Good and honest

Everybody desires a good and honest life, at least at some moments of reflection. Then you get distracted, seduced, out of focus; and you find yourself busy, building and doing everything but a good and honest life. There is a big need for wisdom, God’s wisdom. Without it you will not get the good and honest life you would like to have. God is ready to give it to you. You just need to open up to Him. You need to obey and receive what He has in store for You. Watch for opportunities as He lies them in front of you, and watch your mouth from which can flow blessings or abuse as you choose. Good and honest life is not just a result of your own making, it is the result of leting God intervene in your life.

Wise son, glad father;

   stupid son, sad mother.

2 Ill-gotten gain gets you nowhere;

   an honest life is immortal.

3 God won’t starve an honest soul,

   but he frustrates the appetites of the wicked.

4 Sloth makes you poor;

   diligence brings wealth.

5 Make hay while the sun shines—that’s smart;

   go fishing during harvest—that’s stupid.

6 Blessings accrue on a good and honest life,

   but the mouth of the wicked is a dark cave of abuse.

7 A good and honest life is a blessed memorial;

   a wicked life leaves a rotten stench.

(Prov.10:1-7 MSG)

Prayer: Thanks for Your blessing. Help me to live a good and honest life. My heart is open to You and You alone. Waiting, hoping, envisioning, preparing for obedience. I know Your ways are the best ways. I want to internalize them, make it my own, obey them and enjoy them. I love You my God.

Are you confused about life?

There is not only God’s wisdom that is calling for your allegiance. Most temptations promise everything and cannot give much. Temptations are waiting for you to have a low moment, a time when you are tired, confused, not able to think properly and it strikes. You have to determine ahead of time what are you going to do in such circumstances. You have to decide if you will trade short term pleasure for long standing happiness. You have to be prepared or you’ll become another victim.

Then there’s this other woman, Madame Whore—

   brazen, empty-headed, frivolous.

She sits on the front porch

   of her house on Main Street,

And as people walk by minding

   their own business, calls out,

“Are you confused about life, don’t know what’s going on?

   Steal off with me, I’ll show you a good time!

   No one will ever know—I’ll give you the time of your life.”

But they don’t know about all the skeletons in her closet,

   that all her guests end up in hell.

(Prov.9:13-18)

Prayer: You are my Lord, oh God. You are the focus of my adoration. On my darkest moment help me not to lose focus. Make me aware of your love and care in every circumstance of my life. Fill my life with your presence.

Skilled living

Don’t waste your time with arrogant cynics whose interest is not to find the truth but just to win an argument. There is no point in giving tools to find the truth to people that don’t want to be helped, to people that think they know enough, to people that make fun of you or your intents to help. Of course, we should give everybody the opportunity to access life, the most hardened cynic could repent and be transformed, but after offering the truth wait for them to accept it and don’t go any further with information they don’t want to receive. Only those who seek wisdom will find it.

If you reason with an arrogant cynic, you’ll get slapped in the face;

   confront bad behavior and get a kick in the shins.

So don’t waste your time on a scoffer;

   all you’ll get for your pains is abuse.

But if you correct those who care about life,

   that’s different—they’ll love you for it!

Save your breath for the wise—they’ll be wiser for it;

   tell good people what you know—they’ll profit from it.

Skilled living gets its start in the Fear-of-God,

   insight into life from knowing a Holy God.

It’s through me, Lady Wisdom, that your life deepens,

   and the years of your life ripen.

Live wisely and wisdom will permeate your life;

   mock life and life will mock you.

(Prov.9:7-12 MSG)

Prayer:Guide me to people that care about life. People that already decided to seek God. I want to recognize those who love You or at least fear Your name. Help me to identify seekers and to share the truth with them.

Walk to a life with meaning.

The most rewarding life is in the company of God's wisdom. The most satisfying long lasting pleasures are found on God's walk. If you are confused about life, stop wondering and get God's wisdom it is free for you.

Lady Wisdom has built and furnished her home; it’s supported by seven hewn timbers. The banquet meal is ready to be served: lamb roasted, wine poured out, table set with silver and flowers. Having dismissed her serving maids, Lady Wisdom goes to town, stands in a prominent place, and invites everyone within sound of her voice: “Are you confused about life, don’t know what’s going on? Come with me, oh come, have dinner with me! I’ve prepared a wonderful spread—fresh-baked bread, roast lamb, carefully selected wines. Leave your impoverished confusion and live ! Walk up the street to a life with meaning.”
(Proverbs 9:1-6 MSG)

Prayer: I am grateful for your wisdom. You have been so good for me. It is an honor to consider myself Your Child. Your light makes my path clearer, makes the best of my present, and it shines full of hope to the future.

