Sunday, June 8, 2008

Monday Morning Cover to Cover

UPDATED COMMENTS: Summer started this week and guess what the first phone call of my summer was? A job for me. I'll post soon. I answered your comments below.
We've been at Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches at a basketball tournament as soon as school was "OUT" on Friday. Britt's team came in 2nd out of all the high schools there. Pretty good. Lost in the championship game by 3 points. Good experience. Looking forward to getting back to blogging as I've been gone for a couple of weeks.
The magnolias and azaleas and begonias captivated me in my 2-hour campus walk. I jogged up & down those stairs a few times too! And my beautiful God gently spoke to my heart about what He was doing in my life detaching me from dependence on anyone but Him. Matt 20:28.


As we read through Proverbs 19 - 31 this week, there were three verses that jumped out at me in our chronological readings. Leave a link to your blog if you posted about it. Leave a comment about a Proverb or about A N Y T H I N G. Look forward to hearing from you!

A RAGING HEART….
Proverbs 19:3. “A man’s own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the LORD." I sat watching my PE class for an hour and I quietly wept as I thought about this verse. My God was speaking to me for my heart was raging against Him over an issue in my life. No good! No good! Yet I was boasting about it too! Proverbs 20:14. I had to work through it. Still working through it. So grateful to my forgiving God for grace greater than my sin. Sometimes I think way too shallow about sin. I was reading a book at school this week and it nailed me to the gym floor: “Selfishness, which does make us unattractive, never gets the blame. Or if it does, we think of it as something that needs to be CORRECTED rather than FORGIVEN. All this is nothing more than a hell-inspired set-up to depend on a 'works salvation.' Here’s something to do and if you do it well enough, you’ll find life.” The multitude of maxims in Proverbs was not written just to inform us what “to do.” Don’t give full vent to your anger. 29:11 Don’t speak in haste. 29:20. Plan evil and clap your mouth shut. 30:32. Don’t spend your strength on women. 31:3. But they are inspired and breathed by the Holy Spirit. Every verse interprets another. Scripture interprets Scripture. Can’t take it out of context and put it on our problems like a band-aid. Proverbs show us from beginning to end that treasured knowledge in our lives is living in the fear of the LORD. “Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” Proverbs 31:30. God is deepening my definition of sin, but He is also widening His definition of grace over me.

A REFLECTIVE HEART…
Proverbs 27:19“As water reflects a face, a heart reflects a man." There are two times, among several actually, when my life literally fell apart. People call it a dark night of the soul but that sounds too spiritual for what I went through. God brought Proverbs 21:1 to mind in 2000 when we experienced a family dilemma. Over that year, we watched our beautiful God hold my family in His grip and direct our lives in ways we could not imagine! It happened again in 2006 when I thought I would not even be able to go on with life. My beautiful God intervened and the king’s heart, who terminated our job, was in God’s hands. We are still waiting for God to direct us where to go, what to do. But HE has done far more than I could have ever hoped, ever imagined! God is directing all our lives “like a watercourse wherever He pleases.” So, I am reflecting on Proverbs 21:31 which says that the horse may be ready for battle but victory belongs to our God. So many people have said to me in our job loss that God has something better for you, something bigger. Maybe not. Victory is HIS. Surrender is mine. We do know that He has a better place for us here. And He has gone to prepare a better place for us all.

A RULING HEART
Proverbs 24:12 "Does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?” spoke to me. When people tell me that they didn’t mean to hurt me---that wasn’t their intention....or, they don’t quite see it the way that I did, it makes me feel small sometimes. Doesn’t matter what they did. I need to deal with the fray of my own heart. I can’t say: Well, I don’t know anything! I need to “let go” of proving others wrong, proving my point. I need to “let go” of being vexing and controlling the situation. God perceives the picture of what is going on in my life. Leave it on His lap. What passion rules my heart? What do I want more than the love of my Christ at this moment? What really rules our heart in all our arguments, in all our soliloquies, in all our pursuits?

19 comments:

Angela Baylis 6/09/2008  

Good Morning Bev and all of you girls! I am out the door to go to work but will be back later to read everyone's insights! If you want to read mine you can read mine here.
Have a great day!
Love,
Angie xoxo

Karen 6/09/2008  

How many sins do we spend time trying to correct or "work on" rather than seek forgiveness? Why do we continue to cling to the "my way is the best way" philosophy even in this? I hadn't thought about this but I am NOT going to "work on it." I'm going to confess it and let Him weed it out.

My post is up. I'd try to put the link in but I'm still blonde. So I'll leave it to you to come find me. One day, though.

blessings to you this week!
karen

Nise' 6/09/2008  

Bev, I love the concept of correction vs forgiveness! Praise Him for His ever widening defintion of grace in our lives. Victory is His, Surrender is ours. Powerful this morning!

My post on this week's reading is here.

Michelle V 6/09/2008  

Bev, I too was struck by your thoughts on forgiveness rather than correction. My post is up but I'm afraid I'm with Karen and haven't mastered the ability to link from here.

