Devotions from Proverbs
All devotions written by Belinda Jo Adams.
Bible version used is The King James Version.
We cannot, in just thirty-one days, fully learn all the writers have for us to discover in the book of Proverbs. It is hard to find only one topic for each chapter because the subjects are mixed throughout the book. I have chosen thirty-one topics and a verse from each chapter to highlight concerning it. Please read the whole chapter as well as the verse I have chosen. Proverbs is a teaching of ethical and moral principals. It teaches mostly by contrasts. Chapters 1-9 contrasts good and evil. Chapter 10-15 uses the word 'but' to contrasts wisdom and folly. Verse 1:7 is the main verse for the whole book. 'The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.' It is repeated in Proverbs 9:10. This fear means reverence or awe of God. Wisdom is the key word. Chapters 1-9 contain 24 mentions of wisdom. There are 30 other mentions of wisdom throughout the book. Solomon was the wisest man in history. God granted him his request for this wisdom (I Kings 3:5-14). He is famous for his architectural and engineering skills as well as his ability in administration even though some of his morals surely lacked wisdom. Solomon wrote most of the book. He encourages us to listen to his words and obey them or put them into practice. A good way to discover all that Proverbs has to offer is by reading a chapter each day or at least on the months which have 31 days.
Index
Honoring Parents Read: Proverbs 1 Verse: Proverbs 1:8 & 9 - 'My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother; For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.' Which makes a better impression - Heavy chains used in binding a prisoner or a pretty necklace? The answer is a pretty necklace, of course. We are not prisoners in our service to God when we obey and honor our parents. We should serve Him with this action as if we were displaying the most beautiful piece of jewelry in the world. Proverbs 4:10 'Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. Exodus 20:12 says 'Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.' Ephesians 6:2 reinforces this commandment with 'Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise'. Many newspapers each Sunday publish a section dedicated to couples who are celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary. Sometimes the children of these couples honor them with a party to celebrate their joyous occasion. The honoring of our parents does not stop when we leave home. Adults are free to do as they will, but there are ways to honor our parents. We can encourage them with our letters, calls and visits. Listening to their wisdom gleaned through the years is another special way to honor them and gain the promise of long life mentioned in the verse above. Related Proverbs verses: 3:1,2; 4:20,22; 6:20,22; 20:20; 23:19,22
2. Wisdom and Understanding
Read: Proverbs 2 Verse: Proverbs 2:11-12 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things; Potiphar's wife noticed how nice Joseph was. She decided she wanted him to be with her. While her husband was gone she tried to tempt Joseph to come into her bedroom. Joseph knew doing this would be wrong and ran away. (Genesis 39:7-12) In Proverbs wisdom is expressed as the virtuous woman and the call to righteousness. The harlot or strange woman represents the call to sinfulness. This is not only the call to adultery but to any sin. God gives wisdom and understanding. He tells us in this chapter that if we get wisdom and understanding we will be able to walk in the right way and not be led the wrong way by people who do not choose to serve God. We will know what God wants us to do and this wisdom and understanding will help us to resist the devil. James 4:7-8a 'Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh unto God and he will draw nigh unto you.' Col. 2:2-3 'That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ. In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.' When we read the Bible God shows us what he wants us to know and the right way to live. Related Proverbs verses: 1:2; 2:2; 3:13; 4:7; 5:1; 7:4; 8:1; 9:10; 23:23; 24:3
3. All That Preachers Want Is Money
