Advice or Truth

Advice is like snow - the softer it falls, the longer it dwells upon, and the deeper it sinks into the mind. (Samuel Taylor Coleridge)

Dear friend, take my advice; it will add years to your life. I’m writing out clear directions to Wisdom Way, I’m drawing a map to Righteous Road. I don’t want you ending up in blind alleys, or wasting time making wrong turns. Hold tight to good advice; don’t relax your grip. Guard it well—your life is at stake! Don’t take Wicked Bypass; don’t so much as set foot on that road. Stay clear of it; give it a wide berth. Make a detour and be on your way. (Proverbs 4:10-15)

Is it possible wisdom could add years to our lives? If we believe what God says, then it quite possibly could! When someone tells you something in such a way that it 'lingers' for a while in your thoughts, it might just be the thing they have shared has some significant meaning. It could be a warning to not proceed based on something they have already figured out, or it could be they encourage your next steps because they hear your heart behind the vision you share. When advice comes in the form of a warning, we might not like to heed it, but when it 'settles in' and begins to build up over and over again in our minds, we might just want to hold tight to it!

God's whole intent in giving us his Word was for us to have a 'road map' to show us the way to live life within the boundaries he has established. There are far too many times we treat God's Word as 'good advice', then go our own way without really considering carefully what he has said. This is part of our stubborn human nature - we don't think we need to heed the warnings. Self-willed and self-directed individuals don't want anyone (even God) telling them the way they should live. God may 'deliver' his Word in a bunch of ways, but the more that Word dwells upon our hearts, the more God wants us to heed it. Why? The longer it 'dwells' and the more it 'builds', the greater the chances are that it will break us free from some evil intent that we didn't even know existed within us.

We must never treat God's word as nothing more than 'good advice'. Why? Man's advice is an 'opinion' that is offered to guide our actions, but it can be rejected. God's word is offered as truth and truth does more than offer an opinion - it offers a solid foundation upon which we can stand when all else seems to be crumbling around us. Truth is unchanging - it stands the test of time. Truth is indisputable - it remains valid no matter how many times you test it. Truth is undeniable - the facts are right there for us to discover and hold onto. Advice or truth - which will you choose to heed? The more you heed truth, the less you will find yourself taking 'Wicked Bypass'. The more truth dwells in your heart, the less you will even be tempted to 'detour' from God's best for your life. Just sayin!

Life Hack #25: Turn Here

Life Hack #25:

According to Webster, a crisis is a "turning point" in a set of circumstances where the future outcome is determined. The point of crisis in any issue we face is pivotal to where we will end up - it is not 'pre-determined' for it to end one way. Understanding how to hold up in the midst of the "point of turning" can be the most important part of actually making it through. Most of us just think of a crisis as something ugly happening to us at the moment and it is a little difficult to endure. If we begin to see it as a "turning point", we might just handle it differently. We might just decide we don't like what is determined and embrace a different path back into the arms of Jesus!

If you fall to pieces in a crisis, there wasn’t much to you in the first place. (Proverbs 24:10)

In times of crises the things we focus on make all the difference. If all we see is the insurmountable odds against us, we will tend to see only the difficulties and ignore the possibilities. Even insurmountable odds have possibilities. We think of crisis as a point of instability in our lives - when things are just about to cave in around us and take us down with them. The upheaval created in the midst of crisis is sometimes what keeps us from being able to focus on anything other than the issues at hand.

For a crisis to be a "turning point" in our lives, we must begin to take a step back from the issue, just breathe a little, and then settle into the peace God. In turn, we begin to focus less on the upheaval and turn our focus toward the point where victory is determined - Jesus holds the future, so he determines the victory. When we are able to step back a little, we get things in perspective. God's perspective is found at the point of stepping back - bringing a little clarity in the midst of a whole lot of muck and mire.

A turning point is a place where we actually slow down, consider the direction we are heading, and then take the necessary steps to reposition ourselves in a totally new direction. Many of life's challenges come complete with some form of "signs" which we must either heed or we will find ourselves going in a totally wrong direction. Learning how to read the signs before we actually need to take the "redirection" needed actually helps us to be ready for the necessary repositioning of our steps. We actually learn to read the signs long before we set out on the journey, don't we? 

We learn about dealing with the uncertainties of these challenges in the quiet times of our lives when we are able to hear and incorporate learning best. Trying to figure out the signs and how to read the road map while barreling ahead at life's fast pace is not the best methodology for getting safely to the destination! Time with Jesus is not done out of obligation, but out of necessity - for it is in this quietness and connection where we learn to read the "turning points" in our lives. Learn to see "crises" as turning points to help steer our lives in a direction which will bring growth and increased wisdom. As long as we are with Jesus in this journey, each turning point can be just that! Just sayin!

Missed it...

Do not let this happy trust in the Lord die away, no matter what happens. Remember your reward! You need to keep on patiently doing God’s will if you want him to do for you all that he has promised. His coming will not be delayed much longer. And those whose faith has made them good in God’s sight must live by faith, trusting him in everything. Otherwise, if they shrink back, God will have no pleasure in them. (Hebrews 10:35-38)

My BFF told me some prognosticators predicted some major solar flare taking out earth and the end of the world coming about a week ago. In case you haven't figured it out, it didn't happen! We are still here, and life goes on. They totally missed it! There have been these 'predictors' of the world's end for as long as I can remember - people who think they know the day and the hour when all will go up in a puff of smoke. Truth be told, no one but God himself knows when he will send his Son back to earth and things as we know it today 'come to an end'. It doesn't mean we all go up in a puff of smoke, but there will be a change in 'rulership' over this earth. Satan and his gang of thieves will be bound up, cast into the Lake of Fire, never to heard from again. Christ will rule and those who have said a resounding 'yes' to his rule in their lives will rule right alongside him. Until that time comes, we press on, doing what we know to do, celebrating his goodness, and sharing this faith we have been given. 

Do God's will and let him take care of the rest. This is kind of like a life's motto for me. I could go through life fretting about this and that - all things that are clearly out of my control or even my circle of influence. There would be no sense in living that way, though, for God has ordained that his children live in peace, obedience, and surrender to his will. That is the best any of us can do as we await his return. God's kiddos aren't to live in fear, but to live victorious lives. Where his presence reigns, his peace is felt. Live by faith, feeling his goodness all around you - this is how we are to live. To fear the unknown is silly, for God is in control of even the unknown. To fear the present evil around us is worthless, for God isn't about to let one of his kiddos be overtaken by evil. Can his kiddos experience bad stuff? Yes, but it doesn't change who they are in Christ Jesus. They are power-filled, peace-indwelt, grace-embraced individuals who are cared for by the Creator God himself.

The last verse of this chapter of Hebrews: "But we're not quitters who lose out. Oh, no! We'll stay with it and survive, trusting all the way." Words to live by - stick with it - stay the course - be on the path God has called you to walk. Do what he has called you to do. Be who he has made you to be. Don't quit just because the times are hard. Trust him in all things, with all things, and though all things. Those prognosticators of doom have nothing on you when you do. Just sayin!