God's Word For Every Day

Proverbs 14:1-19 “A perverse man will be filled with the fruit of his ways, and a good man with the fruit of his deeds” (Psalm 14:14). Lord, You speak to us about two kinds of fruit – good fruit and bad fruit. How are we to have good fruit in our lives? Help us, Lord, to throw away our bad fruit – “strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness … ” – and enjoy Your good fruit. We need Your Word (Psalm 1:1-3). We need Your Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). – “love, joy, peace … ” (Galatians 5:19-24).

Proverbs 10:23-11:11 “With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbour” (Proverbs 11:9). Lord, this is straight talking – from Your holy Word. We need to hear this kind of thing. It keeps us on the right track. It keeps us from going off the rails. When, Lord, we’re tempted to speak words that will hurt other people, help us remember Your Word to us: “The tongue is a fire… With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men … this ought not to be so” (James 3:6-10). Help us, Lord, to keep quiet – or end up saying, I wish I had never said that – It’s better to ‘put a zip on it’ than to ‘put our foot in it’. When we have nothing good to say, help us to say nothing at all.

Proverbs 9:1-18 Lord, You come to us with bread and wine. You come to us in Jesus, our Saviour. You come to us in love. You show us how much You love us. There is no love like Your love for us. It’s the best love. It’s the greatest love. It’s love “so amazing.” It’s love “so divine.” Thank You, Lord, for Your wonderful love.

Proverbs 2:16-34 Lord, we love to hear Your promises of love. Sometimes, we need to hear Your words of warning. In Your warnings, we hear the voice of Your love. In Your love, You’re calling us back from a way that will do us great harm. You call us into a better way – the way of Your great salvation. Lord, when we are being pulled away from You, bring us back to Yourself. Speak to us with Your Word of warning, the Word that calls us back so that we can move forward with You and for You. When we don’t want to hear it – That’s when we most need to hear it. Speak to us, O Lord, and help us to listen. “How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?” (Hebrews 2:3).

Proverbs 8:1-36 We seek, Lord, for the way of wisdom – and we find that it is also the way of happiness (Proverbs 8:32-34). The world seeks happiness in wealth. Your Word teaches us that wisdom is better than “silver, gold and jewels” (Proverbs 8:10-11). How are we to find wisdom? We find wisdom when we find Jesus. He is our Wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:30). He is also our Joy. When this world is getting us down, He says to us, “Be of good cheer. I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

The search for wisdom may begin for us with the question, “What does the book of Proverbs teach us about wisdom?”, but it must not end there. While it is important to learn what the Old Testament has to say to us, we should not allow ourselves to get trapped in the Old Testament so that we fail to look beyond the first stage of God’s revelation and see the fullness of God’s revelation – our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ: “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by His Son” (Hebrews 1:1-2). The book of Proverbs encourages us to search for wisdom. In our search for wisdom, we find that we are led beyond the book of Proverbs. We read what the New Testament says to us – “you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15). We are to led to “Christ” who is “the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24). ...

Proverbs 30:1-33 In Proverbs 30:5, we learn about Your Word. Your Word is ‘true’. Your Word is ‘pure’. Your Word is full of blessing for those who ‘put their trust in You’. When, Lord, we trust in You, we learn that ‘Your Word is truth’. Your Word is full of blessing for those who ‘live according to Your Word’. When, Lord, we live in obedience to Your Word, we find that Your Word makes us ‘pure’. Through Your Word of truth, You lead us in the pathway of holiness. Help us never to forget that Jesus is praying for us: ‘Make them pure and holy through teaching them Your Words of truth’. Lord, Your Word is ‘more precious than gold’. Help us to ‘hide Your Word in our hearts that we might not sin against You’ (John 17:17; Psalms 19:10; 119:9,11). 

“…you have to be godly to be wise …” ( Derek Kidner , Proverbs , p. 32) .

