11 Wednesday Apr 2012
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Verse 11 stood out to me today, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her. There is nothing more precious than wisdom that comes from God. There are many things we may desire, but without wisdom and the knowledge of what to do with our desires, it will lack value. We must seek God’s wisdom to fully appreciate and use the gifts He has given us.
10 Tuesday Apr 2012
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In this chapter, Solomon really hammers a warning against the adulteress. And while I know he is probably speaking literally, this warning is also applicable for anything that takes our attention away from our relationship with God. Verses 22 and 23 paint a clear picture of what happens when we allow ourselves to lose focus; 22 All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose 23 till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life. This is a scary description of what happens when we allow ourselves to be led away from our relationship with God and into the path of destruction. It is very much like a marriage, where the more we focus on our spouse, the less we have time to focus on anyone else. The same applies to God; if we are consistently focused on Him, we won’t have time to focus on the things that lead us away from Him.
09 Monday Apr 2012
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Today is our 100th day of the year! Thank you to everyone who has stuck with the process and have joined us in our reading this year.
Today’s reading in Proverbs 6 has some great words of wisdom. My favorite passage is in verses 9-11, How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? 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. This passage applies to so much of our lives in regard to staying focused on the the task at hand. We can not afford to lose sight of what is important; whether it is our spiritual, physical, or emotional lives. All it takes is a moment of weakness to bring it all crashing down.
08 Sunday Apr 2012
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Harsh words today about adultery. I could focus on all the negatives, but instead I want to look at verses 18 and 19, May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe, a graceful deer— may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love. These are beautiful words that totally make me think of my wife Nancy. There is no one I love more on this earth than her and I love her more every day of my life. I pray that God lets me focus on her and pursue her more each day!
07 Saturday Apr 2012
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Verse 23 sums it up for me, Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Our heart dictates how we live because we always find time to do what we enjoy. We need to guard our hearts to make sure we only allow things that are pleasing to God. We need to keep our eyes, heart, and mind focused directly at our goal of having a relationship with God and not allow ourselves to be distracted by other things in our lives. God want our full attention and we need to give it.
06 Friday Apr 2012
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Verses 5 and 6 are words for all of us to live by, 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. The more I trust in my own ways the more I realize I need God to lead me down the path. If I simply put God in front of everything I do, He will lead me down the straight path. Keep in mind the straightest path does not necessarily mean a straight line, it means the most direct path to our intended destination. Going straight over a mountain may be the shortest path, but the most direct path requires us to navigate around the rocky peaks.
05 Thursday Apr 2012
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While knowledge is important, wisdom is the key to making knowledge matter in our lives. In verse 10 it says, For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. It isn’t until wisdom enters our lives that knowledge becomes useful for us to further God’s kingdom.
04 Wednesday Apr 2012
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I love the book of Proverbs because it imparts practical knowledge, insights, and guidelines for our lives. We will spend the next 9 days going through the first 9 chapters in Proverbs. The first 9 chapters focuses on wisdom for young people. While I am no longer that young, the information is still practical for anyone at any age. The passage that stood out to me was verse 7, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. The foundation of knowledge is to fear the Lord and to honor, respect, and live in awe of God’s power. In a time when information and knowledge are readily available, wisdom continues to be scarce. Wisdom means more than having an abundance of knowledge, it is the attitude that affects all aspects of life. Without wisdom and discipline, applying knowledge means nothing.
03 Tuesday Apr 2012
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This last chapter of the Gospels is so wonderful! I love the way Jesus leaves His disciples; with a clear understanding of His love and a clear direction for them to follow. When Jesus says “Feed my sheep” or “Feed my lambs” He is indicating the types of love they should have (first two times Greek agape: volitional, self-sacrificial love) and (the third time Greek phileo: signifying affection, affinity, or brotherly love). When I read these passages it makes me wonder and question if I truly love Jesus. Do I really love Jesus? Am I really His friend? I want to be, but it doesn’t happen by accident. It takes work and commitment to building and maintaining a relationship with Him.
02 Monday Apr 2012
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As we approach the end of the Gospels, I can’t help but think about Jesus’ final days on earth; and how the disciples experienced the ultimate miracle of experiencing the Risen Savior. I also can’t help but think of everyone after that time and the amount of faith it takes to believe everything we read in scripture. Jesus Himself states in verse 29, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” He is talking about us! We are 2,000 years removed from Jesus’ resurrection and we believe. I know we don’t live in a vacuum and it is definitely not all by our own will, which is why I am thankful to God for blessing us with the Holy Spirit. With the Holy Spirit we have the constant reminder and helper to keep us in the presence of God and know He is truly the Risen Savior.
Daily Devotion 