Perservering Application

Persevering Application

This week’s character or virtue was diligence, the opposite of laziness, slothfulness or idleness. The term diligence is derived from Latin phrases meaning "to choose," and "to love earnestly." To be diligent is to choose to start a project, finish a project, make preparations, follow through and work heartily onto the Lord with whatever work has been assigned or whatever work you see that needs to be done. I didn’t come from a wealthy family in terms of money nor did I grow up in Church, but my family showed me character. We didn’t go on expensive vacations. We camped a couple of times per year. . We spent time at our local river swimming, playing in the sand, we watched the town baseball game between locals, we spent time talking to people in town , we helped others, we played board games together,  we did crafts together, we liked town fairs and town functions.  

One area I became very diligent in was my studies at school because I thought that was an area to help others and to not worry about money. I didn’t wait for others to teach things to me or do it for me, I jumped right in to learn. I became a lawyer and so the word “due diligence” was easy for me. I would always check, research, try, explore, research again everything I read or a client would say. I would use and invest my energies, talents and gifts to complete tasks. God has given me perseverance to withstand troubles and continue at places that are difficult.  Now, I a stay at home mostly and pick up legal work occasionally. Finally, I am back into a mode of working hard in whatever I do for God not to look good, get more, earn more or anything more. I work hard in my home and outside for God’s glory and because he says to. I am learning to be content with what God gives.

Today, I was listening to the rooms of a woman’s heart. I liked how an analogy of building was made to our spiritual home. The first room discussed was the basement and foundation. Many people want to talk about all the precious things and beautiful things we fill our home with to make it “beautiful” but the most important part of a house is the foundation. Without Jesus Christ, we don’t have a firm foundation. God tells us in His word that those that build on sandy foundations are those people who hear the word of God but then do not do what it says. The people who build on the rock of Christ do what he says in His Word. All people experience “storms’ in their life but the one who perseveres and withstands is the one who does what God says to do.

This week, I am pondering many things including building the Church, our spiritual homes inside of us/heart/God’s Spirit residing in us, building our family homes where we live, building my son up to be a warrior for Christ, and building our church up. I am trying to learn more about working on projects more communally with everyone doing their part.

Though None Go With Me

The two books that came to my mind today were The Little Red Hen and The Three Little Pigs. The Little Ren Hen has a very good moral although many in the politically correct/socially acceptable movement may disagree. My only complaint is that we can carry independent overboard and be too independent. God did make us to live in community and work together. God said it was not good to be alone. I am starting to see that doing a lot on your own does not mean you are alone. We meet and work with people as we go. I don’t wait or depend on others where I can do it myself unless the Word  of God says not to do it.
The Little Red Hen
“In the tale, The Little Red Hen finds a grain of wheat, and asks for help from the other farmyard animals to plant it. However, no animal will volunteer to help her.
At each further stage (harvest, threshing, milling the wheat into flour, and baking the flour into bread), the hen again asks for help from the other animals, but again she gets no assistance.
Finally, the hen has completed her task, and asks who will help her eat the bread. This time, all the previous non-participants eagerly volunteer. However, she declines their help, stating that no one aided her in the preparation work, and eats it with her chicks, leaving none for anyone else.
The moral of this story is that those who show no willingness to contribute to an end product do not deserve to enjoy the end product: "if any man will not work, neither let him eat."^[

The Three Little Pigs

• The moral of the story is pretty obvious. when building your future be wise and take your time to build it up right. A good solid foundation and well structured plan can help in times of a storm to prevent financial difficulties. Such as a good savings plan, reliable investments, etc.
• Hard work and enterprise triumphs over evil forces and misfortune
• Don't give up when it comes to your life.
• Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance.
• Take the time and expense necessary to do things the right way. You may get by for awhile with shortcuts and shoddy work, but in the long run it will cost you.

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The Bible has many verses like the Little Red Hen saying if you don’t work, you don’t eat. However, the politically correct, socially acceptable story today is that the Red Hen is being unfair by not sharing. I am all for sharing and giving. In fact the verse my son worked on yesterday while we wrote it on lasagna noodles was Proverbs 21:26 – All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing. We should give to others. However, in this story the animals had a chance to have food and help and they wanted to play and do what they wanted to it. We are not talking about the disabled, injured, poor who are taking care of young or for other reasons that would prevent someone from working.  Many parents would disagree with me but I did teach my son to work hard, be helpful and take responsibility and care for his belongings. The sharing will come as we work on contentment with what God gives and trusting that God provides and we do not need to worry if someone steals or breaks our things. Sharing comes out of realizing the great gifts our God has given us.

Scriptures for Proverbs 31 Study:

Proverbs 12:24 - The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be put to forced labor.

Proverbs 19:15 - Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.

Proverbs 20:4 - The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.

Observations:

1.    Slothful, lazy and idle are interchangeable

2.    Slothful/Lazy/Idle person shall be put to forced labor, suffer hunger and have nothing in the harvest.

3.    The diligent on the other hand will be in places of authority and will be filled.

Applications:

Since a young teenager, I have been identified as a “leader” or one that rules. I would come up with ideas and plans and go forward. I have been called “tenacious”. This quality of endurance that I give praise to God for is not a bad thing. It is a good thing.  Following what God says has kept me from being hungry in the spiritual and physical sense. Proverbs 10: 3 says “The LORD will not allow the righteous to hunger, But He will reject the craving of the wicked.” Righteousness comes from being clothed with Jesus Christ’s righteousness. We then fear God and depart from evil ways. We are full of thanks for His sacrifice and our lives become the living sacrifice of saying “Yes Lord.”  When I think of a deep sleep, I think of a person with no or little discernment. Their conscious  has been darkened and they can not see right from wrong many times. They are on auto pilot. Their minds, hearts and emotions are not engaged. They are lifeless devoid of the Spirit of God. A person like this will crave, crave and crave and never have.  Also, people that are cast into a deep sleep and have nothing will eat off other people’s emotions, work, and kindness. The sluggard can drain everyone not just of material blessings but of spiritual blessings.

