"For skillful and godly Wisdom is better than rubies or pearls,
and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared with it." Proverbs 8:11 Amplified

Friday, February 19, 2010

FINDING GOD IN SILENCE



We need to find God,

and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness.

God is the friend of silence.

See how nature—trees, flowers, grass—grows in silence;

see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence…

We need silence to be able to touch souls.

Mother Teresa

Photo: courtesy of Morguefile.com

Friday, February 5, 2010

BAD COMPANY CORRUPTS GOOD CHARACTER


Recently I found myself in a position where I had to receive correction. That is never a pleasant experience. Why did I end up here, again? I saw that it was a choice I had made to allow someone else’s beliefs to influence my response to a situation.

This morning I saw that this has become a repeating pattern. I reviewed in my mind the situations that led me to act out of character. All the situations involved other people. People who were spiritually mature, ones I thought could be trusted in what they were speaking. I Cor. 15:33 says: Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.” NLT

I see that I can be adversely influenced by other people. This is definitely a weakness that the enemy has found. I recall five situations over the past fifteen years like this. That may not seem like a lot but I consider it three times too many. The first time I wouldn’t see that it was a pattern because it wasn’t, yet. But when it happened the second time I should have recognized that something was wrong.

Considering myself a mature Christian I am ashamed that I did not wake up to this sooner. Now I must root out what causes me to do this and make the changes necessary to keep my life clean from this sin. I don’t blame the other people, if I acted in character I might have been able to help them avoid the direction they were going also. Prov. 4:15-15 says: Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. KJV

I am responsible for my own behavior and for the behavior of others that I can influence for good. Eph. 4:29 tells us to Let no corrupt communication out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

I am so grateful for God’s grace and mercy, that He loves me enough to not allow me to stay the way I am. I have repented and received His forgiveness. My desire is to always bring froth good fruit.

Matt 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. KJV

Do you have an unhealthy pattern in your life that God is trying to bring to your attention?

Image: MorgueFile