Awake and ready

The good use of God's wisdom has plenty of rewards. But rejecting God has also consequences. Don't waste your life. Start every day's challenges with faith and expectations. Every day is an opportunity to learn from the master of the universe. Grow in your knowledge and friendship with Him.

“So, my dear friends, listen carefully;
    those who embrace these my ways are most blessed.
Mark a life of discipline and live wisely;
    don’t squander your precious life.
Blessed the man, blessed the woman, who listens to me,
    awake and ready for me each morning,
    alert and responsive as I start my day’s work.
When you find me, you find life, real life,
    to say nothing of God’s good pleasure.
But if you wrong me, you damage your very soul;
    when you reject me, you’re flirting with death.”
(Prov.8:32-36 MSG)
                     
Prayer: Thank you my Lord. Help me to have my ears open and listening to Your wisdom. I consider myself blessed for every time I obeyed You. I should always obey. Your ways are the best ways. Guide me to discipline myself and live wisely. I am awake and ready for You. What are Your plans for me today? I am open and ready for You.

Foundation of life

Before creating nature, God used His wisdom to engineer all things and beings. His wisdom made all the complexity of the world work harmoniously as a system. Wisdom is shown in nature and human architecture. His wisdom is what God is offering to you. You don’t deserve it, but He is willing to share it with you. You just need to be humble enough to receive it and follow its lead. God’s wisdom will show its fruits in you, and you will be able to enjoy it in your present life and forever.

“God sovereignly made me—the first, the basic—

   before he did anything else.

I was brought into being a long time ago,

   well before Earth got its start.

I arrived on the scene before Ocean,

   yes, even before Springs and Rivers and Lakes.

Before Mountains were sculpted and Hills took shape,

   I was already there, newborn;

Long before God stretched out Earth’s Horizons,

   and tended to the minute details of Soil and Weather,

And set Sky firmly in place,

   I was there.

When he mapped and gave borders to wild Ocean,

   built the vast vault of Heaven,

   and installed the fountains that fed Ocean,

When he drew a boundary for Sea,

   posted a sign that said no trespassing,

And then staked out Earth’s Foundations,

   I was right there with him, making sure everything fit.

Day after day I was there, with my joyful applause,

   always enjoying his company,

Delighted with the world of things and creatures,

   happily celebrating the human family.

(Prov.8:22-31 MSG).

 
Prayer: You are the Almighty, All Knowing, Omnipresent God. Your love reaches everybody. I feel privileged to know You, to have a relationship with You. Offering Your wisdom to me is something I should never reject. Without deserving it You made me a focus of Your love and kindness. I am eternally grateful.  

Armloads of life!

You need to value wisdom. It is better than money. Wisdom makes real life possible. A life of justice, a righteous life. A life of sanity, goodness, love, virtue, common sense, straight talk and honesty. There is no better way of living. It starts with what is called the “Fear of God” and it means hating evil. It builds your personality to be healthy, harmonious, fair, purposeful. Any distraction or shortcut from that will end up making your life miserable.

“I am Lady Wisdom, and I live next to Sanity;

   Knowledge and Discretion live just down the street.

The Fear-of-God means hating Evil,

   whose ways I hate with a passion—

   pride and arrogance and crooked talk.

Good counsel and common sense are my characteristics;

   I am both Insight and the Virtue to live it out.

With my help, leaders rule,

   and lawmakers legislate fairly;

With my help, governors govern,

   along with all in legitimate authority.

I love those who love me;

   those who look for me find me.

Wealth and Glory accompany me—

   also substantial Honor and a Good Name.

My benefits are worth more than a big salary, even a very big salary;

   the returns on me exceed any imaginable bonus.

You can find me on Righteous Road—that’s where I walk—

   at the intersection of Justice Avenue,

Handing out life to those who love me,

   filling their arms with life—armloads of life!

(Prov.8:12-21 MSG)

Prayer: I love You God. Thanks for Your wisdom. Thanks for sanity, for letting me experience real justice, discretion, virtue from the heart and applied to my living. Your wisdom makes life beautiful and enjoyable. I am glad I know You. Thank You Lord. I don’t want to keep this knowledge for myself. Let me share it whenever I can.