Am I living for the Lord?

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7). Wisdom has less to do with how much we know, and more to do with how well we live. To ask the question, "Am I wise?" is to ask the question, "Am I living for the Lord?" To those who want to become wise, we …

O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act!

Daniel 8:15-9:19; 1 John 2:28-3:10; Proverbs 29:10-18 There is real urgency about Daniel’s prayer: “O Lord, look with favour on Your desolate sanctuary … O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act!” (Daniel 9:17,19). We do need to pray with urgency. There are many who seek to lead us astray (1 John …

The Gospel does not begin with man, reaching up to heaven.

Zechariah 12:1-14:21; Revelation 2:1-17: Proverbs 30:1-10  God “pours out … a spirit of supplication” upon His people. As a result of this, they look on Him, “the One they have pierced.” In doing so, they come to “a fountain … to cleanse them from sin and impurity” (Zechariah 12:10; Zechariah 13:1). Mourning for the One …

King Jesus – so much greater than king David

1 Samuel 21:1-23:29; John 18:1-24; Proverbs 13:10-19 David was delivered from his pursuer, Saul. David became the king of Israel. Jesus was delivered into the hands of His enemies. Following His resurrection, Jesus was declared to be the King of kings. “The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares …

The most important thing in life

Again and again, Proverbs calls us to make a decision. We must choose - righteousness or wickedness. Will we "abandon God's teachings"? or Will we "follow God's teachings" (Proverbs 28:4)? The way of righteousness is the way upon which God sends His blessing. The way of wickedness is the way upon which there can be …

"He Who Follows Worthless Pursuits Has No Sense." Only One ‘Way’ Makes Sense – Christ.

Proverbs 12:1-14 The Word of God shows us the way we are not to go as well as the way we are to go. We are told that ‘the root of the righteous stands firm’(12). We are warned: ‘he who follows worthless pursuits has no sense’(11). Do you have any sense? Here’s the most sensible …

God wipes out the shadow of our past – and He shines in the light of His future.

Micah 5:1-7:20; 2 Corinthians 5:1-10; Proverbs 21:17-26 God wipes out the shadow of our past - He “pardons sin” (Micah 7:18). He shines in the light of His future - “We will be “clothed with our heavenly dwelling” (2 Corinthians 5:4). From this standpoint of privilege, we are called to fulfil our responsibility: to be soldiers of …

Wisdom and foolishness, righteousness and wickedness

The contrast between wisdom and foolishness corresponds to the contrast between righteousness and wickedness (Proverbs 10:1,7). God calls us to be “the wise in heart.” He calls us to show forth “the fruit of a righteous person.” He calls us to be “a winner of souls” (Proverbs 11:19-30). If there are to be the fruits …

Christ Is Our Wisdom. Receiving Him, We Receive Wisdom. Growing In Him, We Grow In Wisdom.

Proverbs 8:1-36 Hoping for ‘good luck’, some people expect good things to happen to them - all the time! God says, ‘Seek wisdom. Be ready for the hard times’. Wisdom comes from God. He speaks to us with words of wisdom (2:6; 6-8). Wisdom is not only for ‘kings and rulers, princes and nobles’. It …

Let’s take our problems to the Lord.

Proverbs 5:1-14 Being married: There are many temptations - the 'loose woman' (3-6). Be positive: Through 'mutual love and respect', let's build 'strong and happy' marriages, in which 'the marriage bond is honoured'. Singles: Don't spoil everything by getting entangled with those who are 'loose' in their commitment to believing in and living for Jesus …

The Lord’s people must not be afraid to stand up for Him.

Jeremiah 52:1-34; Titus 1:1-16; Psalm 119:105-112 The final chapter of Jeremiah speaks of the fall of Jerusalem, followed by captivity in Babylon. Difficulties face God’s people in every generation: “There are many rebellious people ... “ (Titus 1:10). The Lord’s people must not be afraid to stand up for Him (Titus 1:11). Whatever others may …

The God of glory is, also, the God of grace.

