by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Proverbs 26-29
Don’t you just love proverbs? There is one bit of truth after another – on many differing subjects. I know some people who read one proverb a day everyday – all year. They soak themselves in this wisdom as they carry on their business, interact with family and friends, and generally go about their days.
We have seen wisdom concerning honesty, hard work, truthfulness, our words, and many other subjects. Today, we see a ,lot about friends.
“Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.” (27:6)
So why would that be? A sincere friend will be honest with you and me, because they desire the best for us. They won’t lie to us just to make us feel good, if they know the end will hurt us. If something needs to be said for our benefit, a sincere friend will say it.
An enemy is just the opposite. He will flatter you for his own advantage. That’s why many kisses from an enemy don’t mean anything. Be wary of those who try to trick you by their smooth tongue.
“Iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.”(27:17)
Continuing along the same vein, one of the true values of friendship – along with enjoyment of each other – is that good friends actually help us to stay on our best game. They sharpen us – and we sharpen them. Sometimes that “sharpening” is done through honest advice. Yet most of the time it’s done through bouncing thoughts off of each other.
When my husband and I are sharing insights into scripture with each other, he calls it “striking and igniting.” We both get energized by the conversation. It starts a fire in each of us to take our walk to the next level. Not only to continue in what we know to do, but to reach deeper into the vision and the plan.
That’s what true friendship will do for each of us.
II Corinthians 10-11
From the earliest days, fallen human nature was obviously trying to dominate God’s plan. Paul had to address this.
He was a true apostle. This man of God didn’t try to exalt himself. Paul wasn’t a smooth-talking preacher who swayed people by his charismatic presence. He was a humble man, but one who truly walked in God’s greatest purpose for his life.
Unfortunately, some of the smooth-talkers came along and tried to persuade the people to follow them instead of Paul. And their teaching was in error.
That’s why Paul lists all of his credentials – apologizing as he does. He wants the people to know that he is the true teacher and not the others. God’s truth is not based on someone who is silver-tongued.
This is a principle we need to be aware of in our day. With the rise of media, there are many silver-tongued preachers who are not representing the truth. That’s not to say that it’s wrong to be charismatic. But you can’t follow someone just because they are charismatic.
Look at the Word and let that guide you. Are they preaching the truth, charismatic or not? That’s who you want to listen to. If they are preaching error, run as fast as you can away from their teaching.
It’s like Paul said, “I didn’t come to you with beautiful speech, but with demonstrations of God’s power.”
Some of the most powerful teaching and example I have ever encountered have come from humble, soft-spoken people. People who live the Word and not just talk about it.
That’s the way I want to be. I want my life to be a written epistle of God’s goodness.
And I want Him to get the credit.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Proverbs 21-25
What does the Lord want from you and me? Does He want sacrifice? Does He want us just to give up everything?
There is a lot in the Bible about our Father’s expectations. Several times He makes reference to the fact that He doesn’t want our sacrifice. He wants our hearts.
Over the years I have known a number of people who were very sacrificial in their giving of money. Sometimes their hearts were right; sometimes they were not.
I have seen those who have given a lot to the church or to other causes, with expectations of many thanks for it. They did it for show – and to lift themselves up. Then I have seen others who have given significant amounts and have thought that somehow they have purchased special honor from God. They have not allowed Him to deal with their hearts – and as a result, they have been ornery and judgmental. But they gave.
“The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just than when we offer Him sacrifices.”(21:2)
When we allow our Father to correct us and strengthen us, we will give to Him – out of a pure heart. Then we will also be kind and just toward others. We will not lift ourselves up, but we will lift Him up.
That’s the sacrifice our Father wants. He wants our hearts – filled with praise toward Him.
In fact, the proverb goes on to say, “The sacrifice of an evil person is detestable, especially when it is offered with wrong motives.” (21:27)
Enough said about that!
