Trust in the Lord

The Book of Proverbs Chapter 3

Solomon asks you to never forget the things he taught. To store commands in your heart and they will give a long and satisfying life. Above all, never let loyalty and kindness get away from you. Then you will find favor with both God and people and you will gain a good reputation.

Trust in the Lord with all your heat, do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do and he will direct your paths.

Don't be impressed with your own wisdom, but fear the Lord and turn your back on evil and you will gain renewed health and vitality. And Honor the Lord with your wealth and he will increase your riches and blessings.

Don't ignore it when the Lord disciplines you and don't be discouraged when he corrects you. For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child. And happy is the person who finds wisdom and gains understanding, for the profit of wisdom is better than any fine metal or good wages. Wisdom is more precious than rubies. She offers you life in her right hand and riches and honor in her left. Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her.

By wisdom the Lord founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens. By his knowledge the fountains of the earth burst forth and the clouds poured down rain.

Don't lose sight of good planning and insight. They will fill your life and bring you honor and respect and keep you safe on your way. You can lie down without fear and enjoy pleasant dreams

Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it is in your power to help them. Help your neighbor and do not plot against them or make accusations against someone who hasn't wronged you. Do not envy violent people or copy their ways. They are wicked and an abomination to the Lord, but he offers his friendship to the godly.

The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, but his blessings are on the home of the upright. He mocks the mockers, but shows favor to the humble. The wise inherit honor, but fools are put to shame!

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: To receive God's guidance, we must seek God's will in all we do. This means turning every area of life over to him. Jesus emphasized the sake in Matthew 6:33.
Honoring the lord with your wealth refers to the practice of giving God the first and best portions of your harvest. Many give God leftovers, but he wants the first and best part of our income. He is trying to show us that HE not possessions comes first in our life.
Discipline means "to teach and to train". It is not meant here to be a negative term. Some disciplinarians are not loving, but God is the source of all love. He wants us to learn the difference between right and wrong.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? There are so many wise sentences in this chapter. But I think it is important for us to examine or values and priorities in this time today. Make God a vital part of everything we do and he will guide us because we will be working to accomplish his purposes.

Even in our troubled world, living wisely can result in blessings, but not always. Sometimes sin intervenes and some blessing must be delayed until Jesus returns to establish his kingdom.

I urge you to look around you and see what is happening in today's world. Often we are asked by our own churches to accept practices that are clearly immoral as outlined in the Bible. Go back and read your Bible. It is every bit as relevant as it was when written. We must stop society from doing what is called "selective changes" to the Bible. In other words, as our society evolves, it sometimes seems our church leaders feel the need to "selectively change" the word of the Lord to fit today's circumstances. This is a very dangerous thing. It is up to all of us to continue to spread the word of the Lord -as written. Not as we would like to see it written. BELIEVE THE LESSONS OF THE BIBLE LITERALLY! I speak from experience as I read a letter from my previous church in which seniors are being targeted to come to a class. Urged to come to this class to "prepare" them for the upcoming same gender marriages that will be occurring in this particular denomination. The word "prepare" seniors sounds like brainwashing to me. Obviously most seniors hold to the literal translations of the Bible. Now they are targeted as being holdouts, uninformed, behind the times and the church wants to get on the bandwagon as states change the laws that allow marriage between same genders. I am of the mind that God meant marriage to be between a man and a woman. He made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve. I am prepared for the flack that you will send me. However, I must say that I love all genders. My love for all people means we are all welcome in church. Church is full of sinners. I admit I am one.
May God help me fight this inner conflict. May the Bible continue to sooth and guide me and continue to let me know of its relevance and God's mercy.

Meanwhile, what can we do as an individual? SPREAD THE WORD. 1. Tell your friends your fears about changes in our society. 2. Tell your pastor that you are against selective changes in how we view the word of the Lord. 3. Write letters to the heads of your church hierarchy. Start a grass roots movement to go back to the commandments of the Lord. Lastly -Pray for mankind!

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:
HEALTH:
Update on my niece Suzanne, she is out of rehab after many months for a crushed leg and doing well and being cared for by her ex. Pray for Gabe and Wanda. Pray for Janice Long’s parents, especially her mother who faces another round of chemotherapy and her father with Alzheimer’s and now her mother in law also with Alzheimer’s. Their family is feeling the strain both emotionally and financially. Pray for them. Update on this family: Her mother-in-law is being taken to Oklahoma to live with an aunt who will care for her.
Pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life.
Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer.
Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with MS.
UPDATE on Barb who went in for back surgery and had a heart attack and stroke, she has her speech back and is home , but continues to have a problem with one arm and hand. Thanks to your prayers, she is able to hobble without a cane and has been granted disability. She still has surgery scheduled on her hand, but I saw her recently and her attitude is fantastic.
Pray for Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.
Pray for Judy’s husband who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Pray for her too, that she can deal with the side effects of his illness.
Pray too for Charly’s husband Robert who is undergoing chemo for his prostate cancer. Update on Robert: he has one more treatment and then three months of waiting for his psat test to come back clean.
Pray for John’s recovery from a heart attack and for the doctors who have difficulty diagnosing his other symptoms.
Pray for James’s sister Cynthia whose chemo has lost its effect as the cancer grows powerful.
Pray for another friend named Carolyn whose faith remains strong, but is lost and confused about where and how to spend her elder years.
SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary
RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John
LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian
SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, survivors of Japan’s earthquake, survivors of the devastating tornadoes in our southernmost states and Joplin, Missouri. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.