Blessed is the one who always trembles before God

Proverbs 28

Blessed is the one who always trembles before God.v14

I have often read and reflected on how I am to fear the Lord.   We are clearly to both love and fear the Lord.  This is also clearly stated in the Ten Commandments:

And God spoke all these words:

² “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

³ “You shall have no other gods before me.

⁴ “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. ⁵ You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, ⁶ but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.  Exodus 20:1-4

 It is this love and healthy fear of the Lord that draws me near to Him.

My Prayer: Lord, You are awesome!  Your love and might are incredible.  I have even seen it when I have experienced trials how You love me.  I am not worthy of such love yet You love me anyway.  I neglect You and I often don't trust You and this is deeply sinful.  Thank You that You love me anyway but please forgive me and help me see You as trustworthy all the time.  Help me be the man You intend for me.

Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.

Proverbs 27

Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,
    give careful attention to your herds;

for riches do not endure forever,
    and a crown is not secure for all generations. v23-4

 This is an encouragement to me to focus on the hearts of those entrusted to me...those in my family.

Similarly, another verse in this Proverb:

As water reflects the face,
    so one’s life reflects the heart v19

and an entry posted a couple of years ago encourages me to actually live a life of example.

I also recall:

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. Luke 12:48

My Prayer: Lord, You are trustworthy because You are 100% good - You always have my interests in mind and You will never do anything that is not just or good. I wish I was more like You...I say and think bad things about people - people I work with and people on TV, etc.  I thank You that You love me anyway but please forgive me and purify and refine me.  Help me be more like You.  Help me focus on the hearts of my family and be a good shepherd of their hearts and a leader in my house/family.

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.

Proverbs 27

Do not boast about tomorrow,
    for you do not know what a day may bring. v1

It is prudent to plan and God wants us to follow Him and His vision for our lives....we just should not boast about anything and focus on ourselves...all for His glory.

My Prayer: Lord, You are an awesome God and I am thankful that You are able to use me for Your glory.  I am imperfect and I often pursue selfish desires more than You.  I should be loving You with all my heart soul and mind.  I thank You that You love me anyway but please forgive me and please help me come to You...daily and all the time.

Pay attention and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach, for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips.

Proverbs 22

Pay attention and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise;
    apply your heart to what I teach,

for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart
    and have all of them ready on your lips. v17-18

I ask daily that the Lord write a message on my heart.  Solomon's words here in Proverbs reinforce the role of memorization - because it is "pleasing [to the Lord] when you keep them in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips."

My Prayer: Lord, Your Word - the Bible - is Truth, Wisdom, and Life...and so much more.  I cannot live without it.  However, I say this yet there are days when I ignore You.  How foolish and sinful!  I thank You that You love me anyway but I ask You Lord Jesus to please forgive me!  Help me come to You daily and help me grow in my faith so that I can have Your words on my heart and ready on my lips.

...man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Deu 8:3

Whoever loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.

Proverbs 21

Whoever loves pleasure will become poor;
    whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.

First and foremost I am to seek His pleasure and delight.  I break the number one commandment, the most important one...all the time.   I need Christ desperately in my life.

My Prayer: Lord, I know You love me and once again I find that amazing....because I am broken.  Thank You that You do love me but please forgive me...please purify me, refine me and make me Your devoted servant.   Make me more like You.

 

Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered.

Proverbs 21

Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor
    will also cry out and not be answered. v13

I need to be more mindful of those in need and what God wants me to do - either with my time, talents, or treasure (or all of the above).  There is also a broader message here that whoever does not help (of any type) anyone in need  will not be able to be helped by God.  

Today's message is also found in another post.

My Prayer: Lord, You are generous in so many ways and You never neglect me regardless of how I neglect You.  Thank you for this and please forgive me for my neglect of You.  Please help me be generous and please help me be more like You.

The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.

Proverbs 21

The plans of the diligent lead to profit
    as surely as haste leads to poverty. v5

I have often struggled with the concept of living a life aligned with a purpose from God - implying that working towards a vision God has for me.  I am also struggling with how to do with this Lisa, Zach, and Dustin.

These words encourage me to continue this struggle because it is a worthy fight - to work towards God's vision for my life.

My Prayer: Lord, Your hand in my life is clear and I have seen the good and perfect work you have done.  I am ready and willing to be used by You.  I know I have not loved You with all of my heart mind and soul so thank You for loving me anyway but please forgive me.  Please also reveal to me glimpses of Your vision for my life and encourage me to follow You and to lead my family.

Blows and wounds scrub away evil, and beatings purge the inmost being.

