Coming Soon
Month: September 2006
Table of Contents – Nuggets from Proverbs
Day 30
Apples of Gold
Day 29
What is Your Tongue Worth?
Day 28
Pride
Day 27
Wandering
Day 26
The Proverbs Friend
Day 25
The Way That Seems Right
Day 24
God Sees All
Day 23
Wisdom, Knowledge, Discretion and Understanding
Day 22
Train Up A Child
Day 21
Sowing Wisdom Reaps Kindness
Day 20
Whose Way
Day 19
The Mouth
Day 18
A Prudent Man
Day 17
Studying and Teaching
Day 16
The Merry Heart
Day 15
Receiving Instruction
Day 14
Discrete or Indiscrete
Day 13
Do You Struggle With Pride?
Day 12
The House Filled With Wind
Day 11
How Are You Building Your Home?
Day 10
Friendship
Day 9
Wise and Discrete
Day 8
The Clamorous Woman
Day 6
Wise or Brutish?
Day 2
Teachings of Humility in Proverbs
Day 1
What Fruit Are You Bearing?
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Day 8 – The Clamourous Woman
Prov. 9:13 “A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing.”
Proverbs is such a great book – full of instruction and wisdom! Why, then, is its wise counsel not heeded? I think each of us knows someone who fits the description of the lady of Proverbs 9:13. I know I do!
I looked up clamorous in Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary and I must say that it was more than what I thought it meant, which was noisy!
CLAMOROUS, a. Speaking and repeating loud words; noisy; vociferous; loud; turbulent.
Now that it’s put that way, can you imagine living with someone like this? Better yet, are you that someone?
Someone I know quite well is exactly like this. A dear friend of mine lives next door to someone who fits this description perfectly. These women probably have no clue that they are this way – or they probably don’t care. Solomon says that these women are not only loud but repetitious! That means they are naggers and complainers and they do it loudly! I don’t know about you but I truly do not want to be known as a clamorous woman! Nor do I think a man would want to live with one either.
Solomon goes on to say that the clamorous woman is simple and knows nothing. Why do you think he said that? I’m sure it had nothing to do with how smart she was. Noah Webster defined “simple” as being weak in intellect. In fact, the lady I personally know is quite intelligent. However, I believe Solomon means that the clamorous woman is simple in the Word of God. You can “know” an instruction but it does not mean that you have applied it to your life. Any believer who spends daily time in the Word seeking the Holy Spirit’s will is going to be convicted of sin in their lives. So, obviously, this woman does not make the Word part of her daily life. If she does, then she is most certainly quenching the Holy Spirit.
I surely feel badly for the man who is married to such a woman. I think of another Proverb, “It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.” (Pro 25:24) How sad it is when a women is so prideful that she does not allow the Holy Spirit to work in her life.
The Lord has much reward in store for the woman who can be taught. Let’s look at the flip side of Proverb 9:13 – the exact opposite “A prudent woman is quiet: she is wise, and knoweth the will of God.” Are you this woman? Or, instead, are you the Proverbs 9:13 woman? Why would you want to be known as a clamorous woman? Won’t you allow the Holy Spirit to teach you?
Dear God…
Help me to see myself as You do
Each wicked sin and weakness reveal
Show me in Your Word and please grow me
So my broken spirit will be healed
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Day 7 – How Firm a Foundation
Prov. 9:1 “Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars”
Anyone with even a bit of imagination can visualize the building of a house. It is especially interesting to pull together the verses which deal with this topic. I love to see the “big picture” that God is trying to paint when He refers to our spiritual lives.
Amuse me a bit as I take you along my mental project of house building. I’ve never built a house, but I have watched many a home improvement program to know the process. One of the important factors is having a solid piece of land to lay the foundation on. There’s no sense in laying a foundation on sand – no matter how strong that foundation is, it will crack. A good solid ground, yes even a good solid Rock, will hold up the foundation. This is the starting point. A word search on the word foundation blessed my heart so much.
As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation. (Pro 10:25)Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. (Isa 28:16)
He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. (Luk 6:48)
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (1Co 3:11)
Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; (1Co 3:12)
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; (Eph 2:20)
Here we see that Christ is the Chief Corner stone (the strongest stone used in a foundation because it unites two sides) of the foundation. The apostles and prophets (the Word of God) make up the rest of the foundation. As we read through these verses, we see that the saved’s foundation is eternal because it is the foundation of Jesus Christ. The building materials reflect our spiritual homes as they are built upon the foundation (gold, silver, precious stones or wood, hay and stubble). We should take a moment here to compare this to the quality of building supplies you use in building your earthly home… do you use cheap insulation or did you go with the good stuff? When the cold winter winds blow, do you see your curtains moving and drafts coming out of all the cracks? Your house will reflect the time and money you put into building it. What about your spiritual house?
