Daily Devotions in Proverbs

Maps Are Made For A Reason
May 28, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 13:13-16
Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded. The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death. Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard. Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    It is almost time for vacations. People love to travel and visit family and friends, often exploring new places they’ve never seen before.

    Now, let’s imagine that both of us are planning a trip to a destination neither of us has visited before. You decide to go your own way, and I choose my path. I take out a map and plan the safest and quickest route to our destination. On the other hand, you say, “Well, I know it’s in that direction. I’ll just head that way and believe I’ll get there sooner or later.”

    I make a call ahead of time to secure reservations at a reputable motel in the area. I have read reviews from others who have stayed there and confirmed its availability. This motel has a strong track record for comfortable accommodations in our destination town. Meanwhile, you decide, “I’ll wait until I get there and choose the first motel I see.”

    Now, consider which one of us is likely to encounter fewer problems on our journey. I have a clear map and a reservation in hand, while you find yourself frequently stopping to ask for directions and, unfortunately, discover that many motels in the area are fully booked, ultimately settling for a less desirable location. Most people would probably prefer to join me on this trip.

    This scenario is similar to the difference between living life with God’s road map, the Bible, and simply living life as you desire. Many of life’s trials and troubles could have been avoided by following the directions that God has made available in His Word.

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

    Oh, have you considered the place where you’ll reside at the end of life’s journey? I’ve made advance arrangements and secured my reservation in Heaven for the afterlife.

If you haven’t made reservations,
have you ever wondered what your accommodation might be like?

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: May 28, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
    2 Chronicles 33-36
   Proverbs 13:13-16

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
   2 Kings 1-3
   John 9:24-41

 

Is God In The Gambling Business?
May 27, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 13:10-12
Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom. Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase. Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

     In the late 1990s, there was a man in the news who won a large sum of money from the lottery. According to newspaper reports, he thanked God for helping him pick the right numbers and was planning to donate a significant portion of the money to his church.

    Several people I know commented, “Oh, how I wish that could have been our church.” I understand they meant this in an innocent and loving way. At the time, we were in the midst of a building program, and having all the necessary funds to complete the structure would have been nice. However, let’s pause for a moment. Didn’t he acquire all that money through gambling? Didn’t thousands upon thousands of people, many of whom really needed their money, foolishly wager their bets, and lose them for him to become wealthy? Some people risked their rent money, while others allowed their children to go hungry due to their gambling addiction.

    Do you truly believe that God had anything to do with it? The same God who states in Proverbs 13:11, “wealth gotten by VANITY shall be diminished.” The word “vanity” means emptiness or “like a breath,” signifying something insubstantial. This man essentially gambled and received this money without earning it through labor. It would be interesting to know what happened to his money in the following years. It’s often reported that many individuals who come into sudden wealth end up broke within a short period.

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

     As we look at the wealth of the world, the idea of gambling becomes enticing, to say the least, especially knowing we could use the money for so many great things for the Lord. We must know, though, that it’s always better to wait upon the Lord with His timing and His plan than to cave into the vices of sin and of man. As the second part of the verse says, “he that gathereth by labor shall increase.” Let’s just do things God’s way, shall we?

Do we trust that God can, and will supply all our need?

 

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: May 27, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
    2 Chronicles 29-32
   Proverbs 13:10 – 12

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
   1 Kings 22
   John 9:1-23

WEEKEND REVIEW
May 25 & 26, 2024

Proverbs 13:7

There is that maketh himself rich,
yet hath nothing:
there is that maketh
himself poor, yet hath
great riches.

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 20 – Day 6:

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

Proverbs 12-13

WEEK 20 – 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:

May 25, 2024
1 Kings 20-21
John 8:31-59

May 26, 2024
No Passages Assigned

NEXT WEEKS UPCOMING SCHEUDLES:

SCHEDULE 1 – Bible In a Year – with Proverbs Study 

May 27, 2024
2 Chronicles 29 – 2 Chronicles 32
Proverbs 13:10 – 12

May 28, 2024
2 Chronicles 33 – 2 Chronicles 36
Proverbs 13:13 – 16

May 29, 2024
Ezra 1 – Ezra 5
Proverbs 13:17 – 19

May 30, 2024
Ezra 6 – Ezra 10
Proverbs 13:20 – 22

May 31, 2024
Nehemiah 1 – Nehemiah 5
Proverbs 13:23 – 25

June 1, 2024
Proverbs 13 – 14

June 2, 2024
No Passages Assigned

 

