12-07-09
Proverbs 17:22
Designed for the sick medicine provides the cure the body needs to combat sickness. There are many types of medicine, some target pain, some viruses, some bacteria, some regulate the body and some assist the organs when malfunctioning. Not overly concerned with the causes of sickness, medicine target attacks that drains life of its health. The aim is to bring the body to a healthy and safe condition.
Proverbs tells us of a condition of the heart that functions just like medicine. This condition is a merry heart. When merriness combines with the heart it produces more than a good feeling. The combination produces a substance that confronts the harmful conditions of the body, treats the sickness and uplifts the body to a condition of good health.
A merry heart performs like medicine improving the quality of health and releasing the body form the harmful conditions. The quality of the heart is intricately connected to the quality of health. To have a merry heart is to have the best doctor’s prescription. Exactly how the heart uses cheerfulness and liveliness to treat sickness is uncertain. But what is certain is the heart’s ability to use merriness as a substance to address and overcome bad health. Good health begins in the heart.
Lord thank You that I have a heart like medicine. It cures and prevents harm. It produces joy and laughter that’s picked up by others. Thank You.
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Sunday, June 20, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Forward Heart - 2
12-04-09
Proverbs 17:20
The circumstances leading to misfortune are seldom recognized but the experiences of the misfortune are often clear. What cause good and bad experience? What could be done to promote more of the enjoyable and less of the unfortunate? What part does the heart have in all of this? Proverbs provides answers.
Reality is often developed from what is experienced in life. The heart plays a crucial role in our experiences and quite often acts as the starting point for life’s explorations. The success rate of finding answers or addressing concerns on these explorations is often very high. Fortunately, or unfortunately in some cases, the exploration is guided by the contents of the heart and this makes it possible for the heart to pursue something which may not exist. The heart, to a certain extent, finds what is set up to find.
The first part of the verse speaks about the forward heart, meaning perverse heart. This person is a thinker who carefully plans to turn away from what is normal and reasonable. There usually isn’t justification for action and it is near to impossible to make sense of what or why things are done. To have froward qualities in the heart prevents the finding of good. Even though attempts could be mane to search and acquire good, the efforts will be in vain.
Among the most notable findings in the verse is the heart’s innate ability to establish its own desired functionality. So as the froward heart searches for good, it does so in the non-rational, insensible and awkward way. In order to find good the heart would have to get rid of the forwardness, without doing so it will be lead to where good does not exist. To find good one must search where good exist.
It is noted that the heart is the advocate for finding and establishing reality, which in turn depicts the quality of life. To limit the circumstances leading to misfortune, ensure that the heart does not have perversity.
Proverbs 17:20
The circumstances leading to misfortune are seldom recognized but the experiences of the misfortune are often clear. What cause good and bad experience? What could be done to promote more of the enjoyable and less of the unfortunate? What part does the heart have in all of this? Proverbs provides answers.
Reality is often developed from what is experienced in life. The heart plays a crucial role in our experiences and quite often acts as the starting point for life’s explorations. The success rate of finding answers or addressing concerns on these explorations is often very high. Fortunately, or unfortunately in some cases, the exploration is guided by the contents of the heart and this makes it possible for the heart to pursue something which may not exist. The heart, to a certain extent, finds what is set up to find.
The first part of the verse speaks about the forward heart, meaning perverse heart. This person is a thinker who carefully plans to turn away from what is normal and reasonable. There usually isn’t justification for action and it is near to impossible to make sense of what or why things are done. To have froward qualities in the heart prevents the finding of good. Even though attempts could be mane to search and acquire good, the efforts will be in vain.
Among the most notable findings in the verse is the heart’s innate ability to establish its own desired functionality. So as the froward heart searches for good, it does so in the non-rational, insensible and awkward way. In order to find good the heart would have to get rid of the forwardness, without doing so it will be lead to where good does not exist. To find good one must search where good exist.
It is noted that the heart is the advocate for finding and establishing reality, which in turn depicts the quality of life. To limit the circumstances leading to misfortune, ensure that the heart does not have perversity.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
The Heart as Teacher
12-01-09
Proverbs 16:23
It is good to know what to say, but oh too often the right words doesn’t come out right nor is it received in the rightness intended. In these times advice is taken as an insult because of how it was presented. Perhaps you have experienced the frustration and embarrassment from saying good things in the wrong way. These moments act as tools to motivate toward a better way of getting the message across.
The heart is that resource the wise uses to teach the mouth how to respond in a way that produces good results. With the heart as teacher the good words will not only be present they will flow in the goodness intended. The wise teaches the mouth and adds learning to the lips.
The heart has the ability to teach, whether though tact, patience, gentleness or silence. The heart becomes the instructor and educator to increase learning on how to say what needs to be said. No chalk boards, no lesson plans only real life experiences packed with the emotional tensions and attitudes to bring the student face to face with the lesson. The students don’t just hear the lesson they experience it.
The heart is not only a tool for the student, but also for building life in those who will hear. By working on the tongue the heart teaches proper representation which enables the mouth and lips to exercise tact and skill when communicating with others. By making the words less offensive others are more receptive to the truth found within them. The wisdom in one heart is able to build the life in another.
Recognize the heart as your teacher. Let it instruct you and mold your mouth into the speech other need to hear. Let it add to the lips what it has learned. Let it give from the knowledge and understanding stored within. See what is in your heart, it will teach you what to say and how to say it
Proverbs 16:23
It is good to know what to say, but oh too often the right words doesn’t come out right nor is it received in the rightness intended. In these times advice is taken as an insult because of how it was presented. Perhaps you have experienced the frustration and embarrassment from saying good things in the wrong way. These moments act as tools to motivate toward a better way of getting the message across.
