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Tag: Proverbs

  • Verse to DATE the Word on September 6 (9/6) is Proverbs 9:6

    “Forsake foolishness and live, and go in the way of understanding.” – Proverbs 9:6
    A TIME TO CHOOSE!

    Sometimes we come across a VERY DIRECT verse that speaks forcefully about the decisions we must make. In Proverbs 9:6 we have 2 VERY DIRECT instructions that when applied will change our lives.  With a goal to help a person experience LIFE as opposed to death, the book of Proverbs offers a number of contrasts and one of the most used contrasts is that of the wise person as opposed to the foolish person.  We learn how choosing to fear the Lord and doing what is upright brings life.  For instance, Proverbs 14:27 says, “The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to turn one away from the snares of death.”  Proverbs 11:19 says, “As righteousness leads to life, so he who pursues evil pursues it to his own death.  

    On the other hand, doing foolishness and folly brings destruction. From Proverbs 14:9 we learn that “Fools mock at sin.”   In Proverbs 10:14 we see the contrast between the wise person and the foolish person as “Wise people store up knowledge, But the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.”  Again we see the contrast from Proverbs 14:1  as “The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish pulls it down with her hands.”

    Knowing how destructive foolishness is we read in Proverbs 9:6 to FORSAKE FOOLISHNESS and LIVE. Having forsaken foolishness we now GO IN THE WAY OF UNDERSTANDING!“

    I am sure you have read this before but it is so fitting here.  You make your choices and then your choices make you.  Proverbs 9:6 is calling on you to MAKE THE CHOICE to forsake that which brings destruction and death to your life and choose to follow the right path to LIVE!

    I look at Proverbs 9:6 as a GROWING UP verse.  There comes a time when the little boy sits down and the young man stands up!  There comes a time when the little girl sits down and the young lady stands up.  

    On a personal note, Proverbs 9:6 does come into play in my own personal journey although the friend did not quote the verse directly but he did say, “When are you going to cut this foolishness out of your life?”   A few weeks later an older man would say to me, “Don’t you think it is time to cut this foolishness out?”  God used a friend and an older gentleman to say in essence it is time to FORSAKE FOOLISHNESS and LIVE!  It was time for the little boy to sit down and the man to stand up!

    You may need to hear Proverbs 9:6 today!  Maybe you need to share Proverbs 9:6 with someone today as maybe it is time to grow up.

    Verse to DATE the Word on September 6 (9/6) is Proverbs 9:6.  It says, “Forsake foolishness and live, and go in the way of understanding.”

    You make your choices but then your choices make you!  Choose WISELY!

    Continue Strong going the right way,
    And remember to DATE the Word

  • Verse to DATE the Word on August 19 (8/19) is Proverbs 8:19

    “(WISDOM’S) fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold,
    And my revenue than choice silver.” – Proverbs 8:19
    The VALUE of WISDOM 

    Throughout the book of Proverbs, WISDOM will occasionally brag on itself and unashamedly makes the STRONGEST APPEALS for us to ACQUIRE wisdom.  As one works through Proverbs 8 wisdom will tell over and over of the ADVANTAGES and the benefits one will have as one ACQUIRES and applies wisdom.  To help one make the decision to GET WISDOM she gives common things to compare her with and in verse 19 she wants you to compare her to the REVENUE of gold and of silver.  Wisdom boasts that what she will bring to a person’s life is BETTER THAN having all the gold of Fort Knox and is BETTER THAN having an investment in a silver mine!  

    Let us ask a very important question.  Why is wisdom so valuable to have?  For me, it begins with Proverbs 14:12 and Proverbs 16:25, which say, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”  Man’s thinking about how to live life brings about DEATH.  On the other hand, WISDOM says that one who finds her finds LIFE.  See Proverbs 8:35 as “For whoever finds me (wisdom) finds LIFE,  and obtains favor from the LORD.”

    From the start of Proverbs to the very end wisdom tells that it PROVIDES (gives) LIFE and how it PROTECTS (delivers) a person from DEATH!  Proverbs 13:14 conveys it this way: “The teaching of the WISE (one who has WISDOM) is a fountain of LIFE, that one may turn away from the snares of DEATH.”

