Bible League: Living His Word He who walks with wise men will be wise,But the companion of fools will be destroyed. The whole point of the book of Proverbs is to impart wisdom to its readers. That's why it begins with, "To know wisdom and instruction, To perceive the words of understanding," and also, "To give prudence to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion" (Proverbs 1:2-4). In that spirit, our verse for today imparts some wisdom to us. It imparts some wisdom on how to get wisdom. What does it mean to be wise from the point of view of Proverbs? And what does it mean to be a fool? The answer to these questions can be found in what is probably the most important verse in the book and one of the most important verses in the Bible: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction" (Proverbs 1:7). The truly wise person knows who God is and reveres His word and His ways. The truly wise person knows that one must love God, serve Him, and do things the way God wants. The fool, on the other hand, is the person who says in his heart, '"There is no God"' (Psalm 14:1). Hence, he has no regard for the wisdom of God. Indeed, he despises divine wisdom and instruction. Since he has rejected God, he makes a point of living life in opposition to the will and ways of God. Our verse for today tells us that those who walk with wise people will become wise. We will learn wisdom and goodness from their words and their example. The Apostle Paul told the Corinthian church to "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ" (I Corinthians 11:1). Paul knew that his example would be helpful to the Corinthians; he knew that it would make them wise. Our verse for today also tells us that the companion of fools will be destroyed. They will learn foolishness and evil from their words and example and, as a consequence, they will be destroyed. Since foolishness and evil are contrary to the God ordained ways of being in the world, following them cannot go well for them. And that's why they're fools. They do not understand what is in their best interest. Look around you today. Where are the wise and where are the fools? And then walk with the wise. Bible in a Year Old Testament Reading2 Kings 20, 21, 22 2 Kings 20 -- Hezekiah's Life Lengthened, Shows Treasures to Babylon NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 2 Kings 21 -- Manasseh's and Amon's Wicked Reigns NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 2 Kings 22 -- Josiah's Good Reign; Repair of the Temple; Finding the Lost Book of the Law NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading John 6:45-71 John 7 -- Jesus Teaches at the Feast of Tabernacles; Diverse Opinions of Him among the People NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.Insight Daniel stood alone. Although he knew about the law against praying to anyone except the king, he continued to pray three times a day as he always had. Daniel had a disciplined prayer life. Challenge Our prayers are usually interrupted not by threats, but simply by the pressure of our schedules. Don't let threats or pressures cut into your prayer time. Pray regularly, no matter what, for prayer is your lifeline to God. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Hebrews 12:11 Afterward.How happy are tried Christians, afterwards. No calm more deep than that which succeeds a storm. Who has not rejoiced in clear shinings after rain? Victorious banquets are for well-exercised soldiers. After killing the lion we eat the honey; after climbing the Hill Difficulty, we sit down in the arbour to rest; after traversing the Valley of Humiliation, after fighting with Apollyon, the shining one appears, with the healing branch from the tree of life. Our sorrows, like the passing keels of the vessels upon the sea, leave a silver line of holy light behind them "afterwards." It is peace, sweet, deep peace, which follows the horrible turmoil which once reigned in our tormented, guilty souls. See, then, the happy estate of a Christian! He has his best things last, and he therefore in this world receives his worst things first. But even his worst things are "afterward" good things, harsh ploughings yielding joyful harvests. Even now he grows rich by his losses, he rises by his falls, he lives by dying, and becomes full by being emptied; if, then, his grievous afflictions yield him so much peaceable fruit in this life, what shall be the full vintage of joy "afterwards" in heaven? If his dark nights are as bright as the world's days, what shall his days be? If even his starlight is more splendid than the sun, what must his sunlight be? If he can sing in a dungeon, how sweetly will he sing in heaven! If he can praise the Lord in the fires, how will he extol him before the eternal throne! If evil be good to him now, what will the overflowing goodness of God be to him then? Oh, blessed "afterward!" Who would not be a Christian? Who would not bear the present cross for the crown which cometh afterwards? But herein is work for patience, for the rest is not for today, nor the triumph for the present, but "afterward." Wait, O soul, and let patience have her perfect work. Daily Light on the Daily Path Galatians 5:26 Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.Judges 8:24,25,27 Yet Gideon said to them, "I would request of you, that each of you give me an earring from his spoil." (For they had gold earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.) • They said, "We will surely give them." So they spread out a garment, and every one of them threw an earring there from his spoil. • Gideon made it into an ephod, and placed it in his city, Ophrah, and all Israel played the harlot with it there, so that it became a snare to Gideon and his household. Jeremiah 45:5 But you, are you seeking great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I am going to bring disaster on all flesh,' declares the LORD, 'but I will give your life to you as booty in all the places where you may go.'" 2 Corinthians 12:7 Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me-- to keep me from exalting myself! Philippians 2:3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 1 Corinthians 13:4,5 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, • does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, Matthew 11:29 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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