Tag Archives: Wisdom

Random Devotional Thoughts

Thoughts from Proverbs…

Leave a comment

Proverbs 1:7-33                            

     There is so much contained in this passage, that we could go through it verse by verse, and still not come to an end of it! Solomon points out that to not follow these instructions is to not  fear the Lord and is foolishness in the extreme! Parents have the great responsibility of passing on to their children this wisdom…..

    Bad friends are the worst influence in a person’s life, so it is up to all of us, no matter what age, to be careful who we choose for our closest friends. It is so easy to get carried away by what seems to be good ideas, but in reality they lead us down the wrong path.

   We then read of how wisdom cries out to each of us to listen to common sense….this is available to all, but not all use it! It includes caution, yet action….but not so much caution that we hold back from doing what we know we should be doing.    God then warns the people to not go too far in their refusal to listen to Him… “You might find the day will come when I will laugh at your calamities,” He warns, “You will call on Me then and I will not answer. You didn’t want My advice, so you can reap  the consequences!”    In spite of all that, yet God will still hear the repentant cry if we call on Him in sincerity and truth.

When God’s patience has worn thin, With man’s rebellion and his sin, He always hears repentant cries, And will step in before man dies!

Daily Devotionals

What’s a Word?

Leave a comment

PROVERBS  Ten…. (v. 18-22)

Verses 18-22                                                                       James 3:5-6

This passage begins and ends with the wisdom of holding one’s tongue! It contrasts those who talk sensibly and wisely with those who just talk rubbish! We all know the person who thinks they are smart, and makes senseless jokes at others’ expense.  The trouble is that it tends to make us try to match comment for comment, with us overdoing it!

     It is well if we remember the advice of the old timers…..  “is it true? Is it kind? Do you HAVE  to repeat it?” before passing on gossip or news. So many times we get carried away with what we hear and then speak without thinking! James tells us that what is said can never be retracted.….great fires are started from a small match!   Do we want our  speech to build up or to tear down? To feed others or leave them  feeling empty? To be like choice silver or of little worth? To tease others or to make them feel good? It is very true that those who make others feel good are remembered long after others are forgotten!

     Let us take notice of verse 22….God’s blessings make us rich and keep us from sorrow….and then try to follow this in our contacts and speech with other people!

To always say things that make others feel good, Are our speech and actions be all that they should? To show our love and concern for each other, In loving our God, our sister and brother!

***                             ***                             ***                     

Life Lessons

Near Enough

Leave a comment

    We were working on a project together, and I was thinking it was time we were finished. “Well, that’s near enough”, I said as I put my gear down. My brother-in-law looked at it, and said, “Near enough is not good enough, Gwenyth, you’ll have to spend a bit more time on it!” Those words have stuck with me for over forty years, and whenever I am tempted to think “Near enough”, they come back to haunt me.

King Solomon was one who chose what was good, but it was not the best. He felt his need for wisdom to rule his people well, and that was good, but when it came to himself he made his own decisions based on worldly wisdom. He thought that by marrying these foreign princesses he would gain peace with their fathers’ nations, instead of trusting God to keep peace for him. What he didn’t reckon on in this reasoning, was that he was disobeying God’s commands to NOT marry anyone who did not follow Him. He was positive it wasn’t all that important and that it didn’t really matter….after all, look what he was gaining!

His wives brought their idols and foreign ideas with them, and as he gave each woman her own department, these idols were set up and worshipped by them. It wasn’t long before Solomon’s own walk with God had faltered, and then failed altogether. He had disobeyed God and failed in his duty. Although God blessed him physically and he became the wisest and wealthiest king that has ever been, yet his own spiritual life was dry and dusty, and he declared, “I’ve tried everything there is to try and it’s all vain and useless!”

He would have been far better off to have asked God not only for wisdom, but for an obedient heart to always follow His ways. How often in these things we say it’s “near enough” to just go to church each week and then to do our own thing the rest of the week forgetting about God’s ways. Let’s always remember that “near enough” is NOT good enough, especially in the matter of spiritual values!

Daily Devotionals

Good Advice!

Leave a comment

  Warnings.

Proverbs 1:7-33

There is so much contained in this passage, that we could go through it verse by verse, and still not come to an end of it! Solomon points out that to not follow these instructions is to not  fear the Lord and is foolishness in the extreme! Parents have the great responsibility of passing on to their children this wisdom…..

Bad friends are the worst influence in a person’s life, so it is up to all of us, no matter what age, to be careful who we choose for our closest friends. It is so easy to get carried away by what seems to be good ideas, but in reality they lead us down the wrong path.

We then read of how wisdom cries out to each of us to listen to common sense….this is available to all, but not all use it! It includes caution, yet action….but not so much caution that we hold back from doing what we know we should be doing.

