UPCOMING CHANGES

For the month of December, we will be taking a break from Proverbs and instead will be studying daily in Galatians, Ephesians, and Philippians. Please check in daily and post any comments or suggestions.

Thanks,

Rick

Proverbs 30

Verses 5 & 6 state, (5) "Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. (6) Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.” Two very, very important messages in these verses.

First, God is perfect and His word is FLAWLESS. When you’re seeking advice and guidance, you want the very best. With humans, it is difficult to know, for sure, if the advice is best, but with God there is no doubt. His every word is FLAWLESS. What better guidance to take than perfect guidance?

Lastly, as people tend to do to prove their points, DO NOT add to God’s words, or you will be rebuked and proven a liar. Therefore, it is very, very important to know God’s word and message, so we repeat His flawless word correctly, without adding to it. If we do, we will be rebuked. Another great reason to know the word and keep it in our hearts, so we can correctly apply it to our lives daily.

Lord, please help me to seek Your flawless word and to not add to it, to seek Your wisdom and apply it to my life to bring You glory.

Proverbs 29 - Live and LEARN

Verse 1 says, “A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed – without remedy.” Boy, I hope that is never me, though I can say it was in the past. There were many, many times when people tried to help me, gave me wise advice, but I wouldn’t listen. I kept living my life by my rules, and then life punched me right in the face. Fortunately, I was able to recover, by the grace of God.

When bad things happen to us, I’m talking about the things that we usually bring upon ourselves, we often wonder, why? However, do we ever stop to see the warning signs that were there along the way? The friend who tried to help us. The teacher who corrected us. The parents who punished us. The preacher who spoke wisdom to us. Oh, how foolish we act and ignore wisdom and rebuke, then wonder why the world comes crashing down on us.

If this is you, please stop and listen, before it is too late. Take heed to the warnings of others. Instead of being angry or feeling like they’re “out to get you”, listen to the rebukes for what they are: warnings and love. The people care enough about you to try to help you down the right path. Ignore them too long and (as verse 1 states) eventually you “will suddenly be destroyed – without remedy”. That means it will be too late and no turning back. Don’t reach that point, be thankful for the rebukes and LISTEN to them. I thank God that I came around before it was too late.

Proverbs 28

Have you ever given advice to someone or given them instructions to help them and they not follow them? Then they come to you and ask you to fix a bigger problem which was caused by them not listening? If so, then you know how frustrated and irritated that makes you feel. They wouldn’t even listen when you tried to help the first time, now they’re in a bigger mess wanting you to help again, but help them do it their way; what knuckleheads! However, we must think about how we treat God on a daily basis, sometimes pretty much the same as the knuckleheads.

Verse 9 says, “If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law, even his prayers are detestable.” Sometimes we don’t follow God’s laws or will, we try to do things our own way. Then, when things don’t work out, we pray earnestly for Him to help us. I am not referring to mistakes, but to outright defiance to God’s laws. We refuse to listen and pray for OUR will to be done, not God’s; this is detestable. Don’t “play around” with God! If you pray earnestly, then listen earnestly and follow earnestly.

Lord, please help me to listen and follow your laws, to pray earnestly for Your will and Your glory, not my own. For You know what is best for me and I never want my prayers to be detestable or frustrating to You.

Proverbs 27

Verse 1 says, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.” Oh how true this verse is. Many times we get caught up in our own abilities and forget where they come from, from God. We loose focus on the Lord, and start trusting in our own strengths, making promises that we can’t keep, and letting people down in the process. There is an old saying, “talk is cheap” and this proverb explains that.

We can boldly announce what we are going to do tomorrow, for we (as humans) don’t know what tomorrow may bring. I’m not saying don’t plan, please do, but don’t brag and boast about what you will do tomorrow, for you don’t even know if tomorrow will come, only God knows that. Plan for tomorrow, but live in the now, focused on the Lord Almighty.

Proverbs 26

Verse 2 states, “Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.” Have you ever been falsely accused of something? It hurts deeply to have someone blame you and punish you for something you never did. I have had this happen multiple times in my past and it made me very angry. I kept dwelling on it and saying, “well if I’m going to be punished for the crime, I might as well go do it”. This is exactly what satan wants you to do; to lash back with sin instead of taking the higher road.

As the verse states above, an “undeserved curse” (wrongful accusation) “does not come to rest” (will not hold up). You see, if you are a person of integrity and high moral character, these false accusations will not hold up. The lies will eventually falter and “flutter” away. Does it hurt? Yes, but don’t dwell on them, or soon you will find yourself on a slippery slope to sin. Take your worries to God and leave them with Him. He will take care of them, for He loves you.