    I trust you hear the appeals of wisdom.  What I need and what you need, yes, what the world needs is WISDOM!  When you consider how valuable GOLD is, wisdom says it is BETTER THAN the very best of gold. Wisdom says its revenue is better than the very best of silver! Thus, as one is seeking the best return on an investment BUY WISDOM!!! Wisdom will bring multiple dividends to one’s life.  

    Are you investing in wisdom? 

    BTW:  A guiding principle I have for living life:
    First thing in the morning I give worship to God and then I get wisdom from God and then I learn to walk like God and then and only then do I go to work for God.  
    To do this we suggest reading one chapter a day from Psalms and one chapter a day from Proverbs and one chapter a day from the New Testament.   

    Our verse to DATE the Word on August 19 (8/19) is Proverbs 8:19.  It says, “(WISDOM’S) fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, And my revenue than choice silver.”

    Ponder: sin always has a price tag and one pays more than they could have ever imagined. Wisdom is so valuable that as one acquires and applies it to their life it is priceless.
    So, which will it be today – sin or wisdom?

    Continue Strong by investing in WISDOM,
    And remember to DATE the Word

  • Verse to DATE the Word on August 13 (8/13) is Proverbs 8:13

    “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the 
    evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.” – Proverbs 8:13
    Worth noticing the NLT – 13 ” All who fear the LORD will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption, and perverse speech.”

    REJECTING the things that He Rejects. 

    A relationship with God that is grounded first and foremost with the fear of the Lord will see a person having reverence for God and respect for God. In fearing God, one is not AFRAID of God as much as one is in AWE of God. With reverence and respect for God one will see a change in how one thinks and acts. Growing in reverence of God brings about a knowledge of what God loves as well as what God hates.  When one has the fear of the Lord one will determine decisively to love the things He loves and hate the things He hates.

    Let us make no mistake that there are things that God does hate. The verse indicates that pride and arrogance and evil actions and a filthy corrupt crooked mouth are hated by God.  God hates EVIL.  Proverbs 6:16-19 reveal more things as it reveals “These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.“

    As we grow in becoming more like Christ we are going to be growing in resisting the thing that God hates.  A reverence for the Lord will lead us to resist, yes Reject the things that He Rejects. 

    How is your reverence and respect for God changing you?  

    Our verse to DATE the Word on August 13 (8/13) is Proverbs 8:13. It says, “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.”
    NLT – 13 ” All who fear the LORD will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption, and perverse speech.”

    What are your “I hate” statements having read Proverbs 8:13?

    Continue Strong growing in love with what God loves and developing a hatred for what He hates,
    And Remember to DATE the Word

  • Verse to DATE the Word on August 8 (8/8) is Proverbs 8:8

    “All the words of my mouth are with righteousness;
    Nothing crooked or perverse is in them.” – Proverbs 8:8
    God’s Wisdom is TRUSTWORTHY

    The book of Proverbs is known primarily for PROVIDING wisdom.  It is the “go-to book” for getting heavenly insights for earthly living.  To open Proverbs is to open a treasure chest filled with teachings to guide a person to make decisions that bring life to their life as opposed to making decisions that destroy their life.   It is interesting though that as helpful as wisdom is to us wisdom itself believes it must make numerous appeals to the reader to get wisdom.   From the first chapter up through chapter 9, Proverbs will be both revealing wisdom to the reader while purposefully pausing to appeal and, if you will, advertising heavily to the reader on why they should be acquiring and applying wisdom.  As you come to Proverbs 8 you will find a chapter that is almost completely about the benefits of wisdom.  Let us notice just a few of the verses starting at verse 1 to see how wisdom first appeals to us and then how she presents herself. 

    Proverbs 8:1 (the appeal) Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice?  2 (the availability) She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, beside the way, where the paths meet. 3  She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, At the entrance of the doors: 4  “To you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men.
    5  O you simple ones, understand prudence, And you fools, be of an understanding heart.
    6 (her advertisement) Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, And from the opening of my lips will come right things; 7  For my mouth will speak truth; Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
    8  All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; Nothing crooked or perverse is in them.