Will I give? Of course I will. But not in place of my relationship with Him – and not trying to buy His blessings.
I give because I love Him.
II Corinthians 8-9
While we are on the subject of money and giving, the Lord has a lot to say about it here.
We don’t give just to receive blessings. However, when we give with the right motives, we can know that our God will bless us abundantly.
“Our God is able to make all grace abound toward you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.” (9:8)
Keywords: always, sufficiency, abundance.
Think about what this is saying. When we are walking with our Lord in truth, allowing Him to lead us and guide us, and when we are giving as He leads, we can expect supernatural provision.
I personally have seen this happen. There have been times when there would be a need that seemed impossible at the time. Yet every time our Father has come through for me.
Four children through college, weddings, traveling needs, needs of the church. You name it. There has always been a way provided so that “all-sufficiency” was there.
I don’t desire to live a materialistic life, yet I do enjoy nice things. And my God has more than supplied – and He is continuing to do so.
Now let’s go on. “He provides seed to the sower… He will supply and multiply your seed.” (9:10)
This is the Word of God. He will supply your seed and multiply it if you are a sower into His kingdom.
I don’t know about you, but I love to sow – and I want to be a sower all the days of my life. There’s no greater joy than giving when He prompts me to. (And sometimes when He doesn’t).
When you “live to give,” as the saying goes, you will find your own needs being met in unusual ways – but they will be met.
It’s a fun life!
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Proverbs 17-20
Have you seen anyone operate with “dishonest scales” or “unfair weights?” Do you know what I am talking about?
In the days of Solomon, the unfair weights were tricks of the merchants. They would have two weights in their bag with the same markings of measurement. The wicked merchant would have two weights marked “one talent” (75 lbs). If you came in to sell him something, he would weigh with the smaller weight; if you came to buy, he would use the larger one. Either way, you would be swindled, and he would make more money.
There are people today who are swindlers, but probably not you. But are you using differing weights in other areas of your life?
Do you give your children a pass on actions which you judge others for? (After all, it’s never your child’s fault, right)?
Or what about yourself? Do you harbor resentment for those around you for doing exactly what you do? Do you call them greedy, when you are? Do you get annoyed with their gossip, while you are doing the same?
Many times, the very attributes which annoy us in others are the attributes we share with them.
That’s a modern day version of “differing weights.” What we expect from others shouldn’t be more than what we expect from ourselves.
It all comes down to humility and honesty. Neither we nor our children are perfect. (A hard fact, but we have to face it. We and they are human, too).
So as we are honest in our praying and study, we will try to remove the sin from our own lives. That will be our concentration – not judgment of others.
The Lord has to be the one to deal with the others.
It’s amazing to see the peace which comes with such a sincere approach to life. Amazing!
II Corinthians 7
There are two kinds of sorrow. There is “godly sorrow,” which comes to us when we realize our sinful ways and choose to change them. Then there is a “worldly sorrow” which comes to those who refuse to change. They reap the rewards of their choices.
In Paul’s first letter he wrote about the man who “took his father’s wife.” He was to be kicked out of the church. It was a tough stance, and he felt sad as he wrote it.
However, he did the right thing. The church repented and the man repented. It produced “godly sorrow,” which led to repentance.
The second kind of sorrow may eventually produce repentance, but only after a big price has been paid.
I have seen many (and you probably have as well), who go through life with an arrogant, nobody-can-tell-me-what-to-do attitude. They continue down the wrong road, piling trouble onto the lives of those around them, as well as themselves.
At the end of such lives, there is always sorrow. There is loneliness, remorse, and depression for lives misspent.
So godly sorrow is good. It takes a person off the wrong path and gets them back on the track which leads to life and joy at the end.
If there are some things in your life which need to be changed, then don’t wait! Change them. God can help you get back on the right track (or get on the right track for the first time, if you have never been there).
Repentance is a wonderful gift we have from God. We get to start over any time we will. I love that!
