Proverbs 28:28 on Day 28

Today is the 28^th so I am taking the 28^th verse of Chapter 28 in Proverbs to attempt to pray the scripture. I have no idea if my prayer has any meaning to the verse, but the following is what comes to mind. 

 

Proverbs 28:28 “When the wicked rise, men hide themselves; but when they perish, the righteous increase.” 

 

Lord, 

    There is wickedness everywhere on this earth. My sins are great! Please forgive my wicked thoughts, feelings, speech, and actions. 

     I pray for the leaders of this nations; that deceit and wickedness will be put aside so that Your righteousness and laws will reign and rule our country. 

     Give me courage and boldness to declare Your love and acknowledge You in all I do. Let me not hide from doing for You. 

     Thank you for the promise that when You return the righteous will hide no longer. 

                                     Amen!

Shape

My shape has changed over the years. I can truthfully say, that currently, I am not happy with my shape. What was once tall and thin has become quite thicker in all the wrong places. It gives me pause when I strive to understand the changes to and the capabilities of my new shape as I continue cultivating the work set before me.  

     I like what Daily Hope said about “SHAPE” in today’s devotional. To quote Daily Hope, I must understand my shape. The author spelled it out as follows: 

        S piritual gift

        H eart

        A bilities

        P ersonality

        E xperiences

 

So, as I think about my current “shape”, I need to be concentrating upon the things God has given me.  

Wired Correctly

My friend had an electrical problem with a light fixture. She was going to get around paying an expert, so she had her son come in and try to fix the problem. He made it worse! After that, not only was the light fixture not working but the other plug-ins in the room did not work, as well.     

     This is a good example of the mess-up I might make of my life if I am not wired properly by not listening to my heart and the true Electrician in my life. 

     As my Daily Hope devotional stated this morning, “to be wired properly we have to slow down and listen to our heart.” Daily Hope gave Romans 12:3 as the verse of the day, “Be honest in your evaluation of yourself.”  I am changing the word, "yourself" to “myself”. I have to be honest with myself.

     Daily Hope gave a few questions to ask myself in order to get wired correctly: "What do I love to do? What do I dream of doing? What fascinates me? What can I talk about, think about, and study all day and not get bored? Where have I been most effective in my life?" 

     Hmmm, I think it is a good day to get wired correctly. 

    

Hope For Me Yet

 On day 23 and Chapter 23 in Proverbs I selected verses 17-18 of the Living Bible version as the verse to pray the scripture. "Don't envy evil men but continue to reverence the Lord all the time, for surely you have a wonderful future ahead of you. There is hope for you yet!"  

Lord, 
Hallow be Your name! You are my Lord, Savior, Master, Creator, the Almighty, and the Alpha and Omega. Let me worship you always! You are the One who gives me hope. Even through my "time outs" of life, You are the One I look to for help. Because of Your great power, I know there is hope for me yet." Amen!

Pray The Scriptures

Since the month of May has 31 days, I am again reading through Proverbs. I must say that although I read the scriptures that my prayer life is lacking. I remember a book I was told about one time and it was, Pray the Scriptures. I never read the book but remember a review on it which stated Proverbs was a good Book to try praying the scriptures. I thought I would give it a try, since I really am lacking in my prayer life. Today is the 22nd, and I am reading Proverbs 22, so here goes:  

Lord, 

     I count my life no worthy than others as I know I am the same in Your eyes. I humble myself in Your presence and trust You, my Lord, the One who saves my soul. You tell me to humble myself before You, feed the poor, teach the right path to others, not to steal, and rid myself of tension and quarrels. I look to you, Lord, to help me do all this for I am weak in flesh. 

     I choose, Lord, to strive to maintain a good name and I choose to trust You.  So, when I am weak and my faith fails, please correct my wicked ways, pull me onto the right path, and help my unbelief. Amen!

 

Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

Knowing that I am forgiven for my yesterdays is comforting. That in itself should help me “let go” and dwell on today. But, instead of dwelling on today, I often find myself worrying about tomorrow. My thoughts take me on a merry-go-round. However, scripture gives me advice about my yesterdays, todays, and tomorrows. 

 

Yesterday: 

“And we were born only yesterday and know nothing, but our days on earth as but a shadow.” Job 8:9

For yesterday, I am told, "Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven-if there was anything to forgive - I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake." 2 Corinthians 2:10

 

Today: 

“Be sure you obey all the decrees and laws I am setting before you today.” Deuteronomy 11:32

“…Let us rejoice today and be glad.” Psalm 118:24

 

Tomorrow:

“Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself." Matthew 6:35

 

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow: 

“Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever.”  Hebrews 13:8 

 

 

From the Pasture

“Thus says the Lord of host, “I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader over My people Israel.” 1 Chronicles 17:7 

 

The above verse got me to thinking about where all God has taken me in my journey. It was not as a leader over a nation as He took David, but it has been fulfilling, and I remain excited about where He will take me next. 