Before becoming a Mother, I was constantly helping everyone. I would work all day, have prayer and accountability groups 3 times a week. I served faithfully in Church as a counselor and small group  leader. After becoming a Mother and sensing my true purpose, I gave up a lot of work outside the home. I didn’t have the stamina to do it all. I wanted to train my son as God directed me. During these three and a half years, I have learned a lot. I have learned that I did many things for people that they could have done for themselves. Many times, I helped people come up with plans and directions from the Word of God that were never implemented. This use to upset me but now I do not take it personally. I am learning to ask questions when they come again for help. I ask what they have done since the last time I spoke. I ask them what plan they have for the future.

I think many times I think summer is for fun, camping and trips. I forget that a lot of projects need to do be done in the summer like certain pain jobs, cleaning the garage, planting crops. I have not been diligent in summer time many times. I still think it is the time we should have off for relaxing. I think this applies to spiritual harvest as well. It is important to be investing into lives of others. It doesn’t always have to be a formal role. It can be when we are at the store, at a museum, getting a haircut. Seeds are planted by the lives we live. I am trying to be diligent in teaching my son about God and it is amazing for me to hear account after account of how he stands out. I believe God has a calling on all of our lives and he created us for a purpose to glorify Him in the gifting He gives us. We are not to hide these talents or just spend them on ourselves but to work hard unto Him with every gift He gives.

I am thinking of the song


Verse 1
I have decided, to follow Jesus,
I have decided, to follow Jesus,
I have decided, to follow Jesus,
No turning back, no turning back.

VERSE 3
Though none go with me, still I will follow,
Though none go with me, still I will follow,
Though none go with me, still I will follow,
No turning back, no turning back!

Prayer:

Lord, thank you that you give us eternal perspectives. I hear you saying the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Lord, I do want to be a worker but with the right motives. I don’t want to work to look good but unto you for your Glory. Lord, I thank you that knowing you and having others come to know you intimately is a desire on my heart. Lord, use our family and my life wherever I am and whatever I do. God may we work together in and for You. I have decided that even if none want to make break or help with the bread (though none go with me), I still will follow. You are the bread of life and I want to follow you all my days.

Filled with Wisdom, Understanding and Knowledge

We are being fashioned for a palace. We are God's spiritual house. Psalm 144:12 -  Let our sons in their youth be as grown-up plants, And our daughters as corner pillars fashioned as for a palace. God is growing us priests in His Kingdom to accomplish His purposes not our own purposes.

Scripture for Week 10, Day 3 is: Proverbs 24:3-4 - Through wisdom a house is built; and by understanding it is established; and by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

Observations:

1.      Built – Hebrew word banah means fashioned, fortifying, have children, restored.  Some say it is the same word God uses when he took the rib from Adam to fashion Eve. Wisdom is seeing with God’s discernment.God’s wisdom restores physical and spiritual house. The verbal root for this word is חכם (hhakham) and means to separate between good and bad, right and wrong, left and right, up and down, etc.

2.      Established – Hebrew word I believe is amad meaning to set up or lay the groundwork for, establish the validity of something, as by an example, explanation or experiment. Also it means to set in order that which is cluttered and to set up straight that which is fallen down. It can also mean to remain or endure.  God brings Order out of chaos.

3.      3. Filled – Hebrew word male or mala meaning consecrated, dedicated, completed, accomplished. We as a spiritual house are consecrated, dedicated to God. Likewise our house (family) is too.

Application:  If you read through all the Proverbs starting with Proverbs 1, God shows us the difference between wisdom and foolishness. Just as an example, to be wise is to hear and increase learning, to fear the Lord, keep God’s commands, restrain lips, listens and heeds instruction, uses knowledge rightly and attains Godly counsel. The foolish person does not listen to instruction, does not like counsel, pours forth foolishness from lips; despises wisdom and instruction, hates knowledge, does not seek God diligently and does not fear God.  I like how in Proverbs 3:13-15 we see why the Proverbs 31 is far more precious than rubies because this same wording is used for wisdom. In Proverbs 3:13-15 it says “happy is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding; for her proceeds are better than the profits of silver and her gain than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies and all the things you may desire can not compare with her.”  We are told in Proverbs 2 that we are to receive God’s word, treasure His commands, incline our ear to wisdom, apply your heart to understanding, cry out for discernment, lift up voice for understanding, seek for wisdom as silver, search for as hidden treasures then we will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom and From His mouth comes knowledge and understanding. Apart from Jesus Christ and his death on the cross, we can not be wise. Foolish are wise in their own eyes but God says that “There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the Lord.” Proverbs 21:30. A fool has no delight in understanding but in expressing his own heart (Proverbs 18:2).

Some Scriptures in addition to those mentioned in Application:

 Colossians 1:9 – For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

1 Peter 2:5 - You also, as living stones, are built up into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 11:2 - the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;

And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship," (-- Exodus 31:3)  

Prayer: Lord, thank you for building us up a spiritual house to bring praises to you. Thank you that if our homes on not built on you and your word with Christ being Lord and Savior over all of it that it will be like building on sinking sand. I pray that you make what is fallen and crooked stand upright and straight. Fill our family, home and individual temple of our body and life as a living sacrifice to you. Thank you for the great work you are doing.