Proverbs 31:5

“Lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and pervert the right of the afflicted” -Proverbs 31:5

 My mind is trying to wrap itself around this verse. How can this speak to me? I don’t drink alcohol, and I’m not in authority. But alcohol isn’t the only thing that can hinder your effectiveness. My problem is with something I can’t run away from, FOOD. It’s my drug of choice. Whether I’m happy or sad, or mad or whatever, food helps me forget about the world, and relax. Like any other addiction, this problem doesn’t just affect me, but it affects others as well. It takes away from the impact of my words. My Dad is a Pastor, and once a month he would go to a place called TLC, which stands for transformation life center. This place was for men struggling with addictions, and he would preach. Like myself, my Dad has a problem with food. God revealed to him that his addiction was just as severe as the men he was preaching to, and how can these men listen to him when he has a thorn in his own eye. Like my Dad did, I’m realizing how my witness can be altered by this blatant sin in my life. How can I be an effective witness for Christ when I’m continually struggling with the sin in my life?

I had started doing the Lord’s Table a couple weeks ago to help me with this problem, but I got discouraged when I got sick and missed a few days. I know I need to respect the vessel God gave me, and I know I need to continue on with this devotional. I am going to start again tomorrow, and finish out the program. I ask you all to keep me accountable to this.

Proverbs 31:4

“It is not for Kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink” –Proverbs 31:4

In my household, the phrase “Don’t do it if it causes someone else to stumble” was used more than the golden rule. This was the kind of convictions I grew up living by. My parents never drank, and I never drank, and as far as I knew, leadership around me never drank. It was this kind of lifestyle that can be dangerous. You compare the world to the standard of your parents. But, when you find that rulers and leaders that are a part of your life are drinking; when we you see beer in their fridge, you lose respect for them. I found myself as a young teenager being legalistic, and judgmental. I was holding people up to a standard to which they could never live up to because they didn’t know there was a standard. This was something I struggled with for years. There was an inward battle going on. “ is it right? Is it wrong? Is this what it means to make someone stumble because of your actions? Yeah it is, I’m right…they shouldn’t be drinking… wait, no I’m wrong, they can make their own decisions…” And on it went. It wasn’t until a couple years later, a youth pastor at a conference talked on this very subject. He stated his convictions on the matter, but also shared something along the lines of this “It’s one thing to drink ONE beer, it’s another to get drunk. It’s one thing to drink in the privacy of your own home, and it’s another to get drink in public” Now, I agree with this, and it taught me such a cool lesson, but God’s lesson didn’t end their for me. There was a bigger lesson learned. Don’t judge others by your convictions. No one will ever meet ALL your expectations. This mind set offers only disappointment.

Today I will ask God to reveal other convictions that I judge people by, write them down, and ask God to remove them.

1 Corinthians 13:5

“or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it’s not irritable and resentful” – 1 Corinthians 13:5

This verse paints a pretty clear picture of retail work. If you’ve ever worked in retail, you know exactly what I’m talking about.  Customers are rude, they insist on their own way. They are irritable, and resentful when they don’t get what they want.  I know for me, there is a pretty bad taste in my mouth from some customers I’ve dealt with.

But, how many times have we been that rude customer? Not only with a clerk at a store, but with friends, and coworkers. We demand things, and if it doesn’t happen our way, we get all bent out of shape. The sad thing is, it happens with God too. We are like children when we ask for things; when he says no, we push forward. We get irritable and resentful towards God when we don’t get our way.

Let this be a lesson to us.  Put others first, do everything with a genuine attitude, and when things don’t go your way….(how do I put this nicely…) DEAL WITH IT.

If we can start loving people like this, the world would be a changed place.

Application: Today I will pray that God gives me an opportunity to love someone by putting them before myself, even if this causes me discomfort. 

Love

“Love is patient, and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant…” -1 Corinthians 13:4

As I read this verse, it comes out in an almost mocking tone. “Love is PATIENT and KIND…love does not ENVY…”  It has become one of the most mainstream, cliché verses in the bible. Whether you are a Christian or not, you know this verse. It is used for jewelry, at weddings, and countless other worldly things. This verse almost passes under my eyes when I read through 1Corinthians. As if I’ve heard it enough, and don’t need to be reminded again of what love truly is.

So, I’ll start from the top, the most convicting one out of all of these for me. Love is patient. Being able to wait without becoming annoyed or anxious. I’m not sure if it is the New Yorker in me, but having to wait for people is like pulling out teeth. But, when the tables are turned, I feel so loved when someone is patient with me. God calls us to love, and love is patient.

Love is kind. I like how kind is such a broad word. Kind means attentive; compassionate, sympathetic, understanding…and those are just a few synonyms.

Love does not envy or boast.  Love is not arrogant. The words, “…I love them… but I don’t like them. “, keep clanging in my head. Truly, I like them (or maybe their things) but I don’t love them. I look at them and then I compare it to my own. Maybe in one area I have something nicer, so that’s where my focus goes….WHAT?

I’m seeing how warped my view of love is. It seems to me like Paul gave a pretty good definition in this verse, I’ve had it my whole life, but now I’m seeing how important it is to live by this.

“Jesus is patient and kind; He does not envy or boast; he is not arrogant”

Today I will pray for the Lord to give me a deeper understanding of love. I will try to love the people I’m surrounded by with patience, and kindness, without envying or boasting and without arrogance.

John 8:35

“The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever” –John 8:35

As Christians, we are sons and daughters of God. 1 John 2:29 says “If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.” We were once separated by our iniquity, now redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. Now, we can boldly enter his house, and dwell there with him forever. But, for the one who is a slave to this world, they must depart from the presence of God and they are throne in the Lake of Fire.

I want everyone to experience forever in my Father’s house. So what am I doing about it?

Today I will send a letter to my Grandparents telling them about what I’m doing here at Potter’s Field. I will pray that they receive the letter with softened hearts, and that my life will continue being a witness to them.

Whom do you serve?

“Jesus answered them ‘Truly, truly I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin’” –John 8:34

We’re all slaves to sin. Whether you lie, steal cheat, covet, or commit murder. The ways of this world have a hold of each one of our hearts, in some way or another. Unknowingly, we all serve the same master. Until we set apart our lives, and break free of the chains; we will continue to be enslaved. The only way of emancipation is to be washed by the blood of Jesus Christ. The temptations don’t go away, but by abiding in the word, and praying, daily you will rely on the Lord to be your master. He never gives you more than you can handle.

Praise God for giving us a way of escape from sin.

I will make it a daily prayer, that God clothes me in His armor, so that I will not be so quick to be a slave to sin, and protect myself from temptation.