Proverbs 3: 21 - 24

Today we will look at the next four verses in Proverbs 3. Again, they stress that God never wants us to forget sound wisdom and discretion, and that if we continually remember them, than we will find abundant life. Here they are:

Proverbs 3: 21 - 24

21 My son, let them not depart from your eyes—

Keep sound wisdom and discretion;

22 So they will be life to your soul

And grace to your neck.

23 Then you will walk safely in your way,

And your foot will not stumble.

24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid;

Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.

Verse 22 says that wisdom and discretion will bring “life to your soul, and grace to your neck.” Back in Chapter 2, we learned that discretion is - "the trait of judging wisely and objectively; AND the ability or power to decide responsibly.” This trait brings us life and grace- (in Christian theology: the free and unmerited favour of God shown towards humankind ). The symbolism is that grace will be like a beautiful necklace for all to see as they look at you.

Wisdom and discretion help us to walk safely, for it will help us to walk in God’s paths and we won’t stumble. Verse 24 goes on to say that when we lay down, we don’t need to be afraid, and that we can have sweet dreams.

Trusting in God to watch over us… knowing that He has everything in His hands, that He loves us, and that He promises to make everything work out for our good when we put Him first in our lives, takes away everything that makes us fearful and stressed out. Without fear and stress in our lives, we will be able to sleep in that peace that passes mankind’s understanding… the peaceful sleep of a trusting child.

Proverbs 3: 19 & 20

Here are our scriptures for today:

Proverbs 3: 19 & 20

19 The LORD, by wisdom, founded the earth;

By understanding, He established the heavens;

20 By His knowledge, the depths were broken up,

And clouds drop down the dew.

God created the earth and the heavens. He did it in a way that would have logical progressions in the ways that it works, so that it could sort of “run on its own…” Without sin entering in, it would have been a beautiful, garden-like place… no thorns, no weeds, no pests. He did it through HIS wisdom, in HIS ways. He can “over ride” HIS system if He knows that it would be best for those involved.

He understands all the little, intricate parts of what He created, because He “invented” or “created” it. Because He did it in a logical way that would perpetuate itself, humans have been able to decipher a lot of what goes on, but they will never be able to understand it enough to “manipulate” it into “total submission” the way that much of humanity would like… we must remember that God’s ways AREN’T our ways.

During Noah’s flood, the Bible says in Genesis 7:11 that “all the springs of the deep burst forth and the floodgates of heaven were opened…” In Genesis 8: 2, it says “The fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were also stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained.”

THIS is the power of our God! THIS is the God that knows each sparrow and when it falls. This is the God that loves us with all His heart and did everything He could to give our spirit a way to be “born again” when we, through our own sin, killed our spirits. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

What a wonder it is that THIS God… OUR CREATOR… loves us enough to do what is best for us… sometimes even “manipulating” the universe for us when we ask Him to, in prayer.

Proverbs 3: 13 – 18

Today’s verses are a summary of many of the benefits of finding God’s wisdom and understanding it. Most of these have been listed before in various verses we have already looked at. First let’s look at today’s verses:

Proverbs 3: 13 – 18

13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom,

And the man who gains understanding;

14 For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver,

And her gain than fine gold.

15 She is more precious than rubies,

And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.

16 Length of days is in her right hand,

In her left hand riches and honor.

17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness,

And all her paths are peace.

18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,

And happy are all who retain her.

This section begins by saying that a man who FINDS wisdom will be happy, and it ends with the statement that those that RETAIN her will be happy. The word “retain” is a verb and indicates an action that is continuous. The Online Dictionary gives these definitions that could apply: 1. To maintain possession of, 2. To keep or hold in a particular place, condition, or position, 3. To keep in mind; remember, 4. To keep in one's service.

It is not just “finding” wisdom that makes us happy, but we must continue to keep the things we have learned in our minds and memories, and USE it. Gaining understanding through that wisdom is another part of what brings happiness into our lives.

Verses 14 and 15 use the symbolism of things like silver, gold, and rubies to show just how valuable wisdom is to people… and in this case, we are speaking of Godly wisdom, and spiritual, as well as, emotional, mental and physical value. These riches are much desired by people, but the end of verse 15 says that wisdom is so far above these riches in value that they can’t even be compared.

Verse 16 speaks of two sides of retaining wisdom. The first side (right hand) tends to give a person long life, as we already studied in chapter 1: 33, and, earlier in this chapter in verse 2. The second side, (left hand) tends to bring riches and honor into our lives. If we use “Godly financial wisdom” in our dealings, we will see riches (spiritual and often physical) in our lives, and since wisdom nurtures the growth of the fruits of the Holy Spirit in our lives, people will be drawn to that love, etc. and we will have places of “honor” in their lives.

Verse 17 continues to portray wisdom as a woman, and says that her ways are pleasant and that following her (her paths) all lead to peace… at least in the end. I expect that this means that though we will go through hard areas, by closely following wise “ways” we find oasis of peace, and eventually total rest and peace as we get to heaven.