Job 35:1-37:24; Matthew 24:1-31; Proverbs 4:1-9 The Return of the Lord will be “with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30). Even in the rather arrogant words of Elihu, in his proud rebuke of Job, there is the recognition of the power and glory of the Lord’s coming – “God comes in awesome majesty” (Job 37:22). …

We may not understand what’s going on, but the Lord does.

Job 22:1-24:25; Matthew 21:18-32; Proverbs 3:21-35 Job 23:10 contains a spiritual gem – “He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” Failure to bear fruit leads to judgment (Matthew 21:19; John 15:16). When we face testing and purging, we must not lose sight of the …

Be strong.

Haggai 1:1-2:23; 2 John 1-13; Proverbs 29:19-27 God calls His people - "Be strong" (Haggai 2:4). This call comes to the "governor", "the high priest" and "all you people of the land" (Haggai 2:2). We need spiritual strength in government, in the Church and throughout the land. This strength is needed if we are to build upon …

Wisdom comes from God. Christ is our Wisdom.

PROVERBS 8:1-36  –  Hoping for ‘good luck’, some people expect good things to happen to them – all the time!  God says, ‘Seek wisdom.  Be ready for the hard times’.  Wisdom comes from God.  He speaks to us with words of wisdom (2:6; 6-8).  Wisdom is not only for ‘kings and rulers, princes and nobles’.  …

The clean life

Leviticus 13:1-59; Mark 12:28-44; Proverbs 6:20-29 Leviticus 13 continues to emphasize the importance of being clean. The clean life is a life characterized by love for God and love for our neighbour (Mark 12:29-31). This is “more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices” (Mark 12:33). The clean life is the life which is lived …

God wants us to keep on choosing His way.

Proverbs 6:16-35 God's Word is our 'lamp' and 'light' (23; Psalm 119:105). It leads us in the way we are to go (22). It exposes the darkness of the ways we are to avoid. It shows us the 'things that the Lord hates', the things which are 'an abomination to Him' (16). Why does God …

A time of great rejoicing

Esther 9:1-10:3; Revelation 5:1-14; Proverbs 30:11-23 Esther 9 speaks of days of feasting and joy (Esther 9:17-19,22-23,28). If the Jews had cause to rejoice in Esther's day, we have much more cause for rejoicing in the Lord - "Do not weep! Se, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed" …

Keeping the Lord at the very centre of our life

“Whoever gives attention to the Lord’s Word prospers, and blessed is the person who trusts the Lord” (Proverbs 16:20). Here, we are reminded of the most important thing in life - keeping the Lord at the very centre of our life.  "The eyes of a fool are looking around all over the world": The fool …

Pray to the Lord, and work for Him.

Nehemiah 5:1-7:3; Revelation 18:1-17a; Proverbs 31:10-20 Again, the combination of prayer and work is seen in Nehemiah - "I devoted myself to the work on this wall" (Nehemiah 5:16), "I prayed, 'Now, strengthen my hands.'" (Nehemiah 6:9). "So the wall was completed ... this work had been done with the help of our God" (Nehemiah …

Out of the shadows of our past, into the light of His future

Micah 5:1-7:20; 2 Corinthians 5:1-10; Proverbs 21:17-26 God wipes out the shadow of our past - He “pardons sin” (Micah 7:18). He shines in the light of His future - “We will be “clothed with our heavenly dwelling” (2 Corinthians 5:4). From this standpoint of privilege, we are called to fulfil our responsibility: to be soldiers of …

Start listening to the Lord.

Ezra 2:68-4:5; Revelation 9:13-10:11; Proverbs 30:24-33 At the heart of the rebuilding of the Temple, there was worship: "With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord: 'He is good; His love to Israel endures for ever" (Ezra 3:11). Those who worship the Lord are set within the context of a world that refuses to …

So much blessing comes to us from the Lord.

Zechariah 12:1-14:21; Revelation 2:1-17: Proverbs 30:1-10 God "pours out... a spirit of supplication" upon His people. As a result of this, they look on Him, "the One they have pierced." In doing so, they come to "a fountain... to cleanse them from sin and impurity" (Zechariah 12:10; Zechariah 13:1). God's people mourn for the One …

I once was lost, but now am found.

