We know that so long as we are at home in the body, we are away from our home with the Lord; for we live by trust, not by what we see. We are confident, then, and would much prefer to leave our home in the body and come to our home with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:6-8
This is not a new message, but then what does the Lord show me anymore that is new? The thing that is a bit new is how he tied two things together in this message.
The other part is a discussion my wife and I had yesterday, you might call it an argument. She was in one of those moods, and her deception of the truth did not sit well with me. So we debated back and forth and of course it was useless when she is in one of those moods because like many people, when you tell them the truth, they immediately change the subject to confuse or attach in another way.
I have been reading through the book of Proverbs, and it is showing me some stuff in a much different light, many because of things the Lord has shown me. Like how people argue. Proverbs is really all about showing you how a foolish man is, and how one in the wisdom of God is. And how a foolish man goes to his follies like a steer to the slaughter. King Solomon makes it clear about hearing and obeying the Laws of God, not by trying but because you know him and he shows you the way you should go. This was true even before the Holy Spirit was given, but there is a huge difference when a man walks in the Spirit and just visits the Spirit from time to time. Solomon could not walk in the Spirit, but he did try to seek God in every circumstance, until he disobeyed and took women as wives he was told to destroy or they would corrupt him with their idols. And exactly as God had told him and he disobeyed, it happened. He knew but disobeyed anyways and paid a heavy price. If he had the Spirit, he would not have done that, but again he could not have had the Spirit because Yeshua was not yet born and died to send the Spirit.
The judgment for the men before Yeshua was based on their faith. Did they seek God and do all they could to obey him even when it made no sense? It really is no different today except for when we walk in the Spirit it is a given to uphold the law. It is when we ignore little details God is telling us that we fall short and sin. The Spirit is with us all the time “IF” you truly have received him. And even then it is a test at times to remain and know when God is speaking and when satan is.
Which helps make the next point, I did not sleep well last night because of my debate with my wife. I am not sure if it was God or satan, it was probably satan because that is normally when he attaches is when you are weakest, and when sleeping you have no control over your thoughts. Even so in his words to me, he made a strong point of how my wife defended her viewpoint no matter how much the truth was staring her in the face. Either by ignoring it and bringing up the next subject which in most cases had nothing to do with anything we were discussing, and even those were lies. Although it is clear in my mind she believes in her belief system which then keeps her from the truth. Always trying to bring me down while making herself look like the best. God will show you this also, the difference is satan wants you to get mad and divorce her, where God is showing you truth and how to deal with it.
I will give one example, driving. She always tells me and the kids she is a better driver. Yet she has hit the garage more than once and now doesn’t even park in the garage. She has had at least 5 accidents in the past 16 years together. Me none, except I did scrape up the side of a car a little. With her, many times she comes home and there is a new dent or scrape on the side of the car. And I drive about 75% of the time. Yet she is a better driver? And seems to really believe it?
This brings up one of the main points God keeps showing me, look at the fruit you bear (or results). How can you argue you are a better driver if you drive 75% less of the time yet have 5 accidents or more to none of the other driver, who is myself?
Another example which rings more true to why the argument. We have 9 rental units, she takes care of 5 of them. None of the five is earning us rental income. Of the other 4 it is my doing they are all rented. On the main one we just renewed a lease for another year and they have been there 2 years already and probably will be there for many more. Yet she is the reason why we have money to live on and is a better business person?
She also keeps arguing about the sale of one of our homes about 3 years ago, we lost $2,100 dollars in income from that sale. BUT, when I reinvested it in the condo project, our income increased to $5,800 plus. Our net worth also increased by around $400,000 dollars. So in summary we gave up that home (which was in a terrible development, the people running it and the HOA are crooks). But we gain $400,000 net worth and an additional $3,700 dollars in income monthly. Yet in her opinion I am foolish with the money, and she is trying to protect our wealth for her children, and she believes it somehow?
In Proverbs 15:12, 31-32 it says “A scorner does not like being corrected; he won’t go to the wise [for advice]. He who heeds life-giving correction will be at home in the company of the wise. He who spurns discipline detests himself, but he who listens to correction grows in understanding.” This is the difference between people. The successful ones listen to wise people and mostly to God because against God there is no wise instruction. In other words no one has more wisdom than God and can teach God anything. Although we seem to think so and tell God what to do for us, like we have a better way to do it.