Verse 18 again speaks of wisdom as being “lifegiving”… being a “tree of life to those that take hold of her.” Once more we see an instruction to take action by “taking hold.” If we do, we RETAIN wisdom, and the result will be a life of happiness and peace.

Proverbs 3: 11 & 12

Today’s verses are about the “chastening of the Lord.” They are about his correction and discipline in our lives, and why He does that. This is ground we touched on in Chapter 1, but I’ve found that when God repeats Himself, it usually means that the principal He is covering is VERY IMPORTANT to becoming Godly people, and eventually, the “Bride” of Christ.

Proverbs 3: 11 & 12

11 My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,

Nor detest His correction;

12 For whom the LORD loves He corrects,

Just as a father, the son in whom he delights.

The online dictionary defines chasten as: 1. To correct by punishment or reproof; take to task, 2. To restrain or subdue, 3. To rid of excess; refine or purify. This goes along with the Bible verses in the book of Malachi 3: 2 & 3 that we looked at in the last post. Those verses say that Christ will be “like a refiner’s fire, and like launderers’ soap.” They speak of the way that silver is thrown into a fire to be melted down in a heat that is high enough to melt the silver away from the dross (other material in the raw stone). Here is verse 3 again, for it speaks for itself:

Malachi 3:3

3 He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;

He will purify the sons of Levi, (and us too…)
And purge them as gold and silver,
That they may offer to the LORD
An offering in righteousness.

Last month, in verse 30 of Chapter 1 of Proverbs, we discussed how people often “got ticked” (angry, mad) when God “spanks” them, though He says that He disciplines all those that He loves, just as a parent will discipline a child that they love so that the child will learn the right things to do in this life (ways of righteousness). The verses in Hebrews that I posted there, I will post here, so you don’t have to hunt for them and because, in God’s words, they cover the points made in today’s Proverb verses:

Hebrews 12:5-11 (NIV)

5 And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." 7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! 10 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

This past weekend, I endured one of those spankings, and it WAS NOT PLEASANT, but hopefully, it will help me remember to THINK before I SPEAK next time, for that is one area where the Lord still has a lot of work to do in my life. I am so glad that He counts me as His child and loves me enough to discipline me to make me better.

Not only did I have to endure the spanking, but afterwords, He also spoke words of comfort to me and words of forgiveness and to be forgiving through a book I’ve been reading called “Dawn of Liberty” by Michael Phillips. This is the fourth book in a series I would HIGHLY recommend to people who like to read excellent Christian “fiction” (but that is packed with the truth of God and His word). These books, also called the Secret of the Rose Series, have everything… Romance, suspense, mystery, intrigue, AND are packed with Christian truths as the characters learn about themselves and God that begins in Germany in the 1930’s and goes through the 1990’s.

It would be too long, to try to put the few pages that I “happened” to be reading RIGHT when I needed to hear a word from God, but they were talking about a child and father that had major issues, and about God’s discipline in their lives that would lead them to forgiveness and back into a loving relationship, and the subject was exactly what today’s proverbs were about… Funny how the Lord works things out to make them become REAL in our lives.

Proverbs 3: 9 & 10

In today’s world, with the economic crisis throughout our land, these are very important verses to learn and take to heart because these are not just proverbs, but are also promises that are found over and over, throughout the whole Bible.

Proverbs 3: 9 & 10

9 Honor the LORD with your possessions,
And with the firstfruits of all your increase;

10 So your barns will be filled with plenty,

And your vats will overflow with new wine.

These scriptures aren’t just talking about tithing, though that is a very important teaching that is one of the foundations of being blessed by God in our lives. Tithing, or giving to God the first tenth of everything you receive, is one of those “principles” that we talked about in Verses 5 thru 7 in the last study, in that most people would ask “How, if you are giving away money that you need because you are barely making it now, can that be a wise move?”

God’s answer:

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

And lean not on your own understanding;

6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He shall direct your paths.

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes…

There are several reasons that God wants us to tithe, and I don’t believe this is JUST money He is talking about. Look at verse 9 in today’s study: Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase… Here, it says to honor Him with your possessions, not just your money, but ALL that you have... give Him your whole heart... If people need help and you have something that can help, let them use it or help them with it, and do it as a blessing to God, because of all that He does for you, not because you want something from Him, and He will bless you for that! The principles of “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” come to mind here, also.

“Tithing” has become almost a dirty word to a lot of people because it has been so abused by SOME big churches or TV “evangelists,” but in God’s economy, it was meant to be a blessing, just as sex, food, and so many other things He has given us are supposed to be, but have been twisted into something ugly. It was meant to help us keeps our mind and heart centered on God, and to KNOW that He is the one that provides for us in ALL things. It was to keep us from getting into the mindset that WE are providing for ourselves.

It was such an important principle, that I am going to put most of chapter 3 of the book of Malachi here so you can read it for yourselves and not have anything taken out of context. Also, this is just another way of saying the same thing as the verses we are studying today. Read this and meditate on it, for it is FULL of promise and wonderful blessings!!! The first part of the chapter speaks of Christ’s return …

Malachi 3 (NKJV)

1 “… Behold, He is coming,” says the LORD of hosts.
2 “ But who can endure the day of His coming?
And who can stand when He appears?