Read: Proverbs 3 Verse: Proverbs 3:9 'Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase.' "I don't want to go to church. All that preachers want is money!" We hear that said often. True, many preachers seem to talk about nothing else, but any organization takes money to survive. Rent, electric and water have to be paid just like anywhere else. We all enjoy the nice buildings we have, but it seems no one wants to pay for the use of them. If a church is to reach out to the community and foreign missions, it has to have the funds to do so. Good stewardship is required to make good use of the money church members give. I Corinthians 4:2 says 'Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.' The Old Testament law commands that a tithe, one-tenth of our income, be given to God's work. Abraham gave tithes of all he had. Genesis 14:18-20. This was before the Law was given. The New Testament tells us in II Corinthians 9:7 '...for God loveth a cheerful giver.' We can go a step farther and use the same verse in II Corinthians to give anything we give to God cheerfully. We should not only give our tithes and offerings, but our time and talents, also, by doing things for the church and other people. If we do these things with a negative attitude God cannot bless. It is much better to use our time and talents with a good attitude and receive God's blessings on our lives! Related Proverbs verses: 10:3; 10:22; 12:2; 21:21
4. Walk in the Right Way
Read: Proverbs 4 Verse: Proverbs 4:14-15 'Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.' George Williams lived in England during the 1800's. The Industrial Revolution was taking place in England and America. Many men left their farms to work in the factories. In 1841 George also left his family farm and became an apprentice at a dry goods store. The many temptations to sin bothered him. Working many hours he did not have much time alone for Bible study. He soon found several other men who believed in God. They took opportunities to study the Bible and have prayer together. Others joined them and the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) was organized June 6, 1844. II Corinthians 6:17a 'Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing...' We should not become 'holier than thou', though for we must remember from where we came as Ephesians 2:11-13 tells us. If we separate ourselves from everyone we will never have a chance to witness to others. But, if we live the way God wants us to live, our friends who want to continue in sin will soon not want to be with us. God will then lead people into our lives that He wants us to witness to. Related Proverbs verses: 2:10-20; Most of the book!
5. With This Ring
Read: Proverbs 5 Verse: Proverbs 5:18 - 'Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of they youth.' There is something special about the beauty of a couple who have been married many years and their lives have blended into one. The look they give each other should be the goal of each man and woman from their wedding day forward. One of the saddest things is a couple married many years but do not seem to like each other. Their lives have never blended and their goals seem to be opposite. They only have one goal in common and that is to irritate each other. In verses 15-21, Solomon is admonishing his son to remain faithful to his wife. Jesus' first miracle was performed at a wedding. In Matthew 19:6 He also said "Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder". Each married couple should make it their goal to give 100% to their partner to fulfill a life of love, faithfulness and companionship. God wants us to have happy marriages. Ephesians 5:21 'Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.' The rest of the chapter is about relationships, especially of married people. (also Colossians 3:18-19) Related Proverbs verses: 15:17; 17:1; 24:3 & 4
6. Hear No Evil; Speak No Evil
Read: Proverbs 6 Verse: Proverbs 6:17-19 - 'These six things doth the Lord hate: yea seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethern.' June 2, 1875 Alexander Graham Bell was successful in transmitting the sound of someone's voice from one room to another through a wire. It has been said that the telephone was one of the worse inventions invented for sake of Christianity. Many people have used it for a means of gossip and can quickly do most of the things included in these verses. I was involved in this as a new Christian. When my friend called me and started her evil reporting I did not want to gossip or even agree with her. I kept saying 'uh-huh' to be polite. Later, she used it against me when she said I agreed with every thing she said. I learned quickly, the hard way, not to listen to people who gossip. In Ephesians 4:30-32 Paul warns us to not grieve the Holy Spirit and lists examples. One of these is by evil speaking. Ephesians 4:29 "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." Related Proverbs verses: 11:13; 12:6; 16:27,28; 17:9; 18:8,21; 20:19; 26:20,22
7. Bible Memory
