(I am the writer for a weekly devotion that goes to the email list of a local ministry. This is this weeks devotion about God’s Divine Love”)
“…Divine love surpasses the love of my parents who sacrificed much for me. It surpasses the love of my husband who knows me and accepts me just the way I am! It surpasses my own love for my four kids who I willingly laid down my wants, my desires, and my plans in order to see them excel and succeed…”
“I can say what I want.” … There may be truth in that statement. You can… BUT that does not mean that is what is BEST for you.
”The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.“
Proverbs 18:21 NIV
The words that come from our mouths have power. The come from deep within us. They can be encouraging, life giving, etc.
”The words of a [discreet and wise] man’s mouth are like deep waters [plenteous and difficult to fathom], and the fountain of skillful and godly Wisdom is like a gushing stream [sparkling, fresh, pure, and life-giving].“
Proverbs 18:4 AMPC
BUT, Foolish words “bring strife”, “invite a beating”, undo us and are “a snare to our very lives.” (Proverbs 18:6-7)
We must be careful what we say. What we feel is not what we go by and certainly can not be the source of our speech. Our words from our mouth will produce fruit. Good words based off of God’s Word will produce a good “harvest of our lips.”(verse 20). It will be fulfilling and satisfying.
What’s inside of us will always come out… It will be displayed in our words, our actions, even the way we present ourselves to others — our body language.
We were meant to display or bear the image of God. When we come to God and allow Him to pour Himself into us, His image of peace, joy, and love will reflect everywhere we go. But if we are full of sin and selfishness that image of death, darkness, and destruction will be reflected everywhere we go as well.
God’s desire is for our lives to reflect Him. This is why He tests our hearts.
”The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart.“ Proverbs 17:3 NIV
Things we go through can be unpleasant at times. Sometimes they are downright hard, but God does not waste anything in our lives. He uses our circumstances to purify us as silver is purified. The heat will remove the impurities so the silversmith can see his reflection in the silver. Our reactions to our circumstances are opportunities to have what is not of God, sin, repented of and cleansed from us so we can display the image of our Divine Silversmith, God. His image reflected in us is always for our good. Because He alone is goodness!
I want to control… it’s in my nature. I want things to go my way. Following Jesus does not work well if I am bent on being in control. We have our plans. We think our ways are the right ones. But ultimately what we want, when and how we want it must submit to the Lord. (Verses 2-3)
The way to peace, success, and the blessed life is summed up in this verse:
”Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.“ Proverbs 16:3 NIV
To commit is to give in trust or to put in the hands of the power of another. Our lives put into the hands and power of God as our Lord is the way to have our life established and secure.
May we seek to give Jesus ALL and follow Him alone!
“Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me…”
WRONG!
From childhood we have quoted this saying and believed it, but It is a lie!
The scripture has much to say about what comes out of our mouths and our words are able to do much harm! Today’s chapter lists a few of them. Words can “stir up anger” (verse 1) and “crush the spirit” (verse 4). A fools mouth “feeds on folly” (verse 14), and the wicked’s mouth “gushes evil” (verse 28).
If our heart is overflowing with God, we are assured that wisdom and knowledge will come out of our mouth (verse 1). As well as life (verse 4), joy (verse 23), graciousness and purity (verse 26), and good news (verse 30).
Jesus said, “the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” (Luke 6:45) So the question becomes, “What’s in my heart?” Be assured whatever is in our hearts is the very thing that is coming out of our mouths!
“Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD…” Exodus 5:2
“Who is the Lord that I should obey Him?” This is the disposition of heart that many have. It springs from the truth Pharaoh spoke about himself, “I do not know the Lord.” Simply put… Pharaoh did not fear the Lord. Many in our time do not fear the Lord as well.
There is much said in Proverbs about the fear of the Lord. Today’s Proverb talks about why it is so important.
”Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death.“ Proverbs 14:26-27 NIV
The fear of the Lord is a “secure fortress… a refuge…a fountain of life.”
When we fear the Lord, we have a reverential awe of Him. This comes from a just view of Him. We see Him rightly. If we truly see Him for who He is, we will love Him. Then we will hate sin and aim for perfect obedience. We will not want anything to separate us from such a great and awesome God. (Websters 1828 Dictionary)
When we see God rightly, we know that we are secure in Him. He is our fortress. We know that our God is the place we can hide away and can experience His protection and provision because He is the greatest love. He is always working for our good!
As we shun evil or love God/Hate sin, we will know Him as the “fountain of life.” Because sin destroys and causes nothing but death, darkness, and destruction in our lives.
