Love motivates me… what’s your carrot?
Cherish Yesterday… Thankful For Today… Excited About Tomorrow
I got to thinkin’ about this as it came up while talking with the HB just the other day…
What motivates me? What is “my motive?”
Have you ever thought about that question?
For me… like most of us… it’s buried in my personality… it’s a part of my fabric and the perfect way that God made me… and the same is true for you, too!
Sometimes wisdom is as easy as simple math... usually not 
Continually Seeking Wisdom…
“My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding,
and if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.
For the Lord gives wisdom,
and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He holds victory in store for the upright,
he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
for he guards the course of the just
and protects the way of his faithful ones.
Then you will understand what is right and just
and fair – every good path.
For wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
Discretion will protect you,
and understanding will guard you.”
Proverbs 2: 1-11
It’s said that a wise person is sincere and direct with others… do you find it easy to express yourself in this way?
Writing down what our sins are may not always be something we’re comfortable with. However, if you keep a personal journal it may be helpful to jot them down as writing can help you reflect on them. I recently tried to think about mine, keeping in mind to make sure I’ve:
I believe that I’ve done this, and am very thankful for the body of believers that have stood by me and helped me through this process.
As I’m thinking about this I also tried to identify a core issue…
… is there something going on that I can say is central to all of my sins?
… is there a common thread?
"Chief, this is 86, I think I'm on to something here!"
Sure enough I did find a common thread, and found enlightenment in the Bible…
the common thread for me is all of my sins can be summarized as doing something foolish. I’m referring to this as my greatest sin. Yep, I needed to “Get Smart.”
The book of Proverbs offers us wisdom that is useful to understanding our sins, as well as helping us avoid the pitfalls of falling into sin as we head on down the road:
“The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
for attaining wisdom and discipline;
for understanding words of insight;
for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life,
doing what is right and just and fair;
for giving prudence to the simple,
knowledge and discretion to the young -
let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance -
for understanding proverbs and parables,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline.”
Proverbs 1: 1-7
Do you feel you’ve done what you need to do to follow through with your sins?
How can we encourage each other to keep from committing sins?
Do you like to dream?
When I was younger I wanted to be an astronaut. It was a big dream, and one that I was convinced was a part of my destiny. Being an astronaut (so far) hasn’t been a reality. I am still fascinated with outer space… and think of exploring God’s creation beyond our planet as an extension of a part of my destiny as a geologist. So I guess you could say that I am, so to speak, living that dream to some degree.
I’m thinkin’ using our imagination is a gift and a part of creativity…
but to have a dream and not live it can also be one of the biggest mistakes we can make.
How do we know when a dream is just dreamy?
There are times in life when we are asked by God to take a chance and live a dream…
and there are times when it’s incredibly obvious that changing course is the next move.
Proverbs 16:9 says: In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.
How do we stay on track with God’s perfect plan for each of us… and live The Dream that He intends for us?
What I’m finding out along the way is that there are plenty of clues to staying on the path… if we choose to pay attention to them. Keep in mind, there are plenty of other influences, obstacles, and detours along the way too.
The greatest obstacle for living a dream for me is indecision… for a dream is nothing more than a dream if we don’t take action. I am notorious for putting off decisions, and have made a conscious effort to overcome doing this… and it’s working!
How do we discern when there’s a decision to be made, or a choice between two paths?
and how do we follow God’s lead, and live out Proverbs 16:9?
Here are two ideas:
That’s it !! Plain and simple.
What is your dream?
Are you living it?
Are you following God’s lead, and perfect plan?
Or is your dream simply passing you by?
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A flowing artesian well
A flowing artesian well, or spring, is relatively uncommon in nature. It is a situation where water flows freely from a well at land surface, forced out of the well due to the pressure that it experiences under confining conditions. At any given location, the hydrostatic pressure that results in a free-flowing well can change through time. This change could result in a more abundant overflow… or, conversely, in the well running dry.
The quality of the water within an aquifer, or “underground river,” can also vary… sometimes pure and clean, and, under different conditions… it can be clouded, tainted or even have a foul odor.
I remember when bottled water first came on the market. The image of the water from that bottle was one of the purest forms of H2O we could imagine… and the image of this succulent fluid for which our body thirsts, no, demands, for our continued existence. It naturally bubbled up out of the ground, when under artesian conditions, and was crystal clear and refreshing. The visual image is still fresh in my mind: The water company buying the land and constructing the bottling plant right there, wherever on the planet the wellspring, and its water, were found. Then packaged and shipped globally to us to cherish, and consume.
Good to the last drop (or was that coffee?).
The Word of God found in the Bible provides a plethora of visual images. The foundation for “The Wellspring Of Life” is built on one short verse… “Guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:23
The condition of our heart seems to define us… who we are, our attitude, and our spirit. This muscle in our chest just seems to operate on auto-pilot… it keeps on ticking as we sleep, when much of the rest of our body is shut down, or at rest. But when our heart shuts down, we’re done. Or, shall I say, our body is done… and so, I guess, we are done in this life.
In that respect our heart very much defines our life here on earth, which, in turn, defines our existence in the afterlife… and on into eternity. And while this heart of ours just ticks along in our chest, and we don’t have much control over that from one tick to the next, we do feed our heart and nurture it in a variety of ways.
“Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.” Proverbs 4:23, The Amplified Bible version.
How can and should we take care of our heart in every way… physically, emotionally and spiritually? That’s what I believe Proverbs 4:23 says is the most important thing that we do.
Love is the substance, the very essence, of the living waters that flow from our hearts, or, shall I say, that should flow from our hearts. We’re imperfect humans, and are known to express feelings other than love at times. Some of our challenges, issues and struggles sink into our heart, where they fester… if we let them. Our Heavenly Father uses these experiences for our growth… for GREATER THINGS… if that’s our choice to follow Him.
The love and joy that God puts in our hearts is as pure as anything we can hope to experience this side of Heaven.
Tapping into this love and joy… it’s ours if we want it, ask for it, and intentionally pursue it.
It’s our ticket to Greater Things, even overcoming a painful past that can scar, rip apart and otherwise ruin our hearts. And that’s at the heart of the matter… it’s up to each of us to make this choice to a more healthy heart, and a more fulfilling life… one that overflows with the vibrant life of an artesian well or spring, generously flowing from our hearts to breathe the love of God to everyone else we encounter…
What positive change could you make today so more love may flow from your heart?
Each month Carol Peterson posts the birthstones and how they remind her of Jesus here at I'm Just Thinkin'
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