THE BOOK OF PROVERBS: MAY 2020 DEVOTION
An intricate analysis.
Thanks for accepting the call to corporately study and share. We will be doing one chapter a day. I encourage as many as can, to read, study, meditate and share a thought/s from your devotion. May the Lord bless our devotions. Key Verse: Proverbs 1:7 The [reverent] fear of the LORD [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of knowledge [its starting point and its essence]; But arrogant fools despise [skillful and godly] wisdom and instruction and self-discipline.
Proverbs 13
Day 13 .
Wed May 13 2020 23:59:59 GMT+0300 (East Africa Time)
Overview
✳️ Verses: 25✳️ Theme: More Wise Sayings
Highlights
✅ Verse 1 - Love discipline!
We live in a time where there has been a great confusion between discipline and spiritual warfare! Today if you establish that you are a child of God, you will realize that His love program includes discipline/chastisement. When you err, the loving Father may discipline you as He chooses. We have to be spiritually literate of our position in Him to distinguish between chastisement and warfare. Often times we rebuke chastisement, then slide in to more error of engaging in spiritual warfare where we are scattering, refusing, rejecting, sending back to sender etc. It is possible that the thing you are fasting about to be taken away could be chastisement🤷♂️. Ask Paul the apostle (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)! What was torment and he prayed against, was an instrument to teach him. May God teach us the essence of discipline in our spiritual walk. Amen.
✅ Verse 3 - watch your speech!
In our age, it is not just what we say with our mouth. It is what we splash on social media. Do you know that nowadays employers are using social media as a source of background check? What are you saying on social media? What are you displaying? Selah.
In context, be slow to speak!
✅ Verse 7 - Pretense.
Again, social media has highlighted the hypocrisy we tend to veil 1 on 1. You enter java, you check in; you go back to your home and you don't check in! Nikiiii.. . . . 🤣🙈..
The rich one lives as though he doesn't have but the poor displays. This pretense attends even to billionaires. Am sure you have come across some disturbed fellows on social media who even display their receipts from Kempinski. May this season teach us humility. Amen.
✅ Verse 13 - His Word is life; His counsel is to be cherished.
If we are to honestly review our lives and share, we will see that we are in some limited positions in life because at a certain point in life, we disregarded godly counsel. I am the chief "confessor" on this one; and the first to repent. Jesus said "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh conveys no benefit [it is of no account]. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life [providing eternal life]." John 6:63. The word of God authors life. If you ignore it, anything you live out thereafter cannot be life as per kingdom definition. May God teach us to cherish His counsel.
✅ Verse 22 Inheritance!
Whenever we talk about inheritance, we think in the immediate. We think about our children. But God is generational. In dealing with men and encouraging them to walk in His ways, He is thinking generationally. His description of a good man is one that works out today while thinking of his grand children! This should challenge us today to know that we are called to live out a life whose profit will be felt by our children's children.
Commentaries
Ciruu Kiniti: Proverbs 13
Apologies in advance for being lengthy in my past and future sharings in the Book of Proverbs. Nishawapea warning. You actually can skim through what I read...don't punish yourself reading through😂😂nishawapea disclaimer. Here come's Proverbs 13:I have been reading James this week and I love that my reading has been centered around the tongue and so this is in tandem with my reading today.
V.3 Putting a guard on my mouth will ensure that I keep my life. I imagine or picture a person who is seasoned in his talking, just weighing what I want to say, being equally reminded that the power of death and life is in the tongue.
V. 11 Wealth: I like how some of these issues keep on being repeated. This being one of the common themes running through Proverbs. Very relevant in this day and age of “quick deals”. Not only addressing issues of corruption but also those get rich quick schemes. Just because I saw Mary driving a car- I look for the quickest way to make money so that I can drive one too.
V.13 Those who despise/hate the word of God are setting themselves up for destruction. And when I look at this we can be quick to say—“but I know myself, I do not despise His Word”.
But allow me to draw an analogy with my own child; for me despising God’s Word may also mean being indifferent to it and not acting on it. If I give my son instruction and he refuses to follow it, I deduce his behavior as despise for what I am telling him. He does not hate me, but he just does not regard my instruction—and we know oftentimes this would lead to a consequence. I hope I am making sense…
Live right; live well have plenty if I do not live right (according to God’s instruction) I end up going away on empty.
My take home and practical application of this passage: Keeping guard over my mouth, seasoning my words because they have POWER.
😂😂 weeh! Hizo story zinaweza kuwa mob...sometimes I have a thought but ata haitoki...but it is well! I think too fast...
Chwai: Thanks for this 🙏🏿 Tunasoma kila kitu n appreciate the contribution
Nancy Tshay: 👍 Pauline Karani: You are so right. You remember the parable about the wedding, asking you not to go to a place of honour but rather sit at the back and let the host come and give you a place of honour? Its about humility. The way Jesus was. Luke 14:8-11 Obed Pastor: 🤣 🤣 Wow, so well put! Thank you for these nuggets of wisdom🙂 I'm tempted to post " following". 😁😁😁😂😂 Wisdom is in the group. 🤗