Lord, please help me not to focus on undeserved curses, for You said they will not come to rest; instead, have me focus on You. Also, Lord, help me not to be one who places wrongful accusations on others, so I won’t add to a sinful system, but rather uplift my brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus.

Proverbs 25 - Soul Refreshing

Verse 25 says, “Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.” Oh, how this verse spoke to me today. For that is exactly what I received. I have not been feeling well for a while and today, my father called me with great news. This immediately lifted my soul, made me feel better. Isn’t it awesome how that happens, and there is a valuable lesson to be learned.

First, when you are down or depressed, seek out that uplifting news that quenches your weary soul like cool water. During times such as this, one tends to shy away from people, but don’t turn them all away, one uplifting word may be all it takes to turn you around. It can come from friends, loved ones, or scripture, keep searching, it is there.

Next, someone must be that bearer of good news from a distant land, so be that person to someone else. Take the time to call someone you haven’t spoken to in a while, write that thank you note or letter, email or text that friend. You may be surprised (or never really know) how much it meant to that person. It may be the cool, refreshing water they were looking for.

Finally, if good, uplifting news refreshes the soul, then negative words will harm. Keep those to yourself. Take the time to think before you speak, to see how you would feel if the same words were spoken to you. Be the person that refreshes one’s soul, not the one who helps destroy it.

Lord, thank you for Your enduring love, mercy, and hope. Thank you for those who spread uplifting words to refresh one’s spirit. Please, help me to be one who does just that and not one who spreads negative, harmful words.

Proverbs 24

Verse 10 states, “if you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength!” There is even an exclamation point to drive this proverb home. Many times in one’s life there will be trouble, to think otherwise is very foolish. One cannot go throughout life without trouble. It is not our avoidance of troubles that makes us great, rather our actions in trouble that define who we are.

If you are in trouble, what is your first reaction? Is it to run, fight, fall down, give up, blame, etc.? As Christians, our first response to trouble should be prayer. Our prayers to our Heavenly Father should be our first cries, not our last resorts (after we have tried “our way”). It is when we take to the Lord everything in prayer that we gain our strength and stand on solid ground. Where we can stand tall in troubles, on faith, not falter, and have great strength. The strength from our Lord God, not from our own designs.

Lord, help me to rely on You in everything I do. Help me to stand tall in troubles, to rely on you for strength, so I will not falter and I will endure, for Your glory.

Proverbs 23 - Can You Hear Me Now?

Verse 12 says, “Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.” All throughout Proverbs, this statement is reiterated and driven home, yet again, here. Simply put, listen to wise instruction then APPLY that knowledge in your life. That’s it. So simple, yet we make it difficult.

We go throughout life making excuses and trying to explain “special circumstances” of how it is different in our lives. WRONG! Quit trying to rationalize foolishness, quit trying to “reinvent the wheel”, quit listening to morally bankrupt people when searching right from wrong, quit lying to yourself before it’s too late.

Listen to the wisdom of God, seek guidance from Him and mature Christian’s, apply that instruction to your lives, and live a blessed life beyond measure. Experience what God has planned for you, His child.

Lord, please forgive me for going my own way, for ignoring Your wisdom and guidance. Please help me to focus on You and apply Your wisdom to my life, to bless my life and others, all for Your glory.

Proverbs 22 - Mad Skillz

Verse 29 states, “Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men.” Albeit, on the surface, this does not appear to be as wise and instructing as the other verses, easily passed over; however, it spoke to me. Essentially, it is saying, if you see someone who is very good at what they do, they will “rise to the top” and be sought after by the best of the best (kings), not “obscure men”. This speaks three things to me.

First, find what you like and/or are good at, your gift from God, and hone and use it to the best of your ability. Utilize that skill to glorify God, for when you are skilled, many will seek you. This gives you the opportunity to further glorify God, the provider of your skill.

Next, if you believe that you have no skill or are not satisfied with your current mastery of a skill, then find a mentor who is what you want to be. Find that person doing what you want to do and learn from them. Use their knowledge and wisdom to help hone your own skill. Don’t forget to thank them for their help!

Finally, and this ties to the first, don’t forget where your skill comes from, God. As the verse states, when you are very skilled, you will serve before the best. All of the accolades and praises may go to your head. Don’t fall prey to pride. Don’t forget to give the glory to God.

Lord, please help me to identify my skill, hone it to the best of my ability (using other’s examples as necessary), and to glorify you, Lord God Almighty, in all that I do.

