Prodigal: There is a whole crowd gathered today.
Me: I don’t have a problem with that.
Here is a short of video on my proverbs series. Today is the video discussing Proverbs 4:7
click here to watch my video on proverbs
Proverbs 4:7
The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
Jennifer Van Allen
www.theprodigalpig.com
www.faithincounseling.org
Prodigal: We are having fun!
Me: It looks like it.
Prodigal: Fun with those you love.
This is from the book Let the Journey Begin by Max Lucado
It’s quiet. It’s early. My coffee is hot. The sky is still black. The world is still asleep. The day is coming.
In a few minutes the day will arrive. It will roar down the track with the rising of the sun. The stillness of the dawn will be exchanged for the noise of the day. The calm of solitude will be replaced by the pounding pace of the human race. The refuge of the early morning will be invaded by decisions to be made and deadlines to be met.
For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day’s demands. It is now that I must make a choice. Because of Calvary, I’m free to choose. And so I choose.
I choose love…
No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.
I choose joy…
I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical… the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.
I choose peace…
I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.
I choose patience…
I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I’ll invite him to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.
I choose kindness…
I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.
I choose goodness…
I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse. I choose goodness.
I choose faithfulness…
Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My wife will not question my love. And my children will never fear that their father will not come home.
I choose gentleness…
Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gently. If I raise my voice may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.
I choose self-control…
I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. I choose self-control. I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impressed only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ. I choose self-control.
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek grace. And then, when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest.
That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
2 Timothy 3:17
Jennifer Van Allen
www.theprodigalpig.com
www.faithincounseling.org
Me: That looks like a place to say something important.
Prodigal: Well, now there is pressure.
Me: How about I help out.
Prodigal: I would love that!
This is from Out Live Your Life by Max Lucado
O Lord, I have been called to be part of a holy community. You did not call me in isolation but placed me in the body of Christ, along with every other believer in Jesus through out the world in every age. Let us grow as a team, work as a team, worship as a team, weep, laugh, and live as a team. Grant me the wisdom and the strength to partner with you and with my brothers and sisters in Christ. For Jesus, sake and in his name I pray, amen.
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
1 Corinthians 13:1
Jennifer Van Allen
www.theprodigalpig.com
www.faithincounseling.org
Me: We must love God, and love others.
Prodigal: Amen, that is straight talkin’
click here to watch my video on Proverbs
Proverbs 4:6
Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.
Jennifer Van Allen
www.theprodigalpig.com
www.faithincounseling.org
Prodigal: This use to be a house.
Me: Yes, nothing much left of it now.
Prodigal: No, there isn’t
This is from Viktor Frankl who was in a Nazi Concentration camp.
….as we stumbled on for miles, slipping on icy spots, supporting each other tie and again, dragging one another up and onward, nothing was said, but we both knew; each of us was thinking of his wife. Occasionally I looked at the sky, where the stars were fading and the pink light of the morning was beginning to spread behind a dark bank of clouds. But my mind clung to my wife’s image, imagining it with an uncanny acuteness. I heard her answering me, saw her smile, her frank and encouraging look. Real or not, her look was the more luminous than the sun which was beginning to rise.
A thought transfixed me: For the first time in my life I saw the truth as it is set into song by so many poets, proclaimed as the final wisdom by so many thinkers. The truth–that love is the ultimate and the highest goal to which men can aspire. Then I grasped the meaning of the greatest secret that human poetry and human thought and belief have to impart: The salvation of man is through love and in love……
That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee
Deuteronomy 16:20
Jennifer Van Allen
www.theprodigalpig.com
www.faithincounseling.org
Prodigal: Sometimes you are more stubborn than a two-headed mule.
Me: Yes, that is why the Lord has to tell me twice sometimes.
There was a knock on the door. I opened the door to the air conditioner repair man. I knew he was coming. A part had to be ordered, and I had taken the day off so I could be here during the project. It would take about 4 hours so I had planned a couple of projects to work on at home while he worked away to make my house cool once again.
