There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.

Proverbs 21

There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord. v30

Having worked my entire career in technology, I see many around me that place their trust and faith in themselves.  While it is important to be thoughtful and desire wisdom, it is more important to seek God's wisdom and then align our lives with God's wisdom (Romans 12:2).

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 9:10 (see also Psalm 110:10, Proverbs 1:7).

Check out other posts on the futility of human plans or our own plans vs those of God.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God, abounding in love, compassion, mercy, patience, etc.  I know You have blessed me with an abundance of second, third chances, etc. Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such blessings!  I am lazy...a sluggard!  Please forgive me for my neglect of my time with You Jesus and help me turn towards You...daily and throughout the day!  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do. Help me grow in my faith.  Help me lead Zach and Dustin to You and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me lead and serve my family and serve You and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity.

Proverbs 21

Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity. v23

We are to love and encourage one another.  Solomon warns us that otherwise we are to experience calamity...this is true as I have experienced this myself far too many times.  Thank You Jesus for Your great mercies.

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. Hebrews 3:13-14

See other posts here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an awesome God You are! You are so full of love, mercy, compassion, kindness, patience, etc.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such efforts.  I continue to be harsh with my words...please forgive me!  Help me overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith. Give me strength. Give Lisa strength.  Help me use words to encourage others and not tear them down.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and the side effects of chemo.  Help me lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and that they choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me lead and serve my family and serve You and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

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

Jesus came to served, not to be served (Matthew 20) so we are to serve.  Plus, Jesus created us for His glory, not to serve our own desires.

As part of our efforts to serve, we are to serve the poor and the least of these (see also posts here).

My Prayer: Jesus, You are a great God, generous, abounding in love and compassion and mercy for me.  Thank You Jesus.  I am not worth such blessings.  I am often harsh with others and I also gossip or speak badly of others.  Please forgive me.  Help me overcome my sin and turn towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind. Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects of chemo.  Help me lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus so they choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me lead and serve my family and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart.

Proverbs 21

A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart. v2

In the midst of sin, we often find ways to rationalize our actions.  Yet God knows our hearts and there is no justification for sin.  God also knows that once hardened, our hearts become slaves to sin.

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. James 1:13-15

 

God helps us with our temptation and frees us from being slave to sin - see also this post.  This same freedom also enables us to better carry our God's will for our lives.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what a great God You are!  You nailed my sin to the cross and give me life - life to the full!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love.  I am lazy and I neglect my relationship with You.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Protect me from temptation and strengthen me.  Strengthen Lisa.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus - I pray that they choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me lead and serve my family and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

 

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

God is in control (Colossians 1:16-17) and it is futile and full of folly to pursue our own desires and plans.  We exist to glorify God, so our efforts should be on renewal of the mind (Romans 12:2) and understanding of God's will for our lives.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and You have brought me up to incredible highs and dreadful lows.  You never leave me and I know You are for me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love.  I am lazy and I worry too much.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind.  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 Zach and Dustin to You and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me lead and serve my family and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Sluggards do not plow in season; so at harvest time they look but find nothing.

Proverbs 20

Sluggards do not plow in season; so at harvest time they look but find nothing. v4

God wants us to be in action...it's not just about listening but doing.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. James 1:22-25

The question becomes what do we do.
1. We love God with our all of our heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22)
2. We love others as ourselves (Matthew 22)
3. As a consequence of #1 and #2, we deny ourselves and our desires and live for God (that is why we exist) for others - to serve and not to be served.

My Prayer: Lord You are an awesome God that never ceases to love me and You bless me beyond what I deserve.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such an awesome God.  I am often lazy - 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 do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects of chemo.  Help me lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and have them accept You as their Lord and Savior as their choice.  Help me serve You and my family Jesus.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.

Proverbs 19

The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble. v23

God is in control (Colossians 1), He is all knowing and we should fear Him - out of a loving respect for who He is and what He has done for us.  Whatever trouble we may encounter, God is with us and He is our shield.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.

I know God is with me.

My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, what an awesome God You are...You know everything about me yet You love me and suffered and died for me.  You never leave me.  Thank You Jesus.  This gives me a peace that I hope protects from the sting of trouble, sin and death.  I am not worth such love.  I worry too much among my many sins.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome these sins and turn towards You instead.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind.  Help me love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Help me lead and serve my family and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.