God then warns the people to not go too far in their refusal to listen to Him… “You might find the day will come when I will laugh at your calamities,” He warns, “You will call on Me then and I will not answer. You didn’t want My advice, so you can reap  the consequences!”

In spite of all that, yet God will still hear the repentant cry if we call on Him in sincerity and truth.

When God’s patience has worn thin, With man’s rebellion and his sin,

Yet He hears repentant cries, And will step in before man dies!

Daily Devotionals

Watch it, Son!

Leave a comment

PROVERBS  FIVE…. (v.1-23)

This entire chapter is about Solomon warning his sons against the wiles of wicked and scheming women and the dangers of loitering around where they congregate. One can’t help wondering what age Solomon was,  when he wrote these things!

It is one thing to be wise in matters concerning others and another to be wise concerning oneself or one’s family! How many times people can lay down the law (quite rightly in many cases!) for others, but bend the same rules for themselves or  their children!

Let us always remember that God’s laws apply equally to ALL, and let us also front up to the wrong we are allowing in our own lives, and admit our weaknesses to others.

    Solomon’s weakness for foreign women led to his ultimate downfall in direct disobedience to God’s commands. God never makes rules to spoil our fun, but to protect His people. If we feel ourselves slipping, let us do as James says…..humble ourselves to admit our weaknesses to others and ask them to pray with us in the matter. We will be doubly strengthened to withstand, and be blessed for it.

      God’s rules are made to keep His own,  From falling and a-tumbling     We cannot walk this life alone, But need God’s help to keep from          stumbling.

 

 

Daily Devotionals

Devotions from Proverbs Three

Leave a comment

Verses 19-26

Solomon tucks in here a basic truth which is so relevant in this day and age where evolution is so freely taught..

It is God who created all the things and Who gave us the principles of nature. It is not MOTHER Nature, but FATHER  God! This knowledge and wisdom tells the believer that God has all things under control and there is no need to worry about Global Warming, ozone layering or overpopulation  of the Planet!

We must hold firmly on to this knowledge and not waver from it, so we will have sound wisdom and perfect peace with the confidence that God’s word gives. Hebrews tells us that our Lord is upholding all things by the Word of His Power . He is ALIVE, and sitting on the right Hand of God RIGHT NOW! He is taking care of the universe, and He has taken care of man’s sin problem, if only man will turn to Him.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         The Lord in His wisdom, has founded the earth,  And this wisdom is of the utmost worth;                                                                                                                      It’s  all in  control, we need never fear,  But praise Him for this and be of good cheer!

 

Daily Devotionals

The Ideal Parent!

Leave a comment

        Proverbs 4: Verses 1-10         

Solomon paints a wonderful picture of a godly home here, filled with love and life, and I’m sure one where laughter prevailed as well!

It is the place of fathers to set the tone of the home with the children and the mother will gladly follow his lead if both base their lives on God’s Word. This need not be all gloom and doom as some people imagine, after all God is the author of laughter and fun  too. This should be based on  wisdom, and parents should be sensitive to the needs of the children as each one is different. The main thing is to not be too tired to have fun times with the little ones or to be interested in what the older children are into.

James tells us that if we feel we lack wisdom to be a good parent, we are to ask God for  guidance and wisdom, and then God will show us what to do. The main thing is to take the time to concentrate on the family  and their needs while you have them, as there will be plenty of time for one’s own interests when the birds have flown the nest!

                                        To get the wisdom that parents  need,                                                                     Just ask the Lord when his Word you  read,                                                                  Ask in faith, and the answer will be giv’n,                                            By the Maker of all, the Earth and Heav’n.

Random Devotional Thoughts

Thoughts from PROVERBS  ONE….(v.1-6)

Leave a comment

PROVERBS  ONE….(v.1-6)

Verses 1-6                                          James 1:5

             Solomon was the wisest man who  ever lived. His wisdom was a special gift from God, bestowed on him at his request. But knowledge alone was not enough….. it had to go along with  knowing God and obedience  to Him.

So we see that Solomon’s great desire was to pass onto his sons the wisdom that God had given to him. But the wisdom that he had would do no-one any good unless they were willing to receive it, to know it, and to perceive it…. in other words, take it and use it!

God’s wisdom gives prudence to the simple….. do you feel as though you don’t have enough brains to understand God’s truths? Have you ever asked Him to give you the wisdom you lack? James says that we don’t have because we don’t ask! These things don’t just fall into our laps with no effort on our part….. there is no such thing as instant spirituality!

Salvation is instant, but God’s WISDOM only comes with a conscious effort on our part…. asking and seeking, and then obeying and doing it. The first steps in being wise are to listen and seek to increase one’s knowledge in the things of God.

If you take one step towards your  God.                                                                   He will take more than you’ve ever trod                                                               Read His Word,  obey its way,                                                                                    And walk in it from day to day.