Proverbs 21 - Prepare for Battle

Verse 31 says, “The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord.” To me, this says a whole lot about how we need to act as Christians. For a long time, I prayed to God for specific things, then just waited around for them to happen. When they didn’t, I began to question whether or not my prayers were heard. I now see that they were, but God was waiting on me to make the first step.

I had to make the “horse…ready for the day of battle”, then rely on the Lord for victory. I see now where I had to work and plan for those things that I prayed for, do everything I possibly could to prepare, then trust in the Lord to see them through. For what would I learn, how would I grow, what glory could I bring to God if I just sat around all the time waiting? I need to hope for the best, plan for the worst, and trust in God for the victory.

I’m not saying that patience and waiting is a bad thing, many times that is all that is required; however, I’m saying if we truly want things to come to pass, and we pray about those things, if they are aligned with God’s will, then we must do everything in our power to get the ball rolling. Take the first step! Ready the horse for battle, but rely on God for the victory.

Lord, help me not to overstep my bounds, but also not to sit around waiting when you call me into action. Help me to do my part in your plan and trust You for the victory, all for Your glory.

Proverbs 20 - Revenge

Verse 22 says “Do not say, ‘I’ll pay you back for this wrong!’ Wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.” Very wise advice and something very hard to do. When we are wronged by someone, our first reaction is to “pay them back”, to seek vengeance to “right the wrong”, but this is not how we should act. As the verse says, “wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.” When we take vengeance in our own hands, it changes us. The old saying, “two wrongs don’t make a right” comes to mind. For if we strike out with vengeance in our hearts, we are wrong, and taking a step down a slippery slope. When does it end? You begin striking out at people for even smaller and smaller offences, until you are striking out for nothing at all. Vengeance consumed you, changed you, and now you are an evil person, with evil desires, all from trying to “right the wrong”. We human’s can’t handle that type of power, that is why vengeance is best left up to God. He knows of our woe, He loves and comforts us, He in His divine wisdom will “settle the score”, our focus should be on praising Him, not on getting revenge. If you are hurt by someone and the wrong consumes you, take it to the Lord in prayer, then leave it there for Him to handle. You will be a better person for it, it will no longer haunt you every waking moment, you will be able to go on with your life. But most of all, you will be following God’s will.

Proverbs 19 - Laziness

Verse 15 says, “Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless man goes hungry.” What a profound word of wisdom. If there is something you need to accomplish (school project, work, relationship issues, spiritual revival, physical fitness, etc.) and you keep putting it off, you will eventually become numb to it in a deep sleep. Hours, days, weeks, months, years will pass and nothing will be done.

Then comes the “due date” and you are left wanting (hungry); nothing was accomplished. An “F” on the project, fired from work, ruined relationship, spiritual bankruptcy, serious physical problems. Any or all of these bad situations could have been avoided with a little planning and diligent work. You don’t move a mountain in one push (unless God does it), you have to move it one shovel full at a time; and the earlier you get started, the sooner it will be done, whatever your goal may be. So, don’t be lazy and put it off, get started on it today, before it’s too late.

Proverbs 18 - Blabbermouth

Verse 2 says, “A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.” Oh, how true this is. We all have a friend (or are this person ourselves) that has an answer for everything. Anything you’ve done, they’ve done better. Any problem you’ve had, they had it worse. Any advice you have to give, they have better advice that will help quicker. And they have no problem “airing” their opinion to anyone at any time.

This is actually a big problem that I face in my daily life. I know some of you who know me are saying “duh, we’ve known that forever Rick”. I want to help people so much that I tend to “air my own opinions” before thinking. I don’t do it to be malicious or hurtful, but it still can be that way, especially if the opinion I’m giving goes against the Lord’s will. That is why I am working on praying for guidance before giving advice, to ensure that I’m on the same page as God. It is an ongoing process, but one God can definitely cure.

I say this to serve as a reminder and warning to others. If you have that person in your life, one that spouts opinions constantly, pray and think before taking their advice. You see, there are some that truly “run their mouth” to be malicious, with an intention of hurting you, and no desire to learn knowledge, just the delight of “talking”. As I mentioned before, that is not why I do it, but the outcome could be the same, intended or not; an accidental bullet kills just as well as an intended one.

Lord, please help me to guard my tongue, to weigh my responses and my “opinion” on Your scales, to Your plan. Help me to only give advice that furthers Your will and Your Kingdom, all for Your glory only. Also, help me to discern other’s advice to see if it is in Your will or just them blowing “hot air”.

Proverbs 17 - Through the Fire and Flames

Proverbs 17. Verse 3 says, “The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart.” Wow, what a profound verse! I love the comparison between crucible and furnace and God’s test on our heart.