For more notes on God's Word, visit God's Word For Every Day. Genesis 6:1-8 The story of Noah is the story of God's grace - 'Noah found grace' (8). Noah lived in very difficult times (5-7), yet 'Grace found Noah'. His testimony could be summed up: 'Amazing grace...I once was lost but now am found' (Mission …

Brighter and brighter

"But the path of righteous people is like the light of dawn that becomes brighter and brighter until it reaches midday. 19 The way of wicked people is like deep darkness. They do not know what makes them stumble" (Proverbs 4:18-19). What a contrast there is between the "light" of the "righteous" and the "darkness" of the "wicked." …

Death will not have the last word.

Ezekiel 22:23-23:49; Hebrews 11:1-16; Proverbs 27:15-22 The contrast between a life of sin and shame and a life of faith and blessing is highlighted in the comparison between the passages in Ezekiel and Hebrews. The contrast is between living for the things we see - “She saw men ... As soon as she saw them …

Proverbs

PROVERBS 1:1-7  -  Scripture speaks of different kinds of ‘wisdom’. In Proverbs, wisdom is closely associated with godliness. In Ecclesiastes, wisdom - viewed as mere human intelligence - is described as ‘meaningless, a chasing after the wind’  (1:12-18). This contrast is continued in the New Testament, where Paul describes Christ as our ‘Wisdom’, contrasting this …

Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Chronicles 21:4-23:21; 1 Corinthians 15:50-16:4; Proverbs 20:25-21:4 The conflict between good and evil, godliness and ungodliness, may be seen throughout the Scriptures. This is particularly true in the history of the Old Testament kings. God is doing a work. Satan is doing all that he can to destroy it. We must make “a covenant ... …

Exodus 21:1-22:31; Mark 2:18-3:30; Proverbs 5:1-14

There is a world of difference between legal obedience and Gospel obedience. It is the difference between “old wine” and “new wine” (Mark 2:21-22). The religion of the Pharisees was legalistic. The obedience of Jesus was truly spiritual. These men could not stand Jesus -  “the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the …

Heaven came down and glory filled my soul.

"Building a tower and making a name for ourselves" (Genesis 11:4) There is no salvation in ourselves. Salvation is in Christ alone (Acts 4:12). The Lord is our "strong tower" (Proverbs 18:10). Salvation doesn't begin with ourselves. It comes to us from Christ: "Who came down from heaven to earth? - Jesus Christ, our Saviour." …

Richly blessed by the Lord

"There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing; and one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches" (Proverbs 13:7).   The rich man has nothing. The poor man has great riches. When I came across this verse, I thought about two great songs - one I've known for many years, the other I've only known …

All that we do – for the glory of God

2 Chronicles 5:2-7:10; 1 Corinthians 10:14-11:1; Proverbs 20:5-14 “The glory of the Lord filled the Temple of God” (2 Chronicles 5:14). There is glory among God’s people when He answers their prayers (2 Chronicles 6:40-42 and 2 Chronicles 7:1-3). All that we do is to be done “for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). This includes our …

What must I do to be saved?

1 Kings 14:21-16:7; Acts 16:16-40; Proverbs 15:21-30 The history of the kings was, for the most part, a history of rebellion against God. So few were asking the question: "What must I do to be saved?" (Acts 16:30). God has given His answer to this question: "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be …

Do not go to Egypt.

Jeremiah 40:7-42:22; 1 Timothy 4:1-16; Proverbs 25:11-20 “Do not go to Egypt” (Jeremiah 42:19) - Here is a Word from the Lord which is more than geographical directions. It is a Word concerning our walk with God. In Scripture, “Egypt” is not simply a particular geographical location. “Egypt” is symbolic of a proud, unbelieving hardness …

Don’t you want to get on in the world? – Which world are you living for?

Ezekiel 30:1-31:18; Hebrews 13:1-25; Proverbs 27:23-28:6 What a contrast there is between “Pharaoh king of Egypt” (Ezekiel 31:2) and “Jesus Christ” who is “the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Pharaoh had the appearance of “majesty”, yet he was “brought down” (Ezekiel 31:2,18). Jesus has a glory which will never be diminished. It …

I will tell him only what the Lord tells me.

