Daniel Fast 2011 – day 2
I was reading in Proverbs 11 today and i was struck by the many comparisons of the wicked and the godly. I noticed that the godly have “spiritual characteristics”.
If you track through the chapter, you will notice the godly are honest, humble, they choose to live right, they are good people, they have the knowledge of using the right words, they benefit a city and the people they live around, they are careful with their speech and are not gossipers, they show wise leadership, gain respect, are kind, have integrity, live free of punishment, are rewarded, they are generous and give freely, blessed by others, have favor, flourish like leaves in spring and their deeds are like seeds that sprout and give life.
That’s quite a resume! But the thing that jumped out to me was that these traits are “spiritual”, they are traits of the “godly”. then i jumped over to Psalms and read 101 and found David’s passion to live a life of integrity and blamelessness, and desired to avoid certain types of ungodly people and chose instead to find companions who were “faithful”, again, another trait of spirituality or godliness.
It would be easier sometimes i think to just try to be more honest, or just be more generous or just do more good deeds, but godly people just do these things because of who they are, not because of who they are trying to be. these traits are the fruit of a godly life, not a godly life from the fruit of “acts of righteousness”.
That’s how i see this time of fasting and prayer for our church and for my life. a time to produce fruit! Jesus said, “by this is my father glorified, that you produce much fruit”. But the production happens as a result of “abiding”, not striving. this is a time for us to ‘draw near’ and let the glory of God shine on us and make us into who He wants us to be, not who we are working hard at becoming. my prayer today is that you will not strive, but abide these next 20 days. Abide in Him and He will produce in you a godly life!!
for more study on this read through John chapter 15. blessings…
mk
LEARNINGS TO SHARE... 
January 12, 2011 at 12:23 pm
Have you ever had a God slap day? This is where God reveal something about yourself that you are shocked that He said that you feel like you were slapped. Today was one of those days. God revealed to me its all about the mouth. In a sense its not so much about what goes in but really what is coming out. I allow my tongue lead me sometimes. Now I am not a drunken sailor with strings of cussing but not everything that comes out of it is encouraging and pleasing to the Lord.
In James 3:10 it says that out the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers this should not be.
Proverbs 11: 9-11 With their mouths the godless destroy their nieghbors, but through knowledge the righteous escape. When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy. Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.
So I will now build and encourage as I go. My tongue will not longer be on fire.
Today I pray over all of you. “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26