New Feature

If y'all hadn't noticed yet, I added a list of books to my sidebar. I hope to add more as I have to time to read. If you have questions about any of them, just drop me a comment and I'll gladly get back to you.

Where Shall Wisdom Be Found?

I was amazed this morning when I was reading in Job and would like to share it all with my fellow readers, seeing as I haven't posted in over a week. Before reading my post, I would encourage you to read Job 28 yourself, since I don't want to type out the whole chapter. In Job 28, Job starts out by saying where many things come from, like silver, iron, brass, etc. Then in verse 12, he asks a question:

Job 28:12,13
But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?
Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.

He goes on to say that the price of wisdom is far above many valuable items, such as silver, gold, pearls, and precious stones. In verse 22, he says "Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears." In all honesty, I would have to say that's also true about my own life: I have heard the fame of wisdom, but that's about it. I often find myself asking, "Well, what is wisdom, really?"

Job 28:23,27,28
God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.
Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out.
And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

Wisdom is something that God saw and declared, something He prepared and searched out, and it's something I want to pursue! Glory to our King!

I Would Love Thee

I would love Thee, God and Father! My Redeemer, and my King!
I would love Thee; for without Thee Life is but a bitter thing.

I would love Thee; ev'ry blessing Flows to me from out Thy throne;
I would love Thee; -he who loves Thee Never feels himself alone.

I would love Thee; look upon me, Ever guide me with Thine eye:
I would love Thee; if not nourished By Thy love, my soul would die.

I would love Thee; I have vowed it; On Thy love my heart us set;
While I love Thee, I will never My Redeemer's blood forget.
-Jeanne Marie Guyon, 1648-1717

These words have become very precious to me the last few days. I've been overflowing with joy and surrounded by a peace which passes all understanding.

I started reading this morning in Job. Even after loosing all that he owned, Job "fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." (Job 1:20, 21) After being afflicted with boils, he says "shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips." (Job 2:10)

Is this our reaction when troubles and trials come our way? Probably, not very often. Something I've been thinking about is that God never sends me through trials all alone but he holds my hand through all of it.

Blessings to everyone! Have a wonderful week.

Kindred Spirit Award

Thank you to Jennifer for thinking of me upon receiving the Kindred Spirit Award. I, in turn would like to pass it on to several girls that have been a blessing to me, knowing them personally and through their blogs:

Maria Pauline
Melodie Joy Wiebe
Nancy Wall
Christina

Here are the guidelines. Thank you girls so much for the blessing and encouragement you have been to me.

Not Qualified?

Acts 4:13
"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus."

Do you ever feel inadequate or far from qualified for the task set before you? We all fall into this one at some point. Some one asks us to do something, and we like to step back, putting up our hands defensively and going on, reading out of our book of excuses why we can't do it. I do it myself all the time. We feel inadequate. We don't qualify. We don't have the talents, skill, or abilities. We know someone else who would be much better suited for the position. WHY ME?!!!

So when I read this verse this week, I took fresh courage. When Jesus chose His disciples, He chose ordinary people. Ordinary people, living ordinary lives, to serve an extraordinary God, and thus do extraordinary things. Fishermen. Not incredibly remarkable individuals, not particularly educated and intelligent...just ordinary people. I take fresh courage in that. Possibly God wants to show Himself strong in my weaknesses. Not possibly; I know He does.

God uses ordinary people, the unqualified, the inadequate. He doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called. He takes our fears and failures and uses them for His honour and glory. But we can't do it ourselves; it has to be God's working in and through us. Peter spoke, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and thousands were added to the church. He couldn't have done it himself.

Acts 5:38,39
And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:
But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.

Even this Pharisee, Gamaliel, recognized that men's work comes to nought, but God's work will always prosper. It cannot be overthrown. Does that mean we won't ever face opposition when God calls us to do something? No. Jesus tells us that we will face opposition, but it will prosper.

Sorry, I hardly know how to put my thoughts into words. I hope that made some sense. Blessings!

The Work of the Lord

And, yes, the Lord is doing a mighty work. My sincerest apologies for waiting so long to post again. The Lord is doing much pruning, chastising, and refining once again. I'm most definitely an ongoing project that's never finished. I was thinking about this last week when my mom and I were doing some sewing. We had made a skirt last year that hadn't turned out and so now we were going to do some alterations to get it to fit. So after tearing out this seam and doing this or that, we could just not get it to fit right and look nice and there were many other problems along with it. Quite discouraged, my mom suggested that if it was alright with me, we would just leave it for now.

The next morning, I woke up with this thought: Isn't it wonderful that our Heavenly Father doesn't do that? He never gives up on us. He doesn't put us aside when we don't immediately respond to his molding. Rather He tears open this seam and redoes that one until it's just right; He doesn't stop until the work is finished and perfect and that makes me rejoice. Yes, it hurts and it's not always fun, but He holds our hand every step of the way and great is our reward.

So there's just one of my recent thoughts. God bless.