Skip to main content

Daily Devotion: Proverbs 23:17-19

By

Proverbs 23:17-19    "Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.  (18)  For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.  (19)  Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way."

This entire 23rd chapter of Proverbs seems to be making a distinction between the things we have, the things we want, the things we cannot have, and the things we should not have. When you think about it, there is a clear difference in all those things. There are things which satisfy and there are things which promise satisfaction. There are things that are true and there are things which are elusive and can never be obtained. There are things which fulfill their promise  and there are things which are deceitful. How can we know what is to be desired and pursued? As I read verse 17, I see the strength of our daily relationship (walk) with God. We are not to envy men whose intention changes with the wind; rather, we are to hold our Lord in honor as we make decisions and turns in life.

What would God have me to do? "Lord, what is your choice for me in this matter?"  Why is this important? Again, it depends on our perception of God. Do we see Him as someone who is there to clean up our messes? Or, do we see Him as having complete understanding in all matters of our life? Does God have a purpose for me? How can I best fulfill that purpose?  Is it not by giving honor to Him and seeking His direction for my life? I close with one of my all time favorite verses. "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." (Jeremiah 29:11) The Lord truly knows the best way for my life. Is my relationship with Him strong enough that I trust His decision for me? 

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Daily Devotion: Psalm 88:1-4

By
Psalm 88:1-4  A Song or Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite. "O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee:  (2)  Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;  (3)  For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.  (4)  I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength" I've said this before and I will say it again (and probably more times before we get to the end of the Psalms) - I love the Psalms because I can surely identify with them. Most Psalms start in a low place and as the writer expresses his thoughts, the Lord begins to lift him up out of that dry place.  Though this entire Psalm is a fervent cry unto the Lord, the Psalmist tells us specifically in three verses that he cried daily unto the Lord. Just a few Psalms ago, we were reminded that God always hears our prayers. ...
Read more

Daily Devotion (Video): I Will Fear No Evil - Psalm 23:4

By
Read more

Daily Devotion: Knowing God By Bearing Fruit

By
Some will notice the title is not “Bearing fruit because we know God,” so to avoid getting sidetracked with that, we can start with the fact that we won’t bear any godly fruit unless our heart has been changed and the Holy Spirit dwells within us. Also, to avoid confusion, I’ll be using the terms “bearing fruit,” “good works” and “service” interchangeably.  I took this article’s title from Part 7, of John Piper’s “Look at the Book” session on Colossians 1:9-12. I greatly encourage you to view that short video to get his excellent exposition on this subject.  When I saw the title of the video earlier this year, I got kind of excited because that’s the direction my thinking has gone in the past several years. My thinking was founded Biblically with verses on good works like Matthew 5:16 – “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father, who is in heaven.” But I couldn’t expand it to expla...
Read more