A WORD TO THE WISE. Proverbs 31: 11. "A Formula for a Profitable Marriage"

Proverbs 31: 11     The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain.

Proverbs 31: 11.  The NIV says that he has full confidence in her.  Regardless of translation, the verse describes a marriage in which the husband totally believes in his wife, and his wife is a woman he can totally believe in.

Thus, this verse gives a two element formula for marital prosperity:    Trust + Safety = Prosperity

Trust is a choice, an unearned gift.  A husband doesn’t trust his wife because she has earned his trust. He trusts his wife because he chooses to have faith in her.   That’s why one man repeatedly gives his means and heart to a woman whom he knows is betraying him, while another man doubts and decries a woman who has always been absolutely faithful.

Therefore, my brothers, the first ingredient in your marriage’s profit margin is entirely up to you.

The second part, sisters, is up to you.

It’s up to you to make it safe for him to trust you.  It’s up to you to deserve his trust.

If a man doesn’t trust his wife, he’ll never be as successful as he could be, because he can’t enjoy the fullness of God’s favor.

Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.  (1 Peter 3:7)

It isn’t safe for spouses to trust one another if one of them is being deceptive.   Such a breach of trust is also a breach of God’s favor. 

You cover the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping and crying; [but God] does not regard the offering anymore, nor receive it with goodwill from your hands.

Yet you say, “For what reason?”

Because the Lord has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, with whom you have dealt treacherously; yet she is your companion and your wife by covenant.  (Malachi 2: 13, 14)     

When a husband trusts his wife AND the wife is worthy of his trust, then the two work together as one.  And oneness in marriage is the path to dominion, to success, to prosperity.

Husbands and wives, my brother and sisters, ya’ll are in this together.  There is no more “I” in your team.  If you want it, then YA’LL go get it ------ together.  Have each other’s backs.  Hold each other’s hands.   Trust one another.  Make it safe to trust one another.

It’s not just good for your relationship.  It’s also good business.

---Anderson T. Graves II   is a writer, community organizer and consultant for education, ministry, and rural leadership development.

Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is pastor of Hall Memorial CME Church in Montgomery, Alabama, executive director of the Substance Abuse Youth Networking Organization (SAYNO) and director of rural leadership development for the National Institute for Human Development (NIHD).

Email atgravestwo2@aol.com
Friend me at www.facebook.com/rev.a.t.graves

To hear sermons, read devotions, and learn more about the ministry at Hall Memorial CME Church, visit www.hallmemorialcme.blogspot.com .

You can read more on Pastor Graves's personal blog at www.andersontgraves.blogspot.com  .

If this message helps or touches you, please help support this ministry. Send a donation of any amount by check or money order.
Mail all contributions to :
Hall Memorial CME Church
541 Seibles Road
Montgomery, AL 36116

Proverbs 31: 11. "A Formula for a Profitable Marriage"

Proverbs 31: 11     The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain.

Proverbs 31: 11.  The NIV says that he has full confidence in her.  Regardless of translation, the verse describes a marriage in which the husband totally believes in his wife, and his wife is a woman he can totally believe in.

Thus, this verse gives a two element formula for marital prosperity:    Trust + Safety = Prosperity

Trust is a choice, an unearned gift.  A husband doesn’t trust his wife because she has earned his trust. He trusts his wife because he chooses to have faith in her.   That’s why one man repeatedly gives his means and heart to a woman whom he knows is betraying him, while another man doubts and decries a woman who has always been absolutely faithful.

Therefore, my brothers, the first ingredient in your marriage’s profit margin is entirely up to you.

The second part, sisters, is up to you.

It’s up to you to make it safe for him to trust you.  It’s up to you to deserve his trust.

If a man doesn’t trust his wife, he’ll never be as successful as he could be, because he can’t enjoy the fullness of God’s favor.

Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.  (1 Peter 3:7)

It isn’t safe for spouses to trust one another if one of them is being deceptive.   Such a breach of trust is also a breach of God’s favor. 

You cover the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping and crying; [but God] does not regard the offering anymore, nor receive it with goodwill from your hands.

Yet you say, “For what reason?”

Because the Lord has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, with whom you have dealt treacherously; yet she is your companion and your wife by covenant.  (Malachi 2: 13, 14)     

When a husband trusts his wife AND the wife is worthy of his trust, then the two work together as one.  And oneness in marriage is the path to dominion, to success, to prosperity.

