http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2013-15&version=ESV
Proverbs 13:13-14 "Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself, but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded. The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death."
How the world needs to hear the message above. And don't we need to hear this message as well?
Have we read the Word as much as we should have? If we did, it would have saved us a lot of grief in the areas of our life in which we are tempted, or have endured trials and hardships.
I am not trying to be legalistic and I will not try to proscribe the amount of time one should spend in the Word. But when I have seen books that say just read 5 minutes of your Bible a day, well, that is pretty close to despising the Word in my opinion. Messages like this seem to treat the reading of the Word as all duty and no delight. And that is not how it is to be!!!
The Word of the Lord should be thought of as a treasure. As the psalmist wrote in Psalm 119:127 "Therefore I love your commandments above gold, above fine gold."
There may be days when you can not spend as much time in the Word as you would like to, or there is a family emergency that interrupts your planned time of study of the Word. God understands these things.
What I am trying to say is that the people of God should have a strong love for the Word of God. And like it or not, the amount of time you spend in the Word is indicative of how much you love the Word.
For some people it may be an hour a day, or maybe 15 minutes. Or maybe you read the Bible throughout the day at morning, noon, and night. The point I am trying to convey is that we need to be intentional and diligent in our studying of the Word. We should not have a checklist and say I read my Bible today and prayed today. That is when our reading becomes mechanical and lifeless. We should ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate our hearts with the great truths of the Word of God.
I love what the Psalmist says about this,
"Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law." (Psalm 119:18)
and
"I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart!" (Psalm 119:32)
After all the Word of God is a Word of Life. As Peter said to the Lord,
"Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God."
(John 6:68-69)
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.
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This proverb has spoken to me for many years. It has helped me so much when dealing with people of all types.
ReplyDeleteProv 14:4
Where no oxen are, the trough is clean; but much increase comes by the strength of an ox.
I love how the Lord uses contrast throughout the proverbs and this one is no different.
If we have no oxen in the barn there will be NO mess to clean up or to smell up the barn but at the same time there won’t be much increase either. If we use the oxen, there is going to be some DAILY messes to clean up on the barn yard floor and believe me it can stink. If we don’t try to walk with God, if we don’t step out in faith in what the Lord is telling us to do there won’t be much mess nor will there be much increase either in our life. If we dare to believe God and go forth in His Name, we will find out sometimes we mess God. It can stink up the place too but yet God will bring increase in our life as we go forth in His Name. Like someone said, it sure is easy to criticize someone who is dong something when we aren’t doing anything. How are we going to look at people who we work with? Will we focus on the much increase? Or will we focus on the mark they are leaving on the barn yard floor?
So what type of people are we hanging with?
Much increase ----------------- Mark on crib
1. Great visionary with real insight ------ Unrealistic, they don’t stay put, they want to run
2. Someone devoted, holy to God, set apart. Holy living --- yet can be legist, judgmental of others
3. Someone who is bold, powerful, strong man or woman of God, --- yet can be harsh , rude, unrelenting,
4. Someone unusually gifted, abounds in many gifts. ------ yet can be proud self center.. only talk about what they are doing
5. Someone who is kind, gentle compassionate --- yet they are too soft won’t deal with evil, to good for own good
6. You have a great pastor, leader --- Yet they can be sectarian. It is only happening here
7. Some with a brilliant mind, --- Yet they are always thinking they are right even when they are wrong.
8. You can have an efficient administration --- yet they are totally inflexible
9. You have a gifted communicators --- yet they just cant shut up
10. Some one who is fun, relaxing, life of the party --- but don’t depend on them
What kind of people do you hang out with? … hey I’m hangin with good people