The Lord brought me [wisdom] forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old; I was formed long ages ago, at the very beginning, when the world came to be....For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Proverbs 8-9, 1-4

The Lord brought me [wisdom] forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old; I was formed long ages ago, at the very beginning, when the world came to be....For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. Proverbs 8:22-23, 2:6

Day 134 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues with a study of the Proverbs - primarily of Solomon, but including the Proverbs of other authors as well. My commentary* indicates that "[t]he proverbs are short poems, usually in the form of couplets, which set high ethical standards and give practical advice for daily living through the use of comparative, or perhaps antithetical, imagery....[they] place high value on wisdom and sharply contrast good and evil, righteousness and wickedness, justice and injustice."  My commentary* also indicates that although other cultures may have influenced each other with regards to how similar writings/poetry appear during this time in history when Proverbs was written, "...the Hebrew proverbs are distinct in that all wisdom is seen as flowing from the true God, rather than being a mere accumulation of human observation and experience."  

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) . Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.

Similar to my study of the Psalms, individual Proverbs are categorized into topic areas and this morning my focus includes an introduction to wisdom, the benefits of wisdom, the dangers of rejecting wisdom, and Solomon's personal plea to his sons to seek wisdom.

Similar to my post yesterday, I am highlighting how wisdom comes from God alone.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and You alone produce wisdom - worthy of my study and reflection, and my obedience.  Your wisdom has indeed produced blessings in my life and I am not deserving of such blessings.  I worry, and I have other sins.  I am grateful for Your forgiveness and mercy and I need it once again today...this morning.  Please forgive me for my sin and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.

Proverbs 3

Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. v13-14

Wisdom based on God's word through study, prayer, reflection, silence, etc. is indeed profitable. I can say this based on my own life experiencing life change as only Jesus can do.  Jesus, in the Beatitudes, gives us this same promise:


Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Mathew 5:6

We must also remain in Him.  Not only because we can do nothing without Him, but because we hope to avoid getting thrown into the fire.


“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. John 15:5-6

 Come near to God and he will come near to you. James 4:8

 

My Prayer: Lord, You are an awesome God full of love, compassion, mercy, patience, etc. I am so deeply thankful that I have a God so great!  Thank You Jesus.  I am not worthy of such efforts.  I continue to fall down...in my arrogance, pride, and with my worry.  Please forgive me Jesus - help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin..and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding—indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.

Proverbs 2

My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding—indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. v1-5

Key here in my view are verses 3-5 where Solomon encourages his son - wisely - to seek out insight and understanding and to look for it with great desire as if it is the most valuable of all treasures.  Solomon, in chapter 1, rightly points out that "...fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction" (verse 7).  

In John 1 it says:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made." John 1:1-3

God is not only the source of all knowledge and wisdom, He is the source of "all good and perfect things":

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

Why would we not hunger after God with Him being so valuable?


Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Matthew 5:6

My Prayer: Jesus, You are valuable beyond what words can describe.  You HAVE blessed me beyond what earthly riches can provide - thank You Jesus!  I AM blessed and I AM filled.  Yet I am not worth such love and blessing.  I worry, I stress, and I am filled with pride, rage, etc.  Please forgive me.  Help me overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do. Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength. Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects of chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

[B]ut whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

Proverbs 1

[B]ut whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.” v33

God promises to protect us, provide peace of mind, and to fill us with wisdom if we approach Him in fear and with humility.

Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings. v23

Lord help me empty myself of my desires...renew my mind and transform my heart and life.  Make me more like You. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God and You are the source of all wisdom and knowledge.  All good and perfect things are from You.  Thank You for blessing me with Your wisdom and Your Word.  I am not worth such love.  I often put my thoughts and desires above Yours.  Please forgive me. Help me repent and turn from such sin and turn towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith. Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 1

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. v7

If I love the Lord my God with all of my heart, soul, and mind, and I love others as myself (and as Jesus does), then I will surely fear the Lord. With such desire for God, He promises much including from the Beatitudes:

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Matthew 5:6

I also know that God will direct my thoughts and ways and by staying near to Him I will better understand the path He wants me to take in all things.


Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

My Prayer: Lord, You are an awesome God, full of love, compassion, mercy, wisdom, knowledge...and You know have a plan for me that is awesome; one that glorifies You and is good for me.  Thank You for all that You are for me - You are my God and I am Your son.  I love You and I know You love me.  I am nothing without You and I know that no good thing is possible without You.  I stress and I worry too much - I should not.  Forgive me Jesus and help me turn from such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength. Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.