    As we look at Proverbs 8:8, wisdom wants the reader to know that what you will receive is right and completely trustworthy.  She tells of her words being spoken with righteousness and this connects her words to the character of God who is righteous.  They are pure words.  These are true words that can be trusted.  

    A great way to understand Proverbs 8:8 is to restate that there is no FAKE NEWS with wisdom.  There will be nothing misleading with wisdom. Wisdom says what it means and means what she says.  When wisdom is applied it will work. The path that wisdom puts you on gets you to the correct destination.  You can TRUST WISDOM.

    Wisdom not only has appealed to us it has gone the extra mile to explain and justify her very character so that you can TRUST what is said to you.  The choice is now yours as to whether to acquire her with all diligence and then apply what she teaches.  

    Our verse to DATE the Word on August 8 (8/8) is Proverbs 8:8. It says, “All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; Nothing crooked or perverse is in them.”

    Continue Strong knowing you can trust God’s wisdom,
    And remember to DATE the Word

  • Verse to DATE the Word on August 1 (8/1) is Proverbs 8:1

    “Does not wisdom cry out, and understanding lift up her voice?” – Proverbs 8:1
    WISDOM IS CALLING

    From the start of the Book of Proverbs, WISDOM will APPEAL to ALL, anyone and everyone, anywhere and everywhere to ACQUIRE and ATTAIN her as, listen, she is readily AVAILABLE!  For instance, Proverbs 1:20-21 says, “Wisdom calls aloud outside; She raises her voice in the open squares.  She cries out in the chief concourses, at the openings of the gates in the city.”  Wherever people are WISDOM IS CALLING.

    WISDOM is so convinced we need her that she states without any reservation that we should make getting (ATTAINING) wisdom our top priority.  Proverbs 4:7 say, “Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore, get wisdom and in all your getting, get understanding.”  WISDOM IS CALLING!

    Why is getting WISDOM so essential? What does it provide?  As wisdom makes its numerous APPEALS it also tells of the ADVANTAGES one will have in living a life.  Wisdom can be defined as having a SKILL.  The wisdom that is found in Proverbs is described as Heaven’s instructions to give us the skills needed for earthly living. When heaven’s instructions are applied one has the various skills, the various abilities needed to live life the way God intended life to be lived. 

    Twice in Proverbs, we have very scary verses as both Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25 says “There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.”  Wisdom is going to show us the RIGHT way that leads to life rather than death.  Pay close attention to how Proverbs 8 concludes. Proverbs 8:35 says, “For whoever finds me (WISDOM) finds life, And obtains favor from the LORD; 36  But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; All those who hate me love death.”

    Are you hearing the call from wisdom?  Are you hearing the cry of wisdom?  Wisdom, heavenly instructions for earthly living, is AVAILABLE to YOU!  I appeal to you to answer wisdom’s call and acquire and apply wisdom to your life!

    PRACTICAL APPLICATION: A way to answer the call of wisdom is by reading and studying the book of Proverbs. A way to do this is by reading one chapter a day.  I like to suggest reading the chapter that matches the day of the month.  With today being August 1 read Proverbs 1.  Then on August 2 read Proverbs 2.  Do this for each day of August!  BTW – Early in my walk with the Lord I received this great advice and I wholeheartedly believe it to be some of the greatest advice I could ever give you. I hope it will become a spiritual habit in your life!

    The wisest decision you will make is to GET WISDOM!  

    Verse to DATE the Word on August 1 (8/1) is Proverbs 8:1. It says, “Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice?”

    Wisdom is calling to you.  Will you answer her call?

    Continue strong making it a priority to get the principal thing,
    And remember to DATE the Word