The heart is that resource the wise uses to teach the mouth how to respond in a way that produces good results. With the heart as teacher the good words will not only be present they will flow in the goodness intended. The wise teaches the mouth and adds learning to the lips.
The heart has the ability to teach, whether though tact, patience, gentleness or silence. The heart becomes the instructor and educator to increase learning on how to say what needs to be said. No chalk boards, no lesson plans only real life experiences packed with the emotional tensions and attitudes to bring the student face to face with the lesson. The students don’t just hear the lesson they experience it.
The heart is not only a tool for the student, but also for building life in those who will hear. By working on the tongue the heart teaches proper representation which enables the mouth and lips to exercise tact and skill when communicating with others. By making the words less offensive others are more receptive to the truth found within them. The wisdom in one heart is able to build the life in another.
Recognize the heart as your teacher. Let it instruct you and mold your mouth into the speech other need to hear. Let it add to the lips what it has learned. Let it give from the knowledge and understanding stored within. See what is in your heart, it will teach you what to say and how to say it
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Heart to It
12-03-09
Proverbs 17:16
We do not intentionally make vain sacrifices. Whenever intentional sacrifices are made there are subtle expectations for some sort of benefit. Proverbs introduces us to a question regarding the price in the hand of the fool in relation to what is in the heart. This question helps prompts carefully consideration of the input from a fool.
‘Heart to It’ suggests that in the heart are impulses, appetites and attractions that cause adjustments and sacrifices to be made. These impulses influence identity, choice and what sacrifices, if any, will be made. If the heart does not have an impulse or appetite for something then it should not pursue or make adjustments unless there are underlying motives. If you want to get it you must put your heart to it. The heart that is not put in it should not be expected to get in it. So again the question is asked, ‘why is the fool making sacrifice for something he does not care to have?
Proverbs 17:16
We do not intentionally make vain sacrifices. Whenever intentional sacrifices are made there are subtle expectations for some sort of benefit. Proverbs introduces us to a question regarding the price in the hand of the fool in relation to what is in the heart. This question helps prompts carefully consideration of the input from a fool.
‘Heart to It’ suggests that in the heart are impulses, appetites and attractions that cause adjustments and sacrifices to be made. These impulses influence identity, choice and what sacrifices, if any, will be made. If the heart does not have an impulse or appetite for something then it should not pursue or make adjustments unless there are underlying motives. If you want to get it you must put your heart to it. The heart that is not put in it should not be expected to get in it. So again the question is asked, ‘why is the fool making sacrifice for something he does not care to have?
Sunday, June 6, 2010
The Heart: a Place for Trying
12-02-09
Proverbs 17:3
I have often wandered, why we have to experience hard times. Why are there so many disappointments? Why do we have to work so hard? The answer that came was not what I really wanted to hear but it did help me understand why and in understanding I am better able to endure. The answer is ‘it’s a process’.
The rough times, hard experiences and disappointments are all apart of the process of bringing me to perfection, to a higher quality of excellence and grandeur. It is apart of the process of releasing me from inadequacies, getting rid of the negative attitudes and warding off the inappropriate responses. The Lord uses these experiences as a process to bring me to perfection, to get me in the pursuit of excellence and make me a more accurate depiction of who He created. It is all apart of the process.
To bring out the potential of silver a fining pot is used. To bring out the fine qualities in gold a furnace is used. Proverbs tells us that the process for bringing out the outstanding qualities in humans is the trying of the heart. Like silver and gold, the heart in its natural state is covered with impurities but packed with potential.
Notably the heart is the place of refinement. By turning up the pressure situations in life the Lord set in place the conditions needed for the heart to be refined. The heart is the place that enables life to pursue excellence and perfection. The difficult times and stretching of patience refines the heart making me into who the Lord desires me to be. There are some negative vices that must be released in order for the positive vibes to be evident.
The heart is the place where the Lord tries you. It is the place where you release and embrace in accordance with His will. It is where you become who He wants you to be. It is your place of change. It is your place of perfection. It is your place of excellence. It is your place of potential. It is your launching pad. It is your embrace of the Lord life.
Proverbs 17:3
I have often wandered, why we have to experience hard times. Why are there so many disappointments? Why do we have to work so hard? The answer that came was not what I really wanted to hear but it did help me understand why and in understanding I am better able to endure. The answer is ‘it’s a process’.
The rough times, hard experiences and disappointments are all apart of the process of bringing me to perfection, to a higher quality of excellence and grandeur. It is apart of the process of releasing me from inadequacies, getting rid of the negative attitudes and warding off the inappropriate responses. The Lord uses these experiences as a process to bring me to perfection, to get me in the pursuit of excellence and make me a more accurate depiction of who He created. It is all apart of the process.
To bring out the potential of silver a fining pot is used. To bring out the fine qualities in gold a furnace is used. Proverbs tells us that the process for bringing out the outstanding qualities in humans is the trying of the heart. Like silver and gold, the heart in its natural state is covered with impurities but packed with potential.
Notably the heart is the place of refinement. By turning up the pressure situations in life the Lord set in place the conditions needed for the heart to be refined. The heart is the place that enables life to pursue excellence and perfection. The difficult times and stretching of patience refines the heart making me into who the Lord desires me to be. There are some negative vices that must be released in order for the positive vibes to be evident.
The heart is the place where the Lord tries you. It is the place where you release and embrace in accordance with His will. It is where you become who He wants you to be. It is your place of change. It is your place of perfection. It is your place of excellence. It is your place of potential. It is your launching pad. It is your embrace of the Lord life.
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