My house?

[MomsterLuv]

Yes, it all began with that fateful verse...Proverbs 14:1 "A wise woman builds her house but the foolish tears it down with her own two hands".  WHOAAAAH!!  This is scary.  This is how important we are to our homes.  I know I need help!! Do I honestly think I have all the answers?  With so much on me, am I that strong?  Well, no, actually.  I'm pretty vulnerable by myself.  Knowing that is what gives me hope actually.  "I will be more lightly esteemed than this and will be humble in my own eyes.." 2Samuel 6:22a.  With that, everything was all good.  Humble before my God and never embarraed by what people will think or say of me because I follow God!. 

1Kings5:5a "Behold, I intend to build a house for the name of the Lord, my God!".  Yes, everything I do, the life I live, kids I raise, husband I adore, all of it is my house unto my God. And God directs me on the construction... "Conceiving this house which you are building, if you will walk in My statutes, and execute My ordinances and keep all My commandments by walking in them, then I will carry out My Word to you!" 1Kings 6:6.  Wow.  That's pretty awsome, considering that Jesus did it all, all for me!!  Oh I have to walk the walk and talk the talk but I know He is my salvation, my redeemer, my Lord whom I follow! Now, my life is built up or torn down by my choices.  Do I choose my will? Do I choose the worldview?  Or do I choose God's Way?.  I will see the results, weather blessing or consequence played out according to those choices.  this applies to me personally and everything I impact, including my family, my chilren, my work, my relationships, my life...my house!.

First, with respect to doing what I feel or I think or I want... I hear that alot.  'follow your heart' but "the heart is decieptful more than all else, and is desperately sick; who can understand it?  I the Lord search the heart, I test the mind, even to give each man according to his ways, according to the result of his deeds" Jeremiah17:9-10.  I have personally learned "Lord, all my desire is before You and my sighing is not hidden from You, my heart throbs and my strength fails" Psalm 38:9.  Yes, I can be wrong, (are you shocked).  "Do not be wise in your own eyes: fear the Lord and turn away from evil. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own undersatandng.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight" Prov 3:5-7  God is promising me that if I give up my limited understanding and trust His unlimited wisdom, He will be responsible for the path of my life, and I trust His judgement more than mine.  Iv've seen the trouble I can get myself into.   My strength fails. 

Second is the worldview. So begin with God's opinion"Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge"Job38:10  The world is so cooky!  It's words are not only without knowledge, they are without logic!  I mean, come on...does Truth change?  Is right and wrong fluid?  The only Truth that changes was never Truth to begin with! "The exchange the Truth for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the creator who is blessed forever" Romans 1:25 and the world's philosophers?  "Your prophets have seen for you false and foolish visions and they have not exposed your iniquity so as to restore you from captivity"! Lamentations2:14. That is where we get caught up. Believing lies, we remain slaves to sin. Captive by that which justifies sin but is false and foolish.  Come on....we have a conviction! That wince just before we dive in - the 'Jiminy Cricket' voice that screams silently!

When the world has something to say, it is tainted by an incomplete, fallen perfection - a corrupted file, if you will.  God created this world in perfection and in justice gave us choice. In our choice, we have corrupted that perfection and can rest assured that everything from the word-apart from God- is corrupted; flawed! "If we say we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the Truth is not in us" 1John1:8. We in our vanity rely on our own judgement.  Even when we rest in someone, or something other than God's judgement it's just our  vanity in our own capacity to discern apart from God. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction"Prov.1:7

And then there is the whole 'proof is in the pudding' thing.  When I look at my life and the lives of others, I see a stark contrast between the worlds corrupt widom and God's perfect wisdom.  I see lives all screwed up and angry. Broken homes, broken marriages, broken people.  Then I look upon the faithful - and I don't mean the Christmas Catholic or Sunday Christian.  I mean those humble sinners who cling to God for dear life in a drowning world, immersed in His Word, His Body and His Will.  Those people who's bibles are marked, highlighted, noted, dog eared, book marked and falling apart from overuse and fervent consumption.  You know who you are.  Notice I said bibles (plural) because I'm sure you can relate to the sorrow of having to retire an old, much used and aged friend and the excitement of clean white pages with lotsa room for love.  Yes...you know who you are.  There is a striking difference.  There, in those sanctified lives is a healing, a peace, a hope and above all a visible promise fulfilled. Jesus said "These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation (trouble) but take courage, I have overcome the world" John16:33.