    Bonus – PROVERBS 1
    1  The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:
    2  To know wisdom and instruction, To perceive the words of understanding,
    3  To receive the instruction of wisdom, Justice, judgment, and equity;
    4  To give prudence to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion—
    5  A wise [man] will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,
    6  To understand a proverb and an enigma, The words of the wise and their riddles.
    7  The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of knowledge, [But] fools despise wisdom and instruction.
    8  My son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not forsake the law of your mother;
    9  For they [will be] a graceful ornament on your head, And chains about your neck.
    10 My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent.
    11  If they say, “Come with us, Let us lie in wait to [shed] blood; Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;
    12  Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, And whole, like those who go down to the Pit;
    13  We shall find all [kinds] of precious possessions, We shall fill our houses with spoil;
    14  Cast in your lot among us, Let us all have one purse” —
    15  My son, do not walk in the way with them, Keep your foot from their path;
    16  For their feet run to evil, And they make haste to shed blood.
    17  Surely, in vain the net is spread In the sight of any bird;
    18  But they lie in wait for their own blood, They lurk secretly for their own lives.
    19  So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain; It takes away the life of its owners.
    20  Wisdom calls aloud outside; She raises her voice in the open squares.
    21  She cries out in the chief concourses, At the openings of the gates in the city She speaks her words:
    22  “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, And fools hate knowledge.
    23  Turn at my rebuke; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.
    24  Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,
    25  Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke,
    26  I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes,
    27  When your terror comes like a storm, And your destruction comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you.
    28  “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.
    29  Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD,
    30  They would have none of my counsel [And] despised my every rebuke.
    31  Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own fancies.
    32  For the turning away of the simple will slay them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them;
    33  But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, And will be secure, without fear of evil.”

  • Verse to DATE the Word on July 1 (7/1) is Proverbs 7:1

    “My son, keep my words, and treasure up my commands within you.” – Proverbs 7:1
    Responding to the Word

    As part of imparting wisdom, Solomon will frequently appeal to his son, to the reader, to receive and respond with proactive actions to his teaching.  In Proverbs 7:1 he appeals to his son to (1) keep his word.  The idea of the word “keep” is to obey.  It has the idea of putting it into action. While it is great to acquire wisdom one must also APPLY the wisdom.  We must be more than hearers (readers) of God’s Word, we must be doers!   

    While appealing for ACTION with his words there also is an appeal (2) to have a positive attitude toward the commands.  He calls on him to place a high value on the commands by TREASURING the commands.  As one thinks of treasuring there is the idea of holding it close, of protecting it.  Treasuring also conveys cherishing.  We see tremendous VALUE in the Word.  Because we place a HIGH VALUE on the commands, we cherish them, and we STORE up the commands so we can USE them. 

    How are you responding to the Word? Are you RECEPTIVE to what it says?  Do you KEEP what it says, applying and obeying what is taught?  Do you TREASURE the truth?  Do you view it as that of great VALUE?  

    Verse to DATE the Word on July 1 (7/1) is Proverbs 7:1. It says, “My son, keep my words, and treasure up my commands within you.”

    Let us be known for TREASURING the treasure of God’s treasure chest, His Word!

    Continue Strong acquiring and applying the Word of God
    And remember to DATE the Word

  • Verse to DATE the Word on Father’s Day, June 18 (6/18) is Proverbs 20:7

    “The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him.” – Proverbs 20:7
    Happy Father’s Day 2023

    Without a doubt, the three most meaningful titles I have is husband, father, and grandfather.  I love being a husband.  I love being a father.  I love being a grandfather.  I so agree with Proverbs 18:22 as it states, “He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the LORD.”  I so agree with Psalm 127:3-5 as it says, “Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;”  And while there is no exact verse about being a grandfather Deuteronomy 4:9 speaks of teaching God’s Word to both your children and your grandchildren.” 

    As a father, I chose Proverbs 20:7 to be my guiding verse.  If I do what is right and live with integrity my children will be blessed.  My actions have a direct impact on them.  I don’t want to be a burden.  I want to be a blessing.   I want them to enjoy God’s blessings.   I encourage you who are fathers reading this to have a main verse that guides your role as a father. 

    I thought I would share just a few thoughts about being a father.  

    Fathers are to FEAR the Lord, be full men of FAITH and be found FAITHFUL. 
    Joshua 24:15 says, as for ME and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
    Psalm 128:1-3 Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in His ways! 2  You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you. 3  Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table. 4  Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the LORD.

    Fathers are to be thinking about the AFTER of their actions.
    This principle comes from Proverbs 20:7, which I have already mentioned.
    “The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him.