Read: Proverbs 7 Verse: Proverbs 7:1 -"My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee." "This book will keep you away from sin and sin will keep you away from this Book." This is a quote I heard when I was a teenager. It has been written in the front of each Bible I have owned and given to others since then. The quote is so true. Psalm 119:11, written by King David, tells us to hide God's word in our heart that we might not sin against Him. The Bible considers the heart as the place of understanding. These verses, written by Solomon, David's son, reinforce that thought to his son and to us. Verses 1-4 and 24-25 of chapter seven warn us to keep and obey God's word to fight Satan trying to tempt us. When our mind is on God's word and what He wants for us in our lives we are more aware of sin so we can stay away from it and keep ourselves pure. II Timothy 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." Paul admonishes his son in the faith, Timothy, to study so he would not be ashamed. We should be just as hardworking as the early Christians were. Related Proverbs verses: 4:1; 19:20; 8:10
8.The Riches of Wisdom
Personal thoughts and/or prayer: Read: Proverbs 8 Verse: Proverbs 8:11 "For wisdom is better than rubies; and all things that may be desired are not to be compared to it." During the 1840's in the United States was the famous Gold Rush. Men left home and loved ones behind with the promise of a brighter, richer future. They traveled great distances over treacherous oceans, mountains, and deserts in hope to get great riches and honor. Many lost their lives in this search. Some found gold only to have their riches vanish by cheaters and thieves seeking an easier way to become wealthy. Only few became rich and we can wonder if they ever had the happiness they hoped for. These verses talk about wisdom being better than gold, silver or rubies. Wisdom dwelled with God before anything was created (vs. 22-30). God tells people to seek wisdom for a life of happiness. Wise people will hate sin and stay away from its evil works. James 1:5 tells us "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." Upbraideth means to scold. God will not think we are silly and scold us for asking for wisdom. He will give us what we ask for and that wisdom will be more valuable than all the riches in the world! Related Proverbs verses: 1:7; 2:6; 3:13; 16:16
9. Knowledge of the Holy
Read: Proverbs 9 Verse: Proverbs 9:10 - "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." ********************WAR!!***************** These have been the headlines on newspapers too many times. From the time Cain killed Abel to now there have been too many wars because people cannot get along with each other. Wars are not the only result of not getting along with other people. Trouble in our families and churches is another result. The first step in living right and getting along with other people is our relationship with God. We are to trust God and be in great wonder of his mighty works. Job tells us in Job 28:28 that "the knowledge of the Holy is wisdom". One way we can know more about God is to study His attributes which are way He is. The attributes of God are that He is Spiritual, Infinite, Eternal, Freedom, Always the same, Perfect, Just, Love, Truth, Mercy, Grace, Omnipotence (All powerful), Omnipresence (All present), and Omniscience (All-knowing). A study of each of these traits brings new understanding of our God and His love for mankind. Corinthians 13 is a good chapter to read about this subject. I John is a also good book to read about true love. Chapter 4, verse 20 says, "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?" I also. Related Proverbs verses: 2:3-6; 19:2; 18:15; 23:12
10. A Good Name
Read: Proverbs 10 Verse: Proverbs 10:7 - 'The memory of the just is blest; but the name of the wicked shall rot.' My husband's great-grandmother always had a good thing to say about other people. If she was in a conversation where her friends criticized someone, she pointed out a positive trait or something that person had done that was good. Her grandchildren remember her for that good attitude. We should be careful of what we say. Just because we see a person do wrong is no reason to run and tell others about it. Our first response should be to pray for that person and our second response should be to pray for an opportunity to encourage them to do right. We should not hide sin when it needs to be brought up in the right way, but many things people do don't fall into that category. Many good people have been hurt and are no longer in church due to gossip of Christians. When we have the love of God in our hearts we should minimize other people's faults just as they should our faults. Then we can all get along better and be about our Father's business of witnessing to unsaved people. 1 Peter 4:8 "And above all things have fervent charity (love) among yourselves; for charity shall cover the multitude of sins." Let's show love to our brothers and sisters in Christ as well as to others so when we are in Heaven their memory of us will be blest. Related Proverbs verses: 10:12; 17:9
