July 12 - Proverbs 30,31
These last two chapters of the book of Proverbs are not written by Solomon, but they were inspired by the Holy Spirit, and they do contain God's wisdom for us. The style is different, but the results are the same. The Lord can speak a great word of truth to us through these words.
In Proverbs 30 Agur very humbly confesses that he does not believe himself to be a wise man, but as he writes we can see his wisdom. It seems to me that Agur gained his wisdom like most of us do. Instead of God giving him a special blessing of His wisdom like He did Solomon, Agur learned God's wisdom through the years of his life by observation. Notice all of the things that he mentions, and the wisdom God taught him through those things. Do you stop and take time to observe things around you each day? Are you a people watcher? I encourage you to ask the Holy Spirit to teach you God's wisdom as you observe the things around you each day. That is the way to learn God's wisdom, when we are reading His Word at the same time and listening to what the Spirit is teaching us. He will never contradict His Word, but He will confirm His Word in the things we see around us.
In Proverbs 31 Lemuel explains the true worth of a godly wife. There is simply nothing to add to this passage. It says it all. Any man who takes his wife for granted is a fool. Any man who does not love and appreciate his wife as a gift from God is missing one of the greatest blessings of life. In a world that teaches us to look only for outward beauty this passage hits the nail on the head. "Charm is deceitful, and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised." Take time today and every day to express your praise to your wife, to thank her for what she does, and to thank the Lord for giving her to you.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Ecclesiastes 1-4.
In Proverbs 30 Agur very humbly confesses that he does not believe himself to be a wise man, but as he writes we can see his wisdom. It seems to me that Agur gained his wisdom like most of us do. Instead of God giving him a special blessing of His wisdom like He did Solomon, Agur learned God's wisdom through the years of his life by observation. Notice all of the things that he mentions, and the wisdom God taught him through those things. Do you stop and take time to observe things around you each day? Are you a people watcher? I encourage you to ask the Holy Spirit to teach you God's wisdom as you observe the things around you each day. That is the way to learn God's wisdom, when we are reading His Word at the same time and listening to what the Spirit is teaching us. He will never contradict His Word, but He will confirm His Word in the things we see around us.
In Proverbs 31 Lemuel explains the true worth of a godly wife. There is simply nothing to add to this passage. It says it all. Any man who takes his wife for granted is a fool. Any man who does not love and appreciate his wife as a gift from God is missing one of the greatest blessings of life. In a world that teaches us to look only for outward beauty this passage hits the nail on the head. "Charm is deceitful, and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised." Take time today and every day to express your praise to your wife, to thank her for what she does, and to thank the Lord for giving her to you.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Ecclesiastes 1-4.