Lady Wisdom
by Hannah Wilson
(Texas)
Solomon was wise, cultured, AND a fantastic writer!! I love how he is able to personify Wisdom & be so on point with her description, along with her adversary: Sin.
Wisdom is depicted as a kind, gentle, gracious princess-like figure, who loves those that love her. She is worth more than silver and gold, more precious than jewels, and full of honor. She brings long life, peace, and blessings wherever she goes. With her, GOD built the earth! And in 4:9 he says,
"She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown."
Wisdom does not forsake her loved ones, nor does she leave them unprotected. She is a prize to be sought after by everyone!
Sin, on the other hand, is just the opposite of Wisdom! She is a slinking, devious, wretched woman who forsakes her loved ones, forgets her covenants with GOD, and leads unsuspecting wanderers to Death. She promises nothing but pain, wickedness, and ultimately death. She is everything we that despise and that GOD forbids.
This is certainly not everything one can get out of these passages, but this is what stuck out at me today... <3
{Hannah Wilson}
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Take Me Away With You
by Sarah
(Texas)
Song of Solomon is one of my favorite books of the Bible! I love the imagery that is presented. It totally shows God's relentless love for us! But not only that I truly believe that it is a picture of how our relationship with our future spouse should be. I could go on and on about every word that is said in these first three chapters...but there isn't enough time! :)
The one thing I do want to point out is one of my favorite parts in chapter 3 verse 5 which says "I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or by the does of the field, do not stir up or awaken love until it pleases." (It is also said in 2:7). Do not stir up or awaken love until it pleases. Wow! That one phrase can have so many meanings. One in particular that I am fond and that I pray every day is concerning my future spouse. "Lord don't awaken love until it is time." I've seen love awaken and it never ends well. I think that is what the Shulamite woman was saying; she was telling the daughters of Jerusalem to wait for their Beloved one. In the same way we are encouraged to wait. Because when the love of our lives comes...the Prince Charming...the Knight in Shining Armour...or whoever you prefer it is going to be absolutely beautiful!
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He steps down and raises up!
by Deanna Bridges
(Charlotte, NC)
It angers The Lord when the enemy messes with one of His own (18:7). I can just picture God Almighty stepping down (with a gigantic foot, maybe!), stepping right into our darkness to scatter and shatter our crazy demons. He bowed the heavens also, and came down" (thank you Father that you sent Jesus who came down and rescued us). We have already been "saved" from the enemy. He can try any of his tricks he may please, but he is already defeated. Just by our simple obedience to "call upon The Lord", we are saved from the enemies (18:3). Feel like darkness is all around? Jesus hides out in the dark place.....ready and waiting to slay your enemy (18:11). And with Jesus is a whole bunch of light! Let your eyes be flooded with the Light of Jesus...........the One who drew us out, who delivered us, rescued us and LIFTED us! He stepped down, into darkness and into death....so that we could be delivered and raised to life! We are on the winning side. With the mere uttering of our Daddy's voice He sends out hailstones and coals of fire. Daddy is bad y'all! And He lives in us. Let's raise up in Jesus name and live in the "broad" place 👑
A Lamp Unto My Feet <3
by Livy
(In The Palace <3 )
This is soooo exciting! My heart is just leaping with joy. I LOVE that we are doing this through the month of December.
Fun fact, Hanukkah, which is the Jewish Festival of Lights is being celebrated this month. As Christians we are celebrating the Light of the World, Jesus Christ. We are also, in a way, celebrating Hanukkah, as we read the Word...which is a lamp unto our feet, and a LIGHT unto our paths. His Word is making a way for us, and shining brightly into the new year ahead! So many people wait until January to begin their "Bible Reading Plans" and get right with God...but we are being the forerunners and saying, "God, we want you MORE, right now! Before 2015 even gets here!
Okay, so a few thoughts from these passages...
1. Psalm 1 so obviously lays out the secret to success in every area of our lives. It's so simple, so why don't we cling to it as if it is our life support?! It is THE WORD. If we mediate on His truth day and night...we will be like a tree FIRMLY planted.