11. Let the Buyer Beware
Read: Proverbs 11 Verse: Proverbs 11:24 'There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.' The phrase "let the buyer beware" is used to quiet a conscience of a seller of damaged merchandise. There have been many people throughout time who have tricked other people out of what money they have. These people don't seem to mind who they hurt as long as they get more money by their get-rich schemes. They involve innocent people and steal their life savings. People, through the years, have been known for their deceit to others and trickery when dealing in trading. Others will continue to do so. These verses encourage us not to cheat others in business dealings. God teaches the opposite. The first part of 24 and 25 says that if we give more away we will receive more than we gave away. In Luke 6 Luke's version of the Beatitudes Jesus instructs us in everyday life. Verse 39 tells us to "Give and it shall be given unto you." II Corinthians 9:6 says "But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully." Related Proverbs verses: 3:27; 21:26; 28:27
12. First Ladies
Read: Proverbs 12 Verse: Proverbs 12: 4 - A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones. First Ladies of the United States have only been called that for about a hundred years. Before that time it was thought a woman was to stay in the background and not bring undue attention to herself. All the First Ladies were not wives due to maybe sickness or the President being a bachelor or a widower. In that case, a relative took on the job, and was called Hostess for the White House. Each of these ladies had an important role of supporting the President and contributing to our nation with their talents. If she brought disgrace to herself, she also brought disgrace to the President. In II John he writes to the 'elect lady'. Verse 1 says, "The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth.' I think this was a special woman were many women in the Old and New Testaments, as they served God by supporting the man God gave them to help. There have only been forty-three women to take on the role of First Lady and there have been millions of women in America. It is true we cannot all be The First Lady, but we can support and encourage the man God has given us to help. Let's truly be first ladies for God! Related Proverbs verses: 21:5; 24:27
13. Goal Accomplished!
Read: Proverbs 13 Verse: Proverbs 13: 19 - 'The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul...' The Olympic games have been going on for many centuries. The participants train to do their very best. They set aside personal desires and time with their peers. Their goal is to win the medal. As they play in the games with the crowd cheering them on, they give their all for the sport. If that same person had sat home and never tried they would not have that sweet moment of success. Hebrews 12: 1 "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us." Paul tells us, as Christians, we are in a race in our service to God. Maybe we have to set aside personal desires and not join in with our peers to accomplish this goal. As we do this we can read the next verse,' Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith...' He is our guide and his "well done" is our trophy. If we sit and do nothing we will never see our goals completed. We need to set goals in our lives each day so we don't get caught in Satan's trick of being lazy. Then we need to get up and do something about it. A list laying on a table will only collect dust. It needs to collect pencil lines as you mark off each accomplished goal. Related Proverbs verses: 3:26; 29:18
14. God's Word
Read: Proverbs 14 Verse: Proverbs 14:'The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his goings.' There have been many instances during the years where a man or woman claimed to be a prophet of God. They changed the words of the Bible to say what they wanted it to say. (Mark 7:7) People followed them, sometimes to their death. Anytime we don't read and study the Bible for ourselves and only listen to others we take a chance of following a leader who can lead us astray from the truth of God's word. II Timothy 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." Paul encouraged Timothy to study. He could have just told him what he thought he should preach, but Paul wanted Timothy to study and find the truths for himself. Proverbs 30:6 "Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar." Revelation 22:18,19 reinforces this with stronger words. We cannot choose which parts of the Bible we want to believe and reject others. If we can't believe all of it how can we believe, John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life."? Related Proverbs verses: 4:2; 30:5,6