Pharaoh missed so much because he refused to know God for who He is and worship Him. We will miss so much as well if we refuse Him.
To Know God Is to Love God Is to Trust God Is to Obey God
May we come to a greater understanding of what it is to fear the Lord and to walk in His ways!
When I was a kid we sang a song in Sunday School that said “Oh be careful little ears what you hear?” There is so much truth in those words. Our world has so many voices, so many teachers, so many schools of thought. We must be careful what we hear!
Today’s Proverb encourages us to listen to the voice of Wisdom.
”The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death.“ Proverbs 13:14 NIV
Jesus is the Wisdom from Heaven. His Word is wisdom and truth. It is the “fountain of life.” His Word turns us from “the snares of death.” If we want to have a life of abundance, freedom, and joy, we must listen to Him and obey His voice. His voice speaks the good way to go. It can be easily heard when we walk with Him in close relationship.
We must be careful what voices we listen to. Are they speaking truth to us from God’s Word or are they trying to draw us away from our relationship with God?
Take an inventory: What am I listening to? What are My podcasts saying? My movies? My TV shows? My websites I visit? My friends I take advice from? My counselors I seek out?
Who has my ear? Are they pointing to Jesus, God’s Heavenly Wisdom?
”Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.“ Proverbs 13:20 NIV
Life vrs. Death, Truth vrs. Lies, Good vrs. Bad… choices.
Proverbs speaks a lot about choices and the fruit of the choices we make. It is full of encouragement for living a life as God would have us live: righteous, noble, speaking good things, secure, prudent, hard working, listening to His advice, promoting peace, free of harm, trustworthy, cheerful, etc.
It is also full of warnings of what we are to avoid: wickedness, deceitfulness, disgracefulness, cruelty, chasing fantasies, sinful talk, annoyed, plotting evil, folly, laziness, death…
God has set before is choices. He desires for us to choose Him. Because in Him is goodness, truth, and life.
As we read Proverbs 12, may we consider the choices we are making and our desire be to chose God’s way. It is for our best because He loves us!
“In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death.” Proverbs 12:28
I can remember my Dad telling me how much he loved the word integrity and how important it was to be a person of integrity. Proverbs has much to say about being that person.
To walk in integrity is to walk in moral soundness or purity; incorruptness; uprightness; honesty. (Webster’s 1828 Dictionary) Today’s Proverb tells us that integrity guides the upright.
”The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.“ Proverbs 11:3 NIV
It is when we deal crookedly that we are destroyed. We cannot enjoy abundant lives if we live a life of duplicity trying to follow God’s righteous ways and wanting to have our own way at the same time. God want us to be “all in” as we follow after Him!
Another word that describes a person who lives their spiritual life with duplicity is unfaithfulness. Believing and then not believing is a trap coming from our “evil desires” (verse 6). We are warned to not live this way. This is a perverse heart that is obstinate and stubborn. God detests that kind of heart because it separated us far away from Him and His love. (Verse 20)
A person who has a heart of integrity is the one who is in wholehearted pursuit of God and His ways. This is the only way to abundant life!
Many are seeking for a life of success. Our libraries are filled with self help books that give “The key to happiness, fulfillment, wealth, etc.” Google search after Google search will point you to the ways to happiness, peace of mind, prosperity, etc. But Proverbs 10 lays out THE TRUE KEY to what we are all looking for— a blessed life. That key is “righteousness”.
Righteousness is defined as having a holy heart, a heart set apart for a sacred use, God’s use. When our thoughts, our decisions, and our feelings are completely submitted to God, obedient to God and depending upon God, we experience a life of fulfillment, joy, and happiness. (Verses 6, 7, 16) We experience the blessed life!
The blessings of a righteous person are many: The righteous person is delivered from spiritual death. (Verse 2) They are spiritually fulfilled. (Verse 3) A righteous person’s mouth is a fountain of life. It is life giving. (Verse 11) It has the good fruit of wisdom (Verse 31). The prospect— hope or expectation — of the righteous is joy…” They are firmly planted not uprooted. They know what finds favor (Verse 32).
How do we experience this blessed life of righteousness? This righteousness that pours out blessing after blessing in our lives isn’t found in all the good works we may do. It is found in Jesus alone! He give His righteousness to us so we can live the blessed life. Our role is to receive what He has given and live His way— submitted to Him. This is the only place we can experience what so many are searching for the true life of blessings in His righteousness.
Your Love 