Romans my dog, became excited. I picked him up in my arms to then open the door. As I opened the door, he noticed Romans. He said he liked dogs. He allowed Romans to sniff his hand, and then petted him. Romans loves attention, and decided that this guy would be great to spend more time with him.
The air conditioning guy had work to do though. He said he would be outside, and left us.
What does Romans do? He sits by the door, lays on the floor,and sulks. He sulks as he watches the door. He is waiting for the guy to come to show him some attention. To make him happy, and play with him. So 10 minutes, goes by, 30 minutes, an hour, and then two hours.
Romans continues to sit there, and sulk. I am meanwhile on my couch, and he could have easily have moved to be with me.
I looked at Romans, and I felt bad. I could not tell him that by longing, and focusing on this guy he was missing out on time with me.
I could not tell him that this guy was temporary. That he would just be here for a short time. That his attention was not the attention that I could give.
Romans eventually moved to me, and I petted him. I even played with him a little while.
After playing with Romans, a verse came to me.
Galatians 1:10
For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
I have to admit that in my past, I have been like Romans. I think that many of you are stuck being like Romans also.
We have God who is lovely looking at us. He sees some people come in our lives. We focus a lot of time, and energy trying to get attention from them.
We even become upet, and can sulk when that attention does not come.
God uses us in each other lives. We sometimes get attached, comfortable or get in a habit with relationships. Our focus becomes those relationships. Our focus becomes their attention. Our focus becomes how we can have fun with them. Our focus becomes how to maintain those relationships.
Meanwhile as these relationships take more, more of our time. God is left to watch us. We spend less time with Him. We know He is there, but instead of looking at Him. We look for when someone will walk thru the door. We can’t wait to get that next text, email, phone call or invitation.
Sometimes we have to turn our head,and heart. Sometimes we have to remember that God is there. God wants our attention. He wants to show us love, and support us.
Sometimes after a while when our focus is has been turned from God long enough, we start having to seek the approval of those relationships to maintain them. By seeking the approval of those relationships we ignore God who is watching us from a distant.
We then become.Galatians 1:10 for if I were trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Really when we take a look, we are more like Romans than we really want to admit.
I have been their. I also have had to repent. God was so gracious to me. I really realized that God’s relationship with me is something worth saying no to others about.
Maybe during this time, God is showing you something to. Maybe it’s time to seek Him. This could be a time that God’s relationship with Him is going to increase while other relationships may decrease.
Ephesians 5:3-5
But sexual immorality and all impurity of covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous ( that is, and idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
Jennifer Van Allen
www.theprodigalpig.com
www.faithincounseling.org
Me: You been jawin with my kin.
Prodigal: Which one is your kin.
Me: Very funny…
Click here to watch next video of proverbs
Proverbs 4:5
Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them.
Jennifer Van Allen
www.theprodigalpig.com
www.faithincounseling.org
Prodigal: Sometimes I feel confused.
Me: We all feel confused sometimes.
Prodigal: Yes, just pray for me.
Me: God’s spirit, and word will lift the confusion.
This is from the book This is my Story, This is Our Song by Norman Fl. Blosat with Elva W. Blosat
Then the Spirit Surges
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
Deuteronomy 6:5
Jennifer Van Allen
www.theprodigalpig.com
www.faithincounseling.org
Me: God’s way are like a bright light straight to our heart.
Prodigal: Sometimes I can just feel that.
This is from the book Let the Journey Begin by Max Lucado
On one side stands the crowd.
Jeering.
Baiting.
Demanding.
On the other stands a peasant.
Swollen lips.
Lumpy eye.
Lofty promise.
One promises acceptance,
the other a cross.
One offers flesh and flash,
the other offers faith.
The crowd challenges, “Follow us and fit in.”
Jesus promises, “Follow me and stand out.”
They promise to please.
God promises to save….
God looks at you and asks…
Which will be your choice?
Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11
Jennifer Van Allen
www.theprodigalpig.com
www.faithincounseling.org
Me: Sometimes we just need God’s wisdom.
Prodigal: Yes, and proverbs is full of wisdom.
click here to watch my video about proverbs
Proverbs 4:4
He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
Jennifer Van Allen
www.theprodialpig.com
www.faithincounseling.org