15. Don't Tell Me What To Do!
Read: Proverbs: 15 Verse: Proverbs: 15:32 - 'He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.' In Hosea 4:6, Israel had again left God's way and gone their own. They were serving God by sacrificing but did not obey Him by living right. Hosea was sent to them to tell them of the wrong and get them to follow God again. Preachers are given to us from God to lead us in the right way. They are to point out sin and help the people of the church realize they need to repent and serve Him. Some people think going to church, being baptized, giving to help others, doing volunteer work at the church and for the community are all they need to do. When they are told differently or that they should live right also, they become full of pride and refuse to listen. These are all good things to do, but if we are not obeying God with our righteous life then we are not right with Him and all these 'things' do not help. Salvation is a free gift. We don't have to work for it. Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." We need to live right after we are saved so God is glorified and to receive His blessings. Related Proverbs verses: 13:18; 15:12, 31,32
16. That Does Not Compute
Read: Proverbs 16 Verse: Proverbs 16:3 "Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established." The wonderful world of computers! They accomplish many different jobs and make our life easier. It seems like they think for themselves! The computer can only do what it is told, though. What comes out must first go into its memory. This verse from Proverbs tells us to commit our works unto the Lord. We need to do what God wants and trust Him with the results. Then our thoughts will be stable. We will not have to worry about thinking wrong thoughts if we are working for God and have our minds on Him. Frances Havergal wrote a song in the 1800's that goes like this, "Stayed upon Jehovah, Hearts are fully blest -- Finding as he Promised, Perfect peace and rest." The thought life is a hard part of living the Christian life. In Noah's day people's thoughts were continually evil (Genesis 6:5). Jesus said "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be" (Matthew 24:37). Phillippians 4:7 "And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Verse 8 tells us if anything is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, be of any virtue, or of any praise to think on those things. Just as the computer only puts out what is put in, we should guard what is put into our minds! Related Proverbs verses: 12:5; 19:21; 21:2; 23:7; 27:19 30:32
17. A Merry Heart
Read: Proverbs 17 Verse: Proverbs 17:22 "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones." Health specialist are saying if a person laughs they will get well faster. There is a clinic where they have televisions set up for the patients to watch while waiting. All they play on them are the funny shows from the past. They say this therapy is good for their patients. The merry heart does not have to sing but usually is happy enough to, or at least feel like it. The Psalms were written as songs. David wrote many of them. He had a rough life, but he could sing anyway. Psalm 40:3 "And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord." The Bible gives reference to singing approximately 280 times! Paul and Silas even sang when they were in jail for preaching the gospel. Colossians 3:16 "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." A nice way to end devotion time is with a song. If you think you can't sing, then read it. Throughout the day that song may come to mind and give comfort or encouragement. Related Proverbs verses: 29:6
18. True Friends
Read: Proverbs 18 Verse: Proverbs 18:24 "A friend that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." It is said that during a lifetime people only have a few true, close friends. We may have many friends during our life, but only a few will stand by our side through hard times as well as good times. This verse says for you to have friends, you must be friendly. Some people sit around and complain because they do not have friends, but never smile or try to help others. It seems a little selfish to want others to smile or speak to you first. Share a smile or a kind word today! Having many friends does not mean that you will always have happiness. Though some of them can be encouraging and helpful, sometimes friends can take you away from serving God. In I Corinthians 15:33 "Be not deceived; evil communications corrupt good manners." Paul warns that when we are with people who are not doing right and serving God then we will not want to serve God and do right. Children and adults have a problem with peer pressure. We do not like for people to think we are different or odd. In I Peter 2:9 Peter says we are a peculiar people. It is hard to stand alone, but true friends will not let you stand alone. Our best friend is Jesus and he stays with us closer than a brother! Related Proverbs verses: 13:20; 22:24-25; 27:5,6,17 28:19
19. Hull House
Read: Proverbs 19 Verse: Proverbs 19:17 "He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again." Jane Addams lived from 1860-1935. She had a great concern for poor people, especially women. In 1899 she and Ellen Gates Star established a social settlement in Chicago called Hull House. They helped many women during the years. Many verses in Proverbs speaks against laziness and warns people who would be lazy that they would also be poor. As Christians we should not approve of that attitude. Many people are poor, though, because of hard times. Those people we should help. There are many programs that help people in need. We should prayerfully find one we can support or do things on our own as God leads. I Corinthians 8:9 "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." Jesus left the riches of Heaven to be born in a stable. He knew what it was like to be poor, but did it for us. He wanted us to accept Him as Savior so we can share in his riches in Heaven forever. Related Proverbs verses: 22:2; 14:31; 17:5; 28:27; 29:7; 31:20
20. Shining Lights
Read: Proverbs 20 Verse: Proverbs 20:27 "The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly." Cape Hatteras is on the easternmost point of a line of islands off the coast of North Carolina. That area is known as the 'graveyard of the Atlantic' because of storms and dangerous shoals. These hazards have caused many ships to sink off that coast. Since 1798 lighthouses have been built from Cape Hatteras down to Cape Lookout to warn sailors of these dangers. Christians are to be 'candles of the Lord'. We are to live our life in such a way to warn others of the dangers of continuing in sin. Jesus said in Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Some people say, "I have Christ as my Savior. I am going to heaven so it doesn't matter how I live." Yes, it does! Philippians 2:15 "That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world. Our children in Sunday school sing "This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine!" We should let our light shine also, so others will come to Christ? Just as the virgins in Matthew 25:7 'arose and trimmed their lamps' while waiting for the bridegroom and just as the lighthouse keeper makes sure the light is in tip-top condition, let us make sure our lights shine for Jesus, our bridegroom, who is coming! Related Proverbs verses: 4:18; 13:9
