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Part 3 Wanted: Wisdom – One Head, Not Two!

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“If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God . . . only it must be in faith . . . For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything [he asks for] from the Lord, [For being as he is] a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides].”
James 1:5-8 AMPC

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have two heads, thus having two minds? For most women that could be a rather disconcerting thought. I often have a difficult time making up my one mind, much less two! For most of us, I doubt we’d be as cheery as the two-headed woman pictured here.

Sometimes I have no problem making a firm decision and sticking with it. Yet, there are the harder choices such as which restaurant to pick when your husband decides to take you out, or which shirt looks best with these jeans. Then, there is the ultimate daily “What shall I cook for dinner tonight?” dilemma!

All jokes aside, we have much to learn from James’ warning in the Scripture text for today. The Amplified Bible portrays the doubter as having two minds. Other translations use descriptions like double-minded man, unstable, divided loyalty between God and the world, two-souled, indecisive, and two ways of thinking at the same time.

I saw a good illustration of the double-minded mentality on a Bonanza episode recently. The show centered on a man and his wife who had fallen on hard times and were struggling to keep their ranch. The man, wanting to provide nice things for his wife and son, had collaborated with some outlaws so he could have more money for his family. No one, his wife, friends, or even the Cartwrights’, suspected such behavior. When the truth came out, his poor choices created chaos, distrust, and great conflict for all involved. He certainly had not prayed for wisdom regarding the circumstances in his life.

O Father, we don’t want to waver in our faith and be unstable in all our ways. As the apostles of old, we plead for You to increase our faith!

[Digging deeper – Matthew 6:24; Luke 17:5-6; James 4:8]

Stay tuned for Part 4 Wanted: Wisdom – Get It? Got It. Good!

Striving for wise single-mindedness,

Beverly <><

 

Photo Credit: Image courtesy of: http://freemybrain.com/wpcontent/uploads/2009/04/two_headed.jpg

Part 2 Wanted: Wisdom – Calm Seas

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“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God . . . But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.”
James 1:5-6 NASB

As a petite, skinny, freckled-face girl of eight or nine, our family travelled to St. Simon’s Island, GA, for vacation one summer. Playing in the ocean with my siblings, floating on inner tubes, and riding the waves brought much pleasure. But there was one day the sea was rougher than usual due to strong winds. I can remember attempting to paddle out on my float when suddenly the churning surf capsized and tumbled me relentlessly with its power. Not knowing if I was right side up or upside down, I eventually surfaced sputtering and spewing salty water that had gone up my nose. With eyes stinging and bathing suit full of sand, I fought to maintain my footing against the waves. My little frame, working hard to get back to shore, plunged forward with the waves only to succumb to the backward pull of the current. Finally, with great determination (and fear for my life), I made it to the shore, decided to call it quits, and promptly headed for the calmer waters of the hotel pool!

Our theme verse today emphasizes that asking for wisdom must be in faith. If we ask and then hesitate or have reservations, we are like waves blown about by the wind that come rushing up on shore, then quickly recede, back and forth, back, and forth. Doubt, like the wind, blows in from all directions, causing distractions and leaving us vulnerable, unstable, and unsure. The ways and ideas of the world rush in to invade our faith in God and stir up waves of indecision, back and forth, back, and forth.

The surf is great for beach lovers and thrill seekers. However, those who seek wisdom require a steady faith, not one that is wishy washy and constantly changing. Faith, like calm seas, will provide the much needed and longed-for serenity, security, and steadfastness. Our request for wisdom is sure to follow. [Digging deeper – Matthew 17:20, 21:21-22; Ephesians 4:14; Hebrews 11:1, 6]

Stay tuned for Part 3 Wanted: Wisdom – One Head, Not Two!

Smooth sailing,

Beverly <><

 

Photo Credit: images courtesy of: pixabay.com

Work, Abundance and Harvest

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“The Harvest is plentiful. But the workers are few.”
Matthew 9:37 (NIV)

When I go into my backyard nowadays, I see my overgrown garden. One that is filled with weeds and overgrown plants, including cucumbers that have turned yellow and overwhelming overgrowth. But it wasn’t always this way.

A few months back I first carefully researched and planned what I would plant and where I would plant it. I visualized all of the great crops my plants would produce and all of the fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables I would have. I pictured abundance of produce!

For a little while I kept up with my garden. I tended to it by pruning it, watering it and using fertilizer and insect repellent to ensure that I would have the healthiest plants.

What area in your life do you visualize abundance in? Do you picture abundance, in friends, finances or even your health?

Things are going good, until suddenly the “excitement of expectation” wares off and you are left to do the hard work of either gardening or dieting or exercising or working or whatever else you need to do but don’t feel like doing it.

 The soul of the lazy person has strong desires but gets nothing, but the soul of the one who does his best gets more than he needs. Proverbs 13:4

We tend to give up once the novelty is gone and the excitement has worn off. We still want the reward but not the work.

I decided one day that I didn’t need to water or tend to the garden. Then I decided the same thing the next day, and by the time I went on vacation and came back, the plants were too high, the cucumbers needed picking and I needed to pluck the weeds from the garden. I became overwhelmed and it seemed easier to let it go than to deal with it. I just ignored it and pretended it wasn’t a problem and that it wasn’t there. I knew that I needed to tend to my garden, but I decided I didn’t want to put that effort into it anymore.

We do that with our physical bodies. We do that with our spiritual bodies.

Those too lazy to plow in the right season will have no food at the harvest. Proverbs 20:4

If we want to reap the benefits of the harvest, we must be willing to do the work.

We can’t will it to happen overnight. We need to be intentional with our efforts.

I can’t enjoy bountiful produce from my garden without putting in the work. You can’t enjoy the benefits of abundant living without putting in the work.

There is so much potential that awaits us. It is there for us to grasp, but we stop putting in the work because it is hard and isn’t producing results fast enough.

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.” Matthew 9:37

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

We can experience the plentiful harvest if we are willing to put in the work.

What is an area of your life that are you willing to start putting in the work to reap the harvest has He has waiting for you?

Blessings friends!

Stephanie Miller

 

 

Photo Credit: image created via wordswag