    Fathers are to be TEACHERS. 
    Proverbs 1:8 My son, hear the instruction of your father;
    Deut 6:7 “You (fathers) shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

    Fathers are to be HELPFUL, not harmful. 
    Ephesians 6: 4 And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath (harmful), but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord (helpful).
    Colossians 3:21 “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.”(very harmful) 
    Let 1 Thessalonians 5:11 guide you. “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”

    Fathers are to be EXAMPLES.
    1 Timothy 4:12  “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”

    Fathers are to be RESPONSIBLE. 
    Proverbs 12:27 “The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting, But diligence (being responsible) is man’s precious possession.”
    If you father a child you are TO BE A FATHER to the child. 
    In being responsible as a father be responsible as a husband.  One of the best tips I can give any father is to LOVE your WIFE!  Proverbs 17:1 “Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.”

    Fathers are to SERVANTS.  Your children’s needs are met before your needs are met!
    John 13:14 “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.

    Hopefully, these few thoughts encourage you as for many this only reinforces what you have been doing.  As you review maybe a few challenged you to make some adjustments.  Make them.  What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his family?

    Again – HAPPY FATHER’S DAY

    Continue Strong FATHERS!  
    And remember to DATE THE WORD

  • Verse to DATE the Word on June 6 (6/6) is Proverbs 6:6

    “Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise,” – Proverbs 6:6
    Learning DILIGENCE, (to be hard at work) from an ANT!

    One cannot read through the book of Proverbs without noticing that King Solomon has a major problem with those who are LAZY.  There are close to 20 verses to address the lazy, the sluggard, the idle, and the slothful. To the ones who are lazy and sluggards, he will be very direct and challenge them to change their behavior!  There will be no compliments for being lazy!   On the other hand, there are those who work hard and are diligent.  They are responsible with responsibilities and as he writes of them, he commends and compliments them.  He will commend them as being wise!  He will commend them by saying diligence is a man’s precious possession.  

    While Solomon conveys his displeasure with the lazy and the sluggard, he also looks for ways to teach a strong work ethic to those who are lazy and slothful, to the one who is a SLUGGARD.  And of all the places and of all the animals to use to teach the sluggard, he sees the work ethic of the ANTS.  Picture him seeing ants in his yard or in a field.  He sees those ANTS working!  They do not have an overseer, yet they are diligently working to gather into their storehouse food for future use.  As he is watching them work, he calls on the sluggard, the lazy, to look at them and learn!  

    Have you considered ants?   Just as Jesus told us to consider the birds so we might not worry, Solomon tells us to consider the ANTS so that we might learn to WORK!   The ANT understands the necessity of preparing for the future.  The ANT understands that there are seasons of opportunities and that those opportunities are to be seized in a timely matter.  The sluggard (what an awful description) will miss opportunities and fail to be ready for the future.   So even while it may be embarrassing Solomon says CONSIDER the little ant so one can WISE UP, GET UP, and GET TO WORKING!!  

    As you dive into your responsibilities today what is the ANT teaching you?  

    Verse to DATE the Word on June 6 (6/6) is Proverbs 6:6. It says, “Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise,”

    Continue Strong with a strong work ethic,
    And remember to DATE the Word

    BTW – Solomon gained much wisdom from taking the time to observe a variety of animals.   When looking to convey life lessons of the highest order he went to four animals that most likely would not make our top list when thinking about lessons to learn from animals.  However, he saw four small, little animals and called them exceedingly wise.  Do you recall?  Proverbs 30:24 There are four things which are little on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise: 25  The ants are a people not strong, Yet they prepare their food in the summer;  
    26 The rock badgers are a feeble folk, Yet they make their homes in the crags; 27  The locusts have no king, Yet they all advance in ranks; 28  The spider skillfully grasps with its hands, And it is in kings’ palaces.”

    Why are these four animals so wise, so exceedingly wise?  The ants value preparation.  The rock badgers value protection.  The locusts value cooperation.  The spider values imagination.  
     
  • Verse to DATE the Word on April 27 (4/27) is Proverbs 4:27

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 27 (4/27) is Proverbs 4:27

    “Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.”   – Proverbs 4:27
    TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION NOW

    Throughout the month of April, we have highlighted a number of verses from Proverb 4 as this is one of the most instructive chapters in the Bible on taking actions that bring life and prevent death.  It opens with an appeal to hear and be fully attentive to the instruction as the teaching is GOOD.  Proverbs 4:1-2 says “Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight, 2 for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching.”  Then comes the strongest advice to acquire wisdom as wisdom is the principal thing.  To live life the way God intended it to be lived one needs to get HIS INSIGHTS and INSTRUCTIONS.  These insights and instructions are called WISDOM!  