God has been speaking to me about letting my roots go deep, and having a firm foundation in Him. If I'm going to be unshakable and firm in the days ahead, I HAVE to run to His Word and become obsessed with it. Because Jesus IS the Word. We need Him so much...yet it can be so difficult to find the time. Why do we neglect His Word? Was it hard for you to make the time to do this? What distractions did you have to set aside? The answer to whatever challenges or hard times we are facing, are so simple...we just have to make the time to be with Him, and He is always faithful to change our mindsets, and get us thinking with His heavenly perspective.
2. The verse that stuck out to me in Psalm 10 was,"To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man, who is of the earth, may not terrify them any more."
It reassures me of the truth that God's desire is NEVER for injustice, and He sees everything ugly, unfair, and terrible that is happening in this world...and His heart is ALWAYS to set the wrongs right. His heart is always for the fatherless, and the forgotten. He sees EVERYTHING and He has promised to something about it...even when all we can hear is perceived silence. We have His Word, and this hope, as an anchor for our souls.
3. Okay, did everyone else get as excited as I did when reading Psalm 18? I LOVE the powerful, warrior imaginary that we see here. This side of God is so Holy and and firey...whew, it really puts the holy fear of God in you. And what's amazing, is that He is on OUR SIDE. The enemy is toast. We are the winners! We have the Mighty Warrior fighting for us!
This is such an awesome passage to cling to when life feels unfair, and it looks like the enemy is getting away with things he should not be. There have been times in my life where I've shouted out this passage. Like, when I just didn't understand and felt really confused and hurt and abandoned...just speaking these words gave so much strength and courage to my soul.
And then, the all time favorite...
"He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me." Yesssss! He delights in us!
I also love where it talks about advancing against an army, leaping over a wall, and training your hands and fingers for war. Some epic stuff. :)
If you have time, hop on over to Psalm 19...it fits so perfectly with these passages. It talks about the perfection and the purity of God's Word...and how we should desire it more than GOLD. It says, "The commandment of the Lord is pure and bright, enlightening the eyes."
There's that word LIGHT again.
Wow, God's Word is doing so much even when we're unaware of it's power. It is cleansing us, washing us, purifying us, transforming our minds, changing our thoughts, giving us strength, making our way perfect, raising us up on wings like eagles, giving us wisdom, making us rich in the glorious mysteries of His Kingdom, causing us to be more like Him, changing our apnosphere, and even this world as we know it!
WOW...sounds like so many powerful reasons for us to commit to His Word this month, and not neglect it!
What did you get out of this time with the Lord? :)
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Understand! Understand!
by Deanna Bridges
I wanted to share with you what the Lord highlighted to me yesterday from Proverbs 2,3,4. While reading, the word UNDERSTANDING grabbed my attention, quickly! How critical it is that we understand the ways of God, especially during a world that seems so crazy. The BIG world and our small worlds can seem so chaotic at times. We can feel confused, down in the dumps, weary, irritated. Emotions from the enemy, right? Those negative thoughts should send us this signal: You are coming up against evil forces and its time to CRY OUT, SEEK, SEARCH AND LISTEN for understanding!
"Understanding is a wellspring of life to the one who has it" (Prov 16:22). (love this verse!!)
"So God, what's really going on right now?" we should ask. "Why do I feel this way?" "Give me understanding." "Teach me Your way." "I want to know your thoughts."
It doesn't matter what the situation is.....we go through so many differing things that causes us to have such bad days. Stop, sister. Seek her (understanding) and when you find her you will have the knowledge of God (Prov 2:4-5).
I have had several things to happen recently that caused me to be in an uproar. And then, after settling myself to listen for and receive Christ understanding (knowledge of His ways) I was able to make sense of it all, which brought peace.
