT before dinner is your non-negotiable habit. It's how you know what God wants you to do today. Quit everything else! Don't do what you want to do, or what everyone else wants you to do. Learn to hear and obey what He says to do, so you walk in His plans for your good. Your future success, depends on your ability to hear and obey today. Second, praying that you will do PiVAT Weekly and PiVAT Monthly. Sometimes even in the day to day obedience, we can talk ourselves into the current rhythm, when God wants us to come away with him, and get a longer term perspective. What He has planned for you this month and this week, will impact your daily activity - if you are aware of them. Whatever He tells you to do, never quit, never give up. And if you are obeying, you're not sinning. Just do what God told you to do in this hour. Finally, if you are seeking God each day, and week and month for His plans for you. Those things that He brings to a close, He will tell you when it's time to quit, to cease effort in that direction. It's not quitting that he's after... It's finishing - So you can start the next thing He has for you. He brings progress, He will take you from glory to glory. When God has you end something, it's because he is beginning something new. Praying that you will ask God right now. "What should I quit?" "Am I doing anything you said not to, or never told me to?" Leave it immediately. Praying you will get His plans daily, and weekly and monthly, and never quit what He told you to do. So you will finish, so you will bear fruit. Remember, He said His yoke is easy, His burden is light, He goes before you, He stands beside you, He goes with you, and He surrounds you. Everything He has for you is good, He has strength for you to do it, and wisdom to do it well. Praying that you will ask, and obey, and when He tells you, never quit, but do it with joy! Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
I just love God's Word. It's like a search light, it can make you uncomfortable sometimes. But better to be uncomfortable than unaware. I love that God's Word gives practical advice, sound instruction. Proverbs 14:5 - A truthful witness does not deceive, but a false witness pours out lies. People who see something and say something are witnesses. Everyone else is a hearer of the witness, whether in court or in life. People give their story or their version of the story of what happened, and usually why something happened. Some people love to be witnesses of things they didn't even see, weren't even there to begin with, but they are saying things about what they heard that someone else saw, or thinks. That's not a witness that's just a person with an opinion. What makes a false witness? Someone who said they witnessed and didn't, someone who tells something different than what they witnessed, or someone who spins what they saw based on their beliefs, not what really happened. False witnesses pour out lies. Verse 6 - the mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning. What is a mocker? Someone who disdains authority. Someone who speaks against either the authority of God, or those whom God has placed in authority. How did a mocker become a mocker? They first considered. They thought about it, when they should have been obeying. God calls this 'perverse,' so they became a slow obeyer, then a consistent disobeyer, then a mocker. Verse 7 - Stay away from a foolish man, for you will not find knowledge on his lips. The foolish hang together, like birds of a feather, you will rarely find wisdom in crowds. Don't follow the crowd, usually, the foolish are there. Broad is the path that leads to destruction, narrow is the path that leads to life. Knowledge comes easily to the discerning because by use and practice, they have learned to discern between good and evil. Hebrews talks of this. Obedience is what develops discernment. Verse 8 - the wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception. What makes the wise, wise? They consider. Did you catch that? Both the fool and the wise are - because they consider. But they consider at different times. That's the difference. The fool considers when he should be obeying, and doesn't consider when he should be considering - before he does something foolish. Just the opposite, the wise don't consider when it's time to obey, (if God speaks they just do it), and they don't obey when it's time to consider (when folly is speaking). That's discernment - distinguishing between what is right and what is wrong. Obedience trains you in it. What makes folly? Deception. The folly of fools is deception. No fool starts out to be foolish. But when you don't consider by comparing this thing with God's truth from God's Word, you become foolish in your thinking. And you run with those of like mind. The wise walk with the wise, but the foolish run with fools. Praying that you know when to consider and when to obey. That when God speaks you will obey, so that when folly speaks you will know to consider. Praying that you will stay away from the foolish, and the crowd, that your time in His WORD - PRISM, and your time in HIs presence, worship, your time in PiVAT - getting his plans for you today - so you get that obeying practice... develops your discernment - so that wisdom can grow in you. So you consider when it's time to consider, and obey when it's time to obey. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