     I remain excited because I know He is with me and will bring me back to His plan should I take a wrong course. 

The Rushing Wind

Life does not always give me an easy answer, but much of the time my problems are my own doing, so I have to fix it in order to heal. When I read the scripture for today, I had the following thoughts.

“And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.” Acts 2: 2

     Has this ever happened to you? A rushing wind; a stirring of the waters! A tumbling of the emotions within! The wind wouldn’t let up. You could find no rest! The mind would not quiet itself! The stomach got tied in knots! Tears were on the verge of creating a mighty, flood! The heart ached! The body was too tired to function! Worry formed!

     How to fix it!  What to call it! Could it be my guilt? Could it be a calling left undone? Could it be something missing in my walk and communication with God? Could it be a simple “I am sorry,” which I left unsaid?

     Whatever it is or was blowing in, I had to choose to fix it; I had to stop the rushing wind, the storm, before it filled and destroyed my house.

     

     

 

Over Life's Span

There has been mo much that has happened over my lifetime.  There have been changes in plans, thoughts, desires, and so much more. There have been wrongs and rights, bad turns and good ones, but through it all, I know God has always had a plan. 

Life’s Span 

 

Over a lifetime-

I do or I don’t;

I reject or I want.

Over a lifetime

I consider and evaluate-

I move or I wait.

I hold on or let go;

I stay immature or I grow.

Over a lifetime

There is no instant fix-

There’s Satan’s tricks

Or God’s stirring mix.

There’s staying put or moving on-

Decisions setting the tone;

Inaction or motion-

Consideration within the notion.

Over a lifetime

And my worldly span

God has a plan.

 

Mary Crisp Jameson  5/17/2024 

 

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11 KJV 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Many Faces

I have many faces from A to Z. It is up to me every day to choose which face I wish to see in the mirror and which face I want others to see. What will they be?

 

The face of: 

Aggression or Amazement 

Brutishness or Bravery 

Carelessness or Compassion 

Deceit or Delight 

Envy or Empathy 

Fear or Faith

Guilt or Gratefulness

Hopelessness or Happiness

Impatience or Insightfulness 

Jealousy or Joyfulness

Karma wishing or Kindness

Laziness or Leadership

Manipulation or Meekness 

Narrow mindedness or Niceness 

Obstinance or Obedience 

Pettiness or Peacefulness 

Quarrelsomeness or Quietness

Resentfulness or Respectfulness

Selfishness or Sincerity 

Thoughtlessness or Tenderness

Unpleasantness or Understanding

Vainness or Victory

Willfulness or Warmth

Yearning or Yielding

 

 

 

The Outline Of Love

One of my hobbies in my spare down-time is coloring. I saved the word, Love, for last and decided to only outline it. The outline reminds me that God surrounds or outlines me with His never-ending love and protection. 
     He loves Israel, as well. In Isaiah 49, He tells His people, "See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands, your walls are ever before me."  

     I am outlined, engraved, surrounded, encircled, protected, and eclipsed in His love!

The Crooked Letter

Here in the South, many have used a chant to spell Mississippi. It goes something like: M-I-crooked letter-crooked letter-I-crooked letter-crooked letter-I-humpback-humpback-I. Don’t ask me why I thought of this today. However, I did decide to use the “S” (crooked letter) to inspire ways I can strive to enhance my Christian walk. 

 

S avor the moments

S earch the scriptures

S eek God’s ways  

S eize opportunities

S erve others 

S hare open-heartedly

S harpen wisdom with God’s Word

S hout God’s greatness 

S ing praises

S mell the flowers along the way  

S ow seeds of kindness

S trengthen my walk with God

S oar like an eagle .....

"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31  

 

The Many D's of Warfare

Ephesians 6:12 tells me there is an unseen battle going on, “We are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces…” In other words, Satan is in my midst. To quote the Daily Hope devotional, “Satan throws darts at me. They are darts of doubt, disappointment, discouragement, and depression”

     I have to remember that God’s delay does not mean He is not around me working for my protection and for my best. The wait means God is doing something; it is not a denial.  The pause within the wait is to strengthen me; to rise me up - not keep me down.

     What can I do while in my timeless battles? When in doubt, I can pray. When discouraged, I can hope. When disappointed, I can remain cheerful. When depressed, I can serve others. I can be diligent for I know the answer is on the way. The following verse is one in which I can cling.

     "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."  Isaiah 40:31.

 

Keep On

I have read Matthew 7:7 many, many times. “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.”

     What struck me this morning was not the receiving, the finding, or the open door. It was the “Keep on”. The persistence! The determination! The not sitting around! It’s the doing something during the wait!

Till The Land

I had a small area in my garden that, over the years, had been devoted to asparagus. However, the asparagus never produced anything but a few spindly, stringy stalks that turned to fern before developing into eatable produce. I had let this area basically become dormant over the years, hoping the asparagus would grow. It never did!