21. Open Mouth - Insert Foot!
Read: Proverbs 21 Verse: Proverbs 21:23 - "Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles." In 1994 Hurricane Gordon hit Central America as a tropical storm, moved north across Jamaica, east to cross Cuba, then moved through Florida and became a hurricane off the coast of North Carolina. After that, it doubled back and aimed for Florida again. Hurricane plotters had a hard time predicting where the storm would go next. James says in 3:8 "But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison." Just as it is hard to tell where a hurricane is really headed, it is hard to control our mouths. How many times have we opened our mouths and said something we later regretted? Things we say to people are very important. Sometimes our mouth speaks before our mind thinks and we get ourselves in trouble or become embarrassed. Proverbs 12:25 "Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad." This tells us of the importance of an encouraging word spoken at the right time. I've seen people angry and ready to fight until a person speaks a soft word to them and the argument is avoided. I've also seen a cheerful person change fast when someone says something negative to him or her. We need to obey God and speak only good words. Related Proverbs verses: 12:25; 25:11
22. Rich and Famous
Read: Proverbs 22 Verse: Proverbs 22:1 -' A Good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.' The announcer for the TV show, The Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, took viewers inside homes of the wealthy. Their fancy places and show cars amazed people who live from day to day trying to make ends meet. This show of wealth made some people wish they could have all these things, too. This verse says a good name is rather to be chosen than great riches. Sometimes riches come with Satan's temptation to not accept God or not serve Him the way you did before the riches came. "For the love of money is the root of all evil" I Timothy 6:10 There are many get-rich-schemes for people to become involved in. The Bible warns us to trust God for our daily bread and not wish for wealth. It also tells us that God blesses hard work and honesty. Jesus admonishes us to "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal; But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven..." (Matthew 6:19-20). Many verses in Proverbs warn of riches taking you away from God's service. Riches will not definitely turn you from God. They do come with a big responsibility, though. If God blesses you with more money than you need, prayerfully ask Him how to use it to glorify Him. Related Proverbs verses: 10:4; 14:24; 15:6; 20:21; 23:4
23. Child Rearing
Read: Proverbs 23 Verse: Proverbs 23:13-14 - 'Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.' Some people use these verses to say God says to beat your children. I do not believe this is what God wants. If so, He would punish us daily for our failures. Some children are too scared to move because of fear of their parents. On the other hand, some parents are embarrassed in public because of a child who knows they could get away with anything Discipline, according to Webster, is training that strengthens including correction, punishment and a set of rules for conduct so order can be maintained. If you set guidelines for your children, and have a punishment equal to the violation, then order can be maintained. Sometimes that means taking away privileges or other means to get your message across, but never does this mean to beat your children. Colossians 3:21 "Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged". We shouldn't set expectations for our children so high they can't reach them. If we, like David, will say, "Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord". (Psalm 34:11) AND teach our children 'the fear of the Lord' like Proverbs teaches then we can trust Proverbs 22:6 to be true. Related Proverbs verses: 13:24; 3:11,12; 19:18; 22:6,15; 29:15
24. The American Dream
Read: Proverbs 24 Verse: Proverbs 24:3-4 - 'Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.' People leave other countries where they are oppressed to come to America for the 'American Dream'. Real estate agents, banks and home improvement centers make much money from people who are looking for their perfect home. The house is not the home, though. The family inside the house is what makes up the home. The wise person will do well to follow God's plan for a happy home. Proverbs teaches us how to have wisdom, understanding and knowledge. These verses say those are the key ingredients for a happy home. Ephesians 5:21-25 and Colossians 3:17-21 are good passages on the home. Ephesians 5:33 "Nethertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband." If a husband loves his wife as much as he loves himself, it will truly be easy for the wife to honor his wishes in their life and follow his lead. If the parents teach the children as God would have you teach them and not make them discouraged, then they would gladly obey their parents. Doing this, you can truly have the real 'American Dream'! Related Proverbs verses: 3:33; 11:29; 12:7; 14:1,11; 15:6,7,6,27; 17:1,13; 21:20; 24:3, 4,27