Mark 2:13-3:12 Jesus changes people. Levi became Matthew (14). He became 'a new creation' (2 Corinthians 5:17). The change of name marked his new birth (John 3:6). To be changed by Jesus you must recognize yourself as a sinner (17). There is a world of difference between legal obedience - 'old wine' - and Gospel obedience - 'new wine' (21-22). There is an eternity of difference between belonging to God's Kingdom and remaining outside of His Kingdom (John 3:3,5,7). The religion of the Pharisees was legalistic. The obedience of Jesus was spiritual. Will we follow Jesus, or will we be like these 'religious' men who planned 'to destroy Him' (6)? It is sadly possible to participate in 'religion', professing faith in 'the Son of God', in an 'unclean spirit' (11). Prompted by the Holy Spirit, let us truly confess that 'Jesus is Lord' (1 Corinthians 12:3). Mark 3:13-35 The conflict intensifies. Th...

Proverbs 4:20-27  'Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you' (25). Living the Christian life is like 'walking a tightrope' - We must 'not swerve to the right or to the left' (27; Deuteronomy 28:14; Joshua 1:7; 23:6). Looking straight ahead, 'let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith...'(Hebrews 12:2). In the face of life's many difficulties, you may ask, "Can I 'run with perseverance the race marked out for me' (Hebrews 12:1)?". Keep your eyes on your own capacity for perseverance - and you will be filled with thoughts of your own weakness. Keep your eyes on Christ and His preserving power (1 Peter 1:5; John 10:27-29; Philippians 1:6; Romans 8:37-39). You will grow strong - strengthened by Christ's Word: 'My grace is sufficient for you' (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Proverbs 24:15-34 ‘Though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again’ (Proverbs 24:15). Lord, You ‘keep us by Your power.’ We do not raise ourselves. You, Lord, are ‘able to keep us from falling’. You ‘know how to deliver the godly out of temptations’ (1 Peter 1:5; Jude 24; 2 Peter 2:9). When our ‘faith’ is ‘tested by fire’, help us to pray that You will give us His victory: ‘Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace’ (1 Peter 1:6-7;Daniel 3:17). When our strength is almost gone, You come, with Your Word: ‘My grace is sufficient for you. My power is made perfect in weakness’ (2 Corinthians 12:9). Thank You, Lord.

Proverbs 13:1-11 “The light of the righteous rejoices” (Proverbs 13:9). We thank You, Lord, that Jesus is our Light. He’s “the Light of the world” (John 8:12). In Him, we rejoice (Romans 5:11 – “the blood Of Jesus, Your Son, cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). We thank You that, through Jesus, You have “called us out of darkness into Your marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:9). When, Lord, we’re going through hard times, help us to see the light at the end of the tunnel – “the salvation of our souls” (1 Peter 1:6-9).

Proverbs 29:1-27 ‘The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern’. Lord, there are so many people who have a ‘couldn’t care less’ attitude. They have stopped listening to Your Word and they have lost interest in living Your way – ‘Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint’. For those who are ignoring You, refusing to listen to Your Word and turning away from the pathway of obedience, You have a stern Word of warning: ‘If you get more stubborn every time you are corrected, one day you will be crushed and never recover’. You, Lord, are calling us to leave the pathway of disobedience and disaster and to walk in the way of obedience and blessing: ‘Blessed is he who keeps the law’ (Proverbs 29:7,1,18). Help us to hear what You’re saying to us and to do what You tell us to do.

Proverbs 23:19-35 ‘Keep your heart on the right path’ (Proverbs 23:19). Lord, we read these words, and we wonder, ‘How are we to do this?’ Help us to seek ‘truth, wisdom, instruction and understanding’ (Proverbs 23:23). Help us to give our hearts to Christ. He is ‘the Truth’ (John 14:6). Help us to open our hearts to Christ. He is ‘our Wisdom’ (1 Corinthians 1:30). Opening our hearts will mean opening our Bibles. Giving our hearts to Christ will mean giving time to reading Your Word. As we read ‘the Scriptures’, we will receive ‘instruction’. We will learn about ‘salvation through faith in Christ Jesus’. We will receive ‘instruction for right living’ (2 Timothy 3:14-17). Help us, Lord, as we read Your Word, to pray that the Holy Spirit will give us ‘understanding’ (1 Corinthians 2:9-13). May we ‘be filled with the Spirit’ and may ‘the Word of Christ dwell in us richly’ (Ephesians 5:18; Colossians 3:16).