As I keep reading from Proverbs it also makes me think of the guy who sued me. It says in 13:22 “the wealth of a sinner is stored up for the righteous. I do not know exactly how this suit will end, but it is pretty clear in my mind this guy is going to lose what little he had, or most of it. I watch back over the years I have known him, and how foolish he is in how he spends money, and what he thinks he is entitled to and can do to screw a person over. I have seen him do it to the US government in back taxes, and his ex wife. And even with screwing them, he still had very little money at retirement age. And that little amount he has is going to be cut by about 75%.
So to tie this in with the first verse about dying. It is this crazy world in which we live, where people create problems because they are fools and do not heed advice of how to do things better, and instead try to destroy a righteous man while pumping themselves up as the one with the wisdom, when the results or fruit tell you it is a lie.
Like Paul, I would much rather be in my next life, my reward, instead of dealing with the dysfunction of people in this one. I watch the stupidity of the people grow daily it seems. People are lazy, they want everything to be given to them, and they want everyone to think they are full of wisdom, when the results argue against them.
Last point, if it seems I am boasting and trying to do the same with my words, that is trying to tear down my wife and this other guy. That is not the point. The point is because I listen to and obey the one who has the wisdom since the beginning and knows everything, namely the Lord God. My wisdom came after I died unto myself and started hearing and obeying the Lord. And because I do hear and obey him, he has given me his wisdom and continues to. And show me things to come. It is not because of me and me being something special, it is because of the wisdom of the Lord. As long as I stay in the wisdom and do things his way, the results will always be good for me and my family. But if I do the opposite and hang with and or obey the foolish ones and let them have their way. Then I share in their dysfunction.
I would never do that. Partially because of living a much lower life while on earth, but mostly because like Solomon did by not killing off the women and bringing them into his home, it caused him to sin and follow idols. Something similar would happen to me if I let these people have their way, which seems to be one of the main preaching things these days. Be pleasing and agreeable to men no matter if they are in righteousness or not. But this is NOT the way of God, he expects us to remain in righteousness and scorn or call out the ones who walk in unrighteousness and demand you do also.
Why is it that people cannot see this? How they walk in foolish ways which cost them peace and wealth and their health in most cases. And then attack the one who is walking in righteousness as if their ways (which is the Lord’s way) is wrong?
One last point with health and my wife. She is always telling me how lazy I work out and how to do it better in her opinion. Yet I am 10 years older and do not have the same pains she has. Even playing football and basketball all those years, I still have no problems with my back or legs like she does. Many days she has to go to bed and lift up her legs, she cannot handle the pain.
We both look good and have no health problems (except her pains). But she does not get that working that hard, doing everything she does is what is causing the pain. She lifts weights, boxes, swims and still wants to run races and do bike rides. Go hiking, pushing herself to the limit. Me, I just lift weights, and not heavy anymore, and that is basically it. I weigh the same today as I did when in college, around 200 Lbs. The other day my wife had me put on my dress coat from our wedding some 15 years ago and it fit perfectly, she was shocked. The point however is because she works out the way she does, it is causing her problems with her body. I tell her all the time, “you are going to hurt yourself if you keep doing that!” And she keeps doing it and hurting herself. And yet she is the one who is doing things right and I need to change to do it her way?
I find as I grow older, I am half way to 62 as I write this. That I cannot do what I used to be able to do. I used to play basketball for 2 or 3 hours almost everyday. At age 40 I could play an hour one day a week and pay a big price the rest of the week in body pains. So I stopped. I also stopped lifting heavy weights and doing more reps with lower amounts and recently I have stopped certain weights in favor of things like wall sits for 1:30, and holding a pull up mid way for 30 seconds. And a few other exercises like that, ones that build muscle without strain on the joints, as well as improving mobility and stability.
It is the wisdom you gain as you grow older to do things differentlydifferent to get the results you want without destroying your health or wealth. I do not want to replace my knees like my younger sister. Or have to put my legs up late afternoon because of pain. And with the changes I made I see better results without the stress on the body to create problems.
Again, it is the wisdom of God, along with listening to men smarter than me in the health field. God will bring you the right wisdom if you are searching, and you will know when the advice is wrong. Maybe by trial and error, maybe you just know it is wrong. But you will figure it out easy enough if you seek the Lord’s wisdom and obey his commands, instead of man’s.