Blessings
Michelle

annette 6/09/2008  

You cannot stand in the fullness of His Glory without realizing our own unworthiness in sin. I think of Is. 6:5 when Isaiah said, Woe is me for I am a man of unclean lips, as he stood before the mighty Throne of Grace. Deeper definitions of sin and wider definitions of Grace abound in your heart as you seek Him and find Him so sweetly, Bev. Enjoy your time off and be blessed. I posted my thoughts this week, microscopic though they are, as I focused on one themed verse here. Love to you all, Annette

Mary Lou 6/09/2008  

Bev, I agree with everything that touched your heart, it spoke to mine. The "thing" that kept jumping out at me in just about every proverb that I read dealt with my tongue. I want to learn to fear the Lord and seek Him for knowledge and understanding. My prayer for my family is that we would restrain our words and have a cool spirit. It also spoke to me in Proverbs 21 where it talked about the one who guards his mouth and his tongue guards his soul from trouble. How I want to watch my words. I'm afraid that I don't. I don't say the first thing that comes to my mind but I find that I talk too much and that can mean too many words and trouble...Also Proverbs 25:28..I want to be able to control my spirit and not be like a city that is broken into without walls. The big one...was Proverbs 29:1....May I not be stiffnecked and have to be broken without remedy. I want to be humble and teachable. I am sure that He will be bringing these thoughts and different scriptures over and over till I learn it. Thanks for doing this so that we all can learn from each other. Blessings..

Holly 6/09/2008  

I'm not ready to post, yet. I have some simmering to do in a few verses that stood out to me for a couple of days, then I will post by Friday, I hope! I'll let you knw.

I love your heart, Bev, and wish I could have taken a walk with you at "Naca-nowhere." Our little pet name :) for that lovely town in the middle of nowhere.

Love and prayers coming your way, as I go hop on my bike for an hour.

holly

Angela Baylis 6/09/2008  

Right this minute I want to correct someone rather than forgive them (him). I want to prove him wrong instead of letting it go. Those hurtful words can make your heart sink. I know it's my own pride that gets in the way. God wanted me to read your insights this evening and let it go... and let God in to heal my heart! You are such an inspiration, Bev to keep the faith and keep believing Him!
Much love, friend!
Angie xoxo

Fran 6/10/2008  

Proverbs 27:19“As water reflects a face, a heart reflects a man."

Oh Lord...I pray that we all have a heart that is reflecting you.

I love you sweet Bev. I pray for you daily. I pray that you are after Him and His heart always.
You are His most beloved and He IS enthralled with your beauty.

What an amazing vessel you are to so many of us. Life is so precious with Bev!!

Hugs,
Fran

Mary Lou 6/10/2008  

Bev, there must be something wrong with my computer. I can't see the readings for June. I have hit the refresh button several times and I still don't see anything to read past the Proverbs readings. Thanks..hope all is going well and you are resting after your teaching etc. Blessings..praying for you...Mary Lou

Bev Brandon @ The Fray 6/12/2008  

Ang - You're a faithful girl! Thank you for your kind words...don't quite feel like an inspiration a lot of the time. Just continuing to move toward others and keep on repenting and praying for God to show up. Nothing else worth it...love your heart for others.

Bev Brandon @ The Fray 6/12/2008  

I'm with you Karen...Nise taught us how to do "links" and I knew one minute and then the next minute, it was G O N E. So grateful to God for the privilege to hear from you and walk with you. You're a precious girl with a big heart!

Bev Brandon @ The Fray 6/12/2008  

Nise - you're always so dear to point out a specific word and I am with you so longing to hear from our God that He will do what He says He will. He will accomplish His purposes for us. Love, love, love your heart for HIM---it's so tender!

Bev Brandon @ The Fray 6/12/2008  

Nise - you're always so dear to point out a specific word and I am with you so longing to hear from our God that He will do what He says He will. He will accomplish His purposes for us. Love, love, love your heart for HIM---it's so tender!

Bev Brandon @ The Fray 6/12/2008  

Hey Michelle -- well I ask for links but can't do them either---smile! Your comment is all the link we need and I'm on my way over. Have loved seeing what God is doing in your life---He's so alive in you right now!

Bev Brandon @ The Fray 6/12/2008  

Annette, you know I am OVERWHELMED with my sin right now but something is happening to me that's a little different than my normal default mode---I am seeing grace poured over me that it's okay and I can't even explain it. But, I am not as lost in how AWFUL and what a MESS I am --- and I am! ---but His grace is so touching me! Thank you for your prayers, your support, your love! You are so full of His grace and it pours out of you to me.

Bev Brandon @ The Fray 6/12/2008  

Mary Lou, someone said to me...let your sin surprise you...and that was a surprise to me too...but like you I am seeing the words that come out and am thinking where in the world did that come from as I have way less love for that person than I thought...but I can repent of that...and find His grace greater than my sinful words...Love how you deal with your Lord and His Word!

Bev Brandon @ The Fray 6/12/2008  

Naca nowhere...that's hilarious!
It felt like it driving there---took forever! Britt said it was the tallest trees he has ever seen---I laughed at that. Looking forward to hearing what your God said to you. Always!

Bev Brandon @ The Fray 6/12/2008  

You are so constantly for me Fran and that so touches me! Thank you so much for your prayers and that you would make the time to pray for me---it means so much! Especially right now!

Praying for Our Friend Joanne Psalm 131:3 Waiting on God. Hope Now. Hope Always.

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I've met some amazing women through blogging. I would love to hear from you. My personal e-mail is:
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I have another blog where I blog daily as a small group of us read through the New Testament this year. It's called A String of Pearls. We carry each other on mats (when we just can't walk anymore) to Jesus and sweet things like that.

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