    As we move toward the end of the chapter, we learn how to stay spiritually healthy.  Proverbs 4:23 may be one of the most important verses we must learn and apply as we are told to GUARD our hearts with ALL DILIGENCE for out of it comes the very issues of life.  To guard our hearts calls for putting the right things in and keeping the wrong things out.  

    To be spiritually healthy we must be putting the WORD of God in our hearts.  

    To be spiritually healthy we must be watching our words, keeping our conversation clean, and telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth.  

    To be spiritually healthy we must be watching what we watch.  Just as we set a guard on our mouth, we set a guard on our eyes.  We make the commitment to set nothing wicked before our eyes.  (See Psalms 101:3)

    To be spiritually healthy we must be watching where we walk.  If we are to have the right practices we will need to be at the right places.  Too often we yield to temptation because we are at the wrong places.   Proverbs 4:26 tells us to PONDER OUR PATH so that we don’t put ourselves in places where we are prone to fall. 

    The chapter concludes with REMOVE YOUR FOOT FROM EVIL. We have here the call to take personal responsibility for all of our actions.  Based on the previous instructions the reader is now informed on what is RIGHT.  Now is the time to own your decisions.  Removing your foot from evil means to STOP DOING IT.  It means to CUT IT OUT!  It means to QUIT IT. 

    This closing call to take personal responsibility for yourself leaves no room for excuses.  Proverbs 4 has told of the damage that evil brings, and you have been told to AVOID the highway to hell.  Proverbs 4 has told of the benefits of walking on the path of righteousness.  

    The question now is how do you RESPOND?   What ACTIONS do you need to take NOW?

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 27 (4/27) is Proverbs 4:27.  It says, “Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.”  

    Continue Strong doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong,
    And remember to DATE the Word
  • Verse to DATE the Word on April 26 (4/26) is Proverbs 4:26

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 26 (4/26) is Proverbs 4:26

    “Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.” – Proverbs 4:26
    OH BE CAREFUL LITTLE FEET WHERE YOU GO!

    Wrong practices happen so many times because of being with the wrong people and being in the wrong place. From the very start of the Book of Proverbs, there are warnings issued to stay away from places where one will be tempted to do wrong.  Proverbs 1:15 says, “My son, do not walk in the way with them (sinners of verse 10), keep your foot from their path.”  We have seen in Proverbs 4 the instructions to avoid the path of the wicked.  Proverbs 4:14 says, “Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil.”

    In staying safe we teach that it is important to KNOW WHERE YOU ARE and know your SURROUNDINGS.  MORE IMPORTANTLY, though, you need to THINK ABOUT WHERE YOU WILL BE GOING.  To ponder the path of your feet is to be proactively THINKING about what possible temptations could be at certain places.  

    A WISE PERSON DOESN’T PUT THEMSELVES IN PLACES WHERE THEY ARE PRONE TO FALL! 

    In “establishing” your ways consider some benefits when you choose the “right” path. 

    Proverbs 10:17  Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.
    Proverbs 12:28  In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway, there is no death.
    Proverbs 15:19  The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a level highway.
    Proverbs 15:24  The path of the prudent leads upward bringing life, that he may turn away from hell beneath.
    Isaiah 26:7  The path of the righteous is level; You make level the way of the righteous.

    From Proverbs 4:18 we are told that things get brighter for the righteous:  “But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.”

    As you ponder where your feet are going to take you PONDER WITH PRAYER.  Psalms 119:35  is a good one to pray for it says, “Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it.”    Of course, we have from the Lord’s Prayer that we ask the Lord to LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION!  When we pray these prayers we can expect our SHEPHERD to lead us in PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS!
     
    Verse to DATE the Word on April 26 (4/26) is Proverbs 4:26.  It says, “Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.”

    Continue Strong being careful where you go!
    And remember to DATE the WORD