SCHEDULE 2 – Old & New Testament

May 27, 2024
1 Kings 22
John 9:1-23

May 28, 2024
2 Kings 1-3
John 9:24-41

May 29, 2024
2 Kings 4-5
John 10:1-21

May 30, 2024
2 Kings 6-8
John 10:22-42

May 31, 2024
2 Kings 9-10
John 11:1-37

June 1, 2024
2 Kings 11-13
John 11:38-57

June 2, 2024
No Passages Assigned

Oh, To Be RICH
May 24, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 13:7-9
There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches. The ransom of a man’s life are his riches: but the poor heareth not rebuke. The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    Oh, to be RICH! To have all the money you would ever want. If we are honest, this seems like the dream of most people today. Admit it, we all want to be financially secure. To be able to do whatever we want, and to go wherever we would like to go. However, there is a difference in financial security and the overwhelming desire to be rich. We often find people with lots of money are not really happy. Let them get deathly ill, they would trade everything for a few more days of life.

    Verse 7 could be read a couple of different ways. “There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing.” You might see this as a person who has attained all the wealth they might want, but in the process, they have forgotten family, friends, and God. Now, even with all this wealth, they are empty inside. Then again, you may read this as someone who has very little financially; however, they have made themselves rich with a fine family, a love for God, and great Christian friends, and yet the world sees them as having nothing.

    Verse 7 also says, “There is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.” Some people who have money live simple lives. Not flaunting a God-given abundance financially but using it as God would intend them to. No one around them knows of their wealth. Then there are also people who choose to live amazingly simple lives; they never desire much in this world, yet they are rich in family and have a rich inheritance with God.

    The question is, “What makes you RICH?” If it’s only money, then you’re actually very poor. What really matters in life are relationships. Relationships with family and friends are important, but the most important relationship is the one you have with God. If you have that, you are wealthy indeed!

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

    This would be a great day to call and renew a relationship. It would also be a great time to call on God and keep that relationship on track. If you’ve never had a relationship with God, He is waiting to start one. Then you can say, “I am RICH.”

What makes you feel rich?

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: May 24, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
    2 Chronicles 24-28
   Proverbs 13:7-9

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
   1 Kings 18-19
   John 8:1-30

Who Would You Believe?
May 23, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 13:4-6
The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat. A righteous man hateth lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame. Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way: but wickedness overthroweth the sinner.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

     During an election year campaign, a local public official made a comment referring to the candidates who were running for that public office. It went something like this: “If six people were campaigning, and two of the candidates were Christians, I would come closer to believing the Christians.” That’s not word for word, but close.

    The head of a Jewish organization took offense, saying the politician should not be in office if that is their bias. How silly is that statement? Using that reasoning, this Jewish leader should not be the head of his Jewish organization because his bias toward Jewish people would not allow him to treat the rest of us with equal respect.

    Bias toward one thing or another is possible everywhere. The fact is people do trust religious people more than non-religious people. For me, as a born-again Christian, I would trust a Christian over those of other faiths. Why? Because I’m a Christian, and I know what the Bible teaches.

    Do you want to be trusted? Well, sure you do. Do you want to be respected? Everyone does. How can you do that? First, trust in the Lord and quit trying to do things your own way. Believe God has a better design for your life. In everything you do, acknowledge God. You may wonder, “How can that happen in real life?” One way might be when you eat a meal, stop for a second to pray. No matter where you are, most often people will be silent for a moment while you pray. It gives others a moment to pause and reflect on where they are with God.

    Acknowledging God is more than a mealtime prayer. It’s including God in every single moment of every single day. Remember, people are watching you. So is God!

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

    People are looking for someone to trust. They will not believe it simply by the words you say until they see a life that matches what is said. Live for Christ daily, and really LIVE!

Who wold you believe?

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: May 23, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
   2 Chronicles 19-23
   Proverbs 13:4-6

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
   1 Kings 15-17
   John 7:37-53