Proverbs 18 "He Chose Me"

"A man of many companions may come to ruin,
 but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24

 We all have friends. We have the friends we know on a first name basis, but don't spend time with. Then, there are the few we do spend time with. We get to know their desires, their struggles, their joys. We get real with them. We get to know their very person.

So who is this friend? Who loves me and wants to be around me so much that he sticks closer than a brother?

Open your Bible to John 15:14-17.

This passage begins with "You are my friends if you do what I command." v.14

It ends with, "This is my command: Love each other." v.17

Now, we could stop right there and call it good, but let's dig in a bit more. Hold on, because it gets beautiful!

In verse 15 of the above passage from John, Jesus said, "I no longer call you servants, because a servant doesn't know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I have learned from my Father I have made known to you."

Do you see it?! Do you see the contrast? Masters give orders to the servants, who just do as they are told. They change plans at the masters every want and whim. But Jesus said we aren't servants because He taught us everything He learned from His Father! Everything. It's laid out in His word for everyone to read. We have the opportunity to know His plan if we so choose. He leaves it completely up to us. But when we choose to believe God and do what He commands, He calls us His friend! (see John 15:14 again.)

Need more proof?

"Abraham believed God...and he was called God's friend." James 2:23

We can know this is for us just as much as it was for Abraham, by Galatians 3:26-29,

"If you belong to Christ, you are Abraham's seed and heir according to the promise."

How absolutely beautiful that you and I are Abraham's seed and therefore, also called God's friends!

But, wait! It gets even better! In between John 15:14 and 17, there's a little nugget that just thrills me to the core. Look at verse 16.

Jesus said, "You did not choose me, but I CHOSE YOU..."

Gasp! He CHOSE me.

He CHOSE you.

My God, my Jesus, chose me. Out of all the people in the world He chose me. ME!!! To be His friend!

Does that delight anyone else? To know that you have a special place all our own in God's heart. To know He wants to spend time with you. Just you. All alone. By yourselves. No one else. Just you and just God. The One who sticks closer than a brother.

Absolutely beautiful.

Pray with me.

Thank you, Jesus, for choosing me. Thank you for choosing me to be all Yours. How great is Your love that You call us Your children. You long to spend time with each one of us. All alone. Just You and just me. My Lord, my God, my Jesus, how awesome and glorious You are. Thank you for not forsaking me. Thank you for never leaving me to fend for myself. You alone are good. You alone are God. You are mine. I am Yours. I have no words enough.....thank you, Jesus. Amen

Proverbs 14 "Build Your Home"

 "The wise woman builds her house,
 but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down." Proverbs 14:1

While a wise woman could build her house, because she is to work vigorously and be physically strong (Proverbs 31:17), that is not what this verse is talking about. The building, fixing, providing, leading, protecting, all the muscle stuff is the mans role. Turning a pile of wood and nails into a house is the job for your husband, if he's willing to physically build a house.

If not, and because its often faster, easier and safer to just buy a premade pile of wood and nails....just saying ;)...he's still provider of the house.

However, that pile of boards and nails is all it would remain without a woman's touch. The one whose role in building the house involves the very hearts of those who occupy that cold mound of sticks and tacks.

The wife, mom, woman of the house builds it strong, ready to weather any storm of life by nourishing those hearts with love, kindness, orderliness, discernment, beauty, warmth, harmony, unity, joy and acceptance.

She watches day and night that her loved ones are fed, comfortable, clothed, lavished with love, spoken kindly to, taught right from wrong and to resolve conflicts peacefully.

She's the one who teaches them to laugh, sing and play together. She goes from room to room constantly tending to the affairs of her household, making sure everything runs smoothly and harmoniously.

She's

helper,

healer,

gluer,

lifter,

pillar,

rock,

nourisher,

soother,

peacemaker,

organizer,

teacher,

maker,

encourager,

welcomer,....

EXHAUSTED?!!! Yes!

The woman's role deals with heart issues and relationships. Those get messy. Very messy. Praise the Lord she has a divine blueprint spelled out in Gods word to help her set the moral and spiritual climate of her home.

A wise woman builds her house spiritually by demonstrating her godly character day in and day out. By teaching her children the things of the Lord. By being an example of the things of the Lord to her husband.

A wise woman builds her house economically by her dedicated hard work, profiting the whole family with her efforts.

A wise woman builds her house with the Lord. She goes to God's word to find wisdom on how to respond to the hard things of life. She goes to God's word to find strength for the huge trial. She goes to God's word for comfort when life breaks her heart. For encouragement and discernment when she gets weary of doing life, marriage and family the way He designed.

She goes to His Divine blueprint when the boards and nails crumble and the foundations get shaken.

She builds her house for the Lord. According to to His Divine plan. Even when all others around her don't. Even when all others scorn her. Even when the world says she's weak because she does it God's way. Even when God's way is hardest. She builds it for the Lord.



Join me in prayer...

Father, thank you for Your beautiful plan for us as a women. Thank you that You have written a blueprint for us to follow. Drive us back to that blueprint often. Help us read Your plan clearly when life crowds in around us and all goes wrong. Give us strength for each moment. In the highs and the lows, Lord, You are there, encouraging, holding, stabilizing our houses as we strive to build them with You and for You. Thank you for Your great plan even when we don't understand the whys. Let us not grow weary of doing good. May Your will be done in our houses, our hearts, our lives. All for You, Lord. All for You. Amen.







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