For instance....My family were out to dinner with my parents. I despise taking the kids out because they are kids and can't sit still very long. My sweet husband has the understanding and parenting style that lets his children be kids. My parents, on the other hand, are all about my 2 year olds learning to act like they are 5 by sitting still (impossible, right?). Little Jacob wanted to stand up after he had eaten his food in his high-chair. My husband allowed it. My Dad thought Jacob needed to be sitting (he spanked him after Jerry had left the table) and I was frantic inside. (what should I do? spank, ignore, hold him?) I began wondering what my parents were thinking of me and my kids, and my stress skyrocketed! I really wanted my kid to just sit still so my parents wouldn't be on edge which was causing me to be on edge. But that really was impossible when Jerry (my hubby) was allowing it and didn't mind it. So what do I do? I wanted to scream!!! Glad dinner is over now (haha! That was over Thxgiving break). Anywho. Just the other day the Lord started imparting understanding. He was showing me that this situation along with many other differing ones are times for me to grow in Jesus. He began giving me 'understanding' that I need to trust my husband more and "leave and cleave." My parents are all about spankings and requiring kids to really act like adults which is impossible. Jerry is all about letting kids be kids as long as they aren't being dangerous or spiteful. Looking back, I now 'understand' I haven't fully followed God's word in leaving (my parents) and cleaving to my husband in all areas. Now that I have this understanding I'm praying God would help me to respect, trust, listen to, submit and lean upon Jerry more that what my parents feel should be done. (It's hard because I worry what people think of me and I want to please them and do what they think I should do, but it is possible with the Lord!)
Get understanding as you get wisdom.
I see it this way: Wisdom requires action and is used in decision-making. Understanding is enlightened of the heart. When we feel a "hot-mess" emotionally, we need the Lord's understanding, we need Him to reach right to our heart. Because after all, at the heart of it all, its all about the heart!! Gain understanding girls, for "Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace" (3:17).
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Established. Settled in You!
by Deanna
This is a prayer for us today from Is 54:14 and 17.
Establish us in Your righteousness. Pour tons of concrete on our feet that we have set in You so we never move out of your love, power, and righteousness. May we never falter. May we never look to the right or the left. Establish COB in Your righteousness. So that wherever we go, your righteousness goes. We want those we minister to to receive You, experience Your love and be transformed by Your righteousness. We declare: NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST US WILL PROSPER. You go before us! You go with us! Amen.
Blameless or Perfect?
by Hannah Wilson
(Texas)
For me, the underlying theme for today's reading was for us to keep our way "blameless" & "free of guilt." But automatically when we hear those words, we associate it with perfection.
How can someone be completely blameless & free of guilt? We have all sinned.
Yet, when I read these passages, I did not hear "be perfect" echoing in my ears; I heard "strive to grow and become more like Christ, who IS perfect."
In the very first Psalm, we are given an example of how we can grow more like Christ.
"Blessed is the man who walks not in the council of the wicked..."
We are meant to spend time & learn with fellow believers, not fill our time with worldliness. Yes, we are meant to share with nonbelievers and minister to them, but we are not meant to "walk in their council..."
The other theme I felt was how the LORD provides strength in our times of need & that he is a safe refuge for us. There will be times in our lives when we do not like what GOD has planned for us. There will be days when we disobey & rebel. But in spite of it all, HE is a forgiving and loving Father who is ready to hold us in HIS arms, forgive us, and remind us of HIS love. When we have a bad day, HE wants to comfort us. When we have a great day, HE wants to hear songs of praise. When we are afraid, HE wants to shelter us from the storm.
This doesn't mean we won't get into bad situations & feel like we are suffering, but just the same, HE wants to protect your heart from becoming hard, weather-beaten, and wounded.
{Hannah Wilson}
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God, our help and strength.
by Emily Rosanna Hird
(England)
This morning after getting dressed I sat down to read today's study and all three Psalms have been such a great encouragement, particularly with what is going on in my life right now which was exactly what I needed and such a great reminder. The thing I felt to be on my heart is that however bad things are, choosing to delight in The Lord is the best and the only way. Because even though we may be seeing others succeed and prosper around us, when we have Jesus we are like a tree firmly planted. And although God can seem to be hidden in our times of need he hears our cries and comes to our rescue. We know we can always run to him for shelter, he is our fortress, shield, and protection.
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