#5741 – As a Branch

Good morning people who reproduce the image of God by staying connected to Him.

Proverbs 11:28 MEV He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish as a branch.

Where we put our trust matters. If it is in riches, we will fall (I love the clarity and directness of the Bible). This is not saying that having money is wrong, it’s not. But money having us and us putting our confidence in how much money we have is wrong. Never forget, Jehovah Jirech is our Provider.

But it is the next part of the verse that I want to specifically lean into today: the righteous will flourish as a branch.

I’m drawn towards how the righteous will flourish. Actually, let’s back it up one step first and look at the word flourish – it means to break forth as a bud, to bloom. It’s really talking about being fruitful. Now, let’s looks at the phrase as a branch.

The fruitfulness of our lives – the breaking forth as a bud and the blooming – is not as we want it to be. It’s not something we choose based on what we want. Our fruitfulness is as a branch, which means a leaf coming up on a tree, or a branch.

And here’s my point: the fruit on a branch comes from the tree that the branch is connected to. It truly is that simple and that unavoidable.

You will never get apples off a branch that is attached to an orange tree. It’s not possible because what God created reproduces after its own kind. This is an irreversible law of God.

As people who have been created in the image of God and as spiritually born-again children of God, we are to reproduce His image through our lives, not just our own. Be fruitful in Genesis 1:28 literally means reproduce the image of God that we were made in. The pattern hasn’t changed!

Here’s a verse that sums it up brilliantly:

John 15:5 MEV “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who remains in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit. For without Me you can do nothing.”

May we all stay connected to the Vine and reproduce fruit from the Vine.

#5740 – Seeking and Reaping

Good morning people who desire to live under the smile of our loving God.

Proverbs 11:27 MEV He who diligently seeks good procures favor, but he who seeks mischief, it will come to him.

Two spiritual realities that frequent the scriptures are seeking and finding, as well as sowing and reaping. As you can see by the title of this BIY, I’ve mixed them together as seeking and reaping. I believe that they are truly interchangeable.

Let’s lean in and listen to Father.

The words diligently seek talk about at dawn, in the morning. In other words, it’s not an afterthought or a last minute or late decision. This is talking about something being a priority.

Diligently seeking good is about an earnest and primary focus of seeking after and desiring what is good in the eyes of God. This is not about personal preference or taste. This is about seeking God and His goodness.

The result for this person is that they will procure favour. While the word procure according to the dictionary means obtain, in this verse it actually means to search out, to strive after. And the word favour means delight.

In other words, this first part of the scripture could be accurately translated as this:

The person who prioritises seeking that which is good is the person who is actually searching out the delight of God over their lives. Now, that’s nice! If we want to walk in the smile of God, we must prioritise seeking out what is good in the eyes of God.  

Conversely, there is another group of people mentioned in this verse, and these are those who seek mischief. The word seek here means to tread or frequent, usually to follow. The word mischief means bad or evil.

The Bible is warning us that if we follow and frequent that which is evil, we will reap or find mere evil. This is so true.

May we be people who seek after and sow into what is good. The smile of God is found there.

#5739 – Generous People

Good morning people who believe that you can never out-give God.

Proverbs 11:24-25 MEV There is one who scatters, yet increases; and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty. The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will be watered also himself.

This scripture is a very clear kingdom of God principle that is often repeated throughout the Bible. It is one that is a game changer and it can make us or break us. Let’s lean in.

The natural economy is based on the more you have, the more you have. It makes sense really. It is logical, and mathematically, it is correct.

But not so in God.

I love the part of the verse that says a generous soul will be made rich. In other words, the more you give, the more you have. It doesn’t make sense. It is not logical. But it is truth.

We must never just equate ‘will be made rich’ with financial abundance. Sometimes God does this to generous people. We love it and this is great. But let’s not reduce the blessing of God that comes to generous people down to dollars in the bank.

I believe the greater blessing and sign of abundance is the freedom that we have in our soul as we are not controlled by a mindset of lack. Generous people prosper regardless of what they have by natural measure.

Why?

Because as they display the heart of a generous God, they find their true contentment in Him, and not just from Him.

May we all be generous even as our heavenly Father is generous to us.

#5738 – Merciful People

Good morning people who commit to being kind and gentle with yourself.

Proverbs 11:17 MEV The merciful man does good to his own soul, but he who is cruel troubles his own body.

The word merciful here means kindness. So, think about this.

The person who can be kind to themselves will do good to their own soul. Oh, how many of us need to hear this now and receive it by faith in God.

Why is it that we believe God can accept us and be kind to us, and yet many of us struggle to accept ourselves and be kind to ourselves?

I love the following scripture, and I wonder if God wants to speak from it to ourselves from ourselves:

Philippians 4:5 NIV Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

Is our gentleness towards ourselves evident to ourselves? If not, why not?

The alternative is the second part of our opening verse: but he who is cruel troubles his own body. None of us want this.

Here’s what I feel the Lord wants to say to some of you who are reading this today:

“Ease up on yourself; be kind to yourself. I know you missed the mark, and that’s why I sent My Son Jesus. He paid the ultimate price so that you don’t have to keep on punishing yourself. Yes, My grace is a free gift, but you need to receive it. I hear you say that you don’t deserve it. That’s correct, no one does, and that’s why I’ve supplied it. So, receive grace from Me today and extend it to yourself. Let’s keep walking forward together.”  

#5737 – A Faithful Spirit

Good morning people who know when it is appropriate to hold your tongue.

Proverbs 11:13 MEV A talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is of a faithful spirit conceals the matter.

In these days when everyone has access to everything, there is a prevailing spirit of exposure. Nothing is sacred and everything is up for discussion. Everybody’s business is now everybody’s business.

But this is not what the Bible teaches or instructs.

There is far too much gossip and slander and revealing of secrets going on. There is so much talk about what ‘he did’ or ‘she said’. Sensationalism is the new norm, and for many, it’s not even tried to be disguised as something spiritual. People just want to know stuff!

But again, this is not what the Bible says.

Talebearers and busybodies talk about things that shouldn’t be talked about. This needs to stop.

Our verse above tells us that he who is of a faithful spirit conceals the matter.

Now the Bible is not talking about ‘covering things up’, but rather, it is talking about ‘protecting, honouring and loving people enough to not share harmful information’.

The word faithful hear means to build up or support; to foster as a parent or nurse. There is love at the root of this word.

So, here’s a few questions we should ask ourselves before we talk about other people:

Even if it’s true, would I like this said about me to other people?

Is sharing this maximising the potential for the person to encounter and receive God’s mercy, grace and forgiveness?

Is sharing this helpful in any way and is it honouring God’s love for people?

May we be people whose words are in harmony with the Spirit of God.