A crucible is a cup shaped tool used to heat things to high temperatures. Silver placed in a crucible and heated will burn out all of the impurities (contaminants) and leave behind purer silver. A furnace, like a crucible, is a contraption of high heat that can heat gold to extreme temperatures where everything that is not gold (impurities) burn up, leaving behind purer gold. These comparisons to God’s test on our hearts cannot go unnoticed.

We all seek a higher purpose, a grand revelation in our lives, a reason for being. Many (wise people) seek God’s plan for their lives and pray (ask) for that higher purpose. But most are ill-equipped or unwilling to go through the steps necessary to achieve that purpose. To prepare us for His purpose, we must first go through the furnace of God, to burn out the impurities and forge a purer heart to achieve His will. Here is where a problem arises, we are either unwilling to go into the furnace or get burned up in the process (quit before being purified).

If we’re honest, no one likes hard times or extremely rough challenges. If gold and silver were living beings, do you really think they would want to go through the flames to be better for it? However, as we see in the comparison, gold and silver can’t be their best until they are first purged of impurities by the heat. Therefore, we too must “face the furnace” to be the very best we can be. You wouldn’t choose inferior, impure metals for a masterpiece, nor would you choose a person with an unfit heart for a grand purpose. But what we have to remember is that the furnace (trials) are temporary and are there to make us stronger, to help us be the very best we can be; to make us usable by God for His purpose, not our own.

So, even if we don’t like the situations we’re in, we can have hope and praise God that He is in control; He will help us endure, we can draw strength from Him. So, when we emerge from the furnace of trials, our hearts are purged of impurities and we are equipped and prepared to serve our purpose in God’s great plan.

Thank you Lord for loving me enough to forge me, to care enough to test and cleanse me, to include me in Your plans and equip me to do Your will. Please, give me the courage, hope and endurance to last in the furnace, so You can strengthen me to do Your will and bring You glory.

Proverbs 16 - Hunger

Verse 26 states, “The laborer’s appetite works for him, his hunger drives him on”. Have you ever been really, really hungry? I mean truly hungry, where the pains of hunger almost consume you. If so, then you know the motivation of hunger.

There is nothing that will stop you or stand in your way of getting food. Nothing in the fridge or pantry? You don’t give up, you go out for food. All the restaurants closed? You don’t stop, you push forward. One may even find you eating the food off the shelves at the grocery store, but you WILL find food and NOT REST until you do! That is the motivation of hunger.

That is what this verse is speaking to my heart today. We must be hungry for a relationship with God, hungry for the Word, hungry for prayer, hungry for spreading the word of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world, hungry for the things God calls us to do.

If we find ourselves not doing our best, then we must check how hungry we are. Whatever the goal is, be it spiritual, personal, emotional, financial etc., if we are not doing our best, then we are not truly hungry for it. We need to seek God’s counsel and ensure that our goal is in line with His will, if so then we need to commit it to Him (3) “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.”, then pray for the hunger (determination) to help us reach that goal, success is assured. For if it is our one desire, a goal we HUNGER for and one aligned with God, then nothing will stop us, every waking moment is spent to sate our hunger and achieve that goal for the glory of God.

Proverbs 15

Proverbs 15. Wow, there is a plethora of wisdom in this chapter; so many great verses and life lessons, but one verse spoke to me above the others. Verse 23 says, “A man finds joy in giving an apt reply - and how good is a timely word!” To me, that is exactly what we are doing with our daily Proverbs reading and sharing.

First, the last of the verse, “how good is a timely word”. Oh, how true it is. I find myself daily facing situations and problems that are answered by God through the word of others. It is phenomenal to see God work through others and answer my questions, unbeknownst to them; how that person wrote what touched them, but it also applies to my life too. I receive several people’s text and it seems that each one addresses an issue that I am facing at the time. God speaks to me through the Word, answers a question or prayer, gives guidance and direction, and offers reassurance and unconditional love. Oh, how uplifting is that timely word! I thank God and each and every one of you for sending me those texts. You’ll never know how important they are to me and how they bless me.

Also, it gives me great “joy in giving an apt reply”. Thanks to modern technology, we are all able to communicate quickly through text and the Internet. When I receive the timely word of others, and try to respond timely to others, it gives me great joy. To let someone know how much their message meant to me, to show appreciation for their time and word, that just makes my heart sing!

