We will continue our study in Proverbs today. We are looking at chapters six and seven. Please continue to pray and ask the Holy Spirit how you can apply what we are studying in Proverbs. In chapter six King Solomon starts out telling his son to get out of any agreement he may have as a co-signer for a neighbor. I have heard and you may have heard also about people that were co-signers and then had to pay off the debt the main signer was supposed to pay off. King Solomon does not just say do not co-sign for someone else’s debt, he provides an example from nature on how not to go into debt. He uses how an ant works in the summer storing food, then has food to gather at harvest. If we work and save our money, over time we can afford to buy certain things without going into debt. Verses seventeen through nineteen list seven things that the Lord cannot stand. They are haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies, and a person who stirs up conflict in the community. The remaining verses in chapter six and all of chapter seven warn against adultery. How do you handle debt? How do you feel and what are your thoughts about the seven things the Lord cannot stand? How do we handle adultery in our culture today? Please read the following for next week: Proverbs 8 & 9
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Today we will continue our study in Proverbs with chapters four and five. Notice that verses four through nine are some of what King Solomon was told by his father King David. King David said, “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” If we want to be exalted, honored and to receive rewards, then we must cherish and embrace wisdom. The verse that may be the most familiar in chapter four is twenty-three, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” We must give our hearts a check-up from time to time. If our hearts desire the things of God, we are in a good place. If our hearts desire things of this world, we are not in a good place. Chapter five is a warning against adultery. Verse twenty-one reminds us, “For your ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all your paths.” We may not know all the details about our choices, but God does. He knows all we do and knows what will happen because of the choices we make. He knows the choices that lead to good things and the choices that lead to bad things. How serious are we about gaining godly wisdom? How do the desires of our hearts lead us in our daily lives? How often do we acknowledge God and the fact that he knows all we are doing? Please read the following for next week: Proverbs 6 & 7 Today we will continue our study in Proverbs with chapters two and three. As we look at these chapters, highlight or note the benefits of gaining the wisdom that comes from God and the benefits from fearing and trusting God. Please remember that God gives wisdom that we cannot obtain any other way. From God’s mouth comes knowledge and understanding. God holds victory for the upright, is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, guards the course of the just, and protects the way of his faithful ones. In life we want security. From the moment we are born, we desire security. We want to be safe. There is no better security than to have the wisdom that comes from God. In chapter three, verses five and six are two verses we all should hide in our hearts. There are benefits to a life lived fearing and trusting God. We need to take inventory of our lives and see if we are receiving the benefits that are listed in chapters two and three. If we are praise God. If we are not, are we doing our part in our relationship with God? God does not change. The same benefits he gave to those that first read Proverbs, he will give to us now. How often do you think about how great God is, like in chapter 3 verses nineteen and twenty? How many benefits of gaining the wisdom that comes from God did you notice in chapter two? How many benefits did you notice in chapter three for those that fear and trust God? Please read the following for next week: Proverbs 4 & 5 Today we will begin our study in the book of Proverbs. As we go along, remember to pray and ask the Holy Spirit what you should take away from each reading. There may be some verses that apply to where you are now in life that did not apply to you when you were younger. Regardless, be open to what the Holy Spirit reveals to you in Proverbs. The first seven verses in chapter one tell us who wrote Proverbs, King Solomon, and why he wrote it: “attaining wisdom and discipline; understanding words of insight; acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair; giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young.” There are four groups of people mentioned in the first chapter we must be aware of. There are fools, sinners, simple ones, and mockers. Fools despise wisdom and discipline and hate knowledge. Sinners want to hurt a harmless soul, are swift to shed blood, and go after ill-gotten gain. Simple ones love their simple ways. Mockers delight in mockery. The problem all four groups of people have is they will not fear the Lord. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” At the end of the chapter, wisdom says, “Whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.” How many times have you read Proverbs? Were you ever taught to fear the Lord? How were you taught to fear the Lord? How have you tried to gain knowledge and wisdom? Please read the following for next week: Proverbs 2 & 3 |
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