Daily Devotions in Proverbs

If You Can’t Say Something Nice…
April 23, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 10:17-20
He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth. He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool. In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

      My parents used to tell me, “If you can’t say anything good about somebody, then don’t say anything at all.” What they were trying to teach me was not to speak ill of someone.

      In today’s passage, we hear a similar message, but in King Solomon’s language: “He that uttereth slander is a fool.” This means that speaking ill of someone and degrading them is foolish. It makes you appear childish and insecure about yourself.

      However, earlier in the same passage, it seems to say almost the opposite: “He that hideth hatred with lying lips…is a fool.” Does this mean that not saying anything would also make you foolish? Well, not exactly. You have to notice the word “lying” in there. Saying nice things about someone while lying is just as foolish as speaking ill of them.

    So, what’s a person to do? Verse 19 holds the clue. Don’t just be running your mouth to see how fast your lips can fly. If you see someone doing something wrong, approach that person in private to address the matter in a loving and caring way. If someone deserves praise, offer open praise, but avoid going overboard. People can tell when you’re being insincere. Overall, it comes down to being honest in all things.

    Consequently, maybe the saying my parents used should have been, “If you can’t say something nice about someone, refrain from saying anything negative to others.” However, if you truly care about someone, you need to go to him or her privately and lovingly help them when possible..

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

     The Bible teaches us to be prepared and willing to forgive others for their wrongdoings against us. Forgiving doesn’t mean forgetting; it means choosing not to hold their actions against them. Is there someone in your life whom you need to forgive? Entrust it to the Lord today.

How might your words effect someone else’s life today?
How might your words effect your life today?

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: APRIL 23, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
   1 Kings 8 – 1 Kings 10
   Proverbs 10:17 – 20

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
   1 Samuel 2-4
   Luke 16:18-31

Making A Dollar Go Farther
April 22, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 10:14-16
Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction. The rich man’s wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty. The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.

 

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    During the years I spent working in factories, I noticed a truth that I believe Scripture is trying to convey.

 

    As an unbeliever, when others and I, who did not know Christ as our Savior, worked a full 40-hour week like everyone else, at the end of the week, I would still be broke. I never seemed to have money for anything. I looked around and saw some of these people working 50, 60, and even 70 hours in a week and still not getting ahead. Even those who seemed to have many of life’s luxuries were not satisfied with them. They were always wanting more or working longer to maintain them. When bonus time came around, some would cash those extra checks and hide the money from their spouses, fearing they would not get to keep any of it if they did not.

 

    When I accepted Christ as my Savior, things changed. I still had the same job, and I didn’t get a raise for being saved. I began tithing, which meant I was now taking ten percent, and more, from the check that never seemed to be enough before, and gave it to the Lord. However, it felt like life had a new purpose. Somehow, my money was going farther. God began convicting me about some harmful habits I had formed. When I finally quit them and surrendered them to Him, I had even more money.

 

    The labor of the righteous is just the same as the labor of the unrighteous, yet it seems to yield more. God seems to multiply it somehow and bless those who serve Him.

 

    Our verses today say, “The labour of the righteous tendeth to life.” It is a real life, and a fulfilling life in Christ.

 

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

    We only have a limited number of years on Earth with our loved ones. It’s a shame that so many people strive so hard to acquire material possessions that they will ultimately have to leave behind. Life is meant to be lived. Live it in Christ, and He will make so much more out of what you already have.

 

What you spending your precious days and hours on?

 

 

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: APRIL 22, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
    1 Kings 5-7
   Proverbs 10:14-16

 

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
   Ruth 3-1 Samuel 1
   Luke 16:1-17

 

WEEKEND REVIEW
April 20 & 21, 2024

Proverbs 9:10-11

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom:
and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
For by me thy days shall be multiplied,
and the years of thy life shall be increased.

