Proverbs 3:21, 22: Looks good on you!

My son, let them not depart from your eyes—keep sound wisdom and discretion; So they will be life to your soul and grace to your neck. Proverbs 3:21, 22

Let them not: expressing a prohibition

Depart: be perverse, contrary

From your eyes: sight, figurative of mental and spiritual faculties

Keep: watch, guard, preserve, to protect, maintain, obey

Sound wisdom: efficient wisdom, abiding success

Discretion: power of devising, intent, purpose

So they will be: become, result

Life: as welfare and happiness, consisting of earthly felicity (state of being happy) combined with spiritual blessedness

To your soul: living being

Grace: favor, elegance

Neck: ornament around the neck

Looks good on you! 

Not only do wisdom and discretion allow you to enjoy life knowing that you are doing what God wants, but they look good on you! The result of keeping wisdom and knowledge in your "awareness zone", will allow you to filter your thoughts and actions through God's wisdom. And as you keep the perversion of truth away, you're appearance will be that of happiness and grace. 

Looks good on you! We've seen people that seem to glow from within—they look beautiful and radiant. That is what wisdom provides—that growing grace. 

Looks good on you! It all begins with the heart. A heart that is permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God is where the wisdom flows forth. When the heart is full of respect for God, then there is a strong desire to preserve wisdom and live in obedience to that wisdom. 

How We Conduct Ourselves

If you are looking for the posts about

God's Amazing Blessing

Announcement—I'm moving!

here's the link to the first Part: 

http://createapositiveday.blogspot.com/2015/05/announcement-part-1-im-moving.html

Then follow the arrows at the bottom of each post to the next Part.

There are 10 parts in all.

I recommend that you read each part, there are amazing details—

and God took care of each and every one! 

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This post is the continuation of my Study of Colossians.   

Servants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not only when their eyes are on you as pleasers of men, but in simplicity of purpose [with all your heart] because of your reverence for the Lord and as a sincere expression of your devotion to Him.  Colossians 3:22 (AMP)

We've all been places where the service is poor, UNTIL the manager walks in, then all the employees start working extra hard. "Only when their eyes are upon you; pleasers of men." 

But as Christians we have a higher motivation and a higher "Boss"—God. No matter the task as hand, we are to conduct ourselves in such a way that brings honor and glory to God. 

Serve the Lord with joy; come before him with singing. Psalm 100:2 (EXB) 

As a matter of fact, do everything that way, heartily and freely to God’s glory. 1 Corinthians 10:31 (MSG) 

My post, "Make My Boss Look Good!", discusses making sure that I'm reflecting God in all that I do. 

Responsibility on how we conduct ourselves. First and foremost our responsibility is to God. And when we are representing God, we have a responsibility to have a higher standard of excellence than others. 

Showing up late for work, is not an acceptable representation of fearing God. 

And it doesn't matter the job. 

If your job is to clean toilets, then you are to clean them to the best of you ability—because you are not cleaning them for just your employer, you are cleaning them to honor God.

The motivation on how we conduct ourselves,  is because as a Christian, we fear God and He is watching everything we do, all the time.

Fearing God:

What servants do when their masters are absent from them, and to whom they are accountable; and a servant that fears God will make conscience of discharging his service faithfully, will not misspend his master's time, nor embezzle his goods, or waste his substance; but from a principle of reverential affection for God, and fear of him, with a concern for his name, and a view to his glory, will with all diligence, uprightness, faithfulness, and sincerity, do his duty, seek his master's good and interest, and cheerfully obey all his lawful commands. John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

And the only way to make sure that the job is completed in a God-honoring way, is to make sure the list from Colossians 3:1-17 is "put on". 

Having a heart that is permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God, will have a direct impact on how I conduct myself in all aspects of my life. For I am to be reflecting God in my actions, attitude, and words. 

True Success

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 90. Here is what I learned.

And let the beauty and delightfulness and favor of the Lord our God be upon us; confirm and establish the work of our hands—yes, the work of our hands, confirm and establish it. Psalm 90:17 (AMP)

And then let the beauty and grace of the Lord—our God—rest upon us and bring success to all we do;  yes, bring success to all we do! Psalm 90:17 (VOICE)

"And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us." Even upon us who must not see thy glory in the land of Canaan; it shall suffice us if in our characters the holiness of God is reflected, and if over all our camp the lovely excellences of our God shall cast a sacred beauty. Sanctification should be the daily object of our petitions. The Treasury of David

There are many books available that teach the way to success. And since we all want to be successful, those books sell. But what is true success? Is it having money? Is it having reached a certain level at a company? How do you measure success? 

If success is based on money, than I’m not successful. If success is based on promotions at work, than I am not successful. If success is based on owning a house, or having certain possessions, than I am not successful. 

Thankfully, true success is not based on material things. Rather true success is based on fulfilling the work God has planned for me. If I reflect God’s glory and allow God’s mercy to shine through me, that is success! 

On April 9, 2013, I wrote “Make My Boss Look Good!”.

My responsibility is to first and foremost give God the glory due Him. Secondly, share His love with those around me. And lastly, make sure that I’m willing to do any job that God assigns me—whether or not I “like it”. 

Each and every job that God assigns me has a specific purpose to accomplish His will and plan. I need to remember that I can’t pick and choose which jobs I want to do and which ones to ignore. Some are more pleasant than others, but each task is required to assure that God’s plan is fulfilled in it’s entirety.

The key to true success is making sure that I am reflecting God each day in all that I do, for only when I’m reflecting God, can I create a positive and successful day! 

Fruit Producer

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.

He is like a tree planted beside streams— a tree that produces fruit in season and whose leaves do not wither. He succeeds in everything he does. Psalm 1:3 (GW)

And he shall be like a tree planted by the streams of water, That bringeth forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also doth not wither; And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. Psalm 1:3 (ASV)

He is "like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season;" not unseasonable graces, like untimely figs, which are never full-flavoured. But the man who delights in God's Word, being taught by it, bringeth forth patience in the time of suffering, faith in the day of trial, and holy joy in the hour of prosperity. Fruitfulness is an essential quality of: a gracious man, and that fruitfulness should be seasonable.

But to the eye of faith this word is sure, and by it we perceive that our works are prospered, even when everything seems to go against us. It is not outward prosperity which the Christian most desires and values; it is soul prosperity which he longs for.  The trials of the saint are a divine husbandry, by which he grows and brings forth abundant fruit. The Treasury of David

As I read Psalm 1:3 this morning, the phrase, “produces fruit”, I had to stop and think... Am I producing fruit? If so, what kind? As I asked myself these questions, Galatians 5:22, 23 came to mind. 

The Holy Spirit produces a different kind of fruit: unconditional love, joy, peace, patience, kindheartedness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. You won’t find any law opposed to fruit like this. Galatians 5:22, 23 (VOICE)

But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. Galatians 5:22, 23 (MSG)

So, am I a fruit producer? Am I allowing the Holy Spirit to work in my life, so that I can produce fruit? Or am I just a tree that grows leaves and “looks pretty”? 

The only way to be a fruit producer is to study God’s Word and allow it to impact my life. To create a positive day, I need to be a fruit producer.