It sometimes seems odd that such a small message, a verse here or there – a commentary or two, can have such a profound effect, but it does. I see how God uses all of us, individually and as a collective whole, to minister to one another and the rest of the world. As I have said before, our devotions in Proverbs, including our texts to one another, have brought me so much closer to our Lord and Savior. Not only the daily reading and prayer, but the whole process of how God is infused in our lives and uses us to help each other; how we each read something different from the word, but it’s that passage that helps another through a problem or issue. Wow, only the one true loving God could do such a thing.

Thank you, God for leading us to this devotion and using it to minister to us all. I ask that you continue to pour your blessings over it and help us all to follow your path, gain and impart Your wisdom, all for Your kingdom and glory.

Proverbs 14

Proverbs 14. Verse 23 says "all hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty". This verse compounds on and further confirms my discussion from yesterday. If u know something needs to be done, don't just talk about it, DO it. Work diligently to achieve the goal and you will be rewarded (profit). Sit around and talk about it, and nothing happens (poverty).

That's not to confuse activity with productivity. Just because you're active (moving, doing something) doesn't mean you are being productive (diligently working). There is a measure of planning, seeking guidance and thinking things through needed. But don't get stuck staying in the planning phase (talking), push thru to the doing (working hard).

Its also on my heart to mention this applies to your view of other's efforts as well. If u find yourself complaining how others are doing things, then STOP! Stop spreading negative venom, seek God's guidance, and DO something about it. Speak with that person to see how u can help make it better. Anyone can be critical about an idea or method when they have nothing at stake. Running your mouth does nothing to help fix the problem, it only adds more trouble. If your dissatisfied then DO something about it!

Lord, please help me to be less critical of others and, instead, help me to see the need and DO something constructive to fill the need. Not to tear down Your kingdom with words, but to build it up with actions, all for Your glory.

Proberbs 13 - Just do it!

Proverbs 13. Verse 4 states, "the sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied". Everyone wishes for certain things, even prays for them: "I wish I had more money. Why doesn't the church have this program. I wish the young people cared more for God. What we need is a revival." does any of this sound familiar? Sure, we pray for things to happen, but do we DO anything about it.

As the verse above says, the sluggard craves (wishes) but does nothing to change it, and gets nothing in return. However the diligent, the ones doing, are fully satisfied, they get what they work for. If u want change, then DO something about it. Want more money? Then find a way and do it. Want a specific church program, then wrok to put it in place. Want the youth to be in love with Christ. Then get involved and show them. Want a revival in our churches, schools, work and world. Then start it.

Too many times (and I'm preaching to myself) we sit back praying for a change, but (like the sluggard) don't do anything to bring about that change. We are tired of "eating vanilla cake", and dream of eating chocolate cake, but keep putting in the ingredients for vanilla. I tell you, unless you change the ingredients, your going to get the same results! So stop passively wishing and waiting and start actively seeking and doing. For as the verse says, when we are diligent in our efforts for the Lord, they will come to pass and we will be rewarded for our efforts, and He will receive the glory.

Lord, please help me to see the needs and your direction and help me to DO Your will instead of just wishing for it and waiting for someone else.

Proverbs 12 - Love Discipline?

Proverbs 12. Verse 1 says it all, “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid”. It is very hard to love discipline, to be corrected for something you enjoy doing or for something you thought you were doing right. However, by seeking that discipline, it shows that your true interest is in growing to your potential (gaining knowledge), not just living for yourself.

On the flip side, hating correction is stupid. Fighting against correction or hating it, only shows that you care only for yourself and have no interest in learning or obtaining knowledge; a “live and don’t learn” mentality. This type of thinking means that you will be making the same mistakes over and over again. Dear Lord, please don’t let that be me. I want to learn from my mistakes (or better yet, from others) and not repeat them. Thank you Lord for your patience and discipline.

Proverbs 11

Proverbs 11. Verse 17 states, “A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings trouble on himself”. A simple verse with deep meaning. Everyday we have a choice as to how we act. We can choose to be kind or cruel. We can choose to have a good day or a bad one, simply in our actions and attitude. When someone drops their books on the way to class, we can help them pick them up (show kindness) or laugh at their misfortune (cruelty). At work, when a co-worker is going through a rough time, the same thing applies, we can support them (listen, help, guide) or scoff at their story (poke fun at them, dismiss their pain). As the verse above states, kindness that we show not only helps the person we show it to, it benefits ourselves. However, the cruelty that we show not only hurts the one we give it to, it also brings trouble on ourselves. Everyday we have a choice, choose wisely, for each choice returns to you in kind. We reap what we sow.

Proverbs 10

Proverbs 10. As I was reading today’s chapter, a recurring pattern was brought to light. In verses 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 31, and 32, there are many references to the mouth (lips, tongue, etc.) and what comes out of it. Our words are so important (to us and others) that the use of them was reiterated, over and over again throughout this chapter.