In Proverbs 7, we are warned against the foolishness of going the way of the world. In Proverbs 8, we hear the voice of wisdom, calling to us; “Now, sons, listen to Me. Blessed are those who follow My ways” (Proverbs 8:32). The call of wisdom continues in Proverbs 9. The call of wisdom comes to us as the call of the Lord, who, from His Table, calls us to His Supper: “Come, eat My bread, and drink the wine I have mixed” (Proverbs 9:5).

Proverbs 12:15-28 What harm can be done by “reckless words” (Proverbs 12:18)! Lord, teach us to take care how we speak. Help us to remember that we are Your witnesses. We have a testimony to maintain. Teach us that there is a better way than the way of “lying lips” (Proverbs 12:22). Help us, Lord, to bring “glory” to You, as we keep on confessing our faith: “Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:11).

What kind of people are we to be? What kind of life are we to live? Lord, You're calling us to live a life of "love" (Proverbs 17:9). How, Lord, do we learn what love is? - We learn from You. You show us what love is - "God so loved the world that He gave His only Son ... " (John 3:16). In Jesus, we see perfect love - "The Son of God loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). The Holy Spirit fills our lives with Your love - "The fruit of the Spirit is love" (Galatians 5:22). Help us, Lord, to live a Godly, Christlike, Spirit-filled life - a life of love.

Proverbs 10:1-22 What a difference there is between the ‘wise’ and the ‘foolish’. It is the difference between ‘righteousness’ and ‘wickedness’(1-2). Throughout life, there are choices to be made. We may choose wisely, being led by the Lord ‘in the paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake’. We may choose foolishly, going ‘astray’, refusing to ‘call upon the Lord’(Psalms 23:3-4; 14:2-4). We must be very careful about the choices we make. There is a ‘way that leads to life’ and a ‘way that leads to destruction’(16-17; Matthew 7:13-14). ‘Flee from the wrath to come’. Choose Christ. Choose life. ‘He who believes in the Son has eternal life; he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God rests upon him’(Matthew 3:7; John 3:36).Choose Him now. ‘Now is the day of salvation’(2 Corinthians 6:2). Proverbs 10:23-11:11 '‘With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbour’ (9) - This kind of thing is going on all the time! There is no respect...

"There is one who makes himself rich, yet  has  nothing; a nd   one who makes himself poor, yet   has   great riches" (Proverbs 13:7).   The rich man has nothing. The poor man has great riches. When I came across this verse, I thought about two great songs - one I've known for many years, the other I've only known for a few years. The songs are "I'd rather I have Jesus" and "Give me Jesus." Here are links to the two songs -  I'd rather have Jesus - YouTube  and  Fernando Ortega - Give me Jesus - YouTube .  I hope that you will be richly blessed by the Lord as you listen to and sing along with these songs. 

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7). The Lord calls to us as the voice of wisdom, ‘Turn to Me when I warn you. I will generously pour out My Spirit for you. I will make My words known to you” (Proverbs 1:23). “The Lord gives wisdom … Wisdom will come into your heart … Wisdom will save you  from the way of evil … So walk in the way of good people and stay on the paths of righteous people” (Proverbs 2:6,10,12,20). Trusting the Lord and fearing the Lord belong together: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart … Fear the Lord, and turn away from evil” (Proverbs 3;5,7). Wisdom brings great blessing into our lives: “Blessed is the one who finds wisdom and the one who obtains understanding. The profit gained from wisdom is greater than the profit gained from silver. Its yield is better than fine gold. Wisdom is more precious than jewels” (Proverbs 3:13-14).