Believers, God gives us the opportunity for action; having a fresh start in Him. In the same way that the COVID-19 pandemic has created a new normal, when we accept Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord, we also have a new normal in which to operate.
“Therefore if any person is ingrafted in Christ (the Messiah), he’s a new creation. A new creature all together. The old previous moral and spiritual condition has passed away, behold the fresh and new has come.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 [AMP]
Opportunity to Change
Our actions have to change to conform to our new normal. In the natural, when we migrate to a new country, we change our actions in order to conform to the laws, rules, and protocols. We take up residency in our new home and in short order, citizenship. Christ, through His death on the cross, paid the price for our move to heaven. This is our new home. Heaven is where we have our new citizenship. Believers, we are therefore required to conform to the laws, rules and protocols of our new country, heaven.
In the same way we are willing to comply with the new citizenship requirements in the natural, God is calling us to renew our minds and take action to conform to the citizenship changes in the spiritual.
Proverbs Gives Instructions for Opportunity for Action
The word “Proverb” come from a Hebrew word meaning to rule or to govern. Hence, Proverbs are sayings designed to rule or govern our conduct and may be called heaven’s rules. It is part of our new protocols as citizens of heaven.
The book of Proverbs is seen as God’s wisdom given to us to order our happiness, and help us to walk in a safe road in the midst of confusion, evil and danger present in this world.
God’s wisdom, outlined in Proverbs, demands our obedience. It makes understanding clear. It makes the heart clean, the conscience pure and the will form. The purpose of Proverbs is to teach us as Believers, the fear of God and to give to give us wisdom for our daily walk and service.
Proverbs was written to give prudence to the simple, knowledge to and discretion to the young, and to make wise men wiser. Acquiring wisdom and knowing how to avoid the pitfalls of folly will lead to our health and success.
Proverbs bases wisdom solidly on the fear of the Lord. In Proverbs 1:7, it tells us the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning and the principal and choice part of knowledge. It’s the starting point and its essence. But fools despise skillful and Godly wisdom, instruction and discipline.
Wisdom is the Principal Thing: In 1 Kings 3, we see where Solomon had asked God for wisdom. In verse 12 God responded to Solomon, “Behold, I have done as you asked. I have given you a wise discerning mind so that no one before you was your equal nor shall any arise after you equal to you.” [AMP] It is therefore not surprising that most of the Proverbs is attributed to Solomon.
Opportunity for Action – Our Words
Let us now look at the pearls we are given in Proverbs 15:28
The mind of the [uncompromisingly] righteous studies how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things. [AMP]
We are being counseled as citizens of heaven, that there is now a Kingdom standard for our words, so as a Believer it is not business as usual with your words. Our words need to be now weighed using God’s scale and standards, and filtered through the Holy Spirit. This takes purposeful practice.
Many of us have hurt persons with words that have not been weighed. Words, once released, cannot be pulled back. Some of these words have also done damage to us and scarred our testimonies as Believers.
Indeed, Proverbs 10:32 tells us, “The lips of the righteous knows what is fitting, but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.”
As Believers we have to watch our words and be careful about what we are saying. Our words are like seeds. What kind of seeds are we scattering daily? Good seeds or bad seeds? Remember, the harvest will tell and the harvest is sure.
As Proverbs 12:14 tells us, “From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands reward him.” So, let us begin to now weigh our words and watch our words, remembering that our bodies are now the temples of God, it therefore means that our mouths now belong to God. The days of speaking our minds and telling people whatever we feel like, is now over.
Opportunity for Action – Our Plans
Proverbs 16:9 emphasizes God’s control over men’s lives.
Ephesians 1:4 tells us, “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.” We can see this manifesting in the Apostle Paul’s life and how God called him as he went on his way with his plan to persecute Christians. God overrode his plans and determined his steps to become an apostle to the Gentiles.
The same principle applies to our lives. He calls us and chooses us as citizens of heaven. His sons and daughters to do His will. His will is stronger than our will and He is unmoved by our tantrums and mistakes as He has already made provisions for these at the cross.
God is sovereign and He rules in the affairs of men. Proverbs 19:21, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Knowing this about God’s ways will help us to stop resisting God as we stick to our plans and instead we will yield to His plan and purpose for our lives. It will also stop us from thinking that we are not good enough for what God is calling us to do.
Remember, Christ in you qualifies you to do all things. The word of God tells us that, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” This frees us from the world’s opinion of who we are and their condemnation of our mistakes. It also helps you to forgive yourself, as when Jesus paid for your citizenship at the cross, He already made provisions for your mistake. You are therefore now empowered to forget the things behind you and press towards the mark of the high calling of God that is in Christ Jesus.
We should realise that our God knows the end from the beginning and He is the best person for us to consult with when it comes to our plans for our lives as He will guide us out of any pitfalls that He sees ahead of us.
Opportunity for Action – More of Him
God has given us an opportunity of a new life in Him. The opportunity for action? Spend more time studying the word of God to discover our new normal as citizens of heaven.
As a new creation in Christ Jesus, our hearts are now the fertile ground for the seed of the Word so that it can become flesh in us and transform our lives.
2 Timothy 2:15 encourages us to study to show ourselves approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth.
The Conclusion of the Matter
As Believers, God has given us this wonderful opportunity for action – a fresh start in Him, through Christ, as a new creation. He has made our hearts fertile ground for the seed of His word to be sown and become flesh in us so transforming our lives. Let us therefore not waste this opportunity but take action to sow God’s seed in our heart. Let us sow these two verses from Proverbs – Proverbs 15:28; 16:9 – in our hearts today so that they can become flesh in us and renew our minds.
Having sown the seed of God’s word in our hearts, our words will be renewed – what we say, when, how and why. Let us now consciously start asking the Holy Spirit to filter our words, our plans and purpose for our lives realizing that we must trust in the Lord and not in ourselves. Always defer to Him with our plans and the directions for our lives.
The hymn, Lord Thy Word Abideth, is very encouraging
Lord, thy word abideth, and our footsteps guideth;
who its truth believeth light and joy receiveth.
When our foes are near us, then thy word doth cheer us,
word of consolation, message of salvation.
When the storms are o’er us, and dark clouds before us,
then its light directeth, and our way protecteth.
O that we discerning its most holy learning,
Lord, may love and fear thee, evermore be near thee!
Let us take God’s word as recommended in Psalm 119:105, as a lamp to our feet and a light for our path.
PRAYER: 2 Corinthians 7:1 – Therefore, since these great promises are ours, beloved let us cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates and defiles body and spirit and bring our consecration to completeness in the reverential fear of God. Amen.
CONTRIBUTOR: Shirley Joy
So much to learn and so many opportunities to.
Let’s grasp them and be sure to pass on the lessons learnt.