“In my Father’s house are many mansions ~ if it were not true, he would have told me so…”  words and music by ‘Elvis ‘Presley

I actually did not know that E.P. wrote the song.  Silly me!  You all probably knew that!  http://www.wrensworld.com/in-my-fathers-house.htm (link to hear Mr. E sing the song)

Let’s see…where’s the Wisdom in this?   For one thing, understanding is always a wise thing to pursue.  My mindset is, to wonder why this has been so on my mind.  Is the Holy Spirit to blame, or do I need therapy?  I prefer the Holy Spirit theory! #1, because I believe in, and am purposefully open to listen and hear from, the Holy Spirit.  #2, I have had therapy…he he he!

John 14:1-4 “Do not let your hearts be troubled (agitated, distressed).  You believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely on God, believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely also on Me.  In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places (homes).  If it were not so, I would have told you, for I am going away to prepare a place for you.  And when I go and make ready a place for you, I will come back again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also.  And (to the place) where I am going you know the way.”  Amplified Bible Translation

This is what Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary says.  (Remember, Jesus is speaking to His disciples.  Guess what?  You and I are disciples of Christ! pam)   “Others are overwhelmed with the sorrow of this present time, be not you so.  Christ’s disciples, more than others, should keep their minds quiet, when everything else is unquiet.  Here is the remedy against this trouble of mind.  Believe.  By believing in Christ as the Mediator between God and man, we gain comfort.  The happiness of heaven is spoken of as in a father’s house.  There are many mansions, for there are many sons to be brought to glory.  Mansions are lasting dwellings.  Christ will be the Finisher of that of which he is the Author or Beginner; if he have prepared the place for us, he will prepare us for it.“

As I ponder this awesome thought, I have been led to 1 Peter, chapter 1.  In particular, verses 3 and 4.  It’s like Peter is so thrilled, and so in awe of his reservation in heaven.  He says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah!  By His boundless mercy we have been born again to an ever living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead; born anew into the inheritance which is beyond reach of change and decay (imperishable) and unfading, reserved in heaven for you.“  ABT

I love it, when the Holy Spirit gives way to The Word through something impressed on our minds (that song I couldn’t get off my mind) or our hearts.  Don’t you just love it when that happens!

A Mansion In Heaven ~ The Holy Spirit Leading To Pursue and Understand The Word

I am totally thrilled and in awe of my reservation, that awaits me in heaven!  And, if for no other reason for this wisdom I have been led to today, it is to find reason to dwell on eternity in heaven and not the crazy~un-eternal stuff going on in this present world.  It all comes back to where I place my focus and counting my blessings (which are many)!

Today, I pray that I would speak words that build up rather than words that tear down.  I pray for His guard over my mouth and for the wisdom to think before I speak.

http://butterflybiblestudies.blogspot.com/2010/06/wisdom-wednesday.html

Do you have trouble making your mind up?  Well…do you?

When I’m not in my right mind, does my left mind get crowded?

Was it wise of me to ask the two previous questions???

Quotes

Always and never are two words you should always remember never to use  ~~~~~ Wendell Johnson

Tell me what you need and I’ll tell you how to get along without it  ~~~~~~Author unknown

Wisdom From The Word

“Continue praying, keeping alert, and always thanking God”  Colossians 4:2

Yesterday, as my “Hubby” and I were driving, we saw this little box turtle in the middle of the road trying to cross.  As the cars went by he would stop and draw his head back into his shell.  Poor little turtle.  He had left the cover of the grass along the road, and had crossed a boundary into dangerous territory.

Seeing the little turtle made me think about a little box turtle named Wilbur.  He lived in our basement for a long time when I was a little girl.  He seemed to be very content.  He had the run of the concrete basement and all the lettuce and water he could consume.  I’m sure he ate plenty of bugs too.  He had nothing to fear.  He could only travel so far, until he ran into the boundary which was impossible for him to cross over (it was a concrete wall).  Every family member watched carefully not to step on him.  We moved away from our home on Madison street for a while, so we decided to move Wilbur to the backyard while we were gone.  There was no way he could fend for himself in that basement for a long period of time.  When we moved back to our home on Madison street, we were amazed to find Wilbur still living in the backyard.  You might say, “maybe it wasn’t Wilbur, just another turtle”.  But we knew it was Wilbur.  We lived with him for a long time.  Why was he still there, in that backyard?  I guess he lived within the boundaries of that basement for so long, that when he was placed in the backyard, he was secure in traveling just so far.  He was surely getting all his little turtle needs met in that backyard.  So why should he cross over into dangerous territory.  I know he didn’t reason all of that out, but you have to admit the ‘little turtle decision’ to stay in that backyard was a good one.

We’re like that little box turtle trying to cross the road sometimes.  When I was young I crossed many boundaries, crossing into dangerous territory.  My ‘Sis’ and I were talking the other day about some of those boundaries I crossed when I was young.  I told her that there is no way I could cross those boundaries today.  What was I thinking?  I was crossing the boundaries of God, into dangerous territory.