The shell of the house is next – putting up pillars (if that’s your design) – solid load-bearing walls, insulation, drywall, etc. We see that Wisdom’s house in Proverb 9:1 had seven pillars! The number seven in the Bible depicts completion. Creation was finished and God rested on the seventh day. There are seven days in the week. There are seven churches referenced in Revelation, etc. Seven is known as God’s perfect number – the number for completion. Wisdom has seven pillars on her house. The house is perfectly solid – it is complete.
Why would God use this application for wisdom? Everyone knows what it’s like to start a new job. Oh the feeling of insecurity we have because we don’t know all the “ins and outs” of that position just yet. Our manager can teach us the various tasks and we can take thorough notes, but until we actually perform those tasks ourselves, we do not have that warm fuzzy feeling of comfort. Each day, we become more and more experienced with the day-to-day tasks at hand. Eventually, we can perform those same tasks with our eyes closed.
This simple example can be applied to our own spiritual lives. When we are saved, we now have the foundation of our spiritual homes. The more we are in the Word of God and apply and practice His teachings in our lives, we are constructing our spiritual homes upon the foundation. If our building materials are weak, we will not weather the storms of life and the devil’s attacks – our house will be shaken. However, we can start over and rebuild using those materials which are everlasting. Those same storms can come, but this time our house will stand strong and firm!
Let’s apply wisdom in our spiritual lives and building upon Christ’s solid foundation. In so doing, we will have precious building materials in our spiritual house which will fair the storms of life.
How Firm a Foundation
By John RipponHow firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
You, who unto Jesus for refuge have fled?
In every condition, in sickness, in health;
In poverty’s vale, or abounding in wealth;
At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea,
As thy days may demand, shall thy strength ever be.
Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen and help thee, and cause thee to stand
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.
When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.
Even down to old age all My people shall prove
My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne.
The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.
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Day 18 – The Gift
Reading: Ephesians 2:8-9
Today’s verse:
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” (Ephesians 2:8)
The definition of grace is “undeserved kindness.” God shows undeserved kindness toward us by offering us the gift of His Son. We accept this Gift through faith. There is nothing I can do to earn a gift. I can earn a prize by winning a race. But I cannot earn a gift. A gift is something I do not have to earn … it is freely given to me. However, a gift cannot be given to someone unless that person receives the gift in his hands. Otherwise, the gift has not been received.
For example, it’s your birthday and I come to your party. I put your birthday gift on the table along with the others. You open all the gifts except mine and you leave mine on the table, untouched and unopened. My gift remains untouched and unopened for days. Did you truly receive my gift? Of course not. You don’t even know what it is. You have not opened it. The same goes for God’s gift of His Son to us. If we do not receive Christ by faith, you have not accepted the gift.
What is stopping you from this simple step? Are you afraid because you have to repent from your sin? You can’t ask God to forgive you of your sins and continue down the same path. That is not repentance. Repentance is a change of mind, or a conversion from sin to God. If you say you are saved but your mind still dwells on sin and not on God, you have not had a change of mind at all. All you did was pray a useless prayer. As we look back to our story about the birthday gift, notice how there is an action that must be taken by you in order for you to open that gift. You have to pick that gift up in your hands. The same goes with the gift of salvation. You have to be willing to repent of your sin and accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour through faith.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” (Ephesians 2:8)
Dear God…
Repentance is not an easy thing
It is difficult to understand
But I pray You would guide me in my quest
To understanding Your Simple Plan.
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Day 17 – Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late
Reading: John 3:1-21
Today’s verse:
“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19)
Are you struggling with the gospel messages you have read thus far? You struggle dear friend because you are in darkness. Your sin has created a spiritual “film” – a darkness over your eyes. Your heart cannot see the blessed light which is shed on the Gospel because you have long lived in this darkness. Ask God to lighten your way and help you with your unbelief. As was previously written, you are not alone in your unbelief. “And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” (Mark 9:24)
There is no sin that has been sinned since creation of man that God cannot forgive. Jesus’ blood cleanses from ALL sin. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7)
There is only one sin which will not be forgiven mankind and that is rejecting Christ as Saviour. The Holy Spirit’s job is to guide and direct us to the work of Jesus Christ and His shed blood on the cross. “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:” (John 15:26)
If we deny the Holy Spirit’s guidance and do not accept Christ as our Saviour, this sin (blasphemy against the Holy Spirit) will not be forgiven and we bring upon ourselves condemnation and eternal life in the lake of fire.
“Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.” (Matthew 12:31)
Do not delay your decision. Today is the day you should get saved. God has led you to a point where you understand. Take heed before it is eternally too late. “…behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.: (2 Corinthians 6:2b)
Dear God…
Let not my head be darkened
With ideas and logic from friends
But let my heart seek truth and love
In Your Son’s precious nail-scarred hands.
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Day 6 – Wise or Brutish
Prov. 12:1 “Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.”Prov. 15:32 “He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.”
As I was reading Proverbs this morning, I noticed in Prov. 12:1 that the Lord says that the person who hates to be corrected is brutish. I had a mental picture of what brutish meant but found Noah Webster’s definition quite interesting.
BRU’TISH, a. Like a brute or beast; as a brutish form.
1. Insensible; stupid; as brutish men.
2. Unfeeling; savage; ferocious; brutal.
3. Gross; carnal; bestial.
4. Ignorant; uncivilized; untaught.
When we refuse spiritual correction, we are being insensible, stupid, unfeeling, carnal, ignorant and untaught! Ouch! We do not totally realize what we do when we refuse correction or “buck” against it. God knows, however. He is quite clear in His Word.
Another Proverb that hit me between the eyes was Proverb 15:32. God says that we hate our own soul if we refuse instruction. Those are not comforting words at all. These words should get the Christian stirred up.
Do we interfere with the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives by being brutish? Are we hating our own souls by refusing instruction? Why in the world would we want to be classified amongst those that are? Instead, the Lord promises knowledge and understanding if we heed instruction and reproof!
In the yielding of our hearts to the Spirit’s teaching, His fruit becomes evident in our lives. The Word builds our faith and with that faith we put forth fruits of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance!
More Like Jesus Would I BeMore like Jesus would I be, let my Savior dwell with me;
Fill my soul with peace and love—make me gentle as a dove;
More like Jesus, while I go, pilgrim in this world below;
Poor in spirit would I be; let my Savior dwell in me.
If He hears the raven’s cry, if His ever watchful eye
Marks the sparrows when they fall, surely He will hear my call:
He will teach me how to live, all my sinful thoughts forgive;
Pure in heart I still would be—let my Savior dwell in me.
More like Jesus when I pray, more like Jesus day by day,
May I rest me by His side, where the tranquil waters glide.
Born of Him through grace renewed, by His love my will subdued,
Rich in faith I still would be—let my Savior dwell in me.
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Day 5 – The Light of the Word
Prov. 6:23 “For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life”
Some of us who are older can recollect being spanked by our parents. (It’s a sad state of affairs today where children threaten their parents with reporting them to Social Services if they spank them!) With each spanking I received as a child, I learned that what I did was wrong – sometimes I learned quickly and other times not so quickly. But the key here is that I learned from each spanking.
So it is with our Christian walk. Instead of parents, however, we have the Word and our Heavenly Father. God has given us the Word to intruct us. I love the way Proverbs 6:23 says that the Word is a lamp and a light for us. It is not a deep dark secret with hidden messages only to be interpreted by a priest or rabbi. It is a light to the one who is seeking God’s will. We all can know what the Bible has to say without depending on another for intepretation. I find it interesting that the Holy Spirit impressed upon Peter to pen the following verses:
2 Peter 1:20-21, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. (20) For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (21)
It is not man’s interpretations that we should be seeking. We should be seeking the Holy Spirit’s interpretation because He wrote the Bible using men who submitted themselves to be used by Him. This is not the way I was raised as a catholic. In fact, not once was I encouraged to read the Bible from the time I could reason to the age of 25. Not once… instead I was told to listen and obey my parish priest blindly. I was told that this was true faith. Now that I am born again and can read and understand God’s Word on my own, I say that this was not true faith but sheer stupidity on my part. Only I will be accountable before God for my actions – not anyone else but me! So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. (Rom 14:12) No one can stand before me in a court of law today and give an account and take my punishment for breaking a law in the United States. No one! Why should it be different before God – the Lover of righteousness? I cannot blame my actions on anyone else.
The second thing I noticed in this Proverb was that reproofs of instruction were a way of life for the believer. Daniel Webster defines reproof as:
1. Blame expressed to the face; censure for a fault; reprehension.Those best can bear reproof, who merit praise.
He that hateth reproof is brutish. Prov 12.
