Thanks Living: Fact. Experience.

There is a difference between knowledge and experience. Knowing a fact is a good place to start, but there is something said for experiencing something. Knowing that God CAN do something is a great assurance, but EXPERIENCING God DOING something on your behalf is a blessing that exceeds explanation. (R.Sawtelle) 

http://createapositiveday.blogspot.com/2013/05/knowledge-and-experience.html 

Today, my Sunday School lesson is on "When faith fails. . ." from Numbers 13 and 14. As I was thinking about my life and the times when I faced situations that seemed totally impossible—and God proved Himself faithful. 

So many times, when I thought there was absolutely no possible way something could happen—God stepped in to prove, what was impossible to me, was very possible to Him. 

Remember. It's key to take time to remember what God has done, so that as new situations arise, we KNOW based on fact and experience, that God is fully able to accomplish His purpose. 

Fact. God is faithful. 
Experience. God is faithful. 

Thanks living is remembering who God is and what He is capable of—no matter the situation. 

Proverbs 12:16-20 Which story will you be part of?

Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but counselors of peace have joy. Proverbs 12:20

Deceit: sense of deceiving; fraud

Heart: feelings, will, intellect; likewise for the center of anything

Devise: as one who works in, practices, imagines 

Evil: injury, wrong

Counselors: advise; to deliberate or resolve, consult, devise, guide

Peace: friendship, human relations

Joy: glad result, gleeful, pleasure, rejoicing

Recipe for Joy.

Be deliberate, have resolve to be peaceful, to promote peace. 

This time of year we often hear two types of stories: those who devise evil and those who promote peace. 

The first, those who steal packages off doorsteps, those who use stolen credit cards, those who shoplift—all have a heart that is practicing evil. When we hear these stores, we experience sadness, anger and frustration. 

Secondly, those who "pay it forward", help a stranger, give extra, help make Christmas special for someone else. When we hear these stores, we experience joy! 

If you really want joy not only this Christmas season, but year-round, then resolve to share peace and friendship. A heart that is permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG), is less apt to spend time practicing evil. 

Which story will you be part of—one of evil or joy? 

Proverbs 9:7-9: Hankerin'

“He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself, and he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself. Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. Proverbs 9:7-9

Wise: to be wise in mind, word or act

Will be still: expressing continuance, persistence

Teach: in spiritual sense, through chastisement

Increase: absolute is increased; added too

Learning: instruction as personal acquirement

Desire. Crave. Hankerin' (hankering). 

There are times when I get a strong hankerin' for a brownie... with nuts! Oh my! I don't eat a lot of sweets or deserts, but every now and then, I can't resist a good brownie. And when that hankerin' gets strong enough, I'll go out hunting for one. 

I should put forth that same hankerin' when it comes to wisdom. The thing about wisdom, is that as much as I like to think I "know it all". I do not. I have much to learn. And if I am applying wisdom, then I'll have a hankerin' to learn more. And when wisdom corrects me, I won't become defensive, rather I'll listen and learn and apply the new knowledge. 

This week I had an opportunity to learn more. The Chariot broke down. Since I've only had The Chariot for about 2 weeks, I don't know all the warning signals or all the details about it. But thankfully, The Chariot told me that something was about to go wrong and I needed to pull over quickly. I heeded the warning and was able to get to a safe area to park. 

I then had to stop and think. What do I do now? First, I asked God for wisdom and guidance. Then I sat quietly for a moment. Call the Dealership. Ok, where's the number. Think. It's on my phone, because they had just call me! Awesome! I was able to get the help needed and The Chariot is now getting fixed. The problem was related to a recall that was to be fixed 2 weeks ago. 

Wisdom. Looking back at this situation, I found I did two things. 1) I relied on past knowledge I had gained when my old car had broken down on me numerous times. 2) I was willing to seek knowledge from those that "knew". 

The hankerin' to accept help, saved me a towing charge and a repair bill. For I was considering having The Chariot towed to a nearby Garage. But since I was willing to listen to the Dealership and wait until they found the answers, I was towed free, and they learned that the problem was related to the recall.