     Yesterday, I decided to remove the asparagus and till the land into a small garden spot. That was a task! It seems roots and vines were all underneath the surface. They kept choking the tiller tines, and I was constantly having to remove the vines to keep the tiller running. I ended up clearing just below the surface area but never removing all the roots and vines. I will tackle it again another day. 

     This all reminded me of how much it takes on a daily basis to keep the invasive roots and vines out of my own life. If I don’t stay in the Word and talk with God daily, I can easily let troubles, fear, dry moments, and depression take root. I am in constant need of God’s direction. I am in constant need of His lessons on life so that my life does not lay dormant and grow deep roots which are hard to extract. 

     Because of my lack of tilling over the years, it may take me months to get all the roots out of that garden area. I know it took the Israelites 40 years to reach the promised land because of their refusal to till their hearts. 

     Lord, I pray it doesn’t take me 40 years to get the roots and vines out.

    

     

I Care

1 Peter 5:7 says “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”

 

My prayer: 

Father, I know You care for me and thank You for Your never-ending love, and I care for You too. You are the Great Creator, my Master, Alpha and Omega. You are God, Lord, and Christ. I care when Your name is used in profanity or even in an off-hand way. Your name is holy. Lord, I care! 

     Please forgive me should I ever slip and break Your commandment, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain."   Amen

Ask

 James 4:2 “You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.” 

     This verse says a lot to me so I think I will ramble a bit. 

     My words matter. My heart matters. Am I asking for the right things- things that would give me righteousness instead of selfish desires? Do I take the time to “ask”?

     God has poured out blessings to me because He is a loving God, yet what blessings have I not received because I have not asked, asked in the proper matter, and asked for what is pleasing in God’s eyes? 

     I go back to the Prayer of Jabez when he prayed, “Oh, that you would bless me… and God granted his request.” 

 

The House With No Cost

Summer finds me needing to do a little maintenance around my house. There is always something to do or even a remodel to either keep it in working order or in an up-to-date condition. Often, I think I just need a new house with no yard and no maintenance. I want it clean, up-to-date, and a restful place. I also really prefer not to have to spend money to make the swap. 

The House With No Cost 

 

I want a new house;

One purchased without money or price.

That would be nice.

I want no lease or rent;

One without dollars and cent.

I want it furnished and well-stocked

And the doors not locked.

When weary, it’s where I will find rest,

Where I will feel blessed,

Where I will be good-enough,

Where there will be riches with no fluff,

Where the walls will be shiny and glean,

And where I will be washed clean.

I want a house with plenty

Without paying a penny.

I want a house, I can call home

When I make my final roam.

I want a house where I can dwell with Him,

My God, who fills me to the brim

And formed my every limb.

I want a house,

Dressed in glory,

When I end my earthly story;

A house- my final resting place 

When I gaze upon His face.

 

Mary Crisp Jameson  5/6/2024 

 

“Hereby know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He hath given 

us of His Spirit.” 1 John 4:13 KJV

 

Planting Seeds

I just had a birthday! Another year older! Yet, I still desire to plant a seed of some kind for God every day. 

     I remember when I was working, there were days I did not want to be there. I wanted to be home, but I knew I had a seed to plant and some kind of harvest to reap. There were often people I did not want to meet, talked with, or struggle to find an answer to their problems, but I smiled and did it anyway. I had a seed to plant!

     Even after retirement, I have seeds to plant whether it is making a dessert to take to a friend (of which I had whether eat myself) or even to visit to a lonely relative, or run an errand (although it may be time-consuming). These seeds are rewarding. The harvest may be small or great, but it is worth-while. 

     You might say, I am a little selfish. If I bring joy to someone, it brings me joy, as well.  It's a good feeling, and that never gets old!

 

Psalm 126:5-6 KJV  “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. “

 

Miracles

My daughter-in-law took the picture below. It brought to mind the miracles of God; how He can take my troubles and turn them into blessings. As Mark 9:23 says, "Everything is possible for one who believes." To take it further, Matthew 17: 20 tells me, "Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." 

 

A Little Twist

 In Touch gave a verse, "As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewardship of the manifold grace of God." (In other words-Use your gift to serve) In my  Daily Hope the verse was Luke 6:38, "Give, and you will receive...The way you give to others is the way God will give to you." ( In other words, to reap a great harvest, you must plant generously.)
     Putting these two devotionals together, I am to use my gift to plant and to serve. To twist the meaning just a tad, I have gotten my garden planted between the rains and the cool weather. I planted it generously, and I do plant to share (serve others with its product). Now, I am waiting to see the harvest.  
     I suppose I can twist God's word into anything I please, but, I am sure, God desires that I  really seek to delve into His Word to find the true meaning of Scripture.  He wants me to find the true gift He has bestowed upon me and to use it to serve and love others. 

     Maybe planting a small garden is one of my gifts, but I know there are others I need to use in order to serve and to serve generously.