July 1 - Proverbs 7-9
These three chapters are very practical. They show us how God's wisdom changes our lives for the better. The challenge is to apply our hearts to God's wisdom instead of going by the ways of this world.
The first example of how God's wisdom makes a difference is in the area of sexual immorality. Ever since there have been people on the earth this has been a great problem, because of the lust of the flesh. People just want to live a life of pleasure, and sexual pleasure ranks at the top of the list. However, sexual pleasure experienced outside of marriage will destroy a person's life. It leads to the destruction of the body through disease and the destruction of the soul through sin. It is just as addictive as alcohol or drugs, and it is just as deadly. God's wisdom will lead a person away from sexual immorality, but the world's way is to run to it. How are you doing in this area? Are you staying away from it or are you drawn to it? That is a barometer of how much you are living by God's wisdom.
In fact, Proverbs 8:13 tells us that the fear of the Lord is to hate evil. Most people want to love the Lord and stay as close to evil as they feel they can. This is so destructive. If you fear what God can and will do to you if you sin, you will hate evil completely. Proverbs 9:10 tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. If you fear what God can and will do to you if you sin, you will have a great desire to know the right thing to do, so you can do it instead of doing the wrong thing. It is so important to see that the way to God's wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord. If you think that you can live however you want, and you have no fear of what God will do to you, you will not find God's wisdom. You will soak up the ways of the world because of your curiosity and the schemes of Satan. I urge you to establish the fear of the Lord in your heart and to seek wisdom with all of your heart as it says here in Proverbs.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Proverbs 10 and 11.
The first example of how God's wisdom makes a difference is in the area of sexual immorality. Ever since there have been people on the earth this has been a great problem, because of the lust of the flesh. People just want to live a life of pleasure, and sexual pleasure ranks at the top of the list. However, sexual pleasure experienced outside of marriage will destroy a person's life. It leads to the destruction of the body through disease and the destruction of the soul through sin. It is just as addictive as alcohol or drugs, and it is just as deadly. God's wisdom will lead a person away from sexual immorality, but the world's way is to run to it. How are you doing in this area? Are you staying away from it or are you drawn to it? That is a barometer of how much you are living by God's wisdom.
In fact, Proverbs 8:13 tells us that the fear of the Lord is to hate evil. Most people want to love the Lord and stay as close to evil as they feel they can. This is so destructive. If you fear what God can and will do to you if you sin, you will hate evil completely. Proverbs 9:10 tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. If you fear what God can and will do to you if you sin, you will have a great desire to know the right thing to do, so you can do it instead of doing the wrong thing. It is so important to see that the way to God's wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord. If you think that you can live however you want, and you have no fear of what God will do to you, you will not find God's wisdom. You will soak up the ways of the world because of your curiosity and the schemes of Satan. I urge you to establish the fear of the Lord in your heart and to seek wisdom with all of your heart as it says here in Proverbs.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Proverbs 10 and 11.