Since the beginning, God has been setting boundaries for His creation.  Just like Adam and Eve, there is a price to pay for crossing God’s boundaries.  Just like that little box turtle crossing the road, he may have made it across yesterday, but if he continues to cross he will pay the price.  We all need to be more like Wilbur the turtle.  Become VERY aware of the boundaries of God and be content to stay within them.

The Word is a very good place to start, to learn where God’s boundaries are.  The Word will infuse our hearts with His righteousness, His standards for living.  Listen closely for the Holy Spirit, because He will touch our hearts and souls, of the ways of God.  He will clearly identify those ”yes we shoulds” and “no we should nots” in life, and get us off that (middle of the road) fence when we need to get off.  

Thoughts to Ponder:  We find authority in God’s Word.  The Holy Spirit springs into action in our lives through the Word.  The Word helps us to discern ‘right’ from ‘wrong’.  We find security within the boundaries of God, just as Wilbur the little box turtle found security within the boundaries of that basement and backyard.

Scripture to Ponder:  Psalm 119 ~ An instruction manual devoted to aligning life with God’s Word  

Just as with “physical fitness”, “spiritual fitness” comes with a starting place.  There is great value in both. As important as our physical fitness is, the Scripture places priority on spiritual fitness.  In 1 Timothy 4:7b-8, we are reminded that we should “Spend our time and energy in training ourselves for spiritual fitness.  Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next.  This is true, and everyone should accept it.”   NLT

Thought to Ponder:  Training is important, both spiritually and physically.

Scripture to Ponder:  “We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”  Ephesians 2:10  NLT

You’re welcome to check out my ”Physical Fitness” post at www.butterflybiblestudies.blogspot.com

Today is “Wisdom Wednesday” on my blogs.  Let’s all get some! 

¹³Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. ¹⁴You are my friends if you do what I command. ¹⁵I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.  John 15:13-15  NIV 

²³And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God  James 2:23  NIV 

Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one”  C.S. Lewis 

Friendship has to be about something.  If you don’t have a shared interest, passion, etc ~ it isn’t friendship.  Jesus called His Disciples “friends” because they shared in what He learned from His Father.  They had something in common.  Abraham was called the friend of God because he believed God and the relationship he had with God was about SOMETHING they shared.  They had something in common. 

If you are reading this, more than likely we have never met.  But, we do have something in common.  We share in the truth that “Jesus Christ is the Savior of our souls”!  We are all here, on this website, to share what He is doing in our lives (our testimonies) and to encourage one another.  Yes?  If this is true, than we are friends not just in the sense that we’ve all been clicking “I accept you as my friend” (by one another’s pictures), but we are friends in Jesus Christ.  How Cool Is That!!!!!!!!

From some of my ‘twitter’ friends…they can have full credit

1. “The most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself ~ The go-giver”

2. “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind” (this is a Dr Seuss quote)

3. “To have a friend, you must first be one” (this one came out of a Chinese fortune cookie)….Great Wisdom!

Hey, if you’re reading this…how about some of your wisdom to pass on!!!!

The wisdom to impart today is:  “Not enough sleep” quotes

“A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book” ~ Irish Proverb

“Life is too short to sleep on low thread count sheets” ~ Leah Stussy

Don’t worry, the quotes get better!

“Without enough sleep, we all become tall two-year olds” ~ JoJo Denson, Dirt Farmer Wisdom, 2002

“People who snore always fall asleep first”  ~ Author Unknown

“If people were meant to pop out of bed, we’d all sleep in toasters”  ~ Author Unknown, attributed to Jim Davis

And the No 1 quote is:

“And if tonight my soul may find her peace in sleep, and sink in good oblivion, and in the morning wake like a new-opened flower, then I have been dipped again in God, and new-created” D.H. Lawrence

Have A Great Wednesday!

(Day 13 of “BE~Attitudes vs Emotions” Will be posted later today)

After My Nap(s)!

Well, who wants to hear that?  I was going to give you some scripture wisdom today, but my Sister, Kate, and I were just having a conversation about going through “the big change”…..which we are both doing (I’m a couple of years ahead of her though).  Bear in mind, my ‘Sis’ nor I are women who are flying through the “men-o-pause” easily.  We both have almost every one of the thirty something symptoms (or, at least we think we do).  Blessed are you, who do not or have not dealt with ‘the symptoms’ for you are …..just blessed!

Who knows, maybe I’ve posted about this before…but, that’s one of the symptoms..can’t remember nothin’!

Anyway, where was I?  Oh, when Kate and I talk about anything…seems like we always get to laughing and joking…makes us feel better.  We were talking about symptom #?, our ‘digestive systems (trust me that’s all you need to know about that)….which led us to sometimes ya just want to go ahead and cash it in because ..ya won’t be here in a few years anyway (we’re just joking)….which led us to…Well, can’t do that now..I still need to clean out the closet…so just “Poke My Eyes Out” (term used in my family…see  http://butterflybiblestudies.com/definition-of-terms-used-in-my-family/

I understand, all that made no sense to you.  But, maybe it did!

My word of wisdom for you, on this Wednesday is:  Find someone to laugh with you.  Laughter truly is a wonderful dose of medicine.  It doesn’t cost you anything, and it’s not manufactured by man anyway.  Laughter is a gift from God.  Remember, you were thoughtfully put together by Him right down to the laughter part.