What we speak and dwell on is what comes to pass. Constantly speak negative and venomous words and that is what you will get; however, speak God-centered wisdom and uplifting, positive words and that is what you will get! The choice is ours on which one we would rather have. The verses above are very clear that the chattering of negative fools (lies, gossip, hatred) brings ruin, while the words of a righteous person bring wisdom and life.

What we speak about is what the mind dwells on, what we dwell on is what will happen. Verse 24 says, “What the wicked dreads will overtake him; what the righteous desire will be granted”. Focus on spreading venom and it will overtake you. Focus on God and His blessings will overwhelm you, for (22) “The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it”. No trouble added to it! The troubles come from the malice from our mouths or from listening to the venom from others.

So, what are you facing in your life? Constant troubles and woes may be a sign to check what is coming out of our mouths or to truly check where we are seeking our advice. Are we following the wisdom of the righteous or listening to (and spreading the ignorance of) fools!

Lord, help me to guard my mouth, to speak positive, uplifting words of Your wisdom and not the negative poison of the wicked. I don’t want to be part of the problem (foolish lips); I want to be part of God’s solution (wise counsel).

Proverbs 9

Proverbs 9. In this chapter two women are calling out to all the simple people from the highest point in the city. One is Lady Wisdom, she has prepared choice food and drink. To visit her is to live a long and blessed life. The other is Lady Folly, she offers forbidden fruit and dark treats. To visit her is to be doomed.

As the above comparison shows, there are two sides competing for those who lack judgment; one offering life and the other death. That is why it is so important for us to know the correct path to life, to do that we need to avoid folly and seek wisdom and understanding.

Verse 10 states, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Therefore, if we fear the Lord and seek His counsel, we will know when wisdom is calling and respond. We will also know folly for what it is and avoid the traps that will snare us. To constantly avoid those traps, we must continuously (not occasionally) seek God’s guidance, through prayer and reading His word. Lord, please help me to avoid folly and seek out Your wisdom for Your glory.

Proverbs 8

Proverbs 8. Chapter 8 discusses the many, many benefits of wisdom and following the Lord our God, and also the dangers of ignoring wisdom. It also explains how wisdom was one of the first of God’s works, His first fruits. That in itself should show us the importance of seeking wisdom, but it goes on. How wisdom brings (18) “…riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity”. How those who seek wisdom are blessed and (35) “…receive favor from the Lord”. Also, how those who fail to seek wisdom (36) “…harms himself”. And those who despise wisdom (36) “love death”.

So if wisdom has all of these great benefits and the lack of wisdom carries dire consequences, then why don’t we seek it? Why do we make mistake after mistake, failing to listen to reason (wisdom)? Why do we claim ignorance and say, “I didn’t know better” or “No one told me”. I believe it to be either selfish pride (we don’t want to listen, we want it our way), or apathy (we are indifferent and don’t care enough to change).

Not knowing is no excuse. (1) “Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice?” God’s wisdom is imparted upon us through the Holy Spirit and His Word (the Bible). The Bible is there for us to read and learn, the Holy Spirit there to guide us in our choices. We can’t use the excuse of not knowing, for God has made wisdom readily available (“does not wisdom call out?); therefore, we simply have to seek it.

We can’t let apathy or laziness keep us from seeking wisdom. If one is not encouraged by the treasures that wisdom can impart (18) “…riches…honor…enduring wealth and prosperity”, (35) “…life…favor from the Lord”, then (at the very least), be fearful of the destruction the lack of wisdom can bring (36) “But whoever fails to find me harms himself; and all who hate me love death”. Not caring enough to seek wisdom not only keeps you from fully experiencing a blessed life, but also can lead you to harm and death.

Lord, I thank you for making Your wisdom readily available to me, for making it one of Your first works. I thank you for the many blessings that Your wisdom can impart upon my life. I ask you to help me seek and find Your wisdom, not just find but apply it to my life, so I may be a blessing to all of those around me, all for Your glory.

Proverbs 7

Proverbs 7. Today’s Proverbs covers the adulteress (seductress), whom I spoke heavily about on the 5th. It’s a great message, which I encourage you to read, but verse 2 (NIV) stood out to me today above all others. (2) “Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye”.

Too many times in the past I saw the teachings of the Bible as “limitations” on my life. That is, a listing of “fun” things that I couldn’t do. Oh, how wrong I was. I realize now I was the fool refusing discipline, shunning words of wisdom (which were there to make my life better). The things I thought were “fun” were actually destroying my life, and the lives of others; not very “fun” in the end. I now realize, thank the Lord, that the teachings of the Bible are not “limitations” on my life, rather they are teachings to help me live my life more abundantly! As verse 2 states, “Keep my commands and you will LIVE”, not exist, not make it through, but truly LIVE. That being said, what should we do with the teachings?