Wisdom isn't trying to interfere with my life, rather wisdom wants to enhance it and provide great opportunities. Gaining wisdom isn't a one time achievement. It's an ongoing process. To have a hankerin' for wisdom, my heart must be permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG). 

Do you have a hankerin' for Wisdom? 

Proverbs 8:22-31: Been There, Done That

Read Proverbs 8:22-31 here: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+8%3A22-31&version=NKJV

vs. 22
Possessed: created, own, attain
Way: mode of action
Of old: from time of, since

vs. 23
Established: I was installed
Everlasting: long duration, antiquity, futurity

vs. 30
Delight: pleasure, enjoyment
Rejoice: to laugh (in pleasure); by implication, to play, laugh, make merry

Experience: The process or fact of personally observing, encountering, or undergoing something. Philosophy. the totality of the cognitions given by perception; all thatis perceived, understood, and remembered.

To have experience of; meet with; undergo; feel.

(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/experience?s=t)

I've seen it all. I was there when..... I've been there, done that. I saw what happened when.... I saw first hand..... each can be said of Wisdom. 

Wisdom was with God before the creation of the Earth. Wisdom saw what God created. Wisdom was in the company of God. Wisdom knows and has experience. 

Been there, done that. Know the results. 

When facing an unknown situation, what do we do? Usually search for some knowledge of someone who has been in that situation and knows what happens. 

When we take a trip, we use GPS, or google maps. We want to know how to get to our destination. 

When we are going to a new place, we google it to learn about what it will be like, what to expect. 

When we ...... the list goes on. We want to connect with someone who has been there, done that. 

Exactly what Wisdom is describing in Proverbs 8:22-31. Wisdom was there before God created the Earth. Wisdom saw God create the earth and everything in it. Wisdom has been around since BEFORE the beginning. Wisdom has been there, done that. Wisdom has knowledge and experience of being in the very presence of God. Wisdom has seen what happens when people choose knowledge and obedience to God, AND when people ignore Wisdom. 

When I am facing a situation, I want to discuss it with someone who has been there, done that. And who better to seek knowledge and instruction from—than Wisdom! With a heart permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God, I'll no only want to seek Wisdom, but I'll listen and obey what Wisdom tells me. Wisdom has been there, done that—and that is experience which I want on my side!

Proverbs 3:6: Practice Being Wise

In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:6

In all: the direction of the whole, every

Your ways: course of life, or action, undertakings, including moral character, good sense.

Acknowledge: learn to know, perceive with added idea of observing, taking note of, know by experience, recognize, be wise

Direct: make smooth, straight, in ethical sense

Paths: of course & fortunes of life, mode of living, or of character

Acknowledge. Take note of.  

When asked why I blog.. it's so that I can "remember" all that God has taught me. I often take time to go back and re-read blog posts. And sadly, as I read them... I realize that I have forgotten lessons God taught me, and blessings He's supplied. 

Throughout Scripture, God tells people to build monuments, or do certain things to remember things God has done. It's important to remember. Take note of what God has done and is doing. Take note of what God says in the Bible. Take note of what God is teaching. Take note of. 

Acknowledge. Take not of. Know by experience. 

Do. Experience helps cement the "knowing". Book knowledge is good, but actual hands-on experience cements that knowledge into our hearts and mind. Think about it for a minute. Which surgeon would you rather have: 1. Who has read all the books on the subject, but has NEVR performed any surgeries. 2. One who has read the books, and has gone through resident training, spent time practicing surgeries (usually on cadavers), and has performed the surgery on live people. Book knowledge vs Experience.

Acknowledge. Take not of. Know by experience. Be wise. 

Sadly, so often we take note of, learned by experience..... only to act foolishly. The key is to learn, know, experience and put all that into use—be wise. Just because you KNOW something doesn't mean that you'll make wise choices or act wisely. For there has to be follow-through. Practice being wise. 

Acknowledge. Take note of. Know by experience. Be wise. Then God can easily direct you on the path of life He has chosen for you. 

The very first aspect of Acknowledging God is to fear Him (Proverbs 1:7). When a heart is permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG), then it is ready to accept God's Wisdom and then one can take note of and practice being wise. 