25. Time of Sorrow
Read: Proverbs 25 Verse: Proverbs 25: 20 - 'As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.' November 21,1963 our nation was shocked for the death of President John F. Kennedy by an assassin's bullet. It was definitely a time to mourn as the preacher in the book of Ecclesiastes 3:4 says "A time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance." When we know of someone in mourning, we want them 'to snap out of it' and continue with life. We quote positive phrases to try and help them, but the above verse tells us not to sing to a heavy heart. Our bodies and minds are closely connected in more ways than one. When we are sad our body's systems react to our feelings. During sad times people are continually urging the others to eat and keep up their strength, but it is good not to eat as much and let the digestive system rest. We need to let the one in sorrow know we are there and give our encouragement, but each person has to deal with their own feelings. We cannot know exactly how another person feels about any given situation. God will comfort hearts as prayers of godly people reach His throne in petition for a sorrowing friend. I Corinthians 1:3 "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort". Paul tells us where to go for comfort also in II Thessalonians 3:16,17. Related Proverbs verses: 14:10,13; 12:25
26. Laziness
Read: Proverbs 26 Verse: Proverbs 26:14 "As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed." Do you remember the story from Aesop's Fables The Grasshopper and the Ants? The ants worked all summer gathering their food. The grasshopper did nothing but sing. When winter came the grasshopper went to the ants begging for food. They asked him why he did not have any. He explained he was too busy singing during the summer to gather food. They did not share with him. Much of this chapter is about the foolish or slothful person. Proverbs warns many times about not working for what you need. The ants in a colony all work their respected jobs for the good of the group. Each one does the task God created it to do. II Thessalonians 3:10 says "For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat." The Jamestown Colony went by this rule when they settled in America. The people who were used to being waited on back home so thought they should have this service now, also. They soon learned that each person had to do their part for the new colony to stay alive. It is a lot easier to stay in bed when the alarm rings, but not much will get accomplished that way. We need to do our jobs so we do not have to beg when winter comes. Related Proverbs verses: 10:26; 12:27; 18:9; 19:24; 22:13; 24:30-34; 26:13-16
27. Fearing God
Read: Proverbs 28 Verse: Proverbs 28:14 - "Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardenth his heart shall fall into mischief." I hear parents tell their children to do something and when the child does not obey they start counting to three to give that child time to comply. This lets the child know that he does not have to obey at first. Maybe she still has two chances! When a parent expects the child to obey when first told, the child has a 'fear' of that parent. Not a scary fear, but a trusting fear to know their parent cares that they do right. Remember in the introduction the main verse for the whole book of Proverbs? Proverbs 1:7, "The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom." It is repeated in Proverbs 9:10, Psalm 111:10 and Job 28:28. This fear means reverence or awe of God. The dictionary says fear is "the reverence for constituted authority." Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." As we read the Bible and find verses of God's love, guidance and protection we should praise God from whom all these blessing flow! A journal of these blessings would be a special thing to keep. Then you can look back over it and remember things God has done for you. When doing this your love for Him will overflow and you can truly fear God! Related Proverbs verses: 3:7; 10:27; 14:26,27; 15:16,33
28. Life's Disasters
