It's amazing to
me what happens to a man, of the I can do it on my own attitude (like me), when
he lays down his pride, reads the directions, and follows them. The pieces all
start to come together and everything begins to make sense! I don't know how
many times I've sat trying to figure something out on my own, because I'm a
proud, fix it kind of guy who can do anything, only to get frustrated and give
up and then a much less capable person, being Angela or Tricia, comes behind me
with the instructions or a map and gets the job done! A few Christmas gifts and
vacations come to mind. I am seeing the same type of situations coming to play
in my life as a Christian.
I wonder how many
people, like me, wonder around in "the wilderness" lost with a Bible
in their hands or at work or in their vehicle? I'll bet since I could read I've
had a Bible at my disposal and wondered many times what I was doing wrong. I've cussed, fussed,
cried, sweated, bled, agonized, self destructed, self mutilated, and all kinds
of things, when all along all I needed to do was pick up the instructions and
read them and follow them. Wow... Do you guys and gals see where I am going with this? There is an instruction
manual in your presence right now. What burdens do you carry? What things do you
want or need that you have not prepared for and even asked for, because you too
are trying to do it on your own?!!
This lesson will
be based on Proverbs 22: 17-20. I'll call it "Following
Instructions". "Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise and
apply your heart to my knowledge." What this says to me? "Cody- pick
up the freaking book (bible) read it from time to time, preferably daily, and
apply to your life what you read. And all the rest will take care of itself!
Duuuhhh!!! I can so hear God telling me that. For 42 years I've wondered around
trying to do things on my own and now I'm just realizing that if I would have
taken the easy road and followed instructions, that were available, I would not
have had to struggle so much and bear so much pain in my life.
Sometimes when
I've read, its put me to sleep. Sometimes I didn't really listen or apply the
instruction to my life. Mia, once when I was putting together a play house for
you I didn't read the instruction manual and I didn't get it all put together
right. The same works out in our lives like a construction project. God is the
engineer, he gives us the blueprints to follow and if we follow them the
project comes together. There are often always problems along the way! But I
know if I am diligent in following the directions given that I will get the job
done! The same applies to our lives, our relationships with Jesus, and how we
live! Answer this for me: "Are you really following the instruction of
your Father in Heaven?"
Random Thoughts: Today I recognize that I’ve been studying a
lot, digging for material and information. As that is very rewarding to me, I
want to start dedicating more time to prayer. After reading the book What Happens When Husbands and Wives Pray
Together I feel that I need to pray
more and I think that I’ll invite more people to pray with me at the very same
time as well! Wouldn’t it be nice if every morning we could all take just 5
minutes and pray together at the very same time for each other!
Prayer: Father God I pray that we all will notice the
instructions you've given us and I pray that like in Proverbs 22:17, we incline
our ear, and hear the words of the wise, that we apply our hearts to your
knowledge. I pray that we trust in you Lord and not ourselves. For you are the
way and the light and the truth. Amen. -Cody-
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