through Proverbs {#drawingcloser} [21]

This verse from yesterday speaks a couple of different thoughts to my heart.

One is that righteousness and mercy co-exist.

Ok-that one is still on soak.

pr0v 21

Proverbs 21:21

Another is that FOLLOWING righteousness leads us to FINDING righteousness. I think this lends to the idea that we will never attain “being righteous” -which reminds me of this passage:

10~As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one11~There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12~They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Romans 3:10-12

And then… mercy, coupled with righteousness {which is still on soak} also leads to LIFE & HONOR. Who doesn’t want life? or to be honored?

And that leads me to some other passages:

4~But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5~Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6~Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7~That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according according to the hope of eternal life. 8~This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men. Titus 3:4-8

Our works will never save us. God is the perfect example of this righteousness and mercy existing together, in harmony. His mercy is new each day… but He is also eternally righteous.

It is because of Jesus’ perfect righteousness & mercy

that I can even have a hope of entering heaven.

pr0v 21 copy

But, while our works will not get us to heaven, they WILL glorify God and be profitable.

I don’t know about you… but I want:

~to find more righteousness than I currently have

~to gain eternal life and have treasure [honor] to lay at Jesus’ feet {another thought I didn’t really explore here}

and ~I want my life to be profitable!

So I will continue to soak on “follow after righteousness and mercy”…

….what does this verse speak to you?

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yellow lovelies…and where to find me today

Today I am talking about promises.

God has many promises for believers in His word:

** He will supply our need. **

** His grace IS sufficient. **

And as marvelous as these are,

they are only a few of the promises found in His Word!

 

But I think one of my favorite {outside of eternal life} is found in…

compassions-are-new1

you can read the rest over on Living on PBJ!

good and not evil {3}

good and not evil {3}

She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

Proverbs 31:12

Here we see the phrase all the days of her life.

It is implied in verse 11 that this is a continual, diligent process: my husband’s heart resting safely in me [I am overwhelmed every time I think of that]. But here we truly see that the heart issue is the part that is my lifelong task. 

Oh, my heart- so full of wickedness that I am full of conviction as I type this.

This virtue of my husband’s heart being able to trust in me IS doing my husband GOOD.

And I must strive for this all the days of my life!

If I act or speak in any way that causes my husband’s heart to loose trust-no matter the ‘minuteness’ of it-this is evil towards him. This is what I must not do. I must guard my own heart against it.

 

While I know that I will continue to fail {we are all sinners}, I am so thankful that God’s mercies are new every. single. day.

It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, 

because his compassions fail not. 

This I recall to my mind, 

therefore have I hope.

They are new every morning:

great is thy faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:21-23

And I rejoice that my husband strives to be the man of God for me-which means he forgives me. And then together we have another opportunity to get it right.

Only you, dear reader, can know what this good and evil will look like in your own marriage. But my prayer today is that we will seek God’s face and strength for this monumental daily opportunity.

She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

Proverbs 31:12

Here we see the phrase all the days of her life.

It is implied in verse 11 that this is a continual, diligent process: my husband’s heart resting safely in me [I am overwhelmed every time I think of that]. But here we truly see that the heart issue is the part that is my lifelong task. 

Oh, my heart- so full of wickedness that I am full of conviction as I type this.

This virtue of my husband’s heart being able to trust in me IS doing my husband GOOD.

And I must strive for this all the days of my life!

If I act or speak in any way that causes my husband’s heart to loose trust-no matter the ‘minuteness’ of it-this is evil towards him. This is what I must not do. I must guard my own heart against it.

 

While I know that I will continue to fail {we are all sinners}, I am so thankful that God’s mercies are new every. single. day.

It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, 

because his compassions fail not. 

This I recall to my mind, 

therefore have I hope.

They are new every morning:

great is thy faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:21-23

And I rejoice that my husband strives to be the man of God for me-which means he forgives me. And then together we have another opportunity to get it right.

Only you, dear reader, can know what this good and evil will look like in your own marriage. But my prayer today is that we will seek God’s face and strength for this monumental daily opportunity.

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a song in my heart

Here are the words to the first verse of the song I sang on Sunday in our church.

I listen to if often during the day (I have a CD where it is beautifully performed by BJU singers & orchestra). 

image via google search

image via google search

~~~~

Beneath the Cross

Beneath the cross of Jesus, 

I find a place to stand

And wonder at such mercy 

That calls me as I am;

For hands that should discard me 

Hold wounds which tell me, “Come.”

Beneath the cross of Jesus, 

My unworthy soul is won.

~~~~~

While I have heard this song many times since acquiring this CD, Sunday morning- as I was singing- the words hit me afresh… 

      just how often do I ‘wonder at such mercy…”? 

      Jesus calls me-ME- from where I am… 

    His hands, hands that should shun and push me aside, have wounds- living wounds, not scars- 

that tell me to come to Him. 

How wonderful is this Jesus that loves me so. For all my faults (numerous beyond measure), my petty desires and whims, He loves me. He loves YOU. He wants you to come to Him. Even though I am already sure of my salvation and know that I will go to Heaven, He still beckons me… and calls to me where I am each day. Whether I have woken up cranky or energetic, His wounded hands beckon me to come to Him. 


His mercy continues to call me (and you) to go beyond mere salvation faith and live. 

LIVE… for Him.