Proverbs 20

Blows and wounds scrub away evil,
    and beatings purge the inmost being. v30

A quick search of the Internet helped me find Matthew Henry's commentary on the above verse and my initial read/view was validated....that suffering for Christ in any kind of trial is a refinement that is intended by God for His good and perfect will.  See also James:

² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

My Prayer: Lord, Your will and Your purpose is perfect...unlike my purposes which very often are not directed by You.  Thank You that You love me anyway but please forgive me for my lack of trust and love of You - this is of course sinful!!  Help me focus on You and Your plans for me, even when I am enduring trials.

A person’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand their own way?

Proverbs 20

A person’s steps are directed by the Lord.
    How then can anyone understand their own way? v24

This verse is similar to a verse read a couple of days ago:

Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
    but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:21

 

There is also:

 

Your word is a lamp to my feet
    and a light to my path. Psalm 199:105

 

And this too:

 

For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. Hebrews 3:4  

 

This points to the importance of faith:

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1 

 

Having a plan in life is important as long as you are following a direction set upon your heart by God.  God directs us and we don't know where He is taking us and we are to have faith in the journey and the process.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You have led me through deep valleys and up high mountains - through it all You have blessed me beyond any imagination.  I don't know why because I am a sinner.  Yesterday I spoke in an unwholesome manner.  Thank You that You love me anyway but please forgive me for this.  Please also help me understand my next steps and help me align my direction with Your will.  I love You Lord Jesus. 

The righteous lead blameless lives; blessed are their children after them.

Proverbs 20

The righteous lead blameless lives; blessed are their children after them. v7

Lisa and I have been praying for Zach and Dustin consistently that we will be good parents and that we don't exasperate our children as it is written in Ephesians 6:4

 Fathers,do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Similarly, we have also been praying to lead both of them to Jesus Christ.

This proverb reinforces something that is more important...that we actually lead good lives and set an example.

My Prayer: Lord, YOUR life is perfect and You are the example as You are holy, blameless and without sin.  Unfortunately I am not by a long shot as I fail to love You with all of my heart, body and soul as You command us to.  Thank You that You love me anyway but PLEASE forgive me.  Help my love deepen for You and help me be a good example for Zach and Dustin.

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

Proverbs 19

Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
    but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. v21

I often think I can do things on my own or that my way is better.  I need to constantly remind myself that I need to go to the Lord for direction and to lead me, and also to correct my course should I choose an incorrect path.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You have used all circumstances in my life for Your glory and it is amazing how You orchestrate all of this - truly incredible.  You do this because You see goodness and purpose in all of us, including me.  Again...amazing because I don't feel worthy of such love because of my sin.  Thank You that You love me anyway but please forgive me for my gossip and also correct my path if I have chosen a path that is not pleasing to You.

Discipline your children, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to their death.

Proverbs 19

Discipline your children, for in that there is hope;    do not be a willing party to their death.  v18

As  Zach and I start up BSF again this Monday, I was thinking I would miss BSF due to school work.  But the above verse calls me back.  Similarly, the below verse does the same.

Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who blesses beyond reason and You have certainly done this for me with Lisa, Zach, and Dustin.  I continue to lust after other women and also remain prideful.  I thank You that You love me anyway but please forgive me for this sin and help me more like You and help me focus on training Zach and Dustin in the ways of the Lord.

Proverbs 18

To answer before listening—    that is folly and shame. v13

I am seeking to learn as much as I can today in my classes at UVA and concerned about a couple of assignments coming up.  This verse is helpful for me as I need to listen.  A similar instruction is provided by James:

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, James 1:19

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You listen to me intently no matter when I come to You - You are always there.  Unfortunately, I often speak before listening and I even did that yesterday.  Thank You for loving me anyway.  Please forgive me for not listening and also help me listen and learn.  Help me be more like you.  Help me do well on my class assignments today., 

 

One who is slack in his work s brother to one who destroys.

Proverbs 18

One who is slack in his work
    is brother to one who destroys.

God provides us a job on earth and we are to do it joyfully.  This is also an admonition elsewhere:

⁵ Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. ⁶ Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. ⁷ Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, ⁸ because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. (Ephesians 6:5-8)

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, I know that You bless me with a job and You have blessed me with so much more...well beyond what I deserve.   I confess to You that I am a selfish person and I am not a patient person also.  Thank You that You love me anyway but please forgive me.  Help me be more like You.
 

Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions.

Proverbs 18 

Fools find no pleasure in understanding
    but delight in airing their own opinions. v2

I remain prideful and so these words penetrate - I do the above much and so as much I am both sinful and foolish.

My Prayer: Lord, there is no need for You to be prideful because You are truly great - in all respects.  You are the Creator of everything, a Righteous Judge whose wisdom and verdicts are perfect.  You protect, heal, provide, bless, and so much more!  I am far from all of this yet I beat my chest in pride.  I also lust after other women from time to time and I know this is sinful.  I know that You love me anyway and I thank you Lord Jesus, but I pray that You will forgive me both for my pride and for my lust.  Please forgive me and help me be more like You.