Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?

Proverbs 17-22:16

Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find? Proverbs 20:6

As I continue with my study of Proverbs, remaining in chapters 17-22:16, I begin a review of these chapters (week 7) from my study workbook by focus on the themes as depicted in my workbook, starting with refuge, faithfulness, joy, and abomination.  In particular, as I reflect on Zach's first day back in school, I seek to pass on encouragement from scripture that might help him lean into Christ for support.  The temptations in the world are real and lead only to destruction and damnation if they get in the way of belief and faith in God.   One of these temptations can be found in trust in others above God as we are tempted to think that social acceptance from others is key to our identity.  This is certainly plaguing our young people and I suspect Zach as well. We should recognize this and my study workbook points out that "[p]eople's pretenses of virtue are often false, and even when virtue is proven, it falls fall short of God's standard, which is perfection....Only Christ satisfies our quest for someone to trust utterly (Hebrews 3:6)."

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are faithful perfectly and I can count on You!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of Your faithfulness.  My sin is is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus 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.

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24

As I continue my study of Proverbs, I move on to week 7 of my study workbook, which looks at Proverbs 17-22:16.  For today, my focus is how God desires for us to befriend and trust in Him above other people.  The study today reminds me via Jeremiah 17:5, John 15:14-15, and James 2:22-23, how we are to be a friend of God by believing in Him, having faith, and by doing what He asks.  In Him, we have a friend that will never leave or forsake us, and He is faithful unlike any other.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who will never leave or forsake me and You are faithful unlike no other – thank You Jesus.  I am undeserving of the love and blessings You pour out for me. My sin continues and it is daily.  Please forgive me Jesus 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.

“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.

Isaiah 18-20 and 30-31

“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it. Isaiah 30:15

Day 189 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 as today we see the impact of Israel's fall on Judah.  My commentary* describes how fear of an Assyrian conquest of Judah pushes some in Judah to seek "an alliance with Egypt ([at the time] ruled by Cushites from Ethiopia)". Isaiah delivers God's message of warning against such alliances and to trust in the Lord.   

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

Today I am reminded of Isaiah 55:8 where is says “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.  Like those in Judah who trusted in Egypt's military strength, I too often trust in the world vs God.  Yet I must find my strength in God alone.

I am also reminded of Exodus 14:10-14 where Moses points the frightened Israelites to seek God in the stillness of a complete surrender to Him as the Egyptian army barrels down to recapture them and return them to bondage in Egypt:

As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”

Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who provides rest, strength and salvation - I must simply surrender my life and trust in You.  Help me do this please Lord.  You have blessed me and there are areas where I yet to surrender.  Please forgive me Jesus 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.

In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the Lord. He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, who had defeated him; for he thought, “Since the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me.” But they were his downfall and the downfall of all Israel. Ahaz gathered together the furnishings from the temple of God and cut them in pieces. He shut the doors of the Lord’s temple and set up altars at every street corner in Jerusalem. In every town in Judah he built high places to burn sacrifices to other gods and aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of his ancestors.

Isaiah 21, 23, 34, 2 Kings 16, 18, and 2 Chronicles 28-29
 

In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the Lord. He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, who had defeated him; for he thought, “Since the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me.” But they were his downfall and the downfall of all Israel. Ahaz gathered together the furnishings from the temple of God and cut them in pieces. He shut the doors of the Lord’s temple and set up altars at every street corner in Jerusalem. In every town in Judah he built high places to burn sacrifices to other gods and aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of his ancestors. 2 Chronicles 28:22-25

Day 182 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 my study of the prophecies of Isaiah.  God continues to use Isaiah to judge all nations - see also my post yesterday; this morning we see God judging Edom (Isaiah 21, 34), Arabia (Isaiah 21), and Tyre (Isaiah 23) - see map.

We also see Ahaz's downfall in Judah and Hezekiah assumes the throne.  Ahaz does not trust and depend on the Lord but instead has allowed himself and Judah to become dependent on Assyria and this leads to worship of foreign Gods. 

In contrast we see Hezekiah's rule as a return to love of the Lord:

[Hezekiah] did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done. He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan). Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. He held fast to the Lord and did not stop following him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses. And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook. 2 Kings 18:3-7, 2 Chronicles 29:2

I am reminded this morning how dangerous it can be to depend on others more than I depend on God.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who blesses me and gives me life to the full!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love.  I worry and I have other sins.  Please forgive me Jesus 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.