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 15 – Day 6:

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

Proverbs 9-10

WEEK 15 – 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:

April 20
Judges 21-Ruth 2
Luke 15
April 21
No Passages Assigned

 

NEXT WEEKS UPCOMING SCHEUDLES:

SCHEDULE 1 – Bible In a Year – with Proverbs Study 

April 22
1 Kings 5 – 1 Kings 7
Proverbs 10:14 – 16
April 23
1 Kings 8 – 1 Kings 10
Proverbs 10:17 – 20
April 24
1 Kings 11 – 1 Kings 13
Proverbs 10:21 – 23
April 25
1 Kings 14 – 1 Kings 17
Proverbs 10:24 – 26
April 26
1 Kings 18 – 1 Kings 20
Proverbs 10:27 – 29
April 27
Proverbs 10 – 11
April 28
No Passages Assigned

 

SCHEDULE 2 – Old & New Testament

April 22
Ruth 3-1 Samuel 1
Luke 16:1-17
April 23
1 Samuel 2-4
Luke 16:18-31
April 24
1 Samuel 5-8
Luke 17
April 25
1 Samuel 9-11
Luke 18:1-30
April 26
1 Samuel 12-13
Luke 18:31-43
April 27
1 Samuel 14-15
Luke 19:1-27
April 28
No Passages Assigned

Some New Old Stuff
April 19, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 10:10-13
He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall. The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins. In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

        Archaeologists are continually finding new old stuff. The older the thing they discover, the more valuable it becomes. In fact, one might even argue that if they could uncover the oldest thing ever to exist in the universe, it would be the most valuable possession of all. Well, if you’ll share this knowledge with everyone, I’ll reveal to you where it can be found. It’s written in the pages of God’s Word; it’s Wisdom, embodied in the person of Jesus Christ.

      Wisdom existed alongside Christ before the Earth was ever created. I understand that this concept might be challenging to grasp. In our modern, time-conscious world, it’s difficult to contemplate a time before time itself. However, wisdom was present in Christ before the creation of the Earth, before the formation of even a single angel, and before the trinity brought any planet into existence in the entire universe. God’s wisdom conceived, created, designed, developed, and continues to uphold and harmoniously govern everything beyond our imagination.

      Our verses state, “In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found.” All that we were, are today, and aspire to become is enveloped in God’s wisdom. When time ceases to exist, wisdom will endure. When Earth, as we know it, ceases to exist, wisdom will persist.

      The most valuable entity in all of time and eternity, both then and now, is Godly Wisdom. The best part is that you can possess some of it today if you desire. Do you want to acquire a piece of this Ancient Wisdom?

     

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

     James 1:5 says this; “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” Get some of God’s wisdom through His Word today.

What can you do today to share God’s Wisdom with a friend?

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: APRIL 19, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
   1 Kings 2 – 1 Kings 4
   Proverbs 10:10 – 13

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
   Judges 19-20
   Luke 14

Sometimes People Resist Good Advice
April 18, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 10:5-9
He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame. Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot. The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall. He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    Nothing’s harder than trying to help a person who doesn’t want help. I heard of a man who dove into really cold water trying to save a drowning man. When he reached the man to help him, the man started fighting and pushing him away. The victim had been in the cold water fighting for life so long that exhaustion and the cold caused him to begin hallucinating. He imagined something or someone was out to get him when, in reality, there was someone there to save him.

    As our verses today say, “The wise in heart will receive commandments, but a prating fool shall fall.” Sometimes people can be like that drowning person. When you reach out to try to help and give them any type of constructive criticism at all, instead of learning and growing, they lash out with hurtful and terrible accusations against you. They have been fighting life for so long that they imagine everyone is out to get them.

    The Bible tells us to reach out to the hurting. However, there also comes a time when you need to step back and wait until they are at a place where help will be accepted. The drowning victim mentioned before soon quit fighting; he simply could not fight anymore due to sheer exhaustion. The rescuer then easily took him to safety. Later, the rescued victim thanked him for what he had done.

    There is an old saying, “You can’t help someone who does not want help.” As I’ve grown older and have been kicked many times by those I was trying to help, I see now that my parents and the Bible are right. Sometimes you need to let a person struggle until they are ready to be helped. Yet, always be ready and willing to help.

     

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

    Does this mean we are to give up on people? NO WAY! While waiting for them to want help, pray for them with all your heart. Pray that God will make a way. Then be there when He does.

Are you ready and willing to help When God makes a way?

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: APRIL 18, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
    2 Samuel 23 – 1 Kings 1
    Proverbs 10:5 – 9

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
   Judges 16-18
   Luke 13:18-35