1 Kings 22:1-53; Acts 19:14-41; Proverbs 15:31-16:7 Here's a spiritual principle for everyone who seeks to be faithful to God: "As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what the Lord tells me" (1 Kings 22:14). In Ephesus, there was a riot. The crowds shouted, "Great is Artemis ("Diana" in the King James …

God says, “I am with you. I will save you.”

Jeremiah 14:1-15:21; Colossians 3:1-4:1; Proverbs 24:15-22 Our spiritual warfare is both outward and inward. We have enemies coming at us from without and from within. Concerning the enemies from without, God says, “This people will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to rescue and save you… I will …

Saved and kept by the Lord… for the great triumph

“Wait for the Lord, and He will save you... The Lord is the One who directs a person’s steps” (Proverbs 20:22,24). The Lord saves and keeps: “The victory belongs to the Lord” (Proverbs 21:31). Saving and keeping us, as He leads along the pathway of discipleship, the Lord brings us to our final victory. This …

One Year Bible: Days 334-361

Day 334 Daniel 7:1-8:14; 1 John 2:12-27; Psalm 136:13-26 Daniel 7:13-14 looks forward, prophetically, to the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the future towards which history is moving, the future towards which God is working, the future of the Kingdom of God. This world is passing away, "but the man who …

Less pride, more humility – and more of the grace of God

Ezekiel 38:1-39:29; James 4:1-17; Proverbs 28:7-17 God’s Word speaks of His judgment upon sin (Ezekiel 39:23-24). It also speaks of His great salvation from sin (Ezekiel 39:25-29). “Scripture says, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble’” (James 4:6). God’s Word speaks of the choice placed before man - obedience or disobedience, blessing or …

Christlike in life, Christlike in death

Fifth Sunday of Easter: Acts 7:55-60; Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16 or Proverbs 4:10-18; Psalm 119:9-32; 1 Peter 2:2-10; John 14:1-14 Stephen’s Prayer: An echo of Christ’s words from the Cross In life and death, Stephen was Christlike. In life and death, he made a great impact. In life, we see him, ‘full of grace and power’, …

The degree of AUG

"The Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding" (Proverbs 2:6). Reading these words brought back to me some distant memories from many years ago. Jim Elliot, (October 8, 1927 – January 8, 1956) was a Christian missionary, and was one of five killed during Operation Auca, an attempt to evangelize the …

How are our lives to be changed?

Jeremiah 23:9-25:14; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-18; Proverbs 24:23-34 How are our lives to be changed? They can be changed by God - “I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord” (Jeremiah 24:7). Knowing God makes a difference. Those who do know not Him live “in passionate lust” (1 Thessalonians 4:5). …

The Lord’s way is better than the world’s way.

Ecclesiastes 4:1-6:12; 1 Corinthians 7:17-35; Proverbs 19:23-20:4 “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income” (Ecclesiastes 5:10).This is the world’s way. The Lord’s way is a better way. We are to “use the things of the world” without being “engrossed in them” (1 Corinthians 7:31). What we must …

God is calling us to be faithful in the ministry of His Word.

Jeremiah 49:7-50:10; 2 Timothy 2:1-26; Proverbs 25:21-26:2 Jeremiah speaks of a time of judgment upon Babylon (Jeremiah 50:1-3) and a time of blessing upon the people of Israel (Jeremiah 50:4-5). If the blessing, and not the judgment, is to come in our own day, we must be faithful in the ministry of God’s Word (2 …

Promise and danger

In Proverbs 22-24, we learn about promise and danger. At every stage in our journey through life, there is both promise and danger - the promise of God’s blessing to those who keep Him at the centre of their life, the danger of coming under God’s judgment when we ignore His way and go the …

Nothing is too hard for the Lord.

Jeremiah 31:15-32:25; 2 Thessalonians 3:1-18; Proverbs 25:1-10 Jeremiah 32:17 tells us that nothing is too hard for the “Sovereign Lord”, the Creator of “the heavens and the earth.” He is able to deliver us “from wicked and evil men”, to “strengthen and protect us from the evil one” (2 Thessalonians 3:2-3). We are enabled to …

Without God’s mercy and grace, we will fall. Through His mercy and grace, we will stand.