We should, (2) “guard my teachings as the apple of your eye”. I absolutely love the wording of this verse. When I say “apple” different images appear to different people. Some like bright red delicious, some golden, some Washington or Fiji. But for me there is only one apple, the apple of my eye, the Granny Smith. Therefore, offer me others, I will take them and eat them, but the Granny Smith is my absolute favorite. It is the apple that I compare all others to. “This apple is good, but it’s no Granny Smith”. “This apple is nothing like a Granny Smith, it’s terrible”. When given a choice of many, I will pick the Granny Smith every time.

This is exactly what verse 2 is saying about the Bible’s teachings. You will get much advice (apples) in your life, some good (nice apples) some bad (rotten apples), but the Word from the Bible is the very best advice (favorite apple, the apple of your eye). Therefore, we should guard the teachings of the Bible, compare the advice we get to the Bible and, if the advice doesn’t hold up, discard it like a bad apple and follow the Bible’s. You wouldn’t throw away your best apple and eat a rotten one, so why discard the Bible’s teachings and follow the bad advice of others? Oh, how I wish I learned this earlier in life, it would have saved me much heartache.

Lord, please help me to study and learn Your teachings, to guard them and use them, so I can live life more abundantly for You and bless the lives of others, all for Your glory.

Proverbs 6

Proverbs 6. Vs 10-11 say, “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest – and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.” How true and wise is this statement! Whether it’s in business or other areas of our life, being lazy (a sluggard) will bring destruction down on us; a life of unachieved goals.

How many times have we wished for something, prayed something fierce, and just expected it to fall in our laps? Then, though we’ve done nothing to work towards it, get mad or upset that it has not come to pass? I am guilty of that many times. We pray for better grades, yet don’t study. We pray for more money, but don’t work to achieve it. We pray for better relationships, but don’t change our commitment. We pray for a revival, but don’t do our part to help. We pray for a closer relationship with God, but we don’t spend time in prayer or the Word. We pray for change, but keep doing the same things we always did.

I’m not saying that prayer in itself won’t work, quite the contrary; all things are possible through prayer! God can make it all happen within a blink of His eye, but what would we learn from it? Would we really give Him the glory or credit? Would we change and seek Him? Or would we go about our lives until another problem arose and THEN pray passionately for an answer? Probably, the last one and if that is what we do, then what are we doing to be part of the solution?

As the above verses state, if we are a sluggard, just standing around waiting, then scarcity is coming. As Pastor Rusty stated today, and Galatians 6:7b says “A man reaps what he sows.” That is, you get back more of what you put in. If we stand around doing nothing, why are we surprised when we get nothing in return? I don’t want to be caught napping when Jesus returns. I don’t want to tell God that I didn’t achieve what He had planned for me because I was lazy or seeking my own desires. Lord, help me not to be a sluggard, but to actively seek and DO Your will, to do my part in fulfilling Your plan for my life and the lives of others You will have me touch.

Proverbs 5

Proverbs 5. Verses 3&4 state, “For the lips of an adulteress drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil; (4) but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword.” Isn’t that exactly how those who entice you to sin always appear? At first, their words are sweet, their plan sounds so enticing, so simple. Then, once you follow, it turns into a nightmare of trouble and pain. That is exactly why we must take this wisdom to heart, to be alert to the seduction of sin, know how to identify and avoid, so we won’t end up in ruin, but remain on the victorious, righteous path of the Lord Almighty!

If you start to hear someone encouraging you into sin, stop and examine them closely, remember their words will “drip honey… (be) smoother than oil”. If you are unsure, pray for guidance, compare the person’s request to the Word (Bible), if it pales in the light (doesn’t hold up), get out of there quickly, your soul is at stake.

If you have already been “trapped” in a situation of sin, found yourself thinking, “I’ve gone too far now, there’s no turning back”, you’re wrong. It’s not too late, seek Jesus Christ and repent, NOW, before it’s really too late. Jesus loves us enough to die for our sins! Don’t let anyone tell you there’s no hope. Satan will tell you that you’re too bad, you’ve sinned too much, but it is a lie. God knows all that you have done and will do, yet He still loves us enough to send His Son to die for us. Don’t wait around to “get your sins together”, come to Jesus NOW. He will save you, He is the only way. Don’t wait another minute, seek Him NOW.