Husbands and wives, my brother and sisters, ya’ll are in this together.  There is no more “I” in your team.  If you want it, then YA’LL go get it ------ together.  Have each other’s backs.  Hold each other’s hands.   Trust one another.  Make it safe to trust one another.

It’s not just good for your relationship.  It’s also good business.

---Anderson T. Graves II   is a writer, community organizer and consultant for education, ministry, and rural leadership development.

Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is pastor of Hall Memorial CME Church in Montgomery, Alabama, executive director of the Substance Abuse Youth Networking Organization (SAYNO) and director of rural leadership development for the National Institute for Human Development (NIHD).

Email atgravestwo2@aol.com
Friend me at www.facebook.com/rev.a.t.graves

To hear sermons, read devotions, and learn more about the ministry at Hall Memorial CME Church, visit www.hallmemorialcme.blogspot.com .

You can read more on Pastor Graves's personal blog at www.andersontgraves.blogspot.com  .

If this message helps or touches you, please help support this ministry. Send a donation of any amount by check or money order.
Mail all contributions to :
Hall Memorial CME Church
541 Seibles Road
Montgomery, AL 36116

Proverbs 30: 29-31. "Respect the Walk"

Proverbs 30: 29     There are three things which are majestic in pace.  Yes, four which are stately in walk:

30     A lion, which is mighty among beasts and does not turn away from any;

31     A greyhound,
A male goat also,
And a king whose troops are with him.

Proverbs 30: 29-31.   Buford Graves told me, “Walk with purpose, even if you don’t know where you’re going.”

The author of Proverbs chapter 30 kinda endorsed my father’s advice.    Proverbs 30 tells us that whether creatures of instinct or leaders at the pinnacle of their power, you gotta respect the walk.

The list in verses 29-31 marks four creatures whose strides are majestic and stately. 

First, there’s the lion whose strut says, “I’m at the top of the food chain,” and whose teeth, claws, muscles say, “He’s right.”

Thirdly (We’ll come back to number 2.), there’s the he-goat who prances with his head high.  Rib shattering horns and mountain climbing hooves make the walk more than just talk.

The last one on the list is a king whose swagger (not swag) is turned up to high.  And his majesty has reason to strut because the wording in the original language means “A king, against whom there is no rising up.”  This king’s army wins.  All they do is win, win, win no matter what.

The name of the second strutting creature is literally “one that is girt about the loins.”  Some translators say greyhound, but others have named the rooster, the war horse, and the human soldier.  Honestly, scholars don’t know what or who this is.

It think it’s us---- you and me.  As Christians we are supposed to  go out into the world confident that our Christian walk is back up by real power. 

No arrogance.  You don’t have to try so hard to look like you’re all that.  Just take one step at a time knowing the you are accompanied by God who is all mighty.

You may feel as majestic as a lion  or as ridiculous as a strutting rooster, but if Jesus Christ is your Savior, then you are marked with the special dignity of a temple filled with the Shekinah glory of the Holy Spirit.

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  (1 Corinthians 6:19)

As a child of the king you ought to have a swagger on the inside because you know that the troops who are with you are greater than the enemies that come against you. 

And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. (2 Kings 6: 17)

 You are a child of God, destined for eternal glory.

So, when you go out today, walk with purpose because you know where you’re going.

---Anderson T. Graves II   is a writer, community organizer and consultant for education, ministry, and rural leadership development.

Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is pastor of Hall Memorial CME Church in Montgomery, Alabama.

Call  334-288-0577
Email atgravestwo2@aol.com
Friend me at www.facebook.com/rev.a.t.graves

To hear sermons, read devotions, and learn more about the ministry at Hall Memorial CME Church, visit www.hallmemorialcme.blogspot.com .

If you enjoy our work, please help support our work in the community. Send a donation of any amount by check or money order.
Mail all contributions to :
Hall Memorial CME Church
541 Seibles Road
Montgomery, AL 36116

A WORD TO THE WISE: Proverbs 29: 23

Proverbs 29: 23     A man’s pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor.

Proverbs 29: 23. To succeed you need CONFIDENCE that is equally yoked with HUMILITY. 

You know that this is worth doing, you know that you can get it done, but you know that you can’t do it alone. 

You know that failure is a real possibility, but you won’t let incremental failures stop you from pressing toward ultimate success.   

You’re not as smart as you thought you were, but you can and will learn everything you didn’t know you needed to know when you first started.. 

There are other people just as/ more gifted than you.  O.K., so you’re going to meet them and bring them onto your team. 