Have you ever noticed, there are really three things you can say. Things to yourself, things to God, and things to others. It's always wise to be careful what you say, and to be careful what you say, you need to be careful what you hear. Because what you hear you tend to say. Unless you discern what you hear, you will just repeat it. It's even better to say what is right. If that is your practice, than saying something else sounds strange. Proverbs 13:1 - A wise son heeds his father's instruction, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke. What makes a son wise? Listening and applying what His Father teaches him. First listening, then obeying. Why does a son heed his father's instruction? One he chooses to listen to His Father, and his Father's counsel over everyone else. He doesn't hold with equal value something someone else says. Why does He heed? Because he values his Father's instruction, because He values His Father. What makes a mocker? - one who doesn't listen to rebuke. Why does he get rebuke? because He doesn't follow instruction. Why doesn't the mocker follow instruction? because he values things that other people say, more than he values what his father says. If you don't heed instruction, neither will you heed warning, or rebuke. Verse 3 - He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin. One always assumes this verse is about talking to others. But it doesn't say that. It's first about talking to you, what you say to yourself. What is speaking rashly? Repeating something that has no basis in truth. Rashly - hastily, and without due deliberation. Quick to speak something that is not true or not wise, unsubstantiated, often based on feeling or emotion, rather than fact and proof. If you speak rashly to someone else, you may come to ruin, they may get upset and ruin you. But far more often people are ruined by what they say to themselves. The best way to guard your lips is to employ them with good. If you speak God's Word, it will train your lips in what is right. When speaking to yourself - speak faith, when speaking to God - speak praise, when speaking to others - speak kindness. Praying that you will always be diligent in what is due. That is due diligence. That you won't repeat things you hear, that everybody says or believes, without seeking truth first. New information? Is It True? Where is the evidence? What's in it for them? What does God say? Praying that your mouth will always build, faith for yourself, praise for God, and kindness for others. That you will guard your lips with God's Word - so you will never come to ruin, you will come to reward. Love you all, dad Love you all, praying for you,
If you could be one thing… what would it be? Rich? Successful? Respected? Loved? What if you could be one thing... you would be humble? If you are humble, you will obey God, you will be saved, you will receive His free gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ – the only way to the Father in Heaven - God said it. If you are humble, you will believe and obey God and be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will empower you. God said He opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. That means if God’s against you – you cannot succeed. It is not possible. The best you’ll ever get is temporary, flash in the pan success, but nothing that is true success and nothing that will last. But if you’re humble, His power will direct you and strengthen you, He will fulfill the purpose He has for you. Humility and the fear of the LORD are the beginning of wisdom. People are really… humble or prideful. Jesus was humble, all He did was obey. Being made in the form of a man, He became obedient to death, even death on a cross. Humble means to obey God, and prefer others over yourself. So if that’s the one thing - if you could be, you would be, what could keep you from it? Proverbs 11:2 – When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. Wisdom is success – lack wisdom, lack success – gain wisdom, gain success – learn wisdom, learn success - walk in wisdom, walk in success – repeat wisdom, repeat success – neglect wisdom, neglect success, maintain wisdom, maintain success. Pride and humility determine wisdom. If pride comes, wisdom leaves. That’s why its important to see pride coming, and head the other direction – choose humility. You can only see pride coming with spiritual eyes, not natural. It will try to sneak in in the form of a thought, maybe criticism, or slander, or defensiveness. And the only way your spiritual eyes will see it, is if they have the 'Word of God' glasses on. It’s how you get sensitive to pride coming. God’s Word is humility in practice, and the more you practice, the easier you see pride coming. Reject pride, choose humility. Pride is against God’s Word. Chose God’s Word – is Step 1 of Humility. Keep PRISM as your habit – it will ensure your success. Use your words to enforce His Word. Declare you will obey His Word no matter what He says, no matter what the cost, no matter what other people think or say about you. Humble Step 1 – Obey God – it starts with Getting His Word, and Getting His Plans. Humble Step 2 – Listen. Prefer others. You can learn from them… their ideas are as important as yours – prefer theirs over yours. Tell yourself, "Today I will listen first, and talk later, I will seek to understand before being understood, I will love others by listening, and be willing to leave things unsaid. I will only say what God tells me to say." Praying that you will be one thing. Humble. That you will see pride coming and go the other way. That your PRISM time in His Word will help you see clearly, that your PiVAT before dinner will help you obey what He told you to do today. Praying that you will declare what you will do, and do it with joy. So humility and the fear of the LORD establish wisdom in you. Love you all, dad |
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