Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence or stand in the place of the great, for it is better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.

Proverbs 25-29

Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence or stand in the place of the great, for it is better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be put lower in the presence of a noble. Proverbs 25:6-7

I continue my study of Proverbs, initiating week 9 from my study workbook, which focuses on Proverbs 25-29.  My focus for today is the first question which uses Proverbs 25:6-7 (see also James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5), and looks at how God advocates humility and rebukes pride and arrogance.  We should all acknowledge that all that we are is only by the grace of God.  This is certainly true of our salvation (see also Ephesians 2:8), but also true in all aspects of life. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for humbling Yourself on the cross so that I could have life to the full now but also for eternity - thank You Jesus for my salvation.  Of course I am not deserving as I know my salvation is only due to Your grace - I am not deserving as my sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from and overcome 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.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

Romans 8

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? Romans 8:35

I pause my study of Proverbs and Isaiah to listen to DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today focuses on how Romans 8:35 describes the inseparable nature of God's "present and powerful love" towards believers. John Piper describes this love as present and powerful based on three reasons:

1. "Christ is loving us now."
2. Christ protects His bride - believers and the church (according to Romans 8:28) - no matter what.
3. "This omnipotent, effective, protecting love does not spare us from calamities in this life, but brings us safely through them to everlasting joy with God."

Believers should be encouraged this morning to see this love of Christ, from which we are inseparable, as not some ephemeral or intangible love, but as real and significant.  

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who never leaves or forsakes me - I am inseparable from Your love.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love. My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from and overcome such sin and turn 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.   

Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory[.]

John 17

 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory[.] John 17:24a

I pause my study of Proverbs and Isaiah to listen to DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today focuses on the goal of Christ's love.  John Piper urges us to see the the goal of Christ's love is not for believers to experience the joy of "being loved", which is not a bad thing of course.  Instead God wants us to, in Piper's words, to see that "the goal of love that makes [redemption, propitiation, forgiveness, justification, reconciliation] loving is that we be with him, and see his jaw-dropping glory, and be astounded. In those moments we forget ourselves as we see and savor all that God is for us in him." We must remember that we exist to glorify God!  To do this, we must deny ourselves and serve Christ as He commands us, sharing the gospel, serving and loving others, etc. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of compassion and grace for me!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of who You love and save me, and how You pour out so many rich blessings for me, including how You never leave or forsake me.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus. 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.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Proverbs 22:17-24:34

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

I continue my study of Proverbs, specifically wrapping week 8 from my study workbook, which focuses on Proverbs 22:17-24:34. Today, the study provides commentary for this text and I reflect on application based on this commentary. From the commentary, two points in particular strike a chord this morning, including how this text (specifically Proverbs 24:16a) - with additional text from Hebrews 6:9-12; Jude 24-25; John 6:37, 39, 10:27-29; Romans 8:28-39; Philemon 1:6 - encourages perseverance, and how inclining our ear to God's Word (Proverbs 22:17-18a, Hebrews 4:12, Ephesians 6:17, Psalm 119) is the primary mechanism used by God to sanctify and mold us into His image.  

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who never leaves or forsakes me and who gives me Your Word, that I can be guided, encouraged and molded into more of Your image - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You help me persevere and how You sanctify.  My sin 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.

Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips. Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done.

Proverbs 22:17-24:34

Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips. Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done. Proverbs 24:28-29

I continue with my study of Proverbs, specifically in week 8 from my study workbook, which focuses on Proverbs 22:17-24:34.  The three final questions from the study for this week focus on exhortations to (1) avoid partiality in justice and to love your neighbor as yourself (Proverbs 24:23b, James 2:1-13, and John 13:34); (2) build a foundation for a Godly life based on "losing your life" in terms of being prepared to lose those things in our earthly life where we should not place more faith than God himself - this includes our own physical life, family, health, wealth, etc. (Proverbs 24:27, Luke 14:25-33); and (3) not take revenge on others but instead leave justice to God, and in its place focus on loving others, including those who either do us harm, or intend/seek to do so (Proverbs 24:28-29, Leviticus 19:18, Romans 12:19, Hebrews 10:29-31, Matthew 5:43-48).  In particular, the message to love others and to not take revenge is certainly a message our country can use right now...

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me - even as I was still sinning, an enemy and hostile to You, You saved me...thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of my salvation nor any of the blessings You pour out for me.  My sin is great and it continues.  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.

When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you. Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory.

Proverbs 22:17-24:34

When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you. Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Psalms 73:20-24

I continue with my study of Proverbs, specifically in week 8 from my study workbook, which focuses on Proverbs 22:17-24:34.  The two questions for this morning focus on an exhortation to avoid toiling to acquire wealth (Proverbs 23:4-5), and to avoid envy (Proverbs 23:17, 24:1,19, 3:31).  The first question refers us also to Proverbs 15:27, Matthew 6:19-21, 1 Timothy 6:9-10, and Hebrews 13:5. These verses teach us that wealth is fleeting and will be destroyed, but that God and His kingdom lasts forever, that ungodly pursuit of money leads to strife and trouble, but that hatred of bribes brings life, that love of money as an idol is a snare and trap and takes us away from God, and that we should be content with what we have (vs what we don't have).  The second question refers us to Psalms 37:1-2 and 73:1-28 and these texts teach us that we may envy sinners as having sinful pleasure with no consequences, yet they ultimately will fall to their destruction.  Envy is a certainly a powerful temptation, but Psalms 73:20-24 remind us that when we feel troubled by envy, even when we lacked trust in God, He is gracious and loves us when we repent and return to Him.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You love me - despite my sin.  My sin is daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from and overcome my sin and turn 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.

Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.

Proverbs 22:17-24:34

Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare. Proverbs 22:24-25

I continue with my study of Proverbs, specifically in week 8 from my study workbook, which focuses on Proverbs 22:17-24:34.  The two questions for this morning focus on how "a bad attitude toward life and people is contagious and deadly (Proverbs 22:25)," and how we are to be skillful in our labors - to exercise to the fullest our spiritual gifts (Proverbs 22:29).  On the former question, as I reflect, I've often grumbled and complained about my circumstances - demonstrating lack of trust in God.  This is certainly a contagious, dangerous and deadly character type to possess as a believer - to grumble and complain. God wants us to see how ALL circumstances are for His glory and our good (Romans 8:28).  My study points to Numbers 13:1-14:4 for an example of how grumbling and complaining was contagious among the Israelites and led to lack of trust in the Lord in leading them to possess the promised land. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and You are working in all circumstances in my life - good and bad - and You never leave or forsake me, and You give me the Holy Spirit to overcome the dark forces of this world and other obstacles - so that I can accomplish Your will in my life.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues.  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.