Proverb A Day, Proverb 3 [Prayer and Meditation]

Bible NKJV ^ | 900 B.C. | Solomon

[OneVike]

Proverb 3 (NKJV)

Guidance for the Young

01 My son, do not forget my law,
00 But let your heart keep my commands;
02 For length of days and long life
00 And peace they will add to you.

03 Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
00 Bind them around your neck,
00 Write them on the tablet of your heart,
04 And so find favor and high esteem
00 In the sight of God and man.

05 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
00 And lean not on your own understanding;
06 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
00 And He shall direct[1] your paths.

07 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
00 Fear the LORD and depart from evil.
08 It will be health to your flesh,[2]
00 And strength[3] to your bones.

09 Honor the LORD with your possessions,
00 And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
10 So your barns will be filled with plenty,
00 And your vats will overflow with new wine.

11 My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,
00 Nor detest His correction;
12 For whom the LORD loves He corrects,
00 Just as a father the son in whom he delights.

13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
00 And the man who gains understanding;
14 For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver,
00 And her gain than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies,
00 And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand,
00 In her left hand riches and honor.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
00 And all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,
00 And happy are all who retain her.

19 The LORD by wisdom founded the earth;
00 By understanding He established the heavens;
20 By His knowledge the depths were broken up,
00 And clouds drop down the dew.

21 My son, let them not depart from your eyes--
00 Keep sound wisdom and discretion;
22 So they will be life to your soul
00 And grace to your neck.
23 Then you will walk safely in your way,
00 And your foot will not stumble.
24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
00 Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.
25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror,
00 Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes;
26 For the LORD will be your confidence,
00 And will keep your foot from being caught.

27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
00 When it is in the power of your hand to do so.
28 Do not say to your neighbor,
00 "Go, and come back,
00 And tomorrow I will give it,"
00 When you have it with you.
29 Do not devise evil against your neighbor,
00 For he dwells by you for safety's sake.
30 Do not strive with a man without cause,
00 If he has done you no harm.

31 Do not envy the oppressor,
00 And choose none of his ways;
32 For the perverse person is an abomination to the LORD,
00 But His secret counsel is with the upright.
33 The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked,
00 But He blesses the home of the just.
34 Surely He scorns the scornful,
00 But gives grace to the humble.
35 The wise shall inherit glory,
00 But shame shall be the legacy of fools.

The purpose of Writing the book of Proverbs was to reveal the mind of God in matters high and lofty and in common, ordinary, everyday situations. It appears that no topic escaped King Solomon's attention. Matters pertaining to personal conduct, sexual relations, business, wealth, charity, ambition, discipline, debt, child-rearing, character, alcohol, politics, revenge, and Godliness are among the many topics covered in this rich collection of wise sayings.

Without wisdom, knowledge is nothing more than an accumulation of raw facts, influenced by emotional feelings. Many highly educated people are in positions of power in the United States, but very few of those educated leaders have the wisdom needed to rule properly.

One can say that they have been educated well beyond their intelligence. A cursory look at the court system will prove my point that knowledge without wisdom will only lead to an immoral society that eventually crumbles from within. Judges are supposed to be above the fray, and immovable to emotions. Instead, the vast majority of judges today are Godless individuals who are vacant of wisdom. So their rulings are totally based upon emotional feelings.

We the people are to blame, because we ignored God's guidance in appointing our leaders. Instead of putting leaders full wisdom in power, we instead chose those who would scratch our itchy ears to lead us.

Of the 31 Proverbs, only the first 24 were written by Solomon. King Hezekiah wrote 5, Proverbs 25 to 29, Agur wrote Proverb 30, and Lemuel wrote Proverb 321. Now many believe Lemuel was in fact King Solomon and Lemuel was just a nick name his Mother, Bathsheba gave him. We are told that Solomon write over 3000 Proverbs and composed 1000 songs, but the only Proverbs God decided to preserve for us are Proverbs 1-24. Like the New Testament epistle by James, it is impossible to get a chronological outline for a study since they all bounce from subject to subject.

Along with my daily routine of reading the Bible, I try to read through the book of Proverbs once a Month. It's an easy task when you consider there are 31 Proverbs. So all you need to know is what day of the Month it is. In the Months that have 30 days, or in the case of February, I just double up by reading more than one two proverb so I can begin the next month with Proverb 1 on the first again.

[OneVike]

I highlighted the verses 3:9-10 as the ones that stand out to me today. Next, Month on the 3rd, I am sure it will be different verse I will highlight. However, the one I used today coincides with Malachi 3:10 in an uncanny and interesting way. Thus the mention of both Scriptures in the image I used today.

Now many will say that Christians are not specifically told to tithe in the New Testament, and they would be correct. However if you do not tithe, I question your walk with Christ. Oh, you do not have to give 1/10th, nor do you have to give to your church. Although I would question why you would get watered with comfort and teachings at a church you are not sharing the wealth our Lord has blessed you with. Just me, but do as the Lord leads you to do. It does not have to be money, it can be with goods, your talent, or your time serving in the church. Whatever you give though, it should be given willingly from your heart. God does not bless a selfish heart.

Ultimately, we are not called to give just 10% by Christ. No, we are told to give from all we have. Our time, talent, and treasures. Some of every aspect of our life is what Christ requires from us, because we are after all, part and partial of what creates His bride, the Church. What bride does not share all she has with her husband?

I'll leave it to you to ponder this as you meditate and pray over today's Proverb.

God bless each and everyone of you this day.

[OneVike]

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[givemWatts]

Thank you for today’s. Blessings.

[NEWwoman]

27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
00 When it is in the power of your hand to do so.

Amen, OneVike

[imardmd1]

From Chapter 3 of The Proverbs:

¹¹ My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,
Nor detest His correction;
¹² For whom the LORD loves He corrects,
Just as a father the son in whom he delights.
---------
Continuing the theme in later Scripture, the Spirit-inspired writer of Hebrews expanded on this wise counsel:
---------
Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children,
My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord,
nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom
the father chasteneth not?
But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards,
and not sons.
Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence:
shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit,
that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward
it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby"
(Heb 12:4-11 AV).
---------
It is also wise to note that chastisement of God is not punishment which Jesus sustained, all of it that we deserved, in our place. It is the discipline of nurturing, of training, that He is applying:
----------
"And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture
and admonition of the Lord" (Eph 6:4 AV).
----------
"Chastisement" and "nurture" are exactly the same word in the Greek, with the same meaning. God's nurturing, like surgery, is not necessarily enjoyable whilst one is undergoing it.

But the obedient man receives it with gratitude and becomes wise.

[OneVike]

Thanks