Rolling the dice

Do any of you have control issues or is it just me?  I am a lot better than I use to be...but still at times I think I'm in control.  You did catch the word " I think" didn't you?  I know deep down that one phone could change everything and that I don't control anything...

Reading Proverbs 14 - 16:33 this morning reminded me over and over whose in control and well it's not me or you!  It's God.  The quicker we learn this wise fact the better our journey truly is...it's just hard to think we aren't helping Him, isn't it?

Listen to a few that caught my thinker this morning...

Proverbs 16:9 ~  We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.

Proverbs 16:20 ~ Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the LORD will prosper.

Proverbs 16:33 ~ We may throw the dice, but the LORD determines how they fall.

I know some of you think differently than I do, but I believe with all my heart that God will do whatever it takes to get our attention.  I also believe He allows us to make our decisions (good or bad) that if we follow Him then He is able to use all of them.  We get to decide ~ it's our free will, but we aren't free without the LORD.  

I know in my own journey the freedom I now know is only because of Jesus absolutely nothing to do with me.  I know that God loves me and will indeed determine exactly how my journey goes.  I find great comfort in allowing God the controls,  even if that means I have to sit in the back seat.  I've learned this peace is indeed like nothing else.  A peace that is only explained through the love of Jesus.

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Crowing about things is foolish!

Proverbs 11 - 13:25

Well, do you know that fool (s) or foolish is mentioned 84 times in Proverbs?  When the word is used it is always in a negative fashion.  It will attribute qualities which are negative, but they are things that a person is able to change.  Change if it is desired...How many of us like change?  Even when we know the thing we need to change is bad for us, we still don't like to change.  Or perhaps you aren't guilty of this and you like change.  Well, good for you!  Sad thing is I'm not sure I believe you I've never met a person that will say I love change!

Reading this morning one of the verses that spoke to me and made me think about myself and others I know and love is this one...

Proverbs 13:16 ~ Wise people think before they act; fools don't-and even brag about their foolishness.

Okay, pause a moment think of everybody you know and yourself  - think of foolish acts that you know of did much thought go in to the action before it took place?  Well the definition of foolish is lack of sense, unwise, lacking forethought.  When I think of myself with times I acted without much thought sometimes "foolish" definitely happened!  Did you then go on to brag about it?  Well, sometimes I did...oops!  Yes, I wasn't very wise!  I don't like to think about times that I crowed like the rooster about a foolish time that turned out okay, but with absolutely no thanks to me.

Do you know what word is used more than double the times of foolish?  Some form of wisdom it is mentioned 184 times.  Being wise thinking before we act or speak is important.  It is important to be wise and think before we act foolish and then crow about it!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Treasures

Where do you place your priorities or what is it that you treasure?

I thought I knew the answer to that question until one day a fire happened...things I thought really mattered well not so much.  I learned a very important lesson when I lost my home to fire...no matter what - stuff is just stuff.  Whether it is that necklace you just had to have or that piece of furniture...well in the big picture they do not matter...I realized on a much deeper level what truly matters and what goes with you everyday during a difficult time and that is God sand His Word!  I treasure HIS WORDS on a much deeper level after going through the fire and you know what...I wouldn't change a thing because I grew so much closer to God through the walk!  He showed up everywhere and spoke to my soul.

Today, let Him speak to your soul!  I don't know what you are facing whether it's a fire, a flood, or even a bigger issue of illness or death, but God is walking with you!

Today, reading I was reminded about our treasures with these words from Proverbs 2:2-8

Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.  Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding.  Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures.  Then you 

will understand what it means to fear the LORD, and you will gain knowledge of God.  For the LORD grands wisdom!  From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.  He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.  He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.  He guards the path of the just and protects those who are faithful to him.

Seek understanding and insight and collect the most awesome treasure - a relationship with God!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Traveling for wisdom

Queen of Sheba when you read those words what comes to your mind?  Have you ever heard anybody ask somebody who do you think you are the Queen of Sheba?  Well, I guess she was all that you think when you hear the word Queen of something.  She was important and everybody knew it.

What intrigued me this morning reading in 1 Kings 10 about her was how far she traveled to ask questions.  Yes, questions and not easy questions - hard questions that would test King Solomon.  She traveled over 1500 miles over very rough terrain and circumstances.  It's not like the way we travel by getting in a car or airplane with cool air or warm air along with restroom stops that are indoors with nice facilities no this was a very hard trip.  Yes, she was a queen, but even for a queen it would have been difficult to make this trip. Rough roads, deserts, critters and so much more. Yet, she said YES to this adventure to seek answers!  

All that keeps going through my mind is how far do we go to seek answers?  Is it to our computers or ipads?  Is this really the answers we seek or do we want more?  

We should all learn from the Queen of Sheba that she traveled a long way to ask important questions that she desired answers for and it did not matter how difficult the trip was to get what she needed!  It will not always be easy in this trip of life!  The answers we seek may cost us in blood, sweat, and tears.  If we truly seek answers even if it hurts, we will go through the difficulty to get some of the answers ( and it probably isn't what we think we need)  Are we willing to travel even across the hall for answers?

Another thing that struck me was she brought a lot of gifts with her.  She wanted something to offer as well in return for what she would receive.  What are we willing to offer the LORD when He gives us the answers we need?

Even the Queen of Sheba realized the gift Solomon had by the answers and all that surrounded him.  She was overwhelmed and amazed so she even offered praise to the LORD.  We don't know if she truly believed, but she was moved and she had to speak of it.  She realized God blessed Solomon.

Say Yes to the adventure!  Seek the answers!  God is big enough to answer them, but be ready to be surprised...it will be in His Way not ours.  Say Yes for the trip of a lifetime and eternity!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie