Proverbs Devotional Weeks 7-8

Ready: Prepare yourself to allow the Holy Spirit to examine you. Begin by praying a prayer of permission to the Holy Spirit to have full access to examine your heart and mind. This Proverb questions us, “Who can say, “I have made my heart clean; I am pure from my sin”? Let the King who sits on the throne cleanse and purify your heart with His wisdom.

Read: Read the passage through once. Then, read it a second time, but this time, stop to ask yourself and God some questions:

vs. 1 Is alcohol or other addictions making a mockery of me? Do they have power over me or am I wrestling with them for power?vs. 3 With whom have I been quick to quarrel?vs. 4 Am I frustrated, feeling left behind because I failed to prepare myself when it was time?vs. 6 Do I perceive myself as loyal? Am I trustworthy?vs. 7 Do I have integrity with my children, my coworkers? Are they happy to follow me or work alongside me?vs. 9 Is my heart clean? Is there sin I need to deal with?vs. 11 Are there any actions of mine that I do not want known? That are not pure and right?

Reflect: This passage is drawing the contrast between how we may perceive ourselves and our actions vs. the reality. The intent is to draw into question the authenticity of our hearts. We are prompted to read this passage and ask ourselves, “Are we pure and wise in our ways or are deceitful actions making a mockery of us?” “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise” (Prov. 20:1 NKJV). This is the first of several passages in Proverbs that warn against what today we call “alcohol abuse.” Alcohol abuse mocks people by creating in them a thirst for more while not satisfying that thirst (Wiersbe, 130).

Repent: Take time to repent for any way in which your heart is not authentic. Repent of any area that you have allowed to make a mockery of you.

Rejoice: Rejoice that the King who sits on the throne of Judgement is a good God who loves you enough to counsel you and instruct you every day. With Him, you can walk in dignity and purity, and authenticity of heart, mind and action.

20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,    and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.2 The dread anger of a king is like the growling of a lion;    anyone who provokes him to anger forfeits life itself.3 It is honorable to refrain from strife,    but every fool is quick to quarrel.4 The lazy person does not plow in season;    harvest comes, and there is nothing to be found.5 The purposes in the human mind are like deep water,    but the intelligent will draw them out.6 Many proclaim themselves loyal,    but who can find one worthy of trust?7 The righteous walk in integrity—    happy are the children who follow them!8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment    winnows all evil with his eyes.

9 Who can say, “I have made my heart clean;    I am pure from my sin”?10 Diverse weights and diverse measures    are both alike an abomination to the Lord.11 Even children make themselves known by their acts,    by whether what they do is pure and right.12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye—    the Lord has made them both.13 Do not love sleep, or else you will come to poverty;    open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,    then goes away and boasts.15 There is gold, and abundance of costly stones;    but the lips informed by knowledge are a precious jewel.

Where wisdom and life intersect……. Week 7

Day 31

Prov

erbs

20:1-1

5Pr verbs

Ready: Take a moment to pause and release the areas of your life you are trying to “make happen” in your own way and through your own strength. Pray Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God” over yourself and your day.

Read: As you read through each scripture, consider the role of waiting, of patience, and delaying your wants.

Reflect: Often it is our haste that gets us into trouble with others and with the Lord. This passage challenges our impulse to make things happen in our own time and in our own way. The garment in verse 16 is security taken for a loan (Reformation Study Bible). The verse is a warning to be careful with money in dealing with people who take risks or who are unreliable. In verse 17, we are especially warned to not pursue wealth (bread) or our other wants dishonestly for over time, it will not satisfy. It is far better to wait upon the Lord and receive with honor than forfeit honor for the immediate gratification. The following verses continue with the same caution and encouragement to carefully consider our actions while waiting upon the Lord for His wisdom and timing. From verse 25, we are assured a snare of consequences if in our haste we make a rash vow that cannot be honored. It is worse than no vow at all. The lamp of the Lord (vs. 27) is a metaphor for the way the Lord searches our inmost thoughts. He knows the cares and worries of our heart, and He knows when we are taking our matters into our own hands. But verse 28 reminds us that even though He knows all things, false motives and true, He is loving and faithful. By waiting on Him and submitting to His timing, we can establish a stable and secure society within us.

Repent: Reflect on the areas of your life where you have taken matters into your hands. Make note of any times you have prioritized your wants above His timing. Repent of each of these that come to mind. Over the next 24 hours carefully consider making a commitment before God to look to Him for His timing and His way before taking matters into your own hands.

Rejoice: Rejoice that our King has infinite patience. He waits on us even when we never wait on Him. Spend some time in thanksgiving for all the times He has not dealt with you hastily but has waited patiently for you to turn back to Him.

20:16 Take the garment of one who has given surety for a stranger;    seize the pledge given as surety for foreigners.17 Bread gained by deceit is sweet,    but afterward the mouth will be full of gravel.18 Plans are established by taking advice;    wage war by following wise guidance.19 A gossip reveals secrets;    therefore do not associate with a babbler.20 If you curse father or mother,    your lamp will go out in utter darkness.21 An estate quickly acquired in the beginning    will not be blessed in the end.22 Do not say, “I will repay evil”;    wait for the Lord, and he will help you.23 Differing weights are an abomination to the Lord,

    and false scales are not good.24 All our steps are ordered by the Lord;    how then can we understand our own ways?25 It is a snare for one to say rashly, “It is holy,”    and begin to reflect only after making a vow.26 A wise king winnows the wicked,    and drives the wheel over them.27 The lamp of the Lord searches the spirit of a man; it searches out his inmost being.28 Loyalty and faithfulness preserve the king,    and his throne is upheld by righteousness.[a]29 The glory of youths is their strength,    but the beauty of the aged is their gray hair.30 Blows that wound cleanse away evil;    beatings make clean the innermost parts.

Day 3

2 Prov

erbs

20:16-30

Pr verbsWhere wisdom and life intersect……. Week 7

Ready: Begin your time by considering consequences. What do you think of when you hear the word ‘consequence’ or ‘justice’? Does it feel differently when you reflect on these words in regards to a convict, your children, or you?

Read: For this reading, start with verse 15, then go back and read verses 1-14. As you read each verse, ask yourself, “Do I find joy in justice when it is done to me?”

Reflect: This passage reflects on many consequences when acting without wisdom and in sin. Often those consequences make sense, and we appreciate their effect when they are inflicted on ones we judge deserve it; however, how do we respond when we are instructed and disciplined? Maintaining true order (justice) establishes the well-being of those who live according to it. Those who transgress it will be undone. The wise discern this divine, providential order, which, though marred by sin, is to some degree maintained in the world. God preserves such an order, and it is our task to perceive His order and live in harmony with it (Reformation Study Bible). At its center are God’s Word and our faithful obedience to it. Such obedience is what is meant by “the fear of the Lord.” Hebrews 12:6 says “He disciplines those that He loves…” and verse 11 tells us that to receive instruction is to be wise and grow in knowledge. “Those who obey the wisdom taught in God’s Word will become more skillful in handling the affairs of life. But we must not think that this wisdom is a set of rules or a collection of “success formulas” that anyone can occasionally apply as he or she pleases. Following God’s wisdom is a full-time endeavor: “If you’re concerned with making a life, you must major on building godly character.” (Weirsbe, 116). Our honor for the justice of the Lord and our submission to His consequences must increase if we are to live by His wisdom and blessing.

Repent: Repent to the Lord for the times you have disdained His justice in your life. Repent to the Lord for times you have not received well His instruction or discipline. Consider if you need to ask forgiveness of someone from whom you did not receive well their godly instruction or discipline.

Rejoice: Take time to thank God for His justice. Find in your heart a specific time you were thankful the Lord corrected you and praise Him for that.

21:1The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;    he turns it wherever he will.2 All deeds are right in the sight of the doer,    but the Lord weighs the heart.3 To do righteousness and justice    is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart—    the lamp of the wicked—are sin.5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,    but everyone who is hasty comes only to want.6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue    is a fleeting vapor and a snare[a] of death.7 The violence of the wicked will sweep them away, because they refuse to do what is just.8 The way of the guilty is crooked,    but the conduct of the pure is right.9 It is better to live in a corner of the housetop

    than in a house shared with a contentious wife.10 The souls of the wicked desire evil;    their neighbors find no mercy in their eyes.11 When a scoffer is punished, the simple become wiser;    when the wise are instructed, they increase in knowledge.12 The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked; he casts the wicked down to ruin.13 If you close your ear to the cry of the poor,    you will cry out and not be heard.14 A gift in secret averts anger;    and a concealed bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.15 When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous,    but dismay to evildoers.

Day 3

3 Prov

erbs

21:1-1

5Where wisdom and life intersect……. Week 7Pr verbs

Ready: Prepare yourself today by reflecting on your need for the Lord. Reflect on all the ways that you know nothing about what do or how to live without Him. Consider your powerlessness and His greatness.

Read: Before you read the whole passage, first read vs. 30. Read this verse as many times as you need in order to soak in the humbling reality that our God is all-powerful and all-knowing. He knows our thoughts before we even think them. When you are ready, continue on reading the rest of the passage.

Reflect: This passage is a strong call to consider and take up the way of wisdom for our lives. It presents us a choice between a life of wisdom or a life of death (verse16). Verse 22 is an illustrious example of how “force is no match for wisdom” (Reformation Study Bible). Often, when we are under attack or feel overwhelmed, we resort to more power and control over our circumstances. This verse is a reminder that far more powerful than power and control is the wisdom and fear of the Lord. Verse 22 is also connected to verse 29. An arrogant person seeking to overcome by power and control will “put on a bold face” or bluff that consequences and conflict do not affect him or her. But a wise person will be to true to the reality he or she faces and will be concerned to live by truth and its consequences. For most of the passage, this choice feels like it is ours to make and the life of wisdom is up to us to live, but the final verses 30-31 remind us that while we do have a personal responsibility to choose to live by wisdom and understanding, we still fall under the all-knowing and all-powerful wisdom of God. It is sobering and yet empowering to reflect on verse 30.

Repent: Repent of your bold and bluff face. Take time to picture circumstances or people in your life with whom you put on this face. Consider the wisdom it would take to live out life without your bluff. Repent for your desire to use power and control instead of wisdom.

Rejoice: Rejoice that no wisdom, no power, no authority on earth can prevail against our God!

21:16 Whoever wanders from the way of understanding    will rest in the assembly of the dead.17 Whoever loves pleasure will suffer want;    whoever loves wine and oil will not be rich.18 The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,    and the faithless for the upright.19 It is better to live in a desert land    than with a contentious and fretful wife.20 Precious treasure remains[b] in the house of the wise,    but the fool devours it.21 Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness    will find life and honor.22 One wise person went up against a city of warriors    and brought down the stronghold in which they trusted.23 To watch over mouth and tongue    is to keep out of trouble.

24 The proud, haughty person, named “Scoffer,”    acts with arrogant pride.25 The craving of the lazy person is fatal,    for lazy hands refuse to labor.26 All day long the wicked covet,[d]    but the righteous give and do not hold back.27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;    how much more when brought with evil intent.28 A false witness will perish,    but a good listener will testify successfully.29 The wicked put on a bold face,    but the upright give thought to[e] their ways.30 No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel,    can avail against the Lord.31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle,    but the victory belongs to the Lord.

Where wisdom and life intersect……. Week 7

Day 3

4 P

rov

erbs

21:16-31

Pr verbs

22:1A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,    and favor is better than silver or gold.2 The rich and the poor have this in common:    the Lord is the maker of them all.3 The clever see danger and hide;    but the simple go on, and suffer for it.4 The reward for humility and fear of the Lord    is riches and honor and life.5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;    the cautious will keep far from them.6 Train children in the right way,    and when old, they will not stray.7 The rich rule over the poor,    and the borrower is the slave of the lender.8 Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity,    and the rod of anger will fail.

9 Those who are generous are blessed,    for they share their bread with the poor.10 Drive out a scoffer, and strife goes out;    quarreling and abuse will cease.11 Those who love a pure heart and are gracious in speech    will have the king as a friend.12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,    but he overthrows the words of the faithless.13 The lazy person says, “There is a lion outside!    I shall be killed in the streets!”14 The mouth of a loose[a] woman is a deep pit;    he with whom the Lord is angry falls into it.15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a boy,    but the rod of discipline drives it far away.16 Oppressing the poor in order to enrich oneself,    and giving to the rich, will lead only to loss.

Where wisdom and life intersect……. Week 7

Day 3

5 Prov

erbs

22:1-1

6Pr verbs

Ready: First, ask the Holy Spirit to come and teach you what it means to live by blessing. Then, turn in your bibles to Matthew 5:1-10 and read Jesus’ words.

Read: As you read the Proverbs passage, take note of all the references to the poor. In each verse, take note of the characteristics or circumstances of the people who are blessed and take note of the characteristics or choices of those who are not. How many of the characteristics or circumstances line up with those who are blessed in Jesus’ words found in Matthew 5?

Reflect: From Proverbs 1 throughout the entire book, we are reminded to keep our priorities in order. Verse 1 reminds us that living by wisdom and keeping an honorable reputation is far greater than wealth. Verse 2 goes on to remind us that God is maker of the rich and the poor, so why do we exaggerate their differences and prefer one so much over the other? In the end, both will be no different as they stand under God as their Creator and Judge. This passage along with the Matthew 5 passage make clear that the poor are high priority to God, and they should be to us. The first 3 verses put our priorities in order. Riches are not to be our pursuit. Verse 4 explains that when we get the first priority, a right relationship with God, and submit our lives to his ultimate wisdom, the riches of life including honor and abundance tend to follow. The thorns and snares found in verse 5 are metaphors for the misfortunes of life that stem from a breakdown of the true life-giving order. We guard our souls and the blessings of our lives by establishing our life on the wisdom of God. Continuing in verse 6, if we set our life on the wisdom of God, then we can start our children’s lives along the way of wisdom (Reformation Study Bible). When they grow nurtured by wisdom, a life of wisdom is often maintained because they have the humility to understand they need wisdom. By setting our eyes on the blessings laid out by Jesus in Matthew 5, we can choose for ourselves and show to our children that it is not the world’s way that gains the priorities in life; it is God’s way.

Repent: Do you have your priorities in order or are you looking for blessing to flow from better circumstances? A new job, new house, new marriage? Take time to repent where your priorities are out of order. Align your life with your relationship with Christ in order that you may be in alignment with His blessing for your life.

Rejoice: Thank God and Praise Him that He has laid out a wise way of life for us that comes under His authority and His blessing.

Ready: Incline your ear and hear my words, and apply your mind to my teaching (vs 17). Pause now to do just as our first verse asks you to do. Incline your ears to hear by stopping the other voices in your head reminding you of all the things you need to do today. Apply your mind by clearing your thoughts and opening up your mind to understand new insight.

Read: Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you as you read this passage. As you read, picture yourself sitting with Jesus and intently listening to His words of wisdom.

Reflect: The whole purpose of this passage and beyond is summed up in verse 19, So that your trust may be in the Lord, I have made them known to you today—yes, to you. The Lord desires to share His wisdom with you in order that you may grow is trust of Him and stay in alignment with His way of life, so that you are spared from so many of the consequences that are due to living a life the world’s way. And if you have any doubt that He cares singularly for you to know His heart and His desires for you, He adds —yes to you! Verse 22 begins a series of admonitions that instruct us in how to fulfill our covenant obligation to “trust…in the Lord”. Each verse represents a situation that we could either take into our own hands, or we could choose to trust in the Lord and seek His wisdom. Consider the Lord’s role in each of the situations illustrated.

1. Vs 22 & 23 - Do not take matters into your own hands, the Lord is the legal advocate of the poor. 2. Vs. 23-24 - Do not entangle yourself in unwise friendships, trust the Lord to lead you to spiritual friendships. 3. Vs. 26-27 - Do not be hasty to make your means to your wants by submitting yourself to debt, trust the Lord to provide in His way and timing.

Repent: Repent for each of the ways you have taken matters into your own hands, entangled yourself in unwise friendships, and been hasty to satisfy your own wants by submitting yourself to debt.

Rejoice: Rejoice that the Lord cares for you! Yes YOU! He has not left you to figure out this life on your own. He desires you to trust in Him and know hHs word so that you may live a life in alignment with Him. Praise the Lord that He is your advocate, He is your guide, He is your provider.

Sayings of the Wise22:17 The words of the wise:Incline your ear and hear my words,[b]    and apply your mind to my teaching;18 for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,    if all of them are ready on your lips.19 So that your trust may be in the Lord,    I have made them known to you today—yes, to you.20 Have I not written for you thirty sayings    of admonition and knowledge,21 to show you what is right and true,    so that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?22 Do not rob the poor because they are poor,

    or crush the afflicted at the gate;23 for the Lord pleads their cause    and despoils of life those who despoil them.24 Make no friends with those given to anger,    and do not associate with hotheads,25 or you may learn their ways    and entangle yourself in a snare.26 Do not be one of those who give pledges,    who become surety for debts.27 If you have nothing with which to pay,    why should your bed be taken from under you?28 Do not remove the ancient landmark    that your ancestors set up.29 Do you see those who are skillful in their work?    They will serve kings;    they will not serve common people.

Where wisdom and life intersect……. Week 8

Day 3

6 P

rov

erbs

22:17-

29Pr verbs

Ready: Prepare your heart to identify the strings it has to envy and indulgence. Ask the Holy Spirit to come and prepare your mind to receive the instruction and knowledge from this passage.

Read: Begin by reading verses 17 and 18 first. Meditate on these verses reflecting on what it means to live your life in the fear of the Lord. Rest in assurance that the fear of the Lord leads to a future and a hope.

Reflect: The first three verses are a warning, possibly to a diplomat, against over-indulgence in the pleasures of the table with a ruler (Reformation Study Bible). In our American context and Metro NY community, the temptation this diplomat faced is a daily occurrence for us. We have nearly every pleasure of the world available to us and over-indulgence is bursting at the seams. We need to take this warning to heart, as we evaluate the choices we make and the lifestyle we choose to live. Verses 4 & 5 warn us that pursing wealth and riches can ruin our health and they have a habit of disappearing without ever having the opportunity to enjoy them. Verse 23:9 is a short but powerful instruction. It keeps us aware that when we are unable to hear wise words, we are an unteachable fool. In situations that feel hard to receive wise advice and when you want to pull away from trusted counsel, carefully consider your ways and the consequences of becoming unteachable. Verse 12 is intended to alert us to more instruction coming. In our time and understanding of parenting, verses 13 & 14 are difficult to understand. What is understood is that the word ‘rod’ may symbolize any kind of disciplinary correction, but there is little doubt that in the culture to which the scriptures were written corporal punishment was approved in some situations (Reformation Study Bible). The timeless principle that is important for us to take from this passage is that discipline in love is constructive, instructive, and necessary for wise living.

Repent: It is time to cut the strings of our heart we found hanging onto the indulgence of our culture. Repent for the areas of your life where over-indulgence of possessions, experiences, prestige have overshadowed your focus on Him and His way for your life. Also, repent from any situations in your life where you have been unteachable.

Rejoice: Rejoice greatly that He does not leave us in our over-indulgent, sinful ways. He is glad and He rejoices when we turn our hearts to Him. He ensures us a future and a hope that will never be cut off when we live our lives fearing the Lord.

23:1When you sit down to eat with a ruler,    observe carefully what[a] is before you,2 and put a knife to your throat    if you have a big appetite.3 Do not desire the ruler’s[b] delicacies,    for they are deceptive food.4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich;    be wise enough to desist.5 When your eyes light upon it, it is gone;    for suddenly it takes wings to itself,    flying like an eagle toward heaven.6 Do not eat the bread of the stingy;    do not desire their delicacies;7 for like a hair in the throat, so are they.    “Eat and drink!” they say to you;    but they do not mean it.8 You will vomit up the little you have eaten,    and you will waste your pleasant words.9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,    who will only despise the wisdom of your words.

10 Do not remove an ancient landmark    or encroach on the fields of orphans,11 for their redeemer is strong;    he will plead their cause against you.12 Apply your mind to instruction    and your ear to words of knowledge.13 Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish them with the rod, they will not die.14 Punish them with the rod and save them from death..15 My child, if your heart is wise,    my heart too will be glad.16 My soul will rejoice    when your lips speak what is right.17 Do not let your heart envy sinners,    but always continue in the fear of the Lord.18 Surely there is a future,  and your hope will not be cut off.

Where wisdom and life intersect……. Week 8

Day 3

7 Prov

erbs

23:1-1

8Pr verbs

Ready: This passage contains the most vivid description of the tragic consequences of drunkenness you will find anywhere in Scripture. Prepare yourself to look closely at yourself and your ways by first meditating on verse 26, “My child, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.”

Read: Read the passage through twice. Picture yourself looking into the eyes of your loving Heavenly Father as He guides you through these descriptions.

Reflect: Though our Heavenly Father must speak so sternly to us regarding this topic of drunkenness as well as adultery, He first wants us to know His heart for us. He wants to teach us with a heart-to- heart connection and looking into our eyes. He is not instructing us in order to shame us or guilt us. He is giving such a vivid description in order to save us from the consequences of unwise decisions that He does not want us to experience because of his love and care for us. “Go through Proverbs 23:29–35 and circle all the consequences of drunkenness. Why don’t we who suffer these consequences turn away from drinking? In what ways can we become slaves to drink? How does being a slave to drink affect our ability to seek and serve God” (Wiersbe, 132)? The consequences of drunkenness are put in the form of a riddle. The effects are seen objectively (v. 29) and subjectively (vv. 33–35). The values of biblical wisdom are opposite: self-control, clear perception of reality, and positive relationships (Reformation Study Bible).

Repent: First, repent for not seeing the Lord as the loving Father He is. Repent for any submission to adultery or drunkenness you have allowed in your life.

Rejoice: If you have not before or need to again, pray a prayer giving the Lord your heart, confessing your belief in Him, His Son, His life and death for you.Thank the Lord for the loving Father that He is and what He accomplished for you on the cross.

23:19 Hear, my child, and be wise,    and direct your mind in the way.20 Do not be among winebibbers,    or among gluttonous eaters of meat;21 for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,    and drowsiness will clothe them with rags.22 Listen to your father who begot you,    and do not despise your mother when she is old.23 Buy truth, and do not sell it;    buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.24 The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;    he who begets a wise son will be glad in him.25 Let your father and mother be glad;    let her who bore you rejoice.26 My child, give me your heart,    and let your eyes observe my ways.27 For a prostitute is a deep pit;    an adulteress is a narrow well.

28 She lies in wait like a robber    and increases the number of the faithless.29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow?    Who has strife? Who has complaining?Who has wounds without cause?    Who has redness of eyes?30 Those who linger late over wine,    those who keep trying mixed wines.31 Do not look at wine when it is red,    when it sparkles in the cup    and goes down smoothly.32 At the last it bites like a serpent,    and stings like an adder.33 Your eyes will see strange things,    and your mind utter perverse things.34 You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, like one who lies on the top of a mast.35 “They struck me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt; they beat me, but I did not feel it.

Where wisdom and life intersect……. Week 8

Day 3

8 P

rov

erbs

23:19-

35Pr verbs

Ready: Just as you prepare for receiving a greatly anticipated gift or wedding engagement, so should we prepare for the word of the Lord. It is a priceless gift that lasts forever. “Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, you will find a future, and your hope will not be cut off.” (vs. 14)

Read: Read through the passage twice. As you read through the second time, consider all the references to vengeance and violence in exchange for wisdom.

Reflect: Verse 1 begins by associating the violence we experience by the wicked we associate with. In this day, the wicked is not only found in people around us, it is also brought into our homes through what we watch. Be wise in considering the adultery, drunkenness, and evil that you desire to watch. Our culture has become well acquainted with revenge and violence against each other. But the wisdom of God’s word leads us to another way. Verses 3-6 show the advantages of choosing wisdom. Our homes and families are established in pleasantness, and in the battles of daily life, we are stronger. While those battles are difficult to face, verse 10 points out that it is in the midst of adversity when our moral strength is truly tested. Verses 11 & 12 work together to remind us that we need to use wisdom not only for ourselves but also for others. One cannot use the excuse of ignorance to avoid the responsibility to help another in need. Again, in verse 13, we are spoken to as by a loving father. He admonishes us to know that wisdom is good for us, to enjoy it, and to rely upon it, for within the wisdom of the Lord, we have a future and a hope that can never be taken from us.

Repent: Repent of any violence, vengeance, or evil you have associated with among peers or permitted in your home. Let us all repent together of the people in our communities, region, and world who we have ignored to help by claiming ignorance.

Rejoice: Thank God for His gift of wisdom that rescues us, that sets our path straight before us, that establishes our homes in pleasantness and riches, that equips us with the strength we need to fight and win every battle.