You aren’t entitled to anything, not even the thing you want most; so you can’t just claim it, you’re going to have to earn it or create it.    

Confidence tied to humility is leads to success.

Once you taste success, be careful that you don’t keep the confidence and lose the humility.  The remainder after losing humility is PRIDE.   And pride will take you down faster than the jealousy of haters and the fickle shift of circumstances. 

Pride makes you forget that what you attain is based on what you do not who you think you are.

Pride makes you think that you deserve success just for being you. 

Pride makes you think that you built this --- by yourself, that you put this thing together --- alone, that by the might of your own arm you established your empire (Daniel 4: 29-33).

Pride turns you from all the people and practices that got you to where you are.  You become “a different person,” a dumber person.   In the worst cases, pride takes such a strong hold that you continue declaring your own worthiness even while you fall down, down, down to rock bottom.

Keep confidence tied to humility.  Confidence is what you say to yourself when you fail.  Humility is what you don’t say about yourself when you succeed.

Confidence is what you see in you.  Humility is what others see in you.

Don’t let confidence become unequally yoked without humility.

If you are the only person who thinks you’re humble, then you’re not.   If you feel the need to remind people how humble you are, then you aren’t

If you do not regain a genuine perspective of humility, you will soon suffer the ravages of runaway pride.

And that will suck.

---Anderson T. Graves II   is a writer, community organizer and consultant for education, ministry, and rural leadership development.

Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is pastor of Hall Memorial CME Church in Montgomery, Alabama.

Call  334-288-0577
Email atgravestwo2@aol.com
Friend me at www.facebook.com/rev.a.t.graves

To hear sermons, read devotions, and learn more about the ministry at Hall Memorial CME Church, visit www.hallmemorialcme@blogspotcom.

If you enjoy our work, please help support our work in the community. Send a donation of any amount by check or money order.
Mail all contributions to :
Hall Memorial CME Church
541 Seibles Road
Montgomery, AL 36116

Proverbs 29: 23

Proverbs 29: 23     A man’s pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor.

Proverbs 29: 23. To succeed you need CONFIDENCE that is equally yoked with HUMILITY. 

You know that this is worth doing, you know that you can get it done, but you know that you can’t do it alone. 

You know that failure is a real possibility, but you won’t let incremental failures stop you from pressing toward ultimate success.   

You’re not as smart as you thought you were, but you can and will learn everything you didn’t know you needed to know when you first started.. 

There are other people just as/ more gifted than you.  O.K., so you’re going to meet them and bring them onto your team. 

You aren’t entitled to anything, not even the thing you want most; so you can’t just claim it, you’re going to have to earn it or create it.    

Confidence tied to humility is leads to success.

Once you taste success, be careful that you don’t keep the confidence and lose the humility.  The remainder after losing humility is PRIDE.   And pride will take you down faster than the jealousy of haters and the fickle shift of circumstances. 

Pride makes you forget that what you attain is based on what you do not who you think you are.

Pride makes you think that you deserve success just for being you. 

Pride makes you think that you built this --- by yourself, that you put this thing together --- alone, that by the might of your own arm you established your empire (Daniel 4: 29-33).

Pride turns you from all the people and practices that got you to where you are.  You become “a different person,” a dumber person.   In the worst cases, pride takes such a strong hold that you continue declaring your own worthiness even while you fall down, down, down to rock bottom.

Keep confidence tied to humility.  Confidence is what you say to yourself when you fail.  Humility is what you don’t say about yourself when you succeed.

Confidence is what you see in you.  Humility is what others see in you.

Don’t let confidence become unequally yoked without humility.

If you are the only person who thinks you’re humble, then you’re not.   If you feel the need to remind people how humble you are, then you aren’t

If you do not regain a genuine perspective of humility, you will soon suffer the ravages of runaway pride.

And that will suck.

---Anderson T. Graves II   is a writer, community organizer and consultant for education, ministry, and rural leadership development.

Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is pastor of Hall Memorial CME Church in Montgomery, Alabama.

Call  334-288-0577
Email atgravestwo2@aol.com
Friend me at www.facebook.com/rev.a.t.graves

To hear sermons, read devotions, and learn more about the ministry at Hall Memorial CME Church, visit www.hallmemorialcme@blogspotcom.

If you enjoy our work, please help support our work in the community. Send a donation of any amount by check or money order.
Mail all contributions to :Hall Memorial CME Church
541 Seibles Road
Montgomery, AL 36116