Lord, thank you for your mercy and love. Thank you for the wisdom of the Bible to help keep us from sin. Please, forgive me and help me to follow Your path of life and avoid the seductive lure of sin.

Proverbs 4

Proverbs 4. Verses 11-13, state: “I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. (12) When you walk, your steps with not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble. (13) Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life”. God is with us always, watching and speaking to guide us down the path of righteousness, the path that will keep us from stumbling and failing. He also gives us instruction (through prayer, the Bible, and spiritual leaders) to keep us on the correct path. If we listen to His guidance, and heed His instruction and wisdom (keep it in our hearts and use it daily), then we will have life. We won’t have to stumble in the darkness and make mistake after mistake to learn, we will be able to make the right decisions the FIRST time and without all the suffering that comes with bad choices. Do you find yourself in a series of bad decisions, one after another? Then that is a good sign that you are not on God’s path. Don’t delay, seek God’s guidance now!

Many times I have made decisions and wonder why they failed. They looked so good at the time, but I now see how they were heading down the path of evil. I chose that path without God’s guidance (for my own selfish reasons), stumbled in the dark and failed, and then had the audacity to get mad at Him for not helping. But, I now see, all the while God was there trying to help me, even when I made the wrong choices. He was trying to speak to me, to guide me on the correct path, but I wouldn’t listen. I don’t ever want to be in that position again, the next time could kill me. Lord, please help me to put aside my selfish pride, to listen to Your instruction, to follow Your wisdom and walk on Your righteous path for Your glory.

Proverbs 3

Proverbs 3. Whenever I feel I am being called by God to do a certain task, my mind immediately moves to try to figure out the “plan”; that is, the “why” of the task. But this is exactly what I shouldn’t do. Proverbs 3:5a states, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding”. Therefore, my job is not to “understand” or “figure it out”, my job is to trust and obey the Lord! Instead of being so pretentious to apply human understanding to a God plan, I simply need to follow. If I try to “lean on my own understanding”, I may miss what the Lord has told me to do, and I definitely don’t want to do that. Lord, I want to trust and obey You with all of my heart; please help me not to lean on my own understanding, but to follow Your will for Your glory.

Proverbs 2

Proverbs 2. How would you like to know the right steps throughout your life? Know exactly how to stay out of trouble and harms way? Know the right decision for the problems you’re facing? What about having protection from the evil of the world? I tell you, if there was a product like that, there would be billions (with a “B”) of people lining up to give everything they had for it; I know I would. The great news is we do have exactly that, and it’s available to every one of us!

Verses 2-5 tell us that listening to God’s wisdom, seeking it feverously, and applying our hearts to understanding, (v5) “then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God”. Verses 6-8 speak of the Lords wisdom and how (7a) “He holds victory in store for the upright” and shields, guards, and protects us. At that point, (v9) “Then you will understand what is right and just and fair – every good path”.

You see, God wants the very, very best for us. He loves us enough to send His only Son to die for us (John 3:16), so we will not perish! He also loves us enough to walk with us daily, to protect us and show us the right paths to take, every good path; to avoid the pitfalls of life and bask in His glory. But we have to be willing to listen and follow. Are you willing, if so, don’t put it off, start serving Him right now! Rick

Proverbs 1

Proverbs 1. Verse 23 speaks of wisdom saying, “If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you”. Essentially, the verse speaks of one who ignored wisdom, I am assuming out of stubborn pride or foolishness, only to miss the wealth of blessings that only wisdom and the fear of the Lord can bring.

Later on in the chapter, (vs 26-32), it speaks of not only missing the blessings but of the self-destruction brought on by refusing to listen to wisdom and fearing the Lord. (v32) “For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them.” So, keep following your own way, refusing to listen to the wisdom of the Lord our God and you will fall pray to the fruit of your own ways and be destroyed.

However, there is hope! (v33) “but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm”. Wow, putting away my pride and foolishness, listening to the Lord my God, and following His wisdom, will allow me to live without fear of harm from my foolish ways. For I will live by His word and knowledge, no longer deaf to wisdom and; therefore, no longer thinking foolishly or being snared by my foolish actions. So, stop being hard-headed and listen to wisdom from the Almighty God (who better to get advice from, the God who can do any & everything), sounds like a no-brainer, huh? I see what happens to my life when I try to control it, I would much rather have God in control.

Lord, please help me not to be stubborn that I won’t listen to Your wisdom; please help me to see Your will, and please continue to show Your patience and mercy when I stumble along the way; for I don’t want to be the fool following my own desires, I want to listen to wisdom and follow Your ways for Your glory. Rick