Read: Proverbs 27 Verse: Proverbs 27:1 "Boast not thyself of tomorrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." The sinking of the Titanic was one of history's greatest marine disasters. The 2208 passengers and crew of the Titanic traveled on the safest and largest ship at that time. The first-class passengers enjoyed a pleasurable trip across the Atlantic Ocean basking in luxury and comfort until disaster struck. During the night of April 14, 1912 the ship hit an iceberg. Two and a half hours later 1,503 people had died. Many of them, during their last minutes, called upon God for mercy. Many people throughout time have lived the way they wanted to live then at a time of disaster in their lives called upon God. God will save a person when they ask Him, even on a deathbed, but why wait? You can have a lifetime of days to serve God by accepting Him and living for him instead of waiting until your life seems over. We do not have to wait until disaster or sickness strikes to call upon God. Jesus came, died and rose again so we might have everlasting life (John 3:16 & I Corinthians 15:1-4). II Corinthians 6:2 says "...behold now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation." If you have not accepted Jesus as Savior, make today the best day of your life by doing so! Related Proverbs verses: 8:35, 36
29. World War I
Read: Proverbs 29 Verse: Proverbs 29:22 - "An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression." June 28, 1914 in Sarajevo, Bosnia a young man named Gavrilo Princip shot and killed Archduke Ferdinand and his wife. This event started World War I and eventually twenty-three countries became involved. Approximately ten million military people died during the next four years. Could anger have started this war? In one way or the other, it did. Then after the war many nationalities were angry at other nationalities because of the loss of their loved ones Not all anger is bad, though. Jesus never sinned, but He became angry with the moneychangers in the temple. (Matthew 21:12 & Mark 11:15) When we do become angry at what we think is an injustice, we need to settle whatever is bothering us peacefully. Ephesians 4:26 "Be ye angry and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil." Eph. 4:31 tells us to put anger away from us. Don't let the devil win a victory in your life. If you are angry with someone go to them and settle the matter, soon! Related Proverbs verses:14:17;,29 15:18; 16:32;19:11,19; 22:24,25; 25:28; 27:430. Mistakes in God's Word?
Read: Proverbs 30 Verse: Proverbs 30:5 "Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him." Thomas A. Edison was able to invent the light bulb because he was determined with his work. Learning from his mistakes instead of giving up, he received 1093 patents from the U. S. government for his inventions. In this chapter, we don't know who Agur or his father, Jakeh, are. It seems Agur lived a rough life away from God and later realized his mistake. Though he says he did not learn wisdom (VS.3) he left for us many bits of sound advice in this chapter. Verse five tells us that every word of God is pure and we are not to add to them. Verse six gives us a warning if we do, as does Revelation 22:18 -19. Different words are used in Psalm 119 for God's word. These are: law, testimonies, precepts, statues, commandments, judgments, word and ordinances. Psalm 19: 7-9 uses these same words. King David tells his son Solomon in I Kings 2:3 to keep God's commandments. John 1:1 tells us "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God". Notice the capital 'w' meaning the Word was Jesus. We should read God's word daily so we can learn from the wisdom found in Its pages. There are no mistakes in God's Word! Related Proverbs verses: 13:13; 19:16; 22:17-2131. Virtuous Woman
Read: Proverbs 31 Verse: Proverbs 31:10 - "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies." Mother's Day is a U.S. holiday. Children honor their mothers with cards or gifts. The first observance was in Philadelphia, Pa. in 1907. More than half of the last chapter of Proverbs is about the virtuous woman who took care of her household duties with wisdom and understanding. She not only cared for her own family, but had a concern for other people. Fearing the Lord, she did all things to honor Him. Col. 3:23 "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men." Maybe this woman described seems almost like a superwoman. She surely had times of weariness and struggles just as women today, but did her work with a willing heart and mind for the best for her family. She had her priorities in the right order, knowing that when this is done things go a lot easier. These priorities could be: 1-Time alone with God, 2-Husband, 3-Children, 4-Personal care, 5-Household duties, and 6-Outside activities. By doing this, your family can truly honor you when your home is honoring the One who designed it. Related Proverbs verses: 11:6; 14:1; 8:22; 19:14; 31:10-31"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).
These devotions are available in booklet format from: Silent Word Ministries