2. Blame cast; censure directed to a person.
Why would God include this immediately after stating that the Word was a lamp and light to us? Clearly the Word has been given to us to teach us the right way to go. When we get off the right path and disobey that instruction, God then corrects us and sometimes must chastise us. For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. (Pro 3:12) For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. (Heb 12:6)
Don’t follow man’s teaching blindly – no matter who that man is. It is good to listen to good preaching but it does not remove your responsibility as a born again child of God to make sure that what you are hearing is in line with God’s Word.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (2Ti 3:16) When a man (or “church”) teaches something contrary to God’s Word, you must search it out for yourself. We will each be accountable to God for what we did in life. We won’t be able to blame another when we stand before God and give an account for believing what “the church” or “the preacher” taught us. The Word was given to each of us as a lamp and a light – it is clear that this is not a case of the blind leading the blind – the blind see no light. The born again believer is no longer blind!
Therefore, God makes it quite clear that His Word shines brightly with His teachings and doctrine. For the believer, this is very encouraging because we are not left alone to our own devices. Rom 1:21-22, “But to the unsaved, you are without excuse. Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (21) Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, (22) Dont’ be a fool today. Let the light of the Word shine in your heart and draw you to the cross where your burdens may be lifted!
Dear God…
Your Word lightens my way
No more in darkness I hide
Desperately seeking I find
Your Precious bleeding side
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Day 16 – Are You Too "Good" For Hell?
Reading: John 3:1-21
Today’s verse:
“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:18)
If you think yourself too good for hell, you are dearly mistaken. After we die, we must all stand before Christ. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Heb 9:27) The judgment of the unsaved is hell. “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:15)
Those who are born again are no longer under condemnation according to John 3:18. We have been set free from the punishment of hell because Jesus paid our sin debt on the cross of Calvary. Those who believe in the work of the cross must repent from their sins and believe it is so. JESUS said we must repent, not some man. “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:3)
Repentance AND Faith – the two sides of the coin of salvation; both must be together. Without faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation (trusting in His shed blood and finished work on the cross of Calvary), grief for sin is just human reformation, trying to clean yourself up, trying to lift yourself up to Heaven by your own good works – by your own bootstraps – and it will never work! BUT without repentance for your sin – a desire to turn from it in the heart – without seeing your lost condition in the eyes of God – turning to Christ is just being religious, just saying a prayer, just getting your “fire insurance”, with no saving value! Both must be together: you must see your sin in the light of the Word of God and turn from it in your heart to the Saviour to save you from them and from the punishment due you because of those same sins – believing in your heart that Jesus can and will save you. THEN the Holy Spirit gives you eternal life, makes you a new creature in Christ Jesus, and begins to change you from the inside out. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Won’t you set aside any theology you have been taught up to now? Won’t you turn to the Bible where the truth is simply laid out for you? Allow the Holy Spirit of God to reveal the simplicity of the gospel to you. There is no other way to heaven. Neither Buddha nor Allah will get you there. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
Dear God…
Show me the way that leads to You
Let my path not be darkened with lies
Of those who choose to deceive and distract
But clearly guide me to eternal life!
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Day 15 – Which Twin Are You?
Reading: John 3:1-21
Today’s verse:
“For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:17)
Let’s say your twin daughters both run away from home to sow their wild oats. You discover where they are living and send your son, their brother, to talk some sense into them. Here you’ve created a beautiful home for them, complete with love and care. But now they have chosen to go against your wishes to live a life of sin and rebellion. If they knew you would have approved of their sin, they would not have run away. But they knew how you felt, thus their actions.
Your daughters no longer live in the comfort of your home nor are they protected by you. They are on their own. Your son begs the twins to turn from their wicked ways and to come home with him. He is able to reach one sister but the other is adamant. There’s nothing her brother can say – she does not want to return.
You rejoice greatly because one of your daughters has come home. However, you are heartbroken because the other daughter has chosen to stay in her sin. You do not love her any less but you are grieved beyond what words can say. She has chosen to sever the fellowship between you.
Can you now imagine how God feels? His creation, Adam and Eve, chose to sin. They did not realize that their sin brought the consequences of a broken relationship. Because God knows the future, He realizes that they will never be able to keep the Law. It grieves God that fellowship is broken so He makes a plan to send His Son. The Law requires that blood be shed for the remission of sins.
“And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” (Hebrews 9:22)
Because God is holy and cannot break the Law He created, He sends His Son (the Perfect Lamb) to shed HIS own blood for all man kind’s sin. What a beautiful picture. How much God loves us. God’s initial design was not to condemn the world. But because of the world’s sin, He sent His Son so that the world could be saved and fellowship could be restored.
Dear God…
Please help thou my unbelief.
Increase my mustard seed faith.
Open my eyes that I may see
The Gift Thou has sent my way!
