Daily Devotions in Proverbs

The Needy Or Greedy
September 3, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 21:25-27
 The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour. He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not. The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    I know you may find this hard to believe, but there are people in this world who use the church for their own personal gain. This practice has become so widespread that many churches today have had to implement policies to regulate how and whom they can assist when people seek help.

    I pastor a smaller church in a small community, and we sometimes receive anywhere from one to four calls per month for assistance. During the cold winter months, the number increases. There are organizations in our community that now keep and share lists of individuals who make a habit of calling churches almost every month seeking help.

    Please do not misunderstand, some of the callers have genuine needs, and we have provided assistance to many of them. However, some individuals call asking for money for a specific item, but when we offer to purchase that item for them, they decline. What they truly wanted was the money, not the item or assistance. Often, when they are invited to attend a church service as a condition for receiving help, they refuse because they want nothing to do with God. Others have been offered work in exchange for payment but have declined to do any work for assistance, preferring to call another church until they receive a free handout.

    Anyone can fall on hard times, and God expects the church to be His hands and heart toward those who are suffering. However, He also expects those who can help themselves to be willing to make an effort. The desire to be lazy or slothful ultimately leads to their own destruction. When the church refuses to support their idleness, they often blame God, but it is not God who has failed them; they have failed themselves.

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

    We should always strive to assist the homeless and those who are victims of societal challenges. As my parents used to tell me, “but for the grace of God, that could very well be us.” Additionally, we should pray for those who are idle and unwilling to help themselves, that they may discover genuine hope and open their hearts to God.

Are we giving people a hand-out, or a hand-up?

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage, and todays Devotion?

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to accept that CHALLENGE?

  

GOD TALKING TO ME: September 3, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
  Ezekiel 29 – Ezekiel 32
  Proverbs 21:25 – 27

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  Psa. 138-143
  1 Co. 9

Can You Keep A Secret?
September 2, 2024

 

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 21:21-24
 He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour. A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof. Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles. Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath.

 

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    Can you keep a secret? Can you promise not to tell a soul? Not one person, I mean it. Can you? WELL, SO CAN I!!!

 

    People who blab about tales concerning others and then ask you to keep them as secrets are often individuals you learn not to trust later with your delicate information. Think about it: if someone shares with you the latest news that was meant to be kept in confidence and then asks you not to tell anyone, you must wonder how many other people they have also told and asked them not to tell anyone else. Sometimes I think these people ask others not to tell anyone, so they know they have fresh gossip to tell everyone who hasn’t heard yet.

 

    Now, what if something extremely sensitive to you comes up, and you are looking for someone to share it with, someone you know will pray for you and not tell the world? Is the person who is always asking you to keep secrets about others going to be your first choice of people to confide in? Probably not.

 

    Furthermore, for the ones sharing all those bits of wisdom that were meant to be kept silent, they may also miss out on some of God’s best blessings. Imagine for a moment that God intended to allow that person, and only that person, to pray for a certain situation for a friend. Then God shows His hand at work in this area that was prayed for. They would know God has answered their prayers. Additionally, the friend also knows that God answers their friend’s prayers. A real close, intimate relationship could have been built with a friend and with God through these private answered prayers. However, they missed God’s blessing because they just had to share the latest news.     

 

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

     Oh, dear Lord, help me today to guard my mouth and tongue, and to keep my soul from troubles. Allow me, Lord, to be a real friend to others and a true witness for you. Amen.

 

What will you do with a friends personal information?

 

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage, and todays Devotion?

 

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

 

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to accept that CHALLENGE?

  

GOD TALKING TO ME: September 2, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
  Ezekiel 25 – Ezekiel 28
  Proverbs 21:21 – 24

 

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  Psa. 130-137
  1 Co. 8

 

WEEKEND REVIEW
August 31 & September 1, 2024

Proverbs 21:12

The righteous man wisely considereth
the house of the wicked:
but God overthroweth the wicked
for their wickedness.

 

Work Week Devotions
Through The Book Of Proverbs

     What a joy it has been to be with you this past week. I pray these WORK WEEK DEVOTIONS have been a blessing to you as well. To receive them daily in your e-mail box go to LIHWMinistries Sign-Up Page – Living In His Word Ministries and sign up. Each day these devotions will be delivered directly in your e-mail box.

      As previously mentioned, with WORK WEEK DEVOTIONS, we will only be publishing Devotional Thoughts Monday – Friday.

     On Saturday we suggest you re-read the entire chapter we have been studying this week, and if we will be going into the following chapter the next week, we encourage you to read that chapter as well.     

There are never Devotions on Sunday.

As we Journey through Proverbs, if you have any questions
Please send them to LIHWDEV@LIHWMinistries.org

Also, you would be huge help and blessing if you 
might write a review on these devotions on
Review Work Week Devotions (amazon.com)
or 
Review Work Week Devotions Journal (amazon.com)

WEEK 34 – Day 6:

     On Saturday, we suggest you re-read the Proverb we have written from this past week and the week to come.

Proverbs 21-22

WEEK 34 – Day 7:

     Today we suggest you read and study whatever the Lord has laid on your Pastor’s heart. Whatever Scripture he uses for today’s messages were given to him by God for your specific needs.