Ezekiel 4:1-6:14; Hebrews 5:11-6:12; Proverbs 26:23-27:4 “Alas! because of all the wicked and detestable practices of the house of Israel, for they will fall by the sword, famine and plague” (Ezekiel 6:11). Alongside these words concerning Israel’s sin and fall, we place the solemn words of Hebrews 6:4-6, words which warn us of the danger …

Walking in wisdom, enjoying salvation

Ezekiel 45:1-46:24; 1 Peter 3:1-22; Proverbs 28:18-28 In Ezekiel, we read of many sacrifices being offered to God. In the New Testament, it is emphasized that one Sacrifice is sufficient – “For Christ died for sins once for all, the Righteous for the unrighteous to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:18). We are called …

King Saul – physically strong, spiritually weak

1 Chronicles 9:1b-10:14; Romans 14:1-18; Proverbs 18:17-19:2 1 Chronicles 10 tells of the death of Saul: “Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord …” (1 Chronicles 10:13-14). Romans 14 speaks of the strong and the weak. Physically, Saul was strong.  Spiritually, he was weak. Maintaining our spiritual strength, our relationship with God, is to be …

Declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.

Ezekiel 43:1-44:31; 1 Peter 2:4-24; Psalm 132:1-18 In Ezekiel, the priests are described in great detail. In 1 Peter 2:5, the Lord’s people are described as “a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” This description continues in 1 Peter 2:9 – “a royal priesthood … a people belonging to God. To His people, God gives this …

Blessed … are those who have the Word of God and obey it.

Deuteronomy 4:15-5:33; Luke 11:5-32; Proverbs 8:32-36 In Deuteronomy 5, we have the Ten Commandments. In Luke 11:28, we have Jesus’ words: “Blessed … are those who have the Word of God and obey it.” “Blessed are those who keep My ways” (Proverbs 8:32). There is no blessing apart from obedience, and there is no obedience …

Through the power of the Spirit of God

Jeremiah 48:1-49:6; 2 Timothy 1:1-18; Psalm 119:81-88 “A curse on him who is lax in doing the Lord’s work!” (Jeremiah 48:10). We should not be lax in doing the Lord’s work, “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a Spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). Through …

The Lord our God is with us – to help us and to fight our battles.

2 Chronicles 31:2-33:20; 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:11; Proverbs 21:5-16 “With us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles” (2 Chronicles 32:8). The battle will not be easy. “Satan” is seeking to “outwit us” (2 Corinthians 2:11). Nevertheless, “we are not unaware of his schemes” (2 Corinthians 2:11). In our spiritual …

The Lord has much to say to this generation – if only the people would listen …

At the heart of the rebuilding of the Temple, there was worship - “With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord: ‘He is good; His love to Israel endures for ever” (Ezra 3:11). Those who worship the Lord are set within the context of a world that refuses to worship Him: “The rest of …

Let us give thanks – with joy.

“At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem”, the keynote of the service was joyful thanksgiving. They gathered together “to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving” (Nehemiah 12:27). “On that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy” (Nehemiah 12:43). They sang “songs of praise and thanksgiving to …

Praising the Lord for all eternity

Esther 9 speaks of days of feasting and joy (Esther 9:17-19,22-23,28). If the Jews had cause to rejoice in Esther’s day, we have much more cause for rejoicing in the Lord – “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed” (Revelation 5:5). The praise of God’s …

The Name of the Lord – the Name of our Salvation

1 Chronicles 2:18-4:8; Romans 10:5-11:10; Proverbs 18:7-16 More names! It’s great to have a name – and not to be a nameless person of unknown identity. It’s even greater to have the Name of the Lord given to us for our salvation. “Everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans …

Walking in the Spirit …

Proverbs 7:1-27 The way of obedience is the way of life: 'keep My commandments and live' (2). This is not a shallow legalism. It is the result of the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It is 'walking in the Spirit'. It is living as 'a new creation'. We do not glory in …

Let us encourage each other in the Lord.

“A faithful messenger … refreshes the soul” (Proverbs 25:13). God is calling us to be faithful and fruitful. Let us bring His Word to others. Let us bring his blessing to them.