January 24th deliberatePeople. post by Phil and Heather Joel + today's dP reading schedule:

Genesis 48:1-49:33 / Matthew 15:29-16:12 / Psalm 20:1-9 / Proverbs 4:20-27

Standout verse:

Proverbs 4:25-27

“Let your eyes look straight ahead and your eyelids look straight before you.  Ponder the path of your feet and let all your ways be established.  Do not turn to the right or the left.  Remove your feet from evil.”

Great, simple, clear instructions.  These verses call for deliberate living.  If you stay steadfastly on the path God has placed you on, you will be safe.  Tough times will surely happen around you, but you’ll be under God’s hand of safety and protection.  Keeping your eyes on the Lord is KEY!

If we turn off the path and leave the Lord’s parameters (that He has set up for our good), we expose ourselves to all manner of things that seek to separate us from God’s best for our lives.  The enemy can hit us with confusion, lack of direction, lack of peace and hopelessness.

God’s way is safe – it’s His BEST for His kids.  Just as His instructions are clear and simple, let our response and our obedience be clear and simple.

January 23nd deliberatePeople. post by Phil and Heather Joel + today's dP reading schedule:

Genesis 46:1-47:31 / Matthew 15:1-28 / Psalm 19:1-14 / Proverbs 4:14-19

Standout verse:

Psalm 19:7

“The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul.  The testimony of the Lord is sure making the wise simple.”

Do you feel like the Bible is too difficult and confusing for you to navigate?  Do you “believe it” (the Bible), but you just don’t believe you can understand it?

Be encouraged!  This verse is saying that the Word of God (the Bible) makes simple people (me and you) wise. As we read the Bible (with great footnotes, of course!) and draw near to the Lord in our daily times with Him, we will slowly but surely become wise!  Another word for “converts” is transforms; as we feed on the Word each day with a heart that is yielded to the Lord and to the revelation He has for our lives through the Holy Spirit, we will grow in all matters of wisdom which will help us become the people we have been created to be.

January 22nd deliberatePeople. post by Phil and Heather Joel + today's dP reading schedule:

Genesis 44:1-45:28 / Matthew 14:13-36 / Psalm 18:35-50 / Proverbs 4:11-13

Standout verse:

Matthew 14:30 –

“But when he (Peter) saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid and beginning to sink, he cried out “Lord save me.”

Even as the wind and waves rose up (as challenges and adversities do in life) Peter was able to walk through them as long as he kept His eyes focused on Jesus. When he took his eyes of Jesus, he began to sink.

Challenge:  the next time we find ourselves in the midst of troubling or difficult circumstances, instead of giving power to those challenges by fixing our attention on them, keep your eyes focused on God and His awesome, mighty hand of power.  “Greater is He that is in you that he that is in the world” - there is NOTHING more powerful than God.

January 21st deliberatePeople. post by Phil and Heather Joel + today's dP reading schedule:

Genesis 42:18-43:34 / Matthew 13:47-14:12 / Psalm 18:16-34 / Proverbs 4:7-10

Standout verse:

Proverbs 4:7

“Wisdom is the principle thing, therefore, get wisdom.  And in all the getting, get understanding.  Exalt her (wisdom) and she will promote you.  She will bring you honor when you embrace her.”

Great ideals, but how to we “get” wisdom, knowledge and understanding.  It seems a bit lofty and intimidating to think of searching for these things.  Many times the thing that keeps us from pursuing these things is the thought that these “ideals” aren’t really for us but for pastors and academics.  However, if we stop our pursuit of these things because of that mentality, then the enemy has won.  Remember…Jesus’ disciples were fishermen, not academics – that’s great news for most of us!

These verses in Proverbs are challenging us to “get” wisdom, knowledge and understanding.  “Get” implies action on our part - an intentional pursuit of these valuables. 

So, how to we “get” these things? 

God’s Word (the Bible) is His truth.  The Word is constant and unchanging.  It is miraculous because it has been given to all of us corporately, but it is also written about each of us individually.  It is meant to specifically and practically lead us in every area of our lives.  This is an amazing truth that has remained steadfast throughout the ages.  The Bible is the greatest gift ever!  It is the “how to” book - the “instruction” manual for each of our lives. 

When we read and study God’s truth, we slowly but surely begin filling ourselves.  We begin to increase in our knowledge as we get to know who He is (His character, the way He works, His mercy, His justice, etc…).  As we consistently seek to know Him with a pure heart that is yielded to Him and His ways, we begin to grow in understanding; as we understand, we grow in wisdom.  As we grow in wisdom, we begin to live our lives according to the individual plan the Lord has for each of us. Love it!

January 20th deliberatePeople. post by Phil and Heather Joel + today's dP reading schedule:

Genesis 41:1-42:17 / Matthew 13:24-46 / Psalm 18:1-15 / Proverbs 4:1-6

Standout verse:

Genesis 41:15-16

“And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream and there is no one who can interpret it.  But I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream to interpret it”.  So Joseph answered Pharaoh saying, “It is not in me: GOD will give Pharaoh and answer of peace.”

Joseph was in prison for a crime he was wrongly accused of for an extended period of time.  Yet, even in prison, the Lord was with him giving him direction, wisdom and strength.  Adverse circumstances and wrongful accusation were unable to keep Joseph down.  Had he made the choice to be angry at God for his unjust circumstances, the story would have turned out entirely different.   Thankfully, Joseph chose to keep his eyes on God and trust Him.  He knew that God had His hand on him and he was willing to wait on His timing. 

When the time came and he was given the opportunity to interpret Pharaoh’s dream, Joseph gave full credit and glory to the Lord.  He knew that he was unable to do anything on his own strength - God was his source 100%!