So, there's the worlds wisdom; the feel good, it's only natural concept. Well, truthfully, sin does feel good...in the beginning, and the sin nature is only natural. We don't want to deny our flesh, we want to gratify it.  Temptation is..well, tempting, but the consequences? Not so much.  So, 'where is the wise man? Where is the debator of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?" 1Corinthians1:20. So yes, comparing and observing is also a great indicator, but wait. While the world is constantly on the prowl-God's faithful love is ever vigilant of His own, using all things for their good...ALL THINGS!

His work with us isn't finished and we certainly still have a lot left to accomplish so lest we get prideful and begin to feel overconfident - consider this "Have NOTHING to do with worldly fables, fit for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness" 1Tim4:7. The world is a tricky fish. I mean, everything is everywhere influencing us and those around us. Those messages bombard us from all around. "The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is in the Image of God" 2Corinthians4:4. "For false christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders so as to mislead, if possible, EVEN THE ELECT" Matthew24:24. "Such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, distinguishing themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even satan distinguishes himself an angel of light, therefor it is not surprising if his servants disguise themselves as servents of righteousness whose end will be according to their deeds" 2Corinthians11:13. 

Start with God! "If you continue in my Word, then you are truly disciples of Mine, and you will know the Truth and the Truth will make you free" John8:32. God never left us on this 3rd rock alone or abandoned. He has given us a creation full of His perfect wisdom, His Holy Spirit full of power and untimacy and He has written it all down for us.  Ya, ya, I know, it's a 'Moby Dick' of an instruction manual but hey - there's a lot to cover and God is throurough! So "Be diligent to present yourselves approved of God as a workman who does ot need to be ashamed, accurately handling the Word of Truth" 2Timothy2:15."But if anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all generously and without reproach and it will be given to him" James1:5.

Still, I hear it all the time, those who say 'but I've read the bible already'. Really? I've read it and believe me, after 20 years I'm still reading, re-reading and I'm learning a lot. "Oh the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are His judgements, and His ways past finding out" Romans 11:33. So we need God, we need the Holy spirit. Just ask! "But he must ask in faith, without doubting for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, tossed about by the wind. For that man outght not to expect he will receive anything from the Lord being double minded and unstable in all his ways" James 1:6-8. We have a choice because God is just.  He gave us free will and He keeps His word, even when we dont. You also know it.  So CHOOSE! "...choose you this day whom you will serve...as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord"Joshua 24:15.

How wonderful, that Truth. The real Truth is unchanging. No need to get lost in endless debate and shifting, inconsistent opinions. There it is for us, to bless us, guide us and encourage us. "The sum of Your Word is Truth and every one of Your righteous ordinences is everlasting" Psalms 119:160. I mean, we chase after everything but what a wonderful thing to chase after God.  He is everything I need, certainly everything I need to know. So here it is. John14:6 "Unless the Lord builds a house, they labor in vain who build it" Psalm 127:1 Jesus Christ is Lord of all! "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. NO ONE comes to the Father but through Me"

The real Truth, the whole Truth, and nuttin but da Truth!

Heavenly Father, please hold me, never let me go. Know that I'm a big dummy and if I ever wander...slap me upside the head! Lord, I love you and I thank You for Your love, Your word and Your salvation.

Amen

[serin]

Jun. 26, 2008 at 12:17 PM Thank you for this...really well written...God Bless~

[emme-t]

Jun. 26, 2008 at 12:57 PM

You are speaking my words today - just much more eloquently. . . . .I am having a terrible week with my children.  This verse has been on my mind and I cannot believe that it was the first verse in your post!  God what are you trying to tell me!!!!  Thanks for the reminder, girl!

 

m