For He is like a refiner’s fire and like launderers’ soap.

3 He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;

He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver,

That they may offer to the LORD an offering in righteousness.

4 “ Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to the LORD,

As in the days of old, as in former years.

5 And I will come near you for judgment;

I will be a swift witness against sorcerers,

Against adulterers, against perjurers,

Against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans,

And against those who turn away an alien—

Because they do not fear Me,” says the LORD of hosts.

6 “ For I am the LORD, I do not change; (He has always been longsuffering and merciful)

Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.
7 Yet from the days of your fathers, you have gone away from My ordinances

And have not kept them.

Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD of hosts.

But you said, “In what way shall we return?’

Do Not Rob God
8 “ Will a man rob God?

Yet you have robbed Me!

But you say, ‘ In what way have we robbed You?’

In tithes and offerings!

9 You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me... even this whole nation.

10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,

That there may be food in My house,

And try Me now in this,” says the LORD of hosts,

“ If I will not open for you the windows of heaven

And pour out for you such blessing

That there will not be room enough to receive it.

11 “ And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,

So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground,

Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” says the LORD of hosts;

12 And all nations will call you blessed,

For you will be a delightful land,” says the LORD of hosts.

The People Complain Harshly

13 “ Your words have been harsh against Me,” says the LORD,

“ Yet you say, ‘ What have we spoken against You?’

14 You have said, ‘ It is useless to serve God;

What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, (These two verses sound like so many people today...)
And that we have walked as mourners before the LORD of hosts?

15 So now we call the proud blessed, for those who do wickedness are raised up;

They even tempt God and go free.’”

A Book of Remembrance

16 Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, (I think I want to be in this group)

And the LORD listened and heard them;

So a book of remembrance was written before Him

For those who fear the LORD

And who meditate on His name.

17 “ They shall be Mine,” says the LORD of hosts,

“ On the day that I make them My jewels. (Literally the Hebrew word means, special treasure)

And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.”

18 Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked,
Between one who serves God

And one who does not serve Him.

I KNOW that I really want to be one of God’s “special treasures”… and I KNOW that I NEED His blessings, so I plan to follow His ways and not what seems “wise in my own eyes…” How about you? We will continue these verses in the next study...

Proverbs 3: 5 – 8

Today we will cover verses 5 through 8 of chapter 3. These are verses that are quoted quite often in most Christian circles, so you will probably recognize them. They are verses that should be memorized early in life and will go a long way toward helping people live a Godly life, if they are planted in their hearts.

Proverbs 3: 5- 8

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;

Fear the LORD and depart from evil.
8 It will be health to your flesh,
And strength to your bones.

Verse 5 tells us that we shouldn’t depend on the way WE think things are, or should be, going, but we should put our trust in God and His ways. We should remember that verse from a couple of days ago that says that God’s ways aren’t our ways, etc.

Isaiah 55:8-9 (NKJV)

8 “ For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.
9 “ For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.

If we have studied the Bible, or are in the process of studying ALL of the Bible, He will lead us more and more into understanding the basic principals that He wants us to live by. By doing this, we will be acknowledging Him and He will know that we are trying to acknowledge Him in all of our ways, and He will “direct our paths.” Other translations say that He will “make our ways straight or smooth.” He has ways of letting us know which path He wants us on, and the more we learn to listen FOR HIS voice and learn of HIS ways, the more we understand which direction He wants us to go.

In Verse 7, we are warned not to be “wise in our own eyes,” but to fear the Lord and “depart” or stay away from evil. In today’s liberal, immoral culture, we have gotten so far away from God’s principals and the ways that He knows are best for us to live, that we often think that we are smarter than God.

For example, many young people today think that it is “wiser” to live with a person to “get to know them BEFORE making a commitment.” God knows that, as human beings, none of us are perfect, and a “commitment BEFORE God AND man, in marriage (a legally binding covenant)” is one of the things that will help people stay together and try to work things through.

Because so many people in this world of today are so messed up with ungodly ways of thinking and doing things, it is even more important to study God principals of “not getting unequally yoked” (often meaning not to marry outside of your religious beliefs, etc.) Doing these things—acknowledging Him and His ways – helps us to NOT lean on our own understanding, and to have an idea of the ways He would “direct our paths.” This is only ONE example of an area in our lives where we shouldn’t be “wise in our own eyes.” I’m sure you can think of many others, such as, in our health practices or in our financial practices…

If we DO choose to follow the paths that He directs us to take, things will go much smoother in life for us because we will stay farther away from evil. Evil… sin… lusts of the flesh… all end up causing stress in so many ways and it has been proven that stress messes us up physically, mentally and emotionally after a time. Conversely, by staying AWAY from “evil,” we won’t have that stress and will be healthier, and stronger, as verse 8 says. (Some other translations say “refreshment” instead of “strength” in this verse, but it boils down to the same thing.)

8 It will be health to your flesh,

And strength to your bones.