The Pulse Beat of My Experience

This year, I'm sharing my "Treasures" of my study of my "Ponder the Morsels" book. I've picked 31 Psalms to study throughout 2013. Today I studied Psalm 1. Here is what I learned.

But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night. Psalm 1:2 (AMP)

But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. Psalm 1:2 (NLT)

To meditate in God's word, is to discourse with ourselves concerning the great things contained in it, with close application of mind and fixedness of thought. We must have constant regard to the word of God, as the rule of our actions, and the spring of our comforts; and have it in our thoughts night and day. For this purpose no time is amiss. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

I’m reading the book, “Holy Sweat” by Tim Hansel. Chapter 2  “Turning Our Theology into Biography” Tim Hansel ends the chapter with this: 

A dear friend wrote the following words to remind us that God wants and needs to continually “write on our lives” and express himself uniquely through each one of us. I trust they will ignite you as they did me, to live and write and do whatever you do in the pulse beat of your own experience. 

It’s been so long since I’ve seen a burning bush.

Some seasons I see them in every desert wash

The magnificence, the miracle.....”burning and not being consumed.”

Yet, who do I fool? 

Moses paid dearly for his burning bush—sweaty desert miles, and exhausted, sweaty tears—

All for the dubious blessing of talking with God. 

What claim have I to a burning bush? (or to God?)

I have not yet even learned to remove my shoes! 

I’ve learned so much of me. 

Every inch of it has hurt......to see honestly and at length......

because at first all I could see were the wounds of humanity.

I looked for cool unflawed marble of deity but found only a heart of flesh.

But hearts of flesh are all that God can write on. 

Write on me, Father, write on me. 

Barbara Francken Kelley (from “Holy Sweat” by Tim Hansel)

To create a positive day, I need to not only meditate on God’s Word, to change the pulse beat of my experience to be that of God’s. 

Knowledge and Experience!

This year, I'm sharing my "Treasures" of my study of my "Ponder the Morsels" book. I've picked 31 Psalms to study throughout 2013. Today I studied Psalm 62. Here is what I learned.

With God rests my salvation and my glory; He is my Rock of unyielding strength and impenetrable hardness, and my refuge is in God! Psalm 62:7 (AMP)

My salvation and my significance depend ultimately on God; the core of my strength, my shelter, is in the True God. Psalm 62:7 (VOICE)

My help and glory are in God—granite-strength and safe-harbor-God— Psalm 62:7 (MSG)

In God is my salvation and my glory. Wherein should we glory but in him who saves us? Our honour may well be left with him who secures our souls. To find all in God, and to glory that it is so, is one of the sure, marks of an enlightened soul. "The rock of my strength, and my refuge is in God." He multiplies titles, for he would render much honour to the Lord, whom he had tried, and proved to be a faithful God under so many aspects; Ignorance needs but few words, but when experience brings a wealth of knowledge, we need varied expressions to serve as coffers for our treasure. God who is our rock when we flee for shelter, is also our strong rock when we stand firm and defy the foe; he is to be praised under both characters. 

Observe how the Psalmist brands his own initials upon every name which he rejoicingly gives to his God - my expectation, my rock, my salvation, my glory, my strength, my refuge; he is not content to know that the Lord is all these things; he acts faith towards him, and lays claim to him under every character.  

If our experience has not yet enabled us to realize the Lord under any of these consoling titles, we must seek grace that we may yet be partakers of their sweetness. The bees in some way or other penetrate the flowers and collect their juices; it must be hard for them to enter the closed cups and mouthless bags of some of the favorites of the garden, yet the honey-gatherers find or make a passage; and in this they are our instructors, for into each delightful name, character, and office of our covenant God our persevering faith must find an entrance, and from each it must draw delight. The Treasury of David

There is a difference between knowledge and experience. Knowing a fact is a good place to start, but there is something said for experiencing something. Knowing that God CAN do something is a great assurance, but EXPERIENCING God DOING something on your behalf is a blessing that exceeds explanation. 

To create a positive day, I start with getting to KNOW God, then enjoy the experiences of God working in my life. When I have both the knowledge and experience, my life is filled with gratitude.