Day 3

9 Prov

erbs

24:1-1

8Where wisdom and life intersect……. Week 8

24:1 Do not envy the wicked,    nor desire to be with them;2 for their minds devise violence,    and their lips talk of mischief.3 By wisdom a house is built,    and by understanding it is established;4 by knowledge the rooms are filled    with all precious and pleasant riches.5 Wise warriors are mightier than strong ones,[a]    and those who have knowledge than those who have strength;6 for by wise guidance you can wage your war,    and in abundance of counselors there is victory.7 Wisdom is too high for fools;    in the gate they do not open their mouths.8 Whoever plans to do evil    will be called a mischief-maker.9 The devising of folly is sin,    and the scoffer is an abomination to all.10 If you faint in the day of adversity,    your strength being small;11 if you hold back from rescuing those taken away to death,

    those who go staggering to the slaughter;12 if you say, “Look, we did not know this”—    does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it? And will he not repay all according to their deeds?13 My child, eat honey, for it is good,    and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.14 Know that wisdom is such to your soul;    if you find it, you will find a future,    and your hope will not be cut off.15 Do not lie in wait like an outlaw against the home of the righteous;    do no violence to the place where the righteous live;16 for though they fall seven times, they will rise again; but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.17 Do not rejoice when your enemies fall,    and do not let your heart be glad when they stumble,18 or else the Lord will see it and be displeased,    and turn away his anger from them.

Pr verbs

Where wisdom and life intersect……. Week 8

Day 40

Prov

erbs

24:19-

34Pr verbs

Ready: Prepare yourself by reading only verse 24:19-20 twice. Meditate on this verse in order to put into perspective the evil we are currently experiencing in our world. Though it is horrific and it is our reality, His word still stands to remind us we have nothing to fear. All the wickedness will be finished and will be judged by our good, good God.

Read: Read the verses in the format outlined below. As you read, pause to take note of what each set of verses means for the circumstances of our time and for you specifically.

Read 21-22 twice and reflect, Read 23-25 twice and reflect, Read 26 twice and reflect, Read 27 twice and reflect, Read 28-29 twice and reflect, Read 30-34 twice and reflect

Reflect: vv. 21-22 - In Israel’s covenant-based society, the king became the exemplar of wisdom and the agent of God’s rule so the ruin was seen as righteous retribution from God and the king. These verses intend to show us what should be fearing righteously instead of fretting about the worries and wickedness of the world.

vv. 23-25 - Are there areas of evil in our world and our lives we have judged permissible in order to keep the peace?

v. 26 - This comparison to the most intimate expression of friendship highlights the value of a just and right answer.

v. 27 - Either the physical structure, or the family. Both need a firm economic basis, before they can be built.

vv. 28-29 - There is even more at stake than the need to avoid giving false witness. Revenge is born out of anger and the heat of passion. The loss of control depicted in v. 29 is the opposite of the self-restraint called for by biblical wisdom.

vv. 30-34 - “The biggest thieves of all are the lazy people who could work but won’t, the people who consume what others produce but produce nothing for others to use”(Wiersbe, 78). We often overlook laziness as a sin, but God’s word has a lot to say about the consequences of a life lived lazily.

Repent: The heart of the issue for many of the sins encountered in this passage is worry. Take time now to repent of worry, fret and anxiety that you have experienced in response to your circumstances.

Rejoice: Rejoice that we have a God who never slumber or sleeps. Rejoice that He is always for us and we do not have to take the matters of the world into our own hands.

24:19 Do not fret because of evildoers.    Do not envy the wicked;20 for the evil have no future;    the lamp of the wicked will go out.21 My child, fear the Lord and the king,    and do not disobey either of them;22 for disaster comes from them suddenly,    and who knows the ruin that both can bring?Further Sayings of the Wise23 These also are sayings of the wise:Partiality in judging is not good.24 Whoever says to the wicked, “You are innocent,”    will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations;25 but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight,    and a good blessing will come upon them.26 One who gives an honest answer    gives a kiss on the lips.27 Prepare your work outside,    get everything ready for you in the field;

    and after that build your house.28 Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause,    and do not deceive with your lips.29 Do not say, “I will do to others as they have done to me;    I will pay them back for what they have done.”30 I passed by the field of one who was lazy,    by the vineyard of a stupid person;31 and see, it was all overgrown with thorns;    the ground was covered with nettles,    and its stone wall was broken down.32 Then I saw and considered it;    I looked and received instruction.33 A little sleep, a little slumber,    a little folding of the hands to rest,34 and poverty will come upon you like a robber,    and want, like an armed warrior.