THROUGH THE BIBLE
OLD & NEW TESTAMENT TODAY AND TOMORROW:

August 31, 2024
Psa. 120-129
1 Co. 7
September 1, 2024
No Passages Assigned

NEXT WEEKS UPCOMING SCHEUDLES:

SCHEDULE 1 – Bible In a Year – with Proverbs Study 

September 2, 2024
Ezekiel 25 – Ezekiel 28
Proverbs 21:21 – 24
September 3, 2024
Ezekiel 29 – Ezekiel 32
Proverbs 21:25 – 27
September 4, 2024
Ezekiel 33 – Ezekiel 36
Proverbs 21:28 – 31
September 5, 2024
Ezekiel 37 – Ezekiel 39
Proverbs 22:1 – 3
September 6, 2024
Ezekiel 40 – Ezekiel 43
Proverbs 22:4 – 7
September 7, 2024
Proverbs 21 – 22
September 8, 2024
No Passages Assigned

 

SCHEDULE 2 – Old & New Testament

September 2, 2024
Psa. 130-137
1 Co. 8
September 3, 2024
Psa. 138-143
1 Co. 9
September 4, 2024
Psa. 144-150
1 Co. 10
September 5, 2024
Pro. 1-3
1 Co. 11
September 6, 2024
Pro. 4-5
1 Co. 12
September 7, 2024
Pro. 6-7
1 Co. 13
September 8, 2024
No Passages Assigned

The Direction We Need
August 30, 2024

 

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 21:18-20 
  The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright. It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman. There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    What really preserves or maintains any government? Are the policies put in place the key factor? While I believe that policies are important, and having good, honest people in office to implement the right laws is crucial, is that what truly guides a government? Some might argue that it’s the party in control. For many years in the U.S., one party seemed more attuned to Christian values than the other. However, in recent years, it appears that the allegiance of the Christian population has shifted to another party. It’s possible that it could change again. Therefore, it can’t solely be the party that makes all the difference.

    So, what does make the difference? Proverbs 20:28 says that the mercy of God preserves the king, and the truth of His Word is what will see us through. Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life…” and He is.

    Sometimes, young rulers view their military might as their source of power. This perspective often leads them and those who follow them into trouble. Older individuals, on the other hand, tend to rely on life experiences and old friends for guidance. However, they, too, can fall prey to the wrong suggestions and ideas.

 

    We must remember God’s perfect will always come to pass. God’s Word says, “The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.” The entire world’s wickedness can never detour God’s plan for us.

 

    For the healing of a nation and the washing away of evil, we all need to turn back to God and His Word. Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Oh, dear friend if there has ever been a time of such need, it is today.     

 

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

 

     As you pray today, pray for God’s mercy upon our land and leadership. Also, pray that God’s truth will be deeply rooted within their hearts. A leader without Christ is susceptible to the influence of the devil. Leaders need your prayers, and your Lord.

 

What will you do for your Country today in prayer?

 

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage, and todays Devotion?

 

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

 

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to accept that CHALLENGE?

  

GOD TALKING TO ME: August 30, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
  Ezekiel 21 – Ezekiel 24
  Proverbs 21:18 – 20

 

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  Psa. 119:89-176
  1 Co. 6

 

Just / Unjust
August 29, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 21:14-17
 A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath. It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead. He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    “It is joy to the just to do judgment.” In other words, the just enjoy justice. Now that statement sounds way too simple to be misunderstood right. Well, maybe we should look at the other side of that statement.

    If the just, or saved individuals, truly enjoyed justice, then one might logically assume that the unjust, or lost individuals, would enjoy unjust practices. However, it is evident that they don’t. If they genuinely relished unjust practices, they would never oppose those behaviors. Yet even the unjust desire to be treated justly.

    The unjust individuals in the world often end up disliking others who live in sin, just as they themselves do. In essence, they can’t stand people who are similar to them. As odd as it may sound, it’s true.

    The unjust in this world are searching for something better than what they have. They recognize that there’s something out there that will make them happy, so they continue to seek it in worldly pleasures but never find it. Then, if a person wanders in the world and never comes to understand the love of Christ, they will remain for all eternity, as our verses say with “the congregation of the dead.” They will never find true happiness here on this earth or in the eternal realm of the unsaved.

  
    What they need to know is that our loving God created them and sent His Son Jesus to die for them. If they will accept His payment for their sins and give themselves to Him, they can truly find happiness. At that very moment, they will no longer be a part of the unjust. They will have been made just by the sacrificial love and life of Jesus Christ. A remarkable thing happens to them at that point in their life: they begin to enjoy justice.

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

    Sometimes our problem with unsaved folks is that we forget that at one point, we were just like them. We were not one bit better or worse than they are. We were just like them—unsaved. Then someone told us about Jesus. 

Will we be the ones to tell them?

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage, and todays Devotion?

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to accept that CHALLENGE?

  

GOD TALKING TO ME: August 29, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
  Ezekiel 17 – Ezekiel 20
  Proverbs 21:14 – 17

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  Psa. 119:1-88
  1 Co. 5